LFS in your area

[chub04]

Shop Name: Fish 4 U
Address: 4010 Highland Dr #1, Millcreek, UT 84124
Phone # (801) 274-0113
Website: http://rockymountainreef.com/
Hours:
M-F 11 am - 8 pm
Sat. 10 am - 7 pm
Sun. 11 am - 4 pm
Only fish store around here that I go to. Very friendly staff who's always willing to help and definitely know their stuff. Smaller store, but good selection for the space they have. Both freshwater and saltwater.

 

[Xabbusan]

Shop Name: Aquarium Co-op
Address: 9661 Firdale Ave Edmonds, WA 98020
Phone # (206) 533-2281
Website: https://www.aquariumcoop.com/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNJuJfXCKNWu4-VifYixs8A
Hours:
Mon-Sat 12 pm - 8 pm
Sun 12 pm - 8 pm

LFS in the northern Seattle, Washington area. VERY knowledgeable. They LOVE puffers, so if you have questions or want one and live in Washington State.... go here. The owner has a YouTube channel with TONS of information and he also does store tours and fish un-boxing so you can see what the store is like and what they stock.

 

[MardieJane]

In doing a search near me the only reference is to West Melbourne aquatics. But it has since closed. There may very well be a nice reef store somewhere, however, all of the privately-owned pet stores in my area are really dirty and most of the time I think the freshwater fish are an after thought. The one specializing in aquariums had algae build up in many of the tanks, the water was not clear, I definitely would not be asking advice on how to maintain a tank. They had a couple of pretty saltwater tanks but for the most part I was put off by the condition of the store overall. Another had visible pest snails in thier tanks and had betta "kits" on special as you walked in the door....you can guess what they were. They looked like mothers day presents in place of flowers or something.
The Pet Smart on state rd 192 Melbourne Florida was the cleanest place I've seen yet with a young woman named Lori who at least was obviously loving her job. Still, I recognized the benifit of having stumbled across this forum before I looked for fish.
All of the major pet stores sell dozens on dozens of tanks hardly fit for snails let alone anything else. Not the employees fault but no wonder so many fish end up going home to thier demise.
On the entirely opposite end of my County, Titusville, I hoped to find a nice shop for freshwater. Same situation. Sadly the Petco in the Target Plaza is the cleanest place to buy fish. Even their betta cups have been spotless with active fish in them the several times I have been there.
In the middle of our county, Viera Florida, you have a Petco and Pet Smart within a couple of miles of each other. I would probably go with Petco as the older woman in the store understood what I was asking for when I asked for media to replace the filter cartridge (plastic card with carbon) that came with my tank. But the Pet Smart employee seemed too busy to do anything. Maybe someone called in sick and she was alone. Who knows.
I will continue to look. In the meantime if anyone knows of a shop in Volusia County (the next one below ours along the coast) give a shout. I will be watching this thread to see. Thanks for all the information here. Would have been disastrous for me otherwise.

 

[killiphil]

The Reef Aquarium Shop
5613 N. Keystone Ave.
Indianapolis, IN 46220
Ph. 317 253-9695

These folks have a wide selection of reef specimens and supplies, plants, and freshwater fish. They even occasionally have apistogrammas ,freshwater shrimp, and killifish!

 

[MyleusAlex1993]

favorite Connecticut LFS

Well the first one I will list is the one I frequent the most because it is local. Its a small shop in the first floor of a ladies house. She has been in buissness for 45 years so I think that really says something about the type of place she has. She can be a bit harsh at times. If she doesnt know you then she will ask you questions about your tank and the tank inhabitants. Shes not afraid to not sell you a fish which is very rare these days. The only down side is that this is a smaller store and the selection can be low at times. They have an excellent assortment of rift lake cichlids though.

Hilltop Aquarium
159 Roberts St
Torrington, CT 06790-4743
(860) 482-5193
Shes open from about 11-6 Tuesday-Sunday

This next place is my second fav LFS. I dont get out to it that often because its not really near me or anything else but they have excellent selection with lots of more rare items

Emmons Tropical Fish
1612 Hopmeadow St
Simsbury, CT 06070-1448
(860) 658-5401

This next place in my opinion is the best large scale store I have ever been in. There prices arnt that bad and the staff seems to have some what of a clue what they are doing. They also have one of the biggest marine sections in the area.

Les Martins Puppy Center
1148 New Britain Ave
W Hartford, CT 06110-2413
(860) 232-8888

This is another large store that has lost of tanks and a pretty cool filtration system as well. I have had good luck with all that I have bought from them but the prices can be on the high side.

Exotic Super Pet
824 Silver Lane Plaza,
E.Hartford, CT 06118
Phone (860) 569-0200


This last place doesnt always have the cleanest store on earth but they have a decent selction and the staff have all worked there for years and are super helpfull. They also have the absolute best tank prices by far.
Waterbury Aquarium
580 Lakewood Road,
Waterbury, CT 06704
(203) 757-3832

Sadly, most of the stores on this list are now obsolete and closed. What a shame, I always wanted to go to the Puppy Center but never could. I am from Springfield MA, so it was a long drive. The Puppy Center from what I have heard over the years had great tropical fish including some rarer stuff. It sucks that I couldn't make it out there.
Emmon's is still open thank god, I am planning on going there soon! They always have some interesting, cool, oddball species I can't wait to make a trip there.

Tropical Isle in Framingham, MA. For anyone in the Boston area, this is the place to go! Not only do they have the biggest and best selection, but they are so knowledgeable and nice!

I have heard nothing but the best things about this place. Will have to check it out!

That Pet Place
237 Centerville Rd Lancaster PA 17603
Conveniently located 3/4 of a mile south of Route 30 on Centerville Road.
STORE HOURS:
Monday - Saturday 9am - 9pm Sunday 10am - 6pm

This is a great store. Lots of knowledgable staff. They quarantine fish when new in the store. Great tank displays. Fresh and salt water rooms. Not a "box" store. They actually have freshwater and marine experts on staff to help with set up and ongoing questions. They will NOT sell fish that are incompatible. They ask detailed questions about tank parameters, fish one wants to keep. Water testing for Ph, nitrite, nitrates, kh, gh, chlorine, chloramine done at no charge. As a newbie I was able to spend a lot of time with my "fish guy" and never once felt like I was being a pest. Granted I researched a lot before I went in, but I got great service. The best environment for our fish friends...great service...amazing group of professionals from fish room to tank selection to parts department. Not all fish are guaranteed. Haven't had occasion to ask for them to take a fish back....why would I....I buy compatible fish for my tank size.

Ask for Brandon M. He's the best. BTW...I always tip my fish guy because he gives me the best service!

That is good to know! I have always wanted to order fish online and wasn't sure if they were like petco, good to know! Will def order now!

Finally Ive found two awesome Aquarium stores in the Greater Boston Area.

First off was Uncle Neds Fish Factory rt 109 Millis,Ma this place had the best selection of fish Ive ever seen in a store amazing Discus , huge Clown Loaches,plus a whole lot of other stuff including saltwater. Great store just a little cramped but none the less if your in the area a must visit check em out on the web

Next was Tropic Isle off rt 9 south,pierce st Framingham Ma

Now this place has to have one of the biggest selections of fish anywhere in New England which features a huge array of Freshwater and one of the best saltwater selections Ive seen, not to mention hard to find equipment like rolls of tubing to fit most canisters.



If your looking for unusual or hard to find fish these two places are the best ive found

Uncle Ned's is a great store especially for a fancy pleco lover like myself.

Monster Aquarium Inc.

(347) 732-0373
10am-8pm everyday

EXTREMELY TOP NOTCH LFS. I must say every fish I have gotten from this place was healthy and still are healthy. They offer many Freshwater oddball fish, Freshwater common fish, freshwater inverts, plants, food and supplies, as well as a HUGE selection of aquascaping plants, fish and supplies at cheap affordable prices. They do special orders of all kinds and can even special order large or small tanks of all dimensions. They truly are the best at what they do.

Good fish store!

 

[MyleusAlex1993]

Shop Name: Aquarium Co-op
Address: 9661 Firdale Ave Edmonds, WA 98020
Phone # (206) 533-2281
Hours:
Mon-Sat 12 pm - 8 pm
Sun 12 pm - 8 pm

LFS in the northern Seattle, Washington area. VERY knowledgeable. They LOVE puffers, so if you have questions or want one and live in Washington State.... go here. The owner has a YouTube channel with TONS of information and he also does store tours and fish un-boxing so you can see what the store is like and what they stock.

Cory seems like a nice guy! I love his youtube channel would love to visit his shop sometime.

 

[dougall]

That is good to know! I have always wanted to order fish online and wasn't sure if they were like petco, good to know! Will def order now!

I would base any purchase from any place on more than just someone on an internet forum saying they are good more than a decade ago.

I will attest to them having changed since I started going there in maybe 2003 or so.

If you do choose to order from there, they may be fine... They may not, just be sure to quarantine anything you get there (or anywhere) or put it in a tank by itself, wherever you may order from.

 

[MyleusAlex1993]

I would base any purchase from any place on more than just someone on an internet forum saying they are good more than a decade ago.

I will attest to them having changed since I started going there in maybe 2003 or so.

If you do choose to order from there, they may be fine... They may not, just be sure to quarantine anything you get there (or anywhere) or put it in a tank by itself, wherever you may order from.

That is a good point.

 

[fishorama]

Uncle Ned's is worth an hour's drive! Unusual fish, small fish & pricey but great!! I miss living close! Tropic Isle should also be on that road trip. 30 minutes from Ned.

That Fish Place, well, it's big & equipment is less expensive...but 1 of our worst "fish plagues" came from there...albeit almost 20 years ago...but I remember...quarantine!! (as you should anyway)

I don't know if either are still in business but there was a log cabin looking place near Springfield (used to be somewhere else) & a small main st. Chicopee-ish place...it's been a long time...

There's an annual auction in Chicopee you should check out if you haven't yet. I forget the club's name, but fun! & the NE cichlid club auction just into CT, close for you, near N. Hartford as I recall.

 

[MyleusAlex1993]

Uncle Ned's is worth an hour's drive! Unusual fish, small fish & pricey but great!! I miss living close! Tropic Isle should also be on that road trip. 30 minutes from Ned.

That Fish Place, well, it's big & equipment is less expensive...but 1 of our worst "fish plagues" came from there...albeit almost 20 years ago...but I remember...quarantine!! (as you should anyway)

I don't know if either are still in business but there was a log cabin looking place near Springfield (used to be somewhere else) & a small main st. Chicopee-ish place...it's been a long time...

There's an annual auction in Chicopee you should check out if you haven't yet. I forget the club's name, but fun! & the NE cichlid club auction just into CT, close for you, near N. Hartford as I recall.

Hmmm.... the log cabin sounds like a cool fish shop. I can't recall any stores like that , but maybe it was the Old Dave's Pet City in Agawam. Dave's is still open but move to a new location in Agawam. Now, Dave's is like a chain and has locations in Springfield, Agawam, Ludlow, Ware, and Northhampton.
Yea,I have attended a few of the PVAS meetings.