Good Fish Shops

[rabbitlady]

NOW, the walmart in Georgetown tx. we are learning still but we do our best and our fish are health once again.. and we don't sell fish unless we know your tank size and how long you have had it up and running and we don't sell fish that get to big for the tank you have.. also we hand out the info on what kind of fish you are buying .. if we can.. and we do alot of research for the person if we don't know... we aren't afraid to come here and ask...

 

[fishatron7429]

Berkley aquatics centre burton is amazing, never given me a piece of bad advice, really knows his stuff that bloke does, won loads of awards as well for fish keeping!

 

[FishDan]

Living Sea Aquarium
Devon and Cumberland, Park Ridge

Great store, decent selection, good employees.

Old Orchard Aquarium
Skokie Blvd and Church Street, Skokie

Another good store, mostly helpful employees, also good selection. Prices are a little higher, but the quality is there.

For hardware/equipment, if I buy locally I stick to PetSmart or PetCo, cheaper than the LFSs. Mostly I get things online unless I need it fast.

\Dan

 

[Phantom Thief]

Its great to at last hear about the good ones, a nice and practical change from complaining about lousy ones!!!

P.T.

 

[Guppylover]

I have one too ^__^
It's called Vebas Aquarium! Everything is real cheap and the staff are so friendly and know a lot about fish. I was first worried about them but after I asked for help I realised I was wrong about them and I always go there I buy my fish stuff!

 

[Becca]

I have a couple:

The Fish Tank - Westland, MI
They're closed for a few days because they're moving to a new location, but here's there new info:
The Fish Tank
5971 Wayne Road
Westland, MI
Phone: (734) 467-7706

Their tanks are always clean, well laid out, fish are marked very well, fish look healthy - and instead of receiving shipments, they go to a distributor and hand select fish, including ones that you order. Most of the staff seems knowledgable (I've only dealt with a couple) and they've all seemed extremely friendly.

Cichlid World - Garden City, MI
Store is owned and operated solely by a mother and her mid-20-something son. Both are very friendly and have a great knowledge of - well, you guessed it - Cichlids. Store is kinda dumpy, and some of the tanks could use some attention, but their fish look healthy and the people seem to know what they're talking about.
27843 Ford Rd.
Garden City, MI 48135
(On Ford Road, between Middlebelt and Inkster)
(734) 522-0009
Website: http/cichlidworld.net/
E-mail: [email protected]

The Pet Station - Dearborn Heights, MI
Staff is very knowledgable, but quite often busy. Selection is quite large, but not well labeled. Worth a shot, definitely, but expect to wait a while for someone to be able to help you.
Telegraph Road (just north of Van Born)
Dearborn Heights, MI 48125

Preuss Animal House - Lansing, MI
Great selection, awesome staff - both friendly and knowledgable. Haven't bought anything, so not sure about the prices. Very wide selection. Worth my hour and a half drive!
2119 Haslett Rd.
Haslett MI, 48840
Phone: (517) 339-1762
Website: http/preusspets.com/

Edit My favorite pick, locally - would be The Fish Tank. If I'm up for a decent jog, Preuss is wonderful.

 

[Tolak]

Park pets, 10400 s. Kedzie in Chicago. Family owned & operated, everyone knows their fish, I think they care more about their fish than customers. First place I've seen that wouldn't sell someone a fish without bringing in a water sample.

Had good luck with Big Al's online. Delivery is within a week, best prices around, had a $2 thermometer come in broken, they just credited my account, no questions asked, didn't want the broken one back.

Tolak

 

[rvm]

I've found maidenhead aquatics to be expensive
e.g
£4.00ea for giant danios
£3.85ea for golden white cloud minnow
thats like 250% above average in my area.

Agreed, but the other LFS around here are pretty poor!! I have Pets at Home (Nuff said!!!) and a couple of others that have dirty tanks with loads of dead fish, and just about every other problem that people mention on all those "Bad LFS" threads!!! I'd rather pay over the odds than get a fish cheaper that will die in two days and infect the rest of my tank and kill everything else!!!

 

[nirvanarama]

swallow aquatics in thetford, norfolk, UK

 

[the kipper]

maidenhead aquatics again! i go to the one nr newbury and the staff are fantastic very helpful and know their fish. They also are not snobby about the fish you buy ie: they will explain about platies etc for just as long as the more specialised fish which in some lfs' around here that doesn't happen they will also test your water before you buy any fish if its a new tank setup.

 

[HiggityHank]

All About Animals
381 John Fitch Highway
Fitchburg MA 01420

Not just an LFS, but also a caring pet store. All the fish, and actually, all of the animals are rediculously well cared for. The owners hand pick the fish stock, as opposed to having it shipped in. Very knowledgeable, extremely helpful, more than willing to go get ANYTHING special, and if you don't like the special order they bring in, you're not required to purchase it.

Really nice people too.

 

[The-Wolf]

just found another one

Heaver tropicals
Ash
Nr Sevenoaks
www.heavertropics.co.uk

they are about 20% cheaper than others in my area for fish.
For products they seem to be on parr with all the others.

 

[Fawke]

Well here in Essex we are pretty hard up on good fish shops.....

One has been open about 3 months and its great, only 10mins drive away too!
It is my LFS and will continue to be as long as its open.

Unfortunately business is pretty slow, and they always complain that ppl dont come in to buy. They come in, get good advice and go and spend their money in a larger, cheaper supplier.....
Bad news indeed, they're fish are top quality (although a little pricey), they're advice second to none and very friendly....

Fishy Friends Aquatics in Southernhay, Basildon.....
If you get a chance go there and spend lots of money if you can! save the only decent fish shop in reasonable distance....

Credit where credits due.....

 

[Inchworm]

Hi P.T.

Thanks for posting such an excellent thread. There are many fine lfs and they deserve to be recognized and patronized.

My favorite lfs is Aqua Hut in the Home Depot shopping center on Middle Country Road in Coram, NY.

I also shop at Country Critters on Rte. 112 in Patchogue and Magic Isle in the Walmart shopping center in Centereach.

They are all great stores.