Madison Fish Stores - Any worth the drive?

[brians_224]

Thanks for your time.

I was considering of driving to some madison area fish stores. Can you recommend any?

[hwynboy]

If you want overpriced LFS then the one on University and Verona is a good LFS for fish. None out here have any corals worth coming out for. I buy my stuff and have it shipped to my home. It's sad.

[brians_224]

thanks for the post!

Have you ever been to the Aquarium Superstore on 708 S Gammon Rd ?

[hwynboy]

yes...4 words for that store.

Yuck
Holy Overpriced EVERYTHING

[brians_224]

thanks.

[fahz]

Originally posted by brians_224
thanks for the post!

Have you ever been to the Aquarium Superstore on 708 S Gammon Rd ?

They are out of business but I think Aquatic Specialties (highly recommended), Pet World Warehouse Outlet, and Animal Adventure Pets (pricey) are worth looking at for someone who's new to the hobby. I have tons of corals and still managed to find three pieces to buy last week.

Fahz

[hwynboy]

When did they go out of business? I was there 2 weeks ago and YUCK same crappy selection small fish and expensive prices

[fahz]

Originally posted by hwynboy
When did they go out of business? I was there 2 weeks ago and YUCK same crappy selection small fish and expensive prices

A year ago when we went to there location they were closed up just assumed they were down the tubes. Didn't go back this year but don't sound like I missed anything.

Fahz

[tapper of spines]

Originally posted by hwynboy
yes...4 words for that store.

Yuck
Holy Overpriced EVERYTHING

I concur. And no, they haven't gone out of business. They have some aiptasia issues as well, to add insult to Yuck.

I've been to all of the stores in town, and Aquatic Specialties is the only one in town that I bother visiting anymore.

HTH
TOS

[hwynboy]

I couldnt agree more with what you have added to YUCK.

[MiddletonMark]

Originally posted by tapper of spines
\I've been to all of the stores in town, and Aquatic Specialties is the only one in town that I bother visiting anymore.


I'd say that, with Animart on a day they get a shipment often pretty good as well. Others have had bad luck there, but I've had good luck.

Not sure what's up with Superstore. A year ago their SW stock was much better, prices lower. Though I do note it depends on who you are on what price they give [as nothing is listed].

But it's a shame they went downhill ... almost as bad as Petworld, and no one can be as bad as Animal Adventures.

[hwynboy]

Animart on the east side has just as deplorable conditions...regardless what day you are there. I dont even walk in any of these stores out here..it's either really gross or really expensive or both. YUCK!

[MiddletonMark]

Personally, I find Pet World to have the most sickening conditions.

I'm suprised you have such a negative reaction to Animart ... as they're one of the few places I don't regularly see dead livestock.

[lorifish]

do you guys ever go to chicago? madison to chicago is a reasonable drive,right? or do you prefer the greenbay store?

do you ever go to Minneapolis?

[hwynboy]

Originally posted by MiddletonMark
I'm suprised you have such a negative reaction to Animart ... as they're one of the few places I don't regularly see dead livestock.

It's 10 minutes from my house and I go there (used to) VERY regularly about 2-4 times a week...I get sick. The place is terrible condition the water is worse than at Pet World. The workers have no clue what an Angel fish is from a dolphin. My friend bought a nice table acro and he said I'll take that leather coral there for $23.99 and they gave it to him....unreal. So other than the workers being dumber than dumb and the water conditions worse than Pet World and the prices out of this universe, the place is great. I once saw 1/2 inch ocellaris fish there for $39.99 ARE YOU KIDDING ME? They pay about $5 a piece for them if that. I swore never to walk in there again.

[hwynboy]

Originally posted by lorifish
do you guys ever go to chicago? madison to chicago is a reasonable drive,right? or do you prefer the greenbay store?

do you ever go to Minneapolis?

To me they are all too far. Goochs is about a 3 hour drive and so is Chicago. Minneapolis is about 4 hours. I come from a place that 30 minutes and you go around the entire island. =)

[T Sandman]

Pet worlds in Milwaukee are pretty much the same. Very expensive and YUCK! LOL.

However, I did find a small place in West Bend that has fantastic prices on everything but live rock. I bought a couple penguin 1140's for 27$ each. Their instant ocean 50 gal. is 14$. Their fish prices are very nice too but they only have about 10 tanks for salt. They said they can order pretty much anything though.

The name of the place is Pet Stuff.

[MiddletonMark]

Originally posted by MiddletonMark
I'd say that, with Animart on a day they get a shipment often pretty good as well. Others have had bad luck there, but I've had good luck.

I amend my statement. While getting the odd Acro in from time to time, this store seems crummier and worse-off than before. Maybe I just got a lucky couple of months ... and Hwynboy's experience is more typical, over the long run. :(

But... for good news... Aquatic Specialties [Univ] just got in a nice order of ORA clowns, dottybacks [captive fish] and some frags. The Blue Tort went about instantly, a couple other Acros and plating Montis too ... but yesterday they still had a couple nice ones. [green birdsnest :)]

[fahz]

just got in a nice order of ORA clowns, dottybacks [captive fish] and some frags. The Blue Tort went about instantly, a couple other Acros and plating Montis too ... but yesterday they still had a couple nice ones. [green birdsnest :)] [/QUOTE]

Hey Mark: This is a nice shop have stopped in a few times and always found something to buy. There not big but have nice things and friendly people. They have always offered to special order if I want something special. Last time I was down I sent a buying customer in I met in another store and they gave me a nice discount on my order. Wish they were local sure beats our LFS but six hour one way drive is a bit much only stop when I have other business in the area.

Fahz

[MiddletonMark]

Yup, they can be a little overpriced there ... but then again they seem to be the `steadiest' of all the LFS around here [less ups/downs] and while not cheap decent.

But was nice [and sad] to know I missed a Blue tort frag at my LFS by under 24 hours. I like those chances :D

[MalawianDude]

I am surprised u have such a bad reaction to animart, i agree their water conditions and tank conditions are yuck, but better then petsmart, i have met two people i only try to talk to about SW fish and such at animart, they actually know their $#%$, o u want a bad one, how 'bout that one out in oconomowoc, tanks area always dirty, and the employees anytime u ask them a question they have to go ask the manager about it, lol. that store on gammon road, is overpriced but have some cool fish, it sounds like all u guys are more into reef's but im a beginner, just starting with an all marine tank. Think a clown is a good starter fish?

[MiddletonMark]

Yeah, I found it to be so.

[MalawianDude]

good, we really like them, maybe one then another after a lil while, still workin on figurin out if White Led's will be sufficient lighting for their amneities

[hwynboy]

Honestly I have never found ANYONE at Animart that knows ANYTHING about saltwater stuff. If you ask anyone there a question they always say...oh let me get so and so....and they NEVER know. lmao. My friend bought a nice table acro and told the person there, "Is that the Colt Coral for $23.99?"
They said YEP and bagged the acro colony for him. Unreal....

[MalawianDude]

lol i agree, only selective one know's his stuff, and second guy well he's a intermediate. wish they could have a fish store where the all or most of the staff know what their doing.

[dakar]

Definately keep your wallet away from Ani-Mart... I was bored one day for lunch and ran through there just kinda poking around. Really needed a Mag7-9 pump and a PH... Mag7=$119 ??? are they nuts??? Animal Adventure over by Menona is a little better, a bit overpriced on some dry stuff, but I wouldn't buy any livestock from there. Watched a feeding, if thats what you want to call it...more like slam the cover open toss in a handfull and SLAM the cover closed again, right down the line. The poor critters looked shell shocked, I'd like to cage that kid for a couple of days and learn him a few things. Overall poor at best.

[MiddletonMark]

I can't buy anything from that Monona drive store. Until they get rid of their livestock, too sad. Pet World is like that for me too :(

[hwynboy]

That place on Monona is OVERRUN with flatworms...and it has just been in miserable condition for at least the last year. I would never buy ANYTHING from that place.

[MalawianDude]

wuts this store on univ. ave.? i was up there tryin to find something but couldn't, someone said there was a store up that way that wasn't in too bad of shape, any ideas?

[MiddletonMark]

Yeah, but do you want the attitude those guys give off?

[MalawianDude]

hmm..good point some peeps just don't have people skills

[MiddletonMark]

Yep. I just can't handle some kid telling me [with arrogance] that I'm an idiot for running my SG at 1.026, as nowhere in the ocean does the salinity run that high
:rolleyes:

Don't even look at the books they sell ...

[gumbyri]

I travel to Milwaukee and Chicago quite a bit

any suggestions?

I'm just starting a saltwater aquarium, so I need everything

[MiddletonMark]

Originally posted by MiddletonMark
Yep. I just can't handle some kid telling me [with arrogance] that I'm an idiot for running my SG at 1.026, as nowhere in the ocean does the salinity run that high
:rolleyes:

Don't even look at the books they sell ...

Note: Speaking of the far west side store/gammon.
They seem very variable in the last year or so ... at times with decent stuff, then times with not much. Generally few nice healthy things among the rest, and I don't like the lack of prices on the tanks.

On the first page I mentioned the Univ. Ave place.
It's the only place that gives decent credit for frags or normally carries frags in town. Interesting livestock and decent stuff. Haven't seen a pest in their tanks, nor the place looking really bad ever. Have seen some nice corals come thru in the last months.