How far would you go to get good fish?

[enchanted]

I first bought at Walmart, then Zamzows (local feed store) and regret both.

I then tried an LFS that was only a few blocks from me, but he is unfriendly and his dry selection is lacking.

I don't drive, no heads on the car, so I walk or catch rides. In Boise traffic my prefered LFS is about 5 miles, but 45 minutes, away.

That is the only place I have bought fish since Zamzows. They are friendly, always ready to answer questions, will order on demand, etc... They also know what they are talking about and don't put two GSP's in the same tank.

 

[Vip]

i drove over an hour for my Blood Parrot but that was it.

 

[CFC]

If i'm looking at buying new fish i usually travel 60 miles to the other side of London to visit a little cluster of very good shops in Enfield, 5 good fish shops in a 1/2 mile stretch of road is heaven. The local stores of which there is around a dozen of within a 6 mile radius are ok but only stock the more common fish. I still buy any hardware and fish keeping paraphenalia from the nearest store which we have used since day one, even though i havent bought a fish from them in over 3 years.

 

[wuvmybetta]

I drove 5 hours to buy bettas

 

[Da_Oz]

I go as far as it takes to get good fish, and the fish I want. Even whent to other states (over 200 miles). Good fish are worth it. Better to work to get good fish than to loose the fish you worked to raise.

 

[Sorrell]

I totally agree with you Da_Oz. I have to leave state for all my fishies

 

[Inchworm]

I must be very lucky because my favorite lfs is only about a mile away from my apartment. Even though I travel by bus, it only takes a few minutes to get there. There is also another very excellent lfs on the same bus route but it is a bit further and their prices are much higher so I seldom visit it.

Even the local chain stores aren't that bad. The nearest Petco is good, but they usually carry other kinds of fish than what I am looking for so I rarely shop there.

Looks can be deceiving when it comes to lfs. A flashy looking interior often hides lack of quality or variety of the fish. I would much rather shop at a privately owned but plain store where the owner hired experienced help, than at a bright and attractive place that hired people based only on their ability to stock shelves and their willingness to work cheap. True, there are some good fishkeepers working in chain stores, but this is an exception rather than the rule.

I like to shop, whenever I can, at the less busy times so I can spend a little time chatting with and getting to know the employees. It's a very good thing to build a relationship with these people because once they get to know you and what you are looking for, they will often go out of their way to help you get the kind of fish you want.

 

[Ben]

i must be really reallly lucky because in Perth, Australia(where i live) there are officially 93 knowen lfs/fish farms. and ive been to 67 of them

but out of all the ones ive been to i only go to 2.

Morley aquariums - http/members.iinet.net.au/~cichlid/

and Pet Magic - http/www.petmagic.com.au/about.html

i go to Morley because ive made friends with the guys there and they give me discounts and theyre the best supplyer of cichlids in my area

i go to Pet Magic because the prices there are half the prices of Morleys, but Pet Magic is far away.

so to answer the question, i dont really need to go far

 

[lucky62]

where I live there are many good shops within an hours drive , the trouble is I usually go to more then 2 at a time .

I know I'll sometimes drive like 5 , 10 or even 20 miles for fish and or supplies before I'll take 3/4 mile drive to get milk , or other groceries

 

[lucky62]

There is also another very excellent lfs on the same bus route but it is a bit further and their prices are much higher so I seldom visit it.

Is that " MAGIC ISLAND" or "Country Critters". .............High prices are the key at those places, they are good shops . I got my sons gudgeons at those places
Mo cost about $12 at Magic Isl and little mo cost...... cough.... ,....... cough $ 25 at Country Critters I have yet to see them ant where else .
Petland discount is o.k.


Ever get into Huntington , and go to Billy B Aquarium , the guy and his wife have been there over 35 years, almost never take vacations .

 

[faewyn]

I'm paying $160 to get a pair red halfmoon bettas imported from Thailand, this includes a $30 import fee per fish plus courier to my state.. ETA 3 weeks!! I'll do anything for these guys Gawd I love Aquabid!

 

[The-Wolf]

I'm seriously considering a trip to Germany for some danios that are not available here.

 

[SnowyzMom]

Thankfully I inherited half my fish and they were all thriving, and the local Walmart pet section was then run by a very fishily inclined lady so I was able to get healthy fish to add to my populations. Since then I am wondering if she is still there. I was in the other day to buy cat food and nearly every tank had dead fish in it.

Mind you, the fish are trucked to Walmart in styrofoam boxes in the dark, unheated, in their plastic bags 24 hours on the highway by a semitrailer so that maybe just the usual stress die-off of fish that happens with every one of their orders! We have a limited stock lfs where she keeps beautifully kept tanks and fish. I got Jack from there(my Betta). He is friggin gorgeous. I hadn't planned to buy a Betta til I saw him. That said, her prices are abit steep. Until I am sure the fishy lady is still around at Walmart I may not buy any other fish there for a 4th tank. Several had ich on them, again due to shipping stress I bet. At least they do treat for ich and don't sell til they are healthy again! I went to that link about Petco and about died myself. Definitely if quality slips here at Wallyworld I'll wait till I'm in a city (4 hours east or west) before buying more fish. Unless I feel extremely charitable and take home some sickies into a hospital tank!