The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Also, www.aquabid.com has some sellers which i have heard good things about. I have never bought from either seeing as how i am canadian, but i have heard good things.
I have had nothing but great experiences with AquaBid. Just check feedback, and the "search forums for feedback" to ensure that the seller is reputable. I both buy and sell there, and I have gotten many neat-o (to me, anyways) fish that way.
kaz, I am in the LA area. What are you looking for exactly? I know LA is a huge spread area, but maybe I can help you find some stores, which will make it cheaper than shipping fish. Private message me.
I PM'd you, but it didn't go through the first time. I'll post what I write here just in case.
http://www.pacificreefstores.com/ I've been to the Torrance shop. They have a great selection. My friend bought Harlequinn Rasboras here for 99 cents each, and it was buy three get one free for freshwater fish. I don't know if it's the same for the other stores, but they have knowledgable staff. I assume it would be the same at the Anaheim store, which is a bit closer to you.
http://www.neptunesreef.com/ Neptune's Reef is in Torrance. They're okay on the fish selection. They have Galaxy Rasbora there actually. I passed up on them last time I was there. What they have there are some magnificent planted tanks. The owner is great with his plant knowledge.
Thanks for that link Marc... I never even knew there was another LFS anywhere near where I'm at and now I see there's one just as close as the first. I can't wait to go check out what all they have there!
I've bought from liveaquaria.com before...shipping fee is ridicules...but everything else is great. I've also bought from aquariumfish.net and fish2u.com. I've recently discovered that petco.com has started shipping live fish. If you are going to buy online keep in mind that shipping fee's range from $24-$35. <-- they need to fix that and more people will purchase online.
However, I have to say that the proper boxes are expensive, water is heavy to ship, overnight postage is spendy, and it takes forever to pack them right. $24-$35 is actually fair for a box o' fishies.
something I did not think of but other member point it out is trying to get lfs to order fish for me this might do the job if they do not ask for up front money without me seeing the Q
Someone already mentioned aquabid.com but in particular anubiasdesign on aquabid is a great guy and real professional. I just bought some kuhliis and pencil fish from him last week and they could not be more healthy.