How far would you go to get good fish?

[Vegan Peaches]

So I got really pissed the other when I was walking through petco, which is where I've bought all my fish, I see three tank of clown loaches, which I wanted to purchase, and every single one was either dead or had ich... I asked to see somebody about it who told me clown loaches look dead when they sleep... yea, I knew that, but they don't float belly up, dude -.- Well, whether they were really dead or not, they still had ich, and I walked out of there with nothing Boycott petco, yeah!

So then I was at a loss. Everything I've bought for fish so far came from there, and the only other pet store in town sells gold fish and calls them tropical... so I went home and whipped out a phone book. There was a huge ad in the yellow pages for a 'Lorne's Fish Hatchery' in Dixon, which is a bout an hour and a half from where I live. I was just mad beyond belief at this point, and figured the drive would settle me down if nothing else, so I went. The actual store ... well, it was someone's basement. My first impression was not very good, as you had to ring a doorbell and they came to unlock the door, and it was all very strange... but then when I walked in, I saw some of the most beautiful tank setups ever... The floor was uncarpeted, the ceiling leaked, and there were 2 dogs running around the store, but the fish were healthy and kept very well.

So, long story short, I talked to the managers (it was a mom and pop type store, husband and wife run it) and they care a whole lot about the fish - they wouldn't sell me fish until I brought in a water sample for them to test, and they also told me if I was planning on upgrading my tank (which I am) they could give me a good deal if I bought everythnig there (and um... well, they are cheaper than petco even without the discount)

I decided I liked the store, despite the condition of the store itself, and the people were really informative and the like, however the distance between there and here... an hour and a half worth of driving... I'm not so keen about. I was wondering if anyone else drives this far just to get quality stuff at a good price 0.o I don't want to continue supporting petco, but it's within walking distance... Any one ever been in a similar situation? It's kind of a conscience tugger *sigh*

 

[David]

All I have to say is petco SUCKS and I hate them because their clowns gave my tank ich, and now I have to start from scratch because of that. We should all boycott petco. See how well they do without us fish enthusiasts giving them our money.

EDIT: I would go that far if I had to. However I'm not sure how good an hour and a half car ride is for the fish. Still it's better than buying ich-infested clowns from petco.

 

[canarsie11]

Okay

Vegan,

I live about half hour drive from where I buy 90 percent of my fish. With that said there are atleast 5 stores closer. 2 Chain stores, 3 LFS. And I say if you are satisfy with there fish, its worth every mile. IMO

 

[canarsie11]

Let me add this.

This past January I moved. Where I live previously was walking distance to this same store.

Purchased my first tank in February

I guess that can be looked upon as positive or negative. Just crazy to me.

 

[pnyklr3]

What state do you live in Vegan? I only ask because I live near a town called Dixon, but there are about a billion towns named Dixon.

At this point I'm going to drive about an hour away to get a fish from a breeder.

~Jade

 

[Arfie]

I'll drive 20 miles or so to my new preferred FS.

Arfie

 

[Vegan Peaches]

I live in Dekalb, IL, I see it says Rockford where you are, so you might know where that is Where do you shop, pnyklr3 ?

 

[parker313]

I would say it's worth it. The other alternative sounds like it's to shop at a close store but have your new fish kill all the others when it introduces disease to your tank.

I'm very lucky to have a very good lfs a 5min drive through the neighborhood and I never need go any further than them - if I want something they'll order it for me.

 

[smithrc]

i know everything is a lot closer in the uk - but we've gone to store anything upto 3hours drive - just for the fun of it

most weekends we're out doing something fishy!

 

[jacblades]

petco is run by the spawn of satan.

see for yourself.

 

[Sorrell]

My closest fish store is almost 2 hours away. Works fine in the summer, during the winter I buy my fish online, shipping and gas about even out, and in the winter, there are many times that I can't get to the store because of snow, but fish can still be shipped fed-ex

I say always support the stores who treat the fish right and know their stuff over a matter of distance

 

[robbrouse]

I think petco and pet smart and even wal mart for that matter is jsut like the local FORD dealership, if you go to the right oen you get treated good and they have good stuff, if you go to the wrong one you'll be treated like crap.

I shop petco and petsmart as well as walmart for everything but fish. I did buy my first 4 from petco, they are still alive.

I don't really think all the super chain should be lumped together. I have 4 or 5 petco in near me so to speak and I can tell a difference between them all.

Now for the question that was asked. I buy my fish from one of two stores (other than the first 4 from petco) and oen store is about an hour away and they other is 45 minutes. I'd drive 2 hours for the one 90% of my fish came from. They know what they are talking about, will give you good advice (that checks out) and the person that runs is know about Fishless cyceling.

I was in there last weekend and was looking to add a few more fish into my tanks and I heard him talking with a lady that was buying a 29 gallon set up, filter tank, stand and the whole lot. Then she told him she wanted several fish and wanted to tamke them now. She would add them to a bucked of water while she set up the tank.

I was about to jump in and say somethign, and he just told her, you need to CYCEL your tank before adding any fish and NONE, ZERO ZIP of his fish were for sale for the cyceling process and told her about fishless cyceling and even told her where to buy the ammonia. Told her after the process he be VERY hapy to test her water and start her on her fish keeping hobby. Well she was mad and left, the real funny thing is I saw her about an hour later at Petsmart (needed dog food for my dog), she was laoding up the tank and everything esle in her van. I stoped and asked her what fish she ended up wish and she tells me "I have to do a FISHLESS CYCEL fish". Anyhow my point is a good LFS is worth a drive and the people that run a good store are worth the weight in gold.

Robb

 

[Cheese Specialist]

My fish are delievered from the other end of the country. Round here is worse than useless.

Saying that, I don't buy many fish anymore but when I was stocking I always had to get my fish from far afield.

 

[MrMashashin]

Dude! Goto Petes Petsin Sandwich, IL or goto the Quality Pet and Feed in Plano, IL. Otherwise, you goto batavia for fish? Thats the best place to go. Personaly I like that petco there. They have the best selection, even better than Petsmart. Their fish are always lively and ich free when I go in. so yea goto the andwich store of Petes Pets or the one in plano called Quality Pet and Feed. Petes Pets is a rinky dink shop but has awesome selections and will order what ever kind of fish you want.... at a slightly higher price than what the fish is worth. Quality Pet and Feed has more stable and more trust worty fish.

 

[Synirr]

Normally I just go to my LFSs and Walmart, all of which are about 20 miles from my house (I live a few miles out of town.) I don't have the time or gas money to drive the 3 hours it would take me to get to any really good pet shops... though I do visit them when I happen to be in the area. Neither of my LFSs are particularly shabby; my only complaint is that they do sell dyed fish, and on occasion I'll see a fish or two with ich or fungus, but they are always being treated for it, and I assume they just came that way from the supplier. I only buy bettas from Walmart, and when buying females, I am very careful to choose healthy ones and quarantine them so as not to infect my tank with some sort of horrible disease.