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Maidenhead Aquatics/Fishkeeper

I remember when Maidenhead Aquatics was just a single shop near the centre of Maidenhead. I’m probably going back to some time in the eighties. They were nothing short of a revelation; in those days, most aquatic shops were pretty dire, and MA were the first shop to have a pretty high-tech centralised filtration system serving the whole shop, and the quality and health of their fish was amazingly good.

Then a few years later they opened an outlet in Bourne End garden centre, which I presume was their first franchise. Again, the model was the same: a centralised filtration system with excellent health and quality. And the business has grown exponentially, to the point where it’s almost difficult to find an aquatic shop that isn’t a branch of MA.

I personally think it’s easy to forget how bad most aquatic shops were back in those early days, and I really believe that MA are responsible for revolutionising the quality that we now expect from all aquatic stores, who have had no choice but to up their game. It’s certainly true that there has been some dilution of the quality that defined those first few outlets, but I think that’s inevitable.

It’s easy to criticise, but I really believe we should thank MA for raising the standards and the expectations for aquatic shops in this country.
I agree. I also remember the Maidenhead one (it was on King Street) and then the first one in Bourne End, which seemed like an aquatic superstore at the time.
 
I recently visited a MA coming from Daventry towards Rugby. It was very well looked after, clean tanks and healthy fish. Not sure if it's a new shop. Its mainly marine focussed with loads of frags and soft coral plugs.

For tropicals the fish selection was much better than others I've visited, staff were helpful and enthusiastic. They had 4-5 types of killies. Some amphyosemion spp, notobrachius sp and epiplatys annulatus. Some nice Corys, including scleromystax barbatus. Only downside were prices, which were on the steeper side and slightly limited plant selection. Although I'm not sure if this is a current trend elsewhere with freight costs increasing. Its a cut above your average MA and worth a visit, especially if you like marines.
 
Any Maidenhead Aquatics is probably better than the one aquarium shop we have in Townsville Australia. Would probably never by dry goods in store since better to buy online. You can get good fish but Maidenhead is bigger and has more choice etc. Plants not great but I think that is more of an Australia problem in general.
 
It really does depend on branch and the staff. I have none local to me but I call in if passing. Found plant quality very variable but have recently bought some lovely plants both for my tank and for a indoor mini bog garden and patio bucket ponds. Have in the past negotiated price reductions on fish. Always appear to have different staff, but I am a very infrequent visitor.

Prefer to buy from micro/hobby businesses if they can be found. Hardware and dry goods I buy on line. However I seldom buy; fish swim, plants grow and I change the water.
 
Being from Leeds - Maidenhead aquatics (Tong) is all I seem to have locally, I wouldn't mind an hours drive if anyone knows of anywhere really good! I did like the place. Staff we're nice but all just young people I didn't think any of them would be gurus but they could answer beginner basics.

Tanks and displays looked good.

I didn't mind paying the extra over buying online to get the shop experience, as said above nowt beats a trip out to buy fish, I make a day of it! Especially for live stock, posting them still doesn't seem right to me!

Suppose each location will be as good or bad as the people running it, cant tar them all with the rude staff brush.
pop into https://oceancoralsandreptiles.co.uk/gallery/ next time your near York
 
I have been buying my livestock from Pets at Home in Waddon and they are always in good condition. Maidenhead are expensive I find and apart from a couple of guys not very helpful.

But for me the doyen of aquatic shops is Lynwoods, just of the A3. Good old fashioned family owned shop, plenty of fish varieties, service is second to none!

This sort of shop are becoming a rarity in my opinion
 
Price is always ridiculous and varies store to store ive found.
The best one for me was st.albans, friendly staff and a HUGE selection of fish
 
My experiences with the ones near to me are similar

When I do go to one of my local MA it's just for bits and bobs that I need. The quality of the livestock (I'm predominantly into keeping rarer corydoras/dwarf cichlids) is lacking and the price considering this is laughable

I can't comment on plants as I'm not a massive plant guy but whilst most of the MAs I've been to have tons of maintenance gear if you're into aquascaping the actual variety of plants seems pretty basic

I will always go to independent stores for my livestock even though both of my regulars are an hour + drive away but this is also more due to them stocking the lesser seen species that I am after (or they get what I am after ordered in if on their supplier lists)

I do agree that some stores are better than others and the same goes for the employees, some are knowledgeable but some are not. It's hit and miss
 
I'd just like to add that I've found the MA in Basingstoke to be really good. Some prices are aye watering (shrimp) but they'll order in anything they can for you and go above and beyond to help, including searching for biotope info for me. The new manager is a fish keeper (was a staff member but took over when the older guy left) and is very knowledgeable and interesting to chat to and will make time to chat as well :)
 
Our Maidenhead in Andover Is pretty good, tanks always well stocked and clean.
The two guys that run it are helpful and quite knowledgeable.
When I visited last week I noticed they have started to get into the Aquascaping side of the hobby, stocking a good range of rock, of which I purchased 11 kilo of Dragon stone. Although I could have probably bought cheaper on line! I was happy to pay a little extra as I could pick the pieces first hand.
My only small gripe is, they won’t give you a small credit if you take fish in, even if purchased from them. Another plus is, the wife never moans about me going as it’s in a garden centre, so she always comes away with plants.
 
I should probably come back to clarify some details since my original post:

A) Fishkeeper Braehead is still awful, I sometimes wander in when I'm at the garden centre, and it's always woeful.

B) Fishkeeper Coatbridge is much better, stock wise, staff, upkeep.
 
I have returned to fishkeeping after a long hiatus - in fact, my first job was working in a tropical fish house in Toton, Notts as a 15 year old! Having come back to the hobby and now living in Bristol, my only option seems to be Maidenhead Aquatics.

I have tried a number of them:

Taunton - made famous by MD Fishtanks. Has a good range of fish and hardscape, but wasn't worth the hour drive for me.
Cadbury Garden Centre in Congresbury - reasonable selection, but the tanks often look a bit shabby to me. Staff were helpful and the fish I bought are healthy.
Thornbury - reasonable selection and staff were very helpful. Got some good sized Amanos here.

But, overall, my very local store in Bristol is probably the best in my opinion. They have a broad range of freshwater fish - plenty of the usual, but also some really interesting and some more unusual fish. The tanks seem pretty clean and tidy too, so this will be my go to place. Think they have the biggest selection of the ones I've been to.

I have to say, though, that the prices are pretty extortionate. £7 for an Amano shrimp that is barely 1cm long is crazy - I went to get some, but aborted when I saw how much they were for the size. I have actually ordered online to save some cash. I also wanted some river stones from the Taunton store - but they were £25 a pop for a medium sized pebble!

Would be interested to know any recommendations for Bristol/South Gloucestershire - would love to find a good independent.
 
Hi all,
Would be interested to know any recommendations for Bristol/South Gloucestershire
Parker's at Iron Acton? I haven't been in for a few years but they used to be all right. I think @not called Bob is been in more recently? There is also @ScareCrow from your part of the world.

<Parkers Aquatic is a respected pond, aquarium and livestock retailer>.

A bit more of a trek, but <"Acres Aquatics"> (nr Longleat) is the only one (in this whole area) that <"I know of that is OK">. I popped over <"to the Staple Hill"> but <"Absolute Aquatics"> had already gone out of business.

cheers Darrel
 
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