CHUBAKAH June 7, 2008 Share June 7, 2008 Thinking about a road trip tomorrow. Anyone been there that can give some feedback. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NAGA June 7, 2008 Share June 7, 2008 I am planning a trip there tomorrow...............let me know what time you plan on being there and I can meet you there. Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHUBAKAH June 7, 2008 Author Share June 7, 2008 It's about a two hour trip for me. Is it worth the drive? If I end up going Jeff, I expect I will be there around 11 when they open. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NAGA June 8, 2008 Share June 8, 2008 It's definitely one of the more impressive stores around. They have one awesome display tank of sps 500g's + I'll try to time it so I am up there around 11 also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reefmontalvo June 8, 2008 Share June 8, 2008 Were are they located? I know they posted something on here once I saw the website but just forgot to write down the information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtfleming June 8, 2008 Share June 8, 2008 Parkville, MD sps tank is nice and they usually have alot of nice frags. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NAGA June 8, 2008 Share June 8, 2008 they are right off of the Perring Prkwy off of 695. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tink June 8, 2008 Share June 8, 2008 I've been there a million times, it's not a bad place at all. Prices on fish can be a little high sometimes. I'm not a HUGE fan of their customer service either, I've been there many many times looking around for about an hour and almost never get asked if I need any help (that may be a small issue to some, but it's a bit of a CS gauge for me, and this on weekdays with not many else in the store). As far as getting there, just hop on 695 towards Towson for you I would guess, and hit exit 30B. You'll come to a light (right off the ramp) with a Jerry's Chevy on your left and a large shopping center on the right, ahead of you. Has a K Mart in it, Exotic Aquatics is right in there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamesbuf June 8, 2008 Share June 8, 2008 Only been once, and I was definitely impressed. Definitely worth your time to stop by. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHUBAKAH June 8, 2008 Author Share June 8, 2008 See you there Jeff For those curious http://www.exoticaquatics.com/ From the recommendation of another member here, I am also going to hit up Seasave www.seasave.net in Glenn Burnie on my way back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MLazar June 8, 2008 Share June 8, 2008 Mark, Please share your road trip experience when you get back and let us know what you picked up! We're planning on the Baltimore Aquarium for a belated Father's Day outing when Jon's folks are in town on June 29. If you give the store rave reviews we'll try and combine trips. Good luck! Maureen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHUBAKAH June 8, 2008 Author Share June 8, 2008 Mark, Please share your road trip experience when you get back and let us know what you picked up! We're planning on the Baltimore Aquarium for a belated Father's Day outing when Jon's folks are in town on June 29. If you give the store rave reviews we'll try and combine trips. Good luck! Maureen Will do Maureen. I'm more in the market for fish today, as I have a lot of the corals I had on my wish list, but if you insist on me looking at the corals I will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MLazar June 8, 2008 Share June 8, 2008 Will do Maureen. I'm more in the market for fish today, as I have a lot of the corals I had on my wish list, but if you insist on me looking at the corals I will. I ABSOLUTELY insist, please, as a special favor for me! Have a wonderful trip. M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen-gineer June 8, 2008 Share June 8, 2008 Yay for heading up to EA! somewhere closer to me They definitely have some gorgeous fish up there. I'd swing by sea save just to go, but they have next to nothing on Sundays. They get one fish shipment a week and it's on Thursdays. I went on Friday morning thinking I"d beat the rush, but they'd already been mostly cleaned out. On the plus side, you can order from/through them any fish you want for the most part. I got a midas blenny for $25! and usually I see them for $60 everywhere. Don't forget to mention you're in the reef club if you buy anything. They do a 10 or 15% discount on all livestock if you're in one of the reef clubs. Mark, Please share your road trip experience when you get back and let us know what you picked up! We're planning on the Baltimore Aquarium for a belated Father's Day outing when Jon's folks are in town on June 29. If you give the store rave reviews we'll try and combine trips. Good luck! Maureen I was just at the aquarium pretty recently...and it's sort of dreadful . I live in Baltimore, like 5 minutes from downtown and the Baltimore aquarium was poorly stocked when I went there. It was about 80% freshwater life, and super super crowded. If you really want to go, definitely don't pay full price admission, we went on a discounted student day and were still disappointed sadly. I'd take the DC zoo over the aquarium pretty much any day of the week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MLazar June 8, 2008 Share June 8, 2008 I was just at the aquarium pretty recently...and it's sort of dreadful . I live in Baltimore, like 5 minutes from downtown and the Baltimore aquarium was poorly stocked when I went there. It was about 80% freshwater life, and super super crowded. If you really want to go, definitely don't pay full price admission, we went on a discounted student day and were still disappointed sadly. I'd take the DC zoo over the aquarium pretty much any day of the week. Thanks so much for the feedback on the aquarium, how sad. I wonder what's going on there? The last time we were there (2006) it was pretty amazing. Too expensive to be disappointed. I wonder if I could convince the inlaws the fish/coral stores would be more interesting than the aquarium????? We've already got them scheduled to go to BRK one Saturday! I just happended to mention the battlefield out that way and they are more than happy to go with us! Thanks again, Maureen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHUBAKAH June 8, 2008 Author Share June 8, 2008 Well I'm back from my road trip, and I had pretty good time. I got there right at 11 when they opened. They are well staffed in the way of personal, however at least two of them don't know much. After three people looking at a purple fire fish, the third one tells me it is something else and it was $125 bucks. Needless to say I walked away from that one. Some tanks are marked pretty good, while others don't have a thing marked on them, which is kind of a pain because no one other than Mark the owner seems to know the price, or at least that was how it seemed. They seem to also have a crap load of tanks that say not for sale, which to be honest was kind of a turn off for me. They do have quite a few fish in the place, but a lot of those are not reef safe, so unless you know your reef fish, better take a book with you, because chances are the staff won't know, or at least the staff I was dealing with. I'll just make one more negative remark, and then on to the positive. I found a Kole Tang, which was one on my list. He was in one of those "Unmarked" tanks. I went up to the owner this time to see if he was for sale. The guy standing next to him says "everything is for sale" which Mark replies, "No it isn't". We got to the tank and I ask, is he for sale which Mark replies, yes he is, but it's going to be a pain in the ass to get. He walks over to one of his guys and has him get him for me. He is a beautiful fish, but the comment through me. All in all the selection of fish is pretty good. The selection of coral is for sure better then average. I picked up Kole Tang, a cleaner Wrasse, and a sand sifting Gobie for $75 bucks, as they were having a 25% off all fish this weekend. I said to the guy helping me, looks like I came in on a good weekend. He said "we have that sale every weekend" Worth the two hour trip= Not really Would I go back= Nope I'd rate this place on a scale of 1-10 a 5. The shops in NOVA have me spoiled I suppose. As for Seasave, they just moved two weeks ago, so it wouldn't be fair to even comment. I didn't find anything there, and was gone in 5 minutes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MLazar June 9, 2008 Share June 9, 2008 Mark, Thanks for the detailed feedback, you've saved us a trip. Sorry it wasn't a better time for you. I'm excited about the upcoming socials at BRK (great store) and Mr. Coral (have never been but the man tempts me daily. Was planning on a road trip for Father's day, but I think we'll wait until the social..... or maybe go twice!) Stay cool. Maureen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHUBAKAH June 9, 2008 Author Share June 9, 2008 No problem Maureen. TBH if I didn't have the quality shops like The Aquarium Shop, BRK, and Mr. Coral, EA would stand out in terms of fish and corals. Fact is I can be at Mr. Coral in 25 minutes, and the other two in less than an hour. It's just not worth the two hour drive for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leishman June 9, 2008 Share June 9, 2008 Here's a couple of shots of their display: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basser9 June 10, 2008 Share June 10, 2008 MOST weekends they have 25percent off there fish.....They are hands down the best shop in the balto/wash area....THEY have a couple of new people that are not helpful but the people that have been there a while are the best,,,,THERE fish are the really taken care of....great prices on the fish....they dont have the cheap frags like brk/mr coral.....but they dip every coral.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
extreme_tooth_decay June 11, 2008 Share June 11, 2008 If you 're going to drive 2 hours, you should go to That Fish Place in Lancaster, PA. Nothing else competes. I usually drive there a couple times a year (2 hour drive for me). The whole Exotic Aquatics building would probably fit inside That Fish Place 10-15 times. tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MLazar June 11, 2008 Share June 11, 2008 (edited) If you 're going to drive 2 hours, you should go to That Fish Place in Lancaster, PA. Nothing else competes. I usually drive there a couple times a year (2 hour drive for me). The whole Exotic Aquatics building would probably fit inside That Fish Place 10-15 times. tim Here's their website: http://www.800padutch.com/y/thatfishplacethatpetplace.html The place is huge and seems to have every critter possible. I love the entranceway in the picture. Edited June 11, 2008 by MLazar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtfleming June 11, 2008 Share June 11, 2008 basser1 I wouldnt call them the best fish store in the area. Somethings are good there, some arent. Their customer service isnt that great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHUBAKAH June 16, 2008 Author Share June 16, 2008 If you 're going to drive 2 hours, you should go to That Fish Place in Lancaster, PA. Nothing else competes. I usually drive there a couple times a year (2 hour drive for me). The whole Exotic Aquatics building would probably fit inside That Fish Place 10-15 times. tim Been there done that, and yes I agree that place is the bomb. Would love to have a social there, hint hint... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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