Whats one thing your LFS could do better?

[Rajil]

I have quite a few options thanks to my location. I'm lucky enough to be able to drive to Premium Aquatics and for dry good selection they are hands down the best in town, they also are really the only shop that does any kind of sales or specials. My favorite lfs though is modern aquatix, the owner is hands down the most friendly person I've ever dealt with in any retail setting. We just stop in to hang out not even buy stuff sometimes and he is super okay with it. On top of that he posts weekly on social media and will even message me directly if he gets something that he thinks I might like simply based on my buying trends.

 

[MattC86]

Well, my LFS has several folks that are very knowledgeable. Just had to weed through those that aren’t. Coral selection is great, but fish variety could be a little better.

Would be nice if they would follow up with special request/orders. Basically just say they will try and add it to their list and if it comes in its a first come first serve basis.

 

[Slarti]

Drop their prices! Nah I know, it is what it is...

But I would not mind them not getting all technical with me with names of fish and corals. For example, I will look around on the net at corals that I would like to buy etc. I will have all the names nicely lined up in my head and when I get to the store will do my usual thing of pointing and saying "What is that called?" I will get some scientific name and/or some nickname only people in the inner circle know about and which will not tick off any of those nice names lined up in my head... We all love our tanks but we don't all live it 24/7 and is up to date with the latest and greatest lingo.

 

[ducklady]

Clean tank glass, nasty looking green and brown algae, and get all the dead fish out of the tanks!! That would be a good start. Not to mention make it look like a respectable fish store not a junk store. It broke my heart when my LFS sold to new owner and he has really run it into the ground.

 

[ducklady]

Make it look like a real store!! I gave up on my LFS because it looks terrible dead fish in display tanks. Can't see in the tanks because of algae on glass. The place just went in the ground with new owner.

 

[Amado]

I purchase coral at world wide Coral. They take the time to quarantine their stock so they get my money. I don’t really buy a lot of fish. My tank has been stocked for a while. I use to have a freshwater discus tank for years. I paid $150~ $300 per fish. The person I purchased my discus from quarantined his fish for months before he sold them. He sold online and had a local wearhouse here in nj. I also had a African cichild tank and I purchased all my live stock from live fish direct. They raise most of the fish they sell and everything is quarantine. Very healthy fish.
I think this is the future of the hobby moving away from local stores and having specialty online shops that provided better service and stock.

 

[Susan Edwards]

Offer a warrenty--even a few days
Price and label fish in each tank. I don't want to ask
Have cleaner tanks (some of them)
Take better care of corals. By the time I get some of them, they are starved and barely alive. Some just can't pull through.
Have consistent training of employees and no just "sell attitudes"

 

[Susan Edwards]

Oh, pay attention to safety and earthquakes. Here in Calif. there is one store that is a disaster waiting to happen if there is an earthquake. No bracing of wood 2x4 stands to walls. Another, my first lfs, burned due to electrical. They ended up closing as city wouldn't give a new permit. Very sad.

 

[BestMomEver]

Have a quarantine section for all new fish. Ich is a problem and they put fish in all four systems, regardless of condition.

 

[Hiachi20]

Stocking chemicals which are not old.

I have one store nearby which destroyed mine and my friends tank with nasty ich. They also gave me flatworms and other pests.

Stocking more inverts. I love inverts and one of my nearby stores practically have no inverts.

As with all probably, giving the wrong information and thinking they know stuff. I've never heard "make sure you use the full dose of copper power or it will NOT work" smh. Yeah man lemme just throw some copper into my fishes mouths while I'm at it.

Overpricing something REALLY badly. For example, a regular snowflake eel for $50 when I can go 5 miles south and get one for 22.

I could go on

 

[Miguel Zarate]

Most of my lfs are overpriced, l wish l can but fish an coras and not have to break the bank.

 

[Sarah24!]

Hello,

I have a few lfs in my area and I now only go to one of
Them. Because they can’t share their side, I won’t list names but this took me some time and deep breaths to write. In all honesty I have a very hard time being mean or criticizing someone. I was always told if I can’t say something amazing and nice to simple be quite.

However, I will finally vent about some of my lfs that are
In my area. So I will go from best to worse, in that order because I want to make sure I focus on the good etc. The main store I go to, the owner is very nice and very supportive of me. His second in command is also extremely knowledgeable and knows his stuff. They usually have the best prices, and do get some rare stuff in. In addition when their new staff member, flooded the back of my Jeep with 80 gallons of saltwater, the owner was amazing. He not only replaced my water, but delivered it to me. Plus he had my Jeep professionally cleaned, and rented me a car. Top notch service as always. Things he could improve on, well he could care more corals, and neat ones. He has had a dry spell so no acros now for almost two months. He also doesn’t qt any of his fish. They have for me at times but I think everyone should get that service or at least offer it for a small cost. Regardless I adore them, and will always support them.

The second lfs well is not quite the level as the first, but they are fairly nice to me. They do qt every fish that comes in for 14 days for free. So that’s a huge bonus and most of my fish come from their for that reason. The second is, the first five gallons of rodi is always free. Their prices are quite a bit more than the first, and much much smaller in size but twice the cost.

Some of the things that bug me is, well because they know I’m patient, and calm they always seem to help people who come in after me first. So sometimes when all I want is water ends up taking 45 minutes because the put me last. Yet I have spent lots and lots of money in their store. It just kinda hurts my feelings when I’m shoved off, after I have been so supportive of them. Things they should improve on is more acros, better prices, lol quit pawning me off lol. They also charge five dollars to test water, as the first store is free.

So the last store, I’m sorry I just can not stand and avoid them as much as possible and will do anything never to go there. What bugs me the most and creeps me out, is the few times I have come in, every one of them always hugs me like they have known me for 20 years, or we are married. I love hugs but to people I care about and love, not compete strangers. Not to mention a few tried to hold my hand which I denied, others have tried to give me a kiss, others have gone to extreme lengths to get my phone number. They have called the first lfs several times asking them for my number and always say my order came in. Yet, I have never ever ordered from them. The nice thing is, the owner or second guy only have access to my number. But, they always call me first and ask me, in which it’s always heck no.

Despite the creepies, they are also the most expensive shop by three or four times. A normal acro nothing special is about 180 dollars. It’s absolutely crazy how expensive they are for basic things. The other issue that the other two stores have to deal with is, this store doesn’t tell people the truth about care of fish and corals. Several customers have gone to the first store begging for help. Sometimes they are able to save the items, other times well it’s sad end. If they could do anything better they could start by leaving me alone. Secondly just be honest, and third have some pride and tell the truth. (Sorry rant over)

Sarah

 

[Hiachi20]

I agree with Sarah about getting shrugged off. I spend too much money on dirt (sand) for my lfs to make me wait 15 mins to pay for water.

 

[RtomKinMad]

Hello! I guess we are very lucky. We live in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The best store I’ve ever been too is 45 min south in Appleton, Wisconsin. My husband works 5min from the store so goes over to visit frequently on his lunch hour and gets salt, balance supplies or fish! Aquamarine Imports. The owner is the only operator. He opens 7 days a week 12-6pm. Closed 10days a year for vacation with family. And open by appointment if needed. He is a diver and previous business owner. He really cares about his animals and his customers. He will refuse to sell something if it’s not appropriate for the system. He doesn’t sell over priced unnecessarily stuff and he likes old school set ups. He has even driven to our home after closing the store to help us with several small problems. He always teaches people about proper care, diets for the animals, and chemistry and oxygen for tanks. His methods are simple and basic. His shop is clean, organized and everything always looks healthy. He gets in different species that other stores do not such as large angels, multiple kinds of butterflies and a variety of tangs and wrasses. He always has a good selection of fish. He quarantines uses only the best suppliers and will special order what you want. I took in an acan I got for free from WWC and he gave me store credit in exchange. We travel a lot and spend time in other cities going to LFSs to see how they operate. Our small town guy is comparable in quality with stores like WWC and Reefwise in Chicago. I highly recommend him and worth the drive if you live in upper Michigan or Wisconsin. Better than other stores in Chicago, Madison and Milwaukee! We also really like Coral Corral in Tampa, Fl. Nice selection and informed employees. They don’t ship though. Have bought coral from WWC and happy every time we go there. Living Reef in Orlando also very very nice. Have shipped coral home. We go to Florida every 2 years to visit family. We skip Disney to see LFS. Wish you all had responsible and reliable stores. I have never ordered fish on line. Good thread. I feel lucky!

 

[Deedles]

The one that I have purchased from is amazing. They keep a pretty modest selection of fish (they're coral specialists) but will order anything you want, and will QT it for a period of time for an additional fee.

I went to another one, however, and my advice to them would be to have the owner realize that there is more than ONE correct way of doing things. He made me feel like an idiot for adding ammonia to my cycling tank to test for cycle completion.

 

[DracoKat]

Some of these are probably already said..

1. Check local competitor prices before pricing their own stock (one of them is nearly twice as much in pricing!)
2. Check tanks multiple times a day and remove any dead fish (seeing dead fish makes me not want to buy from them)
3. Have names of fish and pricing on the tanks with the fish (I hate waiting and asking)

 

[NeuroticAquatics]

Have a better internet presence and show what new fish and/or Corals they got in for the week.

I have three local stores and unfortunately, none of them do this. Show me what you’ve got online and if it’s something I want, I will go out of my way to make a trip. If I don’t know, you are going to wait for me to be in the neighborhood and stop in.

 

[rock_lobster]

More than just fresh imports would be nice.

 

[Mebeknob]

-Actual customer service.
-No “holier than thou” attitude
-clean, clean, clean
-email list
-kids toys or movie playing for kids
-have ‘Shop corals’. It would make so much more sense for shops to have a big DT with their unique mother colonies inside. Then occasionally sell drags from the mother colony.

 

[WVNed]

My LFS looks like they are selling drugs out the back.