Fish Stores in South Carolina?

ReefWaters · #1 10/05/2004, 12:06 AM

I travel the entire state of SC on a weekly basis.
What are the best local fish stores around?
Are there any really good stores that specialize in reefs?

Thanks for any info.

ReefWaters

chad508 · #2 10/05/2004, 04:16 PM

i use sea critters in north myrtle beach they only deal in salt water but are only open on tuesday, thursday and sunday from 6pm until 9pm and 1pm until 6pm on sunday.

bugshop · #3 10/05/2004, 06:02 PM

I also like sea critters depot but he has a limited supply of corals and most is softies but he has a large selection of QT fish and he is a very nice person to deal with.

In Columbis there are several but only one ot two I would by from....
Fins in Irmo has a nice shop and he also QTs his fish.
Fishy buisness is another but I like Fins better.

Charleston has a nice store, Tideline is the name I think.
I've only been there 1 time but it was pleasant and I think most
people in Charleston likes it.

If you go through Aiken Look up www.robsreef.com He is about to move and is selling off his inventory

HTH Timmy

bugshop · #4 10/05/2004, 06:03 PM

There are also 1 or 2 good stores in the Greenvill ares near I26

Timmy

ghost shrimp · #5 10/05/2004, 09:35 PM

Tideline is a great fish store....my favorite to be exact....the products, livestock, and employees are great. I have not found a fish store better than Tideline......thats just my opinion

ReefWaters · #6 10/05/2004, 09:40 PM

What part of Charleston is Tideline in? Do they carry any SPS?

Has anyone been to the new one in Hilton Head?

minfinger · #7 10/06/2004, 10:51 AM

Hi ReefWaters,

Tideline is by far one of the better stores in the Charleston Area. A new store open recently called Tropical Fish, quite large. Good things are expected out of them, but we'll see. So far so good.

There are several great stores in Columbia too. Raliegh and Charlotte has some nice places if you ever get up that far.

We've got a few Guys in here that have been to the HH area, they can tell you about those stores. They should chime in soon.

Joeldb · #8 10/06/2004, 03:58 PM

The new one in Hardeeville is nice but a little on the small size. Their name is: Palmetto Fish and Coral. They are located near the Wal-mart in Hardeeville about 10 miles from HHI. They generally have reasonable prices and are very friendly. They carry lps, some sps, softies, and of course fish. They only have saltwater and not a lot of drygoods yet. I'd prefer not to comment on the other 2 stores in the area.

ReefWaters · #9 10/07/2004, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Joeldb
I'd prefer not to comment on the other 2 stores in the area.

Ill take that as a "Don't Go To Those Two Stores."

I stopped by Palmetto Fish and Coral today. They are super friendly. I picked up a nice little set of dark green and blue acro frags. They had 4 little 3/4" frags on one piece of rock that they sold to me for $17. The guy says he is pretty sure the original colony was wild collected not too long ago. I haven't seen any acros on line with the same coloring but of course they always look different in person.

They had some other nice sized sps colonies for $49. That's better than a lot of frags I've seen on line especially after you pay over night shipping.

A few of their main colonies are starting to lose some tissue at the base and that bothers me a little but all of the fragged pieces look very healthy and have extended polyps. A few of their larger fish aren't looking too hot either but over all they had a pretty good selection of livestock.

Thanks for the help guys and please let me know if you find out about any other stores.

Id also like to hear some info on the club. When and where are most of the meetings? What's usually on the agenda? Is there somewhere that tells me all of this stuff and I missed it?

Thanks again,

ReefWaters

ghost shrimp · #10 10/07/2004, 03:52 PM

where is fishy buisness.....are they any good?...thanks

Simbo18 · #11 10/07/2004, 05:14 PM

Fishy Business is probably the worst fish store I have ever stepped into. They are located on James Island and it used to be a decent store when Patrick was the owner (it was named "Floyd's Aquatics"), but he took off and headed up to New York and sold the business to the owners of Purple Music (adjacent to Fishy Business), unfortunately they are all stoners.

The prices are outrageous, their product is horrible, and they are overall a low-grade store.

Try tideline.

Luke

Will · #12 10/07/2004, 10:59 PM

I think the Fishy Business ghost shrimp is referring to is the Fishy Business up here in Columbia.

So wait, the Fishy Business down there is a fish store? I've driven by it a few times and always wondered what it was, but I figured it was just like a pond place or something because there are all those plants in the windows. It's a WEIRD place!

By the way, the Fishy Business up here has a website with all of there info: http://www.fishybusinesssc.com

-Will

ReefWaters · #13 10/07/2004, 11:54 PM

Simbo18,
I haven't been in the Charleston FB for a quite a while. Most likely b/c of what you just said. I always thought the idea of a fish store and head shop together was an interesting one myself.

Will,
I'm in Columbia all the time. I usually don't have time during the day to look around for stores but I'm going to change that. Everyone deserves a 15 minute break. Even if it requires a 45 minute detour.

By the way, that link did not work for me. Are you talking about the store over off of Bush River Rd? If so, they told me that, what I think was a type of sweet lips, was a red snapper. Now, I fish specifically for "red snapper" some times and that was no red snapper. I'm no expert and I don't know what it was but it was not a red snapper. Also, the only SPS I could find was half dead.

Is it just me or are most of these comments leaning toward the negative side. I hate it, but the fact is, I haven't been truly impressed but by one, maybe two, salt water aquarium stores in my life. They were both in Atlanta. Cappuccino Bay and the one in Buckhead (Fish and Moore???)

If you like SPS, CB is a must see next time your in Atlanta. They have some truly impressive livestock. Their coral display tanks are about 8'x8'x1.5' with 1000watt MHs over four tanks.

The one in Buckhead has a KILLER octagon reef. Each panel is about 3 feet by 4 feet if I remember correctly. The rock is piled all the way up the center overflow. The tank had to have a brace covering the entire middle of the tank, so instead of just letting it look funny with two big shadows, they hung (yes hung) live rock from the brace on each side of the main reef structure. You cant see how they hung them unless you look in the hood. It looks natural. There are still a lot of dark spots in the tank but they have some low light corals under there and lots of room for the fish to swim. Where the light hits the rock, they have a lot of soft corals but several SPS doing some really cool stuff off the overhangs.

Just my 2 cents. I just think most LFS kill more animals than we do. I hope no one reading this owns a LFS.

tld · #14 10/08/2004, 02:53 PM

ReefWaters,

I agree with you that Cappucino Bay in Atlanta is a great store - a must see for any reefer who is in the Atlanta area. There's another store near Cap Bay called Marine Fish - it's nice too, but not quite as nice as Cap Bay. The Fish Store and More in Buckhead is also very nice, but a little pricey. There's supposed to be a good place in Newnan (south of Atlanta) called The Fish Garden - I haven't been there yet.

The guys at Fishy Business in Columbia are supposedly overhauling their website, so that's why their link is not working. If you haven't been to Fins in Columbia, it's worth checking out. It's about 5 miles or a 10-15 minute drive from Fishy. There are other smaller stores, but the two listed above are the largest in the Columbia area for reef stuff.

There are 2 new stores in the Columbia vicinity (sort of). One is called Afishyonados - it's in Sumter. The owners bought a pretty run down store called Fish Tales and they're slowly getting it turned around. Also there's a new place that's opening in November or December in Newberry called Zane's Zoo. It will be a full line Pet Shop, but the manager has a strong fish background. He'll be starting with mostly freshwater stuff at first, but reefs are in the plans.

Hope that helps.
Teresa

kbac · #15 10/09/2004, 06:26 PM

Have got to agree with TLD about Afishyonados in Sumter. Richard has done a grea job turning around the store the past few months and has aquired a great deal of regulars and has also converted alot of us freshwater types. He still has work to do but it's comming along. Sure beats having to drive to Fishy Business or Tideline (which are great by-the-way) for everything

ReefWaters · #16 10/09/2004, 07:03 PM

tld,
does Fins or Afishyonados have any sps? If so, is it healthy?
Where do you do most of your diving? I got certified a few years ago and just havent found the time to take a trip. Im trying to find more people that dive off of this area, GA and SC, but I know its a little more tricky. Do you ever dive around here?

Joeldb · #17 10/10/2004, 05:52 PM

If you're in the Atl area Aquarium Showcase in Alpharetta and Marine Fish in Marietta are good stores but spendy to buy from. Sometimes you can run across really nice stuff at Petland (yes Petland) in Duluth. There is also The Aviarium and Under The Wave in Duluth but they are kinda hit or miss.

tld · #18 10/11/2004, 09:36 AM

Joeldb,
Have you been to Aquarium Showcase since the new owners took over? I went there once after the new owners took over ans was not very impressed with their reefing knowledge. They still had a lot of stuff in the store from the previous owners, but it did not look like it was headed in a good direction. I'd be curious to know how it's progressing.

ReefWaters,
Fins is on the other side of town from me so I don't get to get out there very often. They usually have ORA frags in stock (although it will probably be a while before they get some more in.) They have 4 tanks that they keep their corals in; 2 75s just for selling corals and 2 display tanks. I know that Fins is working on getting some aquacultured Bali corals into the store, but I don't know the most recent progress on that.

Afishyonados is still pretty new in terms of getting the coral livestock built up and when they get something nice in, it usually flies out the door.

I've only been diving in SC once and that was in the Cooper River hunting for sharks teeth. Most of my diving has been in Florida and other tropical waters.

Teresa

minfinger · #19 10/11/2004, 04:00 PM

Luke,

Have you been to the new store yet? Are you coming to the next meeting?

Hey Teressa, Will! I agree with both of you on the stores in Columbia, I like all of the sotres I visited when I was up there.

Simbo18 · #20 10/11/2004, 04:53 PM

Mike,
I have not been to the new store, I don't even know where it is... and, I could probably make the next meeting. I wasn't really planning on coming but I guess I should, it's going to feel weird being at a reef meeting when I don't have any more reefs left

...... LOL

Luke

Joeldb · #21 10/11/2004, 05:34 PM

I went in there only one time after Jorge left last summer/fall and the whole staff except Jorge was there. I really wouldn't have noticed anything was different except that the new owner introduced himself to me and Jorge was gone. It was just a week or so after the ownership change and I haven't been back since (we moved to SC). If Victor is still there he is probably the most knowledgable coral person in the store, but I can't speak for anyone else there.

Quote:

Originally posted by tld
Joeldb,
Have you been to Aquarium Showcase since the new owners took over? I went there once after the new owners took over ans was not very impressed with their reefing knowledge. They still had a lot of stuff in the store from the previous owners, but it did not look like it was headed in a good direction. I'd be curious to know how it's progressing.
Teresa

X88&94GT · #22 10/16/2004, 11:29 PM

Where is this Zane's Zoo? I am from Newberry originally and get down there every once and awhile. I too would liek to knwo where the good stores are. Any in Anderson or greenville area? I just dont get to cola. like i used to. Thanks!

minfinger · #23 10/18/2004, 09:50 PM

Alright so this thread in spired me...

Anyone have anythign to add?

http://www.myyamahas.com/CR/scstores.htm

ReefWaters · #24 10/18/2004, 11:15 PM

minifinger...

Very nice work. It really helps to put all this info into prospective.

I would say that Palmetto Fish and Coral in Hardeeville deserves a mention.

Also, I know that the page is connected to the Charleston Reefers website but many people travel all over the South East. It might be a nice addition to add GA and NC to the page as separate lists. Atlanta is only a few hours away from many places in SC and they have some great stores as we have already said.

Nice job on the page. Keep it up.

ReefWaters

oceanarus · #25 10/19/2004, 08:53 AM

You forgot Age of Aquariums for starters,

Aquarium and Pet Shop Inc
Bush Riv #20
Columbia SC
803-798-6446

Plantation Pet Center
145 Festival Center
Hilton Head
843-681-4667

Parks Pets
1600 Rowesville Rd. SW
Orangeburg SC
803-536-0001

Aquarium Pets
1018 Richland Ave. W
Aiken SC
803-649-7660

Wild Things
Forrest Dr.
Columbia SC
803-738-0793

Roy's Aquarium
Beaufort
843-524-7521

Ocean's Floor LLC
620 Congaree Rd
Greenville SC
864-676-0104

And for those on the fringes of SC

Bob's Tropical Fish
3105 Washington Road
Augusta GA
(706) 863-9478

Exotic Underworlds
103 E. Montgomery Xrd
Savannah GA
(912) 921-1718

HI Tide
121 Miller Street
Pineville NC
(704) 889-3474

Advanced Aquatic Pets
509 Woodlawn Avenue
Belmont, NC
(704) 827-6648

I think that's enough for now.....