Buying Fish From The Chain Pet Store Or The Family-owned Aquatics Stor

[lljdma06]

It really is impossible to say without having seen the store. I've seen some pretty grim small family-owned stores in my day, and some pretty grim chainstores. Also, perfectly reasonable shops of both kinds. I have also seen two stores from the same chain, in the same town, with clearly a totally different approach to selling fish. Haven't seen a perfect shop yet; the nearest I've come is a pet shop in a department store in Sweden...bit far to go for my fish. But one day I am going up to London to see some of the most highly recommended ones.

I think you hit the nail on the head. Why pass judgement on a store where you've never been? Most of my fish in Miami, have been from large chain stores, but I've purchased equally excellent specimens from individually owned LFS. You have to look at the individual fish, the conditions of the shop, the staff, and the price, not the sign on the door. Use your best judgement.

llj

 

[chefjamesscott]

This one is a toughy .

Personally I would have to say the family run store due to the nature of our world being where corporations are running the little guys into the ground. If their fish are healthy, I am almost positive that if you had a good relationship with them and you ever had an issue with a fish from them they would gladly return it for credit or trade for a different fish.

Not that I am at all saying dont buy from the chain especially since in the last month I have gotten 6 bichir from a petcetera, 2 glass eels from a petland etc..., what I am saying is this being in business myself I can attest to the very great difference it makes to me to sell that extra 10-20 dollars versus how it dont amount to nothing to a chain.

I will even go so far as to pay more from my local store than at a chain since the money stays in the local economy, but funnily enough seachem prime is 20% more expensive at the chain than it is at my local store!!!!!!

Ok I will even admit that I do the walmart fish check once in a while and I do buy fish there, at christmas I got dragon goby for $6/ whereas the local store dont carry them and all others were $20 plus, and thanks to walmarts christmas special I know have a high end brackish set up with 8 cool looking fish.

This all being said, I personally would do my best to give as much of my business to the family store as that is the strength of my town the local people and as another poster said nothing would be worse than main street being all boarded up.

 

[nosoup4you]

It is also an oldie...check the date on the thread. lol

 

[dcarmor927]

since he owns his own business he had to say something lol

 

[chefjamesscott]

It is also an oldie,,,check the date on the thread. lol

lololololololol

I guess i could do that

 

[LauraFrog]

Personally I would go with the family store because you are more likely to be able to talk to the same person (or one of few people) every time you go in. They will remember you personally and if you are always polite and a reliable customer, and they know that you know your stuff, it's usually fairly easy to get a refund or exchange on dead fish. If you have a quarantine tank, use it religiously, have a stock of medications and know a lot about diagnosis and treatment, then the chain stores might save you a bit of money. But ultimately because of the difference in where they source their fish and in the turnover, the family owned store will probably have the healthier livestock.

I can't really make a definite judgement without seeing the store, but chain stores usually employ a lot of different people, so you don't get remembered personally, and nobody knows your tank's history and dynamic the way they do in little family places. If it's cleaner and the fish are healthier, go for it - but they are likely to have been there for less time, had more upheavals, and given you less chance to judge their health.