That is a store I would support also. I wish more stores would take care of their stock like this owner does. Someone else here on AC said that the LFS they shop in breeds the majority of the fish they sell - that is the way to go! None around here do that - they want the cheapest stock, move it in, move it out and hope the customer doesn't return the dead fish (or that they live beyond the 3 day guarantee). They feed very sparing - if at all - sad to see the stock sometimes. I don't sell to them - I have to drive an hour to some of the better stores we have.
No more local fish stores?
- Thread starter captmicha
- Start date
That is a store I would support also. I wish more stores would take care of their stock like this owner does. Someone else here on AC said that the LFS they shop in breeds the majority of the fish they sell - that is the way to go! None around here do that - they want the cheapest stock, move it in, move it out and hope the customer doesn't return the dead fish (or that they live beyond the 3 day guarantee). They feed very sparing - if at all - sad to see the stock sometimes. I don't sell to them - I have to drive an hour to some of the better stores we have.
Been a bit out of the loop lately on local stores but they are definitely the place where I got the majority of my livestock. I've ordered online a few times and have had only positive experiences...but if I can find it locally my patience (or lack there of) gets the best of me. I have bought fish from one of the Pet-blahs (at a dollar a piece and in their own tank so I had little to lose) and they did well but certain fish I wouldn't trust in their care for any period of time before it gets to my tanks.
Any equipment will almost exclusively be from a big box store because of the prices. That is unless it is a more specialty item that isnt stocked there of course...
Any equipment will almost exclusively be from a big box store because of the prices. That is unless it is a more specialty item that isnt stocked there of course...
Since you're from Maryland, I assume you're referring to Tropical Fish World. It's a big loss, since it is such a good store. Having said that, there are some good stores left in the area. Also, there is a good local club (capital cichlids) whose membership can be a great source for fish.It seems like all the local fish stores around me are closing... I just learned yet another one is closing. I really don't want to buy livestock at Petco/smart.And online can get pricey with shipping, I don't usually need to buy a boxful of fish or really uncommon ones to make the shipping worthwhile.
Anybody else see this trend in their area?
Back to your question, though, it does seem that there will be fewer and fewer LFSs, due to the chains and the Internet.
My problem with the chain stores are the lack of expertise. That's not saying that all chain store employees have no idea what they're doing, but I've noticed my LFS's tend to have much better people working there. I think that this is from competetion, as they need smarter employees to stay competetive with the big chain stores.
I support the store which is the most helpful to me, I'm fine with paying that extra 5 bucks if they can help me sort out a problem or steer me in the right direction for equipment. I think of it as paying the price difference to them for their advice.
I support the store which is the most helpful to me, I'm fine with paying that extra 5 bucks if they can help me sort out a problem or steer me in the right direction for equipment. I think of it as paying the price difference to them for their advice.
I like that they only sell one gender. Too many people will buy a pair, without thinking or thinking much or thinking well, and end up with hamsters coming out of their ears. Classifieds and rescues are chock full of small animals because every one and their brother think it's a good idea to breed as much as possible. I also don't blame them for not taking back fish that get too big or aggressive. It's the customer's job to know what they're buying. Assuming the store has everything labeled, and those labels are correct, and employees aren't giving out false information, I don't see why they should accept returns for common plecos that people bought for their 5 gallon Sponge Bob fish tank and the fish some how, magically I suppose, outgrew the tank. They don't rent out fish.
I don't know, maybe it's more time and work than they can handle to catalog all the species and quantities that they have available, especially when they have to constantly update it based on what they sold that day in the store.
I never quite got over the loss of Scales (only 15 minutes from my house too!) and Tropical Fish World was sufficing as it's replacement.
I called them and they said to watch their Facebook page to see if and when the owner decides to re-open.
We have odd LFS's here. The biggest ones (basically bordering on being a chain store, just haven't expanded yet) are fine. The bigger ones follow similar policies to the chain stores, just with better employees. The smaller ones take whatever anyone wants to bring it, breed their own animals, don't bother to clean up much, and basically look like someone has been collecting aquarium parts for a few decades with very little organizing. They were disappearing quickly years ago so maybe it is just the ones that cut the most corners that are still around. A few of them don't even bother to keep much in fish anymore, mostly selling tanks, equipment, and LR/inverts.
Most the big chains do this with small animals. From what I've seen most the smaller pet stores do it too. It has nothing to do with employees, since sexing small animals isn't all that difficult. It isn't to stop the customer from breeding them either, since the customer can just buy the opposite sex at another store. The reason is simple, they don't want accidents to happen. It is easy for a mistake to be made by the customer or an employee, and suddenly you have pregnant animals. Chain stores don't really know what to do with pregnant animals (can't sell the babies half the time since there is no invoice), customers don't necessarily want that one new pet to become 10, and small animals can make a cage quite bloody and unattractive when babies arrive (hamsters & gerbils especially are known for cannibalizing live babies & dead adults, not a good things for customers to see when picking a new pet).
The reason they won't take back fish is simple. The store has to show an inventory for everything the register rings up. The companies are too big to allow employees to have that type of control over the cash flow. Don't think that the LFS is doing it to be nice and generous either. They do it because they know they can A.) sell you a new fish and B.) make a profit off your overgrown fish.
As for local breeders, I know Pet Supermarket will, not sure about Petco/Petsmart. The managers responsible for doing it just usually don't both, since the fish they make their money off of are available from their primary suppliers. LFS's work on a smaller level and need to draw people in, so local suppliers tend to fill both needs better then the giant ones the chains use.
Most the big chains do this with small animals. From what I've seen most the smaller pet stores do it too. It has nothing to do with employees, since sexing small animals isn't all that difficult. It isn't to stop the customer from breeding them either, since the customer can just buy the opposite sex at another store. The reason is simple, they don't want accidents to happen. It is easy for a mistake to be made by the customer or an employee, and suddenly you have pregnant animals. Chain stores don't really know what to do with pregnant animals (can't sell the babies half the time since there is no invoice), customers don't necessarily want that one new pet to become 10, and small animals can make a cage quite bloody and unattractive when babies arrive (hamsters & gerbils especially are known for cannibalizing live babies & dead adults, not a good things for customers to see when picking a new pet).
The reason they won't take back fish is simple. The store has to show an inventory for everything the register rings up. The companies are too big to allow employees to have that type of control over the cash flow. Don't think that the LFS is doing it to be nice and generous either. They do it because they know they can A.) sell you a new fish and B.) make a profit off your overgrown fish.
As for local breeders, I know Pet Supermarket will, not sure about Petco/Petsmart. The managers responsible for doing it just usually don't both, since the fish they make their money off of are available from their primary suppliers. LFS's work on a smaller level and need to draw people in, so local suppliers tend to fill both needs better then the giant ones the chains use.
Last edited:
Unfortunately no. I have 3 LFS that I frequent just to peruse their livestock & on the occasions that I do purchase livestock, I've purchased it from one of these 3 LFS. I also purchase my frozen foods from these 3 stores. My dry goods & equipment I just purchase from the big box pet stores because the prices @ the LFS aren't remotely competitive. Whenever I've been in need of a specialty item I have purchased it from my local LFS as well but more recently I've been procuring these items online.
Like Platytude stated earlier, it would be nice to see more LFS to hybridize their stores with the internet. I know that a well designed, fully functional website would add to their overhead, but I find it hard to believe that it wouldn't significantly add to their bottom line as well if it were done/managed properly.
Like others already stated, you either adapt or go extinct. "Loyal customers" purchasing items @ uncompetitive prices will only last so long before those same loyal customers go elsewhere for those items. It's far from being a viable business model.
Not really, because they give out a lot of store credit, and a lot of people would rather pay more money to have something in hand immediately from a store they can get a return from if necessary. Not to mention you often need stuff when you need it not in a week. So at my lfs the dry goods are priced outrageously but the fish are cheap and you can get pretty much anything if you ask aside from saltwater stuff. But I don't pay for anything, I just bring in fish and take out equipment at food.
