Wholesale Tropicals, Bethnal Green Road

[MermaidMel]

So after many years of thinking I have to go there, I finally got around to it today, wow was I disappointed. I've heard lots of people rave about its quality and the size of the shop, but it really was just another store to me. The only thing I particularly noticed was a better range of micro species and shrimp than I usually see and whilst there were some monsters available (and rays) their tank conditions were just depressing. Not dirty, but tiny and the large ray was swimming in circles but not round sideways, but like a big wheel, up and over, was very sad to see.

I did buy a siamese fighter, some sort of porcupine snail (Gary, for the kids!) and an elephant nose, but some of the prices were very hiked, even more dear than Wildwoods and Amwell, that's saying something! Congos - £10 each! I buy them for £1.85!! 6 black neons - £9, I buy them for 99p each! Not saying it wasn't ok in there, just wasn't what I was hoping for and wouldn't bother going back because anywhere in Crews Hill, or Amwell, is just as good

 

[crazychris]

They're known for having a very wide range of Corys.

 

[pauld]

i love crewes hill but dont you think all the shops there set there prices about the same .

 

[MermaidMel]

In Crews Hill there is a very wide range of prices. The best prices are before you get to Crews Hill off the A10 before turning right, a shop on the corner called Water World. I did see a few species of cories, but wouldn't have said it stood out that this was their speciality and Amwell has the same range. What I am irate about is the size of the tanks for the monsters and rays, they could have given them bigger space.

 

[pauld]

i know water world well i live 5 mins from it it is the worse shop in the area i would advise anyone to give it a wide berth .

 

[england]

I know what you mean, i went to the aqautic design centre on portland street, was very disapointed,i heard alot of people say it was good,so i built up my hopes a little to much It reminded me of another shop down here which i avoid at all costs...

 

[MermaidMel]

i know water world well i live 5 mins from it it is the worse shop in the area i would advise anyone to give it a wide berth .

I don't avoid it, because I know how to pick a healthy fish, I don't know how they manage to keep their costs down so much. I am not impressed that they sell dyed cories, but I can pick holes in any shop, for a number of reasons. Even the best shops do the most unthinkable things to sell fish. I am yet to honestly say I have never been upset by something I see in any LFS. It is a business at the end of the day and they will do whatever it takes to sell fish.

 

[pauld]

hi mermaid mel im not saying you dont know how to pick healthy fish but do you know there history ? im new to this forum and dont know how to pm but if you would like to know how they keep there costs down contact me ive lived near that shop for twenty years , it might change your mind about it.

 

[flix_cw]

Ok well if people think the aquatic design centre and wholesale tropicals are both rubbish will someone please suggest a better shop in north london that i can get to without a car???

I really haven't seen too much wrong with either shop but maybe i just haven't witnessed fishy heaven yet...

 

[chrisbassist]

All fish Shops are bad in one way or another. Bad selection, poor conditions, dirty tanks, over crowded tanks, high prices, bad staff, bad manager, no quarantine, diseased fish, etc

if you can find one that has absolutely nothing wrong you deserve a medal.

Sure some are better than others but don't go in search of the perfect shop. I personally love the goldfish bowl in Oxford, but others have expressed their dislike for some over crowding, and I'll be the first to admit they're not the cheapest.

What makes things worse is when a few people like a shop they will all say how great it is, and when you spot that one thing you don't like, there is no way it can live up to the expectations that have been set. So don't worry.
If you like a shop, and you are happy you can get the fish you want and can get healthy ones. Ignore everyone else and just go there anyway.

 

[MOW4T]

think yourselves lucky try only having 3 or 4 lfs's with all the same stock, we dont get micro anything or monster anything

 

[flix_cw]

if you can find one that has absolutely nothing wrong you deserve a medal.

If you like a shop, and you are happy you can get the fish you want and can get healthy ones. Ignore everyone else and just go there anyway.

Well said buddy!

 

[pauld]

dont think there is a fishy heaven but you can get to crewes hill by train from north london loads of fish shops to choose from great day out and the pub there is worthe a visit specialy if your not driveing .

 

[flix_cw]

dont think there is a fishy heaven but you can get to crewes hill by train from north london loads of fish shops to choose from great day out and the pub there is worthe a visit specialy if your not driveing .

Sounds great! Will have to go one free saturday...

 

[MermaidMel]

Crews Hill is a good place to go for lots of good shops in one street.

Point I am making about Wholesale Trops isn't really that I think it's a bad shop, or doesn't compare to X, Y or Z, just how shocked I was at how many countless times I've read people hyping it up and I can honestly say it wasn't what it had been hyped up to be IMO of course, everyone's is entitled to their own opinions. I would have rated Maidenhead Aq. higher and also Wildwoods just about higher but only because they house their monsters marginally better, I think Wildwoods has gone downhill over time, they seem to concentrate on specialist species and the community section has fallen by the wayside a bit. But of course was not advising anybody not to go anywhere they are happy with, just offering a flipside review that's all