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Absolutely Fish

E

Erich

This is a great place to get info and visit prices are reasonable. Its well managed with more saltwater fish than freshwater. No one will be disappointed when you visit this place. Quality fish and expertise onsite. Sounds like I work there but I don't. I have bought fish from them and other items and their service is impeciable.

http://www.absolutelyfish.com/HomePage.htm

Address: 1080 US Route 46 West Clifton, NJ 07013

Phone Number: (973)-365-0200
 
B

Big Rotties

It use to be Aqua Tropics.I agee nice stuff ,but I think there high in prices.ex.$30 cleaner shrimp,coarls $70 & up.But they have a great assortment.
 
Phyl

Phyl

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
Great assortment, but I have to agree that the prices aren't really all that. The purple tang that I got from them had ich in a bad way 2 days after I got him home and the gramma died during treatment (also had ich and some other terrible parasite). I think I'll stick to Trop (or LiveAquaria) for my fish orders.
 
N

nyfireman3097

i just went theere last saturday and got 3 anthias 120 bucks then sun my friend offers my wholesale prices 15 each go figure but it has alot of fish and sps's just think
Nick
 
kabal2

kabal2

they suck, they may have a nice selction but they have a bad damn actitude, i hate when i have to go there, but well thats life and in top of that their prices are over the roof,
feels good talk bad about that place ;D
 
N

nagel

I used to work for Hanover Pet... Ab Fish's closest competitor in north jersey..

Let me say this. Being MAC certified is more of a process of jumping hoops.. As for ethical retailers, most know Phillipines caught fish = a very high probability of cyanide caught fish. I know for fact that we made sure we never ordered Phillipines fish.. I can't say that its guaranteed that we never got a cyanide caught fish there. but I can testify that if HP did, they didn't know it..

MAC certification isn't justification for higher prices..

Finding good suppliers, and moving more product means better prices..

Not to bash AbFish (they do have a great selection, but the few times I visited, service was, well, less then spectacular), but to use MAC as a reason to jack up prices really rots my socks..

HP was approached about MAC certification, and after I checked with a few of my "well placed" (read that as authors of most of the books we read), MAC certification was alot of BS for no return on investment. Requirements of MAC certification are things any good business should do. Track DOA's from wholesalers, attempt to figure out why, etc.. Most good LFS's will do this just to maximize profit on investment, not to be MAC certified..

AMDA is a good cause, but loosely held together.. Basically, in a nutshell, if you have a GOOD LFS, they will have GOOD livestock at affordable prices.. Higher prices to me equals someone trying to make money back on DOA's, not necessarily guaranteeing you better fish.

Know the LFS, the LFS hopefuly knows their wholesalers (Believe me, we would only buy certain things from certain wholesalers because the other stuff had a short lifespan), and you dont need to have such high prices..

Mind you, I HAVE NOT worked for Hanover Pet since January, have no stake in the game, and get tired of "credentials" that you pay for being the reason for the high prices..
 
M

moose8721

I like absolutely fish. Most of their stuff is expensive, but its usually healthy. My experience with buying both fish and coral have both been positive, people appear knowledgeable.

I was also at Hanover this past weekend. My first time, so I don't know what it used to be. But that place is gross.
 
kabal2

kabal2

i got the damn red bugs :mad: from one of their frags, and i dont think they are that healty, i saw a lot of dead fish, and did i mention that i hate that place ;D
 
T

Tri0 #3

yeah when i was buying a fish they helped me out alot. They are very knowledgable but prices were somewhat high. Though I brought my sister I didn't like the way they were staring at her. As if they never saw a woman before. Thank god it was my sister, if it was my g/f all hell wouldve broke loose.
 
M

MisterFISH

I just have to say that Absolutely Fish is great if you go buy what you need and get out!  I used to like this store because of the distance and ok livestock.  Any equipment that you might need, they will have there  (pricey though) 
But the manager of this store has to train his staff on costumer service!!!  They suck!!  There's a big sign when you first come in that tells you they're the #1 store in jersey.  Apperantly the people who voted did not shop there!   The workers there won't speak to you unless you chase them down the store, you totally feel ingnored.  When i finally got someone, i got nothing but short answers and a bad attitude that made me feel bad for owning a tank! 
There are some exceptions though, one kid there was really nice and helpful.

So after that bad experience i've decided not to shop there again.  I'm only sharing my experience and not saying not to go there and shop.  I just feel that it doesn't matter what level experience you have in the hobby and how deep your pockets are, you should be treated the same as a customer. 

This website is very helpful on giving other options on where to shop in jersey, thanks for sharing. 
 
S

Sorcha

We took a road trip out to Absolutely Fish from near the PA border. It's very impressive to look at, especially since there is almost nothing near us that's good.

But...prices were off the hook....staff was crazed and not that bright (guy talked us out of one food and into another we'd not tried, then he gets the freshwater kind and stuck it in the bag, didn't notice until we were home :mad:)...nice corals and good frags for some decent prices.

BUT...we bought a Purple Pseudocromis there was totally infected. Didn't see it until a few days later because it hid in the rocks at first and then you didn't notice until under actinics only. Couldn't get him out and couldn't save him. Took every fish in the tank with it except our Yellow Tang. We watched our beloved Midas Blenny die a horrible death.

Called them about it...they were NOT helpful in the least. Didn't want to hear they sold sick fish.

Absolutely Fish = Absolutely Not Worth It
 
NEWSALT

NEWSALT

I agree. Staff has an attitude like they know it all. Prices are out of this world. Corals are nice I admit that, but again, the prices  :eek:. I went to three of there Midnight Madness events. It's more hype than anyhting else. I won't go there again.
 
O

oogie

I visited AF very frequently, and purchased alot from them. Once you get to know some of the people, they will be very pleasent to deal with. But, on couple of recent visits, lots of employees that worked there for long time isn't working there anymore. I don't know why, but they are just not there. Also, I am starting to see their maint. quality dropping by significant margin.
 
R

ReefNexus

I actually bought my reef tank from them and got someone who treated me like a school kid. Eventually found some one who was friendly (he longer is there).

Like a previous post I can confirm that the quality has deteriorated badly and ich is running amok in their tanks. We bought 3 tangs at the recommendation of the manager. As soon as I had acclimatized them (drip) they showed signs of ich. We lost most of my tanks fish due to it as the ich medicine they suggested and charged for did nothing.

I have seen most of the staff disappear that knew anything and had an ounce of customer service.

My recommendation is to stay away from this overpriced (for both corals and fish), disease infected unfriendly outlet that somehow claims to be #1 in NJ. Trop beats these guys by a huge distance.
 
C

cmart28

I actually purchased my first fish there Dec 30. I purchased two tank raised false clowns. They both are doing great, however I purchased a fire shrimp for $25 that did not even last a week. After slowly acclimating for 3 hours using the drip method. Also the kid who sold me the clowns was trying to get me to buy an anemone for my clowns, but I told him my tank was only 2 months old and not established enough for an anemone, his response was he added an anemone to his tank after a month. ???
 
J

JRodrig692

Oh the joy of cheap labor!

I have bought fish from them in the past, but nothing recent (2 years).

Everyone here says that they are so overpriced, and I will agree with you, but the man is still open, and is obviously turning a profit, so the question becomes, "Where are these people coming from?"

I have seen alot of people in that store get sold things that should have NEVER been placed in a tank of together with certain fish, but they were pushed to buy it, and told "Oh these things will live forever!"

Everyday I am being turned off more and more by the "BIG" guy and prefer to spend my hard earned money on the "LITTLE" guy with the 20 total tanks, instead of the: SUPER OUTSTANDING, BIGGER THAN AN AQUARIUM, YOU HAVE TO SEE FOR YOURSELF, 2 BILLION GALLON SETUP! Give me a break. You want to know why the prices are so high, its all the advertising, electricity and HUGE store front sizes that are passed on to you and me.

Make a profit, I see nothing wrong with that, just don't true to rip me off and pretend you are not. Enough said, off my soapbox I go.
 
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