Best LFS in Bay Area
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Coral Your World
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Second this
bolson
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I had ich and marine velvet kill my clowns- caught it from aquatic collections or California reef co. Do you QT your fish from aquatic collections and if so do you medicate from the start or observe to see if the fish have something?
Thanks for your help!
bolson
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I had ich and marine velvet kill my clowns- caught it from aquatic collections or California reef co. Do you QT your fish from aquatic collections and if so do you medicate from the start or observe to see if the fish have something?
Thanks for your help!
Coral Your World
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Against what I suspect most would suggest, and what probably is best practice, I have not QT’d a fish in 8 years and have had very little (if any, I can’t recall) loss of fish. Have had probably 3 dozen fish over this time. Mind you, I’ve only had a blue tang for a very short period and otherwise have only had “hardy” “nano” fish. So no large or “fragile” fish.
Went to CRC recently and wasn’t too impressed with the quality of live stock. I find aquatic collection to be better.
Im also very picky about the specimen I take home. If there is any sign of anything, I won’t take it. Sometimes I’ll ask them to feed to see which one eats and which doesn’t. I monitor very closely over the first week or two (which in my opinion is the “break-in-period”). If they are happy, and eating regularly during the 2 weeks, they’ll probably be OK absent any changes to livestock water quality etc.
Went to CRC recently and wasn’t too impressed with the quality of live stock. I find aquatic collection to be better.
Im also very picky about the specimen I take home. If there is any sign of anything, I won’t take it. Sometimes I’ll ask them to feed to see which one eats and which doesn’t. I monitor very closely over the first week or two (which in my opinion is the “break-in-period”). If they are happy, and eating regularly during the 2 weeks, they’ll probably be OK absent any changes to livestock water quality etc.
NR53
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Best LFS overall: Neptunes and Aquatic Collection
Best LFS for fish: Bay Bridge Aquarium in Oakland. You can special order fish and pay extra to have them do a full quarantine with medication for you. The owner is a trained microbiologist. Violet Sea in Santa Clara also has exceptionally healthy fish. Madhu, the owner, is long known in the bay as a fish dealer before he opened up a storefront and added corals.
Best LFS for fish: Bay Bridge Aquarium in Oakland. You can special order fish and pay extra to have them do a full quarantine with medication for you. The owner is a trained microbiologist. Violet Sea in Santa Clara also has exceptionally healthy fish. Madhu, the owner, is long known in the bay as a fish dealer before he opened up a storefront and added corals.
Zerodameaon
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When did Violet Sea open up? They don't show on google maps unless I search directly for them. Also that is dangerous, one of my other hobbies has a shop a few minutes away, could be some expensive trips in the future.
plankton
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Yup, third this.
Zerodameaon
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Stopped by Violet Aquarium yesterday and wow, just wow. That place is going to be huge once they finish the build out. The back rooms got rack after rack painted and having the tanks assembled. It's going to be pretty impressive.
Coral Your World
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Size wise, super impressive. Stock and price wise, less so
Zerodameaon
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I didn't really look at the prices though I suspect that once they have that entire back warehouse setup stock is going to be much better. That front room is like a quarter of the entire space they are going to take up.
NR53
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They moved to this location maybe a year ago? They were in a small SJ shop for a bit before that, and Madhu for quite some time was quarantining and selling fish from his garage.
I find that their fish prices a very competitive, especially for the quality. Corals not so much. All prices are listed on their website if you ever want to compare. I think they're having a black Friday sale too.
Zerodameaon
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When I stopped in he mentioned about 8 months ago. That area is weird, its like university housing, business, housing, business, housing, warehouse with aquarium shop, housing. I had never been back on that side before.
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Not exactly live rock , but I have seen Dry rocks( with purple coating like the ones from Carib sea tree ) being cured in aquatic collection. That will be significantly better than vanilla , white dry rock I feel
Sgchick
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I was just at Neptune Aquatics in San Jose. Not sure if they have live rock, but their corals and fish were awesome!! Ive been out of the hobby for a few years and just went to Neptunes last Sunday and the shop looks amazing! I was with @Susan Edwards and she was impressed as well. Maybe send a message thru their facebook page about live rock if you haven't found any yet.
Susan Edwards
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The last fishes from there went right into tank. 1 didn't make it but it wasn't eating and withered away. I once years ago got marine velvet from here however, I blame myself for being new and adding way too many new fish to a 60 gal at one time. It was from stress and might have been in my system with my current fish having good immunity.
Carson and team are wonderful. I know their tanks are treated, or at least used to be. I got my current new tank from him with delivery and installation. And they have a well stocked store plus corals and fish. Every coral i got since Sept. is going well, esp the more recent that went right into my display.
Susan Edwards
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I'll have to check out Violet Sea and Bay Bridge Aquarium in Oakland. Never been. I was super impressed with Neptune though. They have a lot more corals than Aquatics, and a bigger variety, though Aquatics has more fish, and more supplies. Looking forward to my next neptune trip lol's.
lubeck
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Thanks all. I went to Neptune and violet today. They didn’t have any live rock to sell but gave me a couple bio ball from their sump to seed my tank I just filled today. Also got some cheato and pods from them. No live stock today but look forward to going back when my tank cycles
