What % of your fish, inverts and coral did you have shipped directly to your home?

[Lebowski_]

I am curious how often people are going into their LFS' these days, compared to the ability to have things shipped direct to their home.

I don't think I've ever had any live inhabitants shipped. All my equipment comes from online where the selection is much better, but live stuff would be at 0% right now for me.

 

[LiLinka]

In my personal experience. Ordering online from the couch is so much easier. However I like to go into my LFS and actually see what I’m spending my money on. Pictures online can be altered/ edited and a variety of ways these days. So in my personal experience I just like to physically see what I’m spending my money on. With that being said I selected 25% because I do have some anemones purchased online.

 

[j.falk]

100%

 

[NkSde]

I like to support my lfs to help make sure they stay open, also delivery out here is untimely to be gentle.

 

[Tuan’s Reef]

All reefing gear/livestock purchased online thru careful research.

 

[lynn.reef.nerd]

Less than 2% of my current stock is from my LFS. 49% from shipping. 49% from tank breakdown from local hobbyist.

 

[Lebowski_]

Less than 2% of my current stock is from my LFS. 49% from shipping. 49% from tank breakdown from local hobbyist.

Oh, a good 3rd category I didn't consider!

 

[Griev]

The closest LFS to me prices as if the internet didn't exist, so I pretend their store doesn't exist. I'd love to give them my business, but they charge literally double for livestock and an average of +30% on drygoods.

 

[Lebowski_]

In my personal experience. Ordering online from the couch is so much easier. However I like to go into my LFS and actually see what I’m spending my money on. Pictures online can be altered/ edited and a variety of ways these days. So in my personal experience I just like to physically see what I’m spending my money on. With that being said I selected 25% because I do have some anemones purchased online.

I really like going to each LFS and talking shop with other hobbyists and employees. It's a social thing, we've got a little community going.

 

[Joe462]

Most if not all of my fish are local or simi local (not shipped) but 90% of everything else is shipped to my door. I just don't like to have fish shipped very much, i guess the exception is that i do order some captively bred fish on line, again the selection of tank bred fish other than clowns is limited locally and i prefer tank bred fish. My "local" fish stores aren't that close and don't have a very good selection of coral or inverts.

 

[lynn.reef.nerd]

Oh, a good 3rd category I didn't consider!

Yes! those are generally the best. They are (most cases) healthy. I still do a QT period but not as bad as those from LFS or online.

 

[code4]

I live in Casper Wyoming. Local fish store is PetCo. So, no fun there really. Next closest store is in Colorado. And it is quite a drive to see if there is anything I would like. Because of this I order almost everything online.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

I try to support my local fish store if I can, but more than likely will mostly be ordering online whenever I start ordering fish

 

[Rugops]

The only livestock I have from my LFS are fish.

I have 4% of live stock from LFS
Another 4% from online
Everything else are from hobbyists.

I never get corals from LFS or online. Too expensive and small. I got 10 heads of a green torch for $10 each head.

 

[Mmbra]

75% for me. I have no local LFS and the closest are an hour away with a relatively poor selection. Also whenever i have requested fish or inverts specifically the owner will write my name down, but never ends up calling that he received the livestock i requested. I have had great luck so far with overnight shipping.

 

[Daniel@R2R]

I buy mostly online.

 

[fish farmer]

I'm close to 90 percent now.

Maybe a fish or snails from Petco, but my better LFS's are 1 to 1.5 hours away and haven't been to the closer one in at least a year. There are better stores 3 to 4 hours away, but not into the "reef crawl" like I used to do.

I recently bought from Pacific East Aquaculture, great selection of corals and CUC in one place....I even qualified for free shipping and it's regional so my box isn't travelling too far.

 

[mijan]

Never. I won't even consider ordering livestock online.

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

2 largerish orders from Reef Cleaners otherwise, I always go LFS.

 

[vetteguy53081]

sad to say. . . . . Since last winter, I find myself buying fish online 100% for both size and savings.
I prefer to support my LFS at all costs having owned an LFS but its also hard to justify buying a fish at half the size i want at 30-40% higher in cost , when I can get larger fish at a lower cost and shipped to my door (not having to drive a 2 hour round trip) and save as much as $80-100 for a given fish