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Chain Stores | Online Stores
| Local Pet Shops |
Today's world holds a
myriad of options of how and where to buy to stock
your aquarium. Everything from fish to fish food can
be bought from local establishments, chain stores or
online retailers. And where these products originate
is anywhere from another hobbyist's aquarium to
native fish farms to importation from country of
origin. The following presents arguments for where
to buy, and the pros and cons of each solution.
| Chain Stores
Chain stores are a
popular solution for most aquarists; most aquarists
being novices with little to no experience with the
different options available to them. These stores
range from major retailers and department stores
that sell shoes, groceries and pet supplies all
under one roof, to department stores designated to
the pet trade.
The look and feel of
most chain stores is incredibly sterile; meaning,
the fish are presented in bare, plastic tanks to
make the purchasing process as simple as possible.
The reason for this bare look is that the sales
associates likely know little to nothing about the
fish other than what is printed on the fish's
identification card present on each tank. This
sterile appearance keeps the purchasing process
smooth as the customer will not see the fish in a
fancy environment and will then not be encouraged to
ask too many questions. In other words, do some
research on your own.
"Sterile" may also be
a bad term to use for how the fish are kept. I don't
know how many times I've pointed to a fish I wanted
to purchase and said "that fish is sick," the sales
associate then says they didn't notice this and
before I leave I notice the tank still has not been
quarantined. Worst of all, a lot of these plastic
tanks are connected to each other through one
central filtration system.
Despite the lack of
knowledge and proper holdings for the fish, chain
stores do have positives. More often than others,
chain stores are likely to have sales, such as
one-dollar tetras (my favorite sale) or cheaper,
wholesale prices on food and supplies.
| Online Stores
My own personal
experience with online stores is zero/none/nada. My
first thought is to be suspicious of ordering live
animals through the mail, but I've heard good things
about this process. In fact, a lot of experienced
hobbyists seem to prefer this process because of its
ease and the larger assortment of fish, plants and
other products to choose from.
One problem I have
always had with the aquarium hobby in general is
where people choose to receive their information
about the live animals they are purchasing. An
online store is unlikely to sell an aggressive,
deranged fish without bending the truth slightly in
order to make the sale. This is why I prefer
websites that adhere to a mission statement such as
mine, which is to keep the aquarium hobby personal
and safe.
If looking for a rare
Apistogramma species or expensive Betta, then I do
recommend online stores. Do check that the return
policies are fair.
| Local Pet Shops
Local pet shops, or,
as internet forums refer to them as, "LPS's," are an
intriguing mix of knowledge and specialization. Most
importantly to some, these mom-and-pop shops keep
your money local.
Chain stores and online
stores use identification cards and online profiles
to try informing you about the fish you are about to
buy. Local pet shops, on the other hand, are built
by people with an interest in pets and the employees
are going to be more knowledgeable than a static
piece of paper or online profile. When building your
very first aquarium, it is advisable that you start
with a local pet shop for this reason. It isn't a
promise that local pet shops will be more
knowledgeable, but the odds highly favor that they
will be. And when building your first aquarium, a
happy community tank is certainly the best start.
Another advantage for
local pet shops is that they specialize in pets more
so than chain stores, although maybe not as much as
online stores. If what you are seeking is not on the
shelves, local pet shops can order the fish or other
product for you. Sometimes, you may get to know a
specific sales person or the shop owner, which is
highly beneficial.
The cons of local pet
shops are the rare cases when the owners are crooks.
For example, there was a local pet shop I frequented
as a child. The business was sold and the new owner
moved the shop to a smaller building and the new
owner pushed products that were not necessary and
only benefited the owner's profits. In a few months,
this pet shop was closed down by the humane society
for killing baby animals it could not sell. This is
an extreme example and clearly the owner was beyond
careless, cruel and deserves years in prison, but
it's an example of what to be aware of.
So which is better?
Chains, online or your mom-and-pop? The choice is up
to the buyer and his/her needs, and all stores have
their advantages and drawbacks. The best idea is to
do plenty of research about the live animals, plants
or products you want and proceed from there. Make
sure the live specimens will be healthy and the
purchase is responsible. Happy fish-keeping!
The Cichlid Writer |
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