windsor fish stores

[chrisstevens]

Any good saltwater fish stores in windsor, and address going there for the night. I only know about corbrets.

 

[Krazykarl]

Go see Jim and Angie at 8.2 marine on Jefferson just north of ec row. The old marine fish authority location.

 

[billyboy61]

+1 on 8.2 marine

 

[xxmurrxx]

Bought a couple things from 8.2, they seem pretty fair priced.
Last time I was in not too much there but they are supposed to have a big coral order coming.

 

[chrisstevens]

Picked up 6 chromis's there

 

[Noodle]

I don't want to offend anyone, but that store is a joke.  I have been there three times.  The last time will be my last.  I can honestly say almost every fish is ill or about to die.  The place is a mess, the owners have very little knowledge.

Windsor has bugged me for years regarding having a decent place to purchase marine livestock/hardware.  I myself used to be the livestock manager for Big Als in Windsor.  Yes, Windsor at one time had a Big Als.  Now Big Als isn't perfect but at least they are trying to present themselves as professionals.

Not all is the fault of the Vendors, the hobbiest in Windsor can be a real pain as well.  Asking for deals on everything, DIYing, ordering all your hardware online etc.  I'm guilty of it as well.  However, if there was a decent store in Windsor, with knowledgeable staff and stock I would shop local.

Sorry, went on a bit of a rant here.  Nothing to see here move along.

 

[teebone110]

I don't want to offend anyone, but that store is a joke.  I have been there three times.  The last time will be my last.  I can honestly say almost every fish is ill or about to die.  The place is a mess, the owners have very little knowledge.

Windsor has bugged me for years regarding having a decent place to purchase marine livestock/hardware.  I myself used to be the livestock manager for Big Als in Windsor.  Yes, Windsor at one time had a Big Als.  Now Big Als isn't perfect but at least they are trying to present themselves as professionals.

Not all is the fault of the Vendors, the hobbiest in Windsor can be a real pain as well.  Asking for deals on everything, DIYing, ordering all your hardware online etc.  I'm guilty of it as well.  However, if there was a decent store in Windsor, with knowledgeable staff and stock I would shop local.

Sorry, went on a bit of a rant here.  Nothing to see here move along.

Being from Windsor originally, I used to shop at BA's and this was one of the 2 stores that got me hooked to saltwater (Mandarin Aquatics being the other).
During my time I learned lots from Mandarin, as they had the expertise ans support to assist reefers in being successful in the longterm. Prices were also great at the time in both of these places.

Both of those stores and many others have failed because I don't think Windsor has a large enough population into reefing that would sustain a business longterm.

It is encouraging to see that 8.2 Marine is having local fragswaps to help strengthen the local community. They need to expand their internet presence and maybe a phone number to help get things going.

Bottom line: a successful store will depend on successful hobbiests and vice versa.
The store needs to operate and be successful in the new market environment that caters to the DIYer, online selection,healthy livestock with deals and rock bottom pricing. Look at BRS... Do what they do, but make it better and more localized.

 

[Noodle]

Your right about Quangs place.  At BA's we never carried much marine as it was hard to make a buck with it.  Mandarin was good.  I guess the biggest problem I have with the current local is lack of knowledge to care for the animals.  Its border line abuse.

 

[chuckm]

Who are you? Tim?
I used to shop at the big Al's here quite a bit, when it was in Windsor...20 plus some years ago... lol!

The part I don't get is that if you were the livestock manager; why you would need to rely on a LFS for knowledge, with the advent of the internet with such sites as this one and advancedaquarist.com and reefkeeping.com an old salt such as yourself should know all the ins and outs...

As far as 8.2 goes, I think their prices are in line and if you're on their mailing list you can pre-order directly from what their supplier has, and get a really good deal, and if you don't want it to hit their tanks first,  pick it up the day when it comes in.  As with any store there are growing pains and they seem to be learning from them, they don't sell gerbils or cats, and all the other stuff.  They are the only all (saltwater) marine store in Windsor ,and give them credit for making a go of it in this town.  They are building new systems so maybe that's the mess you saw- I don't know.  It nice to have a store you can count on when there's problems a store in California won't help ya when there is water all over the floor.

Don't get me wrong I shop all over Michigan and Windsor and have no allegiance to to one over the other but if they treat me well then I'll go back.

 

[chuckm]

Sorry!  lived in Windsor all my life and like to have somehthing local.
I agree with Tyler that Mandarin was awesome, i practically lived there.

 

[Noodle]

Yes. Tim. Lol

Maybe your right about giving them a chance but my guess is they won't be around for long. Being an "old salt" I have sen so many stores come and go. It's a shame.

 

[stonymann]

I must say . Im new to saltwater. Ive been cruising all the local fishstores, picking their ear, researching on-line and browsing here. By far 8.2 marine has been the most honest. next is aqua then last is corbets. Corbets may have the biggest selection which i go to get ideas but 8.2 has been the best place to learn. almost a hangout of hobbyists. corbets and aqua just want to sell me a fish. i get it , its a business but at the end of the day i want to deal with someone who doesnt want me to leave with a fish thats gonna eat my reef regardless if they make a sale that day. its a customer service/loyalty issue that has been lacking. dave started that trend and 8.2 has picked it up. hope they can expand and ive heard of frag swaps there ????  i like that idea !!!! it gives a guy like me a chance to see and learn firsthand without pressure to pad someones pocket !  i hear sams was good too but there out of game ???? id drive there if there open??

 

[xxmurrxx]

think sams might have a couple tanks up but nothing like it use to be.
Still had dry goods for saltwater when I was out there last.

 

[Giglio324]

think sams might have a couple tanks up but nothing like it use to be.
Still had dry goods for saltwater when I was out there last.

does have dry stuff, pretty good prices to. last i was there a few weeks ago, he has aquacultured ocellaris clowns. another tank with some corals in it. nothing crazy tho.

 

[Giglio324]

Went into 8.2 marine today, very disappointing and on top of it the kid working was following me around for the whole 5 mins I was in there literally breathing down my neck. Every fish was either dead or dying. I doubt ill ever go back

 

[paoul]

Went into 8.2 marine today, very disappointing and on top of it the kid working was following me around for the whole 5 mins I was in there literally breathing down my neck. Every fish was either dead or dying. I doubt ill ever go back

ah so you seen the hippos today did you but to be a bit fair they just got them fish in yesterday

 

[Camps23]

Im going to be in Windsor this weekend....any updates on stores.
Whats this aqua animania ??

 

[xxmurrxx]

Aqua is a couple of the guys from the old corbetts that closed on the east end.

 

[Camps23]

that sounds scary.....worth stopping in ?

 

[Crispy]

meh...you won't see anything special. no corals for sale really. paying cash will drop the price.