I've decided there really aren't super terrific aquariums that I know of... there used to be one that was phenomenol... but it went out of business years ago!! Before the aquarium faze kicked back in. :(

What I usually wind up resorting to is simply carefully checking out the fish before I buy them. There are a couple of stores that I realize that the fish always seem to transition better. Most likely because their water parameters are similar to mine. There are others that no matter what I do, they seem to croak on me - or at least 1/2 of what I buy. The fish always look great. They just don't seem to make it in my tank. I can buy the same TYPE of fish somewhere else and it survives and lives for years. Go figure.

So I've gotten some really terrific blue rams recently at this store called Pets Supplies Plus in Oceanside. It is a horrible store for fish (great store for cat and dog foods. Prices are pretty decent). But I bought these rams after I saw they survived for weeks. They were really cheap, too, at $3.99. And I just tube mouth pencil fish (Nannostomus eques) there, too (I bought them up!) Sometimes they get fish in that are unusual, and the prices are very good. But the tanks are not generally kept well because the staff seems to change all the time. Lots of kids hired at this store.

I've also gotten some very good fish at Petco. I know some folks really hate this chain, but I've found it really does depend upon the manager and staff. Also if you time it right, you can pick up the fish when they're healthy having recently arrived - then just continue to watch over and quarantine at home.

Today I went to Pet Warehouse in Copiague. The roads were still pretty bad, but I was looking for a nice Jack Dempsey (if there is such a thing!) Anyway, I found this guy:
{{gwi:374598}}

I've been looking for a Black Pacu forever!
And I shall call him: "Gill"

Country Critters in Patchague [Rt 112] has a great selection of FW and SW fish. Aquahut in Coram [Rt 112 and Jerico Tpk] has lots of fish and great prices. Skygee, what store were you refering to?

Do you mean Pet Supplies Plus?? I think there used to be one in the Westbury/Garden City area?? Not sure if they moved. I've only seen a couple of these stores. The one I've gone to is on Long Beach Road in Oceanside (where there's a Staples in the same area). Like I said, it's hit and miss. Recently, the people who've helped me have been pretty good at netting - like they've had practice and know what they're doing.

I usually get dog and cat supplies there because they'll have good sales or their prices are lower than most places.

Oh and there's another store on Rockaway in Levitown in the same complex as the Home Depot (the road that goes into the back entrance of JFK). I can't remember the name - but it's the only pet store in that complex. That's also a hit or miss place for me as far as fish go. They have gorgeous sailfins regularly, though. And very cheap - like $3.99. Huge sailfins, very pretty colours. And I've picked up some Sterbei (sp?) cories there for very cheap. They were correctly labeled, but they were babies, hence the lower price. THAT is the store where I picked up my 72 gallon on sale w/hood, light and stand for cheap cheap!!! (floor model)

Pequa - I used to go to Pets Warehouse... but haven't in a while. How are things looking? They were changing things over the last time that I visited there! They used to carry some terrific freshwater invertebrates and very pretty guppies, too.

skygee, I ment what was the great store that went out of business?

Ed's Aquarium!! On Sunrise Hwy in Lynbrook (or Valley Stream?)

They had great fish. It was a good store.

My brother's started up their fish hobbies w/ Ed's Aquarium. I remember as a kid wandering through the store with them. I was NOT allowed to mess around with their fish at home, though. Thus why I seem to have an overabundance of tanks in my home now! LOL

Yesterday @ lunchtime, I stopped by a Pet Supplies Plus in ...I think it's Hempstead...on Hempstead Tpke. Terrible fish selection and conditions. I felt bad for the fish. :-(

-PF

ugh. But don't say I didn't warn you!!! The one in Oceanside is a hit or miss store!! But the set up itself is really miserable. :(

There's a fish store on Hempstead Tpke that I went to once (was waiting for someone at a restaurant nearby - got tired of waiting around and popped into the store) - it wasn't too bad. It was all the way down near the Wantagh Pkwy exit. Sorry - don't know the name of it. It was pretty decent, though.

I remember the ED's in Farmingdale, that store also had the fish shaped door. Great place. I think Charlie from Charlie's in Lindenhurst [also gone] worked there.

Wow - I never knew that Ed's was in different locations!! My brother when he moved away to Staten Island still would come back to Ed's for his fish and fish supplies.

The guys from Charlies opened a store in West bab. Excellent store!

There's a good store in Franklin Square called Pet Barn. It's just south of Hempstead Tpk. The people there really know what they're talking about. And of course Aquarium Adventures in Carle Place. Same deal...great selection and really smart help. Oh, and one more in Plainview on South Oyster Bay Rd. The guy there plays all this rare Grateful Dead (for ambience) and is passionate about fish!

-PF

guys country critters is the absolute worst pet store on long island. there help is obnixious ( ONE GUY IN PARTICULARLY to AVOID ,THE GUY WITH THE ABNORMALLY DEEP VOICE, tight tee-shirts AND DIES HIS HAIR BLEACH BLONDE that guy is the captain know-nothing . he gives the worst advice !!. and they are way too expensive, i will absolutly never go there as long as i live . aqua hut in coram is awesome, great prices , nice selection and very friendly staff. brians aquarium in rocky point also. pet warehouse has great prices on tanks . i hope this helped

Wow! I didn't know that this thread was still alive.
Sky, that one on Hempstead Tpke. by the Wantagh isn't there anymore. Back in the day, they had this hugantic Pacu that classes would actually come to visit. They also had a lot of cats running around. I loved that place. Another LFS by me bit the dust a few months ago. And a Petland on Sunrise Hwy in Massapequa (in the Sports Authority Plaza) has closed...which isn't necessarily a bad thing.
So...avoid the deep-throated, tight shirt wearin' bleached blonde dude with bad advice? Where is Country Critters? (I don't know Suffolk all that well)

Country Critters, take Sunrise Highway east to Patchague [about 25 miles from West Babylon], turn right[south] on Route 112, it's about 1/4 mile on right side. I never had a problem with the help, in fact one guy who knows i like oddities always shows me some rare oddballs. They have so many fish and tanks sometimes it's hard to fine everything.

i found this thread by accident so i figured i would give you guys a heads up. i have been collecting fish for over 20 years and i have been there a few times in the past . i herd threw the grape vine the previous owner died and gave the store basically over to a 20 some odd year old son. and this guy is basically running the establishment to the ground . have you seen anyone working there over the age of 25? yes they do have a very nice selection but i am in the retail buissness myself. you could be selling gold for a penny. if you are rude, unknowledgeable , and overpriced . you will be dust in the wind without fail.

Does Billy B's, in Huntington still exist?

Wow, i forgot all about Billy B's. Haven't been there for a few years so i'm not sure. I'll cruise past there when i get a chance. That is the type of old fashioned place you saw more of when i was a kid. Kind of dirty and dusty but loaded with odd ornements and a good selection of fish. Selmers is just west of it on 25 and is much more upscale but lacks the charm of Billys.

Somebody actually knows of Billy B's?! I'm amazed. This goes back to when I was kid, growing up in Huntington. And I absolutely surprised that anyone knows of Selmer's Pet Land...ant that it is still in business. Back in the day, as it were, Selmers was far better with non-tropical fish, than with the fish. I've long since moved away, (Buffalo) but there was also a store in the area called, "7 Seas". and another pet shop opened up in the late 70's, in either East Northport.

Try Suffolk County Fish & Reef in Ronkonkoma
http://www.suffolkcountyfishandreef.com/index.html

petiolaris, I have terrible news. I drove past where I think Billy B's was [Jerico Tpk, next to auto-barn]and there was a dog grooming store there. Selmers is still there, but it was late and it was closed. I hate change.

Try Alot-of-Fish in Babylon on Montauk Highway... it's at the end of Route 231. Dominick is the owner and some of you may recognize him from his old shop. He's got some great rare fish and he's a wealth of knowledge. He helped my son set up a great 29 gallon African Cichlid tank.

Brian, what old shop?

Ed's Aquarium & Pet Port

Brian, I stopped at A lot of fish today, looks like their still under construction but it has that overcrowded with lots of oddities style that i like. Dominick used to run a great place in Freeport on Sunrise Highway called Pets Plus i think. They has an unbelieveable selection of both sw and fw fish. Hopefully he can duplicate that here.

rareside in kings park is a great place for african cichlids

in lynbrook there a place called totalaquarium ok place good selection for african cichlids.

Try Suffolk County Fish & Reef in Ronkonkoma - exit 59 off LIE - Ocean Ave. They have a huge selection. The staff there is very knowledgeable. They have been a tremendous help getting my little boys tank set up. Even though we are buying the inexpensive community fish they have had a lot of patience and all their recommendatyions have been perfect.

Try the new pet store in Lindenhurst. The name is
Viva La Pets 492 W. Montauk Hwy. Lindenhurst, Ny
and they are located in the Village seaport plaza. They have alot of nice stuff in there along with healthy foods for the animals. They have pets for adoption and they also carry fish and small animals.
They are very nice people. And Very Inexpemsive too! Give them a try.

COUNTRY CRITTERS - THE BEST "1 STOP PET SHOP"!
Big variety of FW, SW, and Reef fish, corals and oddities. More rare fish than you normally see around. Higher priced than some, but well acclimated, usually healthy and eating. Decent selection of small animals,cats,dogs,birds,some reptiles and exotic animals. As well stocked in animal and bird supplies as a specialty Supply Store. If they don't have it, they can usually get it, but it'll cost you. Nice enough store to just stroll around and look. There's a pond, 2- 750 gallon tanks with sting rays and lge fish, sharks, over 1200 gallons of reef systems. Might have to wait if your looking for technical info, but they got a good knowledge base in animals and fish.

I just moved back to Long Island from Philly. I worked at an Aquarium Supercenter which got its roots from Big Als. I'm dying to find a comparable place in the area.

I checked out Total Aquariums in Lynbrook and was disappointed with the size and product stock. The livestock was pretty nice however, a large variety but crammed in a very small space.

Parrots of the World in Rockville Centre has a decent selection but their tanks always seem to have some sort of disease process flowing throughout the system. Plus, the kids they have working their don't seem to know much. The manager and the owner of the store are very knowledgeable however... you just have to catch them instead of the kids in the back.

So basically I'm looking for a place in Nassau County (or a place in Suffolk that packs with 02 and is worth the gas money). Also, are there any places around here that sell live food such as Black Worms or Brine Shrimp? I haven't found any yet.

Thanks a million... My fish thank you too!

Kate,
It's hard to find blackworms on LI. The only chain that I found that has them is Petland Discount, but if they don't rinse & chill them, they die fast. I'm going to try some of the smaller aquarium stores. If anyone knows a local source, please let me know.

Aquarium Adventure in Carle Place (Glencove Rd) sells live Brine Shrimp, not sure about Blackworms. They have the largest selection of freshwater and saltwater fish. They also have the largest selection of freshwater live plants. The store is set up nicely and is worth the trip just to browse, you wont leave empty handed. The staff is very knowledgeable and friendly.

Tropical Showcase in Hicksville (Old Country Road) also has a large assortment of fish and freshwater live plants. This store is more of a MoM and Pop shop. Great selection and friendly staff of 3 or 4.

It's sad but the independents are really having a hard time survivng the economy. I think we'll see more and more closings. Sad.

Wow - I can't believe this thread is still ongoing!!!
I've gone to mutts and butts - on merrick road. I think it's in Merrick? not too far from Merrick Ave (as cross street).

It's hit or miss with their fish (sometimes overcrowded) but I've gotten some beautiful emperor tetras there. And you can find other odd types of freshwater fish. Prices not bad.

Unfortnately, Aquarium Adventure closed down in December 2010 really nice fish, coral and staff a little pricey but you have to know what you want. AQuarium Village opened up not to far from there across the street from roosevelt field shopping center. nice selection and better prices.

Wow, I can't believe no one mentioned Aquahut in middle island. At the intersection of Rt 112 and 25 in the home deopot shopping center. Dry goods at almost mail order prices. Knowledgable staff, big saltwater selection and good freshwater. Unfortunatly (or fortunatly) to get the rare stuff you have to ship it in.

Wow. I started this thread 6 years ago. I can't believe how much has changed in 6 years! It's really sad what's happened to the economy. So many of the best, smallest stores are out of business. I guess one bright spot is Aquarium Adventures in Carle Place has reopened as Pets Warehouse. It's owned by the same folks in the Copiage store. So the good news is that some of the old employees of Aquarium Adventures are still there. Good guys with a ton of knowledge. Any other positive changes?

Eds was also in Cross County Shopping center Yonkers NY