is it just me??

[cale262]

I can't think of a single fish in any of my tanks that didn't come from an LFS. Other than some local clown breeders, is there really anyone on these forums breeding tangs or wrasses? I'd be willing to bet that 90% or more of anyone's fish on here, at one point came from a fish store.

I have posted up here when I was looking to buy a certain fish, the last I believe was a CBB, I didn't see any in my usual haunts (LFS) so I posted here asking if anyone had one or knew of one FS... In the end it was a LFS that replied and I bought it from them.

Funny enough, I was just thinking about posting a WTB thread for a purple tang, I haven't seen one in an LFS for some time...although the last one I saw was at double the price I'd be willing to buy it at (~$260). It also almost feels like certain fish are seasonal items... Today I have a hard time finding a purple tang for anything less than $200+ and a month down the road everyone has them for $60.

I for one believe we should support our Responsible LFS, if we don't we'll end up buying our staple products (salt etc) and 3 types of available fish from an unhealthy Walmart tank.

[sphelps]

Sometimes I post I'm looking for things like specific fish or inverts in hopes either someone will just happen to be thinking about parting with their's or some saw the item recently at a LFS. It saves me driving around to every store or calling them which is actually harder than it sounds due to language barriers or unreliable employees. If it's something I really want I'll even consider shipping from other locations. I don't consider using convenient resources to my advantage lazy, more like efficient

[daplatapus]

My first thought as to why I'd post a "looking for" a specific fish is the same reason I'd visit the SPCA before a breeder if I was looking for a dog. I'd like to see if there was an unwanted fish out there that I could home before creating a demand at an LFS.

[Flash]

plus I might add, if someone can't find a home for their fish when they shut down.. the lfs might if being generous give the person a 50% credit to what they would sell the fish for... which is fair for the stores to do, but at the same time, someone on here could get that same fish 50% less then retail!

I support my LFS.... some more then others.... but really, would i turn down a $30 6" healthy regal tang to go pay $100 for one that just came out of a bag and only has a 50/50 chance at making it?!

[MarkoD]

I don't understand the term "support LFS"

Makes it seem like they're a charity that I should be supporting.

They're a business, they should be competing with one another to earn our business.

I buy as much as I can from other reefers. Only a sucker would go pay more money at a fish store for something they can get for half the price on the forum

I work hard for my money and I like keeping as much of it as I can. When I'm searching for something, I make sure to check every store for the best price before buying it

[Enigma]

If I was looking for something a little more unusual I would certainly look to other reefers. In the event I was looking for something that doesn't generally do as well in captivity I would look to other reefers, too.

I have a couple of fish that I would happily and willingly part with. I just don't care enough about getting rid of them to post them for sale. If I saw a post where someone was looking for these fish locally, I'd have no qualms about going through the effort to remove them from my system.

[Delphinus]

Originally Posted by sphelps

Sometimes I post I'm looking for things like specific fish or inverts in hopes either someone will just happen to be thinking about parting with their's or some saw the item recently at a LFS. It saves me driving around to every store or calling them which is actually harder than it sounds due to language barriers or unreliable employees. If it's something I really want I'll even consider shipping from other locations. I don't consider using convenient resources to my advantage lazy, more like efficient

+1 this sums up perfectly my own take on this..

Originally Posted by daplatapus

My first thought as to why I'd post a "looking for" a specific fish is the same reason I'd visit the SPCA before a breeder if I was looking for a dog. I'd like to see if there was an unwanted fish out there that I could home before creating a demand at an LFS.

+1 to this point too.


I shop at all my local LFS as much as I can. But geographically being in the south end of a very long city north-south where all the LFS are in the north side, for me to visit all my favourite shops is a full day endeavour, or at minimum several hours. I just can't do that every week anymore like I used to. So I might very well post about something I'm looking for, it can't hurt to ask, and if I get a tip of someone on the fence about selling one privately .. or a LFS who has it ... either way it's a win for all parties.

[Snaz]

I'm not anti LFS, we need them and I support mine. That being said livestock from a hobbyist will typically be larger, healthier and cheaper.

[kien]

Originally Posted by jorjef

I would rather buy from a local reefer. I think the fish are more stable and 'should' have a higher rate of success when I acclimate to my tank. There have been times when I was on the fence about re-homing a fish and to see an ad wanting that particular fish would be a bonus.

I'm with this guy on this one. I have a couple of fish in my tank that I'm not thrilled about but don't really want to put the effort into fishing out and sumping in the hopes of finding a buyer. I didn't buy the fish, I adopted both of them. Now they are just freeloaders in my tank and if someone came along and said, "hey, I'm looking for a pajama cardinal if anyone happens to have one", I'd be more than happy to offer him up. But again, I can't be bothered to be proactive about it and remove him.

[lastlight]

Originally Posted by kien

I'm with this guy on this one. I have a couple of fish in my tank that I'm not thrilled about but don't really want to put the effort into fishing out and sumping in the hopes of finding a buyer. I didn't buy the fish, I adopted both of them. Now they are just freeloaders in my tank and if someone came along and said, "hey, I'm looking for a pajama cardinal if anyone happens to have one", I'd be more than happy to offer him up. But again, I can't be bothered to be proactive about it and remove him.

Hey, I'm looking for a tailspot blenny if anyone happens to have one.