I’m in Sylva and our LFS actually has a tiny saltwater section. Everything they get sells super quickly and I really don’t want to buy anything from the next closest place - Petco. One of the employees there said never to buy rocks or corals from them because they all have pests and they make them vacuum the sand every couple of days. What the heck kind of ecosystem is that?! I haven’t made it down to Skips but I see and hear good things. What has anyone heard about Aquarium and Imports off Hendersonville rd? I’ve been ordering online and just eating the $40-50 shipping but gosh it would be nice to have something more than six little tanks of stuff to pick from.
Welcome to Reef2Reef!
I’m not here to tell you to avoid shopping at your LFS with the small saltwater section, but I know the place you’re referring to. All I’ll say is: proceed with caution and quarantine everything!
During my first visit there, I bought a clownfish that seemed perfectly healthy, but within hours of acclimation, it developed severe tail rot and died in less than 48 hours. My second purchase included a few chromis and two PJ cardinals, and the next day, my tank was covered in velvet, wiping out nearly all my fish. I was able to save only two, which I transferred to a copper-treated hospital tank.
When I went back to the store to discuss what happened and check on their stock, I found all the saltwater tanks were empty, with the lights off. After talking to the staff, they confirmed that velvet had wiped out their stock as well. Despite this, they refused to offer any apology or reimbursement, pointing to a sign stating all saltwater fish sales are not guaranteed. That was the last time I shopped at Fish and More.
I learned some valuable lessons from that experience: nothing goes into my display tank without being quarantined, and I’ll never shop there again.
I've never been to Aquarium and Imports, but Skip's is great! While they don’t have a huge selection, everything I’ve bought from them has been top quality. They keep all their fish in full-strength copper treatment, and each tank has a QR code providing details like where the fish came from, when it was caught, and when the store received it. They also regularly bring in new stock and will place special orders if you’re looking for something specific. Their fish prices are reasonable, though coral prices tend to be a bit higher.
If you’re up for the drive to Skip’s, consider going a little further in the opposite direction toward Alpharetta. There are a few nice stores there, with Pure Reef being my absolute favorite. It’s now my go-to store, huge is an understatement, beautifully maintained, and offering an unbeatable selection of fish and corals. Like Skip’s, they also quarantine their fish in copper.
