Fish Store

I loved this store. I think the employees are super knowledgeable and I felt they answered my questions with insightful answers. They explained to me the benefits of a "mom and pop" kind of store over a big chain pets place, and I honestly felt like the store embodied those quality characteristics. They also have a policy where if I fish dies within a certain number of days after you buy it, they'll replace the fish for free... which is essential when you're "setting up" a tank. We used that policy to the max. I like this place and will continue to recommend it to my friends.

Posted 08/16/09 | Report Abuse

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I recently went the The Fish Store based solely on reviews here and was incredibly disappointed. The store was cluttered and dusty, the tanks were dirty and unkempt. It was obvious that the fish were simply items to be sold and make money. There were only a handful of fish you don't often see at a fish store, but the weren't anything incredibly interesting. The help were all busy talking to the driver who had just brought a delivery and when I asked if they had Nerite snails I was told "I don't know. What is that? We have whatever is in the tanks". The tanks all had algae growing all over them and the floor was dirty. Although the fish didn't appear outright unhealthy none of them looked to be in prime form due to their living environments being so icky. I can't believe this is the condition they keep the display tanks in. Clearly the fish were the least important thing to this store.
I'll drive over to someplace like Pet-Pourri in Everett and see a wider selection and cleaner tanks. They even have several exotics I've not seen in Washington before. I was very unhappy with my visit to The Fish Store and will not go back. Just not worth it.
The final thing for us was the fact that they also sell tribal masks, carvings and other items there which gives it the feel of a flea market booth. WTF? Focus on the fish for crying out loud, not goofy carved goods.

Posted 01/24/09 | Report Abuse

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The staff are fresh. The fish don't live any longer than the ones from PETCO and PETSMART and cost twice as much. They give you the third degree if you come in for a return.

Posted 06/20/08 | Report Abuse

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This is the fish store my father went to when he was going to the UW. They must be doing something right. Over the years I have seen the tanks go from great to bad and back again. But they do have the best selection around. Their customer service has always SUCKED! Do yourself a favor never take your kids with you. They hate kids.

Posted 05/15/08 | Report Abuse

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I purchased 2 rams from this store in Jan 08, they died 1 wk to the day. I tested my water and everything was good, so I knew that it wasn't anything I did. I called and explained to them what had happened and they told me that they would replace the fish or return the money. They told me to bring the fish and a water sample. When they tested the water I had brought my nitrates were off the charts, I couldn't understand this, since I had just tested it. After I got off work I went home and retested my water, again, 0 nirates. I took water samples to 2 other fish stores and had it tested, 0 nirates again. Without doing a water change like the fish store recommended, I bought 2 rams from a pet store near my home and they are still alive. If they tamper with tests just to keep from replacing a person's loss, that is messed up. I was very concerned about the other fish in my tank and immediately treated the tank for disease and they are all doing well. This is supposed to be a professional fish place, where you go for advice and such. How can you trust them if they mislead customers this way, especially new fish enthusiasts, very disappointed.

Posted 02/16/08 | Report Abuse

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At first, I thought this was a good store despite the condescending manner in which many of the staff treat you. Seemed to be great quality fish. Wrong. First mistake, when asking what chemicals I needed to test for, they sell me 2 useless tests and not the one i need which i find out about 4 months later, when I buy 2 fish there. They die within 4 hours. I everything needed back. The won't replace the $30 fish because the nitrates are too high, when I was never informed (having specifically asked) this could be a problem. Present day, last week I bought 6 cardinal tetras from them, which had a parasitic infection of the gills. Disease ridden fish.This infection spread through my tank before I could diagnose the problem. Net loss: 5 penguin tetras, 2 black neons, 3 cardinals, and my 5 month old angel fish.Best part? They refuse to do anything to about the fact that their diseased fish have killed off the better part of my tank. Overall, the staff are pretentious and rude, the fish are diseased and the customer service sucks.

Posted 12/11/07 | Report Abuse

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This is the best fish-specialty store in Seattle. The staff is extremely knowledgeable and they genuinely care about fish. The staff is excellent and I have never had a problem. I used to chase a lower price at the big places like Petco, but my fish always died after a short time and I lost money in the long run. Also, the guys at Petco don't know as much about aquatics as the Fish Store does. I have never had a problem at the Fish Store and I refuse to go anywhere else in town.

Posted 10/06/07 | Report Abuse

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I was reading a review here about Jim and I have to say that I disagree strongly. Yes, I have had somewhat questionable customer service here a few times but about a week ago I decided to start my first saltwater tank and went to The Fish Store not knowing where to start. Jim, the guy with the pony tail, was very helpful. I must have asked him a hundred questions and he was very patient with me, more then I would have been with someone like me. It was because of him that I was able to get things going the right way. He was also very upfront with me that this would be a costly endevor. I appreciated his knowledge and helpfulness and will be returning today to purchase more things for my tank. Thanks!

Posted 04/15/07 | Report Abuse

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To get the most out of The Fish Store, do a little homework before you go. I highly recommend The Simple Guide to Freshwater Aquariums -- it is superb, and at the end you can see a huge variety of suggested stocking schemes. (Think that refers to hosiery? Get the book and start reading.) I found the staff very helpful, particularly if you have specific questions. They have virtually all the equipment, plants and livestock (fish) you could need. If there is a fish you are longing for that you don't see, ask them about ordering it in. They provide excellent advice. The staff don't march up and initiate an interaction with a potential customer -- they let you do the initiating when you're ready. Best of all, their fish are healthy.

Posted 03/09/07 | Report Abuse

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I have found that the staff are very helpful, even to me, a first time fish keeper who had to be walked through the fundamentals of setting up a tank and stocking. I used to go in twice a week with dumb questions and they were short and to the point but not rude.

That being said - People say that they are the only game in Seattle and that you are stuck with them. Non true. China Town has four fish stores in a very small area, none are chains and some may seem dodgy but they are cheap and have lots of stock that turns out to be healthy in my limited experience.

Posted 02/22/07 | Report Abuse

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I started going to the fish store about five years ago when I moved into the Greenlake area. I was immediately struck by the constantly updated variety I found, the number of clerks on hand to help out, and the amazing depth of knowledge of a good percentage of the employees. There are a few who stand out as the biggest help. Jim, long black pony tail, can give you the scientific name of anything and give way more information than you could possibly use. Floyd, long blond-red pony tail, is awesome when you want to know what will work together in your new saltwater setup. He's happy to give a heads-up about anything new that you enjoy that will be coming into the store. Most of the staff take the time to remember what I have in my tank and are able to immediately help me when I have a question about what comes next. I've called in dozens of times for emergency help when a fish is sick, even if it isn't a fish bought there! They are calm and helpful.
The ONLY negative comment I would have to offer is that I have had one negative interaction with one clerk there, a big tall guy with fluffy blondish hair. I have no idea what the deal was, but I tend to think of it as very small when compared to the years of incredible service I've received there.

Posted 12/26/06 | Report Abuse

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This place should have gone out of business long ago.

2. Why do you hate this business?

They hate their customers.

4. Do they specialize in anything?

Rudeness and snobbery.

5. What's special about them?

Their employees are all short-bus special.

PROS:
CONS: Human Trash Employees

Posted 10/13/06 | Report Abuse

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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I find myself echoing the other reviews on The Fish store. They have the fish I am looking for to stock my fresh water tank and their fish are always in good health and last a very long time. The store is interesting and fun to browse around. Their prices are in-line with other stores and I can count on finding new fish here.

However, I often feel like I'm bothering the staff and perhaps that I'm being judged somehow negatively. I felt that this was my perception but it's interesting reading the reviews here that I am not alone in having had some negative customer service experiences.

As an example, we decided to add some new fish to our tank. I walked to the store, found the fish and then walked to the counter to ask for help fishing them out and asked for them by name. The employee said in somewhat a rude manner, "Show me the fish." I took him to the fish and he says "Oh no, we can't sell you those, you need the ones in this other tank over here." He proceeded to take me to the other tank. A somewhat strange encounter, one of several strange encounters I've had at the fish store. What was the point of having me show him the fish when he knew where they were and which ones were sellable and which weren't? Very odd.

I've never had a "thank you" or "come again" or "nice to see you" or anything. I guess bottom line, the vibe in the store is weird.

PROS: Great selection; healthy fish; good prices; convenient location
CONS: Weird customer service vibe

Posted 08/09/06 | Report Abuse

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Blue and small on the outside, knowledgeable staff on the inside! I have always had good luck with the fish purchased from The Fish Store. Sometimes, it is hit or miss with the staff, but usually they are pretty friendly and willing to help you figure out which fish to purchase. They have a huge selection of fresh water, brackish and salt water fish, along with live water plants. Parking is on the street, but not too hard to find a spot and it is right on the bus line.

Posted 06/27/06 | Report Abuse

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There's really no alternative to using this store for your tropical fish needs except for the chain stores. I actually have gotten better service/information from the chains on occasion.

In any case, we've gotten tons of contradictory information and out-and-out wrong information from various clerks. Some have been helpful, but generally the staff has acted like you're bothering them when you have questions. Particularly watch out for Jim, a guy with a pony tail who calls himself the manager and has the bar none most offensive customer service manner possible. I had been warned about this guy from other customers, but only recently experienced him first-hand. Yikes! Why would the owner employ such a creep?

PROS: not a chain store - and the saltwater tanks are fun to browse
CONS: not much better than a chain store

Posted 01/28/06 | Report Abuse

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The Fish Store is the place to be! We went there and picked several saltwater aquarium fish, some reef corals, and aquarium plants for out tank :) If you have saltwater fish like us, check them out.

Posted 10/14/05 | Report Abuse

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Without a doubt, The Fish Store is *THE* best resource in Seattle for both fresh and saltwater fish and aquarium supplies.

The first thing I noticed when I walked into the store the first time was that there wasn't that putrid smell that's often associated with fish stores. The store is clean, and in the years I've gone here I have NEVER seen floaters or ill fish in their tanks. I am led to believe that it is more the quality of their fish and their environments rather than quick-on-their-feet employees.

They carry a full line of aquariums, supplies, heaters, foods, gravel, etc. Their aquarium prices just cannot be beat. A 30g with hood and light runs around $30---you cannot get a deal like that elsewhere.

Their fish stocks are healthy and hearty and very varied. I've never had a fish from this store die or get ill, and in fact, the fish from this store seem to live forever.

The staff is VERY knowledgeable & helpful and they know their stuff and will not let you purchase fish that do not fit your lifestyle or aquarium. THank them for this---it's what fish stores SHOULD be doing to begin with

PROS: Great staff, great prices, great selection
CONS: none

Posted 10/09/05 | Report Abuse

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I can definitely count on this store to carry the products that I need. They have a wide variety of both freshwater and saltwater fish and unlike other stores, carry quite a selection of aquatic plants (beyond the realm of the usual pet-store aquatic plants).

However, I did find the staff to be sometimes inaccessible when I needed their help. Some of the employees were very open to answering my questions and others appeared rather annoyed that I was "bothering" them with my inquiries. The redeeming quality is that for the most part, I felt they were rather knowledgeable. Their answers were honest and not just in the interest of selling fish which I think is admirable.

The fish I purchased from the store were very healthy. From time to time they have great sales on their items and I make sure to take advantage of that. If you frequent this place often it would definitely be in your best interest to sign up for their contact list as you get coupons and deals in the mail from them.

PROS: Very reasonable prices, awesome selection and knowledgeable staff
CONS: Some of the employees are somewhat inaccessible when you have questions

Posted 09/23/05 | Report Abuse

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