Northern California Aquarium Shops

[brettandlyndis]

Hi all, my family and I are wanting to take a little drive from Fresno tomorrow to Northern California, in search of some good aquarium stores. We've talked about Sacramento, Bay Area, and San Jose area. I'm looking for a large selection of corals, and really wanting a Squamosa clam. Any input on where to go, and stores to visit would be much appreciated!

 

[bluecoyote79]

Diablo Corals in Concord, CA Reef Co in Fremont, Aquatic Collection in Hayward and Neptune Aquatics are your best bets.

Be sure to check out the Steinhart Aquarium in SF too if you haven't been recently.

 

[najluni15]

Neptune aquatics is my personal favorite. Have it been to diablo corals or aquatic collection yet. Neptune has huge selections and great prices

 

[swk]

Northern California Aquarium Shops

Neptunes, Diablo and ca reef company are all well worth the trip. Can't comment on the others as I haven't been. Every year on Father's Day, my wife and daughter take me to all the Bay Area reef stores for a shopping spree. One of my favorite days of the year lol. Being from Sonoma county - neptunes is a good 2 hour drive for us, so it's a special occasion to make the trip.

 

[brettandlyndis]

Neptunes, Diablo and ca reef company are all well worth the trip. Can't comment on the others as I haven't been. Every year on Father's Day, my wife and daughter take me to all the Bay Area reef stores for a shopping spree. One of my favorite days of the year lol. Being from Sonoma county - neptunes is a good 2 hour drive for us, so it's a special occasion to make the trip.

Yep, that's what my wife, daughter and son are planning for me for father's day. Take a nice drive, check out some reef stores, and have a great time.

 

[gblaszczuk]

+1 for neptune aquatics. Great selection and amazing prices.

 

[DivingTheWorld]

Diablo Corals in Concord, CA Reef Co in Fremont, Aquatic Collection in Hayward and Neptune Aquatics are your best bets.

Be sure to check out the Steinhart Aquarium in SF too if you haven't been recently.

Agreed on all of the above. These 4 are our premier Bay Area shops. All have good selection and helpful and knowledgeable staff. Plus they're in a row so you don't have to go out of your way.

There is one more shop that I stop by sometimes, mostly because it's the closest to where I live and that's Aquarium Concepts in Dublin. They have a decent selection and it's a big shop with lots to look at. But for quality and selection, I prefer the other 4.

 

[ThRoewer]

All of the above (though I've never been to Diablo so far).

I would also stop by at Baja Reef. They are on the way from Aquatic Collections to California Reef Co. so if you plan to visit those two it's not a detour.
They are for sure not the most spectacular on corals but they have often nice fish the other stores usually don't have or at least not that many to chose from.
They are also the best choice if you are looking for blue spot jawfish, passer or cortez angels as they catch them down in Baja themselves.
They also have regularly directly imported fish from the Solomon Islands, Costa Rica, Philippines, Fiji,... to name the most common.

If you come from the valley on 580 I suggest to hit them in this order (it's kind of my weekend tour):
Aquarium Concepts
Aquatic Collections
Baja Reef
California Reef Co.
Neptune Aquatics

There is also Keith's Coral Reefs, a small store in San Jose.

 

[ThRoewer]

Baja Reef had a large Tridacna squamosa when I was there today

 

[fishlee]

+1 aquatic collection huge selection of rare fish too

 

[swk]

Northern California Aquarium Shops

So the whole family had a blast yesterday. We did this same trip last year and I would have rated ca reef company the best last year. Although they were still RR then. In fairness neptunes was getting ready to move at that time as well.

This year after aquatic collection and ca reef company I was regretting how I chose to spend my day lol. Sorry to say ca reef company was the weakest of the bunch. Things were fairly sparse and no one could help me with the sps.

However, neptunes more than made up for it. The corals had great color, the selection was huge and the service was amazing. I know the owner sometimes checks this forum out so I just want to say thanks. You have a great thing going right now!

Aquatic collection was very nice. Very clean and very busy. Sps selection was so-so but the fish looked great.

 

[DivingTheWorld]

Sorry to say ca reef company was the weakest of the bunch. Things were fairly sparse and no one could help me with the sps.

I would agree this is my one complaint about Cal Reef Co. Their SPS selection is a bit limited and it seems there is only one guy who knows anything about them. I went to their grand reopening and there was only one guy who could tell me what the names of the sps were or what their prices were. I can't remember his name but I believe he is one of the owners. They do carry ORA frags though which most shops in the Bay don't.

Aquatic Collection is my go-to for fish. They have the most healthy fish I have experienced in the hobby. And nice selection too.

 

[brettandlyndis]

Thank you all again for your input! We had a blast on Saturday, going to 3 different stores. Aquarium Concepts, California Reef Co, and Neptune's Aquatics, and ended up hauling 12 new frags home. Really great time!

 

[anthonyvyeda]

sweet, i hope everything is doing well for you.

-Anthony Ca reef Co.

 

[brettandlyndis]

sweet, i hope everything is doing well for you.

-Anthony Ca reef Co.

Hey Anthony,

Really enjoyed your store! Got some great corals, at great prices! Everything looks great in the tank, opened up right away, and doing well!:dance: