Calgary lfs?
- Thread starter BRichards
- Start date
Oh that's an easy one. None of them! I know it's probably not what you want to hear, but I live in Calgary and I go MO for anything I buy (J&L and Salwater Connection are the two places I recommend).
Wai's (www.waisaquarium.com) has some nice stuff and Danny keeps his tanks in excellent condition. He can be a bit of a pinhead though, he won't take *anything* in for credit unless maybe you're his real good buddy, and he charges waaaay too much for some things (he'll happily charge you $250 for a 3" T. crocea). And he will gleefully sell you things that he knows will die, and he will give you bum advice (Oh yeah I can keep anemones under 40W fluorescent light. What a joke!) Once in a while you can get a good bargain from him, so I guess I grudgingly admit that his place is worth a visit from time to time. The real plus, of course, it's right across 16th Ave from Peters Drive-Through, which is worth a visit in itself (but that's another topic)
I'll give Danny this: he keeps his tanks VERY clean. It's definitely worth a visit just to look. Just be warned ... he acts like he's the only place on Earth to get things, which of course, is not true.
Big Al's is worth a visit to see their sharks (you can't buy them, of course).
(How are you travelling? If you're flying ... here's a shameless plug: if you want to return to Victoria from Calgary with frags, look me up. I'm trying to thin out some of my purple acropora, xenia, and mushrooms, and I've more or less saturated the local reef market with these so it's getting harder and harder to find good homes for them all. Drop me a line sometime!)
Wai's (www.waisaquarium.com) has some nice stuff and Danny keeps his tanks in excellent condition. He can be a bit of a pinhead though, he won't take *anything* in for credit unless maybe you're his real good buddy, and he charges waaaay too much for some things (he'll happily charge you $250 for a 3" T. crocea). And he will gleefully sell you things that he knows will die, and he will give you bum advice (Oh yeah I can keep anemones under 40W fluorescent light. What a joke!) Once in a while you can get a good bargain from him, so I guess I grudgingly admit that his place is worth a visit from time to time. The real plus, of course, it's right across 16th Ave from Peters Drive-Through, which is worth a visit in itself (but that's another topic)
Big Al's is worth a visit to see their sharks (you can't buy them, of course).
(How are you travelling? If you're flying ... here's a shameless plug: if you want to return to Victoria from Calgary with frags, look me up. I'm trying to thin out some of my purple acropora, xenia, and mushrooms, and I've more or less saturated the local reef market with these so it's getting harder and harder to find good homes for them all. Drop me a line sometime!)
Hmmm.. well, I ain't gonna touch delphinius' post, as I buy all my stuff from Wai's.
Anyways,...
3stores worth a look, each for their own reasons:
Wai's Aquarium
Bay 4
222 16 Ave. N.E.
Pisces Pet Emporium
#10 5220 4 St N.E.
Riverfront Aquariums
417 Riverfront Avenue S.E.
Have a great trip!
Mitch
Anyways,...
3stores worth a look, each for their own reasons:
Wai's Aquarium
Bay 4
222 16 Ave. N.E.
Pisces Pet Emporium
#10 5220 4 St N.E.
Riverfront Aquariums
417 Riverfront Avenue S.E.
Have a great trip!
Mitch
Hmmmm Thai food and reef shopping. Well, hard to top that for sure.
Mitch: Maybe I'm too hard on Danny. There's nothing wrong with buying from there, you're just paying too much, that's all. But I still stand by my pinhead comment: anytime I've asked him to take anything in (he doesn't even have to give me a credit: all I want is a good home for some of this stuff), he's told me to "flush it." Okay. Sure, I'll just flush my mushrooms, xenia, and bubble-tip. That's real green-thinking! Save the reefs, I think not.
But yes, he has nice stuff.
I didn't realize Tails and Scales had gone reef. Last time I was there it was marine fish only. But very nice maintained tanks, rivaling Danny's, and what they had, they had his prices beat.
Yeah I suppose Riverfront and Pisces are ok for food and supplies. I'm not so sure I'd make either of them a stop for reef livestock shopping though.
Mitch: Maybe I'm too hard on Danny. There's nothing wrong with buying from there, you're just paying too much, that's all. But I still stand by my pinhead comment: anytime I've asked him to take anything in (he doesn't even have to give me a credit: all I want is a good home for some of this stuff), he's told me to "flush it." Okay. Sure, I'll just flush my mushrooms, xenia, and bubble-tip. That's real green-thinking! Save the reefs, I think not.
But yes, he has nice stuff.
I didn't realize Tails and Scales had gone reef. Last time I was there it was marine fish only. But very nice maintained tanks, rivaling Danny's, and what they had, they had his prices beat.
Yeah I suppose Riverfront and Pisces are ok for food and supplies. I'm not so sure I'd make either of them a stop for reef livestock shopping though.
Yuppers,
tails and scales does have reef...not too much though..only one 150gal tank, i haven't my self researched prices for corals much but i suspect he is just as competetive with corals as with his fish!! If he doesn't have it in, he is usually happy to get it for you, as he orders in weekly most times, plus right now he has 15% off corals, so it makes it a really good deal.
PS NEVER by fish from petcetera, i used to work there they dont know how to take care of ANYTHING, anenomes under 1 no, fish are fed just pellets ONCE a day, including tangs (which are housed in small containers), plus the tanks are always dirty and stuff.
Just my rant
tails and scales does have reef...not too much though..only one 150gal tank, i haven't my self researched prices for corals much but i suspect he is just as competetive with corals as with his fish!! If he doesn't have it in, he is usually happy to get it for you, as he orders in weekly most times, plus right now he has 15% off corals, so it makes it a really good deal.
PS NEVER by fish from petcetera, i used to work there they dont know how to take care of ANYTHING, anenomes under 1 no, fish are fed just pellets ONCE a day, including tangs (which are housed in small containers), plus the tanks are always dirty and stuff.
Just my rant
Spikehs, re: Tails and Scales
Is this a "normal" shop now ? I know when it first came about, there were some personal issues with the owners, and when I called, they told me to "call first, before planning to come". So, I never went, as I do reef shopping when I pick the moment, or am in the neighborhood, etc.
Is this a "normal" shop now ? I know when it first came about, there were some personal issues with the owners, and when I called, they told me to "call first, before planning to come". So, I never went, as I do reef shopping when I pick the moment, or am in the neighborhood, etc.
EmilyB, thanks for the info, we LOVE Thai food!
Thanks everyone, we just wanted to check out some new shops and see some new setups, Victoria has gone downhill recently in the reef department unfortunatly
but what could be better that Thai and reef tanks? I also agree with Spikehs on petcetera, they suck in Vic too.. part time, know nothing employees and horrible sw tanks with dead or soon to be dead fish
Emilyb,
I guess they are still not a "normal" shop per se... but they are usually around when you call, they run it out of their house in the basement, so for the most part they should be their..the good thing is when u do go, u usally are the only ones there so u get good attention..check it out. i like it alot., the only place a go for stuff right now.
I guess they are still not a "normal" shop per se... but they are usually around when you call, they run it out of their house in the basement, so for the most part they should be their..the good thing is when u do go, u usally are the only ones there so u get good attention..check it out. i like it alot., the only place a go for stuff right now.
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