New World Aquarium

[leemacnyc]

have been to both pacific and new world...new world does have a little attitude, but worth it in their selection...as far as plants i've always found pacific to be terrific in both price and selection, plus they always let me collect snails from their plant tanks for my dwarf puffers

[CODFISH]

been to pacific, and wins a ton of times, have to say they are 2 of the best stores i've ever been to, pacific keeps their tanks clean and all the fish look very healthy, plus the guys there are very knowledgable, and they have a great selection of plants

Wins is great, good, quality discus and angels, and they know what they are doing, and their shrimp prices are great! just wish either of the two sold apistos...

does new world carry discus?

[Kyle]

What is this wins you speak of?

[fresh_lynny]

My experience with Pacific was a bad one. They told my husband that Black Moors do well in a small Betta-type bowl. Anything to sell a fish.

[RWaters]

I remember seeing apistos (double reds, etc.) at Wins in the past, but that may have been over a year ago. I think the last few they had were more common (somewhat bland) apistos. I'm not into apistos myself, but I'm sure if you ask, theyll be able to get some for you.

Bob

[heidisue]

I had a very similar experience at New World. They sold me a LOT of stuff that I didn't need and completely talked me out of doing a planted tank, which was my dream. I ended up with so much crap that I didn't need. Now I'm moving along happily with my planted tank and I get most of my supplies online, too. I would say that their fish are much better than Petco, though. Much helathier and they are better informed about the fish themselves. But irritating to be sold stuff that's unnecessary.

[bereninga]

I've recently made my first trip to Pacific Aquarium on Delancey and I am very happy with the service that I got there. The plant selection is very nice and they take care of their plants too. The people who work there are very kind and helpful. I've been to a few stores in NYC and so far, this is one of the best.

[soundtweakers]

I've purchased expired GH/KH test kit(didn't check at the store)from Pacific on Delancy, and I phone them back right away in the bus on my way home, they gave me no hassle and told me to keep the test kit and go back anytime to use my store credit. So a couple of weeks later I went back for three true Siamese Algae Eaters, and these three SAEs are my first ones to live more than a year in my tank(from juvs to 4 inches adults).

I've also picked up a tiny clump of trimmings(pearl weeds) on the their sidewalk while they were cleaning their planted display tank(a really nice one, too!). They siphon the water out of that tank and to the sidewalk in front of their store. I still can't find pearl weed for sale anywhere, and aparently I don't need to find them anymore, my little garbage picking is growing into a nice thicket.

Needless to say, I love Pacific Aquarium on Delancy.

Few stores down from Win's Tropical(Mott St.), there is this other Chinese place specialize in flowerhorns and discus and other cichlids. If you are looking for discus in NYC(and if you can speak Chinese), this is the place to go. Sorry I don't have their name, but they are on the corner of Mott St. and Kenmare(I think).

[fresh_lynny]

Originally Posted by soundtweakers

I've purchased expired GH/KH test kit(didn't check at the store)from Pacific on Delancy, and I phone them back right away in the bus on my way home, they gave me no hassle and told me to keep the test kit and go back anytime to use my store credit. So a couple of weeks later I went back for three true Siamese Algae Eaters, and these three SAEs are my first ones to live more than a year in my tank(from juvs to 4 inches adults).

I've also picked up a tiny clump of trimmings(pearl weeds) on the their sidewalk while they were cleaning their planted display tank(a really nice one, too!). They siphon the water out of that tank and to the sidewalk in front of their store. I still can't find pearl weed for sale anywhere, and aparently I don't need to find them anymore, my little garbage picking is growing into a nice thicket.

Needless to say, I love Pacific Aquarium on Delancy.

Few stores down from Win's Tropical(Mott St.), there is this other Chinese place specialize in flowerhorns and discus and other cichlids. If you are looking for discus in NYC(and if you can speak Chinese), this is the place to go. Sorry I don't have their name, but they are on the corner of Mott St. and Kenmare(I think).

Pacific had definitely won my favor after my first bad experience. He flat out told me that his nephew was helping out one day and gave my husband the wrong info, because he doesn't know squat about fish...nice huh? Anyway They have since been a great resource. I get Amanos for about 2.50 each and they have a decent selection of plants. I did get 2 corys from them that failed to thrive and died by day 3 after 1.5 hour acclimation and great conditions, but all in all they are good.
Wins on Mott is great for shrimp. You have to go there on Sunday or Monday though or they are all gone. They also have funny names for their shrimp like green chinese algae shrimp and blue tiger shrimp. All of which don't exist, but you can get some good ones...lol
Oddly enough, New World tried to sell me Chinese algae eaters when I wantd SAE's and I specifically said I was starting a heavily planted tank. They also told me not to cycle my tank with any fish for the first 6 weeks, despite the fact that I was heavily planted. I ended up getting 6 purple danios on aquabid to cycle my tank and that was in April. They are still flourishing and happy.

[bereninga]

Originally Posted by soundtweakers

I've also picked up a tiny clump of trimmings(pearl weeds) on the their sidewalk while they were cleaning their planted display tank(a really nice one, too!). They siphon the water out of that tank and to the sidewalk in front of their store. I still can't find pearl weed for sale anywhere, and aparently I don't need to find them anymore, my little garbage picking is growing into a nice thicket.

Maybe I should hang out in front of the store whenever they're done cleaning their tanks. Heheh...

Originally Posted by soundtweakers

Few stores down from Win's Tropical(Mott St.), there is this other Chinese place specialize in flowerhorns and discus and other cichlids. If you are looking for discus in NYC(and if you can speak Chinese), this is the place to go. Sorry I don't have their name, but they are on the corner of Mott St. and Kenmare(I think).

I've been to Win before. Some of their fish don't look very healthy to me though. They have a good selection. And yes, the other Chinese store near Win has some very nice discus and cichlids, but the prices WAY out of my league.

Originally Posted by fresh_newby;

Wins on Mott is great for shrimp. You have to go there on Sunday or Monday though or they are all gone. They also have funny names for their shrimp like green chinese algae shrimp and blue tiger shrimp. All of which don't exist, but you can get some good ones...lol

I have to go there on those days then because every time I go there, I haven't seen any shrimp at all.

[soundtweakers]

Oddly enough, New World tried to sell me Chinese algae eaters when I wantd SAE's and I specifically said I was starting a heavily planted tank

I've gotten "false"Algae Eaters from New World that was marked as SAEs,
and none survived. The store credit from Pacific for that expired Test kit got me a few True SAEs that has grown into huge 5 inchers, all three has been in my tank for almost a year now.

I have to go there on those days then because every time I go there, I haven't seen any shrimp at all.

Me too..

Overall, all these stores pay alot for rent(like the rest of us), and they do care for their business. I still do visit most of them all the time, although frequently you'll walk in on a "bad" day, there are definitely good days too.
If we don't support these local pet shops, all we have left will be petcos and petland disounts. Can you imagine?

Billy
btw, I work in a music store,not affiliated with any of those LFS mentioned here(although that would get me some nice discounts!!

[spypet]

here's another updated but mixed review of Pacific on Delancey.

so far I've gone twice and both times bought nothing. (rare for me)
$25 for eco-complete and $21 for flourite is pretty high for Chinatown.
their wood and rock assortment is nice, but prices are equally inflated.
they first led me to believe they get their live deliveries Sunday,
but coming 2 Mondays and all I see are near empty sickly tanks.

I tried to bargain them down on a $40 plastic ornament that has
gone unsold for over 2 Months, they were too proud to come down,
or maybe I need to be Asian? who knows.

Pacific sell a lot of juvenile fish nearly the same price they sell
grown in other stores. I guess that's good if you have a nano.
a $2 panda cory that goes for $4 when fully grown is no bargin.

anyway, since LPS in NYC are pretty disappointing, then I guess
Pacific is definitely among the better ones, just make sure you
call a few times to be sure they have the fish you want freshly
stocked before bothering to visit. It's a good place to buy
large schools of fish, like $2 Rummynose IF they are in stock,
and most school fish; there if you buy 2 you get the 3rd one free.

If you live in NYC and have a car, it really pays to drive out to
FishTown USA on Northern Blvd. dry good prices are high, but
their live fish and plants are the best I've seen in all 5-Boros
they generally get restocked every Wednesday/Thursday in time
for the heavy shopping traffic over the weekend. Fishtown also
has '3 for 2' and '2 get 2nd half off' deals on fish and plants.

I also visited Petco at Union Square to get more red claw crabs.
they always have interesting well displayed live fish at low prices.
it's also fun to walk around the outdoor farmers market like a tourist

[turbosaurus]

Sorry to get off the Win topic but...

I went to fishtown USA on Northern Blvd. on Sunday afternoon and I loved it.

The plants were not so hot, limited varieties and very expensive, BUT

I give them an A+ for livestock. Everything looks extremely healthy, and was very reasonable. I bought bamboo shrimp for $4.75 ($7 at my LFS) and they had beautiful rainbows- big adult male rainbows between $3.99 and $9.99- Bosemani, new ginea, australian, preaecox, and two others- which I thought extremely reasonable as they are $10-$18 at my local places and aren't this big and healthy. They also had very nice 2-3" discus for $9.99 - which I was really tempted to pick up... They also had small amano shrimp for $1.99.

Most importantly- eveything looks very healthy and well cared for. The rainbows and shrimp were both eating within minutes of being put in their new tanks and are doing very well.

[Jimbo205]

Are any of the fish stores in New York City - Select Dealers for Seachem?

I would kill for that in Upstate NY in the Albany area.

Here, if it is not salt water fish at $50.00 a fish, well, good luck.

I second that part about getting information online.
I may purchase my fish locally, bull[censored][censored][censored][censored] with the nice staff in the store, etc.
But if I want to learn from someone that knows their crap with this hobby, I'll go online.

I barely know my stuff (compared to friends online) after so many years, but compared to the staff in the stores locally - I am the expert. Go figure.

But on the other hand, how much do you think the staff are being paid to work in a fish store. Really.

[soundtweakers]

Originally Posted by Jimbo205

Are any of the fish stores in New York City - Select Dealers for Seachem?

I would kill for that in Upstate NY in the Albany area.

Here, if it is not salt water fish at $50.00 a fish, well, good luck.

I second that part about getting information online.
I may purchase my fish locally, bull[censored][censored][censored][censored] with the nice staff in the store, etc.
But if I want to learn from someone that knows their crap with this hobby, I'll go online.

I barely know my stuff (compared to friends online) after so many years, but compared to the staff in the stores locally - I am the expert. Go figure.

But on the other hand, how much do you think the staff are being paid to work in a fish store. Really.

Hey, you probably figured out about buying Seachem product online. Bigals and thatfishplace are both good and cheap Seachem sources.

billy