Question about online fish/coral buying

aquaria44

In Memoriam
Ok so I've been searching through threads to just get tons of mixed answers besides :bounce3: if I am looking for some big pieces and some frags maybe. what are some of the best sites to look at where people have had good experiences from? Also where for fish as well.:bounce3:
 
I'm in victor i've been around to everyone jon down at marine oasis, dan & milly over at carribean I refuse to go into reef shop and of course there the amazing G at abc.
 
Im really looking to just start going acan crazy right now though. and possibly start some really exotic chalice/turbia's
 
re: Gary's post

re: Gary's post

jmo? and TRS??

jmo = Just My Opinion
TRS = The Reef Shoppe

I wish that this site was a bit more like FB
FB = Facebook

Because I would have "liked" Gary's last post.

*Always try to support your local hobby shop before going online for livestock.

IMO, dry goods are a different story.
 
Generically i couldnt agree more however not all the stores have what i want and lately I keeep seeing the same fish at pretty much every store i'm kinda still waiting for that wow factor with something.
 
Fair enough, but what's wrong with TRS (dare I ask)? Also, fwiw (fwiw = for what it's worth), your lfs (lfs = local fish store) can order whatever you are looking for. TRS and Caribbean Forrest have always come through for me and I doubt that the others wouldn't do the same.
 
I have ordered corals/Fish from
Pacific Island Aquatics
Mr. Coral
Extreme Corals

No problems. I do prefer ARC in Buffalo. They will usually get something in if you request it. Less risk and I don't have to worry about shipping and DOA.
 
ABC in Syracuse and ARC in Buffalo are the best places I have visited. People at ABC are amazingly helpful, and the prices are simply awesome. If they don't the frags or big pieces of coral that you are looking for, I am sure they can special order it for you and have it within a week. Ordering online can be risky (DOA or unhealthy fish/coral), even though the probability is low, there is still a chance. Advantage of buying one from ABC or ARC you get to see what you are getting prior to purchasing as well as great customer service.
 
Fair enough, but what's wrong with TRS (dare I ask)? Also, fwiw (fwiw = for what it's worth), your lfs (lfs = local fish store) can order whatever you are looking for. TRS and Caribbean Forrest have always come through for me and I doubt that the others wouldn't do the same.
Yes Magdelan you may ask, that lfs I do not like to bash but I am not the newest person in the hobby however sometimes I do lack the ability to throw scientific names as well as not have all the answers. Every time I go into TRS I'm greeted nicely an as soon as I ask a question and he asks what size tank I have. The response is always jesus like you don't know you should know all that you have a 120G and you don't. The last time it happened was on my B day where i treated myself to about 400 in corals needless to say it did not happen at TRS because of how i was spoken to. I have sent quite a few friends their way and they were shown the same snide manner. I know its not Tom the owner doing it but yah anyways I will not spend my money there but that IMO.
As to LFS's ordering me stuff they will however not always at the pricing I'm looking for and if I am spending 200 or more in a shot than its free shipping so as much as I love supporting small business's that are local I do enjoy being able to get more bang for my buck as well.
 
jmo = Just My Opinion
TRS = The Reef Shoppe

I wish that this site was a bit more like FB
FB = Facebook

Because I would have "liked" Gary's last post.

*Always try to support your local hobby shop before going online for livestock.

IMO, dry goods are a different story.

I'm with you on this mike, reef central needs a "like" button for sure haha and on the supporting lfs, ordering online is always my last resort or if there is just something I have to have and quantities are limited I may put in an order
 
Every time I go into TRS I'm greeted nicely an as soon as I ask a question and he asks what size tank I have. The response is always jesus like you don't know you should know all that you have a 120G and you don't. The last time it happened was on my B day where i treated myself to about 400 in corals needless to say it did not happen at TRS because of how i was spoken to. I have sent quite a few friends their way and they were shown the same snide manner. I know its not Tom the owner doing it but yah anyways I will not spend my money there but that IMO.
get over it. For your own good.

Or buy stuff online where they really don't care what size aquarium you have... or anything else for that matter!

TRS is most helpful but you have to realize they know what they're talking about. Don't take their questions or comments the wrong way. Let people that know what they are doing help you. All our LFS's have knowledgable staffs and TRS has some of the finest.
 
Gary your right I just do my shopping with some of the other great lfs's in roc I love john from marine oasis and marc over at cf have been so helpful also G from Abc idk where I'd be without them and people like you rc users :D
 
I remember when I first started out I felt the same way about trs. to be honest as I look back I think its all perception. tom and his crew are great once you get to know them and very knowledgeable. I cant say how many times I had called looking for a chemical or something before I got on reef central and knew anything and Tom would basically talk to me for a hour and talk me out of buying something. Try again walk in there dont think about the past. As far as acans there are tons of people with tons of them on here just keep your eyes out lol
 
Have you been to any of the frag swaps that have happened recently? There's a pretty insane variety of stuff available right out of others' tanks. I don't exactly follow the latest fad corals but there are always tanks stuffed with them at frag trades.

My preference for corals is:

1) Local hobbyist friends
2) Regional hobbyists at frag trades
3) LFSs
4) Online
 
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