Virginia LFSs

[mchambers]

Saturday, I'm going to be in Northern Virginia for the first time in a while (I live in the northern part of the District). I was thinking about visiting a LFS or two while I'm there. In particular, I was considering Pristine Aquariums, Super Pets, or Aquatic Obsession.

If you have any suggestions as to which store I should visit, please let me know. I'd rather keep this thread positive, so it would be best if you either posted positive reasons (e.g., they have the best corydoras in the area) to go to a particular LFS or sent me a PM.

Thanks in advance.

 

[iamzrad]

Super Petz and Pristine Aquariums would be my choices.

 

[bertolli]

^^^^^^^^Ditto aquatic obsessions is pretty far

 

[lonlangione]

I would go to them all.....

 

[mchambers]

Yep

^^^^^^^^Ditto aquatic obsessions is pretty far

I was really asking for characteristics inside the stores. From where I'll be, it's not a big difference getting to them, and I can use Google maps with the best of them.

 

[jonclark96]

From my experience, and it has be several months since I have been to any of them, Superpetz has a lot of tanks and a pretty good variety of new worlds. I don't keep africans, so I can't really comment on the stock but they do have lots of tanks. Prices are pretty reasonable for a LFS. Some of the stock is was a little beat up.

Pristine is a relatively new shop that is very clean. Stock was average from a variety standpoint but all the fish were healthy. Prices were a little higher than average if I remember correctly.

Both are worth going to if you are in the area.

 

[bertolli]

I was really asking for characteristics inside the stores. From where I'll be, it's not a big difference getting to them, and I can use Google maps with the best of them.

In terms of variety superpetz is the best. They have a bunch of old world and new world, and a lot of FW too. They have a sale on tanks going on right now but most of their merch is otherwise a bit pricey compared to purchasing online. Pristine like someone else mentioned is nice and you may find a few old worlds in there you won't see in superpetz they are more expensive.
Stopped in AquaticObsession a while ago when I was out in Manassas and they had just opened. The way they had the store setup they seemed to be geared more towards saltwater. They had a small selection of oldworld cichlids and discus, I don't recall any new worlds.
Whew, so in short If you were only gonna make it to one I would definitely say superpetz but I'm sure you're like me and get all excited the first time you walk into a pet store you've never been to.

 

[F8LBITE]

Super Petz is my favorite store although theres only 2 or 3 people that work there that I like to help me the rest, well....... They have the biggest selection of tanks of all sizes, a large selection of dry foods, a huge freezer for frozen foods, the most lizards, the most birds, the most rodents, the most cat and dog food and supplies, the most fish of all the stores within 30 miles. I was just there on Thursday and off the top of my head they had:
discus
green terrors
geos
cories
rainbowfish
parrotfish
peacock cichlids
haps
flowerhorns
plecos
tetras
severums
bettas
frontosas
kribensis
loaches
goldfish
tadpoles
multis
killiefish
EB Jack demseys
brackish fish
coral
saltwater fish
angels
and thats just all I remembered. I hope this helps.

 

[Diogenes]

where is aquatic obsessions? I thought I'd been to them all!

 

[hollyfish2000]

SuperPetz is fine IMHO as long as you know what you're doing and don't rely on the staff for information. I find it a bit sloppy and disorganized myself and it's hit or miss in terms of stock. (I went down there for Africans once after calling and been told they'd just gotten a huge shipment. I spent at least 30 minutes figuring out which ones I wanted only to be told that all were quarantined and none were on sale. Sigh . . . ) But I do venture down there occasionally just for giggles.

 

[mchambers]

Thanks

These are very helpful points. It sounds like I can't go wrong no matter which I pick. (I don't need much help from staff.)

 

[Shinchan]

Would those Multis be the same ones that are not for sale because they don't know how to catch them? :wacko:

Super Petz is my favorite store although theres only 2 or 3 people that work there that I like to help me the rest, well....... They have the biggest selection of tanks of all sizes, a large selection of dry foods, a huge freezer for frozen foods, the most lizards, the most birds, the most rodents, the most cat and dog food and supplies, the most fish of all the stores within 30 miles. I was just there on Thursday and off the top of my head they had:
discus
green terrors
geos
cories
rainbowfish
parrotfish
peacock cichlids
haps
flowerhorns
plecos
tetras
severums
bettas
frontosas
kribensis
loaches
goldfish
tadpoles
multis
killiefish
EB Jack demseys
brackish fish
coral
saltwater fish
angels
and thats just all I remembered. I hope this helps.

 

[Tony]

+1 for Superpetz. Awesome selection.

Plus, there's a slam-hoppin Korean BBQ place right next door....Il Mee is it's name. (Which is strangely appropriate considering how I feel after I walk out of there after all-you-can-eat brunch)