Scavenger Hunt Challenge

[nabokovfan87]

I had a premise that came to mind based on a few conversations with others here on the forums. I wanted to ask anyone who wishes to try to find these items on their next trip to the local shop.  Post your photos and potentially over time we can make a new list to keep things fresh.  Whether it's a big box store or a mom and pop store, whatever you can find (or can't) seems to be useful information. 

I mentioned it on a comment on a video once, but a company like fluval or seachem, designs these product lines where you need to buy something on a month to month or semi-often basis.  Eventually, those items either disappear and we all end up resorting elsewhere to find them, typically an online shop.  This change has led to a lot of products just not being carried by shops around me. 

So, without further ado, and I have no idea if I'd even find these in my local shop, but hopefully this is some fun we can have on the next shopping trip.

The goal being to give everyone a feel for "what is typically available" to hobbyists at a physical store.

LIST 1:
1. Amano shrimp
2. Ceramic filter media
3. Fish Meds
4. Moss for aquascaping (excluding a moss ball)
5. An interesting "all in one" tank
6. A sera or eheim product
7. A glass lid for a 20L aquarium
8. aquascaping scissors
9. caribsea sand
10. A replacement pump or impeller for any HoB filter

Edited May 18, 2022 by nabokovfan87

[Scapexghost]

Interesting. Always looking for an excuse to go to a fish store. My lfs carriers replacement parts for a hob filter they don't carry lol. If I could add something, i think people should post the rarest fish they find at their local fish store. My favorite part about going to a fish store is seeing something ive never seen.

[nabokovfan87]

On 5/18/2022 at 12:57 AM, Scapexghost said:

My favorite part about going to a fish store is seeing something ive never seen

Added a video to the OP.  Randomly popped up on the YT feed (thanks robots).

I definitely agree!

[Baphijmm]

There's kind of a lot that my LFS doesn't carry, but that's more related to the location; they're not exactly burgeoning with customers, and a big part of that is simply that Alamogordo generally doesn't have the resources for a "luxury" like fish-keeping. (There's also a general cultural thing, but I won't dig too deep into that.) But, they do carry a decent selection of medications, and a lot of the basics. They also have a surprising selection of lights. As for fish, the store's basically split half-and-half between fresh and saltwater; the previous owner was a huge fan of saltwater, and the current owner clearly is too. (He's also a fan of turtles! Got a little pond set up indoors for them.) They carry some of the harder-to-find species too, like whiptail catfish and a decent selection of rainbows.

But, I like this idea! I'll see what I can come up with next time I'm in there. (Or any store, for that matter.)

Edited May 18, 2022 by Baphijmm

[Flumpweesel]

Fun idea. I have an abundance of lfs at the moment although I do visit different ones for different things . I'm planning on checking out some different stores over the next few weeks so I'll keep this list in mind as I view them.

[nabokovfan87]

Next time I go to the store, will be doing this finally!  It's been in the works for a while, but just been a hectic day to day.

[nabokovfan87]

On 5/18/2022 at 12:42 AM, nabokovfan87 said:

LIST 1:
1. Amano shrimp
2. Ceramic filter media
3. Fish Meds
4. Moss for aquascaping (excluding a moss ball)
5. An interesting "all in one" tank
6. A sera or eheim product
7. A glass lid for a 20L aquarium
8. aquascaping scissors
9. caribsea sand
10. A replacement pump or impeller for any HoB filter

1. Sticker, none in the tank

2. Ceramic filter media, they literally had this and the house brand, nothing else.

3. Fish Meds, only 2 and we all know which two.  I couldn't even find salt.

4. Literally didn't have anything, the moss ball they did have was no longer sellable

5. Interesting because it has the frosted background and the LED in the tank now. Kind of nice to see that.  All of the tanks were way too small, everything under 5G.

6. Literally one.  I went to the store looking for eheim mech

7. Pretty sure it won't fit a 20L.  It doesn't fit my 29G.

8. Only the trio pack

9. 2-3 options for this, that was nice!

10. No replacements, wanted you to buy a whole new unit, specifically the house brand.

Basically, I didn't see a lot of the things I used to see. Everything is house brand, you are going to buy an AC or a Top Fin branded filter, even marineland canisters were gone and stuff like that wasn't around anymore.  Heaters they had 1 brand, that was it.  A lot of stuff was getting replaced / rebranded.  There was something.... oh, those old battery powered marina emergency air pumps.  They have those in stock now on the house brand.  Very weird to see that.