LFS in Denver, CO

little_fish

little_fish

Moderator
I have visited several lfs around the denver, CO area, and while most everyone I've talked to is very nice they are all trying to sell me something, and somehow they are all the very best lfs in the denver area! I was wondering if anyone can recommend one without the shop's bottom line in mind. Or if you can give me some things to look for in a good lfs.
Thank you
 
The best way to determine this factor is to approach someone in each of the shops and have a conversation with them, I preferably ask to speak with a manager in a sincere way, I then carry a conversation on about their experience in the Aquarium scene and try and gauge their honesty. Asking simple and basic questions about their tanks (assuming they have one) and your tank and getting opinions will really let you know about them. I became good friends with a manager this way, and for his honesty and experience he has, this LFS has become where I shop.

Things to look out for are the sales pitches, which inevitably will be there at first. You should just try to get past this and if they continue on with them most likely you are just $$ in their eyes. When an enthusiast to the hobby opens up to discuss with you questions and concerns you have, this really shows a store you should be interested in doing business in as LFS run and operated by enthusiast generally will not sell you a bad product. If they make a suggestion to get something you are looking for double check here or other sites to see if what they are trying to sell is really a quality working good product for the money. On the other hand if they throw out a $600 light system when the $250 setup would work just as well for your needs and wants and budget I'd spit in their face and walk out (in my mind obviously but I would tell them they are garbage).

Conversations are the best way to gauge someones motives and care for customers,

Hope this helps, C.
 
+1 Cathic
Another good to guage a LFS,is to make a couple of trips in and just look and ask questions but dont buy anything.
Ask questions that you already know the answers to and see what kind of answers you get.
I know I've spent as much as 45 minutes talking to customers at the LFS I help at.Even refused to sale them fish and corals that I knew wouldnt do good in their tanks.But those same folks nearly always end up spending more in the long run because they know our store has their tanks best interest in mind.
 
That's a really good way to put it Cathic. Little_Fish....I am in C. Springs and have only 4 stores to choose from. I will only ever buy my livestock from one of those four for the quality and health of the animals and the knowledge and experience of the owner.

I have been in several times to inquire about fish for my tank. He will not hesitate to inform me if there won't be compatibility between the species I am interested in and the species I have in my tank now, even if it means he won't be able to sell me that fish.

He will also order any fish I am interested in, without any money up front, and he will not sell me (or anyone else) that fish until it has been in his tanks for a minimum of 2 weeks. He will feed the fish in front of me and has all his fish completely ready to go (dewormed, pest free, eating well, swimming well) before he will sell me a fish.

These reasons (among many more) are why I will continue to shop from his store only for all my animals.
 
little_fish said:
I have visited several lfs around the denver, CO area, and while most everyone I've talked to is very nice they are all trying to sell me something, and somehow they are all the very best lfs in the denver area! I was wondering if anyone can recommend one without the shop's bottom line in mind. Or if you can give me some things to look for in a good lfs.
Thank you
Click to expand...

Keys Island had some nice frags in the frag tank last week.

Liquid Kingdom has flat worms in the coral tanks - they've had flat worms for 6 months and won't do anything about it.

Fish Den has cheap frags now and then. But you have to go in almost every week or two and keep your eyes peeled if you want to find a god deal. Most of their tanks look dirty and full of algae to me. But I did find a pretty nice cyphastrea coral frag for $20 last year.

Aquamart usually has a decent selection of corals - but prices are crazy high.

Neptunes has some decent corals now and then. You gotta go just to see the giant hammer coral in the display. It's the size of a beach ball. Branches and heads the size of grape fruits. It's amazing.
 
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I agree with everything RCpilot said the people at Keys Island are very good but their selection is sparse. But if you want to see something absolutly amazing they have a creature that is the early relative to the octopus.

Aquamart is a great store to look around in, talk to the guy Dave. He knows his stuff and really doesnt try to sell as much as the others. If you dont know what you want yet they have it or can get it.

Neptunes hammer coral is awesome.

RCpilot is 100% right on Fish Den. Their tanks are unclean but their prices are fair.

If you know of any other let me know. Im looking too.
 
little fish i will p.m. you my phone number I now some people at keys and I am sure they can help you. i was in denver today and scord huge. posting pics in a few hours. I just got home so they need to acclimate and i need to sleep:mrgreen::bounce::^::bounce:
 
Was in Denver and didn't even bother to call...... :grumble: Would have brought you a free frag just to say Hello :grumble:
 
Thank you all who have offered advice.

To RCpilot and Colin: I have been in fish den several time and they have been really good in helping me with my freshwater tank but it makes me nervous that their tanks are so dirty and that they don't hold fish. I really worry about buying fish living in those conditions. Are their tanks dirty in an ok way (if thats possible)?
 
Rcpilot said:
Was in Denver and didn't even bother to call...... :grumble: Would have brought you a free frag just to say Hello :grumble:
Click to expand...

I am so sorry!!!!!! I was in boulder actually, and I dont even have a saltwater tank set up yet. Im just trying to learn everything i can before i start. I nearly killed everything in my freshwater tank by being a stupid newb (actually i did kill several fish, i feel horrible about that), so im trying to not repeat that. I hope to set my tank up next august when i move out of the dorms (which i can't wait for) but im still trying to learn how to best set up my tank so i can do what i plan. Although i still haven't got a plan yet. I can't decide between a FOWLR or a full reef.
Any suggestions?
 
To RCpilot and Colin: I have been in fish den several time and they have been really good in helping me with my freshwater tank but it makes me nervous that their tanks are so dirty and that they don't hold fish. I really worry about buying fish living in those conditions. Are their tanks dirty in an ok way (if thats possible)?
Click to expand...





I dunno. I'll buy a coral out of a dirty tank if it's reasonably healthy. I'll take that risk because I know I'm gonna dip it and then stick it into a really healthy tank when it gets to my house. Most corals will perk up if you just put them in a nice tank.

But with fish and inverts, sometimes they can suffer irreparable damage in a dirty tank. Poor acclimation methods and just dirty water can really harm a fish or snail. But you have no way of knowing how bad and you have no way of fixing it. A damaged liver doesn't grow back. A swim bladder infection only gets worse and costs you time and money - the fish may die anyway.

But again, with corals, they can suffer pretty significant tissue damage or loss and still recover in a nice healthy tank. It takes time, but they will grow back. Not true for a liver or a kidney.
 
little_fish said:
I am so sorry!!!!!! I was in boulder actually, and I dont even have a saltwater tank set up yet. Im just trying to learn everything i can before i start. I nearly killed everything in my freshwater tank by being a stupid newb (actually i did kill several fish, i feel horrible about that), so im trying to not repeat that. I hope to set my tank up next august when i move out of the dorms (which i can't wait for) but im still trying to learn how to best set up my tank so i can do what i plan. Although i still haven't got a plan yet. I can't decide between a FOWLR or a full reef.
Any suggestions?
Click to expand...

No not you. I was giving crap to Little Joker.
 

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