Where do local fish stores get their supply?

After talking to multiple local fish stores looking for a bubble eye goldfish, or a butterfly goldfish, they all said they could order me one for around $15-20. Looking online, that seems to be the going rate, and I'm just wondering where they actually order the fish from? It has to be some wholesale website or something relatively local in order to make profit right?

 

There are hundreds of wholesalers worldwide. Depending on where you (and the LFS) are located it can be only one or it can be 20 different wholesalers.

It's a whole industry, no difference to others in that regard.

 

After talking to multiple local fish stores looking for a bubble eye goldfish, or a butterfly goldfish, they all said they could order me one for around $15-20. Looking online, that seems to be the going rate, and I'm just wondering where they actually order the fish from? It has to be some wholesale website or something relatively local in order to make profit right?

I thought my closest LFS had to be getting stock from local breeders until I had a talk with the owner. Turns out they order from the same overseas warehouse to north american warehouse the local petsmart orders from.

 

Here's some info you might find helpful:
About | Winter Haven, FL | 863-293-5710

 

Fish ship pretty well.

 

Most of the big commercial hatcheries in the USA are located in Florida. I believe the biggest is Segrest Farms. That's where my LFS orders from.

 

Some local stores get fish from local hobbyists, but finding the specific type of goldfish from a local breeder may be problematic.

 

The local Petco gets there's from Florida. I think it's Segrest Farms. It's about 8 states away. The truck starts in Florida and heads up the east coast. When it gets to my store in Maine, the store gets what's leftover. They can't order what they want and they never know what's coming on this week's delivery.

If your store can order one for you it will be much cheaper than if you order on from an online dealer and have to pay shipping.