List of Distinctive LFS

[valice]

After the demise of Kingfisher, what other decent shops are we left with? I can think of these few and their "speciality". Any others?

Names listed in alphabetical order:

Aquatic Concept (Thomson Plaza) - Dennerle substrate and products, Tropica dealer
Bioplast - Moss and CO2
Biotope - Apistogramma, Coral Reds, lots of ADA soil
C328 (The real McCoy) - One stop shop which has nearly everything
Colourful - Plants (But not alot really imo)
EcoCulture - First batch of all types of new fishes and lots of plants available, tons of ADA soil and fertilisers
Far East Aquaria - Official Tropica dealer
Fish Haven - Pleco
Keong Seong - Submersed crypts and variety of plants, remnants of ADA products (?)
NA - Wide range of equipment, Seachem substrate
Neo Kim Suey - Pleco
Wu Hu TB Ben - Racks of fishes
Y618 - C328 of the north

Edit: I will add on to the list when you guys mention them in the discussion...

[Sunfire]

Biotope - Apistogramma - I go there to check out the plants
C328 (The real McCoy) - One stop shop which has nearly everything - seldom go thereColourful - Plants (But not alot really imo) - never gone
EcoCulture - First batch of all types of new fishes and lots of plants available, tons of ADA soil and fertilisers - hang out there all the time
Far East Aquaria - Official Tropica dealer - only gone once, disappointment to me, not like what I thought
Fish Haven - Pleco - not into plecos
NA - Cheap equipment - planning on going, but busy, don't know how to drive there
Neo Kim Suey - Pleco - not into plecos
Wu Hu TB Ben - Racks of fishes - never gone, don't intend to checkit out
Y618 - Another C328 in the north - hang out there all the time


Sam's Aquarium and Pet? - slightly more expensive
Sea View Aquarium - great for buying in bulk?
Horizon aquarium - cheap fishes?
Cichids Forever - weird fishes?

I don't really understand what is 'decent' and what is 'not decent'...
More famous? More cheap? More variety?

[ah_hup]

why nobody mention Polyart and CLementi Florist & Aquarium??

normally i go C328 is to bio the ah lian from the clothing store beside C328

[vinz]

Ah Hup,

You just mentioned them didn't you? So why do you think they are worth mentioning. Having pretty girls next door to an LFS is not a valid reason. And it's a mildly indecent reason.

So, let's keep to the topic.

Vincent (Valice), like what Sunfire metioned, can you define what you mean by 'decent'. What criteria are we looking at here?

[Jungle-mania]

I think 'decent' is not the politically correct word, given the list of LFS listed, I think they are not the 'run of the mill' LFS, each of them has their unique strength and mainly cater towards a niche market in the aquarium hobby, in particular to the planted tank scene.

I like to comment that although 'colourful' may not have plethora of flora, but they certainly have the most I have seen by far in a small shop and a fair number of the plants are already in submersed form. (no affliation to the shop, just my opinion).

[kemp]

Bro, i think u might want to consider rephrasing this statement. Personally i find it's too bold to declare them as cheap equipment as their "speciality". How is your comparison being made?
just my 2cent view, hope you don't get offended

After the demise of Kingfisher, what other decent shops are we left with? I can think of these few and their "speciality". Any others?

Names listed in alphabetical order:

NA - Cheap equipment

[wks]

I think its a futile exercise to classify our lfs according to the above so called 'decent lfs' criteria because there is no common standards to follow.

Every fish shop emerged to serve a different segment of customers. You just can't say a fish shop operating in the wet market is not decent simply because they don't have the product range like C328, the wide range of livestock like Wu Hu or the exotic species like Biotope.

To their customers, as long as the shop serve their needs, they can be considered decent too. I often patronised a fish shop in Yishun market until it closed down last year.

Maybe the better word to use is 'favourite' fish shop.

[Jungle-mania]

Oh yes, like to add that alot more has to be done to promote our hobby. Many out there are absolutely keen to jump into the planted tank scene, unfortunately they are not well informed about the hobby, as a result they think it is difficult and that compunds the lack of initiative to take up the hobby.

I think a basic compressed guideline should be provided to the masses to educate them sufficiently to the point that they can face the basic adversities that arise in starting and maintaining a tank. Evidently, many will retort that such information are easily leeched out the internet and magazines, but the would be aquarist have little idea on where to start and move on.

Consequently, the distrust of one's ability to create and maintain a planted tank will hinder any chance of one taking off, leading to a lack of sales for LFS and ultimately a lack of choice for us.

Coincidentally, other trades in the hobby industry are facing similar problems too.

[valice]

Hmm... I was pondering about what word to replace the word decent... But what I had in mind was shops which has that something that attract us hobbyist...

Also I was thinking of listing shops which have a distinct feature about them which we associate with...

Can't think of word, so just hantam the word "decent' lor... Any better suggestions?

Also, this could probably be used to let newbies know what shops specialise in what...

Don't worry, I wouldn't be offended at all.. As long as it is not personal attacks or flaming but is about the topic, I believe it is good discussion...

And AQ moderators are constantly prowling...

[Quixotic]

Also I was thinking of listing shops which have a distinct feature about them which we associate with...

Since it is about distinct features about them, perhaps the word distinctive?

"List of Distinctive LFS Left in the Market" sounds pretty decent to me.

[KeIgO86]

I would think of the 'decent' lfs mentioned above to be shops that I will like to visit more than once because everytime I go there, there's something new to look at and "wow" about or attractive to buy, as they stock a wide range of flora, fauna and equipment at good prices.


The other lfs that I won't like to visit that often are those which only stock common fauna flora and equipment. Usually these lfs I walk in and wont stay more than 5 minutes then walk out disappointed because everything is too common.

valice, I too do not have a good word to replace 'decent' though. Perhaps 'reputable' will be a milder substitute?

[lorba]

The other lfs that I won't like to visit that often are those which only stock common fauna flora and equipment. Usually these lfs I walk in and wont stay more than 5 minutes then walk out disappointed because everything is too common.

I think there will be a problem for most of the shops to keep uncommon things. These are usually either more expensive, high in-shop-casualty, or more difficult to keep fishes. They may not even know some of the uncommon things in the first place.

If nobody buys them or the sales is slow, the shop will not stock it on the long run. They will probably stock more common and popular fishes that aunties/uncles buy, instead of something that get stuck in the tank for 2 months, admired by everyone in awe, but wasting electricity, water, food, and eventually, die.

I think a decent lfs should be one with a shopkeeper that knows about what he/she is selling, be it fish or a pump.
Not just anyhow hamtam, eg badis badis from badis island.

Nature Aquarium, Biotope, Ecoculture are shops where you can probably get some advices when you ask.
C328 is good too as auntie knows quite a bit of her product too.

[valice]

Since it is about distinct features about them, perhaps the word distinctive?

"List of Distinctive LFS Left in the Market" sounds pretty decent to me.

Yeah yeah... That's the word to use!
Think need to Mods to do the title change to better reflect the thread...

[uklau]

Great job, Vincent!
When I first took up this hobby, I search high & low for similar a list & ended up here with the directory of LFS. I would say this is a summarized version & compliment to the earlier created thread.

Good to know that everyone here is so helpful even in getting the right terms being used in the forum. This will surely help to avoid furthur misleading or misunderstanding.

[bryan]

Keong Seong on Havelock road has a couple of tanks with submersed crypts. Not many shops have that. Horizon has 'exotics' at pretty good prices.

[bossteck]

The other lfs that I won't like to visit that often are those which only stock common fauna flora and equipment. Usually these lfs I walk in and wont stay more than 5 minutes then walk out disappointed because everything is too common.

Ironically, these are the shops that are the survivals. One such example is Lakeview at eunos, no offence to the owners, but it has been there since I was in primary school, which is like 20+ years ago. Till now I still go there occassionally, just for old time's sake.

Problem with shops that stock the uncommon fishes and plants is that alot of people will go and see... but only a very small portion will actually buy.

[vinz]

*prowl prowl prowl*

Reading the thread, I think 'distinctive' would be closest word. I'll change the title!

*prowl prowl prowl*

[XnSdVd]

lol, i can just imagine Justikanz's cat avatar prowling around with that grin on it's face

Anyway, good idea valice! If we can't defame the bad shops we might as well try to promote the better ones. I'd hate to see the shops on your list go. Except maybe colourful... The man has a rather... questionable reputation i'd rather not comment on.

[uklau]

Don't be too hard on him, XnSdVd. I experienced the same when I first stepped into the shop. Do spend sometime sharing with each other & you'll find the other side of him.

[XnSdVd]

I'd agree if it'd been just my first experience. But considering i pop into his shop everytime i visit NA... Well, you know what i mean.