Where to order healthy plants in Canada

[Lukara]

Hi. I've been looking around my area for pet/fish stores selling a good variety of healthy plants. My luck so far hasn't been very good. I'm considering ordering online. Can anybody make any recommendations where I can order healthy plants in Canada?

Thanks in advance.

[Darkangel]

Where in Canada are you Lukara? A fish club would be a great place to find great plants. What are you after? Tell me more and I will see if I can help you.

[Lukara]

Thanks for your reply. I don't have a specific list of what I'm looking for at this time, but I will make one out.

Basically, I went looking around at several shops and was sorely dissapointed with the conditions that the plants were kept in. One of the shops had somekind of tiny swimming bugs (I think) in their plant tanks. Totally turned me off. The others that I saw in other stores were withering and/or started getting algae, and one shop also had fish in with their plants that were for sale which I'm not too hot about at a petshop.

Anyway, in answer to your question, I'm from Quebec. Do you have any suggestions for good sources in that area?

[Starry]

Here's something I found by accident:

http://www.ottawaaquatics.com/

I've never ordered from them, so don't take this as a recommendation. If you do try them out, let me know how it went.

As for finding local plants - try looking in the small stores. Don't bother with Super Pet or anything like that. I once saw a Tropica potted C. wendtii for about $25 at a big chain store. Big Al's can be allright, depending on the day and the location. I found a small non-chain fish store in my area. I mean really small, like only 2 isles, specializing in marines. They had an awesome plant selection, kept up really well, and the guy even offered to order for me any plant I wanted, even though it was my first time there. I'd really like to support them, but there's only so many times you can buy plants for a 10-gal (if you actually try to keep them alive, of course). So, my point was, look in the small local store.

[Richer]

I would definately check out the fish clubs in your area. I believe one of the fish stores I frequent here in Edmonton, gets his Anubias plants from a place somewhere in Quebec. A fish club in your area would probably know.

-Richer

[Darkangel]

Been away for a while. You should look for a fish club in your area. They would know the best place to get plants. Sorry but I was hoping you were in Ontario as I could have helped you out a little more. Good luck.

[Lukara]

Thanks for your replies. I found a message board with people who are actually from my area and I got some recommendations. I will be checking out the places in the coming days.

[GDominy]

Originally posted by Lukara
Thanks for your reply. I don't have a specific list of what I'm looking for at this time, but I will make one out.

Basically, I went looking around at several shops and was sorely dissapointed with the conditions that the plants were kept in. One of the shops had somekind of tiny swimming bugs (I think) in their plant tanks. Totally turned me off. The others that I saw in other stores were withering and/or started getting algae, and one shop also had fish in with their plants that were for sale which I'm not too hot about at a petshop.

Anyway, in answer to your question, I'm from Quebec. Do you have any suggestions for good sources in that area?

I have ordered from them, and I recomend them highly. I had plants shipped to me within 2 days of my order being placed. They arrived on Vancouver Island in great shape.

When I had placed my order there were a few plants that were not available so the company contacted me to ask about substitutions. I was very impressed by their customer service.

To top it all off, they actually CALLED me after I recieved my order to make sure that everything was satisfactory.

I was very impressed, and would recomend this company to anyone (P.S. If you call them, mention I sent you)

[goldfish freak]

GDominy, are you refering to Ottawa Aquatics?

[GDominy]

Yes I am... sorry I wasnt more specific. I cant recomend them enough!

[goldfish freak]

That is good to hear because I am planning on ordering from them soon. They have some good prices on plants attached to driftwood. GDominy, how long ago have you ordered from them? Also did you find any hitch hikers on your plants? Such as snails, snail eggs or anything else undesireable?

[GDominy]

I had no unwanted hitchikers at all. I didnt even quarantine any plants, or treat them. I just removed the rock wool from the roots and dropped them in my tank.

I ordered from them about 2 weeks ago.

[MrGoodbytes]

Strange, I ordered from them and heard little about the status of my order. I have since got those plants from the store because I didn't want to wait any longer (since October).

[goldfish freak]

I find it extremely difficult to reach them over the phone. They seem to be friendly when you talk to them but are not very good at getting back to you.

[goldfish freak]

Does anybody no of anywhere else to buy plants in Canada? I cannot get in contact with that Ottawa Aquatics place, I have tried many times. I am specifically looking a place that sell planted driftwood that is not very expensive. I thought that I found it at that place, they were selling a medium sized piece(8-10" ) for $28 each, something that size would cost me about $50 locally.

[GDominy]

Robert Morrison who runs them has been totally swamped by orders this last week. I would try calling the store from the contact number.

[GDominy]

There are very, very few places in Canada that sell plants in any sort of large numbers (enough to support online sales).

The only two that I know of that sell direct to customers (not stores) are Ottawa Aquatics, and Belyjo.

Ottawa Aquatics has a great selection of plants, but you're better off calling them then you are E-Mailing, so plan for a long distance call.

Belyjo has a terrible selection of plants, but the selection changes every week. Their plants are top notch though.

[goldfish freak]

GDominy, I have tried calling Ottawa Aquatics on several different occasions and at different times but I cannot get a hold of them.

As for Belyjo, have you ordered from them before? I just looked at their web site and it does not metion anything about selling directly to customers. Do I need to ask them about this directly?
I looked over their web site and I liked what I read, especially their guarantees.

[GDominy]

I'm not sure if they do exactly... I usually cheat and piggyback my order with some of the stores where I live.

[goldfish freak]

I just e-mailed them on the availabilty of planted driftwood, when they get back to me I will ask if they sell directly to the public. If not I will see if I can do what you have done. I know someone that owns a fish shop.

[Kaylee Skylyn]

I emailed and phoned Ottawa Aquatics many times and never did get ahold of someone and no one replied...ever. O_o

Have you checked out Big Alls? http://www.bigalsonline.com/ They have many plants in their stores, here in Ottawa anyway. I dont know whats abailable online in the way of plants tho. You should be able to find a location in your area

Another to check out is Super Pet. They have truly amaising plants! If you ever come over to Ottawa go down to the Kanata location (just north of the 417 off the Terry Fox Drive exit). every fish tank has at least a few plants in them and they are big bunches too. I'm very impressed with them. http://www.superpet.com/

The downside is that almost EVERY pet shop I have been to lately has had slime algae....I'm not suer whats up with that but am sure it has something to do with ths supiler....

[trilinearmipmap]

Save your money.

This is a Canadian on-line plant trading site.

www.rupert.net/~mryeburn (http://www.rupert.net/~mryeburn)

[goldfish freak]

Thanks for the link to that site. It is definitely a bargain but the don't have the plants that I am looking for. I will keep checking back though. Thanks.

[goldfish freak]

GDominy, I just called Belyjo and they told me that they don't sell directly to customers. Thanks though.