your local fish store(s)

[Homedog98]

I wish Atlanta had more locally owned fish stores like you guys. My choices are petco and petsmart. Terrible tank conditions. Luckily no deaths yet... But you CANNOT take their advice! And there is this one locally owned fish store... But it's all saltwater and I have a freshwater tank... Anyone know of somewhere else?

 

[Shrimp fan]

Got a few near me, But have to say that outsideinside aquatics is my favourite shop. Its a bit pricey but the fish are in top quality and the tanks are spotless.

I don't understand the latest PFK poll where they put East Lothian Aquatics as runner up as best shop in Scotland. HAVE YOU BEEN THERE!! what a dump. Went there last week and 75% of the tanks were empty with a notice saying "No fish due to weather poor weather." Its funny cause all the other shops tanks were jumping.Plus the presentation and customer service is terrible. Don't take this the wrong way but I think he wont be open this time next year. I think people are starting to notice his can't be bothered attitude and are taking business elsewhere.

To totalbeginner have you visited that new place called Discovery Aquatics in Dundee? Popped in there and the guy had some good fish at reasonable prices. Last time I was in House of Pisces I walk round the tanks and straight back out Wasn't to pleased with the way he house some of his fish. He had a 12 inch pacu in one of those little tanks the poor thing couldn't even move.

Our pets at home store is great to pick up bargains as they don't know what they are selling I got a pair of Golden Wonder Panchax which were about 3 inches in length for £3 they had them up as Guppies lol. Corydoras Rabauti £2 each in with bronze corries. There were others as well.

 

[celticfan]

Im from Glasgow, I only know of 4 and have used all 4. One at "the Barras", I think its called the Barracuda or something anyway that ones is great, a lot of selection and very ckean tanks. The other is just along the road from it at Glasgow Cross, it has decent selection but its an old guy and not the cleanest looking, the fish tank are has straw on the floor and some of the tanks are green with algae it's old fashioned looking like it hasnt changed since the 80s. The other one is in Bishopbriggs, think its called Bishopbriggs Aquatic, thats got ok selection and is a nice wee shop, very clean also sells a lot of birds and is very noisy. The other is Pets at home at Bishopbriggs retail park, its a good shop too, really clean, and great selection of fish, it has about 7 different kinds of tetras all for good prices 4 for £5 or 5 for £5, and most fish that fish shops sell.

I got my cory and a platy from bishopbriggs, my other platies from the dirty looking one at Glasgow cross, my scissortails from the one at the barras and my buenos aires tetras from the one at bishopbriggs retail park lol

 

[Fishies86]

We've got a few on the isle of Wight. The one I first went to was pets at home because their tanks looked so clean. Everytime we bought fish from them, at least one would die. Now that I can recognise ill/ dying fish, their tanks are awful! There were four dead neon tetras in one tank, 3 dead goldfish in another tank, and there were even dead snails!! There's one called fins n tails, but their tanks are all browney, fish all have ragged fins or are sat on bottom with clamped fins. My favourite is starfish aquatics. They are amazing! Their tanks are spotless, I've never seen a dead or unhealthy fish there, the guy who owns it is full of advice and has lots of experience with fish (he showed us a newspaper clipping of him snorkelling in his tank at home because at the time it was the biggest tank in a home in England ).
The only thing I've ever had trouble with is him selling non aquatic plants as aquatic.
I'm really gutted because they've just announced that they're closing down by the end of this month I nearly cried when I found out!

 

[Joyler]

Well...first of all, I'm blown away this thread has lasted 8 years lol...secondly, we have the petco's and petsmart's dotted around my area...but we also have "the fish store" which is a cool little place! Very knowledgable an nice tanks, and healthy fish, and blue Sierra...it also has very beautiful fish (clear coloring) and very clean tanks...these two stores are just a little harder to get to...of course! They are well loved by aquarists in the Seattle area though!

 

[WillyG]

World Of Fishes at East Grinstead are simply excellent for livestock - avoid Dicker Aquatics at Lower Dicker as they seem to have more unfortunately unhealthy fish than they ought - the store at Millbrook garden centre Jarvis Brook is ok - all have fresh water and marine sections. My favourite is World Of Fishes at the moment.

 

[fibreheart]

Re: LFS Stores near you

Hi, I'm new. Joined today

I have a few around me too. I live in Canada an hour north of Toronto in a city called Barrie.

I have 2 main LFS Petsmart, they're ok. Staff have some knowledge but never really the time to answer your questions. Tanks seem ok and their prices are fair for the trade. But my main one is Big Al's They have 2 rooms, A tank room and a fish room. Two separate staff sections too. So the Tank guys can really help you with set up, chemicals, food etc for both fresh and salt and the fish guys have all the livestock knowledge. They really help you with compatibilty, amounts per gallon, water conditions etc. They even have a 6ft marine tank, a five foot Malawi tank and a huge black tip shark tank. Big Al's also has the largest african cichlid selection I have seen yet

 

[Welshy]

If your in the uk and enjoy aquascaping try green machine aquatics (just type it in on google) there not far up the road from me and are absolutely awe inspiring there shop if you can call it that it's more like a gallery of aquascaping genius ( I do not work for this shop!!) well worth a look at there site! Some useful tips and journals! Also deliver auatic plants materials and co2 world wide

 

[nereksnad]

greetings.

i'm from denmark, and the fish store i use is located in the fifth largest city. i've been to other stores, but they're terrible. one sold me fish with whitespot decease and violated purchase-laws. although i havn't been purchasing fish or plants at other stores yet, i'm quite happy with the aquarium specialist / expert Fyns Aquarium Center. (Fyns Akvarie Centrum). although their prices are a bit higher, it's well given out. theres tonnes of fish that the other stores probably never heard of, they know oceans of the fish and they might just give you a discount if that's something you're after. i'd much rather support him than some huge chain that only deals with aquariums for the money that's apparantly in it.

sincerely,
nereksnad

 

[WillyG]

Just wondered over to World of fishes in east Grinstead for a look and a "hello" . . . I'm tempted by a lion fish they have in stock but I know the Mrs is 'disturbed' by them. . . Must . . . Fight . . . . The . . . Urge. .

 

[scunnypaxo]

Try pets at home in York. The Clifton moor branch has excellent staff and also do marine fish. I've never had a problem there.

 

[Ickletas]

I live sorta between Oxford and Aylesbury so I have 3 Maidenhead Aquatics to choose from; Oxford (Wheatley), Oxford (Hinksey) and Aylesbury (Worlds End Garden Centre). There is also The Goldfish Bowl in Oxford (which has improved vastly since the last post mentioning it but is expensive), Pets at Home (Aylesbury), another Pets at Home at Bicester and the local pet store in Thame. I only use Pets at Home for spares and Maidenhead Aquatics (Wheatley) for livestock and food. It does help that one of the guys at Wheatley used to work for me so I get a good deal lol! Also his info is pretty spot on, he's been keeping fish since he was 14 and has 3 tropical and 2 marine tanks himself.

 

[Ang3lfish]

There is quite a few good maidenhead aquatics now. Best ones of late are binfield and winnersh near reading

 

[petkeeper]

i have two fish stores locally, the differences between them are like night and day, the one i use (pets at home, dundee branch) has a limited stock but the tanks are always crystal clear, i am on holiday from work this week so i have been in a few mornings and leaned the they do daily water tests and i have never seen a dead fish. The store i don't use (house of pisces, strathmartine road, dundee) is a local business with a massive range of stock, but, there tanks are disgusting ( i am keeping this to total fact only, seen it with own eyes) lots of them have green algae on the glass(i'm not just on about a tinge, actual growths), there were a few floaters in some tanks too, plus i saw 6 4" angelfish in a tank approx 3-4gal, not nice staff are good in both though. house of pisces has a great range of tanks, all brand new,

What are your LFS like?? good/bad/ugly?

I agree house of Pisces isn't the best place to get fish from. I got a pair of anglefish from their and in the the first week one of them died so I now tend to use dobbies garden centre Dundee for fish.

 

[shellyx]

I use a local shop in my town, 'Maidenhead Aquatics'. They have shops up & down the country and it just so happens that the largest one is in my town. I'm always quite impressed with the staff knowledge and variety / condition of fish.

http://www.FishKeeper.co.uk is their website.

Have to agree with you, maidenhead aquatics is the only place I use, can't fault them. Mine is at carlisle

 

[Guinness]

I am very lucky. A very good friend of mine owns a small aquatic shop here in Worcester England called Ai aquatics it is a small shop but he does have a good selection of livestock and dry goods and I get very good discount on anything I buy.

He has only been up and running for 13 months but he has a very good customer base and things are going well for him. He specialises in marine fish, corals,(hard and soft) discus, L number plecos and a few other tropicals.
He gets me pretty much anything I ask for at a vey good price.

 

[Miaa]

Starting my fishless cycle so was out at my LFS to find all the bits n bobs i needed. Asked the girl there if the sold ammonia and she looked at me as if I'd grown two heads. Asked the guy there and he did the same, tried to persuade me to buy cycle stuff and ammonia remover. The guy tells me he believes the best way to cycle a tank is with fish. I don't know really.

All their tanks and fish look perfectly healthy though.

 

[Lonestarbandit]

Everyone has their preference. I do mine with mollies but I start with @ least 1/4 used tank water obtained from PWC from an existing tank so there's a jump start. I also swap a used filter cartridge over to the new tank.

 

[paulbrear]

We have a few stores here in hull! maiden head aquatic is awesome helpful reasuring when u walk in u can see it is clean just a little costly, Ings lane is my favourite reasonable price good variety and quality, good helpful all the way, then frisby Aquatics quaint helpful and seeing them playing with there tanks is reassuring ! Never look at pets at home, collete and Tyson I would not touch or spring garden centre!! All googleable !

 

[shellyx]

Have to agree, I,ve had bad experiences at pets at home I,ll never buy fish out off their! It's ok for other things but that's it lol