I wish there was an aqurium store in Tacoma

[Ratlova30]

I keep telling myself that I'm going to stock up my smaller tanks that are dwindling as far as fish go but there's no place to buy fish from down here. The petsmarts really made some improvements to the point where I felt comfortable buying fish from there but the last few months they went downhill. Petcos...well the longest I've ever gotten a fish to live from there was two weeks and their return policy stinks. Wildside...kept getting diseased fish from there and lately they haven't been restocking at all. Maybe business is failing because of outrages prices. $.70 for a bladder snail and $10 for a shot glass full of duckweed isn't a place I can afford.

So I just did a search for aquarium stores and the closest places to me are in seattle and issaquah. Everything seems to be clustered in the seattle-everett area. If anyone breeds smaller types of fish let me know or if you're tearing down a small tropical tank I'd be interested in the fish most likely(like tiger barbs, gouramis ect..) Seems the only fish I can buy lately that aren't diseased are bettas.

Will pay

Sorry for my rant of frustration, just tired of looking at tanks with 1 or two fish swimming in it. I've thought about making the trip up north but the thought of coming home with a bunch of fish that turn out to be sick and the thought of driving over an hour back to attempt to return them makes me not want to try.

 

[Anthraxx]

petco in lakewood is a decent place to get fish. ive known the manager there for quite awhile and trust him fully. (also one of the only petcos ive seen that sells discus lol) also the petsmart out there in lakewood is decent, as is the one by target off highway 16. ive learned over the years that thursday-monday isnt a good day for fish as most have just started getting acclimated and all that. just talk to the people working the fish, if they cant tell you how long something has been there or when theyre last ich outbreak was then just dont go there.

 

[Ratlova30]

I used to go to the by target but the last batch of fish I brought home had fin rot. Almost bought a goldfish from there the other day and right before I asked the employee to fish it out for me I noticed another goldie in the same tank with a fungus spot.

BTW finally got some baby shrimplets from the colony I bought from you. Super cute, only have counted four so far but the tank is heavily planted so I'm sure there's more. There was a couple rouge platy fry that escaped my breeder nets that may have picked a few off as well.

 

[fishman09]

a place for pets is where you need to go. its in burien but well worth the trip. i drive 90 miles one way when i make my trips up there

 

[DMD123]

When I was teenager back in the 80's there were a ton of private owned local fish shops in Tacoma. Now those are all gone and the big box stores are taking over. One shop that has remained open that many people forget about is the one at the B&I on South Tacoma Way. It is a total old school type store. They carry an interesting variety of community fish and I have seen many tetras, loaches and plecos that are hard to find. Every store has its issues but over all the fish there seem to be very healthy.

I agree with Anthraxx about the Lakewood Petsmart as being one of the better ones. This is where my old Midas came from. I go in there and browse quite often since I work down in Lakewood. The Petco there is not bad but there have been many times I went in to very empty tanks, like someone was not ordering any fish.

 

[fishloverRon]

I live in Federal Way/NE Tacoma area and I too, lament the fact that there aren't any LFS in the area. When I talk to the successful LFS owners and managers they say that the Petco, Petsmart and Walmart in the area have just knocked them all out. Apparently the general public doesn't care about anything beyond price. Then when their fish die after several restocks, they give up and we diehards pick up their leftovers on CL..! It is a real shame actually because there are a number of us who would support and LFS in this area.

I wonder if a co-op would make it? Anyone on here know anything about co-ops and how to manage one?

FLR

 

[DMD123]

Sad to say I also contribute to the problem by buying all my equipment on-line. But come on some of the products these stores are selling are 50-60% marked up over the price I pay on-line. Thats saying a lot since the on-line vendors are still making money on what they sell!

About the only thing I get in store now days is the live fish themselves or food. For some reason my Omega One goes on sale at Petsmart and Petco for cheaper than I can get it on-line.

 

[Madness]

Sad to say I also contribute to the problem by buying all my equipment on-line. But come on some of the products these stores are selling are 50-60% marked up over the price I pay on-line. Thats saying a lot since the on-line vendors are still making money on what they sell!

About the only thing I get in store now days is the live fish themselves or food. For some reason my Omega One goes on sale at Petsmart and Petco for cheaper than I can get it on-line.

Which really makes you wonder about a food like Hikari. I have met the rep that supplies LFS and he gives the LFS a great bulk price, (so he says) and yet an 8oz bag of Cich Bio-Gold at PetMtn is normally $13 and is on sale now for $8, and our LFS sell it for $20 or more, Hikari Massivore pellets @ PetMtn 13 oz is $24, on sale now for $19, at our LFS it runs almost $40. I would assume that the cost of these items for the LFS are similar to what the on-line stores pay.

With that being said, why wouldnt you buy your food online.

 

[fishloverRon]

Running a small retail store involves a high overhead usually. Rent, electricity, heat, tanks & associated equipment, freight, labor...and TAXES! Heavy hits from both Washingtons! So I fully understand why they charge more than the box stores who work deals with the manufacturers, local governments and property managers because of their massive size and volume of business nation- and world-wide! That's a shame really, but Darwinian in scope. They are the fittest for the environment, therefore they survive....and reproduce their kind!

 

[gobluecichlids]

When I started on the hobby back in Michigan, I had several options to look for fishes to stock my tank. I started a few common bread and butter cichlids from the LFS and decided to expand, I searched thru the internet, books, local forum and found some breeders in the area. Finding breeders in the area was the smartest move i made, since after visiting one, I got to see the good ones that I never saw at petsmart, petco, walmart, etc.. and got hooked on it. It was about finding fishes you see on the book, but can't find em in chain pet stores, or locally. And you save big too!

I don't bother with food, I get mine online that offer free ship. I make very little or no profit if I had to throw in free ship, it just kills when large scale online sellers offering free ship. Shipping a 5lb bucket of NLS avg 12-14 to ship alone.

I breed some nice ones that are not common at LFS, and I've sold a lot of fry in the last 4 months, starting at 4/$10..

try hooking up with some breeders in your area, i hear a few in lacey and tacoma area, keep your eye on the craigslist postings.

 

[Anthraxx]

goblue cichlids are the bomb. but i dont understand how dmd has had a bad time at that petco. once josh got transfered over there from the petco on 38th it picked up quite well. i for one try to support the little guy by stopping in to the few places left around. but in the time since ive started keeping fish ive seen at least 4 places close completely. personally if your trying to find a decent store its APFP or sierra in bellevue or renton.

 

[DMD123]

At times Ive seen the stock dwindle down so low it was not even worth calling it a fish dept.

Lately they seem to be doing better and have stocked tanks. Just a trend I noticed for a little while.

 

[joseZ.]

i usually have go to aquarium paradise and the wildside they are pretty good stores

 

[Ratlova30]

I monitor CL daily but the only thing I ever see for sale is African cichlids, angelfish, or overpriced mutt guppies it seems and the cherry shrimp but I've already got those.

There was a place in spanaway that closed a few months ago called pac ave fish and pets, never bought any supplies there because of the outrageous prices but their fish were healthy and I was willing to pay for an over priced fish there because I never saw diseased or dead fish in their tanks. I went there after my mom got better and my tanks started going back up to buy some cave tetras as that was the only place I've seen them only to discover the store closed.

As for driving to burien to look it just isn't something I want to do as mentioned above. I'd be willing to make the trip to buy fish from a member off here as the majority of us I'm sure take pride in what we do and there's a certain level of trust. I'll pop into APFP if I happen to be ging up north for whatever reason though.

 

[Big Dave]

a place for pets is well worth the trip. Very well stocked, great quality fish, friendly owners. You will not be dissapointed. Prices are the same as other LFS. they all charge a premium to cover overhead.

 

[gobluecichlids]

I agree, they have selections in SA, african , saltwater and others to fit your taste, and a reasonable distance. I've been there a few times myself. Prices are same like many LFS..

If you are a member of GSAS, he give 10% off on purchases.

 

[DMD123]

A place for pets is great when it comes to selection. They do have a lot to choose from. But the drive out there makes it that I only will stop in every month or so.

 

[Anthraxx]

i only go out there when im in the market for new fish. being ive had to close down a few tanks i dont make it out to many fish stores at all really. but theyre the only place to go in my book. (for cichlids and anything rare or unusual) decent prices and good selection. sure u end up paying a bit for some of the more unusual cichlids but its better to drive and hand pick em then pay for shipping to be dissapointed

 

[Anonymous]

Aquarium paradise in Lakewood, I know the owner.

 

[aquaman95]

I agree not any good ones left down here.i still stand by b&i for the most part sucks they just did a st patricks day sale on all schooling fish.they are very cheap with a amazing return policy.the owner is not too knowledgeable but everyone here seems to know about what they purchase so you all probably dont care but again wide vairety low price and great return policy i know if i took a fish back they might ask why but without the LFS attitude.

And as far as food goes any pro quality food ie.anything not available to the public i buy online.but i pay 8.99 for 8.8 oz bag of hikari gold :nanana: i always find pellets for cheep but for 2.2 oz of flake its 15.99 so im kinda in between on a good food store but i get so many petco coupons when used in combination with each other i basically get stuff free.