Yeah, if you want to see healthy animals Co-op and Zen are tops in the area. It is rare that I see even a single "floater" in either store. Could it be that both stores are owned by active hobbiests that haven't yet let the stress of operating a small business burn them out? Both are "must see" if you can manage it.
As far as generally healthy fish, I've also been impressed with B&D Aquarium, The Fish Store, and Conway Tropical Fish (too far north for you). The Fish Store is very close to Zen, so I'd stop in there, especially if you like Discus. They've currently got a decent selection of unique driftwood (but $$$).
For gear selection I think Denny's Pet World and Sierra's are good (ignoring cost), but unfortunately I notice more sick fish at these stores. I *want* to like both stores for livestock, because they both have long histories of local ownership.