We have a long time running lfs here in Des Moines, Aqualand Plus, I've frequented now and again. They have a lot of larger oscars often in shoddy shape and on reading the oscar info offered on their website I can see why...

www.aqualandpetsplus.com/Cichlid,%20Oscar.htm

They're still claiming medications they sell will fix HITH and also HITH isn't a real concern for oscars, that oscars can be kept in 30 gallon tanks and two can be kept in 55 gallon, as well as a few other aweful bits of advice.

I still might get some supplies there if the price is right but I don't think I'll be attending to anymore of their advice nor likely getting any livestock there.

good call on not taking their advice on how to properly keep oscars. for supplies i find that i tend to go to whoever has the lowest prices on what i need too. as for buying fish, if theirs are in poor shape, then you are right not to purchase them from there. there are many reputable place in the u.s. to buy fish and places that dont properly care for their stock should be avoided.....

I suppose that anyone can open a fish shop and claim to know what they're talking about. Most of the shops I've never been into do not give proper advice on how to keep oscars.

i agree, food etc is all, in the begining, form the same place anyway so that wont be a problem but as for fish themselves, it takes a good shop with staff who know what there doing to sell good ones...i only know of afew and i wont buy fish anywhere else