Aquariums West - Vancouver LFS

amanda huggenkiss · 08-27-2004, 01:15 AM

Aquariums West is by far my favourite LFS.

Their tanks are always clean, their fish usually healthy (things happen, and if they see the fish are ill, they will quarantine the tank).

And they have the best selection of plants I've ever seen. Healthy plants. There are times when they have just a few in stock (they sometimes have problems with their suppliers not delivering on time). They have plants from Tropica, as well as bunched plants from other suppliers. Usually their plant display tanks are completely full (they have four large tanks specifically for plants), and their fish tanks are also planted. All plants are for sale.

Unfortunately, they don't always get around to labelling their plants and fish. And depending on who you ask, they may not be able to tell you much about them. But if you can get the woman who owns the place to sit still for a minute, she can answer all your questions. They also have plant books lying about for reference.

The store is located on Burrard just south of Davie. Keep in mind that this is a prime downtown location, so expect prices to be a bit higher than what you might find elsewhere.

amanda huggenkiss · 08-27-2004, 01:21 AM

I don't know whether this is the right place to put this since this forum format is new (mods, feel free to set me straight), but...

Aquariums West just got a huge shipment of plants in, including dwarf hairgrass, marimo algae balls and lilaeopsis brasiliensis.

putty · 09-27-2004, 10:58 PM

IMO, one of the nicest, cleanest pet stores in Vancouver. Prices are on par with others, little higher than King Ed, but they make it up in quality.

Nice people too.

BOTIA · 09-29-2004, 04:08 AM

Yes it is very clean store. But the prices phew. King eds is far cheaper but they take absolutely horrible care of their fish.

putty · 09-29-2004, 04:28 PM

I've had some pretty low success with fish from King Ed. The supplies are hands down the cheapest.

amber2461 · 09-29-2004, 07:45 PM

All my tanks, heaters, gravels and lights come from King Ed. Excellent prices.

I got 16 juvenille Emperor tetras from them, they are huge and beautiful now. I must have been lucky . The other fishes I got from them didn' t fare so well.

amanda huggenkiss · 09-29-2004, 07:47 PM

I've only been to KingEd once, and all the fish and plants looked pretty sickly. Which is why I've never been back...

TonyMuffTana · 10-13-2004, 05:14 PM

For fish I only shop at Pet boutique.

Supplies at King Ed, they're prices blow everyone else out of the water.

The last resort place that I shop is the over-priced Aquariums west. The only thing they offer that no one else ever has are nice plants. Why this is so is beyond me, however, this comes at an unbelievable cost. Besides the prices, I find the owner lady stubborn and very rude. Unfortunately for them, the rest of the staff is very polite and knowledgable but she rules with an iron fist and when it comes down to any pricing it has to go through her.

putty · 10-13-2004, 05:27 PM

When I go in there, the owner is very friendly. Maybe you caught her on a bad day. That store rocks.

I just dropped off an ice cream bucket full of L. aromaticoides at Pet Boutique if you are looking for any.

BOTIA · 10-25-2004, 04:34 PM

I'm with tony on this one. I have bought 90% of my fish and plants from pet boutique. Everyone there is extremely friendly and helpfull. There livestock prices are awesome and there frozen food prices are good. They have 2 for 1 sales about every 3 months and 25% off sales of hagen products..However hard goods such as tanks and equipment Kings eds rules with the best prices.
Pet boutiue does get some nice plants but it is very random but cheap.
A west is pretty and well plant stocked but$$$$$$$.
Botia

christyf5 · 10-27-2004, 01:05 AM

I was at Aquariums West on Sunday. Man what a nice store. Well kept tanks, an awesome selection of plants (and yes they were pricey but at least they had more than the usual) and lots of different fish from the normal community types. It was probably one of the best freshwater stores I have been to in awhile, and what a bonus

they had a saltwater section too!

Where is Pet Boutique located?

Christy

BOTIA · 10-27-2004, 07:35 PM

Pet boutique is in north vancouver on marine drive near the corner of Fell ST.

Quote:

Originally Posted by christyf5

I was at Aquariums West on Sunday. Man what a nice store. Well kept tanks, an awesome selection of plants (and yes they were pricey but at least they had more than the usual) and lots of different fish from the normal community types. It was probably one of the best freshwater stores I have been to in awhile, and what a bonus

they had a saltwater section too!

Where is Pet Boutique located?

Christy

amanda huggenkiss · 11-19-2004, 06:40 AM

If anyone's looking, AqWest has some bamboo shrimp in stock right now...

andypython · 01-21-2005, 10:12 PM

I live on the island and do a tour of van stores maybe twice a year. Aquariiums west is the nicest store I have ever seen. great plants and fish. Noah's pet ark is also great for finding rare and interesting stuff. he always has a few types of killie fish that you will have never seen anywhere before. I always stop at these two when I come over...

christyf5 · 01-21-2005, 10:14 PM

Anyone have any updates on the stock at AqWest?? (specifically shrimp

)

Christy

08-27-2004, 01:15 AM	#1
amanda huggenkiss Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 955	Aquariums West - Vancouver LFS Aquariums West is by far my favourite LFS. Their tanks are always clean, their fish usually healthy (things happen, and if they see the fish are ill, they will quarantine the tank). And they have the best selection of plants I've ever seen. Healthy plants. There are times when they have just a few in stock (they sometimes have problems with their suppliers not delivering on time). They have plants from Tropica, as well as bunched plants from other suppliers. Usually their plant display tanks are completely full (they have four large tanks specifically for plants), and their fish tanks are also planted. All plants are for sale. Unfortunately, they don't always get around to labelling their plants and fish. And depending on who you ask, they may not be able to tell you much about them. But if you can get the woman who owns the place to sit still for a minute, she can answer all your questions. They also have plant books lying about for reference. The store is located on Burrard just south of Davie. Keep in mind that this is a prime downtown location, so expect prices to be a bit higher than what you might find elsewhere. __________________ 29g Eheim Classic 2213, community, heavily planted, 65W CF, 2x Hagen CO2 20g Fluval 3 Plus, nothin' but shrimp & snails, 65W CF, Hagen CO2 wannacomewith.com

08-27-2004, 01:21 AM	#2
amanda huggenkiss Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 955	I don't know whether this is the right place to put this since this forum format is new (mods, feel free to set me straight), but... Aquariums West just got a huge shipment of plants in, including dwarf hairgrass, marimo algae balls and lilaeopsis brasiliensis. __________________ 29g Eheim Classic 2213, community, heavily planted, 65W CF, 2x Hagen CO2 20g Fluval 3 Plus, nothin' but shrimp & snails, 65W CF, Hagen CO2 wannacomewith.com

09-27-2004, 10:58 PM	#3
putty Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Vancouver, B.C. Posts: 666	IMO, one of the nicest, cleanest pet stores in Vancouver. Prices are on par with others, little higher than King Ed, but they make it up in quality. Nice people too. __________________ got CO2?

09-29-2004, 04:08 AM	#4
BOTIA Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Beautiful British Columbia (North Vancouver) Posts: 369	aqua west .. Yes it is very clean store. But the prices phew. King eds is far cheaper but they take absolutely horrible care of their fish. __________________ 15 tall with pressurized c02 jebo 828 , 9w turbotwist uv. up-aqua co2 atomizer16/22 & small yoyo and striata loaches and praecox rainbows.

09-29-2004, 04:28 PM	#5
putty Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Vancouver, B.C. Posts: 666	I've had some pretty low success with fish from King Ed. The supplies are hands down the cheapest. __________________ got CO2?

09-29-2004, 07:45 PM	#6
amber2461 Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Surrey, Canada Posts: 189	All my tanks, heaters, gravels and lights come from King Ed. Excellent prices. I got 16 juvenille Emperor tetras from them, they are huge and beautiful now. I must have been lucky . The other fishes I got from them didn' t fare so well.

09-29-2004, 07:47 PM	#7
amanda huggenkiss Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 955	I've only been to KingEd once, and all the fish and plants looked pretty sickly. Which is why I've never been back... __________________ 29g Eheim Classic 2213, community, heavily planted, 65W CF, 2x Hagen CO2 20g Fluval 3 Plus, nothin' but shrimp & snails, 65W CF, Hagen CO2 wannacomewith.com

10-13-2004, 05:14 PM	#8
TonyMuffTana Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 40	For fish I only shop at Pet boutique. Supplies at King Ed, they're prices blow everyone else out of the water. The last resort place that I shop is the over-priced Aquariums west. The only thing they offer that no one else ever has are nice plants. Why this is so is beyond me, however, this comes at an unbelievable cost. Besides the prices, I find the owner lady stubborn and very rude. Unfortunately for them, the rest of the staff is very polite and knowledgable but she rules with an iron fist and when it comes down to any pricing it has to go through her. Last edited by TonyMuffTana; 10-14-2004 at 12:20 AM..

10-13-2004, 05:27 PM	#9
putty Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Vancouver, B.C. Posts: 666	When I go in there, the owner is very friendly. Maybe you caught her on a bad day. That store rocks. I just dropped off an ice cream bucket full of L. aromaticoides at Pet Boutique if you are looking for any. __________________ got CO2?

10-25-2004, 04:34 PM	#10
BOTIA Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Beautiful British Columbia (North Vancouver) Posts: 369	Hurrah for Pet boutique! I'm with tony on this one. I have bought 90% of my fish and plants from pet boutique. Everyone there is extremely friendly and helpfull. There livestock prices are awesome and there frozen food prices are good. They have 2 for 1 sales about every 3 months and 25% off sales of hagen products..However hard goods such as tanks and equipment Kings eds rules with the best prices. Pet boutiue does get some nice plants but it is very random but cheap. A west is pretty and well plant stocked but$$$$$$$. Botia __________________ 15 tall with pressurized c02 jebo 828 , 9w turbotwist uv. up-aqua co2 atomizer16/22 & small yoyo and striata loaches and praecox rainbows.

10-27-2004, 01:05 AM	#11
christyf5 Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Nanaimo, BC, Canada Posts: 29	I was at Aquariums West on Sunday. Man what a nice store. Well kept tanks, an awesome selection of plants (and yes they were pricey but at least they had more than the usual) and lots of different fish from the normal community types. It was probably one of the best freshwater stores I have been to in awhile, and what a bonus they had a saltwater section too! Where is Pet Boutique located? Christy

11-19-2004, 06:40 AM	#13
amanda huggenkiss Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 955	Bamboo Shrimp If anyone's looking, AqWest has some bamboo shrimp in stock right now... __________________ 29g Eheim Classic 2213, community, heavily planted, 65W CF, 2x Hagen CO2 20g Fluval 3 Plus, nothin' but shrimp & snails, 65W CF, Hagen CO2 wannacomewith.com

01-21-2005, 10:12 PM	#14
andypython Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 6	I live on the island and do a tour of van stores maybe twice a year. Aquariiums west is the nicest store I have ever seen. great plants and fish. Noah's pet ark is also great for finding rare and interesting stuff. he always has a few types of killie fish that you will have never seen anywhere before. I always stop at these two when I come over...

01-21-2005, 10:14 PM	#15
christyf5 Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Nanaimo, BC, Canada Posts: 29	Anyone have any updates on the stock at AqWest?? (specifically shrimp ) Christy __________________ My tanks

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