Douglas LEHMAN
Premium Member
Exotic Aquatics is not a supporting (CMAS) dealer.
2004 - 2005 Supporters Poll
- Thread starter makoshark
- Start date
On the CMAS website it lists Jim at Coral Paradise in Arlington Heights, but he's not on this survey? Is he a supporter, he seems like a great guy, great looking live stock and fair prices. I love having a shop so close to my house! I used to have to drive to Schaumburg not that it's far but this is definatly closer.
Douglas LEHMAN
Premium Member
Hello
Survey old/Coral Paradise new...
Jim is a CMAS supporter...
10% discount on all live stock and supplies...
Survey old/Coral Paradise new...
Jim is a CMAS supporter...
10% discount on all live stock and supplies...
paininthewrasse
In Memoriam
I agree. Jim @ coral paradise is a great guy
A Reef Scene
New member
I would pull petland no cmas discount.
nelsen
New member
some observations by a recent socal transplant about a few of the LFS in the area.
i recently moved to chicago and over the weekend went to a few of the stores to check them out, so i can decide which store to frequent for supplies and stock. my overall impression is sticker shock and disgust.
i checked out the following stores:
Advanced Aquatics: should be closed strictly based on how they keep their tanks. i have never seen a LFS that has their displays in such poor condition. substrate and LR covered with algae. tank water is cloudy and murky. i can only imagine how poor of condition the livestock are in these displays. livestock and supplies overpriced. fiji LR for $9/lbs - yeah right. another example of why 'chain stores' should not get into saltwater/reef - stick to FW and selling goldfish
Living Sea Aquarium: positive - very nice selection, knowledgable staff for the most part. seemed a bit 'eager' to sell anything and everything, instead of listening before making suggesting. only told them i was going to be setting up a 12g nano. biggest issue is price. compared to what i am used to paying for livestock they are 50-100% more.
Old Orchard Aquarium: positive- nice shop, knowledgeable, very nice selection. the best selection of coral of the stores i visited. negative- price. i was astounded by what they were charging for livestock. $80 for a 1" xenia frag, *** are u serious? back home i could get the same that was 3-4x's the size for $20-40 depending on the store. $20 for 3 green chromis, try on average of $10 for 5 back home. LR was priced decently - $5-6/lbs, but not a very large selection.
Reef Dweller: not at the 5858 Lincoln location. did they close or move? from what i've read they are the most reasonably priced. very interested in finding this shop.
overall i would have to say the owners of the LFS in the area are ripping people off. prices on average are 100% more than what shops in socal charge for the same livestock and dry goods. i dont think that the extra 2000 miles distance from LA-chicago constitutes a price increase of 100%. most of the livestock has already made the long journey from the south pacific to LA, so why the huge mark up? dry goods i will never purchase in a LFS here since there is an abundance of good online stores that carry the same lines of goods for essentially the same price.
LFS' major advantage over the online stores is that it allows customers the opportunity to see 'in person' the specimen before purchasing it. that does not give them the right to fleece the customer. at the same time it allow the store the chance to sell dry goods to the customer to further increase their sales and profit, but again dont gouge the customer.
at this point i would have to say i will be spending my money from shops online rather than giving my money to the area LFS owners that must be living in mansions based by the prices i saw
i recently moved to chicago and over the weekend went to a few of the stores to check them out, so i can decide which store to frequent for supplies and stock. my overall impression is sticker shock and disgust.
i checked out the following stores:
Advanced Aquatics: should be closed strictly based on how they keep their tanks. i have never seen a LFS that has their displays in such poor condition. substrate and LR covered with algae. tank water is cloudy and murky. i can only imagine how poor of condition the livestock are in these displays. livestock and supplies overpriced. fiji LR for $9/lbs - yeah right. another example of why 'chain stores' should not get into saltwater/reef - stick to FW and selling goldfish
Living Sea Aquarium: positive - very nice selection, knowledgable staff for the most part. seemed a bit 'eager' to sell anything and everything, instead of listening before making suggesting. only told them i was going to be setting up a 12g nano. biggest issue is price. compared to what i am used to paying for livestock they are 50-100% more.
Old Orchard Aquarium: positive- nice shop, knowledgeable, very nice selection. the best selection of coral of the stores i visited. negative- price. i was astounded by what they were charging for livestock. $80 for a 1" xenia frag, *** are u serious? back home i could get the same that was 3-4x's the size for $20-40 depending on the store. $20 for 3 green chromis, try on average of $10 for 5 back home. LR was priced decently - $5-6/lbs, but not a very large selection.
Reef Dweller: not at the 5858 Lincoln location. did they close or move? from what i've read they are the most reasonably priced. very interested in finding this shop.
overall i would have to say the owners of the LFS in the area are ripping people off. prices on average are 100% more than what shops in socal charge for the same livestock and dry goods. i dont think that the extra 2000 miles distance from LA-chicago constitutes a price increase of 100%. most of the livestock has already made the long journey from the south pacific to LA, so why the huge mark up? dry goods i will never purchase in a LFS here since there is an abundance of good online stores that carry the same lines of goods for essentially the same price.
LFS' major advantage over the online stores is that it allows customers the opportunity to see 'in person' the specimen before purchasing it. that does not give them the right to fleece the customer. at the same time it allow the store the chance to sell dry goods to the customer to further increase their sales and profit, but again dont gouge the customer.
at this point i would have to say i will be spending my money from shops online rather than giving my money to the area LFS owners that must be living in mansions based by the prices i saw
D
Deleted member 7065
This data is very old. Perhaps an admin can remove it so it can be replaced with an updated list with updated contacts.
Paul
Paul
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