Tucson Stores (Sticky Please)

[sgreene2991]

Re: Tucson Stores (Sticky Please)

Southwest Saltwater on Speedway is no more. Majestic, if anyone ever used them, has also closed.

I would add:
Oasis Tropical Fish
3817A N. Oracle
Tucson, Az 85705
520-408-9700 Store

http://www.oasistropicalfish.com/

Providing they're still open, of course.

Southwest Saltwater moved to Oracle and Prince

[FBG]

Re: Tucson Stores (Sticky Please)

last I saw they are not doing any plant related items, and mostly doing saltwater now...

[Satrix]

Re: Tucson Stores (Sticky Please)

Southwest Saltwater moved to Oracle and Prince

I was able to locate that. I was hoping that the original post with the Speedway location could be updated?

[Redarowanaman]

Re: Tucson Stores (Sticky Please)

Majestic sea life is gone for sure also just FYI...






To bad I got allot of cool used CO2, and HQI light fixtures from them in trade for stereo work in the past sad to see them go.

[red fish, blue fish]

Re: Tucson Stores (Sticky Please)

Being new to the hobby, I've been looking for stores in town. I scoured the internet, drove around and made some calls. It seems there really are only 3 (edit: 4) stores left in all of Tucson with aquarium supplies, aside from the huge chains like PetCo and Pet Smart.

I noticed the first post in this thread is pretty outdated, so I thought I'd share some current info.
Here's what I've found, in alpha order by category:

OPEN

1) Desert Pet Center
4810 E. 22nd Street, east of Swan
520-745-5158

Just visited there last week. A general pet store that also has a large aquatic section. Staff was incredibly nice, attentive and knowledgeable, also willing to order anything upon request. Definitely a step above the typical pet store. A lot of respectable brands when it comes to equipment and supplies.

There is a small selection of aquatic plants (both freshwater and saltwater, I think). I can't speak to their quality, but judging by the rest of the store they're probably at least healthy. A large variety of freshwater fish (6 long rows, if memory serves correct), including about 2 dozen Bettas ranging from simple veil tail to expensive fancy imports. A small selection of lovely saltwater fish. All the fish looked healthy and active, with clean water, and not over crowded or poorly mixed. What impressed me most: every tank was clearly labeled with the types of fish and price, which is rare in my experience.

There's also a good stock of refrigerated live fish food, and several short aisles of tank of aquarium supplies (filters, pumps, heaters, etc.). Their large tanks (20 gal+) are in a separate room and it seems they had some nice basic setups, ranging from moderate to high end. One thing I noticed... Desert Pets doesn't have much in the way of small aquariums (3-10 gallon sizes). A few acrylic starter sets that looked like they were being targeted to kids: the Aqueon Mini-bow 5 gallon (decent kit set, but expensive at $65), and some terribly cartoony plastic 3-5 gal in Nickelodeon orange and Barney purple. No glass. No individual components at that size (tank, lid, light).


2) Oasis Tropical Fish
3817A N. Oracle
(hidden in a tiny retail center, door looks more like a biz office)
520-408-9700

btw, I just visited there last week, the stock is GORGEOUS. at least to my untrained eye. The name says "Tropical Fish," but they don't really sell fish. Nearly entirely plants, but there are a few fish, which looked healthy and well-maintained. Exclusively a saltwater shop, but an amazing, healthy-looking selection of all kinds of plants, corals, etc. Probably the most impressive shop I've ever seen in terms of a clean, healthy, properly kept stock.


3) Southwest Aquatics
new: 350 N. Oracle, #120
(old: 3959 E. Speedway -- closed)
edit: oops! moved this from CLOSED to OPEN. see below. apparently they've kept the sign up over a closed store, causing some confusion on my part.


4) Tropical Kingdom
1761 E. Prince Rd, west of Campbell
520-326-1218

Just visited there last week. Your typical dirty, smelly, unimpressive pet store. An average sized aquatic department with the usual things. A mix of freshwater and saltwater. I don't recall any aquatic plants. The fish tanks were unimpressive, often dark and cloudy. Hardly any were labeled with name or price, leaving the customer to have to constantly ask "what's this? how much?" But it did have some decent basic supplies. And stocked smaller sized glass tanks (5-10 gallon), in addition to a few larger ones.


CLOSED

Arizona Animals and Supplies -- CLOSED
6003 E. 22nd St.
520-514-1492
called this week. number disconnected, site not updated since 2004

Majestic Sealife -- CLOSED
3250 N. Campbell Ave.
drove by last week, vacated.

Tropics of Tucson -- CLOSED
801 E. Fort Lowell Rd.
520-293-7500
called this week. number disconnected


STATUS UNKNOWN

AZ Aquatic Gardens -- UNKNOWN
(no retail store, P.O. box and internet sales only)
P. O. Box 68006
Oro Valley, AZ 85737
520-742-FISH (3474)
I believe they're still open. honestly, after reading such an overwhelming number of terrible reviews, and seeing they have an "F" rating with the BBB, I haven't bothered investigating.


Global Exotics -- UNKNOWN
8620 E. Broadway Blvd., near N. Camino Seco
520-298-1561
tried calling 3 times to see if it's still in business, phone rings endlessly, no answer or recording

[forrestcook]

Re: Tucson Stores (Sticky Please)

Actually, southwest aquatics is alive and well at Oracle and Prince. The store next to it is vacant, but I was just there last week. brand new owners.

[red fish, blue fish]

Re: Tucson Stores (Sticky Please)

aw, really? is it the same address listed above at Oracle, just south of Prince?

Because when I went there was a big sign reading "Aquatics" still up, but the entire place was empty. like nothing inside but bare walls and a few bits of discarded shelving and trash. and when I walked up to the store to investigate (thinking maybe they were under construction or something), the woman working in the store directly next to it (right side) said "yeah, they closed down over a year ago" like I was a total moron. :icon_biggrin:

then I drove up and down Oracle looking for them, thinking maybe they had moved agin. couldn't find anything. so either they're have the worst marketing and signage evah, or I was like, totally, lobotomized that day. which honestly, is possible. ;)

what does the sign/store front look like? maybe that would help me find it. :)
do you happen to have their number? I'd love to check them out.

ETA: it just occurred to me that I was approaching the store from the southside. So once I parked and got out I couldn't see what was to the left of the big vacant space, only the shops to the right of it. Are they somewhere to the left of the old empty store?

After the woman told me Aquatics had closed down a year ago -- and made no mention of another store -- I didn't bother walking further up the plaza. And I wouldn't have been able to see a storefront to the left of the empty one once I was trying to get back onto Oracle from the parking lot. I'll feel like an idiot if I was right next to the new store, but missed it due to the friggin twit in the neighboring business. *head/desk*

[FBG]

Re: Tucson Stores (Sticky Please)

the store is in the corner of the plaza, it is on the north east side of the plaza if memory serves correctly. Last I saw they still don't have any freshwater stuff. (about a month ago) But impressive saltwater display and sales section!

[red fish, blue fish]

Re: Tucson Stores (Sticky Please)

thanks FBG. :) I updated my post above so as not to spread my confusion. ;)

[ltlmax]

Re: Tucson Stores (Sticky Please)

I spotted a new saltwater shop at 2758 N. Campbell called SEA: Simply Elegant Aquatics. If you are into saltwater this place is well worth a look. The place is clean, well lite and the stock is beautiful (lots of corals). According to their website they are Tucson owned. Very friendly! I don't think they have had their grand opening yet.

[forrestcook]

Re: Tucson Stores (Sticky Please)

SEA is owned by a local Tucson guy that is new to the scene (new to business ownership, not reef tanks). It is run by Mike (formerly from southwest aquatics) and Jason (formerly of Petland, oasis and southwest aquatics)

it's officially open now and pretty much blows the other saltwater shops in Tucson out of the water.

[FBG]

Re: Tucson Stores (Sticky Please)

we need a fresh water store like that too.............

[stewardwildcat]

Re: Tucson Stores (Sticky Please)

Oasis does not sell freshwater plants or fish (I don't know if they used to). They focus on saltwater. However, the owner will special order things for you and piggy back their orders. They also have discounted used filters and setups from converting people from fresh to salt water. Their tanks are very clean and well kept and they are currently converting from metal halide lighting to LED. They are selling off their halide setups so if you are interested it would be worth contacting them.

[tsunamiko]

Re: Tucson Stores (Sticky Please)

Ben who worked at Desert Pet now opened up his very own freshwater fish store!! OMG it is AMAZING!! His tanks are gorgeous and has wonderful plants! Check him out-- he is open 6 days a week Tues-Sunday. Ben's store is located on Campbell just south of Ft. Lowell.

Store is called Arizona Nature Aquatics (520) 321-9000.