Local Vendor Experiences

[Neal]

In an recent tour of local fish stores in an effort to restock my crashed tank I have the following to report:

 

1.) Roozens:

Tanks are MUCH cleaner now than before - say a year ago. The stock levels where not as overflowing with impressively diverse fish and inverts as usual. However all in all a positive change. Also an unusually large quanitiy of clean-up hermits, crabs and snails which at times there are strangely unavailable. There was a tank of bamboo sharks, as well as, bizzarely, a terrier sized maine lobster. Lots of small Blue Striped tropical lobsters as well. The usually crazy roozens, just a little toned down and less dirty in the tanks. They also had a garibaldi, which must have been a little warm...

 

2.) Pristine Aquariums in ALX:

1st time there. Not much stock at the moment. Highlights: A tank of Banggai Cradinals, maxi mini anenomes. Large amounts of turbo snails though not much else cleaner wise. Large frag tank in the center. Nice well managed, conveniently located store, decent dry goods. Great freshwater selection, in particular they had a plethora of oscars, and several tanks of angels.

 

3.) Congressional Aquariums Rockville:

Hadn't been here in ages. Fairly diverse, and quality Salt fish, invert selection. highlights were some nice starfish and urchins, a spiny puffer. Prices a bit high though. Livestock all appeared healthy. Coral selection was not large. Freshwater selection is as good as I have seen, near dc, possibly second only too Superpetz in sheer tank numbers. Nice freshwater planted selection also. Beautiful, well stocked dry goods section.

 

4.) Aquarium One:

Seems to have really stepped up their game into the high-end reef arena. Amongst the selection a Platinum clown, paired picasso clowns, two beautiful cherub angels, lotsa firefish, couple of dwarf lions, seahorses, you get the idea. Impressively beautiful coral specimens in a aisle length frag tank, including $250 acan lords etc. Huge amounts of trochus, turban and mexican turbos. they also carry the new aquacultured LR which was coated in corraline. Coral wise the undisputed champ of the 4 stores.

[Origami]

Nice, objective reviews. Thanks, Neal.