What Are The Local Reef Stores Missing

bluereefmarine · #1 09/06/2007, 09:57 AM

Everyone at one time or another has gone to one or all of the
stores listed here. I am curious what everyone thinks is lacking
in these stores. Are prices to high, selection limited, exotic
selections missing, ect.

Don't be shy, post a reply !!

lusenut2 · #2 09/06/2007, 10:03 AM

I think every store has there pluses and minus. I say go to the stores that carry what you want. I visit 3 or 4 different stores all the time cause they do something different then the other.

flfirefighter13 · #3 09/06/2007, 12:12 PM

every store I have been in is missing the things for free aisle...... maybe it should be a full room not just an aisle

InLimbo87 · #4 09/06/2007, 12:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by flfirefighter13
every store I have been in is missing the things for free aisle...... maybe it should be a full room not just an aisle

x2

cschweitzer · #5 09/06/2007, 12:37 PM

I think some stores are missing, and direly need, a QUARANTINE TANK, so that their displays stay nice, fish loss decreases, and healthy things stay healthy.

This is my biggest pet peeve...walking into a store and seeing some fish dead, some fish sick, and some fish alive and healthy all in the same or connected tanks.

Oh, and QT's for their corals, also, so that we can help prevent contamination of one, or as we all know can happen with an outbreak, many tanks.

bluereefmarine · #6 09/06/2007, 12:40 PM

Nicely said and great point !

cschweitzer · #7 09/06/2007, 12:42 PM

This is one community-wide process that needs to start happenning at EVERY store in Orlando. All the other ideas you posted about stock really just depends on the stoer you go to. You want certain items, you go to one store, you want beginner corals for cheap, you go to another store, you want exotics, you go somewhere else. You want healthy and happy creatures that will live and thrive, you need to get healthy stock from the beginning.

cschweitzer · #8 09/06/2007, 12:42 PM

Thanks, bluereef

jsl6v8 · #9 09/06/2007, 12:45 PM

Well I could run down a list but I don't think that would be entirely appropriate. Some places are a bit on the high side, some lack some customer service, and some I just wish had more.

dugg · #10 09/06/2007, 01:03 PM

The main thing i see missing is a store near me.

cowboyswife · #11 09/06/2007, 01:42 PM

I hate walking into a few of the listed stores, and not seeing many fish. I was in one of the stores a few days ago, and they maybe had 30 fish. That irks me every time.

AquaKnight407 · #12 09/06/2007, 02:39 PM

Maybe more 'nice' corals. Not like super expensive SPS 1/2" frags or 2 zoo polyps, but like good heathly sized LPS. Some good maze brains, no torches with 2 tiny heads. A good frag of monti cap, even if it is common, a nice sized piece.

Also some more predator fish wouldn't hurt. Just think about how common a snowflake eel is, but when's the last time you saw one locally?

JUICEY · #13 09/06/2007, 03:25 PM

I actually see snowflake eels on a regular basis at Ocean blue(they usually have a good selection of fish). World wide corals has some uber nice stuff, but in small pieces for the really great stuff(no fish). Ocean direct has great deals on live rock. Sea in the City always has real nice stuff, but it's a little pricey. Reef Works has great deals on colonies, but thier all under T5 lighting, so it's hard to tell what they will look like under my 400W MH's. Aquaria studio has great LPS corals. I think between all of them you can definitely find what you need. I guess every place has it's specialty.

LOCAL FISH STORES: I'm not going to mention any names.....you ought to know who you are. You really should be quarantining your corals. It would take a lot less time to list the stores that I haven't seen pests in. Just this week I have seen Monti and Zoa eating Nudibranches, flat worm, and Redbugs at your stores. Some without having to look for them. I have and use a quarantine tank, and I dip corals before they even get into my quarantine. If I was a business, I would surely have a big quarantine tank in the back to make sure I'm not passing it on to my customers.

that being said....everyone should have a small quarantine tank at home to throw new stuff in. I have a 2.5 gallon and I'm building a larger one this weekend at the acrylic workshop listed in the DIY forum on www.o-r-c-a.com . A couple bucks here, or possibly a lot more there....plus a headache

Sorry if I didn't call out your fish store....I'll be sure to try to see some others in the area this weekend.

RayRay · #14 09/06/2007, 03:40 PM

This really isn't the forum for this sort of disscusion. That is to say a public posting of "What is lacking" is counter productive to what you want to achive here. It's not the appropriate way to do this. So far everyone in the thread have been fairly nice. But, it will get out of hand... Before flaming me into oblivion, hear me out...
Most stores in this area are sponsors of ORCA. Why should they support us when folks post negatives about them. Sometimes everyone writes in this forum as if the people that you writing about are not reading it with everyone else. I would be fairly annoyed if someone posted something negative about me in a public forum as opposed to coming to me personally. If you would like them to do something or see something in the stores... just ask them. They are probably as passionate about the hobby as you (or more so...). Support the places that share your philosophy and skip those that don't. It would be nice (but VERY unrealistic) to think that every store should carry the best coral/fish/supplies at THE lowest prices and be just around the corner from you. What fun would that be? Then I would lose my best excuse as to why most of the tanks I’ve seen at meetings look better that mine… ; )

nauti1us · #15 09/06/2007, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bluereefmarine
Everyone at one time or another has gone to one or all of the
stores listed here. I am curious what everyone thinks is lacking
in these stores. Are prices to high, selection limited, exotic
selections missing, ect.

Don't be shy, post a reply !!

I appreciate everyone's civil and mature replies up to this point. Thanks everyone. I could see how a post like this could quickly spin into a contest to see who can pin point all the faults of all the LFS's in our area.

While I do think it's important that LFS owners know what seasoned reef hobbyists expect to see, please exercise caution and restraint as to not openly criticize or insult our LFS sponsors.

I probably sound like a broken record on this topic since it seems to resurface every few months. Please understand that at times I serve as a liaison if you will, between our club and the LFS's.

I'm in total agreement with comments about LFS's using Quarantine Tanks or using some form of Quarantine program when bringing in new corals.

Different LFS's in the Orlando area have their strengths and weaknesses. Even the weakest smallest LFS in our area offers some value at any given time, even if you don't agree with their work ethics.

Shop smart and frequent the shops that take good care of you.

davy182 · #16 09/06/2007, 04:41 PM

For some stores, that have high volume of corals in each week the amount of time, effort and tank space would be ridiculus to maintain quarantine tanks. Think about it, a fish store like reef works gets enough corals to stock one tank at least from nothing to packed. Now add in the quarantine process of at least a week. The swapping of corals from the quarantine to a store tank then restocking the quarantine and then not to forget medications. I think relisticly if you want to see cheap prices, you should go through the process of quarantining your corals. A good comparision would be why doesn't the city provide RO water as their tap water.

Don't get me wrong I would love for the fish stores to provide pest free live stock but when it comes down to it, it would raise prices of the corals.

It wouldn't cost you much to set up your own and make sure yourself that the item is quarantined properly.

This is why I am having a quarantine tank workshop. Something simple that you don't have to keep running after you are done with it but sophisticated enough to house even the most light demanding clams, sps, and lps. Oh and I forgot to mention, even flow that replicates what you have in your tank already. So with that said hopefully I didn't offend any one.

David

WingnutSr · #17 09/06/2007, 05:44 PM

I kind of like the fact that all the stores have thier own little "specialty". Some have more fish, while others have more corals and others yet a better selection of dry goods.
If they all had a perfect selection of everything, most people would not go to other stores.
Most places, if they don't have it, they can and will order it. If prices are out of line, shop around a little. It is also a good opprotunity to try different brands of products.
If you feel the service is lacking, say something or go some where else.
I enjoy making the rounds.
Quarentine tanks would be nice for the LFS's to use, but as mentioned earlier, it would drive prices higher and be an issue for availability. It is also a lazy short cut for good reef keeping practices at home. If these came out of QT at the LFS, would anyone QT them at home? I think not.
The LFS's in the Orlando area, in my opinion, are doing a fine job. At least the ones I have used. The ones I don't like, I don't use.

cham · #18 09/06/2007, 05:55 PM

Wow, I had no idea there were LFS that don't have QT for both fish & coral. Or that there were disease in tanks etc.

Guess I've been spoiled.

cschweitzer · #19 09/06/2007, 06:18 PM

Lucky you, cham. I shop at stores that QT their fish if sick...I'm not saying for a shop to QT EVERY fish and coral that comes in, I'm merely saying please don't leave sick and dying fish in display tanks with the healthy ones. And as a good preventative measure, take care to dip EVERY fish coming in and do the same with corals.

Is it really that expensive to dip with interceptor when SPS come in, to dip with iodine when LPS and softies come in, and to freshwater dip fish with formalin? If it is that much hassle, why do some stores do it? I'm trying to be completely neutral without bringing any stores into it, but it just seems like good business to send something out of your store healthy and uncontaminated.

If you really want to look at a comparison, it would not be the water company. Let's look at dogs. Would you buy one without vaccination and that had worms? What if its hair was falling out? What if it was lying on its side and not moving? We are, after all, talking about our animals, our pets. I would not so much as walk into a dog store that said they don't vaccinate their animals...that is completely unhealthy.

cschweitzer · #20 09/06/2007, 06:21 PM

In fact, I think it is illegal for a shop to sell you an unvaccinated dog or a dog that is younger than 8 weeks. Maybe if our fish had fur, PETA might actually give a crap enough to make sure store standards were in order.

cham · #21 09/06/2007, 07:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by cschweitzer
Lucky you, cham. I shop at stores that QT their fish if sick...I'm not saying for a shop to QT EVERY fish and coral that comes in, I'm merely saying please don't leave sick and dying fish in display tanks with the healthy ones. And as a good preventative measure, take care to dip EVERY fish coming in and do the same with corals.

Is it really that expensive to dip with interceptor when SPS come in, to dip with iodine when LPS and softies come in, and to freshwater dip fish with formalin? If it is that much hassle, why do some stores do it? I'm trying to be completely neutral without bringing any stores into it, but it just seems like good business to send something out of your store healthy and uncontaminated.

If you really want to look at a comparison, it would not be the water company. Let's look at dogs. Would you buy one without vaccination and that had worms? What if its hair was falling out? What if it was lying on its side and not moving? We are, after all, talking about our animals, our pets. I would not so much as walk into a dog store that said they don't vaccinate their animals...that is completely unhealthy.

The LFS you seek does exist in Orlando.

Seek and ye shall find!

jsl6v8 · #22 09/06/2007, 08:24 PM

The QT process is a large part of why I shop at the store I do, it may be a little more expensive then some of the other stores, although I have done my rounds and at the most I'm spending a buck or 2 more on a 50 dollar fish and more often than not its cheaper there, and I have the reassurance that this fish/coral is healthy because they refuse to sell fish that aren't.

jsl6v8 · #23 09/06/2007, 08:24 PM

The QT process is a large part of why I shop at the store I do, it may be a little more expensive then some of the other stores, although I have done my rounds and at the most I'm spending a buck or 2 more on a 50 dollar fish and more often than not its cheaper there, and I have the reassurance that this fish/coral is healthy because they refuse to sell fish and corals that aren't.

Mr Neutron · #24 09/06/2007, 08:54 PM

It's called conscientious store keeping. All fish showing signs of injury and/or infection should be put in sickbay. New livestock, depending on species, should be dipped.

By the way, dipping is NOT a guarantee you won't have problems. Many pathogens and parasites can live through dips, and for some things it does no good whatsoever. It's not appropriate for some fish and some coral. Bottom line, do your homework before you buy, keep up with your husbandry and spend a few bucks to set up an inexpensive Q/Hospital tank.

davy182 · #25 09/06/2007, 09:16 PM

Yes there are a lot of fish stores that do have areas that they put their sick fish in. And as far as the whole qt thing goes if you don't do your own quarantining, I don't care where you shop or who does what, there will always be eggs. So what is the point, a dip kills what is on it. Name one fish store that can say it is practical to do a weeks worth of qt to every coral. (I am a shopper that has had it all no matter what people say they have done to their corals.) There are some places that I will only buy corals from and I nearly make my corals life miserable when I get home and give them a povidone dip that would turn you brown. But yet within the last month have gotten red bugs, and monti eating nudibranches. I won't say whos store and not go there but I will say this even if they dip and qt I still got the parasites, and you know whos fault it is? Mine, for not quarantining it myself. I like the saying, "when you want something done right, do it yourself."

I am fixing that by making my own. Then no matter whos tank they came from a new coral will go in the quarantine tank for however long it takes. Then guess what ,no parasites, oh and i won't have to care what fish stores do because I only trust myself from this point on.

And you are absolutely right MR Neutron.