fish stores in socal

kevinrs · #1 04/16/2005, 04:13 PM

does anyone have a favorite fish store in socal? Because i have been to a few (tongs, reef collection, sandbar, 405 tropical fish, jeffs) and i was wondering if there are any other ones out there that have good selections?

hodgepodge1983 · #2 04/16/2005, 04:40 PM

Strictly Fish in Long Beach (Carson & Los Coyotes Diagonal / Studebaker) and Pacific Reef ( http://www.reefpacific.com , they also have high quality live rock) are two stores that, to me, seem to have excellent selections. Strictly Fish is my preferred LFS because everything is always clean and I have yet to see a sick fish there. The staff is also extremely knowledgeable.

kevinrs · #3 04/16/2005, 09:13 PM

ya i checked out strictly fish, and well, their fish dont look so great, i saw 4 sick fish there today. And i have been to both pacific reefs before, and they are wayyyyyy overpriced. Anyone else know of any more stores?

Detritivore · #4 04/16/2005, 09:32 PM

almost every single LFS is gonna have some sick or dying fish. you just cant take care of every single fish when you have possibly hundreds, maybe thousands of gallons of other stuff to care for. that being said, aquarium center in sherman oaks is a VERY good LFS, IMO. aquarium city in canoga park is good too.

integlikewhoa · #5 04/16/2005, 09:38 PM

i think you hit the big ones. or the ones i would recommend. Jeffs has 2 stores. These guys good good prices on live goods. www.coraloasis.com i would check them out. Marine depot you can pick up dry goods. I use them alot. they have a nice catalog and alot of stuff in stock unlike most stores they dont have much of any drygoods. www.oceanproaquatics.com in chino has great prices on rock. check this link http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...hreadid=573306

i guess it depends on what your looking for.

kevinrs · #6 04/16/2005, 10:04 PM

Im just looking for better deals on corals and fish, so far i have been to about 10 or so stores, and reefcollection.com a store near my house has THE cheapest corals around, plus they give me a little discount because i visit them on a regular basis. But i cant seem to find a fish store with constantly cheap fish. tongs has some cheap fish, and jeff has the other ones, but i guess im just looking for even better deals.

hodgepodge1983 · #7 04/16/2005, 10:39 PM

There is a new store that opened in Lakewood on the corner of South St. and Woodruff - if I remember right, their fish were pretty cheap... something like $5 for a Longnose Hawkfish. Most of the fish were healthy, but overall the store wasn't as clean as Strictly Fish. I haven't been there in a while, so I can't say for sure that the prices are still low. The name of the store is Sea Scapes, I believe.

Entropy · #8 04/16/2005, 11:25 PM

I like Aquarium City in Canoga Park quite a bit. It is worth a 25 mile drive anyway.

jetmechG550 · #9 04/16/2005, 11:35 PM

Kevinrs, is hb for Hermosa Beach or Huntington Beach, or am I completely wrong? I'm out there alot for work and usually stay around Manhattan Beach. There's a couple stores on Pac highway that aren't too bad. One small store I think called Just Fish, had some nice looking stuff last time I was there. I think the owners name was Dave, pretty nice guy.

kevinrs · #10 04/17/2005, 12:06 AM

it stands for huntington beach, does just fish have a web site?
and does sea scapes have a web site? so i can get the exact address.

integlikewhoa · #11 04/17/2005, 12:47 AM

www.coraloasis.com has cheap price on fish. Tongs i would not buy any fish from. My sister has had probelms and also they always have dead stuff. Jeffs is not bad. They have saturday specials that are good. Every sat at jeffs (not the one in oc the other one) they pass out flyers and have alot of buy 3 get on free and so on.

DtheDude · #12 04/17/2005, 01:02 AM

Quote:

I like Aquarium City in Canoga Park quite a bit. It is worth a 25 mile drive anyway.

really? I'm like 5 minutes from Canoga Park....sweeet

burton14e7 · #13 04/17/2005, 01:54 AM

Jeff's in Orange has Saturday deals too.

integlikewhoa · #14 04/17/2005, 02:33 AM

Not as much or as good as the other tho. PLus the orange has less to choose from. Its a nice new store but not the main wherehouse.

ReefExpert · #15 04/17/2005, 03:27 AM

PM sent, ,might want to check it out!

kevinrs · #16 04/17/2005, 01:21 PM

Ya thanks for the pm reefexpert, ya i guess jeffs is ok, but its a longer drive out there for me instead of 5 min. its 30 w/o traffic.

reefer45cal · #17 04/23/2005, 02:35 AM

THERE ARE A LOT OF LFS. THE BEST ONE IS BYFAR TONGS. FOR HIGH END AND RARE STUFF AND THE LARGEST SELECTION OF MARINE LIVESTOCK. THOUGH THEY ARE PRETTY HIGH ON SOME STUFF. LIKE THE CORAL IN THEIR DISPLAY TANKS IN THE BACK OF THE STORE. LOTS OF RARE STUFF IN THOSE TANKS AN ABUNDANCE! THEY HAVE SO MANY RARE THINGS OR CAN GET THEM. THEY MAKE IT SEEM LIKE IT WASNT RARE. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU SAW A GEM TANG, PAIRS OF CAP CLOWNS, OR RESPLENDENT ANGEL, OR EVEN A YELLOW HAWK FISH. IF YOU WANT IT IM PRETTY SURE THEY CAN GET IT FOR YOU. THOUGH NOT CHEAP. GOOD THINGS DONT COME CHEAP!

feedingcarp · #18 04/23/2005, 10:18 AM

I have to agree with reefer45cal. I frequently peruse most LFS from the Valley to the OC and I have to say Tong's is by far the best one. He has a HUGE selection of fish and corals. He usually carries many rare things that you usually have to special order in other stores. And I think his prices are relatively cheap.

I just saw a Lineatus Wrasse for like $128 at Tong's. Now that's a great price in my book. His ultra rare stuff is not cheap, but cheaper than what it usually goes for on eBay.

I personally don't like Jeff's. Ironically, his Orange store stuff cost more than his warehouse. He works on high volume and even though his live goods are relatively cheap, it worries me that they haven't been quarantined or acclimated long enough.

A new store just opened up in Torrence. It's called Aloha Tropical off of Hawthorne. They're selling things a little cheaper to get their name out and to be competitive with the established stores.

I hope this helps.

SpetsnaZ · #19 04/23/2005, 11:22 AM

Aloha Tropical is pretty good, but i think they are a little more pricey then neptunes reef. or i might be totally wrong

codybug · #20 04/23/2005, 12:52 PM

I also think Tongs is a good store. He has a big selection of tanks now that he has expanded. He also carries some really rare animals.

kevinrs · #21 04/23/2005, 02:51 PM

ya but tongs is WAY overpriced on corals

NwG · #22 04/23/2005, 02:59 PM

Spet, where is that new one in Torrance, I just drove up and down Hawthorn and didn't find it!!!! (I wanted to take a drive anyway

)

NwG · #23 04/23/2005, 03:28 PM

Don't worry I found it!!!!

NwG · #24 04/23/2005, 04:51 PM

Just got back from Aloha Tropical, I was very impressed with the look of the shop, and the people there were very nice and helpful... I didn't buy anything, just talked with them for some time... They have only been open three weeks, so they don't have there stock full yet.. They plan on selling SPS and other speciality items.. I didn't really check prices (wasn't buying anything) and the sell and use Scripps water...
I like the place, will be going back.....

Konadog · #25 04/23/2005, 04:55 PM

What was the address?