| Are you a cichlid enthusiast? Have you ever | | | | you want. |
| wondered if buying online is safe? What about | | | | Pro: No Shipping. All you have to do is transport |
| purchasing from a store? There are many pros | | | | them home in a bag and get them safely into |
| and cons to purchasing cichlids online or at your | | | | your tank. |
| local store. Let's talk about a few of each. | | | | Con: Can be more expensive. |
| Purchasing Online: | | | | Con: You may not have a very good local fish |
| Pro: You can pretty much choose any single fish | | | | store. |
| you want. The online stores typically have a larger | | | | Where never to buy: |
| selection. | | | | You should be very wary of purchasing fish from |
| Pro: Sometimes without a store front fish prices | | | | major chain stores. If their main focus is not on |
| are lower. Keep in mind you need to pay shipping | | | | fish often times they overlook the fish section. |
| so purchasing many fish online at once is better. | | | | Fish need very specific care and are not like other |
| Con: You cannot see the individual fish you buy to | | | | animals. If you purchase a fish from a huge chain |
| check for diseases or odd behavior. | | | | store you are risking buying an infected fish and |
| Con: The fish need to be shipped and that can be | | | | contaminating the rest of your collection. |
| stressful on them. | | | | Be sure to do your research when purchasing the |
| Purchasing at a Local Fish Store: | | | | cichlids you want. It is a very rewarding hobby, |
| Pro: You can watch the fish and select the fish | | | | and one I think everyone should try. |