JEN H Posted November 11, 2009 Share Posted November 11, 2009 Hi All, I know everyone is relatively loyal to the local fish store (LFS) so can I ask where does everyone go? Where is the best place for live stock selection, best place for parts/accessories, best place for all around knowledge at the store, etc..? I am just interested in where everyone goes to buy things. Thank you all once again, Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reybeast Posted November 11, 2009 Share Posted November 11, 2009 (edited) well, the honest answer is that not all stores are all things to all people. River City has Jake, really nice guy and he's the owner. Aquatek has Bruce and he's the owner. Both are great! Austin aquadome is another place, but its further south for me. I have to throw a big plug for Matt at Austin Aqua farms, his corals are just fantastic, but you have to go there at least once to see his stuff, your jaw will drop! Rey Edited November 11, 2009 by Reybeast Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisfowler99 Posted November 11, 2009 Share Posted November 11, 2009 Where I work I'm within 10 minutes of RCA, Rockin' Reefs, Fishy Business and Aquatek. And I have visited all of them. RCA is the most common for me, though, because it is directly on the way home (Georgetown). I have ventured all the way down to Aquadome a couple of times. It's a drive, but it's worth a trip every once in a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlexKilpatrick Posted November 11, 2009 Share Posted November 11, 2009 Does Gallery of Pets (Duval and 183) still sell saltwater? I used to go there years ago but haven't checked them out in a while. There was also a place called Partners up in Round Rock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reybeast Posted November 11, 2009 Share Posted November 11, 2009 biting my tongue on Partners, 'nuff said... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rjohn Posted November 11, 2009 Share Posted November 11, 2009 Gallery still does saltwater, kinda pricey though. I think Kathy is one of the best information sources around. Partners is still there as well but they seem to be consolidating or reducing their SW tanks. I really don't like pet stores that sell puppies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muddybluewater Posted November 11, 2009 Share Posted November 11, 2009 I have been to almost all of them and find my self at RCA the most. I have not been out to Austin aqua farm. Mostly because I havn't had the money, not saying they are too expensive but that I would want to buy too much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesL Posted November 11, 2009 Share Posted November 11, 2009 I think you will find most people here frequent all of our sponsors, and a few others around town. My clam I got from Prof (Epic Reef) is doing fantastic ... and it was at a great price. Looking forward to the meeting at Rockin' Reefs (Mama's). I suspect I will be leaving there with some purchases Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrispar Posted November 11, 2009 Share Posted November 11, 2009 Since we are talking up shops, I gotta throw one in there for Shane at Fishy Business, a great store and he will talk with you for hours until your issue is resolved, great prices nice rock good livestock Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zarathustra2 Posted November 11, 2009 Share Posted November 11, 2009 For the LFS around here I think they are all good. I've gotten the best advice and dry goods from Aquatec. I think RCA has the best general fish selection (love the FW stuff.) I think Fishy business has the best SW oddities out there, if your looking for something more unique or that you haven't seen before. Aquadome is the best all around store but they are very far south for me so I rarely go. Personally, all three of the north stores are 10-15 minutes away from me so i try to frequent them all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robb in Austin Posted November 11, 2009 Share Posted November 11, 2009 +11 on the sponsors. Plus, aside from PetsMart/Petco, they are the only games in town. I have also had good luck from Amazonia for FW livestock, but I don't go there much anymore(not much need for FW stuff and the sponsors have it covered too.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JEN H Posted November 11, 2009 Author Share Posted November 11, 2009 I am about 5 to 10 minutes from the AquaDome so that is my store of choice just because it is close. Plus Hunter is great, he will talk for hours with you about anything and can pretty much figure out whatever problem you are having. I was just interested in other places and find out maybe store X carries more plumbing supplies or store X has the best inverts. Thanks again everyone for sharing their thoughts and opinions. Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlexKilpatrick Posted November 11, 2009 Share Posted November 11, 2009 A few years back there was a guy named Roger who I thought was the owner of AquaTek. Did it get sold? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reefman Posted November 12, 2009 Share Posted November 12, 2009 If it is the Roger I am thinking about, he is the US Distributor for Tunze, which Aquatek is the exclusive local distributor for. I know he and Bruce have a close relationship, so maybe he did own it before he became Mr. Tunze. As far as the stores, I like them all, and it all depends on what I'm looking for as to which one I go to. Even though all of them do SW, they all have their particular niches. I love Jake, Bruce, Hunter, and the rest. I think Matt is in a league of his own (and that is meant as a compliment). Austin Aqua Farms is something he should be hugely proud of, both for the quality of livestock and his success. And although maybe not a store in the LFS since, John and Brian at Kingfish have helped me immensely, and I have a great deal of loyalty to them. Since Austin Aquariums closed, I have no complaints about any of the Austin stores. You will get slightly differences of opinions, and slightly different techniques, but that is the way this hobby is. Stephen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caferacermike Posted November 12, 2009 Share Posted November 12, 2009 Haha, nice jab at Mike over at Austin Aquariums. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlexKilpatrick Posted November 12, 2009 Share Posted November 12, 2009 Was Austin Aquariums the place behind Northcross Mall? I always liked that place, and never understood the hate. What was up with that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GKarshens Posted November 12, 2009 Share Posted November 12, 2009 Well for one he was a thief. That really is just the tip of the iceberg. My first clue was when all the prices doubled the night before the 50% off sale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caferacermike Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 +1 for thief. He asked me to come in the night before one of the 50% sales to privately view the stock. He hand wrote out descriptions and prices for everything I was going to buy. I then went to an ATM and withdrew $400 cash, packed, got on the FZR, rode up to the store on a night with hurricane winds and set up camp about 11:00pm. I slept out front so that I could be the first in line. When I finally got in the store and had them bag everything up, you should have seen my surprise when they asked me for $750. I protested and showed them the note that Mike had made with me, they said they could not honor it. I asked to see him and he had conveniently "just slipped out". I left them with the bagged corals on the counter. Crook. They instead raised all of the prices by double or more at the time of sale. There is a law against this in TX. It is called "Deceptive Trade Practice". He was investigated for it, and for all of the tax evasion, non payment of employees, etc... Nuff said on my part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlexKilpatrick Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 Wow. I had no idea. It was a nice big store, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeeperKeeper Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 You know, I didn't know about the "hate" that was out there about AA, but I had my own problem with Mike after just the first or second time I went there. I can't remember exactly what it was about, but I remember leaving there furious and swearing never to return. It was a beautiful store, but what a horrible businessperson! I like ARC, Fishy Biz and Aquatek about equally and try to get to all three whenever I have a chance. I haven't been to Rockin Reefs but love the name and want to go see what Mama's got. Until this thread, I didn't know about Austin Aqua Farms but it sounds like I need to check them out too! I used to frequent Partner's when Tim owned it (about 8-10 years ago) and Gallery but haven't been to Partner's much since it changed owners and while I go in Gallery every once in a while, I don't usually find anything to buy unless I'm just there for something like a thermometer or some snails. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caferacermike Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 For what it's worth: I live right behind Partners and I never shop there. I've been in a few times to see only bare tanks full of cyano. There is no need to bother looking for anything bright and beautiful nor well priced. The freshwater side got a little larger after the move but the prices are still astronomical compared with driving a few miles to another store. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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