Which Pet Store do you like the most?

[Ahmad]

Hey Guys

I thought it would be nice to see where everyone shops to get fish and supplies so tell away!! B)

My Fav. Pet store is Petsmart! Even though we have private owned stores, The petsmart beside my home Has a great deal of selction. And the fish are healthy and happy they use 25g tanks unlike what other stores use (10g).

So My Fav is Petsmart!

What about you?

 

[rykitten]

Hi Ahmad,

My favorite store is called TATS Tropical Fish. They have the best selection (fish) and they are the only store I can find that around here has Crowntail Bettas. Their plants are also the best and they don't come with dreaded snails.

Second choice is PetSmart. They have the best prices and always have someone on duty in the fish section (unlike Petco).

 

[clutterydrawer]

my favourite is one near me called pet city. the staff are friendly, some of them are keen fishkeepers and always give good advice. sadly they only have a small shop so if there's something i need that they havn't got, i go to a different one called paws for thought...massive selection but not so friendly...ah well you can't have it all!

 

[Tropjunky]

i get my fish from madenheads aquatics

 

[kaosaeteurn9581]

I get my fish and supplies a Capital Aquarium in sacramento california The staff there are very nice and Knowledgeable. All there fish seem happy and heathy

They don't keep betta's in little containers like petsco and petsmart!!

 

[Fish Gal]

I don't really use Petsmart as they can be pricey and the staff aren't very knowledgeable. We don't have Petco in the UK.

I use several local independent places. One is Seapets which isn't the cheapest place around, but often has a few unusual fish.

Sometimes I go to Kesgrave Aquatics, which is basically a shed in this guy's garden - he's been a hobbyist for years and is a good source of advice. He only really does the bog standard stuff - goldfish, tetras, mollies, koi etc.

Then there's Rats, Cats and Elephants which is only a small place tucked in a garden centre, but again has knowledgeable staff and a few unusual fish. I get my bloodworm from there.

Finally, I've just discovered Swallow Aquatics who have several branches in the east of England with quite a large variety of coldwater, tropical and marine fish and accessories. They seem to know what they're talking about too.

 

[jacblades]

well the only fish at pecto are alwyas dead...i dont like investing in dead fish...
i get just about all of my stuff from foster and smith online.
if its an emergency or i need frozen food, i go to petsmart.

 

[3fsh]

My first choice for fish and fish supplies would definitely be a little store by us called "Butchies Feed and Pet Supply". The staff there are extremely friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable, and all of their animals are healthy and happy. They are more expensive, tho, and because their store is soooooo small, they usually do not have the types of fish I want. Therefore, my second choice would be Dolphin Pet Village (a little bit farther away). The staff there is not nearly as friendly or knowledgeable, but they have an enormous selection of fish and all of the stuff they sell is much cheaper. Petsmart/Petco have always been a last resort. I will only go there if I have an emergency and Butchies and Dolphin Pet Village are closed.

 

[Ahmad]

I had a feeling that Private owned fish stores are going to get the highest vote ....Since petsmart and petco (And other chain stores) Dont really care about the fish Just the Sale and the employees usually always give out wrong info on the fish and or the care of the fish.

My local Private owned fish store is Pet-O-Rama great place wondefull people....They Just dont have a good selection of the fish I want....

 

[Becca]

First, this is why I no longer shop at PetCo:
June's PETA complaints against PetCo

Read What PETA's doing with PetCo

.....
That having been said, I tend to buy from one of 2-3 LFS. Especially after the broken tank scenario, I'm a firm believer in keeping my hobby money invested in good LFS.

As for Equipment...If my LFS doesn't have the item at a reasonable price, and I'm forced to shop from a chain, I will visit PetSmart. But...I generally stick to only about 2-3 of the locations in my area. Both are great, but I prefer the familiarity I get from the LFS. Plus, not to bash PetSmart, my LFS's fish quality is better. (But then again, they specialize in JUST fish.)

 

[Grams]

privatly owned store all the way

 

[Dwarfs]

Magic Island, aquahut, petden, and petland are where I go

 

[steppy104]

my petsmart is actually alot better than some i hear about. there is hardly anything dead anywhere....even in the fish tanks. usually the only dead fish i see is in the feeder tanks. but of course a couple are going to die out of soo dang many. their betta's are in the cups, but i have yet to see a dirty cup, or a dead/sick betta. they are all quite active. i highly like my petsmart. it's the best place i can think of in my area.....i have found nothing wrong with them.

and to add to it all, they have friendly, knowladgble(sp?) staff whom are incredibly helpful.

 

[steppy104]

First, this is why I no longer shop at PetCo:
June's PETA complaints against PetCo

Read What PETA's doing with PetCo

ya, i read them links, and found nothing of the sort at my local petco....becca, since you live near me, you probably have been there yourself....maybe you have seen different?? but everytime i go there, i think the only problem they have is the betta's....everything else looks fine.

for some reason, betta's get the worst part in every pet store....not JUST petco.

 

[kaley822]

i used to shop at this cool place called "2001 a fish oddysey" (stupid name i know) i'm not sure if its a chain or not but i think not. They had good advice and a good selection of fish and plants. unfortunately, they are closing down and now i have o drive 30 minutes to get to another one.