Buy fish and plants, online or in LFS?

[sdveirs]

Where do you get your fish and plants?
I hear of people buying their items online but is it safe to get livestock from somewhere you cant easily see the stock?

Also how long does it take to get fish online?

Scott

[vinnymac]

I've tried both and it's really hit or miss. Make sure you research the vendor and find out if they are reputable.

I have bought most of my plants online and have had only one bad experience.

I buy all of my shrimp online and everything has been great through 6 transactions.

I prefer to buy all of my fish locally since I'm picky about which ones I want and I'm lucky to have a few very good [acronym:9a3ea95530="Local Fish Store"]LFS[/acronym:9a3ea95530] near me.

I have bought fish online, they came fine but you get hit hard on shipping ($40 on my order or 2 royal plecos and 2 sabre tooth barracudas). Much better to buy from your [acronym:92895af01f="Local Fish Store"]LFS[/acronym:92895af01f] if they have what you want. Unfortunatly, so many [acronym:92895af01f="Local Fish Store"]LFS[/acronym:92895af01f] carry the same 20 or so boring fish that you have to order online to get anything out of the ordinary.

[severum mama]

I buy all my fish at my [acronym:3279775bd8="Local Fish Store"]LFS[/acronym:3279775bd8]. They usually have a nice selection, they will gladly accept special orders, and I get good deals on fish there since I'm over there all the time. I would try ordering online if I thought I could afford it and be home at the right time to receive the shipment, as my [acronym:3279775bd8="Local Fish Store"]LFS[/acronym:3279775bd8] has been unable to get me any apistogramma. I get all my plants locally as well, I don't know anything about them anyway so why pay for shipping.

From what I've seen, the usual shipping option for fish is next day air, and the online retailers pack the fish in styrofoam coolers with heat or cold packs used as necessary. I guess that is why it's so expensive.

[sdveirs]

Likewise, I dont know jack about plants.

I just bought 5 Zebra Danios.
Also, a bottom feeder, I dont know the name I just got them 30 minutes ago! [acronym:4fcdd1ae9e="Laughing out loud"]LOL[/acronym:4fcdd1ae9e]

The bottom feeder is the same flat on bottom half round on top black with grey markins that everyone and their sister has. They get like a foot long or something.

You would know what I was talking about if you saw it. Anyway, the Zebras are to see how stable my tank is. Lets hope they live. ([acronym:4fcdd1ae9e="For your info"]FYI[/acronym:4fcdd1ae9e] 26 gallon)

[dogspot]

I have bought all my fish locally also. I, just this weekend, drove up to Paradise Tropical fish in the Northridge, [acronym:7cd505ba5f="Calcium"]CA[/acronym:7cd505ba5f]. They operate www.ecichlids.com and do the majority of their business via live delivery. Kevin, the owner, specializes in African cichlids and other African fish. All freshwater. Very professional and knowledgeable. I bought $100 worth of fish from him while I was there. He had very high quality fish. I bough Leleupis, Petricola cats, and Julidchromus Transcriptus. I let him net whatever he could of the tanks. They all looked very healthy.

WWW.thatfishshop.com has free delivery with orders of $150 or more.... They sound very knowledgeable also. Haven't ordered, so I can't vouch for them.

I just came across another site that is having a sale on shipping of $19.99. Can't remember which one off hand.

[TankGirl]

For me, it depends on what I am ordering. For high-light plants that require [acronym:8121e8e76f="Carbon dioxide"]CO2[/acronym:8121e8e76f], etc., my [acronym:8121e8e76f="Local Fish Store"]LFS[/acronym:8121e8e76f] won't have it, since they don't fool with that in their tanks, so I'll get those online. For commonly available fish (like what I assume must be a plecostamus, sdveirs) that I am very familiar with I'll get them at the [acronym:8121e8e76f="Local Fish Store"]LFS[/acronym:8121e8e76f], assuming I am happy with the quality of the fish.

However, a lot of fish are mislabeled, or in juvenile coloration and don't wind up being what you thought, and in these cases I won't buy at the [acronym:8121e8e76f="Local Fish Store"]LFS[/acronym:8121e8e76f] but will order from a reputable breeder.

A year ago I got what I thought were three male peacocks in a tank of juvie males, or what were labeled to be males. I wound up with one male and two females, and one of the females was actually a C. borleyi hap! There are so many hybrids out there when it comes to cichlids, in particular, and you have to beware of the "mixed Africans" tanks, since what you get in there might be extremely incompatible together once they grow up. If it is not something like a N. brichardi or L. caeruleus, where I can tell what I am looking at, I'll order online to save myself trouble down the road. Here I am now, stuck with some peacock/hap hybrid fry, which I can't sell and will wind up having to set up a tank for (poor me ).

[RoK]

Originally Posted by TankGirl

but will order from a reputable breeder.

How do you find them?

[TankGirl]

Word of mouth is the very best way. Ask here from other people who keep the same kind of fish you are looking for, and also go to forums dedicated to the kind of fish you are looking for (betta only forums, angels only, African cichlids only, etc.) and often there will be retailer review sections. You quickly get an idea about who the best outfits are.