From: Jeliza Patterson <valkyrie+@cmu.edu>
To: bovik+@cs.cmu.edu
Reply-To: Jeliza Patterson <valkyrie+@cmu.edu>
Subject: sources for (aquarium) fish
Date: Wed, 26 Mar 1997 14:16:33 -0500
Message-ID: <17526.859403793@red-dwarf.fac.cs.cmu.edu>
Sender: Jeliza_Patterson@red-dwarf.fac.cs.cmu.edu


Hi Harry --

Your files on sources for pet fish are a little lean, so here are
my assesments of the local scene:

Alan's Pets and Plants at Murray and Phillips is not very good -- the
owner's expertise is definitely in animals other than fish, the
stock he gets is often unhealthy-looking or low-grade specimens. His
aquarium plant selection is limited, and not kept separate. (I bought
elodea from him, and while the elodea was fine, and larger than what
I found elsewhere, three snails came along for the ride.) They only 
guarantee the health of the fish until you leave the pet store, which
is ludicrous.

The PetLand in the Miracle Mile Shopping Center in Monroeville has
been quite good.  The fish are of tolerably good stock, and most
(though not all) of their employees are fish-savvy.  I've had no problems
with the fish or plants I have purchased from them, and their dead fish
policy is reasonable.

Elmer's on Highway 22 (I think -- the road that goes past Monroeville Mall
and the Miracle Mile shopping center) is reputed to be the best
fish store around. They certainly have the widest selection, including
coldwater marine, and specialize in Aquaria.  The stock seems good, but
they had a very limited selection of freshwater coldwater (i.e. goldfish, 
koi, etc.) whenever I've visited, so I haven't gotten fish from them. They
have the widest array of aquarium equipment I have seen, and the staff
was quite knowledgable.

Jeliza