Best coral and fish stores in Canada

[davidcalgary29]

In canada just avoid ragingreef, their tanks are not clean. They'll sell you a coral with aiptasia, bubble and something alse (parasite wise) and after they'll tell you "ah, we rise the parasites to feed our fish"...

Fragbox, candy corals are ok. Fraggarage once send me the corals with red planaria.

I think it's best to take the approach that anything wet that comes into your tanks is a potential vector for disease and unwanted wildlife. I've certainly had pests ride in on frags that I've purchased from very reputable Canadian companies -- but also had a plan to deal with those things.

 

[LpsSps]

I just read a face book NAC Reefing Society page April 2023 where someone spent $400 on frags from fragbox and discovered lots of flatworms on arrival on some euphyllia. Rather than risk a thousand plus in corals, (possible eggs) he scraped the entire order. Their only reply was that they don't treat for pests and more or less ghosted him when he tried to contact the store. I 've had a few orders from them in the past without problem but If I order on line again it will be Candy corals.

 

[Uncle99]

Sorry to hear that, a surprise to me, over 4 years now, the trays appear very clean and I have not had any pests from Fragbox.


Same for Candy, both very professional IMM, but I guess nobody catches all pests.

 

[Matt1997]

Fragbox is the worst store in all of Canada. Very surprised they are being recommended.

If you like finger nail sized overpriced pieces, sale pricing where they just re-list the original price but higher, dying or on the way out coral, and freshly imported wild pieces with a name slapped on them then this is the store for you.

 

[Uncle99]

Except for clams, all corals from Fragbox.
At least 1 happy customer.

 

[Sleeping Giant]

for the size of the coral compared to the costs of them is absolutely ridiculous in either place, candy corals or FragBox.
the sales they both put on are ridiculous too, barely any savings at all.

 

[Tchung23]

for the size of the coral compared to the costs of them is absolutely ridiculous in either place, candy corals or FragBox.
the sales they both put on are ridiculous too, barely any savings at all.
Now that the border is open I'll probably just run across and get better, cheaper coral and fish.

Are we allowed to bring corals and fish over the boarder??

 

[Rmckoy]

Are we allowed to bring corals and fish over the boarder??

I don’t think so …..

 

[legalizedreefer]

Another +1 for Bayside Corals in Saskatoon. It’s my local store and I didn’t realize just how spoiled we are here until I went to Edmonton. Not trying to trash talk anyone. But I went to every coral vendor in Edmonton and left thinking “wow are we ever lucky with Bayside”

the owner takes an incredible amount of pride in keeping the tanks spotless. Each coral goes through multiple phases of QT before it’s listed for sale, with a dip between each tank.

every single thing in my tank came from them. I’ve never had a single aiptasia, asterina star, NOTHING.

although I’m always a proponent of dipping corals, it’s borderline optional when you buy from there.
And like @blaxsun said, tons of rare stuff and he will remove “for sale” corals and put them back in the growouts if they have any fading, receding, etc,

can’t recommend them enough

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Frankly, these Toronto stores (CC and FB) have gotten super expensive and the service level has really dropped off.

I’ve found these cool places off the beaten track. If you know any others please share :
Total Aquatics
Little Shop of Corals
Cultured By Science

if you’re looking for phyto or pods, check out Canada Aquamarine.

 

[Koleswrath]

spoiled we are here until I went to Edmonton

Yep, it’s been pretty ****** here. However…one of the best online aquaculture specialty shops is opening 3 minutes from my house!!! Couldn’t be more excited about New Dawn Aquaculture opening a storefront in 2 weeks!!!! Mitchell is great and his stuff is very clean and reasonable.

 

[LivingroomDiver]

Another vote for New Dawn. I'm local as well and pretty excited to see their store front. I had good luck with JL Aquatics for fish. On another note, anyone know where to get ocean live rock in Canada? I really want to add some but it seems I might have to get it shipped to the border and go pick it up myself...

 

[62518161]

I just read a face book NAC Reefing Society page April 2023 where someone spent $400 on frags from fragbox and discovered lots of flatworms on arrival on some euphyllia. Rather than risk a thousand plus in corals, (possible eggs) he scraped the entire order. Their only reply was that they don't treat for pests and more or less ghosted him when he tried to contact the store. I 've had a few orders from them in the past without problem but If I order on line again it will be Candy corals.

You read on Facebook

 

[Rmckoy]

Another vote for New Dawn. I'm local as well and pretty excited to see their store front. I had good luck with JL Aquatics for fish. On another note, anyone know where to get ocean live rock in Canada? I really want to add some but it seems I might have to get it shipped to the border and go pick it up myself...

I’ve been receiving new dawns emails for awhile but being in Ontario I have not tried ordering from them yet.
A lot of their frags seam nice size and price .

 

[Salty_Northerner]

Fragbox is the worst store in all of Canada. Very surprised they are being recommended.

If you like finger nail sized overpriced pieces, sale pricing where they just re-list the original price but higher, dying or on the way out coral, and freshly imported wild pieces with a name slapped on them then this is the store for you.

I agree Fragbox is not a good store by any means, Iv'e dealt once with them and ordered some hardware and took a few weeks to get delivered. Anytime I'd email them I'd get ignored or given some story why my order hasn't shipped. One reply was your order is shipping out today, a week later after a number of emails I finally get a reply saying we're waiting on one part to complete your order. Yeah whatever I thought to myself!!!

I left them a 1 star review on Google, not out of spite, but out of my experience with him.. THAT got his attention FAAAST and he questioned me about it after midnight of all times... The way he responded to me I swear he was drunk.. I'm not exaggerating, Im sure some have luck with him but not I. Personally his attitude is the worst I've ever encountered in a retail shop, when he said go buy somewhere else and good bye. Well Karma will catch up to him and already has from his tank crashes and such. What comes around goes around. I could go on and on but honestly I've typed to much and he is a waste of my time.

 

[Salty_Northerner]

The best online store I've had huge success with has been #J&L Aquatics from Vancouver BC. I had a couple shipment order issues like once to cold of a livestock order which wasn't their fault, It was UPS that was the issue and their shotty tracking. Saying sorry your item is rescheduled for tomorrow meanwhile the livestock was sitting outside in -20c temps at my door with no knock or ring of the doorbell.. They instantly no questions asked refunded my order. Second time I had a bottle of Red Sea AB+ that leaked a bit and again they sent out a new bottle that same day.. NOW that's service!!

They've got alot of money from me because of there service and they have alot to choose from, from high end to low end hardware, to supplements and everything else.. Generally if Im looking for something they have it!

 

[Koleswrath]

+1 for J&L’s pricing, selection and excellent customer service.
Only bought dry goods so far but would t hesitate to order livestock.

 

[Matt1997]

Except for clams, all corals from Fragbox.
At least 1 happy customer.

$30,000 later

 

[Matt1997]

If you live in Ontario there’s a few groups of hobbyists who have almost every coral you could want for 1/3 the retail price. Reach out to them, the pieces will be much larger, nicer and cheaper than what’s sold in stores. They are not hard to find.

With that said I do like candycorals and Afnan has always been kind to me. He has gotten me all the fish I’ve been hunting and has always been fair on price. He will negotiate a little if you speak with him directly (staff will not nor do I think permitted to negotiate). He has opened the shop a few times on days when they were closed as he knew I was coming from far. He has let my puppy run wild in his shop as well so it wouldn’t be cooped up in the truck.

Big als locations have always been hit or miss. I find disease much more common in their tanks these days but their prices are always the lowest. I find the Barrie location tends to have flukes in the system so be mindful of that when buying.

I’ve been wanting to check out reef paradise in Vaughan. I’ve heard good things about the owner from multiple friends that have done business with him.

 

[Rmckoy]

If you live in Ontario there’s a few groups of hobbyists who have almost every coral you could want for 1/3 the retail price. Reach out to them, the pieces will be much larger, nicer and cheaper than what’s sold in stores. They are not hard to find.

With that said I do like candycorals and Afnan has always been kind to me. He has gotten me all the fish I’ve been hunting and has always been fair on price. He will negotiate a little if you speak with him directly (staff will not nor do I think permitted to negotiate). He has opened the shop a few times on days when they were closed as he knew I was coming from far. He has let my puppy run wild in his shop as well so it wouldn’t be cooped up in the truck.

Big als locations have always been hit or miss. I find disease much more common in their tanks these days but their prices are always the lowest. I find the Barrie location tends to have flukes in the system so be mindful of that when buying.

I’ve been wanting to check out reef paradise in Vaughan. I’ve heard good things about the owner from multiple friends that have done business with him.

I’ve had good luck with fish from Newmarket big als location .
Barrie has been terrible since Covid

there used to be many selling frags on Facebook groups .