Where do you guys buy all of your fish? petco? petsmart? other LFS? Internet?

Just wondering.

I Usually Buy Mine At My LFS and Sometimes Petsmart

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~TheAquaExpert~

i buy all mine at my LFS which i happen to work at so really i am just gettign them online

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It has become more than a hobby! My 29gal Dream Reef DIY Build

usually at Pets Warehouse or BTJ's jungle for livestock, sometimes petco or petsmart for supplies, and might try to order stuff online soon for things the LFS doesn't sell.

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I'm so sorry I haven't been on the forum in so long! Don't worry, I haven't forgotten this lovely website! I moved to a different county back in May 2011 and started high school in a totally different school district. So I'm still adjusting and studying hard, and don't presently have any aquariums. But once I do, I'll be right back on this forum!

If you want to rescue very sick fish, then go to DeathCo (PetCo); good for supplies though. LFS for sure. Drs. Foster & Smith online (Aquarium Fish: Tropical Freshwater Fish and Saltwater Fish for Home Aquariums) is also very reliable and I've had great luck with fish and corals from them so far.

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When in doubt, do a water change.

i never bought fish through the internet. How do people ship the fish? What do they ship them in? Who can ship them? How do the fish survive?

I always wondered this because like I said, i never bought fish over the internet before. So can someone explain to me the process?

Thanks

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Calling aquariums and fish boring is like calling a hott model ugly.

http://www.aquariumforum.com/f2/save...fish-2930.html

I buy from my lfs, club auctions and online. I also ship fish during the spring and fall months when its not to hot or too cold.

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SUCCESS IS MEASURED BY YEARS, NOT MONTHS!!!
220 Tank build
http://www.aquariumforum.com/f15/sta...late-3253.html

Fish are usually double or triple bagged and put in styrofoam boxes with packing peanuts in them. If it's during the winter months, they're usually shipped with a small heat pack. I don't know about the summer, since I would imagine a cold pack could go badly, but maybe with a small one. I've received a few fish via online shipping and they've all done fine including a little clown goby, so it seems to work. When weather conditions are too extreme, the companies usually notify you that your order will be processed when the weather gets better.

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When in doubt, do a water change.

And shipping is always overnight

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When in doubt, do a water change.

Most of my new stock comes from club auctions. I get a little of my stock from on line stores and a little from a particular LFS. The big chain stores get zero of my business when it comes to live stock. A big store is OK for hardware or frozen food because they are only a couple of blocks from my home but I want healthy stock and they never have any that I trust.
My on-line purchases of fish have been coming from Floridaguppiesplus or Tampafishman1 on Aquabid.com. Both have been a pleasure to deal with and are great shippers.

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Fishless cycling

my fish come double bagged in a foam cooler shipped over night, i have never lost a fish with the people i order from right now, just make sure you trust the people you are ordering from, ask around and look for feed back before you order

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It has become more than a hobby! My 29gal Dream Reef DIY Build

Since I rarely get to petstores anymore, I buy almost entirely from dealers or breeders online that I have had good relationships with before. Since I have been doing this for several years I know of some who are very trustworthy and I also buy through LiveAquaria.com if my order is large enough and not a betta purchase. I also have had wonderful luck and great prices with Aquarium Supplies, Pet Supplies and Pond Supplies by That Fish Place - That Pet Place in their Aquarium Livestock department. They have great fish and are much cheaper than LiveAquaria. They also do not have a minimum order requirement like LiveAquaria.com. I will have to say if you live in a rural community the Overnight shipping may not work as I have had Overnight shipping stretch into 2 day arrivals. This is why I do not ship any fish during extreme weather like during the summer or winter. Most really reputable dealers and breeders will not ship during these times either as the risk to the fish is too great.

Betta purchases are made by me through only a very select group of dealers and breeders as if you go through the other online sites you have no choice whatsoever of what you end up with. It is dealers choice and since I am not allowed to have that many I want the fish I choose.

They arrive in styrofoam coolers the size of 6 pack coolers or larger if my order is larger. They have either a cool or a warm pack to keep them comfortable depending on what the weather is like and they are double or triple bagged and usually each fish is given its own bag set up. It is usually wrapped in newpaper to insulate it further and taped to prevent the paper from slipping off during shipping. Then there is usually some light packing like styrofoam peanuts or something to lightly pack in around them to keep them secure but not crushed. The bags are 1/3 filled with water and 2/3 with air so they have lots of air to breathe and secured with bands either metal or rubber inside and out. I have never lost a fish during shipment and if you allow them to acclimate slowly to the light when you open the box and then to the water temperature and pH of the local water you will have a happy enough fish. It takes a little longer to acclimate them and I use the drip method to do it but the fact is I think I end up with a healthy happy fish and have never had to use any live/arrive gaurantee with any arrivals.

Rose