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On the technical side. I like the ehiem filter idea, but you shouldn’t limit your selection to these. They are one of the more expensive filters. You should offer something for the common man. Like the fluval line.

Also I like to see canister filter parts in display. Even if it’s just a couple. Seeing them lets me know I can probably order something from you that I might need even if you don’t keep it in stock.

Now on to heaters. I hate seeing cheapo heaters. For something that you depend so much on, why skimp. Even the most expensive heaters are still relatively cheap. I think I paid 25 bucks for my 250W reina.

If you sell plants, I always like to see an assortment of plant care products. Ferts and small CO2 injection systems at the least.

Agood range of equipment that must include Eheim filters as standard,also even though i own 2 tanks it doesn't stop me from looking at tanks in every shop i go in,just to see if anything is new or wether i can fit a nice looking corner tank somewhere.
Apart from that my biggest bugbear with my lfs's is that for some reason they all tend to run out of the fish food i need at the same time (mainly hikari wafers and bloodworms)
As for fish clown loaches will always sell, but i am with sin in the fact that i will always look at whats new, and if it is unusual or new my wallet is not adverse to opening.

Last edited by krige at 10-Mar-2005 01:41

Gibson SG you know you want one!!

Plants are definitely in the works for our store. I've stressed that alot with my boss lately and he agrees. Keep 'em comin'...

Loaches. all the stores carry around here is the occasional dojo and the ever popular clown. There ARE other loaches out there. I would love to see yo yos in my lfs, and some dwarfs loaches and a few queens. Also a better selection of plecos. And would somebody tell these chain lfs's that a nice selection of lush, green HEALTHY plants will sell better that the old nasty fungus covered lookin junk they carry

sorry, just hard to find nice plants

i can tell you what i have seen in my LFS that i like to visit. this is limited to what little i know about larger systems.

i saw 4 pool sand filters..no idea if the insides have been modified. each connected to a isle of tanks. each line had a very large UV sterilizer. this keeps 1 tank infecting another. how well this works i dont knwo cuz there was a case of ick few weeks back and half the row had it. may have been a batch of sick fish that went in or a temp swing also.

anyway he uses a gravity over flow with drilled bottoms...simpel and reliable with out fear over over flowing tanks. also many ball valves and holes to break any suction that may accure ( prevents that awful gurglign sound )

This is excellent everyone. I'm liking what I have heard so far. Each one of you has made good key points. Keep them coming if you can. I would like to have a decent list of fish and equipment by the end of the weekend. Also, anyone care to elaborate on more of the technical side of things (accessories and equipment)? Either way, you guys are really helping us out...thanks!

Seconds Sin...

Another hot seller is the Black Ghost Knives. Lord knows I've seen them gobbled up weekly at petsmart.

But back to what Sin said, Discus are always good to keep in the shop. People who don't know them will find them interesting and quit beautiful.

For me, if a LFS has a nice show tank with discus in it, and I see the same fish in there week after week. I would tend to think someone in the shop knows what they are doing.

I'd also like to add, PLANTS. Got to have live plants. the more the better. Even the crappiest LFS around here has them. I will not mention names tho...

As many dif types as possible. From low light (java, crypts) to high light (sword plants, cobomba, ludwigia).

I find it sad that in a city as big as this one the best place I have to go for plants (that I am aware of) is petsmart. They actually have more than pretty much any store I've been in. And I know there are more plants out there than what they stock.

The best thing about plants is they require very little work to house them temporally, and they can hang around longer with less effort that fish.

Just give them CO2, ferts, and the right lighting. Then just keep the tank clean.

A nice assortment of plecs is always a welcoming site.

a fish store is like a drug dealer. hope thats not out of line. they carry their cheap sells and hardy fish that every 12 yr old wants lol. mollies - angelfish - guppies - platies - goldfish ect. these fish start an addiction that keeps them coming back for more. these fish that must be supplied to start the process and then you carry your money makers.

fish that arnt common in chains like petco and the likes are what true keepers want. cichlids...african...american...dwarf...whatever these guys have every possible combination of personality there is. these alone are enough to create isles of different sizes and colors and all be cichlids. i FINIALLY got a shop that carries as many as they can and if they dont have it they will order it. they have since taken all of my buisness from the 3 pet shops i pass to get to them. even if its simple stuff like food i go there just for an excuse to see whats in that week. matter of fact today i went just to look and i ended up buying a perfect black angel that puts all others ive seen in the area to shame.

ok im rambling...cichlids are where everyone ends up so make sure your there when they get there

Wild type bettas!

~Meow. Thus spoke the cat.~

Here's a list of fish that everyone is talking about, but are not sold anywhere near me:

dwarf puffers
rainbowfish
killies
shelldwellers
and ADFs (although I did mangage to get my hands on a trio of these buggers)