Lack Of Shops In North East

[Batty1975]

Theres a little shop in penshaw, although not a massive range, always has something a little different in and what makes the difference is that the folk who own it are spot on aswell. Fish Alive has a good selection but alot of the usual suspects but the blokes a tosser. Pets@Home in sunderland sometimes has stuff that sneaks in under the radar, i saw a 5 inch discus in there the other day for £17 lol Sunderland Aquatics used to be good but since the owner lost interest, the place has gone right down hill, its dirty, poor selection, fish looked stressed, he had outbreak of whitespot around xmas time. Chilten aquatics is pretty good. And theres a new one at ferryhill, sc aquatics at consett, i think theres a one at stanley aswell. Try checking on aquarist classifieds, theres quite a few hobby breeders post stuff on there too. What someone needs to do, as we are stuck away here in the north east, is for someone to make a website/database which puts everyone in then north east together, from shops, to hobby breeders to fishkeepers as i get the impression that everyone pretty much has the same problems or even a facebook page where everyone can update stuff

 

[Doozer68]

Thanks for all the responses, some very frank ones! lol! We visited Sunderland aquatics, South Tynside Aquatics, and Blaydon Exotics over the weekend, also tried to find Dunstan Exotics, but think its closed down. Apparently the guys whose got Blaydon was partners with the one in Dunston then went on his own. My thoughts on the shops we visited, Sunderland, run down looked like owners wife running it with two kids helping! Shop had quite a selection of fish! Shop not really big enough and parking non existant. South Tyneside in Jarrow, again a bit run down, a fair selection of fish, spacious, but only open until 4.00pm and not Sunday, also no parking. Blaydon was a nice spacious shop, lots of fish and reptiles, even a crocodile! Big dissapointment was to see main display tank full of hair algae and a few small sucking loaches trying to get through it. I notice both Sunderland aqautics and South Tyneside shops are for sale. One note every shop had at least one dead fish, and they all looked like they'd been there a while! I can't understand it, if i was running a shop i'd be checking regulaly to see if there were any dead ones and removing them before the customer sees them! We'll try and get to Betta and Tyne Valley next weekend! report to follow.. lol

 

[sausagewinkle]

Thanks for all the responses, some very frank ones! lol! We visited Sunderland aquatics, South Tynside Aquatics, and Blaydon Exotics over the weekend, also tried to find Dunstan Exotics, but think its closed down. Apparently the guys whose got Blaydon was partners with the one in Dunston then went on his own. My thoughts on the shops we visited, Sunderland, run down looked like owners wife running it with two kids helping! Shop had quite a selection of fish! Shop not really big enough and parking non existant. South Tyneside in Jarrow, again a bit run down, a fair selection of fish, spacious, but only open until 4.00pm and not Sunday, also no parking. Blaydon was a nice spacious shop, lots of fish and reptiles, even a crocodile! Big dissapointment was to see main display tank full of hair algae and a few small sucking loaches trying to get through it. I notice both Sunderland aqautics and South Tyneside shops are for sale. One note every shop had at least one dead fish, and they all looked like they'd been there a while! I can't understand it, if i was running a shop i'd be checking regulaly to see if there were any dead ones and removing them before the customer sees them! We'll try and get to Betta and Tyne Valley next weekend! report to follow.. lol

I used to think Sunderland Aquatics was a decent shop until lately, like you say it looks very run down and its tiny with so much crammed into it. I bought my first RTBS from there and he only lasted a few weeks, tried everything for him (Bruce) but he died in the end so never went back there. Might have just been a bad batch of fish but still.
I was at Fish Alive in Durham yesterday, again sometimes that seems ok other times not so good. Yesterday I never noticed 1 dead fish (first thing I look for). Ended up with 6 neons
Good luck with your next adventure and look forward to your report

Theres a little shop in penshaw, although not a massive range, always has something a little different in and what makes the difference is that the folk who own it are spot on aswell. Fish Alive has a good selection but alot of the usual suspects but the blokes a tosser. Pets@Home in sunderland sometimes has stuff that sneaks in under the radar, i saw a 5 inch discus in there the other day for £17 lol Sunderland Aquatics used to be good but since the owner lost interest, the place has gone right down hill, its dirty, poor selection, fish looked stressed, he had outbreak of whitespot around xmas time. Chilten aquatics is pretty good. And theres a new one at ferryhill, sc aquatics at consett, i think theres a one at stanley aswell. Try checking on aquarist classifieds, theres quite a few hobby breeders post stuff on there too. What someone needs to do, as we are stuck away here in the north east, is for someone to make a website/database which puts everyone in then north east together, from shops, to hobby breeders to fishkeepers as i get the impression that everyone pretty much has the same problems or even a facebook page where everyone can update stuff

Or all the northeast people get together and make there own Aquatic Shop

 

[Doozer68]

Sorry to hear about 'Bruce' but i think we've had had our own 'Bruce' at one time or another, but as you say it could've been a bad batch! As for starting your own shop, I'm seriously thinking about it, just need to find decent location and shop!

 

[sausagewinkle]

Go for it

 

[Batty1975]

When i get my #14### in gear ill set up a facebook page, It would stop loads of bad buys, a massive exchange of information, a far better selection for everyone. Just like doozer, ive visited loads of "fish shops" where the stocks been #105###e. Fish Alive, although does have plenty of usual suspects, you need to find out when he gets his deliveries as that dictates when the best time to go. But Doozer, definitely try fish alive, everytime ive had fish from there theyve been solid. There used to be a small one at harton nook on the way to shields but no clue whether hes still in operation. I need to try Tyne Valley Aquatics, but im being drawn more and more to buying from hobby breeders.

 

[dipsydoodlenoodle]

I need to try Tyne Valley Aquatics, but im being drawn more and more to buying from hobby breeders.

Tyne Valley buy some of their unusual stock from hobby breeders if that is an incentive to go

 

[AntL]

I Always find Leyland garden centre to stock lots of good fish... If theres a certain one you want they will order it in for you. Tanks are good. Fish normally healthly although i have seen afew that wernt, but they always get isolated if they are.. here is the address.. Nice and friendly people in there too! They also sell marine but there isnt a massive choice of those.

Leyland Garden Centre
338 Southport Road
Ulnes Walton
Leyland

 

[ellejay]

I know it's been said a few times, but Betta Aquaria in Byker. Don't make your first impressions from the outside! Two shops, one for tank care, one for fish, their marine tanks are gorgeous and all tanks are nice and clean, staff can be a little bit standoffish but seem to know what they are talking about, I've got lots of healthy fish from there

Oops wrong emoticon. #41#### iPhone!!

 

[alysonpeaches]

Another angle to try is see if there is a local Aquarist Society. There usually will be one within reasonable distance. They often do club auctions where members can sell their surplus stock, or they will be able to put you in touch with breeders local to you who will sell you fish much cheaper than in the shops, sometimes even free.