Interesting Fish Seen About Town - 4/22/09

[rdebonis]

I had an unexpected day off today, so I decided to go to local fish stores in my neighborhood.

Brooklyn Zoo has HUGE Show Congo Tetras in their large plant tank. They are a bit pricey, but they are the largest I have ever seen and the colors are magnificent. Perfect for an African Congo Biotope tank. In addition, in the same plant tank there is a fascinating member of the Loricariidae family, the Royal Farlowella scientific name Sturisoma Aureum or Sturisoma Panamense, not sure which one, but it is the most elegant slim Pleco type fish I have ever seen. A really outstanding specimen.

Petland Discount on Avenue U in the Home Depot Mall has stunning large Neon Blue Dwarf Gouramies
These are some of the best stock of this species I have seen. The color is irridescent and the body shape is a perfect Dwarf Gourami shape. Sometimes you have to be careful when buying Dwarf Gouramies because they had been "bred out" so much that they are susceptible to disease, but the outstanding quality of these fish makes them well worth buying. They also have very large Black Tetras, dark with a brilliant green irridescent stripe running through them. A group of these would make a stunning display in any tank. Both of these fish are very reasonably priced.

[piaba]

hey guys & girls,

just happened to go by win tropical fish in chinatown (mott street). lots of interesting and rare stuff, at very good prices: red lined torpedo barb (Puntius denisonii), dwarf emerald rasbora (Microrasbora erythromicron), red lipstick barbs (which i first thought were head-n-tail tetras because of the brilliant beacon at the base of the tail), panda corys, red cherry shrimps, african lampeyes (Aplocheilichthys normani), cardinal tetras, neon rainbows (M. praecox), etc.

[bellsieshell]

I'm new on this forum, and this is a great thread. Any recent updates? Also, what are some good local fish stores near the West Village, Greenwich Village area? I've only encountered Petland Discounts on 6th Ave and Petco @ Union Square so far, but I prefer little mom n' pop shops.

[rdebonis]

I'm new on this forum, and this is a great thread. Any recent updates? Also, what are some good local fish stores near the West Village, Greenwich Village area? I've only encountered Petland Discounts on 6th Ave and Petco @ Union Square so far, but I prefer little mom n' pop shops.

I don't buy fish in Manhattan, so I can't personally recommend any places. However, one of our sponsors is in Manhattan, Pacific Aquarium and Pet, 46 Delancy Street in Manhattan. The phone number is 212-995-5895. They are open 7 days per week between 10 AM and 7:30 PM. I have also heard there are some small stores on Mott Street in Chinatown like WIN Aquarium that have some really nice fish.

[piaba]

if you live in the west village, you need to get out of your neighborhood for some good stores. unfort. NYC is like a desert when it comes to the hobby of fishkeeping (compared to other metropolitan areas or suburbs).

new world on east 38th street is a good place, but somewhat expensive. they are about the last good store left in manhattan. years ago, there were some good ones (anyone remember the one on east 23rd, also 3rd avenue around 34th st. and crystal aquarium in the east 90's?).

just went to pacific today on delancey. they have great fish and the most amazing planted display tank. in this store, they have an interesting "special", all prices listed are for a single fish but includes a "buy 2 get a 3rd for free" special, and you catch your own fish.

win aquarium on mott has some interesting fish and shrimp, as noted above, and their prices are hard to beat.

petco on union sq. and petland on 23rd (chelsea) have some good fish sometimes.

[piaba]

i was just at pacific aquarium on delancey today. some interesting, beautiful fish: glowlight danios (Danio choprai), lampeyes (Aplocheilichthys normanni), threadfin rainbows (Iriatherina werneri), celebes rainbows, even the zebra danios were in very good shape and very attractive.

[Nymsley]

Win (Mott Street) has a tank full of tiny jewel cichlid fry (and the goldfish babies are getting big now). Obviously too young but interesting to look at. They also have red line torpedo barbs which I haven't seen at any other store yet and some lovely koi angels.

[piaba]

Win (Mott Street) has a tank full of tiny jewel cichlid fry (and the goldfish babies are getting big now). Obviously too young but interesting to look at. They also have red line torpedo barbs which I haven't seen at any other store yet and some lovely koi angels.

the red line are gorgeous. they are expensive at $18 each, but at petco in union sq., they go for $25, so win's are cheap, and they are truly well kept. it's a stunning fish when full grown.

[JoeyG]

I have recently visited Brooklyn Zoo and they have very interesting marine and freshwater fish. There were many types of African and South American cichlids at reasonable prices. The best bargain I realized is the live food - both live brine shrimp and blackworms are given in generous quantities. A great bargain! They are located on Ralph Ave. & Ave. U in Brooklyn

[Nymsley]

Thousand Island has these brilliant orange dwarf gouramis with white tails like this one (I couldn't take a good picture myself since they were so active): http://www.petshop-zoomania.com/BETA,%20Colisa,Gourami/Colisa%20Lalia.jpg

This place has mostly saltwater and cichlids but they also have a tank workshop in the back where they make custom tanks. Never bought one of those so I cannot attest to their quality but I can say that the staff there are really friendly and helpful. They also have open setups where you can see the filters/skimmers,interesting for a saltwater newbie like me. Though at the last visit time, they were low in their reef stock and they didn't have their shark anymore :(

[JoeyG]

All,

I visited the above retail store several times and it has great fish and good portions of live brine shrimp.
The interesting fish are discus, arawanas, parot fish and marine fish and corals. Their plant section is very good with beautiful plants with nice white roots. The fish are stunning with their red colors.

They even have many gorami gormais there at several different sizes.

I strongly recommend you visit this great store on 65 St. off 8th Ave. in Brooklyn.

They give discounts to BAS members!

[Halfbeaks1]

Ocean Gallery II on R. 22 in N.J. has and always has a great selection of coral Frags. The Pet Shanty also on R.22 always has a few suprises. They have from time to time some of the best and biggest guppies around (they sell fast so call first) and a few killies. I saw on a recent trip some Crystal Red Shrimp for about 8.00 each. Cheaper then you could get them on Aqua Bid and you get to see them before you buy.

[piaba]

hey guys,

i just visited win aquarium on mott. they got GORGEOUS Aphyosemion guignardi killies, for $15 each (ouch!). the males are gorgeous, with fin edges that are either blue or yellow and some with variations.

also at pacific on delancey: gorgeous endlers (a few females but mostly males), very vivid colors, and 2 new rasboras i haven't heard of: volcano rasboras (R. vulcanus) and cardinal rasboras (Microrasbora rubescens), also galaxy "rasboras" (Danio margaritatus).

anyone knows where they sell celebes halfbeaks? i haven't seen these in a long time.

[Halfbeaks1]

Hi;
I will be donating a trio of Celebes Halfbeaks I bred for the June auction. They are about 3-4 months old and about an 1- inch long and coloring up. I will also be bringing a trio of endlers and a I think a trio of Skiffa multipunctata, if I can bring myself to let them go. :crayfish:

[piaba]

went by pacific aquarium on delancey this week. they have red endler's for $15 a pair, also Micropoecilia parae melanozona, also $15 a pair.

also some vulcano rasbora, a new species, i have 6 of them and they are active, very beautiful, and hardy fish.