Do you leave your local fish store disappointed? Why is that?

[Anchor]

In the twin cities we have 2 stores that cater to reefing. I can only get to either on weekends.. One store gets fish and inverts in on Wed and they are usually gone by friday. The second store is pretty new at about 2 years old. They dont carry a lot of dry goods and limited kinds. For livestock, it varies. As far as I know they have a nice selection but health has been an issue off and on in the sales tanks.. Find it odd to have QT on the floor and they will sell directly out of them.. I find some of the staff very friendly and a couple full of themselves.. But I can be that way too so try not to fault them too much.

 

[Jilly92]

It's an awesome thing to have a local fish store that carries healthy fish, beautiful coral and all the supplies that you need! But in reality this isn't a reality for must of us. We all know there are MANY of these amazing local fish stores in the world, they exist, but for most of us it's not the truth. So what is so disappointing about a lot of these stores? Let's talk about it today!

1. What are the most disappointing aspects that make a local fish store bad or makes you leave disappointed? (no names please)

2. Do you have an amazing LFS near you and if so why are they great?

@TopShelfAquatics store

We do not in the United Kingdom have fish shops the sort of size the photographs show. How I wish.

The independent shop I have tried to buy 95% of the nearly £8,000 I have spent on the set up over the 11 months. Good customer I hope, however several times I have asked for a fish and they do not tell me one is in and it sells out before I can visit..I am in a wheelchair and the shop is not easy to get around due to the gaps in the stock on the shelfs. I have been waiting for a giant clam for 6 months. I called them this week and they had one in, but it turned out it was the runt of the 6 they had and 5 sold and this one was not in a good shape. They deliver to me every two weeks water RO and Salt although I do have the equipment to make my own if I had to. So I am in contact with them weekly so no excuse that they can forget they have a customer that will pay the £145 for the clam. I have so far missed out on a fox face, a dwarf angel. So I gets a bit cross that they let me down. The next shop is 40 miles away and not assessable to wheelchairs (despite the laws) but my wife has visited them in the past and they are 99% coral and have a few Clams. (small).

I would’ve took my chances online a long time ago. Kudos to you, for patience.

 

[JasonC.]

I live in the Pittsburgh, PA area and other than ONE LFS " Reef Gallery" all of the others are complete garbage. Yeah they have fish and some corals, but most of their corals look so crappy that I wouldn't take the risk of buying anything. The Reef Gallery has amazing corals, but they are not really into stocking many fish though. It's a pretty far distance away as well, but always worth the trip out. I won't spend money in any other store around here, to bad someone doesn't open up another quality place South of the city.

 

[fluked]

I'm lucky to have a few really cool lfs within a reasonable distance to me. The main reason id leave disappointed is when they happen to have the exact fish i was after, but in the same tank there's a dead or sick fish, its always hard walking away not grabbing what you're after when you see that

 

[SebastianReefer]

I live in Florida and can get any coral or fish I want I will say my last trip was disappointing I went to a very reputable store I’m not going to say who but the piece I was looking for wasn’t out on the rack they said I can go cut you a very nice frag for x amount they said you can take it now or let it heal I choose to take now, I was buying other pieces so I didn’t look at the frag till I was home which is a couple hr ride when I got home I seen my 1/4 inch frag I was at the least disappointed I spend big money any time I go!

 

[Reverend Turtle]

Yes, because it's not what it was 15 years ago when I worked there.

 

[SebastianReefer]

I am always disappointed when I go to a LFS. I will be going to one today just for kicks but I am sure they will have no livestock I would buy. I am looking for rare or odd. No tangs, angels wrasses etc.

I want weird pipefish, gobies, clingfish etc but stores rarely get that stuff any more.
I have all of these in my tank now, but hard to come by any longer.

Last pic what is that fish or what

 

[SebastianReefer]

I live in southern california. I have so many quality local fish stores. In addition, I am willing to pay a little extra in order to support these local fish stores which I think goes a long way.

I will be in San Diego next week in lemon grove anytime I’m out of town I check the lfs can you recommend any that I should hit while I’m there?

 

[SebastianReefer]

I visited Orlando about a year ago and was extremely disappointed. The stores I went to were nice, the tanks were clean but the prices made me LOL.

I had to ask the guy what "PP" meant. It was exactly what I thought it meant. They like their coral a heck of a lot more than I do.

Yes I live in Florida and I won’t go to either stores I can’t see paying 500 1000 1500 for a frag that might not make it I was so excited to go to WWC untill I found out I I would not spend money on a tiny coral for that price

 

[SebastianReefer]

My favorite store would be @MadReefer in Melbourne Florida he has everything and is just tring to make money to pay the bills if he doesn’t have what your looking for he will get it and he is honest

 

[Shanel]

1. What are the most disappointing aspects that make a local fish store bad or makes you leave disappointed? We have lots of LFS in Palm Beach, Florida. The problem I have with them is alot of them are Dirty. Tons of fish and corals to choose from but alot of tanks with bacteria in them or sickly looking fish.

2. Do you have an amazing LFS near you and if so why are they great? Not amazing but decent. Just have to hit them at the right time.

 

[DennistheMenace]

I live in Charlottesville, Va. None of my local chain pet stores carry saltwater animals, and just a few applicable supplies. I have 5 stores that are an hour to an hour and a half away. They all have great selection and supply, but greatly varying price points. I usually visit the one that is having a special.

 

[hey_hey_heeyyyyyy!]

I live in the Pittsburgh, PA area and other than ONE LFS " Reef Gallery" all of the others are complete garbage. Yeah they have fish and some corals, but most of their corals look so crappy that I wouldn't take the risk of buying anything. The Reef Gallery has amazing corals, but they are not really into stocking many fish though. It's a pretty far distance away as well, but always worth the trip out. I won't spend money in any other store around here, to bad someone doesn't open up another quality place South of the city.

I’ll have to check it out

 

[Spydersweb]

Overall, I love going to my LFSs. I have 6 or 7 that are about half an hour from my home. Funny enough I live in Denver, Colorado(pretty far from the ocean ). I’ve only been burned by 1 of them. The others are pretty awesome. Three of them will special order most creatures for you, and they’re a good amount cheaper than online shopping. The one complaint I have would be that almost EVERYTHING (food, pumps, equipment, meds) other than the animals are way overpriced

 

[danieyella]

The most local, no never. Even if I'm just going in to have a look around, everyone is friendly and most of them recognize me which is interesting because I'm not a big talker in person. The more popular shop a little further away hit the point where I was disappointed 95% of my visits for one reason or another, I haven't even bothered going in there since pre-covid, even if they've advertised having what I need when no one else does. Employees don't acknowledge you, I tried to buy 5 snails once - they gave me a bag with 3 empty shells and 2 snails then got an attitude with me when I told them I didn't want empty shells for the price of snails, got really bad water from them once, went in to buy a specific coral they advertised - covered in bubble algae, etc.

 

[stanleo]

There are two LFS that I frequent. They are a half hour drive for me so it's not a huge chore to get to them. Both have there ups and downs. One doesn't have a whole lot of variety especially in the freshwater section but their store is comfortable and their prices for coral are very reasonable. The other has a huge selection of corals, inverts, fish and plants for both saltwater and freshwater. Especially oddball things like the Japanese eel they had the other day or the cuttlefish eggs. But it triggers my claustrophobia big time. The isles are narrow and there are always too many people in there. Plus I think they over price their corals.

I have developed a good relationship with both stores' staff and everyone knows me by name. I usually hit the closest one for fish, food, corals and inverts and if they don't have what I want I go to the next one. I can usually find whatever I am after by the time my excursion is done.

One downside to both is I can rarely find the equipment and gadgets I am after so I have to order online. I don't like waiting for things in the mail. When I am ready to do some work on my hobby, I want to do it NOW.

 

[Susan Edwards]

my sometimes answer really is seldom. Once in a while, a lfs is just not a "good" store and I walk away. By not good, I mean, dirty tanks, dead fish, etc. and those I never return too. Otherwise, I've been able to buy something in most.

 

[H3rm1tCr@b]

It's an awesome thing to have a local fish store that carries healthy fish, beautiful coral and all the supplies that you need! But in reality this isn't a reality for must of us. We all know there are MANY of these amazing local fish stores in the world, they exist, but for most of us it's not the truth. So what is so disappointing about a lot of these stores? Let's talk about it today!

1. What are the most disappointing aspects that make a local fish store bad or makes you leave disappointed? (no names please)

2. Do you have an amazing LFS near you and if so why are they great?

@TopShelfAquatics store

Sometimes. But it’s okay because it gives me more time to figure out if I really need it (coral or something like that). Patience gets me farther than mindless spending.

 

[Mr Mumblez]

Not today!
Just came home with a beautiful anemone.

Strictly Fish in Miami.

Sexy

 

[Nhjmc]

Living in New Hampshire there’s nothing I have to drive a minimum of one hour each way to get RODI water and decent but pricey corals/frags. Sucks. I have ordered online and had great luck and quality but hate to pay $40-$50 for shipping.