If you decide to seek out fish from a breeder, look for a few key things. First, it's best to find an experienced breeder. The breeder should be able to tell you everything about the type of fish you want to buy - and more. Secondly, I like to see guarantees provided to customers - especially since there's a moderate level of risk that your fish will die in transit or when it's introduced into the new tank.

I strongly believe that you should be able to effectively purchase fish from a breeder, either in-person or on-line. However, make sure you feel good about that way they operate their business. For instance, with an on-line breeder, if lots of information isn't readily available on their website, ask questions about how their tanks are laid out and what their processes are in shipping their fish. As with anything, shopper beware!