I'f finding you cannot trust local pet stores...

[revengeishere]

Yes, do try to find an all aquarium fish shoppe. I didnt know I was so lucky here, I got 3 really great fish/pet stores, around here in San Diego namely(based on my preferences, the last being the best): Aquatic warehouse, pet kingdom(they specialize in retiles, amphibians and fish, I got my SAEs from them and most of my plants), and Fountains aquariums(the best plant selection ever, from hard to find swords, to red plants...you name it, they have it.)

Ok' i'll stop, Im starting to sound like a TV ad announcer...lol.

I hardly ever shoppe for fish/plants at big retailers(other than doggie/ and kitty food...chep!).

 

[Where the river goes]

I've found that the better aquarium shops are in the northern parts of San Diego lol. I've found a petsmart that is great when compared to my other options, wal-mart and petco.

 

[wuwu]

in my many years of keepin fish, i don't think it's all that important if you keep 3 or more of a specific kind of schooling fish, such as cories and most tetras. i have kept many kinds of schooling fish before in groups of 6 or so and most of the time, they don't stick together unless they feel scared or threatened and that's why fish school in the wild, to survive not necessarily because they are social. i think it's more of a look thing, cuz it looks nicer to have groups of the same fish versus a tank with one of 20 different kinds of fish.

as said before cories willl basically eat whatever falls to the ground. glass catfish will eat flake food too. at least all the ones i kept ate it even though i have read that they only eat live food.

 

[revengeishere]

I've found that the better aquarium shops are in the northern parts of San Diego lol. I've found a petsmart that is great when compared to my other options, wal-mart and petco.

Yeah, Ive never been to walmart, but where are you located at? Pet kingdom and fountain's really great! The petco at clairemont good compared to the other petco ive been to, the guy who works there seems to really know what he is talking about.

 

[Where the river goes]

but where are you located at?

I'm in the southern part of San Diego. Officially it's called "Palm City" we're kinda wedged between Chula Vista and Imperial Beach.

 

[guppymonkey]

There are no aquarium stores in my area. Just pet stores that also sell aquarium supplies.

Most stores don't care about fish and don't know anything at all about aquariums. I went into one with nasty brown algae growing on the sides and front of the tanks so thick that you couldn't see through it. AND they told me that it was good for the tanks and that the fish would "eat the algae so we don't feed them anymore". I don't go to that store anymore.

 

[akhtar]

42g is a nice big tank, good luck!

feed em flake food and blood worms, thats a good veriety i guess