coraljunkie
Member
What is the most important thing that you look for in your LFS?
Price
Livestock
Knowledge
Selection
Appearance
Just curious.
Price
Livestock
Knowledge
Selection
Appearance
Just curious.
LFS - Whats Most Important?
- Thread starter coraljunkie
- Start date
spanko
Active Member
I voted appearance. I look for cleanliness of the store, how the tanks look specifically algae - dead or scratching, flashing heavy breathing in the livestock - dry good selection clean and orderly.
These things tend to tell you something about the overall knowledge of the staff IMO.
These things tend to tell you something about the overall knowledge of the staff IMO.
reefkprz
Active Member
all of the above,
appearance of the tanks is important if they look nasty chances are they are.
price if the prices are far above average there better be a good reason, such as all stock is captive bred. etc.
knowledge, if theyy cant tell me how to care for something properly they arent taking care of it properly while they have it.
selection is somewhat important, but not as important as healthy stock
live stock, if they dont have licve stock i dont walk in the door, there are millions of places to buy dry good.
appearance of the tanks is important if they look nasty chances are they are.
price if the prices are far above average there better be a good reason, such as all stock is captive bred. etc.
knowledge, if theyy cant tell me how to care for something properly they arent taking care of it properly while they have it.
selection is somewhat important, but not as important as healthy stock
live stock, if they dont have licve stock i dont walk in the door, there are millions of places to buy dry good.
kingsmith
Member
For me it depends on what I am looking to get. Most stores around me t5hta hve a good price aren't the best so I will get misc supplies there and occasionally will find a jewl in one of their tanks but its still a crap shoot. When I have the money to spend its a about the quality and appearance and Ihave one store with high prices and high standards so that is the place I will go if I am going to drop so real cash
ironeagle2006
Active Member
I picked Knowledge I have a great LFS near me and he gets hammered on fridays why you ask that is when he puts his newe Saltwaters on sale that he has had since the week before. This place even has a 200 gallon reef that if you see something you want in it out it comes. He also knows what he is selling. There was someone that wanted to put a Clown Trig in a reef setup HE REFUSED TO MAKE THE SALE. Also his selection on foods can not be touched only place in my area I can get a Marine Angel pellet that has Sponge in it for my big guys may they now RIP.
aquaknight
Active Member
I picked selection as well. Generally you can treat most stuff to get a fish back to full health. My BIGGEST pet-peeve about the hobby, is going to the 4 or so different LFS stores in the area, and they all have identical stock, verbatim.
What's the point? And LFS's that are willing to spend some $, and if you're willing to spend some $, 99% of the time, the LFS that has nice, rare, some times expensive fish, also know how to run the store and the rest of the points (quality, knowledge, etc) will follow.
otter
Member
I chose livestock. I am fortunate enough to have several LFS in my area.
A few of them have a great selection but the health of their fish is always poor.
A LFS that has a healthy fish, means I have less problems when I bring that fish home.
While I agree in theory with reefkprz about all being important, trying to find a LFS that is excellent in all areas is a needle in a haystack.
zeke92
Active Member
someone voted price...what?
i voted knowledge...i would have voted all of the above if i could have. if they know what there doing there probably gonna have healthy fish. thats what i like about my LFS, they would talk to you for hours about what you need to do to save a tank if they could.
i voted knowledge...i would have voted all of the above if i could have. if they know what there doing there probably gonna have healthy fish. thats what i like about my LFS, they would talk to you for hours about what you need to do to save a tank if they could.
t316
Active Member
Originally Posted by spanko
http:///forum/post/2719208
I voted appearance. I look for cleanliness of the store, how the tanks look specifically algae - dead or scratching, flashing heavy breathing in the livestock - dry good selection clean and orderly.
These things tend to tell you something about the overall knowledge of the staff IMO.
+1 appearance....
That kind of tells you everything else, except maybe price.
http:///forum/post/2719208
I voted appearance. I look for cleanliness of the store, how the tanks look specifically algae - dead or scratching, flashing heavy breathing in the livestock - dry good selection clean and orderly.
These things tend to tell you something about the overall knowledge of the staff IMO.
+1 appearance....
That kind of tells you everything else, except maybe price.
stanlalee
Active Member
livestock. I dont go for advice. I dont really care how much of a hole in the wall it is. I'm going with the expectation they'll have something I'll want to bring home.
its all relative though. There are only two kinds of pets stores for me. those kept and stocked well enough to buy from and those not even worth my time driving to.
its all relative though. There are only two kinds of pets stores for me. those kept and stocked well enough to buy from and those not even worth my time driving to.
kaingers
Member
+1 Selection
I also think appearance is equally important because it tells a lot about what the store really cares about. I agree walking into a LFS that has empty tanks and a skimpy selection can be annoying. Knowledge is good to have, but chances are I am going to research it further on the boards or with google. Awesome thread BTW!
I also think appearance is equally important because it tells a lot about what the store really cares about. I agree walking into a LFS that has empty tanks and a skimpy selection can be annoying. Knowledge is good to have, but chances are I am going to research it further on the boards or with google. Awesome thread BTW!
A
alexmir
Guest
Originally Posted by stdreb27
http:///forum/post/2719471
To me it is quality of fish, then price of salt... I go to a place all the way across houston, because their salt is 40 bucks and their fish are excellent.
Which store? There are two out of houston that i go to, one of them i wont step foot in anymore, i would NEVER EVER buy anything from it
http:///forum/post/2719471
To me it is quality of fish, then price of salt... I go to a place all the way across houston, because their salt is 40 bucks and their fish are excellent.
Which store? There are two out of houston that i go to, one of them i wont step foot in anymore, i would NEVER EVER buy anything from it
coraljunkie
Member
Which store is that alexmir?
royalgramma
New Member
I voted for knowledge because if the employees dont know what their talking about then how can I trust their judjment on what I buy.
stdreb27
Active Member
Originally Posted by alexmir
http:///forum/post/2719832
Which store? There are two out of houston that i go to, one of them i wont step foot in anymore, i would NEVER EVER buy anything from it
BAA, that and fishland are the only ones I frequent, (if I'm wrong for posting names to lfs just kill it, but I think it is ok) I haven't been to T and T. The never in my wildest nightmare is Aquarium world and one in the woodlands called Fish R Us (their fish are actually really good however they exemplify everything that is wrong with bad lfs's) My would buy from list but never see anything worth while is Fish Gallery, and City Pets, and the seedy places that I don't have anything bad to say but don't like em anyways are fishranch 2 and B&B. I'm to the point now, I just buy stuff from other reefers.
http:///forum/post/2719832
Which store? There are two out of houston that i go to, one of them i wont step foot in anymore, i would NEVER EVER buy anything from it
BAA, that and fishland are the only ones I frequent, (if I'm wrong for posting names to lfs just kill it, but I think it is ok) I haven't been to T and T. The never in my wildest nightmare is Aquarium world and one in the woodlands called Fish R Us (their fish are actually really good however they exemplify everything that is wrong with bad lfs's) My would buy from list but never see anything worth while is Fish Gallery, and City Pets, and the seedy places that I don't have anything bad to say but don't like em anyways are fishranch 2 and B&B. I'm to the point now, I just buy stuff from other reefers.