tkfury

Update: After a second trip and a chance to actually look at the fish, they do sell dyed fish

Nessie!!!

I think that thats a wonderful little store, too bad it's such a long way away from where I live, lol.

Kiwwi

I love this fish store. I live only like 15 minutes away from it XP It used to be very very small. But they bought out part of the furniture store that went out of buisness a few years ago to expand the store. Again I would like to brag that I live only 15 minutes away from it XP Would be less if the rockvill pike did not have so much traffic.

tkfury

Just 15 minutes away? Awe, I hope you know how much I hate you right now. They ahve so much there and I haven't been able to make another trip that way to fully "explore" it.

Jonathan P

There are several good stores in Montgomery County. Some of the small ones do a good job keeping their prices down. I frequent I believe it is, 6 different ones in the general area.

However, Congressional has a wonderful shop and fantastic quality stock and staff. They have been very helpful and they keep a super clean shop and great variety.

Another store that I frequent that I have found to be of superior quality and knowledge is Scales Tropical Fish Warehouse (don't let the "warehouse" in their name throw you, it's far from a warehouse). I would say it is easily on the same level as Congressional . I know for a fact that they quarantine all their stock prior to releasing them into their display tanks for sale. I have had the priviledge of visiting their quarantine area to pick out a few fish for purchase after their quarantine period but before they were out for sale. Granted their floor display is not as numerous as Congressional's, but if you have the oppurtunity it might be worth stopping in. Depending where you are coming from this might be closer to you. Not by a huge amount but ....

Here is a link to their site: http://www.tropicalfishwarehouse.com/

Between Congressional and Scales I purchased just about all my fish and out of the 5 Angels that I purchased from the two stores I now have 2 mating pairs.

Looking forward to hear about your next visit.

lalynya

guess its just me but.....yes they are very knowledgeable but i was not too happy with stock of there German blue rams....but they do have a large supply of things..sadly the tiny LFS right down the street from me closed down..they were very helpfull when i was first setting up the tank..wrote down step by step instructions for me...i do however life the aquarium shop at the walnut grove shoping center by shady grove on 355..its farther into rockville closer to gaithersburg...The may not have as much stock but they are dedicated to the hobby...When they were getting bad batches of fish when it was colder out and all the fish were getting ich...they could have sold the fish to unsuspecting people but they didnt...they put signs on the tanks saying the fish were sick and could not be sold..It was on like half the tanks..they probably lost a lot of money but IMO they were very responisible..Also I find that their stock quality is superior to congresional... and if they dont have a fish they want it is very easy to special order it.

http://www.tropicalfishworld.com/

Kiwwi

I am 6 minutes away from the Tropical Fish World place. Its a nice aquarium they have there. When I was like in 1st grade I think we actually went on a field trip there. They took out a HUGE pleco and let us all touch it (Must of not been good for the pleco) Their plants are very healthy. I go there to get my plants.

lalynya

Just a quick update..when I went into congresional the other day I suddenly realized (yeah that's what happens when I pay attention)That they have a large number of painted and dyed fish. After talking to the worker the employees get on the boss about it but the boss likes them...things like strawberry and blueberry tetras...so next time you go there (I realize it's next to impossible not too because of how much stuf they have) try to harass one of the workers or the boss about it..maybee if enough patrons complain then something will be done

tkfury

Saddly I haven't gotten a chance to make it out there again. I really do wish I had the time to actually look at the tanks while I was there to notice such things. Thanks for the update.

Thankfully my Petsmart seems to be ontop of things here in Westminster, I know the girls who work in aquatics so it helps but its almost a shame that a chain has better stock (I've talked with one of the girls - asked her if she knew anything about dyed fish, said she's only heard a little bit and that was just because a manager sent an order back that had dyed tetras). I keep meaning to talk with the guy at Deep Blue Tropicals in Hampstead to at least get his opinions but his fish have always been in wonderful condition and he wont sell you anything unless he knows some basic infomation about your tank.

Hopefully whenever possible I'm going to get a chance to check out a few more stores - maybe make it out to Gaithersburg or at least find a few more places in Carroll. If anything head back to Congressional Aquarium and take a closer look at the little fishies

Jonathan P

tkfury - since you live in Westminster the store I mentioned in an earlier post - Scales - is somewhat closer and well worth the trip.

Hope to hear of your trips soon.

tkfury

Its been awhile but just a little update. I've been dying to get my hands on some more otos - both my lft and my local Petsmart had a good deal of them months ago but I've been out of luck. Since it was a nice day out and I had the day off we went back down to Congressional Aquarium. Saddly I forgot this thread and when I called it was just to make sure they did have Otos and perhaps look at some plants. Now I do have to say - they still have wonderfully clean tanks and very active livestock. But while I searched for the tank with the otos I came across the strawberry and blueberry tetras. At first glance it was, "oh, what are those" since I was just looking at those blue and yellow, Afrian Cichlids(?). I kinda paniced and turned to my mother and said I was done - feel rather bad I dragged her out for a 90mile round trip but she understands were I'm coming from (she's not a fish person). I'll be calling after I take my brother to work just to let them know there is at least one other person turned off.

A real shame too, so many beautiful plants and they had some nice kuhli loaches (I really, really want some).

Next trip should be the Scales Tropical Fish Warehouse Jonathan P suggested. Sorry I haven't made it out that way yet.

lalynya

yeah as much as I hate it I still do find myself going there for supplies...and regardless of clean or not the fish I have gotten from them in the past have died off rather quickly

Hazcop

Hello all, just thought I would put my 2 cents in on this one. As for congressional fish, I think they are a little pricy, I've ended up with alot of sick fish from there, and the last time I was there, in addition to the dyed fish, they had several tanks of tattood fish. They are certainaly knowledgeable about fish, but I really don't go there very often. Scales I really like. I have bought lots of fish from there and have never had any problems with any of them. They also offer good deals on multiple tank setups and can quote you a price on special orders on the spot. Tropical fish world in walnut grove has grown on me in the past several months. I spent about an hour in there today talking about south american cichlids and a problem I am having with one of my tanks. The store is dark and may look a little sketchy, but they really do have good quality, and a good stock most of the time. I have also traded fish with this store, and they are pretty fair about price.

lalynya

See I'm not the only one!!!!!

Jonathan P

So tkfury have you had the oppurtunity to visit Scales yet? I have been back in the last few days and am even more impressed with their quarantine setup.

This time through I purchased, on 2 seperate days, a male and female yellow split tail bettas.

While there speaking with the manager/possibly owner - don't know didn't ask - I was the beneficiary of some wonderful knowledge and advice to help me with my hopeful eventual raising of Angelfish fry. The information provided was well beyond any advice I have read or been given before and gives me hope that I might be able to succeed in keeping the fry alive long enough for them to be strong enough to live.

An absoleute wealth of knowledge with no pretense. I know tend to skip the more local stores for trips to Scales.

I hope you find what you are looking for and you experience the same level of satisfaction that I have with my dealings with Scales and their employees.

Good luck and let us know.