• Why not take a moment to introduce yourself to our members?

Buying fish from local fish store....

  • I check the fish for several hours and watch it feed.

    Votes: 3 20.0%
  • I saw signs of ick, but the sales person told me if I qurentine, the livestock will be fine.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • The sales person told be I will get a 50% discount, if the sick fish I bought dies.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • I bought fish that was sick, but I didnt see it in the store. Now every 1 in my tank got sick :(

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • I came, I saw, I bought. Quick and easy.

    Votes: 4 26.7%
  • The sales person told me that tang would be great for my 30 gallon reef.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • I dont buy from LFS.

    Votes: 4 26.7%
  • I was told that my ribbon eels eat only from the water column. Y did they die?

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • I was told that the mandarine I bought will eat everything, I wasnt told I need live rock.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • I buy from MR vendors and sponcers.

    Votes: 4 26.7%

  • Total voters
    15

hippotangs

Experienced Reefer
Location
NYC
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have had saltwater tanks for the longest... I used to use only 1 store in BK that I trusted... After a sour dea l restrain myself from buying from LFS do to poor health of the animals that are being sold, and when u mension the sicknesses that are visible, the sales persons avoid ur questioning.

Y are we buying sick fish and coral? Thinking they will get better?
 
C

Chiefmcfuz

Guest
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
The best LFS is right here. If you go to a LFS to buy you have to beware and know before you go.
 

grknyer

Official Lurker
Location
New York
Rating - 100%
61   0   0
You would'nt be talking about World of Pets would you?

I have had saltwater tanks for the longest... I used to use only 1 store in BK that I trusted... After a sour dea l restrain myself from buying from LFS do to poor health of the animals that are being sold, and when u mension the sicknesses that are visible, the sales persons avoid ur questioning.

Y are we buying sick fish and coral? Thinking they will get better?
 

crox99

Audi Sport
Location
Merrick
Rating - 100%
103   0   0
LFS will do anything to sell something and it's up to you to inspect a fish or coral for a sign of a disease. IME I don't trust a lot of them but in all of these years I only go back to a handful.
 

drperetz

No more big tanks
Location
New York
Rating - 100%
30   0   0
..

I personally gave up shopping for live animals in lfs... EVERY TIME I GO IN, I AM DISAPOINTED. How can lfs sell animals that are sick? Seen this week several stores have sick fish for sale
 
Location
Upper East Side
Rating - 100%
21   0   0
There are several of those choices that I would have marked.

1) I buy most of my fish and corals from MR vendors. I have had extremely good luck with the fish and coral that I have purchased from people here. I have never had an MR vendor attempt to sell me a fish or piece of coral that was not healthy.

2) I have purchased fish from LFS. I usually watch the fish for some time. Sometimes I even leave and come back later in the week. I always ask lots of questions (how long has it been in stock, is it eating?) and if I am doubtful as to the health of the fish, I ask for it to be fed. I learned this lesson the hard way after purchasing a blue-sided fairy wrasse which died three days after I got it from a massive lesion on its side. I think it was there in the LFS and I just didn't notice it because I was too excited to purchase. I lost a mandarin that they claimed was eating prepared foods (it wasn't).

I have never had anyone at an LFS try and give me poor advice, but this is likely because I rarely ask beginner questions. I was lucky in that I was introduced to MR before I ever started my first tank (because my ex-bf was really into the hobby. Now he doesn't have a tank anymore and I upgraded. Not sure how that happened ...)

There are LFS that I would never purchase a fish from (i.e. Petco), but there are also good LFS (Greenwich Aquaria, NWA - yes, I know some would disagree there, but I have generally had good experiences) that I would feel very good about purchasing livestock from.
 

nycmat

nYo
Rating - 98.2%
55   1   0
i personallyt buy fish after watching it for several hours. no vendor or store can ever guarantee there health so IMHO that is why i will sit there and watch them for hours. yeah they get pissed off but ask me if i give a flying f***? i dont. there is no reason i have to give them my money. i dont owe them anything. neither do you. its worth it. i also ask and check there water parameters as well. if they dont like it, vendors or lfs then they are full of it and are trying to get over on you. DO NOT BUY FROM THEM THEN. take that as a warning. yes you should always QT the fish. but overall i think everyone in this hobby has had a bad encounter with a bad fish from time to time. not saying anything bad about any vendors or LFS either. i think it goes with the trade. also know your fish. i had a funny experience once with a LFS, little did they know that i did my homework on the fish. it was with a moorish idol. a fish that has a terrible survivable rate 1st off and they try and tell me " hey look they are all eating brine shrimp." well they can eat that but it isnt there diet so they will not digest them well over time and get sick and die. see what i mean? just be careful and do your homework and understand that it can be a loss. not meant that way from any vendor or LFS. they have to earn a living, just be smart about it :D
 

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