LFS vs. Petsmart

It's hard here. I'm in west Boston (Brookline, actually, for any locals out there) and the closest LFS has a decent selection and the owner is nice and knowledgable, but he has an assistant who is SO rude and unwelcoming that I have grown to hate going there. I just feel very uncomfortable and that my business is totally unappreciated. So, I've started going to a Petco, where they are pleasant, friendly, have a better variety (though fewer "uncommon" or rare species), etc.

If one of your local LFSs is far and away better, just go there. Supporting small businesses is the way to go, and you (usually) will get better service from it in the long run as you build up a relationship with the staff and owner.

Snowy
 
Our local petsmart has great selection of healthy fish and plants, but most of the staff that I have dealt with were not very knowligeable. Good fish At good prices but as i learned the hardway, research as much as you can before you purchase. Sounds like you have a great start.
 
PETCO looks horrible, they have good prices on bloodworms tho...
PETSMART has good fish, just really plain, or common fish
LFS has higher prices, but exactly what you are looking for, if they dont have it they will order it for you most of the time.

personally most of my cichlids are from PETSMART, because LFS around here charge up to $45 a cichlid... i didnt even pay that for my discus, any of them.
 
I kind of feel bad saying it, but all my purchases so far as far as tank supplies and etc. have been made at Petsmart but I have called the LFS twice now for advice and have spoken with very friendly and helpful people who actully knew what they were talking about!
 
here are my observations of the petco,petsmart and LFS.

recently the petco's in my area got a bad batch(for lack of a better word)/shipment of fish.
Several of the tanks were 'under observation'
I thought that was a good move on their part.
in general their staff seemed sincere..tho in one store lacking of knowledge.
but for a large chain they would be considered par.

Petsmart in our area go thru large quantities of stock. fish and supplies.
generally I find the staff relatively knowledgable.]
.the catch..there is only one of the petsmarts close by. so this is a limited observation.

compare to local fish stores..there is one that their specialty is fish..
hands down..they win in the respect to knowledge also in quality of the fish stock..and thier prices for the fish are very close to the local chains.
the fish are not sold till they have been quarantined and are usually 3 weeks in the tanks when you see them for sale.

we also have local pet stores..those that don't specialize and are basically mini versions of petco...LOL

the knowledge varies from store to store..one of them has a guy who works specifically in the aquarium section. their stock is well cared for and is not sold until it has been thru quarantine.

my personal choice has been to buy my fish from LFS and local petstores..they tend to not mass sell fish (tho they did have a sale on fish buy 2 get third free)
LOL

I get my supplies from the chains..they tend to be less expensive.(this is not to say I don't purchase some supples from my LFS)

IMHO
 
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