# Looking for Stores in GTA- Help



## Gafi (Sep 1, 2011)

I know this may seem like a stupid question, but Im gonna ask it anyway. I'm from North Bay and my LFS's have very poor selection of aquatic plants/fish. I was wondering if anyone can recommend some good Aquariium stores that sell livestock and plants in the GTA (can really be anywhere from Barrie to Toronto). I dont really have time to shop around to different stores as 1. I am about 300km from TO and 2. Dont really know the GTA well enough to do so.....any help would be awesome!!


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## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

Check the General Marketplace section, in the stickies, you will see stores listed and a map.


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## Dman (May 1, 2012)

Ya more into freshwater or salt.? And what kinda fish are ya looking for?


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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

I'm beginning to think there might be a small market for someone who will buy at least some live stuff locally, mainly plants I'd think, and then reship to more distant places.. this is, I think, the third message I've seen lately from a member who is far enough away from the GTA to make paying for shipping a reasonable alternative.


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## Gafi (Sep 1, 2011)

I did see the sticky and have looked at some of them that have websites...thought I would see if the community has some recommendations on stores they use.

Freshwater atm....getting my 75 gal from Miracles in Orangeville....livestock would be a bonus, the main issue is the plants, not enough variety up heree and the quality really sucks big time....i placed an order here and half of the plants that came in were always about 75% dead


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## Gafi (Sep 1, 2011)

Fishfur said:


> I'm beginning to think there might be a small market for someone who will buy at least some live stuff locally, mainly plants I'd think, and then reship to more distant places.. this is, I think, the third message I've seen lately from a member who is far enough away from the GTA to make paying for shipping a reasonable alternative.


haha I agree, I know id be buying for sure, and shipping can actually be quite reasonable, I think people will spend the extra money on shipping if they know the quality is there


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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

Maybe I should try it. I have the time and I'm close to not only BA's and Aquatic Kingdom, but I also get out Markham way a couple of times a month, so I can check the stores on Kennedy Rd too.

Fwiw, the Big Al's can differ, depending on location, as some are franchises. The Scarborough one is great, been there a few times, and of course, Aqua Inspiration is always worth seeing, even if the selection is a bit limited. They do mainly Starfire tanks and shrimp, with a lot of stuff imported from Asia. Their tanks are absolutely stunning. AI has lovely mosses.. a bit expensive, but really nice quality. 

There's also a store further south on Kennedy called Finatics, mostly cichlids there. Also one in the Pacific Mall Marketplace at Steeles and Kennedy called Lucky Aquarium. Been there once.. kind of messy, mostly Asian in the style of much of the furniture.. fish seemed healthy.. lots of Arowanas.

Dundas St. in Mississauga has four stores within a few blocks of each other.. if you get onto Dundas from the 427 and go west, there's Aquatic Kingdom, nice fish, plants often, nice people. Then Reef Raft, pretty much just corals. Then Dragon Aquarium and Big Al's Mississauga, which are next door to each other. Dragon is a discount place, often a bit untidy but healthy fish anytime I've been in.. not a big assortment of anything in particular. Big Al's Mississauga is pretty good.. fish tend to be either really great or not good at all.. depends on the fish. The Big Als also offers a five day replacement guarantee on most fish, but that's not going to help a lot if you're so far away. I think all Big Al's offer that guarantee. Maybe they might be able to do something for you if you called with a problem right after buying. Can't hurt to ask.

I can't speak for other stores, not having been to any others, but if you get to even most of these, I think you'd find a fair variety of stuff that would make the long trip worthwhile. Al's Miss. usually has a fair lot of plants.. but it would not hurt to call ahead and make sure, every now and then they get kind of low on stock.. and this is the slowest time of year for LFSs, so the most likely time to be short on stuff.

Last there is a store in Toronto, Menagerie. Have not been there myself but hear good things about it. Depending where you were going, might not be as easy to work into a trip as some of the others, but if you are going to be downtown, worth checking into.


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## J_T (Mar 25, 2011)

Cant go wrong with the dundas strip. Ai in markham is going to be a new favorite of mine sooner than later (nice plants)



Posted with my Xperia, using Tapatalk 2


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## Gafi (Sep 1, 2011)

J_T said:


> Cant go wrong with the dundas strip. Ai in markham is going to be a new favorite of mine sooner than later (nice plants)
> 
> Posted with my Xperia, using Tapatalk 2


haha where abouts on dundas (sorry you can tell im a total non city person) and where is Ai?


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## Gafi (Sep 1, 2011)

Fishfur said:


> Maybe I should try it. I have the time and I'm close to not only BA's and Aquatic Kingdom, but I also get out Markham way a couple of times a month, so I can check the stores on Kennedy Rd too.
> 
> Fwiw, the Big Al's can differ, depending on location, as some are franchises. The Scarborough one is great, been there a few times, and of course, Aqua Inspiration is always worth seeing, even if the selection is a bit limited. They do mainly Starfire tanks and shrimp, with a lot of stuff imported from Asia. Their tanks are absolutely stunning. AI has lovely mosses.. a bit expensive, but really nice quality.
> 
> ...


This is amazing, thank you so much!!!! Actually Menagerie contacted me via email and they are willing to ship plants to me if I provide them with a list. They are even willing to throw in a few extra just in case....seemed like pretty good customer service, but I will check out these other stores. I am pretty sure my brother has been to the Big Al's in Mississauga and said it was pretty decent....I kinda like the smaller mom and pop stores, like to help out the local businesses, but I will have a good look at them all


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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

You're welcome. Don't know if you saw it but I've posted an experimental shipping offer in the Buy/Sell freshwater plant section, offering essentially to shop for stuff here and then ship it, for those who can't get much selection where they are. As I've said, I have the time, and it would repay some of many kindnesses done me by other members here... and hopefully solve a problem for some distant members. If you would have an interest in trying this, let me know.. and let anyone you know that it's available, if you wouldn't mind. They'd have to join the forum or else go through a member, but I'd like to give it a try and see if it works out. Hope you have a great shopping trip.

You will LOVE AI.. and it is a small business, as are Finatics, Menagerie, Dragon and Aquatic Kingdom. Don't know that I'd call them Mom 'n Pop stores, but for sure not a chain like Big Al's. Another one I've yet to see is Kim's Nature, which is not all that far from the Kennedy Rd stores. I want to go see it, it's a plant and bonsai place and the guy who used to run Frank's Aquarium has moved his business there. Never been, so can't say anything about it personally, but Frank has a great rep here on the forum.


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## Gafi (Sep 1, 2011)

Fishfur said:


> You're welcome. Don't know if you saw it but I've posted an experimental shipping offer in the Buy/Sell freshwater plant section, offering essentially to shop for stuff here and then ship it, for those who can't get much selection where they are. As I've said, I have the time, and it would repay some of many kindnesses done me by other members here... and hopefully solve a problem for some distant members. If you would have an interest in trying this, let me know.. and let anyone you know that it's available, if you wouldn't mind. They'd have to join the forum or else go through a member, but I'd like to give it a try and see if it works out. Hope you have a great shopping trip.


That's great! if there is one thing I would recommend, and I have never shipped live plants before, but I would say it would be best to send products out no later than Tuesday, just to ensure they get to the location in time. Sitting in a post office over the weekend, may just kill them off....just a thought  I'm going over to have a look now


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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

I was just reminded, I missed two stores.. PJs, in Square One, and in Sherway Gardens also. I've been into the Sq One store and it's great. Brent is a great guy and they have good quality stuff.. the Sherway store I have not been into for years, but I haven't heard anything bad about it. SQ One is at Burnhamthorpe and Hwy 10, accessible from the 403, and easy to get to. Park outside Walmart, go in and down the moving ramp, to the mall entrance, PJs is just a door or two down from there on the right hand side. Sherway, I'd have to call and find out where they are, been too long since I went there, but the mall is easily accessible from the QE Way or the 427 South, and occupies the land on the corner of the Queensway and West Mall all the way over to the 427 overpass.

And there are other PJ's as well.. another one out near Winston Churchill and the 403, one in Pickering, etc. Easy to look up.


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## danonano (Nov 10, 2011)

*Big Al's in Barrie*

Big Al's in Barrie would be your closest and most convenient. It is very close to the Mapleview exit off the 400. I was there fairly recently and it is a new and clean store. Nice livestock. I think the plants were pretty good too.

good luck
Dan


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