Support your local fish store!!

[MnFish1]

As an LFS owner myself, I would say more precisely, "Support a good LFS". There are some awful ones around that don't deserve your custom.

My advice would be to never just make your decision based on price. This goes for livestock and dry goods. Having a knowledgeable LFS that can give you concise and accurate support on the equipment and choice of dry goods that meet your requirements is worth a premium. Clean well cared for livestock is often a symptom of the owner knowing about each of the animals individual needs.

Ask questions, a good store should be both open and detailed about there operating procedures.

Never forget, your LFS may well be your only emergency option if something goes wrong. Very rarely will you be able to get delivery from online stores the same day or within hours. This includes crucial items such as heating equipment, saltwater or RODI.

With regards stocking of brands. Unless you are a large store with a big turnover, you can`t just go out and buy every product, just to have it sat on shelves. Also most big brands require retailers to buy in minimum order quantities, this can be very expensive if you sell that brand only occasionally, or are a small store like myself. However for the vast majority of items I can supply though pre order, I can offer my customers price match from major online retailers.

Most of all your LFS should be your access to professional advice and support. If it is not, then search around for one that is.

I have on countless occasions had visitors to my store asking for advice about a product they have purchased online, or even sometimes from another store. Quite frankly I find this rather rude and very disheartening.

I run my store because I love the hobby and love talking to fellow reefers, I don't see how that is a disadvantage. I was very disappointed by the general standard of LFS, especially those trying to sell everything, Freshwater, Saltwater, Reptiles and everything in between. Without even a basic knowledge of the animals identification , never minds its requirements.

I am semi retired after been relatively successful in other business ventures. To be honest I think running an LFS as a serious business model just doesn't add up, far to many negative variables weighted against a minimum gain. Supporting your good LFS is not just to boost their profit margin , it can in many cases be a critical lifeline. Use it or it will be gone when you need it most.

I have only a question... did you use low dose copper - did your suppliers - and if so - why? Not a criticism - its a bit of a discussion on another forum - since you own an LFS - was wondering?

 

[Bob Escher]

I drive almost a hour to go to my LFS to avoid Petco, not that my Petco doesn’t take care of their fish they do, I m just lerrily
After reading all the horror stories on here.
But I’m not about to pay $39.00 for shipping $29.00 frag either. I don’t have a large tank and I don’t have a large pocketbook either.
My LFS ( the closet one) Are knowledgeably ( Everyone in the place) corals aren’t that great, and fish stock is so so
But that’s fine. My tank is at that stage where I’m maintaining it and no need for fish, only some corals

 

[VA5]

Agreed!!!
Also many online retailers are not what I would call large businesses. I routinely shop unique corals and they provide excellent service and quality but are not at all what I would consider a “large business”. Neither are all the big names we know, WWC, Jason Fox, Vivid, etc...
I am having my LFS make and install a large (380 gallon) fish tank and was talking to the owner. One issue is that profit margins have gone down significantly over the past many years. This means to make the same net income or profit the LFS has to sell 3 corals instead of one.
It is a symptom of our current government and economy which unfairly favors large industry over the middle class. (Large industry has always had economics of scale and advantages in supplier discounts but now usually has other unfair advantages due lobbying)
If you are lucky enough to have a good LFS please definitely support it or it will go away

 

[Matt Carden]

I always see this support your local lfs blah blah blah, but what if one of your lfs's is a big online shop such as wwc?

Do you not support them?

That is your LFS!

 

[Matt Carden]

My LFS is pretty good. Haven't had problems with sick fish and prices are competitive with online if you add 15% for shipping.

The only problem I have with them is they don't seem to know what fish they're selling me. They sold me a Christmas Wrasse, turned out to be a red lined. They sold me an Engineer Goby and when I went back to get a second as a mate, the guy insisted that it was a Coral catfish. I checked my new fish and it didn't have whiskers so not a coral cat. I went back and got the second one anyway.

 

[KorD]

I fully agree with buying at the LFS, but where I am the three I actually would shop at are triple the price of online.. makes it hard to want to buy from them knowing that.
Mainly the store around here are more interested in getting into your house and taking care of your tank for you, they are not in it for the person that cares for their own tanks.

 

[Kmsutows]

Being new to this hobby (and dry) I can say that the internet has 100% crushed B&M stores especially the LFS. Whatever I know about this hobby is 100% from online (mostly R2R and youtube). In the past someone would heavily rely on the LFS for his/her knowledge and expertise. Now days noobz will rely on some of the top users here and let's say the top 5 youtubers (BRS, Saltwater Aquarium, etc) for their information.

There is just so many questions, and finding a good LFS that is somewhat driving distance who is willing to offer the time and correct information is tough. I'm in Cranford, NJ and from this site I was told there are 2 really good LFS within the hour from me. Perhaps if I ever get this tank going I would try and visit them once a month or something. But in all reality, things I need ASAP would be ordered online, supporting the vendors who have nurtured this for me.

Someone mentioned that LFS hire no experience, minimum waged employees. Those people should not be answering any questions other than what aisle an item is OR point the client to the right person.

Regarding not being savvy enough, they can hire for min. wage a HS kid to set-up an online facebook, ebay, whatever avenue of shopping you wish. Take pictures, set up an email, website, etc. The kid does the tech, pictures and other mundane tasks, the owner does the handling (price, shipping, answering questions, detailed information on the item).

There are still a lot of services the LFS can offer that rely on person to person. I can't reasonably have WWC come to my house to set up or maintain my system. I just hope the GOOD knowledgeable LFS are savvy enough that they need to utilize the internet as a tool and not an obstacle.

Man you're located perfectly for jersey fish stores... you're between at least 4 good ones.

I was just in one of my LFS a few days ago and they're really suffering from the indo ban and online sources like amazon/chewy. They mentioned some of their dry good margins and it was shocking... even some tanks with chewy now, LFS wholesale price is almost double what chewy has them for retail. Brands are killing LFS by marking them up but selling massively discounted for large bulk number purchases. I blame the brands selling out LFS for online big name.

 

[Steve Erekson]

The LFS I visit the most by me is definitely geared towards the entry level hobbyist. They're the kind of store that gets new people into the hobby and those are really important. The coral selection is limited, but they are very nice people and I'm not one for specialty or high-end corals and fish so it doesn't bother me. All the tanks are clean, I don't see aiptasia or GHA or cyano in any of them. I've overheard some of their conversations with new reefers about water chemistry and such and while I might disagree with some of it, they aren't giving wildly incorrect or dangerous advice and do appear to have some decent knowledge on the subject which is important for getting beginners into the hobby.

Also their pricing on dry goods is pretty darn reasonable. A lot of stuff is priced maybe 5% higher than you'll find on BRS which is shocking because I'm not sure how they manage to keep the doors open like that. They do sell freshwater and reptiles and some dog/cat food too so maybe that helps? Either way I'm more than happy to spend an extra 5% or 10% to support a good, clean, friendly local store that I can drive to on my lunchbreak just to kill time and look around.

 

[Tony Thompson]

I have only a question... did you use low dose copper - did your suppliers - and if so - why? Not a criticism - its a bit of a discussion on another forum - since you own an LFS - was wondering?

Hi @MnFish1 . No, I don't use copper or any other medication at lower than full therapeutic level or for general prophylactic use, I find this procedure very common amongst other LFS and wholesalers. I personally believe this type of procedure is extremely irresponsible and may be the cause of resistant strains that would be released to the general population.

If I have an animal that I think may be susceptible to a particular medication, then I use the tank transfer method and continuous observation. All of my animals are quarantined in a separate area for a minimum of six weeks, unlike many other quarantine measures I use this time primarily to condition the fish up using a combination of high value nutritional feeds including HUFA and Vitamins and proven Probiotics. The animals are also weaned onto foods that are available to the general hobbyists, these foods are made available in my store.

IMO, and IME, The simple reason why many wholesalers and retailers (Not all) use low level prophylactic copper is to keep the animals alive long enough to sell them on. Simply controlling the number of parasites so that no obvious signs are visible. Then its down to the new owner to sort things out. Its a business after all. However I treat all my animals with the respect they deserve, they are not tins of beans on a supermarket shelf. I actually dislike using wild collected animals full stop, and try very hard to source sustainably collected wild animals and aquacultured (Captive Bred animals). The main source of my animals is currently through Captive Breeding Suppliers.

 

[Kmsutows]

Agreed!!!
Also many online retailers are not what I would call large businesses. I routinely shop unique corals and they provide excellent service and quality but are not at all what I would consider a “large business”. Neither are all the big names we know, WWC, Jason Fox, Vivid, etc...
I am having my LFS make and install a large (380 gallon) fish tank and was talking to the owner. One issue is that profit margins have gone down significantly over the past many years. This means to make the same net income or profit the LFS has to sell 3 corals instead of one.
It is a symptom of our current government and economy which unfairly favors large industry over the middle class. (Large industry has always had economics of scale and advantages in supplier discounts but now usually has other unfair advantages due lobbying)
If you are lucky enough to have a good LFS please definitely support it or it will go away

Certainly agree with this. It's also a matter of the whole sales now retailing themselves. The indo ban is practically to blame I'm sure but now wholesalers sell their own frag packs to LFS for dang near full blown retain so there is just no margin. So no margin on coral and no margin on dry good anymore either.

 

[stacksoner]

I think these LFS' need to innovate, take advantage of their proximity to hobbyists, and take on some leadership responsibility.

If you're an LFS owner, you need to have an unbelievable, thriving, majestic display tank in your store....I'll buy everything you tell me to get and I'll trust your advice. Ask me how my tank is doing and follow up on and issue we discussed, and I'm yours forever.

RODI water is a pain in the butt to make, store, and monitor. Why don't LFS' offer RODI water delivery services?

Every LFS should offer tank maintenance service plans. My LFS sells more inventory to it's service customers than it does to visitors.

It's all about hustling and adapting to people's needs, helping folks solve problems, and becoming part of their successful journey in the hobby

 

[that Reef Guy]

I think these LFS' need to innovate, take advantage of their proximity to hobbyists, and take on some leadership responsibility.

If you're an LFS owner, you need to have an unbelievable, thriving, majestic display tank in your store....I'll buy everything you tell me to get and I'll trust your advice. Ask me how my tank is doing and follow up on and issue we discussed, and I'm yours forever.

RODI water is a pain in the *** to make, store, and monitor. Why don't LFS' offer RODI water delivery services?

Every LFS should offer tank maintenance service plans. My LFS sells more inventory to it's service customers than it does to visitors.

It's all about hustling and adapting to people's needs, helping folks solve problems, and becoming part of their successful journey in the hobby

Water Delivery Service?

I don't think that would be feasable.

I mean how much would you be willing to pay for such a service?

 

[Coralreefer1]

My local fish store may not have all the glitter, bright lights and fancy name nor the high inventory like many car dealerships but what they do have are very good prices for most of their livestock and dry goods.
Ultra Rock Anemones for $29-$39 that many other stores charge $59-$100 for the same thing.

 

[stacksoner]

Water Delivery Service?

I don't think that would be feasable.

I mean how much would you be willing to pay for such a service?

My lfs in NYC delivers RODI for $.50/gallon

 

[that Reef Guy]

My lfs in NYC delivers RODI for $.50/gallon

They Deliver it for Free?

You call them up and say I want One Gallon.

I will have 0.50 for you when you get here?

Surely there must be some fee or minimum amount.

What if you live far away?

They Have to Make Money you Know.

 

[KorD]

I found a new place to shop at. They are having a coral sale this weekend.
It was an accidental find that might have worked out.
This guy basically runs a coral outlet in a storage unit like building. No signage outside saying where they are located, all corals are propagated from his tanks, and are beautiful.

 

[stacksoner]

The Deliver it for Free?

You call them up and say I want One Gallon.

I will have 0.50 for you when you get here?

Surely there must be some fee or minimum amount.

What if you live far away?

They Have to Make Money you Know.

Call em up: +1 212-594-2272

 

[PirateDan]

Tiki Corals in Glen Allen va is my go to shop. Corals are beautiful and they have a great selection. I had my pump go out on my tank one time it was when they were about ready to close. called them they stayed and waited for me to get there. I buy everything I need from them.