live fish stores

[falk]

is capitol the best lfs in the area. i am new to the hobby. i have never had a problem from them but i am always looking for other sources.

 

[lanxang]

They're the most expensive. Check out O St Aquarium, Exotic Aquarium and there is a store on 47th Ave (maybe ST). Not sure what the name is might be Topical Aquarium.

 

[Anonymous]

I like Exotic Aquarium the most.

 

[Unarce]

They have a nice new coral display under 14K Hamiltons. I believe they're affiliated with O Street Aquarium.

 

[ReefRian]

There is also the Pet Connection on Auburn. Good prices on fish, snails, crabs, etc but bad prices on corals. They have a pretty large selection, and more variety than O street and Exotic.

Rian

 

[jusreefin]

O street and Exotic are not affiliated. O street and Red Sea aqaurium in Marysville are owned by the same person. The one on 47th is called Paradise Aquarium. There is also Aquaworld on Madison and Aqualife in Rocklin

HTH

 

[Unarce]

O street and Exotic are not affiliated

Are you sure? That's what one of the employees had told me. The two stores actually share employees quite often.

 

[mn95616]

I think Capitol is one of the most overpriced fish store. In addition, their staff are generally not very knowledgable or helpful. I prefer O Street. I haven't tried any of the other fish in Sacramento.

is capitol the best lfs in the area. i am new to the hobby. i have never had a problem from them but i am always looking for other sources.

 

[ozmonster]

O street and Exotic are not affiliated

Are you sure? That's what one of the employees had told me. The two stores actually share employees quite often.

i don't think so either Karl. employees switch a lot but i don't think same owners.

Rob

 

[drksails]

There is another aquarium in the Rosemont area called Wonder Aquarium, its very small but the prices are the best that I have found. For instance I paid 3.99 per pound of live rock, while capitol aquarium wanted 8.99 for the same stuff. They were both cured rock

 

[Perasyte]

You can always shop at my store.

It's where AquaWorld used to be -- 6640 Madison Ave, 95608

We primarily carry corals, but we have fish too.

 

[TerminalFrost]

A quick shot out to The Coral Reef Shop, amazing selection, good prices, great staff, and best of all, hardly any dead fish floating around! 90% of everything looks healthy!

Dewey and Madison I believe...check it out.

(Non paid advertisement)

 

[H2OSidhe]

A quick shot out to The Coral Reef Shop, amazing selection, good prices, great staff, and best of all, hardly any dead fish floating around! 90% of everything looks healthy!

When I've been there, I've never noticed any of the qualities listed above.

I favor O St., Exotic, Fish Planet and Your Reef (listed in order of driving distance from my house).

 

[Perasyte]

A quick shot out to The Coral Reef Shop, amazing selection, good prices, great staff, and best of all, hardly any dead fish floating around! 90% of everything looks healthy!

When I've been there, I've never noticed any of the qualities listed above.

I favor O St., Exotic, Fish Planet and Your Reef (listed in order of driving distance from my house).

How many times have you been to Coral Reef Shop?

 

[H2OSidhe]

Oops - dbl post.

 

[H2OSidhe]

How many times have you been to Coral Reef Shop?

4 or 5 times randomly spaced since last July-August-ish.

 

[Perasyte]

How many times have you been to Coral Reef Shop?

4 or 5 times randomly spaced since last July-August-ish.

It's kind of unusual that you would say that you've never seen an amazing selection, good prices, great staff, or healthy fish at the CRS ... are you by any chance affiliated with another fish store?

 

[H2OSidhe]

It's kind of unusual that you would say that you've never seen an amazing selection, good prices, great staff, or healthy fish at the CRS ... are you by any chance affiliated with another fish store?

Nope.

Maybe I've only been there on off-days. I have purchased food there. I believe it was Tigger Pods and Phyto Feast. I once saw a small octopus there trying to reach through the divider to catch the fish in the adjacent tank. That was entertaining for awhile - but not an animal I would want to put in any of my tanks. I believe that was the same trip when I saw a dwarf seahorse that looked stressed. When I brought my son in a few days later so he could see them, they were both gone. I can't count them as "amazing selection."

The first time I was there I was given some misinformation about gallon capacity on one of the nano tanks by a young person who was behind the counter. I really don't like to say anything bad about anyone & other people have said they find the owners very nice & friendly (and I assume you may be the owner). But that simply has never been MY personal experience when I've been there. It has seemed to me that the livestock was somewhat overpriced, and I've seen ich & floaters. I am sure that all or most LFS have to battle with those issues at one time or another. I just haven't been wowed by "great staff", or "healthy fish."

I have not purchased any livestock from CRS, so I don't have survival statistics like I have kept on livestock from other stores for the 7 years I've lived in Sac. I haven't seen livestock at CRS that I was interested in buying - although I might have been tempted by the "$28 clams" I've seen posted on another forum. The pics posted were of very colorful clams.

I am not sure what to say other than there is only one LFS I know of in Sac that I will not go back to & CRS is not it. (Triple negative in that sentence - but I mean that I haven't written you off.) I will be happy if the next time I make the LFS circuit I find an amazing selection, good prices, great staff, and healthy fish at CRS. If so, I will not hesitate to post that information & tell all the reefers I know. But for now, that has not been my experience.

 

[Perasyte]

I see...

The folks that _are_ saying that CRS has excellent service, amazing selection, and courteous staff are those same customers that visit the store on a weekly basis.

You have been to CRS twice ...

Good luck to you.

 

[Perasyte]

One other thing ... If you are in any way stating that a stressed seahorse and a hungry octopus represent poor care, consider that these animals are in a pool of over a thousand other healthy specimens.