SWilkins

Last minute idea yesterday we decide to go to my favorite LFS. It is a little over an hour from me and I have been doing business with them since they started in a back yard fish house. The dad, who has now passed away, really taught me a lot and helped me a lot along the way when I started really learning about this hobby. Now back to the story. We get there and they have changed their hours OH NO I think I only have 30 minutes to look around I thought I would have at least an hour and a half. So we go in ready to check everything out as fast as possible. OMG what happened to this place they hardly had anything. No angels, a few baby convicts, all kinds of fancy goldfish and koi, some livebearers, some sickly looking snails, and some huge frogs. So my excitement had built for over an hour in getting there and just dreaming of all the goodies I would see and want and who knows what I would bring home. It did not even take 30 minutes and the shopping was over,nothing I wanted, very dissapointed. Yes they did have many tanks and loads of foods and equipment but that is not what I wanted to see. So we go on to get a bite to eat and stop in at a Chinese place we both like. Once we start eating we got to talking about the fish store. We had both given each other looks while in the store but neither of us said anything. Finally Tommy says it...."Well I know your dissappointed". Understatement does not begin to cover that one. Then what does he have to say "It's bad when you have more fish and a bigger selection than your favorite fish store". After that I think we laughed all the way through our meal and all the way home. So I came home and really had a new appreciation for my babies. I am going to give the owner a call on Monday to see if he wants some babies that I have just so he will have a little bigger selection. I wont be trading them for fish but hey we can always use fish food around here.

MissMTS

Awww its great when we can have appreciation for our fishies. Hopefully the owner will take you up on your offer and take some of your fish to increase the selection. Good LFS are very hard to come by. I went to a LFS yesterday and every tank had seriously diseased fish. I felt so bad and wanted to take them all home. It made me appreciate all my healthy fishies at home though and made me happy that I was able to give them such good homes. *Sigh*.... I can't save them all.

gmen4life

hmm i understand but i kind of feel bad looking at them in there not perfect water and tiny tanks i saw a 10 gallon with like 20 rts in it tearing eachother up with no where to hide it was aful

SWilkins

The one thing about the store that had not changed was that it was spotless and so were the tanks. No sick fish and no dead fish. The snails had to come in like that because it was like shell deformities that just don't appear overnight. I'm really, really, really hoping that they just had a really good week and sold a lot of stock. I have loved this place for over 20 years I don't think I would be the same if they were not there. Not that I go there daily or anything but that is the first time I have ever been dissappointed in there. That's gotta be what happened everybody loves them and just bought boatloads of stuff and left me nothing...I can live with that.

Lucy

That must have been disappointing!
I wonder if something happened....maybe they got a bad stock and it spread through the central filtering system.

Butterfly

Independent LFS have a really hard time. The chain stores can afford to sell things much cheaper and have access to a larger selection of everything.
Hopefully this isn't the case with your fav store but offering babies should help with their diversity in stock a good bit. Good luck. Let us know what happens.
Carol

navyscuba

What a bomber dude. That sucks. I've been there driving a long time to the other side of town to find out they don't have it or they don't carry the item anymore.

SWilkins

Usually when you go in there are people everywhere. I am still keeping my fingers crossed that they just sold a load of stuff this week and have to stock back up.

Tony G.

wow that must have sucked! ive never had that happen thankfully

reefdude

You should've asked what was up! Maybe save yourself another wasted trip...

SWilkins

Well I was going to give them a call today but between cleaning house and tanks I lost track of time. I was going to see if they needed some cons, some rainbow cichlids, and some angels I got at the auction. I bought like eight smokey and eight marbles and now that they have paired up they have had to be separated. The rainbows are starting to fight so I figure they are ready to pair off too. Not to mention my endler tank is getting pretty full too. I need to thin the heard a bit. I really do not want to set up another tank untill my fish room is done. So maybe I could help both them and me out all at one time. Fingers crossed.

Tony G.

best of luck! i really hope they get your fishies as they will have VERY healthy babies

gmen4life

are you getting rid of an angel pair?

SWilkins

Yes but they won't be a "proven" pair I guess you would say. They have laid eggs but by day 2 or 3 they have them for a snack.

gmen4life

have you ever shipped anything ?i have a akmist empty tank here heheheh here fishy fishy

SWilkins

Yes I have shipped before but not angels. Just the body of the smokey and marble that have paired up are 2 and 3 inches. And after the snail incident I am scared to ship something fragile right now. If you have some shipping tips for fish in this weather I would love to hear them.

CHoffman

Holy cow Sherry..You have a ton of fish there!!. I didn't know about the Angles..lol..Hopefully you can be this LFS's supplier!!. Before you know it you will be a retailer. Woot Woot.

SWilkins

I told you I had it bad.....I was not kidding by any means. My daddy's question to me was "Sherry exactly how many tanks do you have?" I told him I quit counting at 25 and I am not going to count again until my fishroom is done.

CHoffman

Oh No..You do have it bad!!!..25?? Im impressed!!. See everyone!! this is what happens when your husband/wife is an enabler as well.. You lucky lucky lady..I bet your not thinking that at W/C time..

SWilkins

Well it was tough for a bit and as I/we started collecting more and more and more tanks my hubby brought home a Python. So I can do all of them cleaned and refilled in about 4 hours by myself.

CHoffman

I took me about 45 minutes tonight to clean and do a 50% on my 120. I cleaned the filter out too though (A big canister) getting ready for some new arrivals . That's pretty good time if you can do it in 4 hours. Sounds like you've got it down to a science.

SWilkins

Are you using a python? I found out a little trick with mine and I must share. If you hook up the python to the hose outside to empty/clean your tanks it takes a very short period of time to get that done. Much more water pressure outside of the house!! Start in your usual area where you begin feeding and clean all tanks, go around that path again and put in whatever declor you use, now hook python to your sink to get correct water temp and one more round to refill. And usually one more to wipe down the front of the tanks. Until I used my brain and thought about the water pressure it was taking me all day to do all of them so sometimes I do have good ideas! YEAH ME!!!

Butterfly

YAY Sherry! I actually use a modified water hose to drain my tanks outside and then connect to my kitchen sink to set water temp and refill. Necessity really is the mother of invention.
carol

SWilkins

It's amazing what you can do to save yourself some work LOL. Oh and I just aim the water flow at one of my flower beds and so they just love Mondays.

Butterfly

Me too

CHoffman

I do use a python and that's a GREAT idea!!. Thanks for the tip, I'll def Be doing that next WC for sure. Right now it's so hot here our cold water comes out at about 76..lol..I might just refill it from the outside too using the python.

SWilkins

Well I did not even think to check the temp of the water. Dang it I bet mine would be fine too as hot as it has been. Just guess what I am going to do Monday

Nope can't wait until Monday I am going right now to check the outside water temp.

CHoffman

LOL..Good deal. The only suggestion i have is to run it a bit before you start filling because the first minute or two the water is so hot it feels like it could fill a hottub. I'll be honest. This time of year is not my favorite..lol..I like it to be warm, even hot but burning I do not like allot...lol..how do you like my Dr. Seuss there??

SWilkins

Mine is the same way...I won't even touch it at first because it is so hot. Please no Dr. Seuss...LOL my kids burnt me out on him LOL