What do you look for in a fish store?

[dolphinstj]

As the consumer of many fish and products, what is most important to you in a good fish store? Is it selection, rare fish that you can't find at superstores? Is it knowledgable staff members? Ease of finding the things you are after? any other ideas.....?

 

[BettaMomma]

Knowledgable staff, that actually CARE about ALL of the fish in their store.
Proper display of fish, and not having the tanks stocked to the HILT.
Clean tanks, and getting the dead-o's out of the tanks.

I also like to see when someone will write on the side of a tank "Do not sell - treating" which tells me that they actually keep sick fish in the store til they're healthy.

and LAST, BUT NOT LEAST (by any means) is the bettas.
If a store has horrid conditions for a betta, I will leave immediately.
Well, after I raise a ruckus and yell and scream first, then point out which fish need attention.

THEN i leave.

 

[B75]

All I can say is that I agree with BettaMomma.

 

[MyDogIsJealousOfMyFish]

Clean tanks, lots of inventory the willingness to order in a special or one of a kind fish and the guts to say "I don't know" instead of shooting a line of crap.

 

[NinjaSmurf]

That magical ability to special order almost anything from fish to equipment for little to no extra fees, clean tanks, a large variety of tank decorations (i.e. not just the fancy light up types or gawdy ones, but real/fake driftwood, larger caves for people who have larger cichlids) live plants, invertabrates like shrimp and even mussels and stuff, cheap prices and a very knowledgable staff, plus the staff having a computer that is on constant internet access so if they don't know something about a fish or the like they can stand there with the customer and look it up together (and come here lol). And they would have credit for home bred fish and a fish swap sort of thing, where customers can find other people who breed the same type of fish (say guppies for instance) and they can trade for better breeding and what not. But, that's all pretty much crazy talk, just smart people who know fish and have good tanks and selection.

 

[nc_nutcase]

Quality/care of the animals 100%

If they have that, then you will quickly find a knowledgeable staff whom keeps it that way. You will see all the little signs of what it takes to keep it that way (I like the reference to notes on the tank about the fish).

Variety, special orders, rare finds... all these things are great for me... but I can shop elsewhere, I can order online, I can find other options... but if that 31" monster fish in the back of the store in a 4' tank decides he's had enough... what are HIS options?

 

[pica_nuttalli]

i always like it when i say "btw, you've got a couple of deadies" and the clerk goes "what? we do? which tank?"

as opposed to a shop where you go in one day to browse and the next day to buy and the same bobbers are on the bottom. c'mon people, it takes less than a minute per tank to clean out dead fish. this is what after hours are for.

i also like any store where the fish are already breeding in the tanks. fish that breed are happy fish (unless they're livebearers or convicts, then that just means their heart's beating.)

 

[littlefishie]

I hate seeing dead fish in tanks. Whenever I go into my fave LFS I point them out and they're immediately removed. If the person I tell is with a customer, I just get it out for them.. it's not like they care, everyone there knows me.

Amusingly enough, my terrible local Petsmart has cichlids breeding in their tanks, but they're not convicts. Kinda looked like yellow labs, but not as elongated. No idea what they were, I'll have to check next time..

 

[Inchworm]

I've been living in the same apartment for over 8 years now, and patronizing the lfs in my area. In all of them I've become known to the store management and/or employees.

IMHO, the best ones are the ones where I can ask a question and learn something. The poorer ones are the ones where I have to teach them about their fish and frogs. The later are all chain stores that have a big turnover in staff and management, while the former are independently owned stores whose employees are fishkeepers themselves.

 

[phishluvr]

-courteous and knowledgable staff is important, and I try to support those stores even if the prices are higher. Good wages=good staff.

-healthy fish, not too small, hearty and living in good tank conditions. I realize stores need to keep the usual suspects of fish that are quick sellers, but I appreciate the store that orders in a new exotic every so often.

-good variety of healthy plants. this seems to be the challenge in my area and is what I'm usually shopping for these days while figuring out what works in my transition to a planted tank.

-clutter-free store (no tanks, rocks, bags of dog food to climb over or maze through)

-good selection of food and other supplies

-that it's NOT Walmart

 

[candy]

i wish u all could come to newzealand and see the lfs over here we have hollywood fish farm these guys are amazing they have a few stores but everyone of them is amazing. they have everything from gold fish to saltwater fish ,they will order in fish if u want something they dont get in often. a week after u buy fish they remeber u. most of the employers own most of the kinds of fish. they know there oddballs like the back of there hands.they give u fee stuf to try they remeber u if u come in offten. iv never seen dead fish. there tanks are hugely over stocked. everything is clean tanks that have big rare fish on them like royal knifes are not laybeled so people who want them hae to ask about them...gives the employer and idear if they know what they are on about ,they will refuse to see fish to people ....all in all ita a wonderfull place to be.. and u can ask them anythign and they will try there hardest to findo ut for u if they dont know ...

 

[wuvmybetta]

The first thing I look at when I go to a new LFS is their frozen food section. If it's not plentiful,than I'm outta there.I know,I'm shallow.

 

[pica_nuttalli]

file = life (by the anagram rule anyways)

The first thing I look at when I go to a new LFS is their frozen food section. If it's not plentiful,than I'm outta there.I know,I'm shallow.

then don't ever live anywhere in Alabama outside the four biggest cities...

i'm more willing to pay more for the actual fish than i am to pay extra on supplies. i just feel like a moron paying $5 for gravel that i *know* i can get for $3 at Hell-mart. but if i have to spend an extra dollar or so on a fish, i don't mind it if i'm buying from someone who cares. quality over quantity, is my motto. i'm somewhat the same about food-supplies, although i'll buy livebearer flake just wherever i can find it. that stuff is bizarrely rare.

 

[Grim Reaper]

Knowledgable staff, that actually CARE about ALL of the fish in their store.
Proper display of fish, and not having the tanks stocked to the HILT.
Clean tanks, and getting the dead-o's out of the tanks.

I also like to see when someone will write on the side of a tank "Do not sell - treating" which tells me that they actually keep sick fish in the store til they're healthy.

and LAST, BUT NOT LEAST (by any means) is the bettas.
If a store has horrid conditions for a betta, I will leave immediately.
Well, after I raise a ruckus and yell and scream first, then point out which fish need attention.

THEN i leave.

question answerd

 

[Invader675]

I've thought it'd be handy if it was possable to buy filters that had already got a large amount of bacteria on them. Most places use undergravel filters though due to cost. It'd seed the tank with it and make it so much quicker (although using Cycle I've nearly finnished my 21gal in just over 2 weeks. It's not done yet but I'm near the end. When I'm done I'll post the full results so people can decide for themselves how good it is, there is already a cycle with fish posted in the newbie forum).