Good shops/Bad shops?

[jennytheleopardgrouper]

Heya, I'm new to the SW hobby and just wondering if you guys could tell me which stores are good, and which are bad (and why?) I've heard some bad about Safari (had bad advice from them too), and some bad about Hillside. What's the deal? Save me some agony, and lost fish!! Thanks!

[Aquattro]

Unfortunately we try not to give opinions on stores on the board, the topic generally gets heated. Both the stores you mentioned have loyal followings, so try them both and pick the one you prefer. They both get most of their stock from the same places, so price and service should be your deciding factors.

[jennytheleopardgrouper]

Okay, sounds fair, thanks. I just started to read some negative reviews on a couple stores here and got a little worried. But I guess one bad experience with a place could turn someone off for good. Thanks

[Kabong]

There's good and bad in all of them.
I shop at all 3 myself.
There's only one store i wont shop at and according to RonD there fish are all dead anyway
The key is, now what your buying. Impulse buying is your worst enemy in this hobby.
Know what its requirement's are and what its supposed to look.
A little research before you buy will save you a lot of grief.

[RonD]

Kabong nailed in.... know exactly what you are looking at, research it, research it some more and make sure it of they will play nice with each other. I saw my marron clown was feeling a little frisky... I thought hmm buy him a buddy and see if we cant make the lil guy happy.. he beat the crap out another maroon in about 5 minutes... stressed it out so bad it ended up dead a few days later. $25 down the drain and more than that, I felt like crap for putting a creature thru some thing like that. buy a few good books first of all and learn as much as you can.. you will save so much in the end. as for the stores.... find out who to talk to in each store and then go forth... you may have just spoken to the wrong person in Safari .. the gerbal expert perhaps.. and despite what they may tell you.. they dont do real well in marine aquariums


Hillside .. Cora
Creatures ... Allan
Safari ... Ted / Gapardo (sp?)
IPZ (Duncan) .. Scott

[Matt]

Originally Posted by RonD

.. the gerbal expert perhaps.. and despite what they may tell you.. they dont do real well in marine aquariums

True, true... they are real amonia factories, and the exercise wheels tend to rust.