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

[Sleeping Giant]

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

I'm in the same boat

 

[Aquamanvin]

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.

1% I prefer my LFS . 15 min away! Outstanding customer relations and I get to see in person what I want and what I’m getting. As a newbie the guidance and conversations are priceless. Purchased online once and it’s difficult to gauge size anything purchased? Got a feather worm that was sooooo tiny for the cost? LFS was huge for much less? Just one example. Shipping cost and fees? Also prices????? Not for me. Just my opinion!
Thank you

 

[Aquamanvin]

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

Interesting take? I find it just the opposite?

 

[Sleeping Giant]

my LFS, closed it's saltwater area, now they just sell frozen foods and freshwater fishes and inverts....very sad here in Northern Ontario

 

[vetteguy53081]

Interesting take? I find it just the opposite?

Will depend on region and type of fish. In my situation, Im seeking tangs, marine betta, and other large specimens

 

[PotatoPig]

About half. Would have liked to suppprt the LFS but had trouble getting stock on their roster.

Main thing was the thank is built around a mandarin dragonet. LFS had one when I was setting up, sold it (fair enough) then over the next six months I spoke with them several times and asked if they could get one in and they either kept forgetting or had bigger fish to fry…

So ordered direct from Biota, and to justify the shipping cost ordered a few other fish from them at the same time.

/Dragonet is doing well, but since introduction to the tank has exclusivity eaten pods, which would have been good to know in hindsight as would have freed up budget spent on foods for more fish…

 

[billrob71]

I have one local shop that has corals and his selection isn’t bad most of the time.
There are multiples with in a hundred miles or so I’d still don’t mind the drive if the selection is worth looking at

I’ve done online orders but they’re 50/50 always a chance of disaster . Less stress if you buy local and just drive home

 

[Mr_Knightley]

I only order things online that my LFS doesn't normally get in, such as LTAs and starfish or other weirdo stuff. Online purchases have not had a great track record for me.

 

[Aspect]

Don't have an LFS. Would rather buy from a hobbyist with a better cared for tank and better prices anyway.

 

[Dicey1]

100% online from LiveAquaria’s divers den. My lfs has only 2 saltwater tanks. I do buy all my frozen food from them.

 

[Dburr1014]

I buy all my love stock from 1 lfs. It's always hardy. I like to see what I'm buying.
I do have 1 RG that was shipped. I got it for free cuz I saw it posted locally that it should have been a goldfish and the woman obviously couldn't take care of it in a pond. LOL

 

[GARRIGA]

Have always only purchased direct from an LFS but did have a pair of damsels sent to me as a gift. Almost a year and a half ago and still little chits

 

[rbcavalier]

The most difficulty I have with LFS is that the three around me have the same corals for sale and I have already purchase those corals I wanted. They informed me that they can purchase what I want to get, but buying online I can get what I desire without the obvious mark up the LFS will go. Plus I prefer shopping from home since then I don't have to deal with traffic and loss of time traveling there and back.

 

[Dave1993]

100%

 

[Lebowski_]

Have always only purchased direct from an LFS but did have a pair of damsels sent to me as a gift. Almost a year and a half ago and still little chits

A "gift" of damsels....how...sweet?

 

[danieyella]

I have quite a few lfs here but I don't trust most of them and the one I used to get fish from closed. The one I will get corals from doesn't really do fish/inverts... And honestly doesn't really have much of what I want in corals - but they're at least clean and trustworthy. I get most of my gear/food from them at least.

A few of the things in my tank now came from the one that closed, otherwise everybody has spending online & shipped to home.

 

[GARRIGA]

A "gift" of damsels....how...sweet?

I’m actually a fan of damsels.

 

[Lebowski_]

my LFS, closed it's saltwater area, now they just sell frozen foods and freshwater fishes and inverts....very sad here in Northern Ontario

You wouldn't happen to be in the Soo, would you?

 

[Seansea]

I voted 0% because i have never had anything shipped to my home. I have ordered online from cherry corals then gone and picked it up since they are half hour away. Plus i get to look around in there which is mind blowing in itself.

But most of my fish and corals come from tropicorium which is 10 mins away and has insanely low prices sometimes. 100 polyp zoa rocks with 4 diffrent kinds for 60 bucks. Meteor shower and jackolanterns for 20.bucks. i think he gets alot of customers that bring back frags and then he sells them cheap or something. 10 min drive is alot easier on livestock the 2 or 3 days shipped with brutes chuckin em around in trucks.

 

[Sleeping Giant]

You wouldn't happen to be in the Soo, would you?

nope