Other Colorado Reviews

• Rocky Mountain Reef Club LFS Reviews
  

Updated 04/29/04

Here's my take on the various local fish stores.  This is information is subjective opinion and should be completely ignored.  I'm an idiot and should not be listened to.  Please don't read the information below.  Really.  Go away.  Especially if you're from one of the listed stores.

Caveat emptor (buyer beware)!  The onus is on you, the buyer, to make good purchases.  Do some research and learn about an animal before you buy it.  I know from experience that it sucks to waste money and watch an animal die.

Aqua Imports - Boulder (02/01/03)

This is one of the better local stores.  The fish are almost always healthy, the staff is knowledgeable/helpful, the prices are reasonable, and the selection is good.  My only complaint about this place is that they once sold me two linkia stars which were dying.  In the hands of a more skilled aquarist, the animals may have lived, but at the time I was not able to save them.  For anybody new to the hobby, if a starfish has stuff oozing out the end of its legs or its mouth, its a bad thing.  In their defense, these guys sell so many fish there's no way they can closely inspect every animal.  That's my job, but I can still be a little bitter.  I would recommend this place to my friends. 

Update 11/22/03 - Aqua Imports has added a small frag tank to their back room.  Both the owners are usually willing to negotiate prices.  This is my favorite store in Boulder.

Update 04/27/04 - This is still a pretty good store, but they haven't had much selection lately.  I also noticed that they have for sale signs on their coral tanks.

Catfish Charlie's - Old-Towne Louisville (02/01/03)

I can never decide what to think about this store.  Sometimes the staff is helpful and other times I sense they wish I'd just leave.  It's not at all unusual to see several fish dying a miserable death or an anemone melting.  However, if they have what you need and it looks healthy, their prices are usually low.  One bonus about this place is that, if you don't mind getting 15% of the value, they'll buy used equipment.  Their selection of corals is probably the smallest in town, but they normally have a good invert selection.  Sometimes they'll haggle on price. 

Update 11/22/03 - The store was sold a few months ago, and the new owner canned the entire staff with the exception of one dude (the tall guy from Fort Collins).  The condition of their tanks and their livestock has since improved greatly, but the selection has stayed more or less the same.  I believe they're in the process of upgrading their invert tanks.  The new manager seems pretty cool and has negotiated prices with me a couple times.

Update 01/06/04 - The new owner has started selling tank raised frags from Garf.  Also, he's offered to buy my tank raised frags for $5 each. 

Update 04/27/04 - I walked into the store a few weeks ago and the person behind the counter was on the phone saying, "I'm quitting, we're all quitting if we don't get paid by tomorrow..."  This pretty much sums up the store.  Also, when you buy a fish, they put the fish in the bag, blow into the bag, and tie it up real quick before the air comes out...

Exotic Aquatic - Boulder (02/01/03)

One of the head guys in this store once sold me a pale yellow sebae anemone.  When I asked about the coloration, he told me that the animal had moved into "carnivorous" mode and if it felt like it, it could go back into "photosynthesizing" mode.  Either he was trying to dumb-down the concept of bleaching to an insulting level, he was lying, or he didn't know what he was talking about.  Whatever the case, after learning that yellow sebae anemones have been dyed with food coloring and that being white is indicative of bleaching, I was a little pissed.  Other than that incident, the prices are reasonable, the staff is very helpful, and the fish are in decent health. Also, sometimes they have some pretty good sales.  The last time I was in the store, their fish looked pretty bad.  I try to keep in mind that sometimes places get shipped sick animals and there's nothing they can do about it.  If you shop their enough, they'll give you good deals. 

Update 11/22/03 - I went into Exotic Aquatics a few weeks ago and the owner is still a jerk and the animals still look sick.  I'll take my money somewhere else.

Update 04/27/04 - Not much has changed at this store.  I was in a couple of weeks ago and the animals looked a littler better than the previous visit.

Great Barrier Reef - Englewood (11/22/03) (In the same parking lot as Red & Jerry's)

This is my favorite store in CO.  The animals are healthy and well cared for, the prices are reasonable, the store is clean, the staff is knowledgeable, and the selection is excellent.  The owner (Kei) will take frags for store credit and usually gives me around a 10% discount off the posted price.  A trip to the GBR is well worth the 45 minute drive from Broomfield.  If you haven't visited GBR yet, you should check it out.

Update 04/27/04 - Not much has changed at this store.  It's still my favorite.  I try to drive down once every couple of weeks to see what they have.  Kei still hooks me up. 

Liquid Kingdom - Broomfield (02/01/03)

The proprietor of this store once refused to sell me a starfish without first bringing in a water sample for testing.  If more businesses did this, the world would be a better place.  Liquid Kingdom has a good selection for its size, the staff is helpful and knowledgeable, and the animals are normally in good health.  Their prices are a little high, but you get what you pay for.

Update 11/22/03 - The folks at Liquid Kingdom are still selling fish.  They're in the process of adding a large tank in the front of their store for the purpose of selling corals.  Other than that, not much has changed. 

Update 04/27/04 - Their new reef tank is up.  They have the best selection of corals in the North Denver, Broomfield, Boulder area.

Mile High Aquarium (01/06/04) - OUT OF BUSINESS

This is a store located way south in Denver off Arapahoe.  It's unusual in that the store used to be an office building.  Apparently the store has changed management in the last few months.  The new manager is a dude named Peter who's manager to piss off enough people to have "Boycott M.H.A." posts on the local reef forums.  I think the whole things a little silly, but that's just me. 

The store usually has a pretty good selection of corals and fish.  Due to the new manager and some staff turn-over, the tanks have had some problems.  However, one of the local Reef Central guys named Nate has started working there and has greatly improved the tanks.  Good job, Nate!

Petco - Broomfield (02/01/03)

I live right next to Petco so every time I walk by the store I have to go in.  Usually the fish look pretty bad.  They always have two or three pasty yellow tangs doomed to die a long death by LLD and a sad emaciated mandarin with sucked in sides.  The only good thing I can say about Petco, is that their prices are low.  If you happen to see an animal which is in good health, you'll most likely get a good deal.  Keep in mind that buying from them encourages their practices. 

Update 11/22/03 - Their fish are starting to look better, but they've now begun selling corals and mushrooms.  I've told the staff that the animals are bleaching/dying because they don't have enough light, but nothing gets done.  The prices on the corals are too high to bother trying to save them. 

In Petco's defense, they've recently put a guy (I believe his name is Morgan) in charge of the marine fish.  He's making a noticeable improvement in their tanks.  If Morgan isn't in charge, he should be. 

Update 01/06/04 - Before shopping at Petco, you should check out the PetcoCruelty site.  Its pretty harsh.  I don't think I'll do business with Petco any more.

Update 04/28/04 - Still not shopping at Petco.

Reef n' Pond - Denver (04/28/04)

The store has recently changed ownership.  They usually have a great selection of corals, but they make up prices as they go.  If you as two different employees for prices, you'll get two different quotes.

Sherman Tanks - Westminster (02/01/03)

I haven't been in this store many times.  Their prices seemed cheap.  They supposedly have great deals on dry goods. 

Update 11/22/03 - These guys have cheep prices on Corals, but be careful.  I bought a mushroom rock from them and realized it was covered with flatworms.  I gave it a freshwater dip which dislodged the flatworms, but also made most the mushrooms detach.  The store has also started to have BITB (buy it in the bag) sales where they make a huge order of livestock and sell the critters in their original shipping bag for cash only.  The prices were great, but it was depressing to see so many animals jammed into little baggies.

Update 04/28/04 - I still don't know what to think about this store.  I occasionally do business with them.