The Best Fish Shops - North East England

[peter22UK]

where are they?

I have been to and rate highly

- Fish Alive in Sherburn, Durham

- Dobbies, Ponteland (Dobbies Birtley is not anywhere near as good)

- Chilton Aquatics - Chilton

- Betta Aquaria - Byker

- Pets At home - Metro Centre (improved from what it was....but its still an overpriced pets at home...with pets at home 'quality' fish)


where else

 

[the Guru]

I only know Fish Alive wich is good and a few other rubbish ones

 

[JulesNAndy]

peter barratts garden centre in gosforth is the best ive come across

 

[joecampbell]

sixhills aquatics in grimsby is the best by far, for a small lfs they have about 60 well maintained tanks with some spectacular fish, probs bit of a trek for u though

 

[iihay]

Heighley Gate in Morpeth is getting quite good. Some knowledgable staff can be found and some unusual fish recently. Marines have been excellent recently.

Iain

 

[Macko1968]

peter barratts garden centre in gosforth is the best ive come across

Odd, the one at Stockton is dire.

Paddock Farm Watergardens just outside Darlington has really impressed me.

 

[GSD]

I use fish alive often, never had a problem and the staff are helpful.

I have also been to the metro center pets at home, which is better than most P&H in the north east, the sunderland one is awful!

 

[kenny fish fanatic]

there's a one down Norton,richardson's garden centre on way to seaham,horns at shotton,and one on the edenhill estate royal arms,2 on the road into hartlepool,can think of the road,then pets at home in hartlepool,,so theres a few for you to look round,,kenny

 

[stonedcamel]

i go to chilton aquatics.... very good

 

[nitro7]

gosforth pets and aquatics,on wansbeck road,gosforth
small family shop,all tanks are clean,just a small shop but very helpful and if he has not got the fish you want he will do his hardest to get it for you

 

[rossyt99]

I can second Betta Aquaria, Byker + Chilton, + Gosforth Pets & Aquatics, behind Regent Centre area.....+ Tyne Valley Garden Centre, in Prudhoe have a good choice - all good quality ..... I went last week for first time and will be back.....

 

[monkeyhanger]

Agree with Nitro and Rossy on Gosforth Pets and Aquatics. The fish have loads of room in their tanks, all look healthy and lively.

The fish are generally only 50-60% of the price you would get them for at Peter Barratts at Gosforth Park, Dobbies at Ponteland, or Pets at home in the Metrocentre or Cramlington.

The bigger stores can wow us novices with their volume and variety, but when you look closely at the general health and behaviour of the fish - you can tell a lot of them aren't happy and you will always find a dead fish in at least 5 of the tanks in the big firms listed above.

At Gosforth Pets and Aquatics you get decent advice, and dont wait 25 mins in a queue to get served like you can at Peter Barratts. Peter Barratts always have their Bettas bagged within a tank to segregate from the other tankmates. I don't like this - I prefer to see the Betta roaming with it's tankmates so that you can get an idea of it's temperament to make sure you're not getting a radgy one. Must be better for the Betta to be given the room to roam too.

 

[forby3]

Betta Aquaria i go there a hell of a lot never had any probs with them although they dont sell many malai cichlids bu they do have a wide choice of fish and fish equiment

 

[monkeyhanger]

Betta Aquaria i go there a hell of a lot never had any probs with them although they dont sell many malai cichlids bu they do have a wide choice of fish and fish equiment

Forby - North Shields? Me too!

I know about Gosforth Pets and Aquatics as I pass it to go home from work. Never been to Betta Aquaria though. Most shops are still too expensive to get the non live stuff from though. For anything such as large bottles of meds, liquid test kits and 200g tubs of food, Ebay is still the place to go. Most of that stuff is grey imported from USA where they pay about a third of what we do for those items.

 

[rossyt99]

> I'm always 'championing' the quality of Fish and level of knowledge provided at Betta Aquaria; the Marine choice is superb and every Tropical fish I get from them lasts far longer than elsewhere; the building to the right is where the very helpful older couple will answer any query and this is where the tanks & decor are kept.
.... it's not that easy to find, if you don't know the area - but once you know the way it's alright to find again. (It's behind Shields Road at the North end of the road off the first set of Traffic lights, then follow the road around.)

.......Address details;

Map Link; http/www.multimap.co.nz/maps/?qs=Byker%2...|savedfavourite

Betta Aquaria
27-29 Denmark Street
Byker
Newcastle Upon Tyne
Tyne and Wear
NE6 2XF

Tel: 0191-265-4018