Retail fish Stores VS. Online

[reefaroni]

I haven't bought a fish online yet... something about seeing it swim around first helps me feel better about it

 

[aleonn]

I haven't bought any livestock online yet either. I am considering reefcleaners for the CUC though, and I'll go from there. Maybe if I get impatient with my LFS' stocking schedule, I can purchase a nice fish online.

 

[drillsar]

Whats strange is that my LFS around here all of them dont give any guarantee to livestock at all but Online gives you 14 days mostly.

All the LFS are expensive by me, no guarantee

online is better

 

[jeff@zina.com]

I haven't bought a fish online yet... something about seeing it swim around first helps me feel better about it

I really prefer that as well, but the LFS has limited tanks and generally only stocks the "common" or "popular" fish. That means if you want a clown, percula or occelaris, sometimes tomato, skunk or maroon, you're fine there. You might even get Picassos or occasionally a black clown. But if you wanted a Snowcasso or a Wyoming White, the staff will generally look at you like you're speaking Martian.

Most LFS order through distributors. Most distributors won't invest heavily in specialty fish and often don't even put them on their stock lists. A LFS can always ask, but they won't unless they know you really want something. And even then, if you buy a $40 fish every six months, there's not a big incentive to order in an expensive batch of something only you have asked for and may not even buy.

On the flip side, an internet seller will rarely have a wide range of the basic LFS fish, unless they have gotten really good pricing. But they'll have the oddball fish that don't sell often but which have $100 profit margins. After all, a $300 fish justifies a $50 shipping fee, a couple of chromis or damsels never would. Unless you're just out in the boonies and the nearest LFS is the Walmart 120 miles away.

Jeff

 

[drillsar]

I never had a problem with a fish from liveaquaria, saltwaterfish, I had one problem with one online vendor but was taken care of immediately because the fish dies 2 days later. Thing is ONLINE will give you a guarantee for fish while LFS mostly wont, so if you can see a fish swim to me who cares because if it died the LFS will tell me to buy another one. I dont know why they wont guarantee it for at least 7 days.

 

[03sonicstang]

I tried my first On-line Coral purchase about 3 weeks ago. I used CoralProps.com, great WYSIWYG corals and the customer service was awesome! All my purchases are all doing very well in my system.

Never ordered any fish on-line and not sure if I ever will.

There are (2) great LFS in my area that I frequent. Plus with (3) young daughters they love to hang out in the store and help me pick out Fish/Corals. One day they're not going to want to hang out with Dad at a fish store Got to soak this time up while I can!!!

 

[Hocky]

I've had great experiences with SWF and liveaquaria.

 

[rwm555]

I have made a couple of purchases from saltwater and have been very pleased with everything I received. I had one cleaner shrimp die after a couple of days and they gave me full credit.

 

[rancoo]

I ordered from reefs2go.com, for a cleaner shrimp, 2 emerald crabs and assorted snails and crabs and everything was great. I am going to order a flame angel and some other assorted items from them again soon

 

[lordofthereef]

You might even get Picassos or occasionally a black clown. But if you wanted a Snowcasso or a Wyoming White, the staff will generally look at you like you're speaking Martian.

Designer fish... ROFL... may as well be speaking Martian

 

[Camel413]

I just received an order from Blue Zoo Aquatics and I am very happy with my purchase from them. Even got a phone call to make sure my shipping address was correct so there was no mess ups.

 

[Ethan_W]

So going forward with my new tank, i walked into a new store in my area that wasn't yet open. Then I had flash backs of my last tank, where I would walk in for saltwater, and come out with hundreds of dollars in coral rock and other stuff.

So the question is, are there good online stores that anyone has had good or bad experiences with?

its called self control. or just dont ever ask the people in the stores what you need and ask on here first. then just go in with your list.

the nice thing about RC is that people let u know what you NEED and arent just trying to sell you stuff