Has Anyone Been to Aquarium Adventure?

[Fish Biscuit]

Has anyone on here been to Aquarium Adventure? They have 2 stores in the Chicago suburbs & 1 in Columbus, OH. It does look nice from the website, but I am wondering what it is like with them being owned by Petland.

I'm not shopping for anything major but am looking for a few florida ricordeas & sand sifting snails. Just don't want to give them my business & save the car ride if it's not worth it.

Thanks,
Michele

 

[organism]

Might wanna try your local reef club...

 

[Fish Biscuit]

From what I have found on a google search it's not the place to go. Overpriced for fish & dry goods. Staff got good reviews on knowledge, but they work on commission?! Fish are unhealthy though, a shame that a place w/ substancial financial backing can't get their crap together.

 

[thornious]

Been to the one in Columbus, over priced yes, but to be able to run over pick something up and not have to wait on shipping it is not bad. I do like to walk around and look at all the fish I am never going to own. Just like any other chain store they do it for the money nothing else.

 

[SkullV]

Been there. The livestock is unhealthy (and extremely overpriced) and the tanks are gross. The dry goods prices are high but they do have a huge selection of saltwater specific dry goods.

The only time to go there is during their 50% off sales. That puts the livestock just around the right prices. Some corals are even really well priced during the sales.

 

[Tyler10121012]

the one in NY LONG ISLAND WAS AMAZING...but it closed

 

[GreshamH]

I've been to several and everyone had very healthy stock... FWIW I have no idea which ones I went to, or even what state... I travel a lot and visit LFS as part of my job.

 

[Lorenz725]

I live by the one in Columbus. Sometimes they get some different things in and the only time I ever buy anything is when they have there 50% off sale twice a year. The one by me does not have very much coral I never bought coral from them but a few fish over the years. There dry goods are way over prices some times are 3 times more then what I pay at my small saltwater only LFS.

 

[a.browning]

I've been to the one in columbus. They have a pretty good seleciton, but as others have said, they are very pricey.

 

[Fish Biscuit]

Thanks everyone for the feedback. Might just be one of those places to check out for the sales & when you need something in a pinch.

 

[biecacka]

i live in columbus yes website is very nice. staff isnt that knowledgable and they often have dead fish or visually sick fish in the tanks.......and a premium price
corey

 

[jbanks]

Way too pricey and coral specimens in the New York store always looked like they needed to be rescued. They started off with some promise and just went downhill until they closed up shop.

 

[FlyFishJeff]

I live near the Aquarium Adventure in Columbus, and I agree that the staff is knowledgeable, their dry goods are way overpriced, and I typically only buy during sales (even then, I only buy inverts).

My wife and I were interested in a cool-looking scallop, and I really appreciated that the staff member recommended against it. He told us that, while the scallop was beautiful, it would be gone in a couple weeks once the fish figured out that it was quite tasty. He was definitely putting the customer first.

On the other hand, the coral looks terrible lately. Worst of all, there is bubble algae growing on many of the frags. I don't know anyone who would pay to introduce bubble algae into their DT.

I found a great local guy that has fantastic pieces of coral at very reasonable prices. You might want to check him out, his name is Brian. His website is uniquereefs.com.