ABC Aquarium

Address:	2555 Baird Rd, Penfield, NY 14526, USA
Phone:	+1 585-388-7988
Site:	rochesteraquarium.com
Rating:	4.6
Working:	Closed 12–7PM 12–7PM 12–7PM 12–7PM 12–5PM 12–5PM

Location

Photos 100

Reviews 7

A Private User

I am not going to leave my opinion in this review, just the facts so that you can decide if this is the place you want to purchase fish. I went to ABC to purchase new fish, and went to the store prepared with all my water test results. They were as follows - pH 7.2, Ammonia 0ppm, Nitrite 0ppm, Nitrate 40ppm, Temp 80. I was greeted by an older man and I showed him my water parameters and asked for his recommendation on what type of fish would best fit with my water. He suggested the dwarf balloon ram cichlids, and said these were perfect for my water. So with out questioning the professional I purchased 2 of these fish at $10 each. I properly transferred the fish into their new home. When they were released from the bag they immediately sank to the bottom and went directly into the corner of the tank. I gave them a day to get used to the tank and they had not moved, so I called ABC to find out why this was happening. The older man told me this was normal, not to worry. After 5 days they fish still had not moved from the corner, so I called ABC again. This time a woman was on the phone, I told her what was happening and she yelled at me telling me my water must be the problem, and that I needed to bring in water for them to test and that I probably needed to purchase something else from them to fix it. I tested the water that day and it was exactly the same as it was when I bought the fish. Well 2 weeks later and both fish have died.

A Private User

I really wanted to like this store. Their fish appear healthier than at big chain pet stores and I had hopes of the employees offering better expertise as well. However, the owners are very rude. I purchased a heater there and followed the instructions exactly as to keeping it below the water line and acclimating it to my water for 30 minutes.Yet the glass on it broke and filled with water only 2 hours after I installed it. I asked my husband to bring it back to the store for an exchange. The owners told him I was lying and had either dropped it on the ground breaking it or had not kept the water above the line. They were very insulting and implied I was a liar or stupid. They also refused to give a refund. Because of this we will never give them business again. This is such a shame since I would have been a repeat customer otherwise. In addition to this incident, I had asked for advice on which fish to purchase that would be hardy and peaceful. The owner suggested I put 2 angel fish with a school of tetras and some ghost shrimp. I later learned that my 20 gallon tank would have been far too small for this and the angels might might have been too aggressive as well. Luckily I did not follow this advice. I had wanted to support this store since they are a small business. If they want to keep customers they really need to learn to treat people with respect. On the positive side, all of the fish I bought seem very healthy and happy.

Rick

This is a family owned and run store. The fish are so much healthier than you find at chain pet stores. They really know there stuff too. I drive 30 minutes out of my way to exclusively shop here. This is one of the few places that have truly aquatic grown plants. Because of this, their selection can be limited. Ask them for something special and they will probably find it for you. They have HC mats , DHG and "petite" anubis nana. They have crystal red shrimp and crystal shrimp ( the black and white variety). They also have amano shrimp regularly. I dont know of another store close to Rochester that carries these. Any planted tank enthusiast will surely appreciate that. They carry seachem products (excel, flourish excel, flourite) which I prefer. Talk to the owner or his son if you have any questions. They will show you around the store and talk about all of the tanks they have on display. A few people said they were rude but I doubt that. They throw in a fish or two for free now and again for me and I barely know them. All of the tanks are filtered separately. None of their fish are sick or stressed. The planted tanks have CO2 injection and medium lighting. A lot of places just throw their plants into a normal tank and thats why they die off so fast when you buy them.

A Private User

very nice set up. healthy fish. i went in before i started my tanks to get a better understanding of what i needed and what i should be expecting. i had done a little research so i had a limited idea. the older gentleman that greeted me was (for lack of a better word/phrase) short with me...yes and no answers...so i had left somewhat disappointed...i had gone back after my tanks had cycled to get a clean up crew...the same gentleman greeted me again...i told him what i needed and asked for his opinion and he was more than happy to give me advice and help me out with my choices...maybe it was a bad day, maybe it was that i was buying something...everyone deserves a second chance...theyre not bad people, in fact they were really nice to me...ill be back to buy a few other things from them..everyone leaving negative comments, theyre human...sometimes everyone just needs a break

Dylan Deuser

Out dated pictures on the google site by a long run. I took my family on a two hour road trip as a saltwater fish/ reef enthusiast to see a poorly kept selection. The prices were right for what they had in livestock for the hobby. But the specimens they had were crammed, for instance... 2 basketball sized lionfish each in 20 gallon aquariums. I was disappointed. Freshwater had better selection for all ends of the hobby. But salwater not all so much. I did purchase a few zoanthid frags but they will be spending a few months in quarantine. Sorry im not sorry but this is in fact the worst shop in NY state for this hobby and i beleive they should be shut down. Its been over 2 months since my visit and all the specimens i bought are still being attacked by reef pests such as nudibranch and zoa eating spiders. No growth only deteriation on the peices i purchased.

Ethan Heywood

ABC Aquariums is an amazing store for the aquarium hobbyist. Their wide selection of fish, plants, decorations, and coral will meet your every need. This store is locally owned, and satisfying their customers and keeping there fish happy and healthy are definitely there top priorities. Also, the tanks at ABC don’t all share one filter, unlike large pet stores such as Petco and Petsmart. Instead each tank has its own filter for maximum fish happiness and health. I am a regular customer and have never bought, or seen, a fish from ABC aquariums that is sick or injured. I have also never seen a dead fish in any of their tanks, much unlike Petco and Petsmart. ABC has great prices, nice employs, healthy fish, and much, much more. I can never wait to go to this amazing aquarium shop.

A Private User

I am a repeat customer. I have always had great service there. The owner and his son are very knowledgeable and courteous. The fish and plants have been healthy, and do well in my water. I was having a tough time with my plants using the stock lighting that came with my used 55 gal. tank. They set me up with a t-5 fixture that made my plants take off with growth. And the fixture was $10.00 less than the same one on Amazon. I want to try breeding glowlight danios, and the owner gave me a ton of advice on how to proceed. Dont be shy to ask for advice.