Dont blindly support your LFS!

NeonRabbit221B

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I support all LFS..

My local LFS is crap. There is one guy who has a reef tank that runs it and he works about 20 hours a week and relies on the staff to support and trains them the best he can. I think of the 10-15 employees, 2 of them have reefing knowledge and the frag tank is full of aiptasia. Its a mess and I don't love it at all. Its a local business and its where I got my two dogs. Its flawed and I realize but its MY local fish store.

When I go in now there is an occasional find and the staff seem to like me. The thai place next door honestly is responsible for 50% of the business I have given them but onto the real point. If that place shuts down my only option will be a local petco (also run by a reefer and clearly the best in the area). If I have an emergency happens and I need a new light, pump, medicine or any critical item I have limited options. God forbid I need to do a massive massive water change on the fly... By supporting a LFS you are investing in the hobby, the local reef clubs and an emergency supplies store. I can handle misinformation and hiked prices, I simply don't trust anything except published/accepted methods and Randy. I don't think I can afford to be without a life line for items like carbon, meds, pumps and an opportunity to meet fellow hobbyists.
 

Tamberav

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I like the LFS. They are not perfect and there is no guarantee but it is great to have a store you can get things immediately without shipping and LIVE WORMS!
 
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Tamberav

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I hear "Support your LFS!" all the time. Not all LFS's are doing whats right for the fish, corals or you, sometimes not even one. Im lucky to live in socal and there are plenty of great LFS to support and I do. BUT, in many areas the only option is a place that should not be in business because of how they treat the animals and the advise they give.

Never blindly follow anything, especially advise on these boards lol

If you have ever bought something off Live Aquaria or Divers Den then that would be supporting a big corporation where some/many Petcos are like a fish torture chambers.
 

seahorsebill

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I hear "Support your LFS!" all the time. Not all LFS's are doing whats right for the fish, corals or you, sometimes not even one. Im lucky to live in socal and there are plenty of great LFS to support and I do. BUT, in many areas the only option is a place that should not be in business because of how they treat the animals and the advise they give.

Never blindly follow anything, especially advise on these boards lol
I try to avoid local fish stores. I buy most my livestock online
 

seahorsebill

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If you have ever bought something off Live Aquaria or Divers Den then that would be supporting a big corporation where some/many Petcos are like a fish torture chambers.
I’ve bought from many online sources including live aquaria. I’ve had awesome luck. No way ever I’d buy from a local fish store and pay the overhead for employees light bill etc.
 

kutcha

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I’ve bought from many online sources including live aquaria. I’ve had awesome luck. No way ever I’d buy from a local fish store and pay the overhead for employees light bill etc.
thats fine, that is your prerogative however just remember if you run into a emergency situation and you need salt or frozen food or a new tank right away your going to be relying on that local fish store and you will be happy they were there. So remember that if there comes a time that there not there it is because you wanted to save a dollar here or a dollar there.
 

Tamberav

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LFSs here are cheaper than online prices... beat live aquaria by a landslide and I can bring them bags of corals for store credit.

My last fish from them didn’t cost me any money. I paid in some toadstool frags.

If you find some good folks and build a relationship... it comes back around.

If I had a big enough tank growing enough corals.. it would be realistic to be able to pay for all my salt and fish food. I mean they will even take Xenia.

Ofc you could sell corals on Facebook or whatever but I don’t really care to sell cheap corals here and there and wait for someone to come to my house when I can just bring a bag full to the LFS.
 
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ppatches24

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Theresa local shop here in CO called fancy clown fish and its a front for money laundering. I want to call the FBI or whoever does that kind of stuff. Because I agree don't just support your local LFS.
 

Kayvon

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Theresa local shop here in CO called fancy clown fish and its a front for money laundering. I want to call the FBI or whoever does that kind of stuff. Because I agree don't just support your local LFS.
I'm also in CO and never heard of that place.
 

ppatches24

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I'm also in CO and never heard of that place.
Google Maps link Its in the Westminster area. If you ended up going I would love to hear you thoughts on the condition of everything. The uneven wavy dangerous flooring? The dying diseased fish crammed into small 20 gal/40 gallon breeders. EDIT: The horrible algae in the coral tanks, The cloudy front tank. Selling UMRP items for lower than what the manufactures are saying they can be sold for. EDIT EDIT: THE RELLLLLLLY STRANGE google reviews. They cant all be real.

ITS MY OPION BUT DONT BUY FROM THESE GUYS. I want to share the link and place to help people avoid this place. I want to go to authorities on a few levels about that shop. I think places like this are a stain on the hobby and ammo for people that want this hobby gone.
 
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Kayvon

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Wow I used to get my hair cut at the barber shop right next door. Kind of a strange place to put a lfs especially since Liquid Kingdom is right around the corner. Is the only reason you think it's sketchy the tanks being dirty? LK around the corner is kinda dingy, but the fish are actually good.
 

ppatches24

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Wow I used to get my hair cut at the barber shop right next door. Kind of a strange place to put a lfs especially since Liquid Kingdom is right around the corner. Is the only reason you think it's sketchy the tanks being dirty? LK around the corner is kinda dingy, but the fish are actually good.
No not just the dirty tanks, the location of the fish, the fact that he brags about having the cheapest prices in America. NEWS FLASH that's not good, cheap isn't good when your talking about souls of fish. These creatures go though hell to get to us I dont wan them ton be cheap I want healthy nice looking good healthy happy fish. Not a cheap dying animal. What's the last fish store you went 3 powered browns clearly STRESSED and picking on each other. In a small 30 ish gallon tank. Yeah LK, has a old fish store vibe to it and there are sometimes fish they get in that are looking rough, but its still a real fish shop. I know how he sources his fish, he has a deal with a distributor to buy all their sick dying fish for cheap. That's super cool if it was a real business where they buy sick fish that don't have a chance and they treat them and give them the best chance for life. But no they get the sick fish because they are cheap and higher profits/ if a fish dies then its easier to say you sold it with your laundered money. IDK, you should go and get a vide for yourself, these are just my feelings and thoughts.

I think its in that location because rent is CHEAP and they are not trying to run a fish store/ legit business.

I have so many more thoughts but have to stop rambling.
 

fish farmer

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LFSs here are cheaper than online prices... beat live aquaria by a landslide and I can bring them bags of corals for store credit.

My last fish from them didn’t cost me any money. I paid in some toadstool frags.

If you find some good folks and build a relationship... it comes back around.

If I had a big enough tank growing enough corals.. it would be realistic to be able to pay for all my salt and fish food. I mean they will even take Xenia.

Ofc you could sell corals on Facebook or whatever but I don’t really care to sell cheap corals here and there and wait for someone to come to my house when I can just bring a bag full to the LFS.
I used to have a good store like that where I could bring stuff in, he had good fish and corals. I think the last recession put him in his basement for a few years and he has since passed on.

I would like to have the same relationship with my other two LFS's, but one is 1.5 hours away and is never there. The other one is 1 hour away and really doesn't have much stuff that I want, at least not the selection of corals and limited healthy fish. I grab something off the shelves once in awhile. They would make more money off of me if I did freshwater or lizards. We did buy a local made sweater for the dog there.
 

X-37B

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3 lfs within 4 miles of my house.
I buy from all 3.
I give frags to one store that is newer but has been in the game 30 years.
I do not ask or take money but he always offer to pay for them.
He will give me free things from time to time without me asking.

Not so funny but he sold his last store to a guy that was real nice.
My wife would not go into the store and said he was into drugs.
I guess she new as he got stopped in Missouri with 1100lbs of you know what.
Anyway I support my 3 lfs and only buy product online when they dont have it in stock.
 

G Santana

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This is an age old problem, 25 years ago I would drive the neighborhood hitting 6 or 7 stores within a half hour of each other as my Saturday routine, as the stores wained you had great stores which you paid a premium for stock and horrible stores that got 1 visit from me then no more.
Today it's a slightly different scenario, you have only a few good stores, chain stores and the odd really bad store.
The bad stores will weed themselves out, good hobbyists can smell a bad store a million miles away.

Today's problem extends to online buying where it's a whole new ballgame.
 

Oregon Grown Reef

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I’m in socal also. What are some of the good lfs in the area? My tank is close to being done with its cycle i think so will be getting fish soon.

thanks in advance.
For fish, look at Bay Bridge Aquariums. They quarantine fish for you too. They're humblefish approved. I purchased a Yellow Eye Kole tang. It came in super healthy and fat. It's growing like crazy too. I've had it since mid November with no issues. I live in Oregon, so I haven't been to the store, but they just upgraded their facility not long ago.
 

Borg

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Connecticut guy checking in,

its sad that I have to go outside CT to get quality fish. Most of the lfs in this state are over priced dumps to be honest.
 

e3pillereefer

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Theresa local shop here in CO called fancy clown fish and its a front for money laundering. I want to call the FBI or whoever does that kind of stuff. Because I agree don't just support your local
I live in CO and looked for this store once...yeah, not there.
 

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