[goldenJ]

My impressions of the place

1. By far the nicest looking lfs I have ever been in.
2. Lots of display tanks 7 or 8 with nothing for sale in them.
3. Owner was very nice and helpful.
4. Lots of corals in his "for sale" tank that were ok. I think with 2 more lights and about twice as much current they would look sweet. (He did have seahorses in the one, wild caught.)
5. Lots of room for fish stock, but not much in.

I would give it overall an ok. I probably won't drive the 45 miles again to go there because it did not have anything special to set it apart.
Everybody else set the bar pretty high for this store so I guess I was expecting a lot more.
This is just my opinion of the place. I purchase mostly sps corals and clams with a few rare leathers once in a while. Not what I was looking for in stock but maybe what somebody else is looking for.

 

[heavensent58]

We were there today also.. Got some nice L/R for the 55 i am getting off the ground ( 20 #) of great looking kalini covered in Stuff for 5.50 # and a couple nice xenia on one piece. I agree that the owner was very helpful although busy. He asked about lighting I had and all water params. before selling me the corals so he did care about the stock he sold. Anyway I will go back again and again i am sure drove from portland so about 25 miles and it was worth it for this newbie

Todd

Todd

 

[sean]

what city are they in?

 

[heavensent58]

Hastings se of Grand Rapids

 

[Soulfigter]

I was in there today too and bought a Coral Beauty and a FeatherDuster. He said that he hasnt' been getting in full orders from his suppliers, which is why he is running really low on fish right now. But there's supposed to be a big order coming in next week.

 

[shermlock]

Visited today, the owner wasn't around but the man who was there was very nice. However, I was very disappointed that the store had numerous difficult animals in their store for sale and on display. Cleaner wrasses, Flower Pots, and Moorish Idols (not for sale). It really makes me upset to see these animals offered for sale. The Flower pots...I might be able to accept those as a few people have success with them but the wrasse and idols? Almost nobody has long term success with those animals including some public aquariums. Stocking the wrasses is just dooming the animal to a slow death. Ordering Moorish Idols and having them in a show tank is just asking for trouble. Even if the animals survive, (This is the store's second time with these animals as we were told that the 4 previous Moorish Idols had died due to the setup being new)it just leads more people to ask for them.
It will be difficult for me to go back knowing that the store stocks these animals.
Scott

 

[Adam101]

Agreed on the MI and cleaners, tho I kept a cleaner for 5 years then It just up and died one day Dunno if it was just old or what. Yea I saw a MI last year for 10.00 in a LFS I debated on buying it to try and safe it from some Lil kid with a 15 gal tank trying to feed it flake food, But I passed Im kinda torn when I see things like this I wouldnt Buy it if I knew it would make a point But then I think maybe I should buy it to do my best and potentially safe it. Its a catch 22 makes me mad, Once I just played dumb with a place I dont go to ever and they told me it was a medium hardy fish I then Informed them on there Ignorance( I was nice) and said why dont you leave those at the wholesailer.

 

[Newts]

I have also got a cleaner Wrasse. It's been in my tank for 4 years now.I got it before I heard they were difficult to keep. Mine eats many of the foods I put in tank, plus I have alot of fish in tank for it to pick at and maybe that's why I've had some success with it. They may need what ever it is that they pick off the fish for their diet. Mine also scraps the film algea off the glass when it forms there. It's in a 180g with about 18 fish.

 

[shermlock]

Hey guys that is great news about the cleaners! That makes me a little bit more relieved to see you folks being successful with these difficult fish. I understand that some people can raise these fish without issues but I don't think you folks or most of the people on this site are among the "average" reefer. I know that I always envision the worst case scenerios with the fish and perhaps these fish will end up in the large system of an expert but I doubt that will happen. I know we must "experiment" with difficult species but I guess I look to the experts and public aquariums to keep the fish first.
Scott

 

[mhltcob]

lets keep in mind however, how detrimental it is to the wild reefs when you remove such important fish as cleaner wrasses. They are not impossible but require expert care and it is not environmentally sound to take such animals out of their natural environment.

 

[Soulfigter]

What is environmentally sound to take out of it's natural enviornment? I really hope more people start to support the captive raised fish industry.

 

[goldenJ]

They had some wild caught seahorses when I was in there. I don't think I brought it up when I origanaly posted this thread but I did not think it was good practice to get these. If I had noticed the MI's I would have said something similiar to what you brought up sherm.

 

[shermlock]

I just don't understand from an ethical or economical standpoint. They are tough and most would say impossible so that brings ethics into question. In addition, I know that the MIs are expensive even from a wholesaler because they are so touch so why would a shop just throw money away? It just doesn't make sense or cents.
Scott

 

[ofblong]

just on a side note the owner has been keeping reef tanks for over 10 years.

the other hand is I dont like the fact he is selling wc seahorses. especially since wc seahorses are close to being endangered.

 

[Adam101]

agreed all around, I never bought another wrass, mostly do to I really dont thing there all that good looking anymore, I had My 5 year success and maybe the thing was 10 years old when it died, It didnt tell me its age ever LOL ;-) crap when I saw the MI's they were for 15 bucks for a 6 inch one, I have to say I stared at it for a long while and still wonder if its met the toliet yet, or a trashcan, I agree WC fish are unfortunate tho I have been hearing about new practices that take the WC fry( many of which would die in the wild and then raising the fry in captivity, Kind of like how they do Sea turtles now. Someday we will look back maybe 20-30 years from now and go WOW they didnt farm Yellow tangs and what they couldnt keep MI's Just think 30 years ago you wouldnt EVER have seen anyone have a reeftank in there house or at least not anyone whom didnt make millions a year, Heres hoping to further advancement and education......

 

[ofblong]

well I went there today. I must say I was not impressed on this 3rd trip. They had a seahorse stuck to one of their overflows. the guy just picked the horse off and threw it on the otherside of the tank. I was not impressed by this act. I did end up buying 10lbs of kaelini rock that was covered in corraleine(sp?). they had nothing compared to the last time I was there. Last time they had 2x more corals and a ton more fish. I am also not sure as to why they decided on putting a leather wrap around couch with an aquarium facing it. They also dont sell anything in there "display" tanks. does not make sense as it seems they have more in there display tanks than they do in the "for sale" tanks. needless I was very unimpressed(as if I did not say that a billion times already hehe). The owner was also not there this time either.