Swallow Aquatics Rayleigh

[markandhisfish]

i just got back from swallow aquatics in rayleigh. and i must say its probably the best lfs i have been to. superb variety spotless tanks not a single dead or sick looking fish. the marine section just blew me away for the sheer variety , they must of had easily 50 different species as well as inverts corals etc . very good range of cichlids too .
as for the display tanks i could of sttod and stared at them for hours and hours . a massive reef tank which must of been easily 9 foot long 4 or 5 foot high and 3 or 4 foot fron to back , and a massive african cichlid tank in the middle of the fish house which was around 6 foot by 6 foot and probaly 7 foot tall , and a dwarf caimen enclosure which looked literally like somebody had cut the side off of a jungle pond and stuck a glass viewing panel on the front, very impressive indeed.

i bought 40 cardinal tetra which were bagged with oxygen pumped in then put double bagged in a darker bag and given to me in a polybox.

its worth going just for the big displays . well done swallows keep it up

 

[kaivalagi]

I go to Swallow in East Harling, which is about a 1 hour drive for me, but well worth it.

I am similarly impressed with them! I got my Tapajos from them, in fact all the fish ever bought from them have proved very healthy and feed well as soon as they're home...a really good sign. For a chain they really know their stuff too, comments like "that fish comes from the same area as your Tapajos" for example always impresses.

And the display tanks at East Harling are amazing too, they have a 19yr old red tailed catfish in one, it must be ~ 3.5 - 4ft long. They also have a great Amazon style tank with lovely adult Tapajos, massive Denisons and a host of other cool fish.

I bought my new tank from them recently too, they delivered up stairs into the flat, they asked how things were next time I was there...good customer service for sure!

Highly recommended from me too

 

[ellena]

I'm on hols in kent later this year, might have to pay a visit. Are they all good?

 

[kaivalagi]

I'm on hols in kent later this year, might have to pay a visit. Are they all good?

No idea, hopefully you can take a look and feedback

I would imagine if 2 of their stores are that good the other will be too, seems like the top management know a bit about fish for a change

 

[VaegaVic]

I really hate Rayleigh Swallows.
Almost every single fish I've bought from there has either been diseased or not lived anywhere near it's normal lifespan.
E.g. Bought 11 cherry shrimp, 2 died on the way home, 7 died 3-7 days later. Still have one little girl left named Shrimples bless her, trying to find her a boyfriend but to no success.
Also bought 7 peppered cories, 3 had swimbladder problems within 2 days of being in the tank which then spread to all myer pygmy cories.
Then bought 2 BN's to replace the cories, 1 died within 2 weeks from starvation as she wouldn't eat at all, the other is still going thankfully.

Just to clarify, all tanks were well established (18 months +) with absolutely no signs of disease until I bought from Swallows.

Not a happy bunny, and the best apology I got (after supplying a fresh water sample complete with 0/0/15) was "it's not our tanks, must be yours!"

 

[CrystalClear16]

I really hate Rayleigh Swallows.
Almost every single fish I've bought from there has either been diseased or not lived anywhere near it's normal lifespan.

Wow I am surprised to hear that. Before moving I went to Swallows in Rayleigh for 5yrs and NEVER had any unhealthy fish.

I moved to Norwich a year ago and was not looking forward to the process of sussing out the good stores. But then I discovered that Swallows also have a branch in East Harling - and I was thrilled to discover it is just as good (though a bit smaller with slightly less stock) than the Rayleigh branch. I now drive the 20mins to East Harling rather than go to my local P@H.

So I have been using the Swallows stores for 6 years now and have not been disappointed.

 

[VaegaVic]

I don't mind the odd death here and there as that's understandable and in most cases completely unavoidable, but to have so many deaths in multiple tanks in such a short amount of time only to be given a rude welcoming when I came back, that truly took the biscuit.

I maintain my tanks in pristine condition, water changes every week without fail, no overfeeding and regular tank testing. I was absolutely furious to be told not only would I not recieve a full refund for the peppers, but they wouldn't compensate me for the death of my pygmys because there was no proof of contamination, even with one cory going upside down in the tank I returned them in!

I can also find treatments/ornaments/food cheaper at my LFS, Manor Koi, so I no longer have a need to go anywhere near that awful store.

 

[kaivalagi]

I moved to Norwich a year ago and was not looking forward to the process of sussing out the good stores. But then I discovered that Swallows also have a branch in East Harling - and I was thrilled to discover it is just as good (though a bit smaller with slightly less stock) than the Rayleigh branch. I now drive the 20mins to East Harling rather than go to my local P@H.

So I have been using the Swallows stores for 6 years now and have not been disappointed.

Worth the trip isn't it! The P@H is litterly 2 minutes walk for me, but I just don't bother...except for the odd thermometer, frozen food or plant now and again

Just wish Swallow would budge on price a little, no bartering works for me in there

 

[CrystalClear16]

Worth the trip isn't it! The P@H is litterly 2 minutes walk for me, but I just don't bother...except for the odd thermometer, frozen food or plant now and again

Just wish Swallow would budge on price a little, no bartering works for me in there

True! Though I think their prices are reasonable, I would rather pay a little more and know the fish are healthy. Although I have only bought relatively cheap fish - I can imagine it would be a bit more important if purchasing a £150 ray!

I even gave up on frozen food from P@H - I could never get the bloodworm out of the packet without it shooting across the kitchen!

 

[MermaidMel]

I went there today, my curiosity got the better of me
WOW, their displays are the best I've seen and I've been to a lot of LFS!!
I didn't buy anything though, just had a look around, very very large tanks for displaying their 'pet' fish, it was like a sealife centre! Very impressive!