LFS Reviews for Dade Broward Counties

[Pico Keeper]

I started this thread to see what everyone has to say about the fishstores they go to. I guess since this forum is 90% Dade and Broward we'll limit the review to stores in these counties.

Please Include:

- Store Name
- Location
- Size - Large Selection of stuff, or small store with just a few fish
- Customer Service - Friendly/Helpful Staff?
- Prices - $5 or $30 for a 1" peice of GSP? How are prices?
- Selection - Salt and Fresh? Lots of Tanks/Stands?
Suppliments/Foods? Do they sell more exotic corals?
- Services - Such as NSW, Custom Tanks, Tank Maintenance
- Misc - Anything else you want to add, such as they have an amazing 500 Gallon Stony Tank in the front.

 

[Pico Keeper]

I'll go first with the ones I know of in Miami, FL

Name - Gables Aquarium
Location - 8295 South Dixie Highway
Store Size - Small Store, but has everything you need
Customer Service - They have great customer service, and the employees have all been working there for a very long time. Unlike other LFSs, I think these guys know more then the others. Best in Miami IMHO.
Pricing - Prices are pretty average. They definately don't have any corals or fish with outrageous prices. They are very reasonable, and you definately find some great deals there from time to time.
Selection - They have alot of saltwater stuff, and a small fresh section. They also carry a decent selection of foods/supps
Services - They offer damn good maintenance programs, and also offer custom tanks/sumps/etc.. Great Glass work.

Great store to for corals and fish, and great for building custom glass, and more advanced stuff.


Name - Exotic Aquariums
Location - 7399 SW 40th St
Store Size - Larger Store, lots of space
Customer Service - Custom Service is great, they always ask if you need help. Unforunately they are not very experienced and sometimes offer bogus advice. I almost cried when one of them instructed me to build a plenum to filter my 5.5 gallon tank. HAHAHAHA!!
Pricing - Their Prices aren't bad for fish. But they're coral prices are absurd most of the time. $30 for tiny frags of Xenia?? Get real. Almost anything that's a decent sized frag will be expensive. Eg - 6 polyps of plain old red blasto is like $150 there.
Selection - Lots of corals, lots of fish, lots of inverts, TONS of drygoods, and a big freshwater section as well. Every Tank size you can think of is there.
Services - Not really too sure about that.
Misc - They also have a pond section, bettas, and 2 nice display tanks, one a stony the other a softie tank.

Decent Store to buy fish


Name - Amazing Aquariums
Location - 8343 Sw 40th St
Store Size - Pretty Big Store
Customer Service - You can tell this is a family run business because of how friendly they all are. They dont really have awesome advice if you were to ask, but they know enough to help beginners.
Pricing - Best Prices I've seen in Miami, large frags at great prices. I picked up a Blasto there with 5 huge polyps for $40, and an outrageous Purple Lobo for $45. Awesome coral prices.
Selection - Lots of corals, lots of fish, decent inverts, decent fresh, lots of drygoods, not too many tanks though.
Services = No Idea
Misc - They have a decent 1000 Gallon Tank, but everytime I go in there it looks worse. I wish they kept it up, last I saw it, it had a bad cyano outbreak. And its not very week stocked.

Great store to buy frags!!! But that's about it!



Name - Strictly Aquariums
Location - 83rd and Bird Road - Right next to Amazing
Store Size - Small Store
Customer Service - They've never been to nice to me there, or overly helpful in any way. Pretty Crappy IMO
Pricing - Prices are pretty average, maybe a tad on the high side.
Selection - Small freshwater section, unimpressive saltwater section. All their live rocks come covered in Massive aiptasia. I bought one coral from there and it came covered in flatworms, thank god I dipped.
Services - No Clue
Misc - Nothing

Not a bad store at all, but it doesn't really have any redeeming qualities. Staff is whatever, selection is ok, etc etc.. They need something.

 

[Rogger Castells]

Name - Coral reef pets
Location - Fort lauderdale
Store Size - very small store Store, limited space
Customer Service - Custom Service is great, they always ask if you need help. It is an owner operated store and Rob (the owner) aways give great advice, very knowledgable when it comes to reefkeeping
Pricing - Varies a lot, I guess it depends were they get their stuff from, I have purchased some awesome corals at a very decent price and also I have asked for prices for corals that were way expensive
Selection -average selection of corals, some fishes, very limited dry good selection but as limited as it is, it is mostly specialized reefkeeping items that most other stores don't carry
Services - I believe Rob does service.
Misc - Store could be tricky to find, look for the Flannigan's sign and the store is in the plaza next to Flannigan's.


Name - Big Al's
Location - Tamarac
Store Size - Super Larger Store, lots of space, awesome display tanks.
Customer Service - Custom Service is average you are usually greeted at the entrance, they always ask if you need help.
The store Manager is a very nice guy and seem commited to Customer Service and quality, I spoke to him once over the phone over a problem I had with one of his employees and he was very appologetic and took good care of me, on the other hand, Most of the workers are HS kids and although they try to be helpful in the most part they really don't know a Blasto from a Brain, The ones that are experienced seem to have a "we are the biggest" attitude and usually will treat you like "second class passengers" I guess they are too young to remember Eastern airlines and Pan-Am!
I once adviced the coral section manager that the price he was tagging the coral frags was too high as I had just come from Dania reef and saw similar to better corals for almost half the price, his exact words were "I really don't care what other people sell their coral" and walked away, Needless to say I stopped buying corals at that store.
Pricing - Varies a lot, it seem to be dependent on the stock market! the worst part is that they seem to have a problem with deciding the retail price and in occasions the stock is there but it cannot be sold because the one person who knows the "secret" formula to price the livestock has gone home already.
Selection - Lots of corals, lots of fish, lots of inverts, TONS of drygoods, and a big freshwater section as well. Every Tank size you can think of is there.
Services - dunno
Misc - they match their internet prices for dry goods but charge you shipping.

 

[Bret61081]

- Store Name Exotic Aquatic
- Location Ft Lauderdale (just east of 95 off Oakland pk Blvd)
- Size - Decent sized store, mostly salt
- Customer Service - Very, expecially the owner Rob, has been in business many years, knows what he is talkig about and gives great advise even if its not to his benifit
- Prices - Prices are fair, all depends on where it comes from. Prices are compairable to online, but Ive had excelent luck with livestock from here
- Selection - Very good. Always has in different stuff you dont see everyday(just got in 2 smooth hound sharks!). Mostly salt but does have some freshwater aswell. They have some corals but they are more known for their fish! Always 10-15 tanks/stand to choose from including the tank that hangs from the ceiling!
Suppliments/Foods? Pretty much anything you want he will stock it. He has pretty much everything I need and prices are about the same as everywhere else
- Services - They do do tank maintance but not sure about the details of it.
- Misc - They always have a great selection IMO. Usually pretty quick to get in special orders. He is working on a 350G tank for the front of the store but sadly the guy building it owes him money so its getting done as the guy feels! should be AWESOME when its done! Overall, well worth a visit!

 

[Speckled Grouper]

- Store Name: Reef Life
- Location: 5925 Ravenswood Rd (Anglers Ave), corner of Stirling
- Size : Smallish now, but they are moving hopefully by July 1st
- Customer Service: Very helpful and knowledgeable
- Prices: Adequate for the quality
- Selection: Saltwater only - great coral selection, good fish and invertebrates selection
- Supplements/Food : Very good selection
- Services: NSW, not sure on Tanks or Maintenance
- Misc: One of the best for SPS and LR, but also great LPS, softies, zoa's, etc.

I can't wait until they move, as it will cut my travel time by about 70%, I will probably "live" there........

 

[SouthFloridian]

I think an additional parameter should be added to all these "reviews":

Fish Quality
Coral Quality

I keep going to big Als and are usually disappointed with what I see.

The last time I was there, I saw three Ocellaris Clowns in three separate tanks, each with fatal cases of brooklynella. Most of the fish that I see there seem to always have ich.
The corals are usually half dead.

They seem to have a fast turnover with livestock, but any that aren't sold with-in 1 week, are destined to die (imho).