mastercave

So, here in the San Francisco Bay Area, it seems like the popular LFS is 6th Avenue Aquarium.

Here's a yelp review: http://www.yelp.com/biz/6th-avenue-a...an-francisco-2

Here's their website: http://6thaveaquarium.com/

They get mixed reviews - overpriced, cheaped, good fish, bad fish, etc. And a lot of the other LFS in the area recommends them when I asked about other good places to look for fish. I finally went in there today when I told the boss I was going out for a work related errand and OMG! They had every fish on my wish list! Now, I'm only into the hobby for 2 weeks, so I can't speak for quality, but good quantity. It's an average size shop, but the SW tanks are just 4 huge square tanks with numerous dividers, so pretty much all the fish are sharing the same tank and water. I did see some that had bad fins, some burns, some on the verge of death.

the thing that worries me about the health is that their fishes are all self-serve - so customers would net and bag the fishes themselves and we can't assume everyone's trained to net fish. Should I even waste any time/money on their fishes? This is the only LFS where I've seen firefish, so i'm very tempted. They also have a lot of corals and anemones, but I'm not ready for those yet.

COBettaCouple

I'm not sure if I would.. but I'd probably check the place out a few times and try some fish unless it just looked bad everytime you went.

sirdarksol

I would wander around it a couple of times, but probably not. If they truly blare loud rap music in there, and if they're doing it right (big subwoofers ), I probably wouldn't buy from them. There was a long discussion here a few months back, and the general consensus was that loud bass (that's the pitch of noise, not the fish) would be bad for bass (that's the fish, not the pitch of noise) and other aquatic critters.

lew2000

mc

I live in the bay area and have been in the 6th avenue store - of the few times i have been there - i saw a fair number of sick and dying fish with a few dead fish - when i see a store like this - i don't buy from them at all - even to put fish in my quarantine tank, to much risk of spreading disease. A friend of mine buys goldfish there - which is what most people go there for that know of them. There a couple of LFS's i use on the penninsula that are okay. Ultimate Aquarium in San Mateo, and Aquatic Central on Ocean.

Coryd55

I would not buy from them. From the reviews I read all the fish either died or were very sick within weeks of bringing them home, some even days. The tanks and equipment are also very cheap from what I raed. Tanks cracking and leaking, bulbs burning out, etc.

Jim

Self serve?? What?? That's nuts! How do you know who put their nasty hands in the tank before you? Just hearing this theres No-Way would I shop here.

Coryd55

Thats probably part of the reason so many of their fish are sick. A large majority of people use lotion and soap and other things on their hands and arms that can be harmful to the fish.

mastercave

They also have "bag lots" of fish on sunday, first come first serve....what the heck?!?!

$3 perc clowns......are percs that cheap from the wholesalers?

sirdarksol

The "bag lots" are probably fish that they have severely overstocked, or are sick. They want to minimize their loss.

As far as the self serve, I have little issue with that, as long as folks are required to wash thoroughly ahead of time. I know that I would far prefer the PetSmarts I've been at to be self-serve. Most aquarists are better with the net than petstore employees are.

hockeyref88

I was looking at the review page...............Its wack!! What a wide range of reviews, of course mostly bad......................I saw on one of the reviews she mentioned a store on fillmore in J-town. have you tried that one?

Rick

mastercave

i checked out the web site for that store and it looks like a freshwater planting store. i'm more salty.

in other news about store in the area, i was at one recently where the employees were practicing their basketball moves in the corridors of fish tanks......

sschind

All I can say is WOW!!!

OK I can say more. I would avoid this place like the plague. The reviews are hysterical. Obviously people just don't get it. "Its a great place, yeah most of the fish are dead or dying and most of the ones you buy die within a week but if you are careful and know what you are looking for and you get real lucky then you just might get an awesome fish at a super great price, but I only give it 4 stars because the whole places reeks like dead fish" This sounds like a positive review to me (pause) not.

I would probably check the place out just because, like a few reviews said, you can't help it. Its kind of like a car crash, you know its wrong but you want to stop and look. If it is as bad as some of those reviews are saying then to even consider buying ANYTHING from here is simply wrong. I don't care how cheap it is

mastercave

i went in yesterday to look for new life spectrum marine and took some time to look at the fish. i only looked at the SW.

there were at least 3 divided 2.5g sections of about 10 blue tangs each and in each was a piece of fake coral decor. there were dying tangs stuck in and below in the decor. in their new arrival section/quarantines, there was a tank with 4 gobies, 2 dead, 1 dying. some wrasse, which were dying. some dead inverts were floating in acclimation bags. there was a zombie/mummified puffer.

it just made me so sick! i should go back to take a look so i can learn to identify ICH and velvet.

COBettaCouple

Sounds like that store is taking things to a new low with not even the least amount of pretending that they care if the fish live or die. I'll give them 4 stars.... out of 40 billion after reading all the posts.