OK, so I stopped in several different stores. Most of the shops were low on livestock. That's understandable. It happens occasionally. In general, the prices are a little higher than the big city shops in CA, but they are not outrageous contrary to popular belief.
The myth that CA is rammed full of LFS with cheap super exotic corals is false. There are a few shops (less than 20 statewide) that consistently get the best corals, but believe me, they do cost a pretty penny.
Southwest Saltwater:
This was the only shop opened on Monday. The staff was friendly. The shop was clean, and the displays were nice. The only exception being the top tier tanks. Those are hard to see in, and you need a ladder to look down on them. I think the livestock tanks in general are too high. They had some nice clams and decent corals at the time. The staff was excellent, knowledgeable and helpful.
What struck me was the selection of fish. They had nice specimens, that are typically hard to find. The pricing was very decent, and if I am guessing correctly, this shop experiences a feast or famine cycle with their livestock. I give this store high marks for layout and a presumptive high mark for livestock. There is nothing really negative about this store. I'd shop here a bunch if I lived here.
Majestic:
I was warned about the flatworms, but D-A-N-G. Yeah there are a bunch, but broad spectrum treatment would surely nuke every tank. I'd still buy corals there, but I would definitely give everything some FW Exit, even the fish.
The shop - Nice layout, and clean. It seems like parts are under construction, but the display tanks are nice. the prices are decent. The staff is excellent. The fish collection at the time was decent, but their coral selection was excellent. This is a GREAT shop for softies, and LPS. Their more expensive LPS was right in line with CA pricing. The display tanks were easy to gaze at.
Overall, I give this shop high marks for livestock, and good marks for what displays they had functioning. Great marks for staff, but a negative on the flatties. I'd stop in quite frequently for the LPS.
Oasis:
Definitely the odd duck of the bunch (but not in a bad way). The displays were very different from the other shops, and unlike the others, he carries a lot of dry goods. The shop was kind of a mess, and the displays (sorry Hector) are ugly. The livestock at the time was average, but it all appeared in EXCELLENT health. The fish looked healthy, as did the corals. Hector's ideas and methodologies (the ones he discussed with me) were very uncommon, but proven. These included the use of hydrogen peroxide on zoas and feeding fish sushi ingredients.
I give Oasis good marks on staff and knowledge. I give the livestock good marks for health, but average marks for selection. The displays are ugly IMO, but I was told that this was changing. The equipment he has chosen for his shop's switch over looked really nice. As the shop is now, I probably wouldn't swing by too often, but I would call in because this store seems to get some unusual items.
All in all, the peeps in Tucson have it pretty good. Your shops are not ultra grade in selection, but they definitely have plenty to offer. Bear in mind, I have to drive 2.5 hours to go to a shop that will blow me away. The pricing in Tucson is pretty good, and fish selection isn't too shabby. As the goat sucker said earlier, each shop has its strengths and weaknesses, and I'd stop by each one based on what I was looking for.
BTW, are acros outlawed in Pima County?
