Happy with my local fish stores.

[lovebuzz]

Alright so I'm gonna talk about 3 pet stores around here and why they're good.

PJ'S PET STORE

Good clean tanks, tell you about cycling, sell lots of extra equipment, healthy fish, not many dead fish, healthy bettas, sometimes nice tail bettas, all being in at least 500 ml of water, they even keep discus and arrowana so you know they're good

PETSMART

Yes, petsmart. Pretty good around here. They do tell you about cycling, not in full detail but they tell you that you should do it. Thye carry female bettas, and they're bettas are in a reasonable volume of water, especially compared to wal mart. The only dirty tanks are they're feeder tanks. The non feeder ghost shrimp cost only 89 cents! They also have crabs and frogs and other critters, but dont count on them for plants!

Big Al's

What can I say, it's awesome. Great service and lots of healthy fish. Not a single dead fish I saw. Large plant selection but still no java moss They're only dirty tanks are the feeder tanks. Bettas are kept well in crystal clear water, and they have some huge marine tank that is just awesome and has some sharks and stuff.

Just thought I'd say some good stuff about the LFS s for once.

Oh yeah, and wal mart is still the devil

 

[Never2Bknown]

My local petsmart is also pretty good too, actually! I have also heard that they have stopped selling dyed fish (as far as I know, it's true). The pet section people are really great, too! I once spotted a tiny little treefrog in with a bunch of big ones and just about to get eaten, so I told the pet person about it (not really expecting her to do much--in most pet shops, they don't, unfortunately) and she actually moved little froglet into its own cage!!! I was very impressed. That same pet person (Cyrille) is also probably one of the few petshop people whose advice I actually trust--so far, it's all been very good. Another pet person (Charmayne, I think) is also really great--I have never, ever met anyone else better at spotting and catching the right fish. I mean, I was picking out these red wag platies that all looked practically the same, but she knew exactly the ones I wanted and caught them in few seconds flat!!! Also, whenever I get fish there, I'm almost always asked how big my aquarium is that I'll be putting them in and what other fish are in there. It's a great store. Very few diseases (even with the more disease-prone fish such as the clown loaches, which always seem to have ich in almost any other petshop I walk into), good advice, salespeople who know what their doing and care about the animals that they're selling; it's great!

 

[DarkSide]

By any chance do you live in Calgary or Edmonton, because from teh PJ pets in both they have good service.

And in Calgary theres this one store (forget teh name) They ave display cages for ducks and monkeys!!

 

[lovebuzz]

Nah I'm in Toronto Ontario

 

[OohFeeshy]

One near me is very good. Not much point in telling you what it's called, but today I bought some guppies and they asked how big my tank was, whether I had a filter, what food I had, and to get 3 fish for now and see how they go then come back for more, unlike others that tell you to get them all in one and when half die sell you more. OMG, they had a 15 foot boa constrictor for sale, only £170!! Most tortoises cost more than that! Not that I want a snake... unless I get an ickle cornsnake.... Only joking.... or am I....

 

[corykitty516]

All three of my LFS/LPS have their good (and bad) points

The only LFS non chain has a lifetime garantee on the fish as long as the water params are OK and you didnt do something stupid like mix agressive fish. They are also good with suggesting stocking and compatibility. They have a huge marine selection and raise their own clowns. They also carry a selection of "show quality" fish.
Down side: guy that works there is recently single and always asks if I'm married ... he's a bit creepy. Oh and the only decent plant they carry is java moss.

Petsmart ... pretty good place. They have a neat little betta brochure (not the one trying to sell betta bites, one of their own) with 1 gal listed as the min (yay) and some other good betta advice. They always have nice plants but you have to pick the snail off usually. Clean tanks and knowlegeable employees. I've never seen ich on a single fish there
Down side: They never seem to have what I want when I'm ready to have it.

Superpetz ... clean tanks, great staff, healthy fish, good prices, nice plants.
BIG DOWN SIDE: they have PAINTED glass fish ... oh I just HATE that. I dont go there anymore if I can help it.