Lfs Good Place To Buy Fish?

[jenny6165]

the more i read the more confused i get.
is the local fish store the best place to buy fish?
i dont really know how it works with fish. should you buy direct from 'breeders' or is the fish store ok?

 

[Callum]

the fish store are ok as long as it isnt something rubbish like a petco, walmart or pets@home

 

[dwarfgourami]

This question is impossible to answer since we haven't seen your local fish store. For some members, their local fish store is Wholesale Tropicals, recently voted the second best in the UK, so I would definitely say yes to that, for others it may be some grotty little rundown place with dead fish littering every tanks. The only thing for it is to make a tour of all lfs around you and look out for the following points:

are there lots of dead fish in the tanks?

do they look as if they have been dead a long time? (bad point- fish die in all shops but should be removed before they spread infection)

are there any signs of infection in any tanks (e.g. ich)?, if so, does the tank have a not-for-sale-sign? (if not, bad point)

are fish together in tanks that shouldn't be together? (e.g. bettas with serpae tetras)

I always take a specially careful look at the guppies, IMO they are indicator fish

do the staff appear to know what fish they have?

are there any coloured/dyed fish in the shop?

 

[jenny6165]

that might explain why my fish from pets at home died. u can see a clear difference between the types of fish from pets@home and my local aquarium place. plus my local aquarium place seem to be really knowledgable about fish

i see wot u mean tho, people at pets@home dont know anything about fish really, other than the ones they have at home. they dont know what type of fish they are without looking at labels, and the labels often dont say what type it is. ie they are selling catfishes that will outgrow small tanks, but they still sell them to people with small tanks. the bettas are swimming with tetras and guppies.

they also have loads of dead fish.

we are off to another lfs today, its a really good one and the guy there seems to know everything about fish.

 

[mr.dark-saint]

I'd buy fish from anywhere that has what I'm looking for at a reasonable price.

If it's not visually sick or jacked up I'd buy it. If it is sick I'll try back a week later, that is if I remember or the fish still there (living or sold). Or if it is sick (something minor and if I think the fish has a better chance with me than there) I'd see if the seller will take half price for it . Knowing most places mark up their live stock 2.5 or 3 times the cost they make something. After all half is better than a total loss.

 

[-Deano-]

for others it may be some grotty little rundown place with dead fish littering every tanks.

Thats Me
You May Want To Search On The Internet For A Decent Shop Near You, Thats What I Done