Best LFS for fish!

[venom00viper]

Hey I am finally in the market for a new family member. Who has the best selection of unusual or out of the ordinary fish. I am new to the south fl area so I have no clue whos who down here. I don't want a cookie cutter store that sells yellow tangs and damsels in bulk. Something different. Thanks for your help!

-ben

 

[ghstrider]

venom, try big als as they are huge and have a good selection of unusal fish along with the cookie cutters. its in tamarac

 

[thacyko]

big gay als is ok but i like exotic aquatic in oakland park

 

[illal]

those were the 2 i was guna suggest

 

[venom00viper]

ok anyone have addresses? Those sound great. I can mapquest them but I have no clue where they are. Thanks guys for the suggestions!

-ben

 

[thacyko]

Big Gay Als is McNab and Univeristy, and Exotic Aquatic is on approx 500 E. Oakland Park Blvd about 2 miles East of I-95 on the north side of Oakland park just past the K-mart

 

[db_triggerfish]

This is the first post on our club forum, always on the top of the page.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1008599

After opening it with a spreadsheet you can click on the store names and mapquest opens to the store address.

 

[lildraken]

Petworld on university one block south of state road 84 has a great selection of fish. I've never bought fish from there but they're fun to look at and the prices are pretty low!

 

[Bernie21]

I would try Deep Reef aquariums if your down in this southern area!! they have great stuff!!

 

[Ding2daDong]

Fishes of Eden has some of the best fish. None of them have ich, and they look great. They get fish shippments from Hawaii.

-Matthew

 

[sixfins]

I would not reccomend Pet World, to many bad experiences with fish from there. Also heard a lot of bad stories, I haven't heard of any fish that survive from there. I'm sure some have to, but not a very large pecentage. I used to go there for FW stuff and am afraid to get any SW, since my problems were all with FW. They do have some good deals on equipment, but I do not trust thier livestock.

 

[ninjamini]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10797422#post10797422 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sixfins
I would not reccomend Pet World...

I would not buy anything there. Unless it was a true emergency. I go all the time for water both salt and ro. I test the salt but lack a tds meter to test the ro.

There tanks look awful. Dead fish, aptasia, algae...yuck.


The only reason I even buy water there is because of there hours and I can take a shopping cart right into the store. That way I don't have to lug water. Thats an idea for all other LFS. Have some wheels for us to lug water around.

 

[invertigator]

I hate to bad mouth, but I am home sick and the computer is right here, making it so easy. If you don't know what you are doing beware of petworld. They will sell you anything to make a buck. They sold me a mandarin knowing that my tank had just cycled and had nothing in it for the fish to eat. I did not know any better, I had just started back in the hobby. I bought it and about 10 days later he poor thing died of starvation. It was not one of the kids that sold it to me either. It was the guy in charge, son of the original owner. Really nice guy too.

 

[ninjamini]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10797549#post10797549 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by invertigator
...If you don't know what you are doing beware of petworld. ...

And if you do know what you are doind then you know enough not to shop there.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10797549#post10797549 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by invertigator
...They will sell you anything to make a buck...

Most, no not all but most stores will.


My favorite store was the one that used to be next to publix at pine island and 595. Back when I first started in salt water I wanted a eclipse 6 gallon because it fit on my bookshelf. I had convinced how little it would cost to my wife...no wait thats another story.

OK so I went to that LFS and told them what i wanted. Eclipse 6 gallon, 2 clowns and anemone. They told me to but the eclipse, the sand and a rock that day. Along with some pre-bottled water. Then come back the next day for the clowns and anemone.

Now I still have yet to get an anemone but dont they require more than 8 watts of pc? And dont that tank have to cycle...and isnt that too much bio load for a 6 gallon. Good thing I am in sales because I knew enough to know when I was being sold. I passed and learnt more b4 I bought.

 

[lildraken]

okay I was just kidding about petworld!

 

[AquaKnight]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10797448#post10797448 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ninjamini
...Thats an idea for all other LFS. Have some wheels for us to lug water around.

Barrier Reef uses carts for water, bring your empty container in, place it on the cart. Their staff will even load it into your car for ya.

 

[ninjamini]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10799513#post10799513 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by AquaKnight407
Barrier Reef uses carts for water, bring your empty container in, place it on the cart. Their staff will even load it into your car for ya.

Yea but I hate that store. The people that work there are creeps (here comes the legal) in my opinion.

 

[DiverDown80]

Walmart has these great water carriers - ON WHEELS - with a telescoping handle - and a spout!

They're great - hold 7.5 gals and they're sturdy - then you can shop where you want (or do it yourself).

 

[ninjamini]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10803265#post10803265 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by DiverDown80
Walmart has these great water carriers - ON WHEELS - with a telescoping handle - and a spout!

They're great - hold 7.5 gals and they're sturdy - then you can shop where you want (or do it yourself).

What??? R U kiddin? A water container on wheels. Why would anyone need that? Well besides me.

But then I was not lookin for a fix to a problem. I am fine gettin water there. Better than big als where I bought water to fill 90 gallons of tank Right thats $45 in water + 3 trips. Only to find out after filling that it was at 1.01. I was fumin. Base rock in. Sand in. Water tank full. There sign said 1.023 for there salt water...fine not high enough but ok. I called them and brought them a sample. Same day mind you that I bought the water. They told me that they cannot guarantee the salinity. ***!

 

[AquaKnight]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10800512#post10800512 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ninjamini
Yea but I hate that store. The people that work there are creeps (here comes the legal) in my opinion.

Really? They've been nothing but the most helpful to us. When we were looking at canopies for my 125, they even showed us some they had in the storage area in next door.