Samhain
Satin, Lace, and Sequins
+1 LilFish. For the most part, I don't take any of the advice of my LFS. They recommend cycling with damsels, will recommend large fish for tanks waaaaay to small for them, and recommend many more fish than a tank can adequately support. For instance, they told me I could put pretty much any tang I wanted in my 50 gallon, offered me 3 trade-in damsels that I could upgrade after my cycle, and said I could reasonably expect to keep 15-20 fish in my tank. Now I understand that not all fish stores are this way, but many are. And the guys working there are really nice, but I wouldn't trust any of their advice.
I do see why you might want to get your first fish locally. Shipping does get a tad expensive, and what can be a $15 fish in the store becomes a $50 fish when you factor in shipping. I did get lily, my firefish, at the LFS, but from here on out it's LA or BlueZoo for me. You know you're getting a healthy fish, and if something does happen, they make it right. With my LFS, they offer no guarantee whatsoever. If your fish goes tango uniform in the parking lot, you're out that money. Too bad, so sad.
I do see why you might want to get your first fish locally. Shipping does get a tad expensive, and what can be a $15 fish in the store becomes a $50 fish when you factor in shipping. I did get lily, my firefish, at the LFS, but from here on out it's LA or BlueZoo for me. You know you're getting a healthy fish, and if something does happen, they make it right. With my LFS, they offer no guarantee whatsoever. If your fish goes tango uniform in the parking lot, you're out that money. Too bad, so sad.