# Best SFO Bay Area Fish/Plant stores?



## emoore3 (Oct 18, 2003)

Albany Aquarium is good. Prices are kind of high but they have a good selection. They are near Berkeley. I live in the south bay and make a special trip up there every once in a while since I have not found a LFS with good plants.


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## jbarone (May 31, 2004)

I go to Caesars Tropical Fish in Santa Rosa, California. They'll usually order anything you want, so you know it's fresh. I go to Petsmart in Rohnert Park sometimes which occasionally get some great specimens. I got a java fern there for $1 which is at least 10 inches tall. Great deal.


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## Ibn (Nov 19, 2003)

Chalk up another vote for Albany Aquarium in Albany. They get plants in about every couple of weeks and usually have a pretty good selection (fyi, they're getting new plants in later this week). The prices tend to be a bit on the steep side, but they get in some stuff that you won't be able to find elsewhere (A. nana petite (leaves are m&m-sized), Nesaea red, etc.). You can also add stuff that you're interested in on their list and they'll call you up when it becomes available. They also quarantine fish before they offer them for sale. 

Octopus Garden is also in the same area. The selection is a bit on the low side, but the fish selection is decent. They always have dwarf puffers in supply there, as well as cherry reds for reasonable prices (picked mine up for $2 each awhile back).

If you don't mind driving, then Exotic Aquarium in Sacramento is another good place to visit. Their plant collection isn't as extensive, but they have great pricing, especially on the fishes. Talk to Mike if you're interested in something that's not around.


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## magicmagni (Nov 7, 2003)

I'll echo what's been said about Albany Aquarium. Top notch, but you sure pay for it. I never saw so many planted tanks in one place! Very impressive. The two rams and 10 otos I bought are still doing great now after a month, unlike the ones from other places. Oct. garden is pretty good too, but if I had to choose between one or the other then I would say Albany gets my vote. 

On the pen. theres a few places in the city. 6th ave. aquarium on 6th/clement comes to mind. Everything is wholesale so it's all self serve. I have bought a few nice plants there for half of what Albany sells the same thing for. The only downsides here are parking (there's none, )there's no guarantee on any live items and many times you have to pass because the fish are so sickly. It can also be shoulder to shoulder in the place. He must a killing! You definitely want to QT your items from here.

There's also Nippon Goldfish company on Geary that is only a few block from 6th ave. I havn't been yet, but I called them and they stock amanos and cherries so I'd bet that they have some good plants too. That place is definitely on my "to visit list." If anyone's been there fill us in.

Another forum member told me about Ocean aquarium. I believe it's near Van Ness in the city. I called them once and they seemed to know what they were doing. I'd like to check that one out too someday. If anyones has been what do you think?

There's also a couple nice shops in San Mateo. "Fish for You" in the Marina shopping centre off of Hillsdale near 101. Has the basics as far as plants go. Probably not worth the drive from the east bay, but worth mentioning. For fish though I really like "Ultimate Aquarium" off of El Camino near Hillsdale mall. I don't go there for plants, but he has all kinds of fish that I don't see as much at other places. Last time I was there he had Kribs and Killies as well as various type of tetras and rainbows that I never see in stores and they are generally healthy. He also guarantees the fish if you provide a water sample. He also had Amanos that he was selling as glass shrimp for $1 each. Needless to say I bought all he had left for that price and he even threw in a discount for buying ten. He couldn't believe that they sold so fast...wonder why :wink:


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## rbass (Aug 8, 2004)

Another vote for Albany Aquarium,they`re about the best in the Bay Area for
plants.They`re on San Pablo Ave. in Albany and they`re closed on Thursdays.

__________________

Rich B.

Eheim Pimp #53
2213 and 2026,surface extractor


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## Robert H (Apr 3, 2003)

Dolphin Aquarium in Campbell. Best in the south bay.


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## sn8k (May 24, 2004)

Sooooooooo - after seeing the responses I took a trip today up to Albany Aquarium and was very happy I did. I was also happy that I brought along my better half to keep my wallet intact  . I will take more trips to the other shops recomended in the near future. Thanks for all the imput roud:


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## combo30101 (Jul 13, 2004)

buying in store!~~ support store~


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## fishiesrule (May 5, 2004)

GO to nippon in SF on Geary ST. i always go there!!! and also you should take a look at ocean aquarium in downtown!!! 6th ave and clement is pretty good for equipment but i wouldnt go there for fish, every weekend is 25% off all fish at nippon also!!!


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## EvilKen (Oct 22, 2003)

Ocean's Aquarium is definately the top of my list as far as plants go. Each tank in the shop are planted and you just choose which plants you want from any tank. The owners are extremely knowledgable and will speand alot of time answering all your questions. Ive been to Albany aquarium too, while they also have a great selection of plants, Ocean's seems to have more. It is a definitive visit if you live in the area.


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## Gomer (Aug 14, 2003)

I have gone to both ocean aquarium and albany. I like albany better. Ocean does have some good stuff but not as much of the "good stuff".

If you ever thought that Albany was like a musty garage, then Ocean will make albany look like it has had the white glove treatment *LOL*


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## rkundla (Mar 25, 2004)

I used to live in Fremont and I always went to a place in Hayward called Aquarium Concepts, which was alright. There was also a little place in Fremont (can't remember the name - off of 880) but they never really had a good selection.

Never made it up to Albany but heard nice things about it.

Ron


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## bharada (Mar 5, 2004)

Ron,
Aquarium Concepts really is a reefer specialty place now. They have an 'ok' stock of freshwater fish, but their plants leave a lot to be desired. I really do need to make the trek to the places in the city, but I hate driving/parking there.

Was the little place in Fremont Atlantis Aquarium in the Albertsons shopping center (880 and Fremont Blvd). They're also more of a reefer store with only a single 20g tank of potted plants (mainly swords and crypts).

In reality, right now I get way more enjoyment from the SFBAAPS open houses I've attended and the plant swapping that goes on there. I've been amazed at what my fellow bay area hobbiests have available for trade.


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## Ibn (Nov 19, 2003)

Hmm...sounds like I definitely need to get myself to the next SFBAAPS meeting. Was talking to another fellow forum poster this last weekend and he was talking about it also.

Aquarium Concepts is definitely a reefers' bread and butter. The selection of plant really isn't the best, but they price some of them for extremely cheap every once in awhile. The owner there, Ken is a pretty nice guy, and is willing to order for you if there's something that you're looking for (where I got my Synodontis petricolas from).

Atlantis Aquarium in Fremont is really only good for the saltwater stuff, and that's limited also. The owner there, Brian, is a pretty cool guy overall, but he's not in the shop all the time and has a limited amount of time when he is in there. The best thing about the place however are the fish in the display tank. Those tigerfish are just awesome...

If you're interested in saltwater however, there's not really a better place in the area than Tropical Paradise in San Leandro. Great selection, but all salt. This is where you wanna go if you're interested in the more hard to find corals (frags galore, clams, and just about anything that you can think of).


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## rkundla (Mar 25, 2004)

Bill,

I've done some business with Ken when I had some angelfish breed and he is a pretty good guy. Back in 2001/2002 I remember them having about 50/50 fresh/salt and a slim plant selection.

Atlantis Aquarium! That's the name. Back during the same time frame, it looked a little dumpy. :icon_roll They had a broad mixture of fresh/salt with that mammoth tank in the back with the big fish in it. Always something interesting to look at in there.

Didn't really get plant-crazy until I left Cali, so I never got to partake in the SFBAAPS meetings. :icon_frow 

Ron


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## Jumbotummy (Feb 12, 2004)

I go to the SFBAAPS meetings, theyre pretty good!
they usually have some plants at every auction.
Next month is guppies!!! and they'll probably have plants at the auction.

Oh yea and stores... Usually I go to Ocean Aquarium and Nippon, because I'm limited to Muni in SF, those stores are my favorite. Nippon has 25% off on the weekends.


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## magicmagni (Nov 7, 2003)

I went to Nippon in the city as well as Ocean Aquarium. I wasn't very impressed with the livestock at Nippon, although they had the largest German Blue Rams I have ever seen and had a great selection of supplies. The plants looked like they were all dying, but the few show tank they had looked great.

Ocean Aquarium was awesome. Talk about a hole in the wall. I didn't know what to expect when I pulled up...actually was expecting to get car jacked.. or something, but talk about a little gem of a place. Every tank overflowing with lush growth and such beauty, the fact that this place was in such a sh1t-h0le seemed irrelevant. Every tank with established plants- no plastic pots here. Everything presented so nicely that you almost feel bad having the guy tear up the scape just to get you the plant you want. 

The owner was an absolute pleasure because he is informative, helpful and very honest. He must have spent an hour or two lecturing me on the do's and don'ts of fish keeping and growing plants as he pulled out books detailing what he was talking about, while siting examples. He also took time to make me his trademark gadget... a recycled pop bottle converted into an ingenious dripper to acclimate the shrimp I had picked out. This level of service just doesn't exist these days and it was quite refreshing to receive such service. Someone posted that this store made Albany look like it has had the white glove treatment, I must disagree and say that I find it to be quite the opposite. You definately get the white glove treatment at Ocean. 

I normally do not rant like this, but I was just so blown away by this place that I wanted to take the time to express my content with this little store, probably one of the biggest little stores in the whole bay area. roud:


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## Robert H (Apr 3, 2003)

Albany has a lot of imported plants, but not cheap. Guy sells petite nana for $25 each!! And people tell me 8.25 is high!!


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## IUnknown (Feb 5, 2003)

http://www.sfbaaps.com/ meetings, plant collection orgy.


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## Poohbee (May 6, 2004)

Albany Aquarium got rid of over half of their livestock and plant collection. They are gonna be converting the bottom area of the store into SaltWater.and the top half od the store into freshwater. They are also putting in new aquariums and getting rid of those yucky looking ones they had on the wall. I wish they would get Air conditioning or at least open the door to let all that Humid air out.. Gahhhh Now I know how it feels like to visit the jungle.


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## bharada (Mar 5, 2004)

Poohbee said:


> Albany Aquarium got rid of over half of their livestock and plant collection...


YIKES!  I hope all they did was take down all the small tanks with plants but kept the big one. I was going to drive up there on Monday (after their next plant shipment arrives), just to see if there was anything interesting. 

I already ordered a bunch of Crypts from AquaBotanic but it's always nice to see things first hand.


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## Ibn (Nov 19, 2003)

Robert, that's a really high number you quoted there. I picked one up a couple of weekends ago and paid only $14 for a big one, by the plant standards (you can separate it into 2 decent sized plants).

Albany's plants might not be cheap, but it's really a great place for finding some of the less imported/shipped plants (e.g. Nesaea red).

Sounds like I'll have to make a trip to Ocean just to check it out myself  .


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## bigpow (May 24, 2004)

I couldn't afford to buy ANYTHING from Albany aquarium... LOL
I went there and I immediately bailed as soon as I saw the prices!

Talking about supporting your LFS... how about supporting me instead, guys?


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## bharada (Mar 5, 2004)

Well, Albany would not be my first choice if I were doing a major restocking (plants or fish), but on the occasion where you need 1 or 2 plants it's usually no worse than buying the same online and paying the added shipping.


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## fishwife (Apr 11, 2004)

I have to agree with Bill on the price issue. I've struggled over paying what Albany asks for anubius, but in the end feel like it's cheaper than shipping, and I feel it's important to support a local business that has good, healthy, reliable stock and is so knowledgable. I've been to just about every LFS in the east bay, and they're my first choice for buying fish and plants. I stopped by there last weekend and was shocked at how empty it was -- the right half of the upstairs area was completely empty! I hope converting the downstairs area to saltwater doesn't cut into their quarantine area.


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## Robert H (Apr 3, 2003)

He must have lowered his price then. People have been talking about his petite nana for over 2 years. He was one of the first in this country to import it. Everyone has always said he charged over $20 for them. Even $14 is twice as much as what they sell for on the internet. I think I am still a member of SFBAAPS, or maybe my dues expired by now...

I am partial to Dolphin Aquarium in the southbay. I bought my 100 gallon aquarium, stand, and canopy there. I lived in that store for 4 years. I know Brenda the owner pretty well. I knew her two sons. At one time I knew just about everybody that worked there. I used to bring in armloads of plants for store credit before I got into the business myself. In fact that is what got me into the business. I thought hey, if this store will take my plants, I can sell them to other people too! When I moved to Oregon, I sold Dolphin wood with Java fern growing on it. Nice people. They lost some of their most knowledable plant people just before I left. I don't know what they are doing now.


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## Ibn (Nov 19, 2003)

Yeah, they have lowered the prices for those petites quite a bit. The price of $25 is what they were being sold for around a year ago. Now they're at $14 for some, which isn't so bad (cheaper if to buy over the net especially with other plants and include shipping).

Dolphin is an interesting store, and is definitely the only one that I frequent in the southbay. The plant selection there was pretty non-existent last time that I was there (mostly amazon swords), but I don't go there for the plants. The fish selection there is decent and what brings me back every once in awhile. The employees aren't very knowledgeable (was there while a couple of new employees were being trained and I was disappointed by the knowledge that was being imparted to them), but if you know what you're looking for, you'll be fine. The other downside to them is the high prices that they charge for some of their drygoods (filters and such, but those are usually bought online).


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## sn8k (May 24, 2004)

fishwife said:


> I stopped by there last weekend and was shocked at how empty it was -- the right half of the upstairs area was completely empty!


I visited them (Albany Aquarium) today, and you'll be happy to know that the right half of the upper floor now sports completely rebuilt stands for the entire length of that wall, and already has emply tanks in evey slot almost fully plumbed and shouild be ready for fish & stuff very soon now (I would estimate 1 to 2 weeks before it's compete). I was talking with one of the employees for a long while today while she was helping me with my purchase - and told me a HUGE shipment of new plants will be arriving in two weeks (around the 25th-26th of September). I'm already planning my next visit to corrospond with the arrival of the new stock. roud: 

I should also state that this was my most pleasurable visit to any shops in the bay area to date. The young dark-skinned girl that helped me was deffinately a hobbiest and was extremely knowlegable - even gave me a big discount on what I bought today (a dozen amanos, various plants, a bag of ecocomplete, and threw in an oto and 3 balanese as a freebie on top of the discounted price).


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## AlgaeHater (Sep 4, 2004)

Im glad that she likes someone. She seems to be the only knowledgeable person there, but she has a I'm to good or smart for you attidute :icon_roll . Once I got a super small red flame for 7 bucks from someone and when I went to get another she wouldnt budge on even a small one. I refuse to pay $37 and its not a mother plant. She doesnt like me and I havent given her a reason too. I would rather spend my money at oceans any day of week. Its way better anyways Imo and hella of a lot cheaper. If you havent been to oceans you should definatly check it out. If your over at albany 10 minutes away is octopuss garden which is a nice fish store. Not to many plants but worth stopping by. lots of fish and nice nice people.


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## Momotaro (Feb 21, 2003)

I agree with the way you are thinking AlgaeHater!

If you feel you are not getting the service or respect you deserve from you LFS, or any other place for that matter, then take your business elsewhere! Perhaps if others acted the way you have the young lady would treat everyone as nicely as she has treated Sn8k!

Mike


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## fishwife (Apr 11, 2004)

Well, ok, the particular employee that you're talking about is pretty stand-offish. It put me off a little at first, but I've gotten past it. I think she's a serious hobbyist herself, is actually pretty knowledgable, and can be really helpful. 

Everyone else I've ever dealt with there is friendly and helpful, and Guy is really great. Mostly, I just like the fact that they've got a quality operation going in a very challenging business climate, they've got a great selection of plants you don't generally see elsewhere (including online), and I know that the fish I buy there are healthy.

I also like OG. I've never made into Ocean, but I'll check it out.


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