Buy Cichlids - Your Guide

Where is the Best Place to Buy Cichlids?

If you are reading this then you are probably ready to buy cichlids for your home aquarium? If you are not ready to buy cichlids, then keep reading because I promise you will learn a lot for when you are ready to buy your cichlids.

How do I choose? There are so many cichlids I can buy.

• You can buy African Cichlids.
• You can buy South American Cichlids.
• You can buy Cichlids from many different places in the world.

There is also so many places to buy cichlids.

• You can buy cichlids from a local store.
• You can buy cichlids online.
• You can buy cichlids from a friend.

In my opinion you should do some research and decide which cichlids you like the most and buy those cichlids. You will need to purchase cichlids that can live together and get a long, but guy whatever cichlids you like the most.

Should I buy my cichlids Online?

That is a great question to ask. If you buy cichlids online there is a little more risk because of shipping. A lot of precautions have to be taken if you are going to purchase online.

1. You must make sure that they are a trusted source. Read reviews on the sites you are looking to purchase from.
2. Make sure you are getting the fish you want. It is hard to when you buy cichlids online to determine if the fish is the right color or type that you really desire.
3. Disease free fish. When you buy cichlids online its difficult to know if your fish will be disease free because you will not have the opportunity to watch it swim and eat at the store.
4. Make sure they have a good return policy before buying cichlids online.
5. When you buy cichlids on the net you do not get the one on one interaction and knowledge of the fish worker. (Now this can be a negative for buying cichlids from a local store if the goof-ball doesn't know what he is talking about.)

Is it better to buy cichlids locally?

It can be safer to purchase locally, but not necessarily. I have run into some employees of fish stores that were complete idiots when it came to keeping cichlids. Sometimes they just say whatever in order to get you to purchase a fish. But there are some benefits to buying cichlids locally.

1. You get to watch the fish before you buy it. Watching the fish will tell you if it is healthy, if it eats well and if it is worth buying. Do not buy cichlids without watching them for at least 5 minutes.
2. You can be picky about which cichlids you buy. Sometimes individual fish have better personalities and better coloring then others. If you buy cichlids online, then you do not get that choice.
3. No shipping. It is much safer for the fish if they do not have to be shipped through the mail.

Making the choice where to buy cichlids.

Some people do not even have the choice to purchase cichlids from a local fish store, because they have no local fish store. So online is the best place to buy cichlids.

If you do have the choice to buy cichlids online or at the local fish store I would suggest that you do plenty of research and make sure either of the sources you are purchasing from are trusted. A local store can be just as bad as an online shop, but remember you have more control when buying cichlids localy.

Where NOT to buy cichlids.

I would stay away from Major Chain Stores. I do not need to name names, but stay away from local stores that do not primarily sell fish. If its a big store for dogs and cats that has a fish section, then stay away. If it is a superstore that sells grocieries and has a "fish section" then stay away.

Why?

Because fish are not easy to care for. They need someone that is knowledgable and focused to make sure they remain healthy and alive. These major stores do not give the attention needed to sell healthy fish.

There is a very good chance that you buy cichlids with diseases if you purchase from those stores.

If your decision is those stores or online... I'd say buy cichlids online.