Small fish shops or large chain stores?

sammydee

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Oxted, Surrey, England
I ask this question because I found that in my experience, the answer is opposite to what I would have thought.

I would have thought that a small LFS run by the people who own the shop would be more interested in business, and so would be more helpful and less desperate to sell you things.

However, it seems to be the other way around. Because the people who run the small LFS are also the people who own the shop, they are more interested in making money to keep their business going. I have been offered fish that would clearly be incompatible, or grow out of their tank, even when I told the fish shop owner what kind of tank I had. The large chain store, which has a fish section (like Knight's Garden Centre) however, seems to be run by people who get paid a set amount, no matter how many fish they sell. I have been given more help, more advice and even free samples from the chain store, and bought fish there for less cost, than at the smaller LFS.

Have I just been unlucky with the small LFS near me, or is that a more common phenomenon?
 
Change you LFS immediately.

I have never experience none of that in my LFS. Azaela Aquariums. Richmond, VA.

Had to give the shout out.

They have great selection, remember my past purchases. Not odd to walk in the store and they say, "how are those barbs doing? "How are you enjoying that 75 gallon?"

Sometime you are at the register about to pay for something, and they say out the blue, "I give you extra 10% off" for whatever reason.

Only complaint is that things like filters, filter pads, even some foods may be over priced, thats where Petsmart, walmart and other places of this nature come into play! :D
 
The mom & pop place here has the best fish and are only slightly more expensive than the LPS but one of the guys that owns/manages it is a real @$$hole. He is also the one that told me I could out 40 tetras in a 10 gal :crazy: and that I should not put sand in my 55gal. They do have a lifetime guarantee of their fish if your water tests OK.

At the petsmart I once had a girl tell me not to feed my betta just put a plant on top so it could eat the roots (GYYYEEEHHH *shudder* ). But other than that one time I've gotten good advice and nice fish. I bought my first tank there and the manager gave me a discount because he knows my husband (my husband worked for him when he managed somewhere else). They always ask me what size tank .. make sure its appropriate all that. I've also seen that they've been pasting "pet parent care sheets" to all the new tanks and to the betta shelf. They have pretty good advice on them ... talk about cycling and all that.
The other LPS has good fish and good drygood prices but they sell dyed fish .. not going in there again.
So I'd rather buy fish from the mom & pop place but I cringe every time I have to go in & deal with that guy.
 
They each have their faults.

Chain stores are cheaper but are in most cases less reliable. Small lfs can special order and might take betetr care of fish and customers, but there is no guarantee. All you have to do is find an lfs or chain taht you trust and keep shopping from there.
 
I find that my small lfs (not really small - Big al's) is more knowledgable about the fish, but Petsmart has more fish at a time. Both are good on prices... while one fish is cheaper at one store, another might cost more... so it evens out. Petsmart has all highschool/part time employees - which is fine... nothing wrong with that if they know their stuff, but more times than not they don't know the slightest thing. And my Big Al's has older, more knowledgable - have been keeping fish for ages staff. Both are bad for dead fish in tanks, but if i tell Big Al's, they will go get them out right away, while Petsmart 'will get someone to deal with it'. I do shop at both... it just depends what end of the city i am on.
 
I find that you can spot the part time people at my lfs's. I try to chat to the guy/girl serving about certain fish, you then get some idea of thier knowledge. The manager at pets @ home in peterborough knows his stuff, the rest are just working there. The Waterzoo is great, most of the time for advice and I cannot fault Maidenhead aquatics for advice, its like speaking to a member here.

Jon
 
Umm... Pets at home for food, tanks etc, but smaller fish shop for feesh. Well, the fish are probably more cramped in the smaller shop but only because the shop des reptiles. And biy you need a big space for a 15 foot python :p
 
I get basic supplies (filters, foods, etc.) at chain stores for the most part because they're cheaper, except when I have store credit (for selling fish back) at the LFS.

I prefer buying fish at the LFS. We have 2 really good ones in my area, and 2 so-so ones. The two really good ones tend to be more expensive, but a good number of their fish come from local breeders, and to me they just look healthier and happier than the fish at Petsmart/Petco. Plus, I like supporting local businesses whenever possible.

And like someone said before, I like the personalized service. Sometimes it can get annoying (when they're following you around asking how specific fish you bought are doing, etc.) but for the most part, I think it's very thoughtful. They're looking after their customers and the well-being of their fish after the sale.
 
a few local stores here are ok, however they are rather expensive and they are in a different city, the water source is different and all... I,m saying this because all the fish we bought there (maybe 10 or so) have all died but one spotted borneo.

I like Big Al's but it is too far to make the trip too often.

All the other local stores are crap. the employees are not very respectful, the floors are dirty and the tanks are dirty too...

I found a chain store here, Nature Pet Centre, that is awesome. The guys in the fish section are very kind, their tanks are all clean and no dead fish. The fish are in tip top shape all the time, except once they had an ich outbreak in one tank but they turned off the central filtration and ran the tank with a powerfilter while treating. Some stores wouldn't care...

They order fish in for me when they don't have what I want and their prices are very good. Only downside is that it is owned by the cousin or brother of Rolf Hagen so they only sell Hagen brands (I like Hagen though, so I don't really mind)... That's where I buy all my fish now.

There's another chain store called Safari that is not bad, but I've never bought fish from them except bettas because they always have the best selection.
 

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