ATTN:: suport your local fish store!!!

[finsandfeathers]

Haven't been up to a fish in the Tacoma/Spanaway/Seattle area in years though there used to be a couple good ones.

Now where I live now - do get my supplies for the lfs', buying my food from the one got to be a pima so started ordering online (you'd think they'd keep it in stock when people are buying 1/2-1pound at a time on a weekly basis). For me the fish selection at them hasn't been spectacular in literally months when I ask them to special order I either never get a call back or they don't follow thru (really ticks me off since I know for them a $100-$200 sale would really help).

So back to wandering around online for stock the other sad part is where I live there's not enough people to rally a group buy and with the price of fuel its not feasible for a drive to the airport without at least splitting the expenses with someone

 

[Madness]

I stopped by Aquarium Paradise a couple of weekends ago. It seems that Lonzo has retired and Dom and his wife are running the place now.

Things looked tidier and they had a decent selection of freshwater fish (better than they usually do, including a huge Australian crayfish), plus a far better selection of equipment than they used to have. I bought some gravel (for my new 20g), air line stuff, and a trio of brilliant rasboras to boost the school in my 29g up to 9. The smaller community fish all looked to be in pretty good shape to me; my new arrivals acclimated without issue. I can't comment on cichlids and saltwater stuff since they're "not my bag" and I didn't give them much attention. All of the tanks were pretty clean too, from what I noticed.

It's good to see a LFS on the upswing

I agree with you. Dom and his wife are doing a great job at redoing the store. His prices are still a bit on the high side IMO, but his selection is improving. (I am doing my best to get him to do this)

He has a couple of helpers that change the water and keep the tanks looking great. Id say the best place down here in Pierce Cty. (Until I get my store going)

 

[pbmax]

Yup, they're not terribly cheap, but I'd much rather give my cash to him than PetSlow or PetStupid.

 

[DMD123]

(Until I get my store going)

Well I'm waiting.... :suspect:

:joker:

 

[aquaman95]

that would be a amazing store im suprised you dont ship

 

[janky]

I stopped by Aquarium Paradise a couple of weekends ago. It seems that Lonzo has retired and Dom and his wife are running the place now.

Things looked tidier and they had a decent selection of freshwater fish (better than they usually do, including a huge Australian crayfish), plus a far better selection of equipment than they used to have. I bought some gravel (for my new 20g), air line stuff, and a trio of brilliant rasboras to boost the school in my 29g up to 9. The smaller community fish all looked to be in pretty good shape to me; my new arrivals acclimated without issue. I can't comment on cichlids and saltwater stuff since they're "not my bag" and I didn't give them much attention. All of the tanks were pretty clean too, from what I noticed.

It's good to see a LFS on the upswing

Agreed. Dom seemed pretty cool and was willing to answer my 20 ?s without getting irritated or annoyed. :
Awesome freshwater selection, but not much in the saltwater end of things... although it did seem like they were just getting in a shipment (UPS truck and boxes EVERYWHERE) so maybe I just caught them at a bad time.

I didn't see any ich or dead fish, which is surprising and impressive. I'm going to be giving him a call Tues to see if they can order a fish for me, so we'll see how they do

 

[pbmax]

Indeed; Dom is very cool and laid back. I bought my very first aquarium from him at AP about 2.5 years ago. I still have 3 of the 4 brilliant rasboras I bought there when I setup the new tank too.

 

[Anthraxx]

AP is a nice store. its where i got a lot of my random africans over the years. it had gone downhill and prices went wayyyyy up there for quite some time so i just stopped going. if im gonna make a trip its gotta be worth it, otherwise ill just go to my favorite petco out in lakewood. known the "fish guy" now manager for many years. and lemme tell ya getting discounts on stuff just because he knows me is pretty sweet. if only i could get kevin to remember me.... (APFP)

 

[aquaman95]

i hate that when you've been to a lfs a million times and they dont remember you!!!suprisingly all my lfs know me very well and are not too bad on $ for fish so i tend to go alot. but i go to big box stores for food and medicine i will not pay 18.99 for a 7.99 bottle of medicine if it was 2-3 dollars more than petco i wouldnt care but gheez 8 dollar even the food is a 5-6 dollar difference

 

[DMD123]

Been brought up before but.... I buy most of my food and all my supplies on-line. I could not afford to be in the hobby with what the LFS charge for stuff.

 

[aquaman95]

lus1: so real

 

[gobluecichlids]

I buy mine online too..there's not much difference getting em wholesale and from online stores that offer free ship. I get most of my orders from petsolutions, where they have free shipping on purchases over $49, including a large box of salt.

 

[Anthraxx]

o i know online is super cheap. it makes it hard to keep a store afloat.. since theyre selling at wholesale costs almost since they have such little overhead. i still like to buy fish local whenever possible but lately ive found great deals from "local" breeders. goblue larry and others. and honestly the effort a hobbyist puts into selling his stock is much higher then a store. everything seems handled with care.. at least for me. grown so used to it that now its pretty much all i do haha.

 

[pbmax]

A LFS has to compete on the basis of service; they can't compete on price and selection, so it has to be service. I find it sad that some of them don't realize this... a good bit of personal attention and a positive relationship go a long way.

 

[Anonymous]

A LFS has to compete on the basis of service; they can't compete on price and selection, so it has to be service. I find it sad that some of them don't realize this... a good bit of personal attention and a positive relationship go a long way.

It's amazing how this isn't common knowledge when you open a business in such a niche community!

 

[DMD123]

I agree many LFS do have excellent service and in a pinch I go to get last minute items (frozen foods) or emergency stuff (meds). So I do support them in that way.

But my everyday stuff like food (dry pellet/flake) and water conditioner I do buy on-line.

I can not support the LFS, 100% due to my limited fish budget but I try to do what I can.

 

[Anthraxx]

honestly the LFS wont carry half of what i want. nobody carries my food, filter media, sponge filters, lights, or my powerheads. so im pretty stuck ordering online

 

[DMD123]

:iagree:
I do agree, some products I use I cant find in stores. some of the Omega One foods I use and my Safe water conditioner.

 

[DMD123]

:suspect:
This was a weird double post that I had to edit out...... sorry
:suspect:

 

[Anthraxx]

plus 3 bucks for 4 ounces of foods is dirt cheap. i end up ordering three or four for the price it would be in the store.