Clark Feed and Seed, Bellingham

[Sonicdog]

Overall Experience 4
Cost 3
Quality of Fish 4
Variety 5
Service 4

I am going to guess around 150 tanks. Exceptional variety of plants and decent prices. Substrate, rocks and wood in abundance. Lots of CO2 paraphernalia available. The freshwater fish selection is fantastic. Honestly, I don't linger by the African cichlids or the salt water tanks much; so someone else can ring in on them ( its seems the saltwater selection is quite vast though). There is a middle bank of a few tanks that often are "not feeling well", otherwise quality would be a 5 imho. Cool staff, they will help you or leave you alone as much as you want/need. The owner is a character. Quality dry and frozen goods. Discounts on buying multiples of most fish, which helps to offset some cost. The general policy is that they do not deal/trade with hobbyists, which is unfortunate; although exceptions are sometimes made. Definitely worth a stop if you are passing through town. Need a saltwater person and a lake cichlid aficionado to post.

 

[Kaosu]

new to the site but ill chime in on this one

I have been going to Clarks for years, and i love them one of the best LFS around in my opinion.

just wished they did deals/trades ..i asked them about this in the past, they said they had to many problems with trading sick or unhealthy plants to many times.

they did take my male 14;; sail fin pleco ^_^ hes got a happy home in a 200gallon till they find him a home.

love the service and the quality of the fish, they dont lie to customers and genuinely try to help them properly maintain and stock a tank. lots of love for this store.

 

[Jtang]

Stores nice and there's quite a collection of plants and tropical fish! Lots of supplies too.
Staff is nice but the Owner is horrid. He told me once that the only plants i would be able to grow (without co2/fert/supplement or anything low-tech) would be plastic. I laughed.

 

[Kaosu]

Clarks is growing! went up there the other day and they have some neat fish i have never seen before...awesome so awesome, should go check them out. both salt and fresh!

 

[Addictedtofish]

Overall experience: 4
Cost: 4
Quality of fish: 5
Variety: 4
Service: 5

Ive been to this store twice and really enjoyed my experience. They have alot of product to choose from and great prices, even cheaper than Petco/Petsmart that Ive seen on some stuff. The staff are very knowledgeable and dont try to answer the question when they dont know, they simply go and ask someone that does. They dont really have a supply of SA/CA selection, but do have alot of other types of fish for common fish hobbiest.

 

[Salzabar]

All 5's

Just got back from my first visit after seeing Koasu online pictures of the place. They have some of the best looking well planted tanks that I have ever seen in a LFS. Makes it a challenge to pull out fish sometimes but the health of the tanks are fantastic which gives you confidence is buying from them. The staff was very helpful and was able pull out exactly what I wanted from the guppy tanks. It's worth the trip to Bellingham even if you don't buy anything just for the experience of seeing all the "show" tanks. AND if you need Anything else for your tank from parts to lighting to foods this place has a ton of it for the same price or less than petsmart or petco.

 

[JimA]

All 5's

Just got back from my first visit after seeing Koasu online pictures of the place. They have some of the best looking well planted tanks that I have ever seen in a LFS. Makes it a challenge to pull out fish sometimes but the health of the tanks are fantastic which gives you confidence is buying from them. The staff was very helpful and was able pull out exactly what I wanted from the guppy tanks. It's worth the trip to Bellingham even if you don't buy anything just for the experience of seeing all the "show" tanks. AND if you need Anything else for your tank from parts to lighting to foods this place has a ton of it for the same price or less than petsmart or petco.

Yes its a decent place,with some very nice people. Travis and Eli being a couple, there is another gal with a blue,red or?? stripe in her hair that is nice as well..

But pricing with certain items not so much! I also don't agree with the (the owner) with the phlosophy on tank cleaning specially substrate, but to each his own, many ways to make things work and it is a brick and mortar store that has cost!

 

[Anonymous]

Overall Experience 5
Cost 2.5 (average)
Quality of Fish 5
Variety 5
Service 5

Blown away with the clerks info on planted freshwater and the willingness to take the time out to explain stuff.
Sweet plant selection, stuff I've never seen.
Sweet fish selection, a few species I haven't been able to find locally.

Was worth the 1 hour drive for me (1 way).

 

[Kaosu]

Told you it was worth it ^_^ only fish store i buy from anymore...might change if cory ever opens his store

 

[Lamental Jester]

Overall Experience 4
Cost 3
Quality of Fish 5
Variety 5
Service 4

This was the ONLY place I went to for fish when I lived in Bellingham. One of the few things I miss about living up North was this place. Highly recommend! If you live in the Skagit or Whatcom area, get your butt there ASAP!

 

[wi_fishguy]

This store has gone downhill recently with, in my opinion, the departure of some of the employees. This has left a huge hole in the knowledge level in the remaining staff. A few are very knowledgeable but are not always there. Initially I trusted them and after driving from Whidbey Island, would select the fish/plants we were after and give them the list and our fish box and an approximate time we would return. This had been working very well for the first few times, but I went in search of a pair of A. Cacatoides of which they had only one pair, (Super Reds) and after getting them home it was readily apparent that they were both sick. I wasn't sure what was the cause so I phoned the store the next day and asked what to do. Was basically blown off and told they only sell healthy fish. Long story short, observe any fish you buy from them and be sure of what you are getting. I have purchased from them even after that, but only after a very thorough observation. They have totally lost my trust and will not be letting them pick for me again.

D.

 

[Jeffro]

Overall Experience 3
Cost 2
Quality of Fish 3
Variety 4
Service 3

I have been a customer for years and what I have noticed is that the store has waves of employees who sometimes are very knowledgeable and helpful. They have above average knowledge about many types of fish.

Prices on supplies are expensive. I like to support them because they are a LFS, but I end up purchasing some items elsewhere. It is too bad that they don't do any trades, but they will happily take fish for free.

The tanks are kept fairly clean, but the fish are expensive and aren't always healthy.

The owner is nice enough, and has some old school knowledge he is sometimes happy to share, but I'm not sure if he is really into fish.

They do provide a good variety, general knowledge, and great service at times, but they don't engage with hobbyists to build relationships as much as they could.

 

[Betty]

Is this the store that had the fire awhile back? Are they closed now?

 

[DMD123]

News says they had fire on July 18, 2019

Just googled and listed as ‘Permanently Closed’

 

[Jeffro]

I am sad that I can't go look at fish anymore, but there is a new pet store too.

 

[DMD123]

I am sad that I can't go look at fish anymore, but there is a new pet store too.

Is it this one:

Bellingham Pet Supply & Aquatics
1701 N State St, Bellingham, WA 98225

 

[Jeffro]

Is it this one:

Bellingham Pet Supply & Aquatics
1701 N State St, Bellingham, WA 98225

Yes. You saw my post too. Thanks!