So I live in tyler texas and there is only a few choices for saltwater in this area. I try to stay away from big corps like Petco do to their poor quality tanks they have. But my main other store has been letting me down. I walked in to pick up some salt and a couple frags and I seen this. I guess I will have to keep making a trip to dallas every couple months to get what I need. I just wish I could have good lfs in my area.
Poor Quality LFS
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Crabs McJones
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I have the same issue. I drive 50 miles for my "local" fish store. The one in my town is very poorly kept. Found out a little but ago that th hey done even use ro/di water which makes as lot of sense actually...
gtaran02
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Hello,
Fortunately for me, I don’t have to deal with LFS being kept under bad conditions. (Living in San Diego).
But this only makes me wonder what drove LFS to situations like this, could it be online stores? Hobbyist selling to other hobbyists?, or lack of customers?.
It’s sad to see LFS struggling because when I joined the hobby (app. 6 yrs ago, in TX) the LFS was the place to be if you wanted to talk fishtank, or had an issue with your system. LFS used to be packed on the weekends, the community would get together at the LFS and the stores provided doughnuts and coffee.
Fortunately for me, I don’t have to deal with LFS being kept under bad conditions. (Living in San Diego).
But this only makes me wonder what drove LFS to situations like this, could it be online stores? Hobbyist selling to other hobbyists?, or lack of customers?.
It’s sad to see LFS struggling because when I joined the hobby (app. 6 yrs ago, in TX) the LFS was the place to be if you wanted to talk fishtank, or had an issue with your system. LFS used to be packed on the weekends, the community would get together at the LFS and the stores provided doughnuts and coffee.
Just my .02, three things are driving LFS's out of business. First, online retailers for both dry goods and livestock. I buy a lot of things online because in a great many cases I can buy them and they ship to my house free and I may not have to pay sales tax. Second, and this is a highly contested topic, the cost of this hobby runs a lot of people off. It's not hard at all to blow a couple hundred dollars on 5 frags that would barely fill a red Solo cup. Last, finding knowledgeable help that wants to work in a fish store and bust their hump for what can't be a whole lot better than minimum wage has got to be tough.
Crabs McJones
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Honestly, the people in my town have a bit of a monopoly as the closest saltwater store from there is around a half hour away, so I think some people are forced to go to them. The reason the store is poorly kept is because the people who run it are just plain lazy. They have animals that roam the store freely and poop everywhere and they get around to cleaning it up when they get around to it. Plus using straight tap water and where I live we have a very high heavy metal and chlorine count in our water.
gtaran02
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You touched very interesting/important topics and I agree. I get all my dry goods online, because online stores have what I’m looking for and I don’t have to deal with traffic since they deliver to the front of my door.
Greybeard
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I live in a small town... no fish stores here. There's one about 40 minutes away... that sux. There's one a little more than an hour away... it's a good store, but it's very small, and he's only open on Saturdays. More of a hobby for him than a regular store.
Anyway, I drive to the further one. Regularly. I buy salt there, the occasional frag, snail, or whatnot. Nothing I couldn't buy, and likely cheaper, online. Why? Because... if I don't, he'll be gone. Support your local fish store... or pretty soon, there won't be one.
Now, that's not to say you should support people who don't take care of their stuff, or that want to charge you several times what you can buy something for online... I won't walk into those places, and don't care if they close down.
Anyway, I drive to the further one. Regularly. I buy salt there, the occasional frag, snail, or whatnot. Nothing I couldn't buy, and likely cheaper, online. Why? Because... if I don't, he'll be gone. Support your local fish store... or pretty soon, there won't be one.
Now, that's not to say you should support people who don't take care of their stuff, or that want to charge you several times what you can buy something for online... I won't walk into those places, and don't care if they close down.
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Certainly tough to run any business so I don't want to demean that because doing so successfully in ANY industry has gotta be one of the toughest things to do. The LFS business has had a lot of changes but I think the hobby is actually growing according to the APPA and while a lot of that money is going to online retailers for both dry and live goods and even local clubs trading more frequently there are a lot of examples of LFSs that have adapted and are not just maintaining business but actually growing. There are also a lot of examples of stores failing and closing but like any business, you have to adapt or you risk dying. When local bookstores were closing left and right due to Amazon there are the ones who closed and the ones who adapted and turned into cafes or co-working spaces, started holding meetups and were otherwise able to grow. It's the same with this industry.
Service and maintenance has become a bigger opportunity, some stores are selling online and have a better opportunity than most individuals to do so profitably, and some are just providing good clean stores combined with knowledge and good husbandry which allows them to keep clients long term -- this is still a differentiation that liveaquaria can't compete with and they are probably happy for BRS allowing more people to get in the hobby and stay long term giving them more clientele.
If a store has hair algae all over its display tank and they blame "online retailers" for their business failing, I don't have pity for them. Most people on this forum will pay extra money to a LFS that is clean and follows good husbandry habits. LFSs have an opportunity to provide better service than online retailers through things like knowledge, quarantined fish, and service.
Service and maintenance has become a bigger opportunity, some stores are selling online and have a better opportunity than most individuals to do so profitably, and some are just providing good clean stores combined with knowledge and good husbandry which allows them to keep clients long term -- this is still a differentiation that liveaquaria can't compete with and they are probably happy for BRS allowing more people to get in the hobby and stay long term giving them more clientele.
If a store has hair algae all over its display tank and they blame "online retailers" for their business failing, I don't have pity for them. Most people on this forum will pay extra money to a LFS that is clean and follows good husbandry habits. LFSs have an opportunity to provide better service than online retailers through things like knowledge, quarantined fish, and service.
Crabs McJones
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I've often considered going into business for myself, as I'm sure even I could dance circles around these people...But then I realize the complexity of it and talk myself out of it lol.
Scooter90254
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Why not go to Petco. I understand the support your LFS movement but in a lot of cases Petco is the only option. I'm thankful to have a Petco in my area otherwise there's 1 OK LFS in the area. In all honesty I'm pleasantly surprised by the selection and husbandry at my local Petco. Its better then a lot if LFS I have seen come and go.
I don't think running Petco out of the saltwater business would be a good thing for the hobby overall. Put pressure on them to do things correctly is a much better option.
I don't think running Petco out of the saltwater business would be a good thing for the hobby overall. Put pressure on them to do things correctly is a much better option.
BoomCorals
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Wait is my place 50 miles from you?
Crabs McJones
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I visited a widely know retail/etail coral outlet on vacation recently and had a great experience. Their retail store was nothing less than incredible, and they guy I talked to said that their retail business is such a small fraction of overall sales.
It does suck to see small businesses being left behind in some cases, but it's also possible to adapt and flourish in today's mixed markets. It's not only how much you CAN put into it, but how much you WANT to put into it.
I own a small, business and am extremely dedicated to it and it's success. There is another guy doing the same thing in town and he's struggling because he very visibly doesn't out as much effort in his business as I do mine.
The internet isn't going anywhere and businesses can remain successful if they are willing to elevate and adapt.
Joshua Kerstetter
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I have quite the opposite situation I'm about an hour from That Pet Place in Lancaster, its the largest pet store in the world, and provides over an hour of entertainment when I take the wife and kids there because of all the variety, its almost like going to the Zoo. I also have a choice of a pretty good local Petco that I'll hit for sales, or common stuff that's competitive to online, I also have a local place about 30 minutes away. That place has always had staffing issues, they'll have a really good individual who will keep things cleaned, and really taken care of then in a few months they might be gone, and things will all change. I think staffing is probably the biggest problem, and retention.
I live in Sarasota so I’m very fortunate I see I have three LFS abut 2 I buy from and I ride a bike. The 1 is lazy and I see that’s the issue... A bunch of potheads that think they can grow coral and make money the easy way.... but little do they know.... my main store is a Red Sea distributor!!!! So Q frags all day and he looks me up. So I would have to say negligence and ego Are the issues and ignorance but that’s neglect to not know how 2 care for ur specimens. Thanks
