# LFS Support



## smitty814 (Sep 27, 2012)

Perusing the usual forums I have noticed alot of local fish stores going out of business. I have also noticed that the same ppl that lament the demise of our beloved lfs's are also buying bulk foods and fish from online sites. I propose that we throw a bone and help out the little guy. Why don't we, as fishkeepers, this week, go to your local fish establishment and buy 2 items. Any 2 items. 
Just a thought. You might enjoy it and make it a habit. =D>


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## chrish777 (Jul 26, 2012)

With how the economy was and still is a lot of people are searching for cheaper just as good ways of getting stuff they need. For others some also have no LFS close to them or there LFS is just horrible and couldn't pay me to go to(got several by me like that) soo ordering online is there best option. I go to a place by me for fish from time to time and my food but there also a wholesaler/they also make tanks. So I don't mind shopping there as there prices are still decent considering. However I do order most my WC breeders from a guy about two hours from me that imports them in.


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## fusion (Jun 21, 2012)

I buy things from my local LFS, just bought a sump pump and i get my Prime there, cheaper than online, as for fish, he dont have many cichlids, he is mainly Marine


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## smitty814 (Sep 27, 2012)

The guy I buy from will order anything I want. No shipping cost and reasonable prices. When I talk about lfs's I'm not including any of the big stores. I visit my lfs about twice a month. Sometimes I buy, everytime I take time and chat.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I feel for them, but I can't pay 2X the price for everything. I get free shipping from the online sites.


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## chrish777 (Jul 26, 2012)

smitty814 said:


> The guy I buy from will order anything I want. No shipping cost and reasonable prices. When I talk about lfs's I'm not including any of the big stores. I visit my lfs about twice a month. Sometimes I buy, everytime I take time and chat.


When you buy fish from a LFS you are paying shipping on it regardless. As that local fish store for example that fish your paying $50 for is really costing them at most half that(depending on the size, of there order as normally they will spread the cost of the shipping over that of the amount of fish they get in plus obviously some to make a profit off of.) So in turn you are paying shipping but most don't think of it like that cause it don't say shipping on your receipt.

Also not sure if what you said about you not talking about a big store was to me or not. If so I don't consider wholesalers a "big" store. As the wholesaler I go to he said most of his profit comes from the tanks he builds. Which he told me last time I was there he said he has been thinking about straying away from the fish and deal more with in making the custom tanks etc as he makes more of a profit off doing that then off the fish. I consider big stores as the horrible chain stores like petsmart, petco and the equal.


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## smitty814 (Sep 27, 2012)

chrish777 said:


> smitty814 said:
> 
> 
> > The guy I buy from will order anything I want. No shipping cost and reasonable prices. When I talk about lfs's I'm not including any of the big stores. I visit my lfs about twice a month. Sometimes I buy, everytime I take time and chat.
> ...


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## smitty814 (Sep 27, 2012)

I don't know if buying fish for $50 was directed at me or not but I have never paid $50 for any fish. However ppl that will buy a fish online will pay $35 or more in shipping. That is alot considering the fish is around $7 to $8. I will admit that some things are profit driven but most things such as fish, food, plants and meds etc. are competitive.
Just looking for a little local support. Obviously it won't come from chrish777
Sorry about the double post.


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## Narwhal72 (Sep 26, 2006)

When you are buying from a local fish store you are paying freight. However the lfs does not buy one of this and one of that. They buy a few dozen or even a few hundred fish at a time so the freight is spread out among a greater number of pieces.

A good lfs can be very competitive if not better in price than an online dealer. But it's hard for them to tell that story because the freight cost from the online retailer is a hidden cost that the consumer does not see upfront. The other disadvantage is that a lfs cannot possibly have the complete selection available on the internet (everything at any time). But a good one can work with a number of distributors to counter that.

I support 3 or 4 lfs in the Milwaukee area regularly either buying frozen or live foods and the occasional fish or plant when I can. I don't have much need for dry goods so I can't help there, but I do what I can.

Andy


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## sandandrocks (Apr 3, 2012)

I don't buy livestock from my LFS anymore (i can find better quality fish at better prices from other hobbyist, never bought livestock online yet and have no plans to pay shipping) however i do support my LFS by buying fish food occasionally. Only problem is i only need fish food once every other month.


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## cichlid-gal (Apr 27, 2012)

Well...here's the tale of supporting your local fish store. Yesterday I had a heater acting up. I did not have a backup on hand as I'd just set up a couple of new tanks and had not replaced the ones I had used from storage. Anyway, husband was heading out so I asked him to stop at _name withheld for privacy reasons but one of the big ones_ (60 miles away but still our local fish store as we really don't have one in our town). On arriving home he left the sales receipt on the counter. I looked at it and choked ... really. He paid $59.99 for a 200W heater which if I was to go on-line and purchase would cost me $27.99 (and that's at the same store but on-line).

If the local stores want us to support them they will have to do better than this. I realized they have overhead and such but what we paid at the store is almost 2.5 times what we could pay for the same product on-line. I'm furious to say the least. And this is not a mom and pop outfit either but one that gets lots of traffic and business and should not be penalizing people for using their store.

And in the end its my fault for not being prepared but I'm determined I won't let THAT happen again.


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## smitty814 (Sep 27, 2012)

If I had to drive 120 miles to get fish or supplies I would buy online too, but I don't. We have a couple of mom and pops within 20 miles. When I say lfs I mean those stores not the big chain stores. I like the one on one I get at the small aquatic stores and am sorry you don't have any


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## Steve C (Oct 9, 2011)

I have some LFS around here that I visit on a regular bases. I try to support them "when I can" but I agree that if the LFS want our business then they really need to be realistic on their prices. I run my own small business for a living (not pet related) so I know that you need to make a profit to stay above water(no pun intended lol) but there is a difference between making a living, and price gouging. Couple examples over the past few weeks because I have been setting up a 2nd 55g and been purchasing "most" my equipment online because it is just so much cheaper, but a few examples. One of the local stores I was in yesterday, great selection, friendly staff, but here's the thing...

I was looking for some rocks for the new tank and didn't want to go to a landscape yard because none are real close to me and I only needed maybe 25lbs yesterday. Checked 3 LFS's here. One had hardly anything decent looking for rocks, the next wanted $7.00 per lb for lace rock or any rock that looked even halfway decent  I finally ended up at the 3rd LFS and they wanted $2.00 lb for some neat looking petrified rock which I bought 19lbs worth. Still a bit pricey for what it is but not out of this world pricey like $7.00.

The other thing was the Rena XP3. I looked at two different LFS 2 weeks ago before I bought mine online for the tank I am working on. One LFS wanted $189.99 and the other wanted $209.99...for a xp3   You can buy that brand new online with free shipping for $119.99. The other thing i was looking to buy at the LFS yesterday was a Hydor inline 200w heater, I have one on my other 55g and paid about $45 new online for it. I was gonna pick the 2nd one up at the LFS yesterday because I figured it would only be maybe $10 more. Well I see it on the top shelf about the other heaters and look at the price......$68.99 for the 200w and cant remember what the 300w was but I know it was more. Needless to say I didn't even bother taking it off the shelf. Like I said, I do try to support the LFS's when I can, and I understand having to make a profit, but some of these LFS's are simply asking out of this world prices and I refuse to support those shops when they are gouging people like that. IMO some of these LFS are putting themselves out of business because of the crazy prices.

Just my .02 on the subject :wink:


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

I understand the sentiment and have given all three of my LFS's a chance but they all order from the same vendor for fish, Segrest farms, who hormones their peacocks and haps. I do buy some food locally but that is about it.


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## Steve C (Oct 9, 2011)

> I do buy some food locally but that is about it.


I actually picked up some food with the rocks I bought at the lfs yesterday...mainly because of a few posts I saw from you on here. My Peacocks will be here Tuesday and I did some searching Friday night on the site to see what people are feeding their peacocks and found a few posts from you saying what you feed yours so I picked up some NLS 1mm and some Omega kelp flakes at the lfs yesterday :wink:


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

Steve C said:


> > I do buy some food locally but that is about it.
> 
> 
> I actually picked up some food with the rocks I bought at the lfs yesterday...mainly because of a few posts I saw from you on here. My Peacocks will be here Tuesday and I did some searching Friday night on the site to see what people are feeding their peacocks and found a few posts from you saying what you feed yours so I picked up some NLS 1mm and some Omega kelp flakes at the lfs yesterday :wink:


I also started feeding them Dainichi color FX about 7 weeks ago and have noticed some nice changes in some of my fish and the rest are staying about normal. I will wait a couple more months to see what other changes occur. I think the Veggie flakes, NLS and the Dainichi are all very good high quality foods.


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## smitty814 (Sep 27, 2012)

13razorbackfan said:


> I understand the sentiment and have given all three of my LFS's a chance but they all order from the same vendor for fish, Segrest farms, who hormones their peacocks and haps. I do buy some food locally but that is about it.


 :dancing: That's the spirit. Buying food or a plant, something....anything.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

smitty814 said:


> 13razorbackfan said:
> 
> 
> > I understand the sentiment and have given all three of my LFS's a chance but they all order from the same vendor for fish, Segrest farms, who hormones their peacocks and haps. I do buy some food locally but that is about it.
> ...


I am usually a big proponent of buying local to keep the $$$$ in the area. I tried over and over to get them to change vendors for fish but it went on deaf ears and I just couldn't afford the problems it was causing me. I have even thought about opening a fish only pet store that dealt in food and some supplies as well.


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## du3ce (Sep 11, 2012)

I buy most of my cichlids at my two lfs one specifically carries only cichlids


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## smitty814 (Sep 27, 2012)

du3ce said:


> I buy most of my cichlids at my two lfs one specifically carries only cichlids


I do as well. Along with plants and food and ferts.


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## bostonjon1 (Aug 1, 2012)

luckily I have a couple of great LFS within 45 minute drive....one is just south of boston and 1 just west of boston....and actually a 3rd one in boston itself...buy as much of my products i can at these places....however once in awhile their prices just too high(heaters,filter media etc) and have to buy online... If i need advice nothing beats a one on one with a knowledgeable store owner!!!


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## metricliman (Sep 3, 2012)

I love my LFS, very knowledgeable, but their prices are sometimes just too high. 5 bucks for a red cherry shrimp? No way!


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## cichnatic (May 11, 2012)

I mainly purchase fish, snails and food from my LFS. When it comes to equipments, I like the online route as it gives me more options and better pricing. A nerite snail cost me $5 from the LFS.


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## metricliman (Sep 3, 2012)

Prices on fish are ridiculous... however I'm trying to support my LFS lately cuz they lost a lot of stock due to Sandy.


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## Steve C (Oct 9, 2011)

I gotta share this one. And don't take this as me saying not to support the LFS's because thats not the case at all. I do agree with Smitty that if you have a LFS that is a "good" one, then by all means try to support them. But today I went to my LFS to buy some "Prime". This is the closest LFS to me and I have been in there a couple doz times over the past year, guys that work there usually are pretty good and I know they have been working there for some years now so not just young kids. But, I went in today and didn't see any Prime, so I asked the guy where the Prime was...He looked confused and said he had never heard of Prime 

I've only just got back into fish keeping recently after 20 yrs away from the hobby, so admittedly my knowledge of fish keeping right now fits into a thimble, but even I know what Prime is. That just blew my mind :?


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## smitty814 (Sep 27, 2012)

I can't defend anyone elses fish stores. I only know that mine is the best and I am willing to buy certain things from him. Used tanks, fish, food etc.


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## Michael_M (May 31, 2012)

Support your good local stores, not only is it good for local small business, its good for the hobby! Most specialist stores here have a far greater quality of fish than chain stores... The less bad quality stuff going around the better.


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