The Fish Place: Forth Worth, Tx

[JMatthew]

So, back in May "The Fish Place," located at 6960 Green Oaks Rd, Fort Worth, Tx 76116 was taken over by a new owner.

Fish Pricing: Very Good to Average
Equipment Pricing: Average
Selection: Above Average
Customer Service: Great! (and I believe it's only the owner and 2 employees right now)
**Sells both Fresh and Saltie!

From what I could see of this store in the past they have typically served the more casual enthusiast with a large fish selection, however rarely anything that hardcore addicts like 'fishboxers have ever seen before. While I do not expect "The Fish Place" to turn into a Rift to Reef I was impressed by the some of the hidden treasures. As examples of fish you really don't see at most places... White Labs, Malawi Trout, Tri-Colored Cyps, Clown Labs, and Greenwoodi (and I'm sure there are others I am missing).

If you haven't ever been to "The Fish Place" or simply hasn't stopped by since in months then I highly reccomend making your way over there. Drop a line mentioning the 'fishbox so that they can see what kind of impact our community can make (it can, right? - LOL!).

[OOwl]

I'm in there almost weekly for water. Although I miss the previous owners, Deanne and Judy, very much, I agree with you; the new owner, Jerry, is doing a very good job with the store. I wish him well. Please support, or continue to support, this fine store. I, for one, am very happy to support LFSs other than the megastores and hope they thrive.

[txsharker]

I met Jerry last month and he seemed very knowledgeable and friendly, which is something I cant say for Judy or Deanne. They knew their stuff but werent very friendly and were hard to deal with. I have been doing business with them for a while now and I hope the store continues to get better because it is so close to my house.

[B-Builder]

Hey Jason did the show tank stay, they had some great fish in there.

[guppy breeder]

thanks for the info now maybe i can get a job there judy and deanne would not hire me for anything when i knew more about fish then all there employes i think they secretly thought i would try and take over lol.

[REID429]

I was in there today. Had a coral tank under awful lighting and most everything was dying. Other tanks were nice though

[KingBichir]

I go there weekly for adult brine shrimp

[rolltide#1]

thanks for the info now maybe i can get a job there judy and deanne would not hire me for anything when i knew more about fish then all there employes i think they secretly thought i would try and take over lol.

You havent ever noticed how they treat their employees? I have been caught in the middle of a few b**** outs between the ladies and employees. Probably a good thing they didnt hire you (I tried too).

Gonna miss those ladies but I think the new guy has his head on right to make that store a better one.

[txsharker]

I sure hope so I would be nice to have a friendly quality store so close to home otherwise I have to go to the midcities or to dallas.

[Txoscar]

I sure hope so I would be nice to have a friendly quality store so close to home otherwise I have to go to the midcities or to dallas.
Amen to that.....!:exactly:

[biggin]

I never had a problem with Judy or Deanne, not sure I agreed with everything but they were nice enough. The store never seemed that friendly but was ok, but it seemed to take on the attitude that most of the Ft. Worth side LFS took on.

I used to enjoy stopping by there and Keller Farms, it was not a hard drive between the 2 and could always find something interesting at each of them. But I would say that they did a good job of getting some rather interesting fish in.

I have not been under the new owner, I hope that he continues with the look and feel of the shop, it reminds me a lot of the Austin shops.

[xrickyhoangx]

i have never been here before, i think im going to give a shot in a week or 2.

[BFinley]

I haven't been to The Fish Place in month's and did not know they had new owners.I did like going there when I was in the area,but they weren't to friendly.I did like the selection of fish they had though.I will have to check them out again soon!:)

[OOwl]

I'm sad to see the negative comments about this store's former management. What I found was that the more I went there, the friendlier the staff became, as they got to know me and my dedication to the hobby. I'm not one to expect to be treated like a friend until I actually earned that honor. I think the policy of this store was to give customers the freedom to just browse without fawning all over them with sale's pitches, and maybe that was interpreted as "bad customer service" by some. Guess it's impossible to please all the people all the time. I can't recall a single time I went to that store where I was treated unfairly.

[txsharker]

OOwl my problem with the former staff was anytime I took my kids in with me (7 and 10 year olds who stay by myside at all times) I would get dirty looks and they would sigh like my kids being in there with me while I was spend 50 to 100 bucks a whack with them was a huge problem. I could see if i had bad kids beating on the tanks or running around the store but, my kids wouldnt dream of that because of the discipline my wife and I have instilled in them form birth. I was in that store very regulary from the last 18 months and before that off and on. I bought lots of fish and equipment from them mainly because it was close by. I will say that maybe in Febuary and March they began to speak to me more often instead of me having to hunt them down to get fish but, i guess that was because I was buying lots of feeders and they new everytime I walked in I wasnt just killing time.

sorry for the long post i just didnt want anyone to think I was just talking trash for no reason.

[Gumbie]

The Fish Place has been my #1 LFS for many years. Judy, Deanne, and the staff they hired were always very helpful, knowledgeable, and friendly. The fish and plants I bought were healthy and reasonably priced. The tanks were clean as well as the floors and product shelves. They would order anything you wanted, and of course there was always the live brine shrimp tank.

There was a pride of ownership and obviously a lot of hard work that Judy and Deanne brought to their store. It seems odd to go there and not see a smiling Judy working with a tank, look up and say, “If you need something just let me know.” My experiences have been the same as OOwl.

Jerry is great, and I hope he does well. I agree with what Biggin said, “I hope that he continues with the look and feel of the shop, it reminds me a lot of the Austin shops.”

Personally, I prefer a LFS where the staff are actually working instead of sitting on stools chatting while the dead fish in their tanks pass through various stages of decomposition.

[guppy breeder]

new owner is nice he just took a 12in blue channel cat off my hands.

[greeneyed]

...which is illegal.

I agree with Owl. I have used this store as my true "LFS" for years.
I could talk to Diane for hours about Tangs. And she was always nice, but never pressing.
All the staff was that way.. "Can I help you?" ..."Just looking"....
But if I had to hunt them down,.... that was my fault initially...


Judy... never really talked to her much, and never got to know her..

Never once felt my kids were not welcome there. But like you, my kids know how to act in public.

But still, if people have a problem with your kids, imo it reflects on you.
You may think their actions are fine and cute, but others have a business to run.

Frank @ Frank's Tanks has a strict rule about kids, but has invited mine back.
Of course my daughter impressed him with her knowledge of coral @ 12 y/o.

All I have to do is say, "Act like you have parents"... and my kids know.

But back to the subject. I will probably miss Judy and Diane. But look forward to meeting Jerry. Can anyone describe him? I think I may know him already...

**rant over**

**disclaimer** this was in no way directed towards anyone in particular.

[JMatthew]

You may have met Jerry before. He's been around on the DFW fish scene for a long time, though I believe this is his first excursion as an owner. He's had the years captaining a ship, though I believe with admirals whom he was suborinste to listened little. Can't say I know the whole story by far, but I have great hopes for him and his store.

While I believe Dane and Rift2Reef will still command the majority of my respect via DFW LFS - Jerry and The Fish Place are next in line for me. I will continue to support both if these business the best I can as for as long ad they continue to do everything they do to the best of their knowledge and ability.

[Txoscar]

You may have met Jerry before. He's been around on the DFW fish scene for a long time, though I believe this is his first excursion as an owner. He's had the years captaining a ship, though I believe with admirals whom he was suborinste to listened little. Can't say I know the whole story by far, but I have great hopes for him and his store.

While I believe Dane and Rift2Reef will still command the majority of my respect via DFW LFS - Jerry and The Fish Place are next in line for me. I will continue to support both if these business the best I can as for as long ad they continue to do everything they do to the best of their knowledge and ability.
ummmm did u get a lil lost in your story???...i got lost......he was a captain and played with some admirals....or is this a metaphor?.......did u get lost?.......i got lost..........:tease:

[JMatthew]

Lol - he ran a shop - actually he was in charge of several shops - but I don't believe the owners really listened well

[Txoscar]

gotcha!..i plan on heading there this nextweek...looking for ideas.....i got an empty 55 with danios and a couple pictus

[EZfish]

Because of this thread, the need for a few items and a DAY OFF! I visited this place. I have to say I was impressed. I had no expectations but the shear amount of tanks and livestock I found to be impressive. To be clear I feel like they are catering to the plant and tropical freshwater fish crowd. If you want a larger salt (Corals) selection or African Cichlid section you may want to look elsewhere. I think allot of people go into a shop with a particular interest in mind and if that specific shop does not have the largest selection of what they are looking for they are then disappointed. I have never found one shop that can cater to all types of tanks to the degree to please most big time aquarium folks. Yes, most stores can order anything you want and this is where customer service comes in.

I talked two two people, one being Jerry and the other a young female. I did not get that bad vibe but quite the opposite. And honestly that is what I go on allot when judging retail folks. Bottom line for ME is that I will go back. It is on my list of shops that I like.

I did not meet or know the previous owners.

[Squirrel]

I've been shopping there for a while, was just there a couple days ago, actually. They had some meds that I have been looking for for ages and couldn't find anywhere else.

[xrickyhoangx]

do they sell all sorts of fish here?

[guppy breeder]

...which is illegal.

yes i know this is illegal to sell bcc but it was a donation and i got nothing for him and he also stated that he cannot legally sell it because it was wild caught there for he has to give it away.

do they sell all sorts of fish here?

yes they sell a good sized variety of fish there mainly freshwater tho.

[AbovetheStorm]

Oh cool, maybe I will start shopping there again!

[pam916]

I was very sad to hear that the shop had changed owners. I have been going there for years and it was my favorite lfs. Judy could be very rude but I always enjoyed doing business with DeeAnne, she was quiet but very knowledgeable, nice and easy to talk to. I was always able to find something a little bit unusual and interesting to buy. I visited the store today and the new people seem very nice and the vibe was relaxed. I didn't find anything that I was interested in buying. I doubt the store will ever be the same to me but I do hope the new owner does well because I hate to see another lfs close its doors.

[elbandito78]

Wow. I'm a little sad that they changed too. But if the new owner is tcb then that's good. This was one of the first stores I went to as a kid, back in the late 80's...the other one was The Aquarium that was on Berry St. I think they moved to Camp Bowie. Not sure if it's still around. Haven't been over that way in a long time.

[guppy breeder]

jerry took my cat last friday, also got a job app from him, took it in yesterday an got a job pretty much on the spot. i like this guy the last owners wouldnt hire me for anything

[Gumbie]

If Jerry decides to expand like crazy and then raises prices, I’ll stop going there and go to the LFS that is closer to me which already has higher prices. I think the previous owners were able to keep prices low because their overhead was low and they kept stock that they knew would move.

[JMatthew]

I doubt it - he has always been reasonable with me and it appears he's being careful not to over hire doing a lot of the work himself!

[RandallW20]

I have to agree with the majority of the people on here. I have been going to this store since I was a kid over 20yrs ago. The previous owners weren't necessarily rude to me, but they always made it seem like they had something better to do or didnt care to have any customers that day.
But, I kept going back because the prices were reasonable and they wouldn't sell a fish if they believed something may be wrong with it. And every now and then you could catch them on a good day where they'd talk to you for a little bit with a cheery attitude (at least the brunette lady) never talked to the other one, she's the one that seemed more mean....:(

I like going here because they seem to focus on community fish. If I was looking at cichlids and some community fish I'd go to Fish Gallery.
I live like 2 miles from Keller Farms and I hardly go there due to high prices, uncaring employees/owners, and the majority of fish mislabeled or just labeled "misc" fish.

[Haiven]

I had a great relationship with Deanne, one of the past owners and she always greeted me by name and spent a minute or two visiting with me. They had a marvelous selection of freshwater fish - I never failed to find fish I couldn't find elsewhere. As far as dry goods were concerned, they had a little of everything, kinda like Fish Gallery. I could always find meds there that I couldn't find elsewhere. They also had a "small bone yard." The Fish Place has always been one of my favorite lfs.

I am looking forward to getting to know Jerry - he has a great reputation and I wish him well. I will definitely be checking out his store!

[Mwil3]

The old owners were lacking a bit in customer service, but once you built a bit of a relationship with them, they were very helpful. (That's not the best way to run a business) I went in there this weekend and spoke with Jerry and he seems to be pretty nice. Best of luck to him.

I've always felt they had one of the better selections of freshwater in the area.

[FlamandalayBay]

I have to agree with the majority of the people on here. I have been going to this store since I was a kid over 20yrs ago. The previous owners weren't necessarily rude to me, but they always made it seem like they had something better to do or didnt care to have any customers that day.
But, I kept going back because the prices were reasonable and they wouldn't sell a fish if they believed something may be wrong with it. And every now and then you could catch them on a good day where they'd talk to you for a little bit with a cheery attitude (at least the brunette lady) never talked to the other one, she's the one that seemed more mean....:(

I like going here because they seem to focus on community fish. If I was looking at cichlids and some community fish I'd go to Fish Gallery.
I live like 2 miles from Keller Farms and I hardly go there due to high prices, uncaring employees/owners, and the majority of fish mislabeled or just labeled "misc" fish.
I was at The Fish Place this past Saturday and I love that place. I think they have always had a decent selection and fair prices but Jerry is a super nice guy as is the young lady that was running the sw section that day. Jerry walked around and talked with us and genuinely valued our opnions on things. I do think the place is a lil cleaner and the selection of fish Randall isn't just geared to community. I saw some things there that I not really seen in other lfs. Not saying they don't carry the same i am just saying i never see them elsewhere. I got a chocolate cichlid for 8 bux in there...gorgeous. I will be going back to pick out my schools of tetra as well...

[Fish]

I love the fish place! Have been frequenting there for years. Will miss Judy more than D, but both will be missed. I will say that Jerry is super nice and seems to be very knowledge-able, and in my opinion the fish place will be better off with him.

[DaMenace]

So do they have a large or good size variety of peacocks and haps? I'm thinking of going right now.

[KingBichir]

they have a pretty good selection.

[JMatthew]

So do they have a large or good size variety of peacocks and haps? I'm thinking of going right now.

Not equal to Rift2Reef, DNA or Fish Gallery, however still worth checking out.

[guppy breeder]

Jerry is changing up the store. Not ssure if he is changing the stock just remodeling

[Freshwater fan]

Judy and Dee Ann were always more than outgoing with me. Extremely helpful with special orders. They knew I kept goldfish and actually appeared on my front porch one afternoon to tell me about a rescue they had in that was very special and they wanted me to adopt it. Turned out to be a wonderful Phoenix - quite rare - and a lovely fish. No charge - they just wanted a good home for it. That's the kind of folks they are.

I haven't been in yet to meet Jerry. I met his parents one weekend just after the sale. They had a lot to learn, but seemed to be very kind.

[BBrianMo1]

Jerry helped me there today, granted was only there for plants, but he was still very helpful with what I needed. Every other time lately that I've been in there, he's seemed to be pretty knowledgable whenever asked anything.