Has anybody "lucked out" at Petsmart (etc)?

[Rich A.]

I like to buy my juveniles at Petsmart (or Petco) sometimes, mainly because
they're a lot cheaper than the LFS, and if they don't work out, I can
typically get my money back on trade at the LFS.
Anyways, earlier this summer, I decided I wanted to populate my tank w. some
Peacocks. Petsmart had some yellow & red peacocks on sale Nothing fancy,
nothing pricey, nothing extremely colorful. Well, guess what ended up in my
tank for $4.99. A *beautiful* yellow jake, looks exactly like this one:

http://www.theboulets.net/cichlid_pix2/yellowJake.jpg

These guys go for $40/each at the LFS (full grown). He's my fav, so I'm not
going to be trading him in any time soon...

[Damaclese]

mmm i lucked out and got electric blue haps that wernt mature yet for 5.99
each so i got 6 these go for between 15-30 here i usually keep a verry close
eye on the pricing in my city
that and the fish manager is sweet on me too lol!

"Rich A." > wrote in message
nk.net...
> I like to buy my juveniles at Petsmart (or Petco) sometimes, mainly
because
> they're a lot cheaper than the LFS, and if they don't work out, I can
> typically get my money back on trade at the LFS.
> Anyways, earlier this summer, I decided I wanted to populate my tank w.
some
> Peacocks. Petsmart had some yellow & red peacocks on sale Nothing fancy,
> nothing pricey, nothing extremely colorful. Well, guess what ended up in
my
> tank for $4.99. A *beautiful* yellow jake, looks exactly like this one:
>
> http://www.theboulets.net/cichlid_pix2/yellowJake.jpg
>
> These guys go for $40/each at the LFS (full grown). He's my fav, so I'm
not
> going to be trading him in any time soon...
>
>

[al]

Only problem - atleast with the one where i live - is that the cichlids are
in a "assorted cichlid tank" and they are often immature so it is hard to
identify the species - only rarely do they label a specific species.

obviously for folks with alot of experience this may not be a problem and
you are right - you can't beat their price

Al

"Damaclese" > wrote in message
...
> mmm i lucked out and got electric blue haps that wernt mature yet for 5.99
> each so i got 6 these go for between 15-30 here i usually keep a verry
close
> eye on the pricing in my city
> that and the fish manager is sweet on me too lol!
>
> "Rich A." > wrote in message
> nk.net...
> > I like to buy my juveniles at Petsmart (or Petco) sometimes, mainly
> because
> > they're a lot cheaper than the LFS, and if they don't work out, I can
> > typically get my money back on trade at the LFS.
> > Anyways, earlier this summer, I decided I wanted to populate my tank w.
> some
> > Peacocks. Petsmart had some yellow & red peacocks on sale Nothing fancy,
> > nothing pricey, nothing extremely colorful. Well, guess what ended up in
> my
> > tank for $4.99. A *beautiful* yellow jake, looks exactly like this one:
> >
> > http://www.theboulets.net/cichlid_pix2/yellowJake.jpg
> >
> > These guys go for $40/each at the LFS (full grown). He's my fav, so I'm
> not
> > going to be trading him in any time soon...
> >
> >
>
>

[RedForeman ©®]

the only suggestion I can offer anyone is, research, research, reasearch...
then read a book or two, then read some more...

The more you read about them, the better suited you are to pick out the
great mislabeled deals...


"al" > wrote in message
...
> Only problem - atleast with the one where i live - is that the cichlids
are
> in a "assorted cichlid tank" and they are often immature so it is hard to
> identify the species - only rarely do they label a specific species.
>
> obviously for folks with alot of experience this may not be a problem and
> you are right - you can't beat their price
>
> Al
>
> "Damaclese" > wrote in message
> ...
> > mmm i lucked out and got electric blue haps that wernt mature yet for
5.99
> > each so i got 6 these go for between 15-30 here i usually keep a verry
> close
> > eye on the pricing in my city
> > that and the fish manager is sweet on me too lol!
> >
> > "Rich A." > wrote in message
> > nk.net...
> > > I like to buy my juveniles at Petsmart (or Petco) sometimes, mainly
> > because
> > > they're a lot cheaper than the LFS, and if they don't work out, I can
> > > typically get my money back on trade at the LFS.
> > > Anyways, earlier this summer, I decided I wanted to populate my tank
w.
> > some
> > > Peacocks. Petsmart had some yellow & red peacocks on sale Nothing
fancy,
> > > nothing pricey, nothing extremely colorful. Well, guess what ended up
in
> > my
> > > tank for $4.99. A *beautiful* yellow jake, looks exactly like this
one:
> > >
> > > http://www.theboulets.net/cichlid_pix2/yellowJake.jpg
> > >
> > > These guys go for $40/each at the LFS (full grown). He's my fav, so
I'm
> > not
> > > going to be trading him in any time soon...
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>

[al]

agreed, good advise
Al

"RedForeman ©®" > wrote in message
...
> the only suggestion I can offer anyone is, research, research,
reasearch...
> then read a book or two, then read some more...
>
> The more you read about them, the better suited you are to pick out the
> great mislabeled deals...
>
>
> "al" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Only problem - atleast with the one where i live - is that the cichlids
> are
> > in a "assorted cichlid tank" and they are often immature so it is hard
to
> > identify the species - only rarely do they label a specific species.
> >
> > obviously for folks with alot of experience this may not be a problem
and
> > you are right - you can't beat their price
> >
> > Al
> >
> > "Damaclese" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > mmm i lucked out and got electric blue haps that wernt mature yet for
> 5.99
> > > each so i got 6 these go for between 15-30 here i usually keep a verry
> > close
> > > eye on the pricing in my city
> > > that and the fish manager is sweet on me too lol!
> > >
> > > "Rich A." > wrote in message
> > > nk.net...
> > > > I like to buy my juveniles at Petsmart (or Petco) sometimes, mainly
> > > because
> > > > they're a lot cheaper than the LFS, and if they don't work out, I
can
> > > > typically get my money back on trade at the LFS.
> > > > Anyways, earlier this summer, I decided I wanted to populate my tank
> w.
> > > some
> > > > Peacocks. Petsmart had some yellow & red peacocks on sale Nothing
> fancy,
> > > > nothing pricey, nothing extremely colorful. Well, guess what ended
up
> in
> > > my
> > > > tank for $4.99. A *beautiful* yellow jake, looks exactly like this
> one:
> > > >
> > > > http://www.theboulets.net/cichlid_pix2/yellowJake.jpg
> > > >
> > > > These guys go for $40/each at the LFS (full grown). He's my fav, so
> I'm
> > > not
> > > > going to be trading him in any time soon...
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>

[Bob K.]

>
>obviously for folks with alot of experience this may not be a problem and
>you are right - you can't beat their price

Yes you can. Join a local aquarium club and buy your fish at
their auctions or from the local breeders.

What you get at petsmart or petco are very likely hybrid aulonacara,
and it's a damn shame to dump them back in your LFS as some
people go there for pure strain fish. There's far too many 'mutts' that
unknowing fish keepers propagate and pass on.

Nothing wrong with crosses, providing you let people know that
they are not pure strain. I.E. "Mixed Cichlids" which is what
the Florida fish farmers call the mess after hurricanes mix the
contents of their breeding ponds .

Female Aulonacara's all look alike, it's only the adult male that
can be identified. But they all can hybridize and many of those
will never come close to the beautiful colors of the pure species.

Bob

[Jay]

"Bob K." > wrote in message
...
> >
> >obviously for folks with alot of experience this may not be a problem and
> >you are right - you can't beat their price

> What you get at petsmart or petco are very likely hybrid aulonacara,
> and it's a damn shame to dump them back in your LFS as some
> people go there for pure strain fish. There's far too many 'mutts'
that
> unknowing fish keepers propagate and pass on.

That's why buyers who want pure strain fish should only buy them from an LFS
who only takes fish that they can identify. One of the LFS I visit won't
take a fish from anyone unless they can be for certain the identity of the
fish. Any question and they will reject it.