The value of a good LFS

SMB · Jul 6, 2017

I purchased this captive bred, baby, Coral Beauty (C. bispinosa) yesterday evening. This morning he is out and about picking and took some mysis. (Knocking on wood.) The other tank mates are not particularly aggressive, all of whom have been in the 45 gal cube from 6 months to two years.
When challenged by the Tailspot Blenny this little guy replied with the classic Centropyge tail flip.

Lucky, perhaps, but more likely a good fish from good local fish store. When I had several large tanks I had a pretty good quarantine system. Now everything is down sized and I have this one small cube and no room for a quarantine system. Honestly this 45 gal. tank is as much fun as any aquarium I have had. Much of that is due to the LFS who takes great care of their specimens. All fish are quarantined for two weeks. They are medicated and given many food types and almost all are eating.
This is the sixth fish I have purchased from this store over two years and all are alive and well. Their advice is spot on and all the staff are pretty knowledgeable. I don't think you can overvalue a good LFS in this hobby, no matter what your experience level.

clsanchez77 · Jul 6, 2017

I completely agree. I will add that with the ever increasing pressure of large scale online vendors, many LFS are struggling and the number of options is decreasing. The good news is many bad ones are getting squeezed out. The bad news is the good ones are having to cut cost to remain competitive. I have a local LFS that is my first go to for everything, even if it costs just a little bit more. I even had a second one I recently discovered about an hour away.

Stunning fish btw!

CindyKz · Jul 7, 2017

Agreed! I'm fortunate enough to have an LFS I wholeheartedly trust and a pretty decent backup, both within easy reach. I rarely order dry goods online and never fish. The slightly higher prices are offset by savings in shipping and knowing the owner ALWAYS has my back.

revhtree · Jul 7, 2017

Should be a good thread!

I think there is tremendous value in the LFS! One of the number one things is the ability to ensure that hobbyists are still entering the hobby! Reaching those that won't be reached unless they walk or drive by a store and decide to see what saltwater aquariums are all about.

Greybeard · Jul 7, 2017

If I have a choice between ordering a fish from an online place, sight unseen... and buying a fish that I can look at first, that I can see is eating, from a LFS for 20% or so more money, I'm going to the LFS. They're providing a service, and I don't mind paying for that service. It's worth it.

Problem is, in a fairly small market like where I'm at, our LFS choices are limited. Within an hour of my home, I've got a grand total of 3, and one of them is a big national pet supply chain, which I don't really consider a 'LFS'. Of the two private shops, one is excellent, but small, and very limited in selection. Got some nice corals, but if you want a fish that is less common, well, he isn't going to have it. The other is not well maintained.

So. I either order a fish through the small private LFS and pay him to quarantine, or it's off to the interwebs for me.

Tristren · Jul 7, 2017

Absolutely. I'm just starting out and am very happy that I have a solid LFS (Marinescape here in Ottawa) that can guide me along the way.

On the equipment/setup side they are great in laying out the pros and cons for the different choices. Explaining what you get for the more expensive toys, which ones are really helpful and which are just nice to haves (and which ones just aren't worth it).

On the livestock side is where the real benefits is though. They walked me through the cycle, testing samples to verify my tests and providing advice on what to add when.

Invaluable.

nitro · Jul 7, 2017

I aj agree as well, they will be there on a Sunday afternoon emergency and the have the knowledge to help.

Humblefish · Jul 7, 2017

I really miss the go-to LFS. It's so exciting to pick out that "perfect" fish or coral. I miss the fun times, good conversations, a sense of community.

Unfortunately, most LFS I deal with nowadays are angry & frustrated. They can't compete with online and like many other brick & mortar retailers, there is just no answer for that. I know everybody wants to save a buck, but I think in the end we're gonna regret what society becomes once almost everything is done online.

Greybeard · Jul 7, 2017

Good LFS's are wonderful, but there is a downside... bad LFS's.

Many years ago, I watched a minimum wage jerk try and sell a blue ring octopus to a 10 year old kid and his mom for a brand new 29g marine tank. Guy talked about how easy they were to care for, make great pets... never even mentioning that the thing was potentially lethal. I did. Guy was mad at me for killing the sale. Never went back in that store... closed not long after.

jrwoltman · Jul 7, 2017

They only thing I would get online are CUC inverts. I feel they handle the indignities of shipping much better than fish or coral. However, I would prefer to purchase all livestock from an LFS and I am fortunate enough to have many within driving distance. Fish especially though; I want to see them eat, I want to see how they are interacting with tank mates, and I want to visually inspect them before bringing them home.

Slyler · Jul 7, 2017

I agree that a great LFS is the best thing for this hobby. i switched from Freshwater to Salt almost 3 years ago, I went to the typical big box store, things were a little cheaper and I had been there for freshwater. After about 6 months, it seemed like the idea would be that I would just be replacing my fish stock every 3 months or less. I ended up going into a LFS that I had heard about and he took the time to talk to me and ask about my tank and how I was running it. didn't buy anything that day because I liked the Tomini Tang at a different store more. about 2 months later everything in the tank died, like normal. I went back to this guy and he set me up on the right path, been over 2 years now and nothing has died in my tank, except some corals cause I wouldn't buy test kits, my own fault which has now changed. The great thing about having a LFS is when I upgraded and bought a gyre that I couldn't figure out how to work, the propellers would stop spinning after 3 seconds. I took it in to my LFS after hours and he sat there and got it working for me. you can't get that from an online vendor... sure a LFS can cost more, but what the good ones provide are worth their weight in the extra 10-20% compared to online vendors who just sell you something and that's it.

If it wasn't for finding a great LFS I would have left the hobby a while ago.

SMB · Jul 7, 2017

I would say the LFS specimens are a bit vanilla, but they will get fish in by request. Personally, I don't think my 45 cube is a home for the rare and difficult specimens. I'm happy with a healthy little slice of reef, with proper sized fish and corals.
I have no problem paying more for a fish I can see eating and interacting. There really is a lot of satisfaction in a fish that is out and about, establishing territory, eating and looking healthy on day one.
Everything in this 2 year old tank is from one store (I bought the tank from them as a used display tank). When the Star Polyps or the the Green Fuzzy Mushroom divide or get to big, I just "harvest" them and the LFS takes them for store credit. The above Coral Beauty was not in the tank at the time of this photo.
(Missing in the shot is the male Fire Dartfish. The pair has spawned once, but no babies.)

Bob Escher · Jul 7, 2017

clsanchez77 said:
I completely agree. I will add that with the ever increasing pressure of large scale online vendors, many LFS are struggling and the number of options is decreasing. The good news is many bad ones are getting squeezed out. The bad news is the good ones are having to cut cost to remain competitive. I have a local LFS that is my first go to for everything, even if it costs just a little bit more. I even had a second one I recently discovered about an hour away.

Stunning fish btw!

He's a beauty
I'm lucky as well mine does the same

SaltLifer · Jul 7, 2017

I'm on my 4th LFS since I started. Unfortunately, I saved the best for last. All the others went out of business but turns out the only one left is the one I should've been going to from the start. They quarantine all their fish and treat with copper and prezi. If they don't have it, they will order it. If it's a bad idea, they will tell you. Some of their dry goods are even cheaper than Amazon. Plus, every time I walk in, there's reggae on the radio and someone is usually drinking beer.

If they ever go out of business, I'm only 1.5 hours away from WWC.

Duraticate · Jul 7, 2017

I like my lfs wish they would have a better diverse selection of corals. Over the almost 3 years never had any bad hitchhikers.

cracker · Jul 7, 2017

Im fortunate to have a very good LFS just down the road This shop has kept it's doors open for a lot longer than most in my city. The place is very convenient. for that item need or usually want today ! He's Happy to look for a particular critter . I haven't had to order an animal without looking at it 1st. Sure I could save a buck from online purchases but it's worth it to me to spend money there to help keep the doors open !

cdmckinzie · Jul 7, 2017

I have some smaller LFS within 45 minutes of my house and some larger ones about an hour away. I have actually found that alot of the fish I want are cheaper at the stores than online, for example a bird wrasse for about $80 when online I saw it for much more. Just about all of them will order anything i want that they dont normally carry. I am going to visit World Wide corals soon, they are about 1 1/2 hours away, I can't wait, and there are alot more stores in Orlando to visit. I do wish there was one close to me but I live in a small town north of Tampa so they probably wouldn't have enough business. But I would much rather buy from a local store so I can see what I'm getting and have a relationship with them.

SashimiTurtle · Jul 8, 2017

I could get everything online. Amazon has just about every dry good you can think of and if they don't BRS does, but I prefer to go to my LFS and talk reef with the guys in there. They are actually cheaper on a bucket of salt than Amazon.

Bruce Burnett · Jul 8, 2017

Humblefish said:
I really miss the go-to LFS. It's so exciting to pick out that "perfect" fish or coral. I miss the fun times, good conversations, a sense of community.

Unfortunately, most LFS I deal with nowadays are angry & frustrated. They can't compete with online and like many other brick & mortar retailers, there is just no answer for that. I know everybody wants to save a buck, but I think in the end we're gonna regret what society becomes once almost everything is done online.

That is the truth. Every LFS I go to say if it was not for the service work they do they would be out of business. When I was living in Southern California there were lots of LFS now I have to go 2.5 hours to Las Vegas for the closest LFS. I always prefer brick and mortar over the internet for most anything when you can. More and more LFS are working to have an internet sales site also but overhead can really hurt them.

mucky1957 · Jul 8, 2017

Here in Manchester, England we are lucky to have 5 very good lfs within a 20 mile radius..with my nearest store less than a mlie away. The problem in England is the prices charged for coral and fish...it is mental....and of course most lfs imho are only out to sell stock without asking questions about the buyers setup. I read many comments from people who buy fish and have no idea how to look after them or what to feed them with. I even see people post a picture of a new buy and then have to ask for the name. Shops are looking out for No. 1 first and foremost. If it isn't the same where you are then all I can say is you are very lucky.