My wife and I were out and about today and we stopped by the LFS that just so happens to be about 2 blocks from my house. I wanted her to look at some fish for the 150 gallon and get her input since she will be looking at it too. We both like the peacocks and and venustas.

While we were in there I overheard a conversation with another customer who was wanting to trade a redtailed catfish that has gotten to big for his aquarium. He refused to take it because he didnt have a tank large enough for it and advised the guy to donate it to a public aquarium.

I also noticed that he had gotten in a very nice batch of pearl gouramis. I was hoping to add at least one of these to the 55 gallon that is about halfway through its cycle and I asked him if he might still have a couple in about 2 weeks. After a brief conversation he told me the next time I came in, to bring a bucket with me and he would give me some tank water and media to kick my cycle up.

I got home, did a water change on both tanks, tested both. and grabbed a bucket and a water sample from the 55 gallon.

When I got back to the store, he was about to close up for the night but he was happy to hook me up before he locked up. He tested my water and told me the nitrites were still at a high level and advised not to add the gouramis yet. He got out a gravel vac and filled my bucket up with water and made sure to get some material out of the gravel for me.

I have an order coming in on thursday. A part for one of my filters, a new heater for the 55 gallon and a few other things. he told me when I come in on thursday to bring another sample and if the nitrites are down I might be able to take a couple gouramis with me. I also intend to take the bucket along to get somemore live bacteria for the 150 that is currently a couple days into a fishless cycle.

I'm convinced from reading other testimonials that any of the larger chain stores would have told me the water was great and sold me anything I wanted. It's good to know there are people around the industry that genuinley care, and want you to enjoy the hobby to its fullest. It's also smart business on his part. He is a small business owner whos bread is buttered by return customers and word of mouth. If he had taken that redtailed catfish in trade, he would have had a happy customer, but then what would he do with it? he would have been stuck with a predator that might cost as much to feed as a child. and more than likely not been able to resell it. If he would have sold me those gouramis they would have probably died and I would have been an unhappy customer. From now on, he gets all my business. If anyone in the northcentral Ohio area wants to know where he is, PM me and I'll give you his address. I'd be more than happy to refer some customers to him.

I strongly recommend that anyone who has not yet found a good LFS, find one.

The thing is some LFS don't realise that if we get bad advice we either stop shopping there or only shop there when we have to. So by showing you a little kindness and a bit of honesty you will keep going back to that shop.

So rather than making a quick buck he will make a lot more over the time that you own a fish tank.

I've got the best LFS in the state of Utah just down the street from me as well (Fish-4-U), recommended both by me and by the local forums I'm a member of. I feel ya on the quality of mom&pop LFS's.

The water wasn't really for the bacteria, it was to keep the bacteria in the stuff he gave you alive - bacteria out of water dies very quickly.

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Officially fishless until after the move....tune in later for details!

Great story, there still are alot of business owners out there that want happy customers, problem is these big box stores are putting them out as fast as they can.
We all need to make more of an effort to patronize or LFS over Walmarts and Petco/smarts that not only dont know what they talking about but could care less if our fish died as long as we keep buying from them.

As long as were on the subject, I recently came across an Eclipse 5 gal hex, while setting it up I realized I was missing the extension tube and strainer for the filter. My LFS is actually a feed store too and is the only place within about 35 miles to get fish. They dont have a great variety and only carry anacharis plants, Anyhow I go in with the immpelor housing and tell him my issue, he pulls out a big box of old parts and hands me a old Whisper power filter tube tells me to cut it whatever length and it will jam right in. Price was no charge!!! and works perfectly. I will certainly try to patronize them as much as possible, they are located about 45 miles south of Buffalo NY

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90 gallon, 1 Iridescent shark, 2 Pleco, 3 Goldfish, 5 Cory cats, 2 Nerite snails
5 gallon hex, Blue Crowntail Betta, 1 nerite snail,

Well, since we are throwing out shameless plugs...

The guy here is at "KCs aquaworld" in downtown Galion Ohio. maybe I can get a discount for the advertising.

This sounds terrible, but one trick I have learned now that all my local Mom and Pop stores have been crushed by larger outfits is to find out what they pay their employees. We have one store here that pays two bucks an hour more than the competition. The employees have a written test before they're hired. And all the skilled people from other shops tend to end up there.
So if I need advice on a new product, do I go to them, or to a faceless chain with a kid hired part-time out of high school?

I must be living right because my local PetSmarts are staffed by knowledgeable fish heads of all ages. The Monroe, NC store's wet side is managed by a 65 year old angel fish breeder who is a delight to deal with. The really only other LFS is fabulous store called Fintastic where you can buy anything from goldfish to discus with up to 500 gallon tanks available. It ain't cheap! There are so many terrific vendors accessible on line from Amazon.com to Kens Fish you can find whatever you need no matter where you live. Today I am trying to find a source for Nanacara anomala, a dwarf cichlid from my youth. I will hopefully be able to score six or so from the West coast. I regularly find stuff on Craigs list for very little money. I got micro worm and white worm cultures from Carolina Biological a month ago and now I am setting up my friends with cultures of their own. From where I sit there has never been a better time to be in the hobby.

Nice, haha. Maybe. The owner at my LFS does great business as is and would probably laugh at me if I ran that by her.

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Officially fishless until after the move....tune in later for details!

I don't think its seamless plugging. As a local business participant I gladly treat my customers well and hope they tell everyone! And I would gladly put my lfs name to the world especially against petcrap supaermart. Where all the tanks are kept at a balmy 65f and floating fish and plant matter is constantly present. Where everyrime I have a q my a is oh yeah... this is toms department I just work here... and tom isn't in until Sunday at 4-415... sorry. But your water looks great! Let's get you 60put fish!

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When you pay that cash or swipe that card you are making a bond with that animal that you will treat it with love and respect, and its needs will be met, first and foremost (unless you have kids...) I don't care if you have to eat ramen noodles or nothing at all to feed your cat dog fish rat whatever. That's the bond you made! Life is precious!