LFS vs Internet

[seafan]

I live in miami and actually have a pretty good LFS when it comes to the goods it sells, However it has an owner who seems to only care for $. Well anyway I'm wondering which one would you consider better for buying fish, And which is better for buying equipment a LFS or the internet.

P.S recommend some sites please

 

[techiegirl]

well you can only reply to one and you ask a couple of questions, sooooooooooo.....
The best fish I have bought (color, healthy, survival rate) have been from www.liveaquaria.com
It costs $25 flat rate for shipping (free for orders over $175) but when you consider they give a 14 day guarantee, it is well worth it.
I just lost a clown and an anemone less then 24 hours after I bought it from the lfs and it's tough luck for me.
My nephew has a 150 gal and a 55 gal SW tanks and has bought all his fish from them. He is really anal about those kind of things and I was surprised when he told me to buy from them. When I asked him about it, he said the fish are actually LESS stressed when you get them, because rather than going from boat to distributor to lfs to your tank.....
they go from boat to distributor and directly to you.
So it ends up saving a step and the perils associated with that -esp if the lfs sucks! lol
As for equipment, my lfs has some good deals, but honestly, I buy most of my stuff from Petsmart - if you take a print out of the product from their website to the store, they will pricematch it! (Just ask for a manger). I just bought an AquaClear 500 there a cuople of weeks ago - $72 in the store, 32 online, so on the product alone I saved $40!!

 

[seafan]

Thanks alot.

 

[quarryshark]

LFS for fish. I like to see my fish before I buy them. I will however buy dry goods online.

 

[pecan2phat]

It depends if you have either LFS's with crummy, or constantly ich infested livestock or if you have a LFS with beautiful livestock but @ 3x the average cost of an internet order. I balance out my purchases from internet order for pricing, some LFS for individual beauties and 99% of my dry goods with the exception of weighted items such as salt is purchased over the internet.

 

[pipermurphy]

Me personally I purchased everything from 3 LFS in my area. They are all great, with good stuff and over the years we have become friends. With that relationship I am getting prices that are equal the Net, without the shipping charges. The only items I bought thru the net was my MH setup-thru Ebay & the RO/DI setup the Aquafx. I like the interaction and Q&A with my stores.

 

[fishfreek]

LFS for both unless you can get the equipment for half the cost of the LFS over the internet. You need to support your local retailers as best you can but there does come a point where you just cant pass up the savings you can usually find on the net. The LFS is a great place to get things you need on a regular basis since its just more convient than having to order and wait for the items online.

If your luky and live where you acutally have decentn LFS's that stock staltwater then clearly the LFS is the best place to get lifestock. You can see the livestock and observe it before you purchase. WHen you get livestock over the net its like buying something sight unseen. You have no idea how large it will be or how healthy it will be.