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The Results - 8LFS in One Day.

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  • The Results - 8LFS in One Day.

    Well, I did not make it too all 8 stores on Saturday, but I did hit the 8th one on Sunday.  Here is what I found...

    1.  Ultimate Fish

    Got there at 10AM when it opened and spoke with Alex for an hour.  I talked to him about my Tropheus Annectens that I got from him 5 weeks ago and all the problems I am having with them.  I was happy to know that all 15 that I left him with, are all alive, but 4 are still not eating anything but algae in the tank.  For those who do not know, I had 26 of these guys, and ran into serious issues with Hemorrhagic Septicemia that killed 2 right off, and the other 8 thru bloat and starvation.  I got all 16 remaining fish eating now.  He told me that a trio of the three largest Tropheus Annectens is sold, once he gets them all to eating, and that I could get the remaining 12 fish. I plan to pick these up on Tuesday after Labor Day.

    I bought some suction clips for my Eheim 2262 used canister I bought that I needed for the discharge line, and some Hikari Excel.  It was a great time, and I always enjoy speaking with Alex.

    There are lots and lots of Oceanic Tanks, Stands, and Fixtures at his place if you looking for Oceanic Equipment.  He also has a very large selection of Tangs and Malawai fish.  Small Duboisi were $6.99 each.  He also has a pretty good Salt Section.  If you like Tanganyikan fish, this is the place to go!

    Large Tanks:  210G 6x2x30" Reef Ready All Glass with Stand Cherry Stain - $1400.00, Slight Damage
    265G 7x2x30 Reef Ready, Perfecto Stand, and Canopy - $2,000.00

    2.  Mike's Tropical Fish and Pets

    I went in to see Mike for the first time, and man does that place have potential.  Everything that he has up right now looks nice.  I went there to get a 30" Light Fixture, and found that it did not come with a reflector, and Mike totally accepted it back with no problems, even though it was special order.  Mike is a great dude, customer orientated.

    His fish selection is small, but it is building. Small Duboisi $6.99 He has the most awesome floor Salt Display tank, that I could just hang there and enjoy for a while.  Outside has lots of room for ponds, and an atrium.  So, I can tell, there are lots of lots of potential there.  Mom looks like has only one bird inside, loud little &*!#@ really, he's just a bird.

    Large Tanks: 175 Bow front, Oceanic with stand and canopy, reef ready - $2,500.00

    3.  Aquatic World
    I don't know what I was thinking but I will never take 1960 to Jones Road again.  Must have rolled one too many that day

    I can sum this up rather easy...A simple hello goes a long way.  I mean I walked in and the guy sits at the register staring at a T.V  I walk around and not even once makes eye contact.  I go by the register, and see that he is watching Poker.  I know your real business is your underground casinos but come-on have some respect for the customers and the fish.  

    There was an older guy in the back, I asked him what the price of the Duboisi were in that tank, he had this look on his face like why the **** are you asking me.  He went and got the guy from the front desk, then that guy had a stunned look, then wrote with a black marker $10.99 for Small Duboisi.  The lights did not even work on the tank.  The tanks looked bad, and most of the lights were out.  The shelves look old and dry goods looked un-kept.

    5 other customers showed up, and the exact same thing, not even a hello to them either, so it wasn’t just me.

    Large Tanks:  180 Reef Ready, Medium Oak Oceanic, Stand, Canopy - $1,770.00
    150 Non-Reef Ready, Black Oak Oceanic, Stand - $1,069.00

    Summary: Won’t go back, unless desperate

    4.  Aquarium World
    I got there and had not been there in several years.  Still looks like the same place.  Lots of dry goods, Huge Selection of fish, and lots of massive and beautiful displays.  Even some small playground stuff in there for kids.

    For the person who has my Tropheus Nsumbu Female, they had a male or what looked male, for $39.99  I have not seen Nsumbu in atleast 5 years.  This could be your chance to get another one.  I don’t even know who has my fish; so many people have traded my oddball fish in the past months since I gave them away.

    The coolest thing was this, employees everywhere.  At least 4 in dry goods, and about 5 in Fish.  If they weren’t helping customers they were cleaning shelves, organizing product, wiping glass that kind of stuff.  No TV in sight...

    Large Tanks: 185G Reef Ready, 5 x 30" x 2, really cool looking, Old School oceanic, Medium Oak with stand - $1,742.50
    155G Bowfront, Reefready, Black All Glass - $1,475.00
    210G 6x2x30, Reefready, Black, All Glass - $1,620.00

    5.  Fish Gallery
    First time I ever have been in this place. First impression was WOW. Awesome place.  Someone spent some serious capital to get top notch filtration, fixtures, and tank setups to get this place in showroom quality through the entire store.  Awesome display tanks, lots of employees to give you help, the place was packed with fish and equipment for all kinds of stuff.  The place was also packed with customers, and it shows.  This was the most packed place I went to.

    For those that might be looking for a familiar face, Don works here.  He is running the freshwater side of the shop.  Really nice and friendly guy, who always is respectful to you.  He used to be at Fish Depot a year ago.  Small Duboisi $9.99

    Large Tanks: Lots of em, but they are pricy.  215G Stand,Tank,Canopy - $3,700.00 8O All the large tanks have pricing like this.

    6.  Fish Ranch II

    The place is still the same, but under new ownership.  I can tell the place has changed just in the last month since I was there last.  I am sorry that I do not remember your name, but for those at the last HAS Auction, the auctioneer works here.  It was good to talk to him.  He was there with the owner, and one other employee.  They have really tried cleaning up the place, but the used to be fabulous Salt Section is still in disarray.  Lots and Lots of Freshwater Fish selection.  Dry goods have a very good selection, just needs some detail cleaning in that area, and things would be great.

    Large Tanks:
    180G Reef Ready, Black, All Glass, no stand or tops - $824.00
    180G Reef Ready, Oceanic Cherry Oak, Used with Stand and Canopy, Sump and VHO lights - $900.00
    210 Non-Reef Ready Oceanic 7x2x2 Tank with Unstained Stand - No Price, but has a story you might could get the tank
    210 Non-Reef Ready Ocean Atlantis 7x2x2 with Stand and Tops - No price, but has a story...

    7.  City Pets

    The place is crammed.  Lots of people in there and not many employees.  They were very busy.  I got a chance to meet Luis Navarro in there, great dude.  He was in ther shopping as well.  That was the highlight.  They did have (2) Tropheus Variants in there that I was very surprised to see.  Kabimba Canary Cheeks, and Ulwile Firy Fry.  The fish were being feed regular Tetra chunks of something that could not have been good for them.  Told the Son of the owner, about it and said he would take care of it.  I really doubt it will happen.  The Kabimba Canary Cheeks were $20.00 each in the 2-2.5" and the Ulwiles were 2"-3" and $24.00 each.  Both had a bout a dozen fish.

    Of all the places I went, they had the cheapest prices on SEI powerheads.  SEIO 820 is $44.00.  Most other places had this power head at $80-90 the huge SEIO 2600 was only $69.99  Another really nice positive here is the largest amount of Eheim parts I have seen yet in Houston.

    Large Tanks: 175 Bow front, Oceanic, Stand, Canopy - $1,600.00

    8.  Fishland

    I went there to pickup my Stand that I ordered for my 115 gallon and it was not delivered yet.  So I had to go to the game where we won, kicked the cowboys ***, and then I came back on Sunday to Andy's Store.

    The stand was awesome.  Andy's store has some really nice saltwater fish, and his freshwater fish selection is smaller than it used to be.  Lots of Aquariums and a pretty good selection of Dry Goods.  Andy is always really helpful and friendly, and so are his other employees.  The store was pretty busy.  One of the things that I noticed and my mouth dropped, was the Eheim Pro 3 he had are $325.00  That's about 40 bucks cheaper than anywhere online and you don’t have to pay shipping.  He had three of them.  He also had (2) Fluval FX5's for $200.00, which again is cheaper than most online places.  Andy always has really good deals, especially if you’re in there with cash money.  The guy is very customer orientated.  Andy has a builder, who makes custom stands, and they are really nice stands, well made furniture grade, and water sealed.

    Large Tanks:  Couple 125's by the wall that I did not get the price on.

    Man that was a lot...I finsihed my day by 4:30PM

    Till next time...

    Geoff
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    Yeah it was kinda lengthy
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    I feel asleep reading it
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    380G For Sale $3000 Acrylic tank & stand
    300G Petrochromis Trewavasae and Tropheus mpimbwe Red Cheek & Duboisi
    180G For Sale $1,100 Oceanic Cherry with Stand, T5HO Lights, (2) Eheim 2262
    150G Tropheus Annectens Kekese & Ikola

  • #2
    Re: The Results - 8LFS in One Day.

    I especially appreciated the ntel about the large tanks.....thanks.....I would like to announce to everyone, I am in the market for a really nice large tank and stand, but wanna keep the cost under retail costs if at all possible.
    My idea of large is 210 and up, with a clean well stained and finished stand.

    Thanks Again Geoff

    CF
    Truth is the cement that holds the bricks and stones of a sane and civilized society together. Remove the former and the latter will crumble.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: The Results - 8LFS in One Day.

      Great reviews. I think you could have added more details if you had wanted, but that's just my opinion. I can't wait for your next trip.
      So many things can be a mystery, when all we're seeking is freedom...

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: The Results - 8LFS in One Day.

        CF talk to Mike about the 175g bow he has....the price quoted by Geoff is not what it is stickered and not what Mike is expecting for it....oh and I think the Dubs are $5.99  :wink:

        The Nsunbu or whatever it was at Aquarium world looks like it's wasting away and lethargic.  

        Met the auctioner guy at FR a while back and ran back into him at the HLA auction which was cool....the guy knows lots of scientific names off the top of his head which I thought was cool and I think he worked at the other Fish Ranch's back when.

        CP, I saw those Brichardi variants myself and they have been there for a little while now which is cool since they haven't all died. Luis is a cool dude and I'm suprised he didn't say anything to them about the trophs cause he's been turned into a tropheus fanatic himself but I'm sure if you told them they will at least consider it or change their diet. They have brought in quite a few trophs now but I think that has something to do with Navarro...they also had some featherfins last time I was there.


        Nice write up Geoff.....now what we all want to know....how much gas did this whole trip sucked up and how many fingers were flicked and how many curse words did you go through on the ride?
        700g Mini-Monster tank

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: The Results - 8LFS in One Day.

          I really do not want to think I might have made a mistake, but I could swear that 175 Bowfront at Mike's was marked $2500.  Maybee it included some piece of equipment or something..

          I kept a piece of paper with me and wrote down the prices i posted.
          I think the Dub price of $5.99 is correct as EK posted because i remember thinking he had a better price than Alex.

          I greatly appreciate the comments for sure!

          As for how much gas, I think Iwent thru almost a half a tank, and about 10 hand gestures and I cursed like a sailor...especially since I had no AC in my Truck arghh...
          380G For Sale $3000 Acrylic tank & stand
          300G Petrochromis Trewavasae and Tropheus mpimbwe Red Cheek & Duboisi
          180G For Sale $1,100 Oceanic Cherry with Stand, T5HO Lights, (2) Eheim 2262
          150G Tropheus Annectens Kekese & Ikola

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: The Results - 8LFS in One Day.

            I had my eye out for large tanks as well.

            In all the pricing on New Tanks that look nice, about the best deal as much as I hate to say it was that 150 non Reef ready Black Oak at Aquatic World.

            Alex at Ultimate Fish has that 265 Perfecto with stand,canopy all for $2,000 that might be a defiante worth while look at.

            That used 180 Reef REady Cherry Oak at Fish Ranch for $900 is what I would go for.  But...the stand and canopy look like total crap.  You would have to go to Andy at Fishland, and get a nice stand made.  CF, your girlfriend Fish Lady has one of those Andy Stands she got from me when she got that 70 gallon.  They are nice stands.  That in my opinion, since it comes with working VHO lights, and a sump all for $900.  Then just throw away the stand and canopy, or negociate $$ off for it.  I know its not over 200 gallons, but it is a good deal.
            380G For Sale $3000 Acrylic tank & stand
            300G Petrochromis Trewavasae and Tropheus mpimbwe Red Cheek & Duboisi
            180G For Sale $1,100 Oceanic Cherry with Stand, T5HO Lights, (2) Eheim 2262
            150G Tropheus Annectens Kekese & Ikola

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: The Results - 8LFS in One Day.

              nice detail review, very cool
              65 gallon - ADA 120p - planted
              55 gallon - AGA standard - mix cichlid
              30 gallon tall - eclipse acrylic - semi-planted

              live and let live

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: The Results - 8LFS in One Day.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: The Results - 8LFS in One Day.

                  :P

                  I felt like i was there with you, great description.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: The Results - 8LFS in One Day.

                    [quote="eklikewhoa";p="30379"

                    Met the auctioner guy at FR a while back and ran back into him at the HLA auction which was cool....the guy knows lots of scientific names off the top of his head which I thought was cool and I think he worked at the other Fish Ranch's back when.
                    [/quote]

                    That's Charles Jones, aka Marauder (I think) on HFB. A very cool guy and I enjoy conversing with him when I see him at Fish Ranch. He has really made some noticeable improvements in the freshwater section of that store. Keep up the good work Charles, in case you are reading this!

                    -Nick Montemayor
                    PLECOS SUCK!

                    https://www.facebook.com/NickInTex1970

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: The Results - 8LFS in One Day.

                      The Bowfront was marked $2000 I think when I was there.....but I might be wrong about what is marked cause I asked Mike what the price was and it was different from what's stickered and it was in favor of the buyer.

                      That $900 tank sounds like a steal! especially if it has a good VHO fixture over it!

                      Nickintx, I remember his name now...Charles...When Hayden was at FishRanch they brought in some super nice tetras/barbs/rasboras but that was when Mike owned it....I am sure once the dust settles Charles will get the ball rolling again with the ubber cool stuff...at least that's the impression I got from talking to him.
                      700g Mini-Monster tank

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: The Results - 8LFS in One Day.

                        hmmm looks like i will have to go down the street and check on fish ranch, havent been in months (i cant spend money on fish if i dont go in a fish store, keeps my debt down) anyway sounds like a really cool trip. I would think geoff that with you skills you could just refinish the stand, most damage is superficial usually, and you could stain it urself after sanding it down. If i had the space or the time i would consider it for a project. oh yeah and thousand bucks lying around.  YEAH RIGHT.
                        Anyway someone said they were lookin for large tanks on the cheap and i would suggest Marshreef.com the saltwater site for houston. I have seen some killer deals on anything from 210's to 135's for less then 400 dollors, tank and stand,(dont always have top or lights, and rarely come with filter) but glass tops are relatively cheap to have cut, and shoplights are great form inexpensive lighting, works for most tanks except reef or heavy high tech planted.
                        Never fear I is here
                        David Abeles
                        Vice President
                        Greater Houston Aquarium Club

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: The Results - 8LFS in One Day.

                          Oh and you know i feel ur pain about the no AC, glad yu had fun on ur trip, now you just need to go west all the way around to south side for next trip.
                          Never fear I is here
                          David Abeles
                          Vice President
                          Greater Houston Aquarium Club

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: The Results - 8LFS in One Day.

                            Ek - The 175G bow front at Mike's had a sticker showing $2,500, but when i talked to Mike he was willing to let it go for less.
                            City Pets has a 175G bow front too, listed for $1,669 - $1,499 without lights and glass top.

                            Mike's 175 is a RR bow front with bottom and top canopy in stainless steel.
                            City Pets is a 175 Show, and they do NOT sell the canopy with theirs, only a glasstop and lights.  A Top Canopy in Stainless Steel is about $350 plus shipping (online).  I guess if City Pets sold theirs with the stainless canopy the total price would be close to $1,800-$1,900 and theirs is still not RR.

                            If Mike sold a Wet/dry with his, I would say $2500 would be a good and fair price.

                            What fish do Jesper have
                            180 WC T. Moorii Chilambo +1 Petro trewavasae.
                            110
                            Cyps, WC Xeno Spilopterus Kipili WC/F1/F2 T. sp red Kiku
                            58 S. Decorus

                            "The problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money." -Margaret Thatcher

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: The Results - 8LFS in One Day.

                              When I talked to him there was a wet/dry included. :wink:
                              700g Mini-Monster tank

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