LFS list

36945 Views 60 Replies 30 Participants Last post by Morgan, Jul 1, 2011

guppy

Discussion Starter · Apr 23, 2005

I think we should start to make a LFS list for the Southern California area.

1 - 20 of 61 Posts

turbomkt

· #2 · Apr 23, 2005

San Diego

Here are a few in San Diego. I can only vouch for Fountains (pronounced fontanes), Aquatic Warehouse, and Pet Kingdom. Fontanes has some plants in decent shape but nothing special and a little pricey. Pet Kingdom usually has crap for plants and basically shoved them out of the way under some of their fauna tanks. Aquatic Warehouse is geared more toward salt water, but I take my excess plants in there for 1/3 cost store credit. Depends on who you get for how much credit you get. One guy has a clue, another one doesn't, and it's the difference of $1 per sag. subulata plantlet and $1 per three plantlets. For filter parts I go between AW and PK.

The rest of the stores I stole from the San Diego Tropical Fish Society web site. Guppy and I were at their last auction. I about broke even between the two plants I bought (ozelot sword and a ton of java moss) and the two I sold (A ton of dwarf sag. and 3 stems of b. japonica). It started at 7 and went late, but there were some definite deals there on fish and equipment (Some excellent discus went for really really cheap). Even saw a former PK employee there (Thought she was buying for the store but it turns out she quit gleefully and does computer work now).
Aquatic Warehouse - 5466 Complex St, Ste 204, San Diego, CA 92123

Fountains Aquarium - 7575 University Ave, La Mesa, CA 91941

Live Cargo Reptiles & Fish - 8874 La Mesa Blvd., La Mesa, CA 91941

Mike's Aquarium & Pet Centers - 651 Sweetwater Rd., Spring Valley Shopping Ctr., Spring Valley

Pet Kingdom - 3191 Sports Arena Blvd, San Diego, CA

Pet Plaza - 911 E. Plaza Blvd, National City, CA 91950

Priced Rite Pets - 775 Palm Ave, Imperial Beach, CA 91932

South Bay Tropical - 1172 3rd Avenue Suite D6&7, Chula Vista, CA 91911, CA 91932

VM Aquatics - 4344 Convoy St., Suite N, San Diego, CA 92111

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SAWALLACE

· #3 · Apr 24, 2005

LFS I frequent:

Tropical Fish House: 5146 Holt Blvd. Montclair
(909) 624-6417 Often has obscure fish, decent price, family owned, plant selection minimal

Goldfish Plus: 1027 N. Grand Ave. Covina, 91723
(626) 966-2308 Has a ton of stuff, but the owner will try and sell you the store if he could, plant selection minimal

Hacienda Aquatics: 1075 N Hacienda Blvd. La Puente, 91744
(626) 330-4716 Often has rare fish, plant selection minimal

There are a couple more but I cannot find the addresses right now.

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SnyperP

· #4 · Apr 24, 2005

Total Tropical Fish
1043 W. Foothill Blvd
Upland, Ca. 91786
(909) 982-2214

They're trying to get into to plants. Rather small plant selection, but they have more than others. I usually drop by weekly ont he way home from class. I'll post and let you guys know what they have.

Their fish selection is pretty good. The tanks look very clean and healthy. If you have a thing for plecos they usually have a few varities. Their royal pleco they had the other week was just simply amazing.

turbomkt

· #5 · Mar 19, 2006

OK...the other thread asked for a list. I'll add another one to this list.

Octopuss Garden has recently moved to a larger and more accessible location. As part of the expansion they have added a lot to their freshwater offerings, including a focus on planted tanks.

Octopuss Garden
858-576-7449
4865 Convoy St
San Diego, CA 92111

TetraFreak

· #6 · Mar 19, 2006

Mike's in Spring Valley is a Questionable place!

They have a great selection of fish but alot of their tanks are way overstocked. The Equipment they sell does look to be good, and as for plants...really not much of a Selection. Prices seem to be decent for what they have.

guppy

Discussion Starter · #7 · Mar 19, 2006 (Edited)

Here I hope this helps a lot of people out. This a google generated map with all the LFS in the LA-OC-SD area.
http://zoyzoy.com/aquarium/aquariumstoresmap.asp
I got it from reefcentral.com
ENJOY!!

BTW only some of the places on the map sell freshwater...

turbomkt

· #8 · Mar 19, 2006

I'll agree about Mike's. They even had H. Polysperma for sale. That's a serious no-no. But for whatever reason they were also the only ones who had some other things I was looking for (Not fish or plants in this case).

Thanks for the link to ZoyZoy. I updated O. Garden's address and phone number.

TetraFreak

· #9 · Mar 21, 2006

OH...and Live Cargo in La Mesa SUCKS! just some agressives, little equipment, and NP PLANTS!

But if you want reptiles, they're OK

turbomkt

· #10 · Mar 21, 2006

Thanks for the feedback on Live Cargo!

247Plants

· #11 · Mar 24, 2006 (Edited)

The couple I frequent here in Long Beach are..

All About Fish
2535 Broadway Ave
Long BEach CA 90803
562.438.4148
Really nice selection of plants plecos and community fish
130 gal planted aquarium for show piece(instead of the standard reef)
Huge plant selection and the guy knows a bit about plants!

Strictly Fish(lakewood)
562.421.9106
Good guys always willing to give advice.....
Large Plant selection not too much in the way of community fish...a lot of cichlids.
Huge tank of plants for sale.

Circle Pet
1940 Ximeno Ave
Long Beach CA 90815
not much for plants....sometimes a few good fish but last resort for me.
(scary incident here....went there last weekend to browse and couldnt find ONE THING that excited me, so....)

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orthikon

· #12 · Mar 24, 2006

where i go

Neptunes Reef --> Great fish selection has cardinals, SAEs, rummy nose, male endlers; decent plant selection they had a couple of pots of glosso and dwarf hairgrass the last time. VERY KNOWLEDGABLE STAFF. Supplies/equipment overpriced, well aren't all LFSs
(310) 534-2323
www.neptunesreef.com/
2851 Pacific Coast Highway
Torrance, CA 90505

Tong's Tropical Fish --> great fish selection, okay prices. plants not good as Neptunes. so-so staff.
(562) 945-4498
15250 Whittier Blvd
Whittier, CA 90603

ditto 247plants on his review of Strictly Fish

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slickwillislim

· #13 · Mar 25, 2006

I can also vouch for Strictly fish bought most of my fish thier and my 60 gal tank stand and an xp2 from them and got a good deal.

I have been to Circle pet a few times one guy there doesnt know that much about plants but a nice guy talked to him for a while. They did have a few different types of shimp last time I went but nothing really special. They do Have a planted tank setup, but nothing like strictly fish.

I havent been to all about fish but after your comments about it I think I will stop by.

247Plants

· #14 · Mar 25, 2006

Ya all about fish is my #1 for a lfs locally.....always has cherrys amanos and bees...plants come in on wednesdays so wednesday nights are best for first choice

czado

· #15 · Mar 29, 2006

Couple in the Los Angeles area:

Oranda Aquarium
(323) 876-5059

7318 1/2 Santa Monica Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90046
(Little west of La Brea in Trader Joe's parking lot, south side of SMBlvd.)
Decent selection of plants -- often have glosso, myriophyllum sp, r. rotundifolia, etc. Carries Flourish Excel, >$15 for 500mL. Pricey fish but will stock psuedomugil sp (blue eyed rainbowfish), rose line barbs, etc. Always have amano shrimp. Some hardscape for sale but nothing special. Never gives freebies but prices are negotiable after hardballing. Clean store.

Yo's Aquarium
(323) 871-2730

5846 Santa Monica Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90038
(West of VanNess in the AutoZone parking lot. Only entry is south side of SMBlvd as its a one-way parking lot.)
Only plants are anubias sp, crypts, bannana plants, etc. Often have decent quality fish for cheap - roseline barbs, hillstream loaches, discus, cherry shrimp, sometimes bumblebee shrimp, etc. Smelly store. Like Oranda in terms of hardscape. Easily negotiated prices and will throw in a freebie for regulars.

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frugalfish

· #16 · Mar 29, 2006

Neptunes Reef is a pretty good store, although the owner can sometimes be a bit moody. The store does regularly get new fish and plants in stock. Need to look around, sometimes good stuff is kinda hidden/mixed in the tanks. Found out they swap out CO2 cylinders for something like $18. Definitely a store to check out regularly.

Always have had good experiences at Strictly Fish. Definitely one of the friendliest stores I've ever visited. Make sure to get on their mailing list to not miss out on the big sales they have during the year.

slickwillislim

· #17 · Mar 29, 2006

Yeah Strictly fish does have good sales and they gave me a free t-shirt at one of the sales. Its actually pretty nice for being free. Where are you Frugal Long Beach, Lakewood, Huntington. I have never been to neptunes reef but might check it out.

turbomkt

· #18 · Mar 29, 2006

Frugal is in the Redondo Beach area. I believe Neptune's Reef is in Torrance.

(310) 534-2323
2851 Pacific Coast Hwy
Torrance, CA 90505

frugalfish

· #19 · Mar 29, 2006

Yep. Just a little north of you in the South Bay area. If you're coming up from Long Beach to Neptune's just exit the 405 at Crenshaw and hang a couple of lefts after exiting to get onto Crenshaw, take it to PCH, and hang a right, stay right and you'll see it in a block or two. I'm planning on checking out All About Fish asap.

cwlodarczyk

· #20 · Mar 29, 2006

Just as an FYI to everyone here: I've gone ahead and added all the stores from all of the SCAPE threads to our map on Frappr. http://www.frappr.com/scape

Anybody who would like to add other locations please be sure to include the address and phone number in the description box.

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