Local Fish Store Reviews

[assassinco97]

I would like to start this thread to get up to date reviews on local fish stores in the area. So anytime you visit a store stop back here and give it a review. Let everyone know the following information:

Name of the store:

Quality of the fish/corals:

Quality of the tanks (clean, decorated, correctly paired):

Quality of show tanks:

Helpfulness of staff:

Anything special that makes it worth a trip:
(unique fish/coral: cool show tanks : great staff : special order)


Keep this thread going !! Even if you see a review for that store already that way no we have a variety of opinions to base our decisions on. **Store Owners feel free to answer any major concerns you see or if you were unduly judged.

Ed

[Totlxtc]

I think this is a wonderful idea. I'd like to add if you can get the days they are open and times to please post them with the info. Maybe we can get a mod to sticky this so its easy to find. ;)

[assassinco97]

Ok so I'm guessing no one likes this idea.....Mod please delete

[dsmboostaholic]

I like the idea!!!


Elmers-
long time fish shop, nothing fancy, good prices, all around bread & butter.

Wet Pets-
big $ fish shop, lots of exotics, high end supplies, very fancy and clean, more show than go.

Atlantis-
small, personal, little menu, high quality, ok prices, should check it out if you are on Rt 51.

Aquaworld-
new store, helpful staff, good coral selection, tons of products, good prices, more go than show.

Seahorse-
*#@$!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



As some may know, I worked for Seahorse for about 8 years. Had to walk out Tuesday along with 75% of the staff. Check it out and let me know what YOU think
:rolleye1: :rolleye1:




ps. I need a job.:)

[AquaworldPSC]

Alex.....sorry to here that man....call me at AquaWorld 412.732.9100

[zzpw3x]

What happened at Seahorse?

[dsmboostaholic]

in short: work had become no longer safe for several employees.

[BIGGUN]

Dude, What does that mean??? (in long) ;)

Did they ground your big toe to the plumbing before making you work on the salt water lighting???

Give us a little input.

Kevin

[SVTour]

Originally posted by dsmboostaholic
in short: work had become no longer safe for several employees.

I noticed that Jeff was gone lat time I was there...what happened?

[69vette]

Originally posted by dsmboostaholic
in short: work had become no longer safe for several employees.

I'm stopping there tonight, anything I should be looking for?

[BIGGUN]

Blood on the walls !!!!!

I hear it's pretty unsafe. ;)

Just kidding. Wish I knew what all the uproar was about.

Kevin

[69vette]

So, maybe I should wear my bullet proof vest in there?

[BIGGUN]

You have a bullet proof vest???? Now I'm worried. :)

Kevin

[Steven Pro]

I stopped at the new Wet Pets store today. It was pretty nice. Good looking tanks, fish, fixtures, but it was smaller than I thought it was going to be. From the outside, it looks much bigger.

[Peccavi18]

The new Wet Pet's looks small cuz it isn't finished yet, they have a whole corner of it going to be pond and garden, with the indoor pond displays and goldfish/ koi. I can't remember when they said it would be up. I think springish, just in time for the season, But I know they are still setting that area up, It's a nice looking store the new tanks are beutiful, and they are always really helpful. I like the place, It's pricey on some of the stuff though.

[69vette]

Stopped in the Seahorse last night. Nothing really looked any different, except that I didn't recognize anyone working there. The owner (don't remember his name) was in doing a water change on the big built in tank in back, which seemed strange because I haven't seen him for ages.

[assassinco97]

Every company has there ups and downs.....The purpose of this thread was to inform consumers about the actual quality of the fish store.....not the gossip, which while entertaining is totally one sided. Please be careful with gossip as it may be slanderous and even worse untrue.

[dsmboostaholic]

assassinco97,


I dont mean to gossip at all. Im sorry I shifted the thread. I am the only one who commented on all the stores and I did NOT comment on Seahorse. Any further "gossip" should be done via Pm's.

Thanks for the input.

[assassinco97]

I know your not gossiping....but I believe that every place deserves a fair shake. What happened there isn't going to make it a worse place to shop for marine stuff...unless the new staff is incompetent. I Just want people to have an unbiased view of the stores in this area and I think it just got outta hand with the blood on the walls thing. :)

[69vette]

Originally posted by assassinco97
I think it just got outta hand with the blood on the walls thing. :)

Did you miss the part where Kevin said that he was just kidding?:)

Anyway, it didn't stop me from going back there.

[assassinco97]

I know that he was kidding...and yes it may not have stopped you from going back, however if someone who has never been there seen those comments. They may not take the chance and miss one of the best fish stores in the city...plus they also sponser our club...how would you feel if you gave people discounts and then they slandered you on their bulletin board.

I'm just looking at it from a thrid person view...and feel it is best to just let the gossiping stop becuase seahorse cant defend itself.

[Steven Pro]

Originally posted by assassinco97
plus they also sponser our club...how would you feel if you gave people discounts and then they slandered you on their bulletin board.
That is why we should all chose our words very carefully.

[BIGGUN]

Let me retract my statement as I go there at least once a week and have NEVER seen blood even on the floor let alone on the walls!

I found the "unsafe" part of the post humorous, and ran with it.

Oh, I have also never seen anyone's toe grounded to the plumbing while working on the VHO's. :D

With that said the change of staff, in my opinion, has not been noticable in their tanks. The quality of their livestock remains the same. This speaks highly of the committment of the remaining staff as I'm sure that the burden on them has been greatly increased until the store becomes fully staffed again.

The opinions expressed in this and previous threads are that of my own and do NOT reflect that of Reef Central, PMAS, or any other members thereof. (Except for the good stuff [maybe]) :)

Kevin

[wee-reefer]

LMAO, Kevin, too funny! :lol:

[BIGGUN]

Going to the Seahorse again today. Keeping my eye on a pair of pipefish. Waiting for them to go Cyclops!! Don't want to tease my Seahorses with live.

Will also be at Aquaworld. Will post what's up there.

If people are looking for something special maybe they could post that here also. Then they'll have a bunch of eyes looking for it.

Kevin

[assassinco97]

I had my eye on those bad boys too......I don't really care about live :) I'll beat you there !!!! :)

[BIGGUN]

Something's nipping at their tails but there still beautiful!

Good luck at getting them. I'm not going to try training them to eat frozen at home. If they switched in the shop that's one thing.
So I won't be getting them for a while if ever.

Oh, I'm 8 Mins away and walking out the door right now!!!! HA!

Kevin

[assassinco97]

ha I ordered by phone :) and paid with credit card

[BIGGUN]

NICE! :D

Oh well, Guess I'll just have to go to that other local place that I saw them for $9.99 at and get them there. ;)

Kevin

[Totlxtc]

Well i got you both beat! I made mine out of pipe cleaners, spray paint and some googly eyes. Cost me $1.99 and 10 minutes of my time. Plus i dont have to worry about feeding them. :p

[BIGGUN]

Chuck, How much for the PIPEcleanerFISH??????

Are they eating frozen, flake, or live?


OK went to Aquaworld.......

It looks like their tanks still need to stabilize after the switch to localized sumps.

They have a nice 3" Blueish Mycedium (little high in price) $90


Went to Seahorse........

Nice shipment of fish! Huge carpet anemones, The most beautiful Copperbanded Butterfly I've seen. Some nice anthius..............and the pipefish are still there.

HA Ed didn't get them!!!

Worth the trip to look around.

Was at Wet Pets a few days ago...........
ACANTHASTREA ENCHINATA 2.5-3" $50 Good local fish shop price!

MYCEDIUM (Mauve-pink color) 8" or bigger piece NICE $90 GOOD LFS Price.

Worth the trip to look around.

Kevin

[assassinco97]

What color where the carpet anemones......I want one for my Maroon once I get my halides.

Did you like the shark tank at wet pets.....I thought it was cool but then realized they looked a little cramped. I like the new cabinets though.

Did you happen to see any jawfish while you were out

Ed

PipecleanerFish.....ohhhh can I put those in a NANO with 30 other fish.

[egross]

Seahorse had two small pearly jawfish on Wednesday.

Elisa

[holeinone1972]

Originally posted by assassinco97
What color where the carpet anemones......I want one for my Maroon once I get my halides.

.

Bubble anemones are the natural host for Maroon clowns.

I do not think they will host in a carpet, carpets are hosts for Percula clowns.

Rob

[BIGGUN]

Ed,
the carpets were various shades of green.

Kevin

[assassinco97]

I've seen maroons hosted in carpets so i know it can be done.....I don't know much about the bubble anemones. I thought they moved around alot so I didnt really even consider them since I'll have SPS in the tank as well. I'm looking for something that will primarily stay in the sand or on an "island" that I'll create for them

Do you think the bubble will fit that description......Also does anyone have a pic.

Thanks for the jawfish update

Egross....Where do you work as an ES. Im currently looking for a job and would like to be in PGH. Can you give me an idea of firms in that area that would hire a biologist. Any help would be appreciated.

[BIGGUN]

Oh Ed,

The pipefish are all yours...........................but the octopus is mine!!!!!!

Kevin

[assassinco97]

Octo's are cool but aren't they notoriously difficult to keep in the system.

I would love to try one, but I can't really completely close off my system to keep them in.

How big is that octo: They always get those buggers in.....almsot bought one once so that I could teach it to open jars :) but didnt want him to escape

[69vette]

Originally posted by assassinco97
I don't know much about the bubble anemones. I thought they moved around alot so I didnt really even consider them since I'll have SPS in the tank as well. I'm looking for something that will primarily stay in the sand or on an "island" that I'll create for them

Do you think the bubble will fit that description......Also does anyone have a pic.


Depending on your lighting, BTA's can move around quite a bit. Once they find a place they like, they usually stay put, until they start splitting. Then sometimes, the daughters take off to find a place of their own.

There are some pictures here:
http://reefcentral.com/gallery/showgallery.php?thumb=1&cat=500&si=69vette&perpage=24&sort=1&stype=&ppuser=

[assassinco97]

I'm getting 250W MH 10,000k and t-5 supplements Maristar

So I think the light thing should be handled...do you agree?

Are they high light or low light animals

Ed

[BIGGUN]

It going in species specific........:rolleyes:......like the seahorse tank wasn't enough.
He's about 6" from top to tip.

Kevin

[assassinco97]

Is that a whole tank of bubble tips ????? WOW

[assassinco97]

Species specific.......another reason for a new tank :) haha

You gotta teach it the jar trick that rocks the you can play ball with it too :)

Ed

[69vette]

Originally posted by assassinco97
Is that a whole tank of bubble tips ????? WOW

I bought one about 2 years ago, and it started splitting. Last count was over 20.

The pictures were taken with 2-250w 10,000k lamps and they look rather brown. Since then I've replaced the lamps with 12,000k's, and the BTA's are now a real nice green.

[holeinone1972]

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/5516Rose.gif

Pics of my rose bubble tips.

All anemones can move around. getting a healthy one is the trick.

Carpets from an lfs is a crap shoot.

Rob

[assassinco97]

thanks....I like the rose bubble tips How demanding are they

[holeinone1972]

Anything medium lighting or above is good. Like any anemone species, you cannot make them sit and stay, but hope that they will.

Carpets seem to have a worse rep, about survivability. Rose bubbles are tough especially if you can get a captive splitter like mine or 69vettes green ones.

Rob

[assassinco97]

So the next obvious question is can I call dibs on the next split......I dont have any trades but I would be willing to compensate.

[holeinone1972]

Originally posted by assassinco97
So the next obvious question is can I call dibs on the next split......I dont have any trades but I would be willing to compensate. Pm me if interested.

I have about 10 now.

Rob

[superstein61]

Hi, after several years of working with FW tanks, I am setting up my first SW set-up. Planning a small reef in a 37 Gal Oceanic cube/rectangle.

Any suggestions on the best place to find relatively inexpensive live rock in Pittsburgh? Or is it better to have it shipped in from a Gulf View or TBS or ???

BTW - I typically frequent Wet Pets or Animal Krackers in Bridgeville. The new Wet Pets store is nice and the guys are usually knowledgeable. I was surprised too it wasn't a little bigger. As far as Animal Krackers goes, I can't speak yet for SW livestock - but they have had some interesting FW livestock at times and sometimes at very good prices

[69vette]

There's a guy in Butler auctioning live rock on ebay. He says it's been in his tank for 6 years. Here is a link to his auctions:

http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsofocusZsoQQsbrftogZ1QQfromZR10QQcatrefZC6QQftrtZ1QQftrvZ1QQfsptZ1QQsadisZ200QQfposZ16002QQsell erZ1QQsassZreef-builderQQfsopZ1QQfsooZ1QQcoactionZcompareQQcopagenumZ1QQcoentrypageZsearch

I've never met him, so can't tell you anymore than that.

[WALLYB]

could someone give me an idea on where the local stores are? I'm really just starting out and need a place to begin looking for ideas and info. Thanks in advance

[BIGGUN]

Get your advice here, at the PMAS meetings or at WetWebMedia.
Use the local shops to look around but don't neccessarily believe everthing you hear.

Good luck.

Kevin

[WALLYB]

I'll do that, but I'd still like to know where some of the local stores are located. Out my way no one deals in SW much

[BIGGUN]

Where do you travel to when you're out and about ?

Beaver?

Aquaworld - Intersection of Camp Horne Rd and Rt 65. Get some nice corals in and have decent prices on fish. Make SURE you really look their stuff over before you buy. They're systems still need to stablize.

Seahorse - Rt 8 in Allison Park around a mile south of the Turnpike. Shipments every Tues. Nice tanks to look at. No SPS. Nice selection of fish and some softies and LPS.

Pet Supplies Plus (Bridgeville) - Rt 50 between the Heidlberg and Bridgeville exits of Rt 79. tanks still recovering from temp/nutrient problems but starting to look alot better with the new lights :D . Good mix of just about everything.

Animal Krackers (bridgeville) - Next plaza up.....if you're at Pet Supplies you might as well stop there also. Nice quality fish!.

Wet Pets - McMurray 5 mins from the Canonsburg exit of 79. best to call for directions. Brand new store! setup's are beautiful. Have some pretty unusual corals for a LFS. Definately worth the trip.

How's that for starters?

There are others that are worth seeing but aren't as easy to get to.

Atlantis on Rt 51 south of town
Pet Supplies plus in Monroeville and Mcknight and Irwin
Elmer's in Monroeville
a couple around wilkinsburg
YADA YAda yada.

Kevin

[vijaysub]

I wonder if the place is youngstown would be closer?

Vijay

[BIGGUN]

Might be worth looking at.
Not even sure what it's called though.

[dracozmine]

Are you talking about Tropical Pets? Just north of the Southern Park Mall on Rt. 7?

[superstein61]

Stopped at Aquaworld for first time - and I would agree there tanks need to stabilize and you better examine thinsg closely. Far too many dead or dying fish I saw in various tanks for my liking.

That said, they did have a very nice variety of things. Hopefully their tanks will come around

[BIGGUN]

They just redid the arrangement of the sumps........so they're practically starting over again with all their SW fish systems.

The coral systems have only been up in that configuration for about two monthes or so.

Kevin

[WALLYB]

Sorry it took so long to get back in thanks for the info! I've been to Pet supplies plus (mainly in Cranberry) I thinmk this weekend may be a shopping around trip. Youngstown is about same distance away I think I was in that store a year or so ago, maybe I'll do alot of driving this weekend.

[Peccavi18]

I have been to the pet supplies plus on 88 in southpark, but none of the other pet supply plus stores, but i was told they have cured live rock for $3.00 a lb, this sounds too good to be true. I have uncured live rock already so i would only be getting a few lbs for seeding. but i wanted to see if anyone knew if this was the price before I traveled up there. I had also heard they had snails pretty cheap??? any truth to these? -ryan

[assassinco97]

The one in Monroeville usually has some incredible prices on snails....dont have a quote cause havent had to buy any since they reproduce like rabbits....Their quality is usually excellent.

As for rock I picked up a nice piece for about 3/lb at the store and was quite happy with it and didnt really notice a spike at all so Im assuming it was cured pretty throughly. Just make sure you get to pick a piece from their tanks with fish otherwise it might not be cured.

[fishox]

I've been to all of the local stores, Seahorse, Atlantis, AquaWorld, Elmers and for my money Atlantis has the nicest stuff. His corals and rock are better than anything around. His selection of fish is a bit lacking. Aquaworld has a really good selection of dry goods, but I don't like their tanks. Too many dead fish and too many tanks covered in algae. Plus, in my opinion they sell too many things that shouldn't be sold: cleaner wrasses, ribbon eels, sea apples etc.

Have you ever been to West Hills Pet Center? He gets some nice fish, has some real nice soft corals, but his tanks could use some work too. Atleast he is conscietious about what he sells though.

I thought that Seahorse was too expensive compared to the others. Atleast at Atlantis Gary will negotiate a little.

Just my opinion/experience.

[SVTour]

Originally posted by holeinone1972
Bubble anemones are the natural host for Maroon clowns.

I do not think they will host in a carpet, carpets are hosts for Percula clowns.

Rob

Hi Rob, I just sent you an email in regards to this...

[jeeptp75]

Where is Pet Supplies Plus in Monroeville? Im not from the area, I am familiar with Elmer's but thats about it.

[Steven Pro]

Originally posted by jeeptp75
Where is Pet Supplies Plus in Monroeville? Im not from the area, I am familiar with Elmer's but thats about it.
From the Elmer's parking lot, turn right and proceed down route 22 heading west. At I believe the 4th light just past the Jaguar dealership and Boston market turn left. Pet Supply Plus will be in the next plaza on the left.

[jeeptp75]

Thank You very much, I think I know right where you mean.

[jeeptp75]

ALso, im going to be traveling to Cabela's in WV this weekend down 70 through washington and stuff. Are there any stores in the area that anyone knows about that I could stop at and check out?

[PaulB]

Who around here has Banded Trochus snails?? I need a couple for a nano and a few big fat spaghetti worms.