# Fraser Aquarium to become Main Aquarium



## stratos

I was at Fraser Aquarium yesterday and saw signs up saying they are moving to Main St and *51*st and changing their name to Main Aquarium.

The move is to happen in a month. Those with a loooong memory around town will see the irony. Back in the 1970's till the early 1990's Main Aquarium on Main and 27th was Fraser's biggest competitor. Main Aquarium closed years ago, and now Fraser will become Main. Kind of funny.


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## tony1928

Wow, that's pretty funny. I used to go to Main Aquarium all the time. All those many tiny metal framed display tanks. Brings back old memories. Here's hoping they do a great job at setting up the new store!


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## April

Yep heard that a few months ago. Not a bad spot close to a lot of commuting traffic


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## SeaHorse_Fanatic

Yes I remember. We used to cycle to Fraser for their super specials (usually small schools of zebra danios, rasboras or tetras) and then over to Main Aquarium for live brine shrimp. This was back in the late 70s, early 80s. Thanks Stratos, now I feel OLD


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## April

Yeah Anthony your old lol! I don't think I ever went there. 


Sent by tapatalk in north Burnaby


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## stratos

SeaHorse_Fanatic said:


> Yes I remember. We used to cycle to Fraser for their super specials (usually small schools of zebra danios, rasboras or tetras) and then over to Main Aquarium for live brine shrimp. This was back in the late 70s, early 80s. Thanks Stratos, now I feel OLD


Lol, I might have sold you some fish.  I worked there while in high school, grades 9-11, back in the early 80's. I cut my finger bad on one of those metal rimmed tanks while doing a water change. I still have a scar from that day; but looking back, it really was the best after school/summer job a kid could have.


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## Clownloachlover

I remember both stores fondly...Fraser Aquarium was neat and tidy and run by a husband and wife team and Main Aquarium was a mess...the last time I was at Fraser aquarium you could barely walk down the aisles because of the overstock of everything...if they are moving into a smaller location it will only get worse...lets hope not. Good luck to them in the new location


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## hi-revs

Hope they keep the tanks nicer and cleaner at their new location


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## greenfin

I remember going to both those shops in the '80's with my mom and brother. I remember wanting that cockatoo at Main Aquarium as well as all the fish stuff. I also remember loving that plant waterfall tank he had near the till. Fraser aquarium was big and fancy looking. We bought a fair few HOB heaters and undergravel filters there. Think I still have an old air pump. Good luck to Fraser aquarium -- now on Main street!


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## samw

My parents bought me my first aquarium (27G Hagen with incandescent lights) from Fraser Aquarium in the 80's. After a trip to Fraser Aquarium, Main Aquarium was often the next stop. We drove there all the way from Delta for our aquatic needs. How's the new location? Any reports?


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## SeaHorse_Fanatic

My second tank (when I was 8) was a 33g tank my dad bought me after coming home from vacation and finding out I had bought about 50 fish for a new 5 gallon I had bought and taken home on the bus while he & mom were on vacation in Malaysia. 

To be honest, the 33g looked overcrowded after we did the fish transfer (what was I thinking before???). Can't remember which unscrupulous LFS owner took advantage of an innocent 8 years old to sell me 50 fish, a 5g set up and then send me merrily on my way, but I know it wasn't either Main or Fraser Aquarium.

I do fine the irony of one competitor taking over the name of another competitor to be quite amusing.


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## samw

Was it 50 feeder guppies?



SeaHorse_Fanatic said:


> To be honest, the 33g looked overcrowded after we did the fish transfer (what was I thinking before???). Can't remember which unscrupulous LFS owner took advantage of an innocent 8 years old to sell me 50 fish, a 5g set up and then send me merrily on my way, but I know it wasn't either Main or Fraser Aquarium.
> 
> .


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## smash

Does anyone know what the status of this shop is? Have they finished moving to their new location and are fully operational? I don't want to make a trip out to a closed store. Thanks.


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## eternity302

Been there a week ago~
Much smaller! But still a variety of tanks and a few sales here and there~

Owner is still nice as hell (If you know him)~ I know everyone think he's full of evil, but he really aint~


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## josephl

smash said:


> Does anyone know what the status of this shop is? Have they finished moving to their new location and are fully operational? I don't want to make a trip out to a closed store. Thanks.


They are totally up and running. I actually like the new store better and if you like Indian food, the Himalaya restaurant close by isn't bad either :bigsmile:


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## Kolat

Not sure about the owner being evil but that fat cat problem feasts on dead fishes daily. The last time I went to the Fraser Location there was dead fishes in every tank.


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## smash

Anyone know exactly where this store is? I'm at main and 61st and all I see is a grocery store.


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## smash

I don't see any sign indicating their presence.


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## vdub

smash said:


> Anyone know exactly where this store is? I'm at main and 61st and all I see is a grocery store.


The store is actually on main street and 51st (between 50th and 51st), not 61st as mentioned in Stratos' post. And they are still using the old Fraser Aquarium sign wood board thing.


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## vdub

So I made my first ever visit to the new re-branded Main Aquarium today and I had some mixed feelings about it. Some good, some bad, but this is just my experience there today.

I went in with the intent to find some firebelly newts and I was not disappointed, I found a 15 gallon tank full of them and there were a bunch in another tank shared with some black tetras and I found one sharing a betta bowl with a betta fish as well. No shortage of newts around, but here's the bad part. More than half of them were either dead, had missing limbs, visible flesh wounds, sick, skinny malnourished and the water was murky. The tank was bare with only a sponge air filter box. There were plenty of other tanks too and probably 80% of them looked clean, good. The store had some pretty great "specials" as well, 6 for $7 white clouds, 3 for $5 tiger barbs, ect. The newts themselves were $10 each but I couldn't really justify paying full price for an animal that looked half dead.

Now, here's my opinion and it's only my opinion, I really wanted to make a purchase and give the guy some business, seeing that the store was completely empty. I was willing to offer to buy them at half price (considering the condition of those newts and many other fishes were discounted at 50% or more as well) and I would have bought the battled wounded newts at 80% off and give them a cleaner home. Anyways, I ended up leaving the store empty handed and decided against asking for a discount as large as I wanted cause it is someones lively hood and I didn't want to sell him short.

What do you guys think I should have done? For those that know the store owner, should I go back and ask for the discount or just leave it cause he probably wouldn't take it.

In my opinion, a sale is better than no sale. Most of those newts will probably be dead soon and I don't think anyone (except me) is even crazy enough to consider buying a half dead newt.

EDIT: I've decided not to further pursue the purchase, good luck to Main's Aquarium in their business and hope those newts find a home.


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## Jeffski

Hmm ... that is ironic. From Fraser Aquarium to Main Aquarium. I wonder if they'll move to Gastown next?


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## reeferious

not in defense of stores owners or present state of their livestock but most of us could recall those difficult moments we had when we made tank transfer of a tank or two let alone storeful so pls give a cheer or two to our independent aquarist supplier during this difficult time


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## stratos

I followed my own directions last week on my home from work and drove around the block at 61st and Main; had to pull over and phone them up to learn they are on *51st *and Main! Anyway, their new location shows good potential. I like the in floor drains installed down the middle of all aisles.


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## April

Smart idea. It's a good area. The sw marine drive is going to be huge new town center and also oakridge.


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## Momobobo

stratos said:


> I followed my own directions last week on my home from work and drove around the block at 61st and Main; had to pull over and phone them up to learn they are on *51st *and Main! Anyway, their new location shows good potential. I like the in floor drains installed down the middle of all aisles.


Very smart idea. Not having drains in a pet store is suuuuch a pain in the rear end! (From experience )

I agree on giving them another chance...every store has rough shipments. May not be their fault, may have come in that way and they are trying their best. We had one pod with a strange fungal infections for a month, very difficult to eradicate sometimes.


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## ami

I visited Fraser/Main Aquarium on the weekend. I won't be going back. I've never smelled so much ammonia in an LFS before. Also, I get growing pains but there was not one clean tank in the place. I wouldn't take anything home from there.


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## funkycat

Stopped by today, its pretty much as i remember Fraser Aquarium, lots of tanks some looking healthy others not so much. I saw the newts and felt sad =(
I just picked up some rasboras so we'll see how they do. Their bags are interesting, have a square bottom haha


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## Bien Lim

Great store and a very nice owner! Water on some of the tank was blurry but not necessarily dirty, could be cause they only use those corner filter. Great prices on livestock especially the harlequin rasbora and torpedo barb. Definitely go back!!


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## DrewVL

I wouldn't go back most of the fish are not healthy and the old man is not nice and rude. 
To be fair price on some fish are reasonable. It's a little smelly, dirty plus those dogs on the back are barking all the time.


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## Atom

I've been going to the new Main Aquarium for months now since they've moved. Yes their tanks aren't always the clearest, but the 4 goldfish I've gotten from them are healthy. I've had some since May. It helps when you go in soon after the shipment arrives though because yes their maintenance schedule isn't always the best and the tanks can be overcrowded so they get cloudy with just a sponge filter running.

The owner may come off as grouchy and impatient, but he's a genuinely nice guy once you get to know him. I think he's just got a no nonsense/blunt type of personality and he totally admits it too. I find him amusing and he's always chatting with me when I'm there. 

The store is definitely worth checking out. Good deals if you know how to spot the right fish. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## eternity302

Atom said:


> I've been going to the new Main Aquarium for months now since they've moved. Yes their tanks aren't always the clearest, but the 4 goldfish I've gotten from them are healthy. I've had some since May. It helps when you go in soon after the shipment arrives though because yes their maintenance schedule isn't always the best and the tanks can be overcrowded so they get cloudy with just a sponge filter running.
> 
> The owner may come off as grouchy and impatient, but he's a genuinely nice guy once you get to know him. I think he's just got a no nonsense/blunt type of personality and he totally admits it too. I find him amusing and he's always chatting with me when I'm there.
> 
> The store is definitely worth checking out. Good deals if you know how to spot the right fish.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I haven't been in the scene for awhile. But I'd tell everyone the same thing as you would.
My first time going there, it felt like he didn't want me there.
After knowing him, he's a great guy, very honest, and like Atom said, VERY BLUNT.
If you don't want him to be honest with you, then you better just look elsewhere~

Oh and right, the tanks are dirty some times and he knows it =) doesn't stop me from going!


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## Atom

When I first went to the Fraser Aquarium on Fraser I actually had the same feeling like he didn't want me there, tanks cloudy and I didn't get the best customer service tbh. I didn't go back for 2 years until they moved. I walked into Main Aquarium and saw the owner and immediately bad memories came flooding back, but I gave them another chance and I'm glad I did. Sometimes some people take longer to warm up and even then they may not be exactly who you want them to be. I've had good experiences every time since the move and I go there often now. 

If you need someone to hold your hand and sugarcoat fishkeeping for you this is not the place. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## hi-revs

How is this place currently?
Should I make the trek out from coquitlam, or should I visit rogers in surrey instead?


For anyone whose bee there recently- do they have any more "rare" fish, or more or less the more "common" ones in most lfs these days?


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## m_class2g

hi-revs said:


> How is this place currently?
> Should I make the trek out from coquitlam, or should I visit rogers in surrey instead?
> 
> For anyone whose bee there recently- do they have any more "rare" fish, or more or less the more "common" ones in most lfs these days?


Went to Main Aquarium yesterday. Rare fish - jardini arowana, thin bar datnoid, peacock bass, clown knife. Nothing too rare. Lots of goldfish and blood parrot cichlids.


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## mollyb

I spent an hour in there Thursday, gotta say it was excellent. The owner was a nice, chatty guy, had a depth of knowledge. The fish selection was large, and many of each kind, some of the nicest goldfish I have seen, all sizes, very reasonably priced, looked healthy and active. There were two tanks of some very large German Blue Rams and some of the nicest red/tiger/albino oscars I have ever seen. About 3 - 4 inches long. Good selection of equipment, food, etc. Actually had a can of Diatom carbon, which I immediatly snapped up. I will be making a stop at Main a regular thing on my infrequent sojourns to the Big Smoke. Brent


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## fishiefish

mollyb said:


> I spent an hour in there Thursday, gotta say it was excellent. The owner was a nice, chatty guy, had a depth of knowledge. The fish selection was large, and many of each kind, some of the nicest goldfish I have seen, all sizes, very reasonably priced, looked healthy and active. There were two tanks of some very large German Blue Rams and some of the nicest red/tiger/albino oscars I have ever seen. About 3 - 4 inches long. Good selection of equipment, food, etc. Actually had a can of Diatom carbon, which I immediatly snapped up. I will be making a stop at Main a regular thing on my infrequent sojourns to the Big Smoke. Brent


Hi! Do you know what kind of goldfish they had? Fancies or common? Thanks!


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## mollyb

lots of fancies, calico oranda (come to the top of the tank for food, like puppy dogs), red cap oranda, orange/red ryukin, telescopes, nice ranchu, you name it, they have a great selection.


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## fishiefish

mollyb said:


> lots of fancies, calico oranda (come to the top of the tank for food, like puppy dogs), red cap oranda, orange/red ryukin, telescopes, nice ranchu, you name it, they have a great selection.


Oh thanks so much! Been looking for orandas!


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