I've been looking around to find a nice tank between 45 and 80 gallons but everything seems to be incredibly expensive. When I go into stores like Petco, Petland, or a World of Pets, and see some of the prices, it's like your paying 10 dollors or more for a gallon. Is this a fair price to put on a tank? If not, do you know where it is possible to find a new tank for a cheaper price?

The costs seem to be about
10 gallons - $7
20 gallons - $30
40-60 gallons - <$100
120 gallons - <$200

So, it's not really 10 dollars a gallon at least around here for just the tank alone. Petco and PetsMart tend to be 50% more expensive than my local fish store (non-chain) around here.

Because they are so breakable, glass tanks aren't usually shipped. You may be able to find a place to ship them but the shipping costs are generally more than you'd save by buying one at your local store.

normally locally owned places are more expensive because they arent moving as much volume as the big chains to make their profit, well around here thats how it goes.

Our lfs here move more stuff than the chains do simply becasue they take better care of their fish. Best in SHow by my house can never keep fish...they selll out weekly. The chains (Scamp's, Petco, Petsmart, etc.) can't compete w/the locals. Their stuff may be a bit more spendy but it's super quality here.

:D :D i dont know how others work, but i know that petsmart employees have to take certification tests and if you dont do the job well then you get fired (i work there). they are super serious about their animal care.

one store here locally i never bought fish from because it had the combined smell of a barn and fish market.

the other one will tell you want to hear just to get you to buy fish. and they both sell illegal turtles.

i guess i live in a crap hole when it comes to local places. :D

there is one place, but the deal only in saltwater and i hear good things about.

The local store I'm talking about is not a chain (just one store) but it's huge and well known, not a tiny store. Since they specialize in aquariums, they don't have as large a markup as the chains do. They also have more variety as far as tanks go. I get live animals and tanks there but mail order all my dry goods and plants. Sometimes things are 3 or 4 times more expensive at Petco then when I order from That Pet Place by phone. I only use Petco for crickets, mealworms, CareFresh, and a few other things since they're on the way home.

Some ideas for getting a large tank for less:

Check the classified ads in your area. When my mom's last fish died, she had a 100 gallon tank in her living room and no way to move it. She put an ad in the paper and basically gave it away to whoever would come and get it.

You could try eBay. They have a search feature that lets you limit your search to the distance you are willing to drive to pick up your purchase. I live in a large city, and there are almost always one or two large tanks and stands within my driving range listed on eBay.

Put a notice or flyer up at local pet shops, vets' offices, etc. People (like my brother in law, who had a short but costly love affair with giant oscars) who now have a large tank or two in their basement waiting for the wife to have a yard sale may be happy to sell it cheaply if you will come get it and haul it up and away.

If you live where there is a freecycle website (check out www.freecycle.org I think) you can post that you want a large tank and see if anyone has one. Then it will even be free! That is how I got my larger tank.