- Joined
- Oct 29, 2019
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I like the idea of supporting my LFS, but I think the idea that it's a good place to get fish is a myth.
First, check this video from tidal gardens, specific point #2 at 1:45. She claims LFS fish are more expensive because they QT for you. But after making quite a few phone calls and visit, I doubt any of them do.
Some were very upfront and said they watch fish for about 10 days before selling them. Others I could see the back of the store and they clearly had no place to QT. All of them said they could order things not in stock and would sell them to me right away.
I'm not saying LFSs are dishonest. No one told me they did the sort of extensive QT the many on R2R forums recommend. I'm saying the LFS business model increase rather than decrease risk to fish. As much as I like the convenience and then idea that I'm helping my new fish by having the pros choose reputable online vendors and doing shipping and unbagging the right way, I think I'm convinced the opposite is true.
Think about the business model: we all want to buy fish that live for years, but our tanks are only so big. If we got such mythical long-lived creatures where would LFS repeat business come from? I think they make it because:
- they kill a lot of fish, buy in bulk at a discount and flush the ones that don't make it.
- customers kill a lot of fish, figure out it's their fault (it probably is, this hobby is hard), and come back for more
LFS is just one more tank a fish is in where it can pick up a disease, and it's fundamentally a bad idea. They're not bad people, they don't have bad intentions, but I can't figure a way the business makes sense where LFS decreases rather than increases fish death.
First, check this video from tidal gardens, specific point #2 at 1:45. She claims LFS fish are more expensive because they QT for you. But after making quite a few phone calls and visit, I doubt any of them do.
Some were very upfront and said they watch fish for about 10 days before selling them. Others I could see the back of the store and they clearly had no place to QT. All of them said they could order things not in stock and would sell them to me right away.
I'm not saying LFSs are dishonest. No one told me they did the sort of extensive QT the many on R2R forums recommend. I'm saying the LFS business model increase rather than decrease risk to fish. As much as I like the convenience and then idea that I'm helping my new fish by having the pros choose reputable online vendors and doing shipping and unbagging the right way, I think I'm convinced the opposite is true.
Think about the business model: we all want to buy fish that live for years, but our tanks are only so big. If we got such mythical long-lived creatures where would LFS repeat business come from? I think they make it because:
- they kill a lot of fish, buy in bulk at a discount and flush the ones that don't make it.
- customers kill a lot of fish, figure out it's their fault (it probably is, this hobby is hard), and come back for more
LFS is just one more tank a fish is in where it can pick up a disease, and it's fundamentally a bad idea. They're not bad people, they don't have bad intentions, but I can't figure a way the business makes sense where LFS decreases rather than increases fish death.
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