Wish I found this forum sooner. (Thanks yoink) Nice to be able to trade info with local folks about our choices in this area.
I am new to this hobby - started in January this year. I now have 3 fw tanks - 1 10 gallon in my 5 year old sons room, a 12 gallon eclipse in my living room, and a 75 gallon just 3 weeks up, in my sunroom. I have become quite obsessed and my family sometimes tells me they think I care more about my tanks then I do them. Not true, of course.... But I do love this hobby. My interests at present lie mostly with planted tanks, but my oldest son has a nano-reef and I spent some time window-shopping the marine tanks while I was deciding whether to do a large planted tank or start a marine reef. I am intrigued by Diana Walstad's ideas on the low-maintenance, soil-based, natural sunlight tanks and I am currently reading her book and experimenting with some of her ideas.
Nice information listed here on local stores. Just wanted to add my 2 cents to help others. Since I recently got into this - I also recently visited many stores in the Indy area. Hope personal opinions are welcome - because thats what follows... I am not affiliated in any way with any of these stores.
Pet Jungle - at 106th and Michigan Rd in West Carmel has a small but healthy aquatic dept. They carry both freshwater and marine stock. This small pet shop is owned by 2 brothers. Nice guys. They seem to specialize in reptiles. The fish dept is relatively small, but prices are always better than other places and I have never had anything die that I bought from them. They are helpful, and of course, willing to order whatever you want. Plant selection is slim.
Note that the several
Uncle Bill's in the area are quite different. I have been to 3 of them. The one in Fishers caters mostly to marine hobbyists and the 2 times I have been there did not find a nice selection of plants, or fish for that matter. I doubt I will bother again.
The UB on 38th St is an older store, but has a good selection of freshwater fish, some plants but still not alot, and I have found driftwood and other supplies there. Very little marine, almost no live coral.
The UB in Greenwood had the most and best selection of live plants of the 3, and better than most stores around here period. Some pretty good driftwood also. I thought the marine department - particulary live coral - on the day I visited - did not look great though.
Carmel Petland - Have to wonder what was said about this store that was deleted based on the reference to it in another post. But here is my 2 cents. This is a new store, and they seem to try pretty hard. I agree with what someone above said about the owner being a stand-up guy. There are 3 people in there, including the owner, whom I have dealt with actually, that I really liked. I think they treat me pretty good. They just - like within the last 3 months - started their marine section. So still very new. They have the nicest selection of FW plants and fish that I have seen around here. I also think they display them better than most. Prices can be higher for some things though, but not everything. Beautiful planted rainbow tank and alot of discus on display there last time I was there - maybe a week ago. I have had more trouble keeping alive the fish I have bought there, but in fact, that may be because I have also bought more there than anywhere. And I bought young angels there which are delicate anyway. And they have replaced what I purchased when I did have a problem. So, overall, I really like this store.
The Reef - Older, established store. Both marine and freshwater. Though I really did not look at the marine tanks that day. Fish prices okay but not cheap. Overall, did not find it worth the extra drive for me. Lots of driftwood, rock, etc... when I was there. I was told their equipment prices are higher than most, but I really was not pricing equipment when I went there.