How often do you visit your LFS?

[Aspiring Tank Guru]

My LFS just closed because he was retiring. But when everything was going accordingly I went once a week. However things often didn't go accordingly with my tank so during those times I went 2-4 times a week.

 

[SamsReef]

I only go to my LFS for buying fishes and inverts(can never buy online without seeing) or to check if they have some hidden gems in corals...twice in a month. 9 out of 10 times, I come back empty handed but it never discourages me.

Sam.

 

[Zurick381]

At least once a week we go, we have multiple reef stores within an hour of us, but we like the mom and pop reef shops the most

Sent from my LG-D850 using REEF2REEF mobile app

 

[Moms tank]

Tell me, how often do you go to your local fish store? What are you typically looking for when you go? What draws you the most to one store over another? And how far are you willing to drive?

Extremely pre-mature market research.

Every day that I'm not working I usually go in and look at the salt water fish and corals and most of the time I buy something[emoji5]

 

[Mark Gray]

I only have 1 shop in my town, I can drive to Atlanta and there are many. Aquarium Outfitters in Athens GA, they do a good job, their stuff if very heathy, and most of their employee's are very knowledgeable and helpful too

 

[Dub_G]

Sorry just saw this post. Love the crew. Will you be attending Reef Stock in February?

Frankie, Have you tried Aquatic Arts in Highlands Ranch? They have a GREAT selection of corals but typically a limited selection on fish. The store is only pen on Friday or Saturday. The rest of the week the owner is taking care of his tank maintenance customers.

 

[govolsguy31]

Every day that I'm not working I usually go in and look at the salt water fish and corals and most of the time I buy something[emoji5]

Do you usually go to the same one @Moms tank ?

 

[rockhead51]

I'm 2 miles from my LFS. Stop by every 2 weeks or so for water or other small supplies. Still a newbie, though, so we'll see!
Next project is an ATO. So will probably ask for advice there, and end up paying a bit more to support the local business.

 

[Moms tank]

No Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Va Newport, VA and Washington ,DC

 

[diablomaster9045]

Frankie, Have you tried Aquatic Arts in Highlands Ranch? They have a GREAT selection of corals but typically a limited selection on fish. The store is only pen on Friday or Saturday. The rest of the week the owner is taking care of his tank maintenance customers.

+1 Aquatic art is freaking awesome!!! Only open Friday and Saturday but always has good stuff and good prices.

 

[DaveMorris]

There are five excellent fish stores very near me including two that are less than a mile from my house. I make it a point to hit several of them every week or so if I can. I like to see whats new, as well as showing support for them. I try to buy food and dry goods as well as livestock in the local stores as much as possible. I am lucky to have a place like AquaSD right here where I can browse what they have in person. San Diego is a great spot for LFS.

 

[diablomaster9045]

Yea, I honestly thought he was joking.

I need to quantify this so you can understand where I am coming from.


So going to petco a random day and time of the week I would agree with you. about 90% of petco's don't know how to properly care for the fish. There are a few that are very good and get the support they need to care for the fish and coral.

Fort Collins, CO Petco is awesome! Almost always has well cared for and healthy fish.

The only time I go to petco is shipment day so I can pick the fish up while they are still in the bag from the shipment. I would never buy a fish that has been in the petco's tanks out here in the DC area. Petco uses the same suppliers that all our brick and mortar fish shops use but they are just much lower priced.

 

[diablomaster9045]

There are five excellent fish stores very near me including two that are less than a mile from my house. I make it a point to hit several of them every week or so if I can. I like to see whats new, as well as showing support for them. I try to buy food and dry goods as well as livestock in the local stores as much as possible. I am lucky to have a place like AquaSD right here where I can browse what they have in person. San Diego is a great spot for LFS.

Yah you guys are spoiled with fish stores down in Cali

 

[diablomaster9045]

Interesting. Can't see how Petco is even in the convo, but ok. Colorado and Cali might be pushing our travel budget. Can I borrow your Lear Jet sometime? Lol.

They are just examples. I have lived in may places over the years. These were some top notch stores that came to mind when posting.

So my criteria for good LFS' are this:

1. healthy livestock (If ordering Quality Marine livestock keeping them healthy to warrant quality marines higher prices)
2. knowledgeable and respectable staff
3. sells standard maintenance dry goods (Food, media, filter socks, ro supplies, salt)
4. willing to special order livestock for you

Blue Ribbon Koi: Fails 1 and half of 2 (A certain employee that works there keeps me from ever going there, an absolute creep)
Incredible Corals: Fails 3 and 4 But I don't think they see themselves as a true fish store. I think they use Incredible Corals as a way to bring in aquarists so they can sell them custom built acrylic tanks. As acrylic work is the parent business. There acrylic work is top notch!
Centreville Aquarium: Fails 1, 2, and 4. I would count this place the same level as Petsmart
Reef Escape: Fails 4 But definitely a good place if you want fair priced clean up crew locally.
Tropical Lagoon Aquarium: Lacks a #3 but overall a pretty good shop. Downside it's an hour and a half drive for me to go there.

I think one of the problems out here is there are so many out of home sellers in the area. Or maybe all the out of home sellers popped up because the fish stores suck. Who knows?

I will check out Capital Aquarium this weekend. A good amount of WAMAS says it's pretty good so I have high hopes. I need a fish store I don't have to travel over an hour to visit.

 

[FishGuyBri]

No Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Va Newport, VA and Washington ,DC

Chesapeake is my home town! I used to love animal jungle on holland road for fishies!!

 

[Moms tank]

They are just examples. I have lived in may places over the years. These were some top notch stores that came to mind when posting.

So my criteria for good LFS' are this:

1. healthy livestock (If ordering Quality Marine livestock keeping them healthy to warrant quality marines higher prices)
2. knowledgeable and respectable staff
3. sells standard maintenance dry goods (Food, media, filter socks, ro supplies, salt)
4. willing to special order livestock for you

Blue Ribbon Koi: Fails 1 and half of 2 (A certain employee that works there keeps me from ever going there, an absolute creep)
Incredible Corals: Fails 3 and 4 But I don't think they see themselves as a true fish store. I think they use Incredible Corals as a way to bring in aquarists so they can sell them custom built acrylic tanks. As acrylic work is the parent business. There acrylic work is top notch!
Centreville Aquarium: Fails 1, 2, and 4. I would count this place the same level as Petsmart
Reef Escape: Fails 4 But definitely a good place if you want fair priced clean up crew locally.
Tropical Lagoon Aquarium: Lacks a #3 but overall a pretty good shop. Downside it's an hour and a half drive for me to go there.

I think one of the problems out here is there are so many out of home sellers in the area. Or maybe all the out of home sellers popped up because the fish stores suck. Who knows?

I will check out Capital Aquarium this weekend. A good amount of WAMAS says it's pretty good so I have high hopes. I need a fish store I don't have to travel over an hour to visit.

Capital of coral is not a bad store that's some pretty good stuff the employees are very helpful very informational and they also have home service to help clean your tanks[emoji5]

 

[diablomaster9045]

Capital of coral is not a bad store that's some pretty good stuff the employees are very helpful very informational and they also have home service to help clean your tanks[emoji5]

Where is that?

 

[Jason mack]

Tell me, how often do you go to your local fish store? What are you typically looking for when you go? What draws you the most to one store over another? And how far are you willing to drive?

Extremely pre-mature market research.

I go a least once a week , but I go too two lFS ,ohhh I must also say that I'm no longer allowed too go too my lFS alone or unsupervised ask my wife

 

[JBradford]

At least once a week.

 

[badd]

The weekend after every pay day. If the wife lets me.

lol..yep..me too