Where do you buy your fish?

[Son Of Skyline]

Besides J&L, where do you all buy your fish? I've been out to King Ed Pets and Big Al's, but the fish don't seem as healthy sometimes and the selection isn't as good as J&L. Nothing wrong with J&L (that's where I get most of my stuff anyway) but just wondering if there's anywhere else you all recommend for quality, selection, and price. Thanks!

[BCOrchidGuy]

I've never had a fish die that I bought from King Ed.... Big als... fish have died at the till..... and on the way home.. and during acclimation... etc..

Point to remember... avoid fish that normally have dark colour body with small white dots, it is very hard to see the Ich...

When I say I've never had a fish die I bought from King Ed thats not entirely true, eventually they die after a couple years depending on the fish... I did loose all my fish though that I bought at King Ed just recently they were all healthy appearing and happy until I added an Orange Shoulder tang that I DID NOT get from King Ed... it was the first fish I added in over a month... it died with in 48 hours and everything else was dead with in another 48...

Now I isolate my new fish... all... 3 of them so far....

[Troy F]

Mason, I'd shop around at all of them. I've seen good livestock at most of them. I have fish from J&L's, Paul's, Big Al's and Animal House. I've lost fish from all of those places too.

Doug, you're making it really hard not to say what I'd like to about "your favourite fish store", give it a rest already. How long have you been in the hobby that you have such a high opinion of "your favourite fish store"? It sure didn't take me long to figure out my opinion on what makes a good store but I'll give you a hint; it ain't price.

[BCOrchidGuy]

I appreciate your comment and your concern Troy, I've been in the hobby for about 19 years, I took a few years off while in the Navy... they frown on aquariums on destroyers, go figure.

My opinion of a good fish store is simple, one that sells stock at a competitive price, one that has knowledgable staff, and one where the fish don't die with in 48 hours of getting them home.

Fish do die, and fish from a store can bring diseases into your tank, regardless of how great the store is. It is an unfortunate thing, sorry that you feel motivated to express your lack of respect for my opinion, the give it a rest already comment is not called for, I could say the same thing about the respected store everyone seems to like so much where I bought the one fish that wiped out my aquarium...

[Troy F]

No you couldn't, the reason everyone likes J&L so much is that they're a great store.

[Bob I]

I am really beginning to feel that buying livestock is a crap shoot. Recently I bought Royal Gramas from two local stores. The first one from store #1 went into hiding, and lasted a week. The second from store #2 was dead the next day. I went back to store #2 because I like punishment, and bought another. It has been as good as gold. The fish is with me today, it has grown a lot. I had similar experiences with Six Line Wrasses. I bought one from store #1, it was gone quickly. I went back and bought another from the same store. It keeps the RG company, and is fine. I have bought four fish sight unseen online from your favorite store. All are fine. :onfire:

[steve-s]

I agree with rcipema for the most part, buying fish online or instore is not always a guarantee that the fish will do well in your aquarium.

Even some of the best stores still have deaths. The one thing that sets the better stores apart from the others is the arrive alive guarantee. That tells me at least they are confident in what they are selling and also how well they are cared for. If the store was more interested in the get 'em in and get 'em out philosophy, then there would be no such guarantee.

The best thing you can do before buying any animal, fish or otherwise is know what you want before you buy it and understand the care of that animal. I have many times been at an LFS and seen people look at a fish and say OH!! isn't that cute. It gets bagged up and quite probably is dead after a week. Not to suggest that is the case here, but it does happen.

Many think as well that it is up to the LFS to inform the buyer, I disagree. I think it's great that the LFS is able to offer insights into what they are selling, which may suggests a better level of care on the part of the LFS, but it is ultimately the responsability of the buyer to know before hand. If not, ask them what they do know. Most often they will not offer advice unless asked and even then it is rarely accurate.

Cheers
Steve

[StirCrazy]

I took a few years off while in the Navy... they frown on aquariums on destroyers, go figure.


Bah we have had on on the Algonquin for 4 years now :lol:

Steve

[PHILZ22]

hi,
Welcome me :lol: thx

I had good luck buying fish from J&L Aquatics, and Paul's Aquarium in Surrey.
J&L Aquatics use copper in their tank so caution must be taken.

Paul's Aquarium sells excellent quality fish. Never had one die from there. All look very healthy.

[Troy F]

Paul uses Cu in his fish system too.

[zulu_principle]

Don't all the fish stores and wholesalers use some type Cu product ?

Come on Troy, tell us what you think.....


Wendell

[Aquattro]

I think they do...

[BCOrchidGuy]

Troy, I never said J&L isn't a great store.... I don't know why you think that I did say that but I didn't. I still shop there. BUT it isn't the only fish store in the Burnaby area. There is also perky's pets in new west, I bought a nice Frontosa Mpimbwe there. I also bought some nice daffodil brichardi there. I've never bought marine fish from them so I can't comment on their fish or inverts but I did have good luck with the freshwater stuff.

As far as copper goes, Cu is useless to almost everything except inverts at a less than medicinal dosage from my understanding. Why these places use copper in their system is beyond me, from what I understand they may as well be using antibiotics for a short period of time. I think it does nothing good for the fish, and in the long run it MAY (notice I didn't does) contribute to harder to treat parasites/protazoa's and other nasties.

Thats just my opinion, if you don't like my opinion why not ban me from posting, if not why not give it a rest.

[BCOrchidGuy]

Steve, the algonquin was still on the East coast when I got out of the Navy, so we never had any of that rebelious east coast influence...

Once though on Armed forces day, we had all our families on the ship and we went out for a cruise. Some yahoo's wife brought one of those pocket dogs on the ship and when we went to do a drill the dog got scared from the alarm, jumped out of her coat, hit the deck.. then a few seconds later went splash... We actually did a man overboard to get the dog... The XO went over the mic, Dog overboard Dog overboard port side, ships diver and boat crews to stations... lol

I was on the Yukon and before that the Columbia, both of which are now artificial reefs. I've been able to dive on both while teaching advanced deep diving courses and I did a penetration while on a technical course through International Nitrox and Technical Divers, it was very strange moving down burma flats...

[Bob I]

Rookies, I was on the New Glasgow. She was probably turned into Japanese razor blades before your ships were built. :razz: :razz:

[BCOrchidGuy]

New Glasgow?? was that when Alberta had a Navy? lol.. seriously, I don't beleive I've heard of her, mind you I'm only 41.

[Bob I]

New Glasgow?? was that when Alberta had a Navy? lol.. seriously, I don't beleive I've heard of her, mind you I'm only 41.

How about the other Frigates in out squadron,? Beacon Hill, Stettler, Ste Therese, Jonquierre, Antigonish, and one more I have forgotten?

[BCOrchidGuy]

Holy smokes, Don't ask me.... I have trouble remembering the ships in my squadron

[EmilyB]

When I say I've never had a fish die I bought from King Ed thats not entirely true, eventually they die after a couple years depending on the fish...

:rolleyes:

I think they should live a minimum of 12 -14 (could be 50 for a tang) based on my mentors, however I am rethinking that and expecting longer now, since my oldest are the four years old that they have lived here (tangs mostly)....

[EmilyB]

And, I guess as a footnote here, what I really want to say, is......take a really good look at the way you care for your fish, before blaming a LFS for their demise. :confused:

[Troy F]

Don't all the fish stores and wholesalers use some type Cu product ?

I don't know, I just know that J&L do and I think Paul mentioned it sometime ago too. I know some places have live rock in with their fish so I assume they don't.


Come on Troy, tell us what you think.....

You don't really want that do you?

[StirCrazy]

Holy smokes, Don't ask me.... I have trouble remembering the ships in my squadron

well if you were on the Yukon, there would also be the Qu'appelle, the Mackenzie and the saskatchewan.

I was on the New Glasgow. She was probably turned into Japanese razor blades before your ships were built.

Damn your going back a ways.. must make you about 80ish :eek: by the way, thanks for the e-mail, made my day :lol:

Steve

[BCOrchidGuy]

Yep the Mac and the Sask.. barely remember the Apple though.. I probably never got drunk on her...but there was this one ship from New Zealand... wow, good rum

[smokinreefer]

hey mason,
if you make educated purchases and choose healthy specimens, a fish from any of the above mentioned stores should be fine.
i think JL has an edge b/c they deal with strictly saltwater.
but i have seen healthy, interesting specimens at the other stores as well.

[terryp01]

Not that I live in Vancouver or am part of the Reef Club but I thought I would post a reply.

The interesting fact is most LFS purchase their fish from the same sources. You will find some that buy from some unheard of wholeseller or can get really rare fish but they all ususally have a commen vendor. I have purchased many fish since 1999 wholesale from the same vendors. IME, what makes for the best fish is one that is not bagged for too long.

There is a particular vendor that ships the same day you order and I can usually have them in my tanks the same day (around midnight). I have never lost many fish this way. However, the same vendor shipped some fish and the airline bumped the cargo in Arizona and they arrived around 3:00 pm the next day. What wasn't dead when I received died within 24 hours.

I think Troy hit the nail on the head. What makes a good fish store is not price. While, as a hobbiest and website owner, price is very important to drive the business and my pocketbook, it can also cost you thousands of dollars (that would be millions in Canadian :mrgreen: ).

I quarantine every fish (even the three dollar ones) a MINIMUM of two weeks before I sell them. Think that increases the cost of fish to my clients? (HINT: YES). However, if the fish dies after leaving my tank I can guarantee that it was not due to an illness.

I, like other people, also have a tendency to want to see the fish or coral in my tank as soon as possible. However, I know the minute I put an unquarantined fish in my tank, the risk is mine and shame on me.

To answer the previous post about all LFS using Cu, I cannot speak about Canadian stores but the ones I visit do not. Some fish cannot tolerate copper and would be dead in a matter of hours if exposed. There are numerous ways to battle the diseases and not all are chemical.

[Bob I]

I quarantine every fish (even the three dollar ones) a MINIMUM of two weeks before I sell them. Think that increases the cost of fish to my clients? (HINT: YES). However, if the fish dies after leaving my tank I can guarantee that it was not due to an illness.

It may increase the cost of the fish, but that is still less than losing two $25.00 fish within two weeks of buying them, before getting one that lived. In my case I would rather have paid $50.00 (okay $2.00 US :mrgreen: ) for one , and have it live than $75.00 for three of which only one lived. :2gunfire:

[Troy F]

...it can also cost you thousands of dollars (that would be millions in Canadian :mrgreen: ).



LOL, I haven't really been paying attention but didn't our dollar come up a couple of pesos recently?

Could you describe your business Terry? Do you/can you ship to Canada?

[Aquattro]

Terry, do you really have a black-tipped shark for sale??? We never get the cool stuff here!! :biggrin:

[terryp01]

I do not have any at the present time but they are available.

[StirCrazy]

Terry, do you really have a black-tipped shark for sale??? We never get the cool stuff here!! :biggrin:

you just going to keep overflowing your tank till the basement suite fills up and then put a shark down there? :eek: :wink:

Steve

[BCOrchidGuy]

lol

[GregJ]

Terry, do you really have a black-tipped shark for sale??? We never get the cool stuff here!!


They have them for sale at big al's in burnaby for $2000

[GregJ]

Terry, do you really have a black-tipped shark for sale??? We never get the cool stuff here!!


They have them for sale at big al's in burnaby for $2000

[terryp01]

That about the same price I sell them for, usually 1,200.00US.

tp

[1bigstud]

where is pauls??

[GregJ]

Paul's Aquarium is in surrey, by the costco

[dsyms_1]

both me and my g/f just set up a saltwatertank with the great asistance of paul's aquariums in surrey. he runs a shop that has excellent customer service as well as a great selection of salt water & fresh water fish. i believe that paul goes above and beyond what most stores would do for there customers. i would definitely reccomend taking a look at what paul has to offer. he is a shop owner that enjoys what he is doing and has passion for the hobby, this is evident in the service that he provides for the customer.

thanks to paul for everything he has done to make this such a great experience for me and my g/f

dave & tamara

:smile: :biggrin:

[reefknight]

Lets talk stores
I buy at several stores now and have been around since the begining of saltwater in BC. Here comes the history lesson.there were three guys that started selling saltwater in bc more than 25yrs ago. one was Paul's Aquarium other was my Boss (Pacific Tropicals) who was a wholesaler and me. I maintained the 275 tanks both fresh and saltwater.

Go figure I buy at pauls now because he is the most experienced.
J&L is a newer store and started in the hobby as one of Paul's customers.
J&L I buy reef janitors from (His prices are best there)
But every fish I bought from J&L has died soon after but his coral selections are very good and hold the test of time. Now his live rock is another thing, it's dead (no light on tanks?) He also seems to be trying to build a customer base buy undercuting the other stores...will it last?

Big Al's - there tanks often don't get the care they need so I often see dead fish in the tanks....I'm not buyin there because of this and same thing, most of his live rock tanks are poorly lit so most rock is dead.

Of course there is a lot of other stores with both good and bad records. Store choices are all up to the buyer and the opions are purely my own and based on my past and present experience, just thought you needed to know a little salt history in BC :lol:

[Quinn]

I bought my rock from J&L and it's the livest stuff I have ever seen. If you refer back to my past post on algae and hitchhiker you will see that I had nasty dictyota, not so bad sargassum, starfish, crabs, snails, chitons, worms, zoanthids, encrusting SPS, nudibranchs, etc. The algae problem has gone away but I am constantly finding new critters almost a year later.

[LostMind]

Hmmm, the LR I got from JL is better looking then anywhere else I have seen.

When I was at Paul's, he only had 4 saltwater tank (well, 4 main tanks and a couple of tiny little tanks for inverts). No LR and not much selection.

But I did have a good chat with Paul, he seems like a nice guy.

JL has better selection and healthier livestock then most other stores. Plus, price is pretty good there. Not to mention, the guys there give me good advice.

I have been to the following stores:

Big al's (coquitlam and richmond)
King Ed's
JL
Pauls
Superpet
Petcetera

JL tops that list in my mind. Then I'd have to say King Ed simply because the others have no selection or dead fish all over.

Any shops I am missing?

[UnderWorldAquatics]

I have been to many of the stores on the lower mainland, as far as rock goes, I have yet to see any rock I would spend a dollar on.... That may be because I get in some pretty spectacular show rock, but hey, I sure dont sell it for $5.99/lb, $8.00/lb is my starting price for rock, "my" show rock starts at $10.00/lb and goes up to $15.00 for lagoon rock. I deal with alot of high dollar fish so I keep live rock in with my fish, only sick fish get medicated, my fish are expensive, I feed them the best, they are kept in good healthy tanks, I take extra care for them and customers pay through the nose for this service, tanks that I maintain have a 6month livestock guarantee. You get what you pay for.... I just pre-sold a group of blacktips for a tank Im building, as well as a group of minature hammerheads for another tank, very cool fish. Back on topic, I personaly think some stores are shooting themselves in the foot with their price slashing, it would be much better for the hobby to raise prices to a reasonable level and maintain healthier enviroments that raise overhead prices, price slashing, and the unwillingness to spend a reasonable amount on livestock, to me just shows lack of care for the precious creatures we are trying to care for, people act like livestock is a dime a dozen and will never run out, I can say for a fact that this hobby wont continue to run like it currently does driving itself into the ground... On another note out of the store on the lower mainland that I have been to, I rate them all very comparable, I have seen great, and crappy livestock at all locations, its part of the business, I just dont like it when stores flog sick fish, and I would prefer to buy fish from a tank system that dosent hold any sick fish. Like Bob said, some would rather pay alot more for something well cared for and healthy, I think all hobbiests should have this frame of mind but I dont think Im going to sway many minds...lol
You get what you pay for, period.........

[Quinn]

My rock is that cheap Kanai stuff. I've heard it's just Jakarta rock under a different name.

[LostMind]

Hey Underworld - I personally would pay a lot more for livestock if it was in better condition and gave me more selection.

But, its not my choice and not in my hands to make that decision.

[Bob I]

Lets talk stores
I buy at several stores now and have been around since the begining of saltwater in BC. Here comes the history lesson.there were three guys that started selling saltwater in bc more than 25yrs ago. one was Paul's Aquarium other was my Boss (Pacific Tropicals) who was a wholesaler and me. I maintained the 275 tanks both fresh and saltwater.

I wonder if your history is complete. I lived in Vancouver in the late seventies. I bought my fish from a guy in what I think was Burnaby. I remember it was on a main road with a bus line on it. If I had a Vancouver map I might remember better. My memory is a bit hazy. :rolleyes: I lived on Harwood , and used to go across a bridge, and head East I think down Main for a ways then turn left. That's all I can remember. :confused:

[StirCrazy]

. Now his live rock is another thing, it's dead (no light on tanks?)

, most of his live rock tanks are poorly lit so most rock is dead.



bacteria and bugs don't need light to live at all some of the ost populated rock I have came from a dark refuge that was set up for critter life instead of algae. in face the rock that was in 24 hour darkness had more pods and such onit than the rock that was in the main tank.

the definitation of live rock is slowly getting misscrewed towards rock that has algae and other "corals" on it instead of the true form which is rock that has been hosted by bugs and backteria and is capable of removing nitrates from the water due to the bacteria hosting in it.

sure the other stuff is pretty but all rock will go like that if you introduce one little chunk of plant/algae covered rock into your system.

Steve

[Samw]

Anyone remember the one on Hastings and Willington around mid 1980's? No live corals or liverock back then. My fish-only tank was decorated with only a decorative bleached white fire coral skeleton. I still still have that skeleton; now used as decor for my dining room shelf. Marine aquariums have come a LONG way in a short period of time.

[EmilyB]

Crap, you're really old eh Sam.... :razz: :lol:

[Samw]

Lets talk stores
Here comes the history lesson.there were three guys that started selling saltwater in bc more than 25yrs ago. one was Paul's Aquarium other was my Boss (Pacific Tropicals) who was a wholesaler and me.

Reefknight, did you own the one on E. Hastings and Willingdon? If not, which one are you referring to? That one and Paul's were the only ones that I can remember. Fraser Aquarium experimented a little with saltwater but that didn't work out. There was a little shop in Middlegate Mall that sold marines but they are no longer there. A few Pet Habitats had some but no longer.

[Samw]

Crap, you're really old eh Sam.... :razz: :lol:

Oh yeah, and my tank was lit by 4 incandescent bulbs and I was running a Fluval cannister filter and an undergravel filter.

[StirCrazy]

Crap, you're really old eh Sam.... :razz: :lol:

Oh yeah, and my tank was lit by 4 incandescent bulbs and I was running a Fluval cannister filter and an undergravel filter.

:eek: they had incandescent bulbs then :mrgreen: I was going to ask how many candle power your first tank was :biggrin:

Steve

[BCOrchidGuy]

gee and I thought having a salt tank in 1980 made me an old timer....

Doug

[reeffisher]

Lets talk stores
I buy at several stores now and have been around since the begining of saltwater in BC. Here comes the history lesson.there were three guys that started selling saltwater in bc more than 25yrs ago. one was Paul's Aquarium other was my Boss (Pacific Tropicals) who was a wholesaler and me. I maintained the 275 tanks both fresh and saltwater.

I wonder if your history is complete. I lived in Vancouver in the late seventies. I bought my fish from a guy in what I think was Burnaby. I remember it was on a main road with a bus line on it. If I had a Vancouver map I might remember better. My memory is a bit hazy. :rolleyes: I lived on Harwood , and used to go across a bridge, and head East I think down Main for a ways then turn left. That's all I can remember. :confused:

Well did I not say we sold wholesale? so the store you bought from most likly bought from us :cool:

[reeffisher]

Anyone remember the one on Hastings and Willington around mid 1980's? No live corals or liverock back then. My fish-only tank was decorated with only a decorative bleached white fire coral skeleton. I still still have that skeleton; now used as decor for my dining room shelf. Marine aquariums have come a LONG way in a short period of time.

your talking about Paul's old location, he was the man then

[reeffisher]

most of the stores you talk about from the old days were all our (Pacific Tropical / Spruce Capital Supplies) customers
like I said we started saltwater or most of it here in BC

any more questions?

[Samw]

Anyone remember the one on Hastings and Willington around mid 1980's?

your talking about Paul's old location, he was the man then


I remember Paul's location on Kingsway. The store that I was trying to remember the name of is on E. Hastings between Willingdon and SFU.

[Samw]

most of the stores you talk about from the old days were all our (Pacific Tropical / Spruce Capital Supplies) customers
like I said we started saltwater or most of it here in BC

any more questions?


OK, I misunderstood. When you said 3 people started selling Marines, I wrongly assumed you meant 3 different businesses. It sounded from your message that Paul's was 1 of them, the wholesaler Pacific Tropicals was 2nd one, and you were 3rd one. This was probably what Bob thought as well. We didn't realize that you worked for the wholesaler. We thought you had your own retail business.


Here comes the history lesson.there were three guys that started selling saltwater in bc more than 25yrs ago. one was Paul's Aquarium other was my Boss (Pacific Tropicals) who was a wholesaler and me.

[Quinn]

bacteria and bugs don't need light to live at all some of the ost populated rock I have came from a dark refuge that was set up for critter life instead of algae. in face the rock that was in 24 hour darkness had more pods and such onit than the rock that was in the main tank.

the definitation of live rock is slowly getting misscrewed towards rock that has algae and other "corals" on it instead of the true form which is rock that has been hosted by bugs and backteria and is capable of removing nitrates from the water due to the bacteria hosting in it.

sure the other stuff is pretty but all rock will go like that if you introduce one little chunk of plant/algae covered rock into your system.

Steve

Damn Steve, lots of insightful posts this evening. And your spelling is doing great! Except for "definitation" (sounds like something a sociologist would think up) and "misscrewed" (may involve large quantities of alcohol and...).

[saltcreep]

Hey Sam...is the store you were of Sees Aquarium. There was also Billy's which has morphed a few times into what is now Rainforest Pet Spectrum. Hope this helps.

[Samw]

Yeah, See's doesn't sound familiar but Billy's sounds familiar. Are they still in business as Rainforest Pet? Do they sell marines? I remember they converted half the store to selling bikes so yeah, I see what you mean when you say it morphed a few times. Thanks.

[Gazza]

Sam,

I think youi were talking about Joe's Aquarium (sold it to Billy's)
around 1987. on Hastings. Further down Hastings was a great little shop called The Tropical Hut. One block off of Willingdon @ Hastings.(early 70's)
Gazza

[Samw]

Ah yes. Joe's and Billy's sounds familiar. Its all coming back to me now. Thanks Gazza. Long time no see. Whatever happened to those guys (Joe's and Billy's).

[Veng68]

I believe Billys' was from the 70'S (maybe the 60's) Billy Wong helped stock the original Vancouver Aquarium. It was bought out and turned into International Aquariums and maybe even one more incarnation (I forget the name at the moment) until it became Rainforest. (I could be wrong though since I was just a kid in the 70's).

Anyone remember "Panda" a couple blocks west of the PNE on Hastings? There was also this store (I forget where it was) that had a german owner with a real thick accent. How about the store that was near little india on Main & 49th just north of the Esso station?

Also I was pretty good friends with the owner of the Cambie Aqaurium before it was sold & then it closed (the new owners did not know much about the aquarium business). I miss that store........ he did not do much coral (he experimented) but he had some of the best fish I have ever seen. we are talking big angels & butterflies (also the biggest breeding pair of clown loaches I have ever seen, 13 inches each).

Lots of Red Sea Fish(Asfar, Half Moon, Golden Butterfly (his first shipment was 12 3.5 inch fish that he all sold for $400 each [the was the early 90's]) & a Regal......... that actually ate........ that one was in store for at least 2 years.) & Caribbean Fish (Queen, Blue & French angels) and the most Passer (King) angels I have ever seen in one store at one time (14 in the store varying in size from 2 inches to 12 inches). Also the only Blue Ring Angel I have ever seen in Vancovuer & and a gorgeous Blue Face angel (14 inches long) that was in the store for 7 months before it was sold (a very robust fish......... and pricey ~$400 also). I also witnessed a juvenile Emperor, Koran & Six Gill angel transfrom into adult colours.

I remember the original owners of Aquaworld "visiting" the store & muttering to each other about the good fish & wondering where he bought them from. The store owner (MC) did not care they were there (he know who they were). MC also taught me a lot about what fish are not worth keeping (ie coral eating angels & butterflys) because they would not survive in our tanks. He was actuallly a pigeon farmer in Hong Kong before he came to Canada and he showed me a picture of his old 500 Imperial gallon Fish Only Saltwater Aquarium.......... that he used to sleep under before he got married. I gained a lot of knowledge from him.

Ah......... memories :) Good times :)

Cheers,
Vic [veng68]

[BCOrchidGuy]

I used to frequent Cambie aquariums, that was a great area, lots of cool little stores n stuff. I lived at Cambie and 24th so it wasn't much of a walk at all.

Doug

[Samw]

(I forget the name at the moment) until it became Rainforest.

Hi Vic. What's at Rainforest now? Any marines?

[Veng68]

I've not actually been there for a couple years......... last time I was there ....... they had lots of discus & freshwater, lots of lizards & some saltwater.

We should get a LFS tour going. I usaully go to all of the stores once or twice a year :)

Cheers,
Vic [veng68]

[Pro Fish Keeper]

Has anyone tried Pet Lovers in Abbotsford? I bought livestock from them that is still with me to this day. They are something to check out if you ever come down this way.

[JohnM99]

I kept a lot of Amazon fw fish as a kid in the 60s - I bought most of them from a place on Broadway at Oak - can't remember the name - something to do with Jungle?? The guy in there was very nice and helpful to a kid with no money - ended up with 15 tanks, breeding angels and oscars - I remember seeing the occasional SW tank, but it was too daunting to try - and needed $$$.

Main Aquarium was the big place then - are they still going? I live in Victoria now.

Interesting thread.
John

[BCOrchidGuy]

Main aquariums is still there.. (or at least was two years ago)... guess I should check in.

Doug

[Gazza]

Unfortunately Main Aq. closed several years ago. Tommy retired. But that was a great store for freshwater fish.

Broadway & Oak was Fin n Feathers. Always had exotic stuff. The store is long gone but the owner Jim, still imports and sells to local stores.
Gazza

[pinkpearl]

I was in at Rainforest a few weeks ago and they are starting up in SW again. A shipment of LR had just arrived and it looked pretty good to me. Smelled fresh too. I was told that their live rock is delivered within 24 hours of being harvested from the ocean. Wonder where they're getting it from?