I visited this place once. It is a small mom and son shop. I wasn't real impressed with it. There fish were taken care of but not a lot in stock. They had about every basic tetra in stock though.They do how ever have an impressive marine wall. In the front of the store they had a nice size marine tank with four sharks. Here is a PIC.
This Place is hard to find but worth it. This is a great place to find what ever you need. I highly recommend just visiting this place. They even have their own petting zoo. Never been out there but it looks cool through the door. They breed there own snakes. Countless species of snakes, and turtles. Very impressive freshwater and marine fish selection. Huge Bird room. and lots more.
This is my favorite place. I buy all fish from them. I never had a problem with any fish. Not much more I can say about this place but a good place to visit.
I've basically been making a tour of LFS here in the Greenville/Spartanburg, SC area lately as I've been looking for new inhabitants for my newest tank (and perhaps a few for my older one as well) and I thought I'd share what I've found.
Petsmart has 3 local locations. I have been to two of them.
The location at 2449 Laurens Road is the better of the two I have been to, with other one being at 1125 Woodruff Road. While the Woodruff Road store is newer the Laurens Road store carries more livestock. I go into the Laurens Road store weekly for one thing or another for my fish or cats. The stock there always seems to be in good shape and the employees that I've talked to are always courteous and helpful and have generally informed opinions and good information to share. I have bought a number of fish from the Laurens Road store and have had good luck with all of them. They generally carry common fish that you find everywhere but I have heard rumors that they are about to change that. They only carry freshwater fish. They carry live plants but most of them look dead or dying and I have never bought any there.
Petco has one local location at 3720 N. Pleasantburg Drive.
They carry a decent selection of more common fish--tetras, guppies, barbs, mollies, etc. and occasionally will surprise with something not often seen locally like Bosemani rainbows. They always seem to have more dead fish in their tanks than I would like to see and the help there is very spotty depending on who is working in the fish department. There is one guy there who is very informed and extremely helpful but the other employees I've had help me there are mostly clueless and I felt like I was teaching them some things when I was there. In spite of the aforementioned dead fish I have bought a number of tetras, barbs and cories there and all have had a very high survival rate. They carry a pretty good selection of plants which always seem to look great. They also carry a small saltwater selection.
Petland at 1451 Woodruff Road.
This store is a part of a national chain but this one is a franchise store as opposed to the Petco and Petsmart which are company-owned chain stores. They have by far the best selection of freshwater fish in Greenville. There are many fish there that I have never seen anywhere else in town including many types of cichlids and even some killifish. I just recently discovered the store and I have been in there twice. The cichlids that I purchased there have thrived. Another poster here mentioned some large oscars in a sad state but I did not see that when I visited. (The fish in question, at least the ones that I saw, were taken back from folks who stupidly bought them without planning for the large size they would eventually reach.) They have a great cichlid display tank and several other beautiful "show tanks" worth seeing. They also sell plants but most of what I have seen there didn't seem to be in the best of shape. That said, the girl who helped me both times I was there was new to the store but told me she had a planted tank so I'd hope that will improve. They have a very large saltwater selection as well.
Part two of the thread above in which I broke down some local chain stores.
Ocean's Floor - 620F Congaree Road (behind Haywood Mall)
I believe that the guys that own this store make most of their money doing tank installations for businesses and wealthy folks but they have a nice little retail store also. They only carry African cichlids and saltwater fish. They have the best selection of African cichlids in the area by far. The staff there is very friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. They even turned me on to another local store that I'd never heard of. If you're interested in their specialties I'd definitely make a visit.
Aquarium Oddities - 613 N. Main Street in Mauldin, SC
Like Ocean's Floor, the owner of this little store makes his living off doing commercial installations and the like. He keeps random hours so I'd recommend calling before you make a trip. He only carries saltwater stock.
A&B Aquarium & Sports - 9117 Greenville Hwy, Spartanburg, SC
This is certainly an odd little shop--half aquarium and pet store and half hunting and fishing equipment. The folks that work there are about as country as country gets but they know their fish. They carry a few of fish that I haven't seen anywhere else locally including the American flag Fish (which they call the Florida Flag fish) and several types of rainbows. The tanks there have a good bit of algae in them but they also seem to test their tanks meticulously. I have never seen a dead fish in any of their tanks and anything that they consider to be questionable they quarantine and won't sell until they are sure they are healthy. They also carry a sizeable saltwater selection. I'd recommend making a trip here just for the spectacle since it sort of has to be seen to be believed!
Pet World - 2651 Boiling Springs Road, Boiling Springs, SC
In spite of the somewhat exotic address this place is basically in Spartanburg. The owner has been a hobbyist fish keeper for 40 years and his store has been around for decades. He also does commercial installations. He is the most knowledgeable local person I have ever spoken to. He knows his fish and plants! He is also very friendly and gave me a deal on some rocks without me even asking the first time I ever walked into his store. The store carries a fairly large assortment of freshwater species including most of the usual tetras, barbs, guppies, mollies, etc. This is the only local store that carries some of the more exotic/expensive species like discus and some of the larger angels. They have a very nice selection of good-looking plants as well. The tanks there are immaculately kept and all the stock appeared to be in top shape. I was told that he is also willing to do special orders for customers--the only local shop to offer that service. There is an absolutely huge 22-year old pacu there that must be seen to be appreciated--in my opinion worth the trip alone to see. He also has a very small saltwater selection.
Petworld and A&B Aquarium are must see/shops in my opinion!
Pet Supplies Plus
(734) 741-5100
Very nice range of fish, actually list what the fish needs, how big. Accepts free fish that no one can take care of. Some good employees, allowed to order any fish (that LFS can get a hold of)
CLEAN!
CONS:
No saltwater
Most employees are REALLY uninformed (I could have been mean and have gotten a upside down catfish then an oto, but then I just decided not to buy them at all)
No large tanks (show tanks)
Petco
Lots of basic freshwater
Used to have marine
Some plants
Regarding Petsland on Woodruff RD, they also have a full grown CAE in with their plants. And I agree with Dawg, one of the better places to get plants and fish.
Pet World on Boiling Springs Rd also has Cory cats you can't find elswhere locally, however they usually run about $6 a cat.
I've been meaning to stop by this place forever and post a couple of pics... today I finally made it in. it's called 123 Aquarium, and it's at 123 Elizabeth Street, a block away from Win. it's small. the tanks had greenish water. they specialized in larger fish. they seemed to have a lot of angels and discuss though, and I think it was all freshwater. they didn't have much at all in terms of small fish or english labels... they did have a tank of dwarf gouarmi though.... and perhaps the smallest arowana I've ever seen... it was like, 3 or 4 inches tops
