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SAN DIEGO, June 13, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Petco, a national leader in promoting responsible pet care and ownership, is launching an educational campaign aimed at anyone looking to enter the saltwater aquarium hobby. "Finding Dory" is making a splash in theaters on Friday, June 17, and experts anticipate audiences around the world will want to welcome blue tang fish like Dory into their homes. Petco hopes to inform families and pet parents about the level of maintenance and commitment required for saltwater aquariums and hopefully steer those looking to enter the hobby for the first time to freshwater tanks as a more responsible introduction to fish-keeping.

"We expect interest in the saltwater aquarium hobby to increase with the release of 'Finding Dory'" said Dr. Whitney Miller, director of veterinary medicine at Petco. "As a leader in the animal care community, it's our duty to help educate consumers about the commitment necessary to keep saltwater fish happy and healthy. We're here to be pet parents' trusted source in responsibly keeping fish and learning all about freshwater and saltwater aquatic life."

According to United Pet Group, one in four, or more than 220,000 first-time fish owners (in the 5-to 55-gallon tank size range) leave the hobby within the first 12 months. "Many first-time fish hobbyist may not understand what it takes to have a saltwater aquarium at home, let alone how to care for and keep the vibrant, fragile fish swimming in it" said Miller, "At Petco we do not recommend saltwater fish like 'Dory' for any beginning aquarists. Saltwater fish require a large, well-balanced environment to thrive. We recommend beginning aquarists begin with a freshwater fish like a betta."

That's why Petco urges families to be well-informed on the commitment required to meet the health and safety needs of saltwater fish like blue tangs before taking the plunge. Saltwater fish typically require at least a 29-gallon saltwater tank and a higher average set-up cost than freshwater fish. The average cost for a new saltwater tank ranges from $300 to $500, according to peteducation.com.

Petco also recognizes the importance of doing their part in helping to preserve and protect the world's coral reefs and the fish that depend on them. The company is committed to offering aquatic life that is either aquacultured or collected through practices that include careful attention to the sustainability of both the animals and the marine environments where they live.  Petco partners with and supports organizations such as Rising Tide Conservation and Habitatitude who are helping to lead the charge in protecting our oceanic environments.

For more information on how to care for saltwater and freshwater fish, as well as many other companion animals, visit your local Petco store or petco.com/fish

About Petco and the Petco Foundation
With more than 50 years of service to pet parents, Petco is a leading pet specialty retailer that focuses on nurturing powerful relationships between people and pets. We do this by providing the products, services, advice and experiences that keep pets physically fit, mentally alert, socially engaged and emotionally happy. Everything we do is guided by our vision for Healthier Pets. Happier People. Better World. We operate more than 1,430 Petco locations across the U.S., Mexico and Puerto Rico, including more than 115 Unleashed by Petco locations, a smaller format neighborhood shop; prescription services and pet supplies from the leading veterinary-operated pet product supplier, Drs. Foster & Smith; and petco.com. The Petco Foundation, an independent nonprofit organization, has invested more than $150 million since it was created in 1999 to help promote and improve the welfare of companion animals. In conjunction with the Foundation, we work with and support thousands of local animal welfare groups across the country and, through in-store adoption events, help find homes for more than 400,000 animals every year.

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SOURCE Petco