Chicago area LFS

[crushton]

I have heard there is an awesome lfs in the suburbs that has a huge tank with sharks and such in it. It has the largest selection of sw fish/corals etc... you can imagine. Does anyone know the name of it?

Also - has anyone been to a huge sw lfs in Terre Haute, IN - also told it was great.

Thanks
Charlene

[Nucem]

Not sure if this is the 1 you are talking about but I've been told it is nice place
www.inlandaquatics.com in Terra Haute, IN.

[gaubow]

Scotts Pet Shop in Westchester?

There is a place in Plainfield called Upscale Aquatics on Rt 59 that has a shark pool, but the customer service there is downright rude. I won't be going back there and will be telling anyone I know not to as well.

[Little Luey]

I know which store you are talking about, it is in Tinley Park, do not remember the name since I've been gone for a while but it is North of the train station on the same street, on a small plaza center. They have 2 hammer head sharks and very good selection. If I remember the name I'll post it.

[Little Luey]

Aquatica
I think that is the name of it. Checkout the LFS database, I am almost sure that is the name.
Capture the sea was my favorite LFS back home, the drive to Tinley Park was not bad when I knew I would get good service and treated good. Capture the sea has been in bussines for a long time, I remember getting my first goldfish from them in the mid 80's

[crushton]

Thanks for the replies. The one you are talking about is supposedly phenomenal!

When you lived in NW Indiana what was your local favorite?

The Ark, Merrillville
Pet Haven, Valpo

Those are the only 2 I have gone to

oh Petco in Hobart sells a small assortment of salter fish/inverts.

Charlene

[crushton]

PS - I looked at the local LFS directoy and none of these are listed.

Charlene

[crushton]

GAUBOW - what is your favorite LFS that you would recommend - I don't mind the drive - we live 40 miles from downtown in NW Indiana

Charlene

[cioutlaw]

www.sharkysreef.com Ive never been there but they have nice stuf on their website & they are in the Chicagoland area. Might not have a store to walk into either? The place in Terahaute has a good reputation, I want to make a trip over there sometime too.

[gaubow]

Crushton-

Believe it or not, I go to my local Petland, in Naperville, directly across from the Fox Valley Mall. They have about 8 50 gallon tanks of corals, and 3 aisles of saltwater fish.

When I first started out, I bought fish from alot of local places. Once I started buying from this Petland I rarely lost a fish. I don't know if his water there is the most compatible with mine, or they are more choosy on who they get fish from (like he says), but either way I have great luck with everything I buy there.

I haven't been buying much livestock/corals for the tank in a while, but do go there to get some dry stuff, mostly just to check out any new fish. I feel bad going in there just to look, so I always pick up something I can use. Almost eveytime I go there, he has some new fish of some type that I come home to look up on the computer to see what it is, what it eats and where in the world it comes from.

There are a few nice stores in Schaumburg too. This is where I work so I usually can't buy from there because Schaumburg is where I start my day, not end it. I think they are a bit pricey, however.

Anyway, if you did it right, you could probably hit 10 decent lfs in the chicago area if you planned your day right. There are others, but I'd say there are probably at least 6 worth the trip.

[daveat]

LIVING SEA!!!!

they have a huge shark pond, a ray pond, a koi pond, etc... very nice store

livingsea
811 Devon Avenue, Park Ridge, IL 60068
(847) 698-7258

[crushton]

We went to Chicagoland LFS today. The kids were a pain in the rear (7 & 9 am "I'm Bored" - "Are you done yet" - "Mom can't you do this when we are in school?" - aarrrggghh) so we only got to check out 2.

A Living Sea in Park Ridge is absolutely phenomenal. They actually had a feeding class for the shark tank and my son got to throw in squid to the arrowannas (?) that were in with the sharks - the sharks were fed with a long pole individually. Really cool! There is every kind of fish, coral and invert. I could think of. The prices were kind of high (well I think everything is high) for some stuff example - $15.99 for a peppermint shrimp, $25.99 for a small yellow tang. For a mandarin goby $29.99 - I think that one is okay though. Most corals I was looking at (the easy ones) were starting at $59.99 and up. The guy I talked too kind of looked down his nose at me. It really kind of irritated me. He days he never gets on the internet sites because those guys do not know anything about the hobby. When I asked about refugiums and buying algae for it he was just not helpful to be G-rated.

The other one we went to was Advanced Aquatics in Schaumburg. This store is saltwater only. They had a pretty good selection but maybe a 1/4 of the selection as the other. I found the guy helping me here very NICE and KNOWEDGABLE. (He was also cute - young). If this guy was at the other store it would have been a great match.

Anyway - that is my report for today on the trip.

Good night!
Charlene

[Little Luey]

You know Charlene, the Ark has some good stuff but never ask a question to the employees, they do not know the difference from SW to FW fish. I have seen them do some very ignorant things. I went to a LFS in downtown Valpo but I do not know if that one is Pet Heaven or if it is the one on Route 6, it was just ok.There is another one in Hobart, Aquascapes it is ok but the lady that runs the place is very old fasion and is always right, I am sure you know the type. One more in Sherrillville, right of Kennedy blv. don't know the name, but the guys name is Kurt. I cried when the one in Lansing burned down, that was probably the best in the area. After that I always went to Capture the Sea.
Have fun.

[crushton]

I know EXACTLY who you are talking about at The Ark. I only go there to see if they have a good price on something. Pet Haven is where I usually go because I bought my MH there (another story) so they give me a "good price" supposedly.

That guy at The Ark tried to talk me out of getting into the hobby because it was so difficult - he has his own website. He was another that had all of the answers and looked at you like you were an idiot. I really hate it when they act that way. Isn't this suppose to be fun and a MAJOR busness for these stores. You would think they would want us to be happy.

We will try Capture the Sea another weekend. Hope the kids cooperate!

I thing I heard about the Lansing fire. When was that?

Charlene

[Little Luey]

I think the name of the place was Ted's Aquaruim, the fire was like 2 years a go but they still have the Hammond store open but FW only.
Was it the old guy at the Ark? 50's with a beer belly and gray hair, that guy is sooo rude.
Capture the sea is on 171st street just west of 80th ave. Jim the manager or Jim the owner are very cool, they will take the time to answer any questions you may have. If you go on I-80 get off on Harlem North and go straight down till 171 st then turn west (left) you'll see a small plaza. Now the best way to get to Aquatica is to turn right (East) on 171 st to the next big avenue and then right again (north) you should see is around 169 or so.