[AutumnSun]

Are there any good aquarium stores in Asheville or Charlotte? I'm halfway between in the foothills, and just moved to the area!

 

[dantimdad]

I looked all over asheville and found two stores. One was very old and run down the other, High Tide (IIRC) was clean, small and looked nice.

 

[AutumnSun]

I looked all over asheville and found two stores. One was very old and run down the other, High Tide (IIRC) was clean, small and looked nice.

Aww! I'd seen High Tide, but it looked like they closed last year. Have you been recently?

 

[Deanna]

I'm not sure if @Blue Ridge Reef still has his store operating, in your area, or not. You may want to pm him and, if he does not, he may be able to recommend a good LFS to you.

 

[dantimdad]

Aww! I'd seen High Tide, but it looked like they closed last year. Have you been recently?

No, I haven't been since our honeymoon 2 years ago. Sucks he went out. I had a long conversation with him about his store.

 

[Blue Ridge Reef]

I'm not sure if @Blue Ridge Reef still has his store operating, in your area, or not. You may want to pm him and, if he does not, he may be able to recommend a good LFS to you.

Thanks for the recommendation. I got out of live stuff in 2013; so just a pet supply store now. I've not been impressed with any of the remaining local stores around here. I was the only one who quarantined fish before selling, and didn't run most everything on the same system. Those I liked better all closed, and it's mostly box stores left. The couple in this area that do things right are now saltwater only. Fintastics in Charlotte was nice last time I was there, though that was several years ago. But I'd think Charlotte would be a gold mine compared to trying to find quality fish in the Asheville area.

 

[AutumnSun]

Thanks for the recommendation. I got out of live stuff in 2013; so just a pet supply store now. I've not been impressed with any of the remaining local stores around here. I was the only one who quarantined fish before selling, and didn't run most everything on the same system. Those I liked better all closed, and it's mostly box stores left. The couple in this area that do things right are now saltwater only. Fintastics in Charlotte was nice last time I was there, though that was several years ago. But I'd think Charlotte would be a gold mine compared to trying to find quality fish in the Asheville area.

Thank you! I have had a reef tank in the past, too, could you share the salt water stores you like?

 

[Blue Ridge Reef]

I was going to recommend Mountains to Sea but just Googled that it was permanently closed. Big step down, but the next best reef store after that apparently closed as well. Mind blown at what did and didn't make it through the pandemic. Of course PetCo and PetSmart are still around, as well as Pet Supplies Plus which I'd call the best of the 3. So unless anything else is opening up (I feel like I'd have heard) our options are objectively dirty, odorous stores with questionable staff or big box -none of which are better than average. In short, I wouldn't buy fish in Asheville. Though it's a city of about 100,000, there just aren't enough hobbyists to support a store around here. It broke my heart to do it, but getting out of aquatics was the best business decision I ever made.

 

[AutumnSun]

I was going to recommend Mountains to Sea but just Googled that it was permanently closed. Big step down, but the next best reef store after that apparently closed as well. Mind blown at what did and didn't make it through the pandemic. Of course PetCo and PetSmart are still around, as well as Pet Supplies Plus which I'd call the best of the 3. So unless anything else is opening up (I feel like I'd have heard) our options are objectively dirty, odorous stores with questionable staff or big box -none of which are better than average. In short, I wouldn't buy fish in Asheville. Though it's a city of about 100,000, there just aren't enough hobbyists to support a store around here. It broke my heart to do it, but getting out of aquatics was the best business decision I ever made.

Thank you! I was hoping I was missing something, but it's good to know all the same. It's a shame, I guess I'll be going to Charlotte!