No pricing is a peeve of mine also.

I'm guessing this is why most stores don't have prices posted.

Well, I will be checking out red coral for sure. I will even leave my J&L list at home. :-)

I like going to Ocean Creations, every time I am there I here someone ask a price for something, then when I leave I ask the price & it's always lower then what I just heard him tell the other person.

Let the rant begin: Pisces is stupid expensive, but a nice environment and full of knowledgeable employees. Big Al's is also expensive and pretty boring for the most part. Wai's is full of sick fish and run down. I like Ocean Creation, no clue what the owner is saying most of the time. I also like red coral, the owner kevin will order you most stuff in since he doesn't have room for tons of stuff in the first place. Riverfront's saltwater section is kind of sad...
I think i'll stick with J&L for now

Even JL is over priced for live goods. I find pretty good deals all over calgary. Pisces is over priced but they order in some rare stuff and because of the price it sits in the tank which allows me a chance to buy it before all you hoggs that live in calgary get it.

I will say my favorite store is Gold's always nice fish and good prices.

One thing I have noticed, and im not the only one, more important than prices is quality coral. Its been a while since I have walked through a store and stopped because of a nice Acro or Acan. I think the last time was some Acans and an Efflo at Big Al's and before that was some SPS frags in the Red Coral tank. Thats in a 1 year span.

thanks for the trick lol. If i want to check out stock, Ocean Creations and Gold are where go. For dry stuff, i just ordered from Concept, J&L and BRS. Can't find time to lure around LFS these days

Big Als is Very overpriced. Ive found that kevin at red coral is pretty tolerable to price change, willing to negotiate. Golds has the BEST CHEAP FRAGS ever. 15$. 2 days ago I purchased to acan frags. What they call frags are worth 80$ at big als.

Golds and Red Coral for best prices. Ocean Creations (formerly city)
Wai's for the most mature coral, but the prices are... pricey? haha.

Sure you can ship it to your door.... but if it dies the cost goes up if you want to have a new specimen shipped to you. They cover the cost to have the fish returned to them, but not visa versa.

ALSO... do you go into the LFS, close your eyes and point to a random fish. Heck no!

I personally feel the need to inspect a fish I buy and even ask the LFS to show me it is eating.

I pick the exact fish I want...from size down to individual shades in the case of my Coral Beauty... which is by far nicer than many :twised:.

Anyhow... long story short, if you are comfortable letting someone else decide for you, then internet shopping is for you.

If you want a perfect fish, that you selected, USUALLY with the help of good staff, then buy local.

I can see hassling the LFS over some dry goods pricing, and occasionally I buy dry goods online when the price is unbeatable.... but an LFS would be NUTS to match online pricing on fish.

Another thing about livestock, the price to the LFS may vary from time to time due to availability... making some fish more costly. Shipping to an LFS inland will also cost more.

Good luck. And do not be afraid to ask for help. Thats what they are there for.

WYSIWYG sections are your friend paddyob.

I have to agree with the guy you quoted if I can have it shipped to my door for cheaper than the store price then its too high.

In Lethbridge it used to be worth while to drive to Calgary (in most cases it still is) because even with the gas it was cheaper there.

When I visited Edmonton from what I seen it was the same thing, still cheaper to drive to Calgary. The $300 purple tang still sticks in my head. I just bought one from Gold's from the Red Sea for $125. Not all stores were like that the of the few I stopped in there was one whos prices were very reasonable and even let me look around when I said I was from Lethbridge, even though it was past closing.