Future Fish For A Tank

I approve highly of your choices.

Presumably your LFS doesn't have a website? I've noticed that mine tends to put up a Facebook post (accessible to those without Facebook) stating that new fish have come in (usually Tues eves) and will be on sale from the Fri. If you could find out the delivery day and then reserve some, that might be an option? Obviously, you wouldn't buy them until you were satisfied that they were to your liking, sufficiently healthy, etc.
[Oops- overlap with LF- great minds. ]

No success in finding this, unfortunately. My local MA (or its tartan equivalent) has its own Facebook page but it seems that yours doesn't - looks like you'd have to phone them up on 01642 710600. I pre-ordered stock with my local branch - they seem very open to ordering in whatever people are looking for.

I have to say that I have found MA very helpful with this sort of thing.
I have seen them label an entire tank as reserved, then transfer all fish required for a customer to that tank.
You can always order what they have on their database to be delivered to a particular shop, and get then to hold them. I guess it depends on how much stock they have as to whether they can designate whole tank, otherwise they tend to just put notes on each tank with what number of fish are reserved.
I'd expect they'd be happy to help you, as you are spending money in their store after all.

I'm a regular browser, but that's not quite the same thing  Whenever we go plant shopping in the garden centre I have to go and look at the fish. My husband is quite OK with that as he goes and looks at the book and confectionery sections.

Nearer the time, I intend to have a chat with them. I have asked in the past about fish they didn't have and was told they can only get fish on The List; if a species isn't there they can't get it. The fish I saw the other day are obviously on their list so they should be able to get some more in if they don't have them already.