2500$ fish stew anyone?
I have troubles with the ratings on this one. I want to give 4.5 for selection and variety and "coolness" but I give 1.0 for cleanliness, organization and presentation.
This store was previously located on Riverfront Ave right downtown which was a cool location on the river walk - but was equally unkempt when it was there. About two years ago it moved to the northeast on Meridian Road. The store is known for its unusual species which is a joy for the fish enthusiast and rare collector. From rare Asian arowanas at multi-thousands of dollars, to rare stingrays to beautiful wild discus and saltwater marine species. There are also a lot of live plants, goldfish, feeder fish and run of the mill "everyday" tropical species.
The downfall is that the tanks always look dirty and unkempt. There is no attempt at decoration or "aquarium environment" in the tanks (which I know isn't required, but is a more attractive marketing stance), the setup of the store is literally warehouse with drags and curtains dividing areas, and everything in general looks dirty and disorganized. When stocking such rare and unusual fish - some attempt should be made at housing them in better surroundings and setups - other stores are able to do this so it shouldn't be an issue to follow suit.
For the snake charmer (think Meghan H :) - there is a pretty vast array of snakes, frogs, lizards and SPIDERSSS...EWWWWW..but if you're into it - they have it. The cages for this area are actually pretty cool with very natural looking terrarium setups. Well done here. The staff is pretty knowledgeable and usually helpful and attentive. Weekends can be busy and it can be hard to get attention.
I do suggest stopping by to peruse the cool fish they have as many are found nowhere else in Calgary - but be aware, it ain't a pretty store in general.
April Challenge 25/30