Pets at Home (UK nationwide pet store)

[richardh]

My local pah in Sheffield has well kept tanks and I've never seen a dead fish in any of them. They seem to have a high turnover of fish. There's always a different selection every time I visit. I wouldn't go to them for advice though, the people I've spoken to are less knowledgeable than a newbie like me!

 

[dudeofrude]

My local P.A.H (Grimsby/Cleethorpes) is the usual when it comes to the fish ie. Dead, overstocked, cold water and tropical species in same tank etc so I'd never buy livestock from there but I do find it excellent for food, medicines, ornaments etc as they are a big chain and the prices are generally cheaper than my lfs. So I guess they are worth having about for that reason alone lol

 

[garfy]

P.A.H in farnborough is actually ok.The tanks are all very clean and I haven't seen a dead fish to date.The only problem I have with them is they have downsized the fish section to include a veterinary section and thus they no longer sell African cichlids only firemouths and kris.But for cheap food,ornaments and plants they are very good.
Personally I prefer maidenhead aquatics.They have stores all over the country and expert help on hand.

 

[ACeee]

I went to a brand new PAH at Birstall, Leeds yesterday. It's on 2 floors and massive. The downstairs area was excellent, loads of giant cages for rodents and all the animals seemed happy. So, I had high hopes as i went upstairs to the aquarium section. Unfortunately, as I looked round there dead fish in probably 75% of their tanks including. I wonder if they did anything to set up their tanks for a new store?

 

[garfy]

That's really sad something is seriously amiss there!!!

 

[richpowell1989]

I went to a brand new PAH at Birstall, Leeds yesterday. It's on 2 floors and massive. The downstairs area was excellent, loads of giant cages for rodents and all the animals seemed happy. So, I had high hopes as i went upstairs to the aquarium section. Unfortunately, as I looked round there dead fish in probably 75% of their tanks including. I wonder if they did anything to set up their tanks for a new store?

That's like almost every p.a.h in the uk

 

[Fishman94]

Maidenhead will rip u off

 

[richpowell1989]

Maidenhead will rip u off

Not if your best mate dad runs it and charges me hardly anything

 

[Fishman94]

Not if your best mate dad runs it and charges me hardly anything

Lucky duck!

 

[maestromad]

I must agree I buy my fish from maidenhead but pah is cheaper for the food ad meds. However all hardwear is off the Internet much much cheaper!! lol

 

[garfy]

I must agree I buy my fish from maidenhead but pah is cheaper for the food ad meds. However all hardwear is off the Internet much much cheaper!! lol

+1 my sentiments entirely

 

[wapparia]

I disagree with everyone in part. I shop at pah metrocentre and they are excellent. There is only 2 decent members of staff for fish but they know what they are talking about. Everything I go they always give me advise and can answer most questions there and then. I agree sometimes 1 or 2 dead fish the odd time I have been but nothing major and not everything and the last few months I have been lots of times. They even helped me with my sump because the 2 guys in the shop also have marine tanks

 

[Fishman94]

Had a look in Maidenhead today

I noticed all mollies were male
Few fish were labeled wrong
7 dead fish
Prices up (good thing I don't buy much there)

The only other place is pah always dead fish but cheaper products.

So Internet it is

 

[Ukdans1k]

I guess it's the case of sump filtration over independent filtration!!!

These large stores are there to make money and thus use sump as a cheaper way to filtrate gallons of water. But as we all know with sumps , you get one sick fish, and the rest get it!!! So having dead fish is to be expected I think. That fact that they leave them in the tank is unforgivable.

What they should do instead is use internal floating bed filtration, which is both cheap to run several tanks off a large air pump, and also a excellent way of filtering. they are also cheap to make. look on you tube!!!

Having said that I have never had any luck with the fish I have purchased at p.a.h . Thus the name I now use pets die at home!!! Lol

Also although the staff are trained most basically, there is and never will be no substitute for experience. which is what you get here !!!

 

[CanIgoHome]

The pets at home in Crayford, Kent is an aquatic specialist, and the aquatic manger used to be head of aquatic animals at London zoo and has a masters in marine biology, so he's pretty good for info if you ever need any. They are not all bad, all of my current stock are from various pets at home and are all very healthy, lovely looking fish.

Like pet owners don't tar them all with the same brush.

he must be on holiday every time I go in to Crayford the fish are die so I stick to maidenhead Polhill and Dartford (as I work just along the road) or Swallow aquatics in Gravesend

 

[Nomadu571]

Maiden head at Hawley is really over priced, and swallows is fine for equipment but i would never buy fish from there! I used to work at Millbrook, the garden centre, and I wouldn't trust them, insider advice for you there. Poll hill is too far and they have such a limited range unless you want 6foot long koi. Aquacadabra in Barnshurst or living reef are good, but I'll stick to my original statement as Crayford has always done me proud, all my fish are from there or Gravesend pah, and all are alive and really healthy, and have been with me for nearly a year now, so I guess the moral is trust yourself when buying fish and be observant to the one you want, as we all have bad and good experiences where ever.

 

[CanIgoHome]

Maiden head at Hawley is really over priced, and swallows is fine for equipment but i would never buy fish from there! I used to work at Millbrook, the garden centre, and I wouldn't trust them, insider advice for you there. Poll hill is too far and they have such a limited range unless you want 6foot long koi. Aquacadabra in Barnshurst or living reef are good, but I'll stick to my original statement as Crayford has always done me proud, all my fish are from there or Gravesend pah, and all are alive and really healthy, and have been with me for nearly a year now, so I guess the moral is trust yourself when buying fish and be observant to the one you want, as we all have bad and good experiences where ever.

you say hawley is overprice but I want to both maidenhead on the same day to look at fish and polhill have the higher prices but l do keep going to P@H in crayford to look

 

[Nomadu571]

Lol that's why I don't go to either. Pets at home are cheapest for most things really other than the net.

 

[richpowell1989]

Lol that's why I don't go to either. Pets at home are cheapest for most things really other than the net.

And there's a reason for that!! would choose maidenhead any day

 

[LollyMac11]

I like Maidenhead aquatics too. There is one close to where I live, I find the staff very helpful.