Fish Stores Around the World

I don't think we have this topic up yet so thinking it might be a fun one to have for reference and just plain interesting viewing.  Found this youtube video today sharing a Fish Store in Saigon, Vietnam.  Interesting to see the worlds fish stores.  Feel free to post up any others you might find and want to share.

Pretty cool little video. Its weird to see them selling stuff we deem as taboo. Like painted fish.

Ahh...reminds me of the Philippines.

I'm more interested in the fish stocking levels. I always see this many fish in tanks around the world. It looks really cool to me. I wonder how they achieve it. I see they are using above the tank filtration. Perhaps lots of water changes?

Or constant water changes.

Drip systems most likely?

This place was one of my favorite places to go to when I was living in the Philippines. Cartimar. Just imagine a whole BUILDING full of petstores.... yes, that's right. Petstores side by side... prices were DIRT CHEAP. Discus being around $10, fancy goldfish not reaching over $15 for almost fully grown specimens, bettas were so cheap, only "show quality" ones were worth anything, and even THEY were cheap. Like $5 cheap.

It's one of the things I miss about living in the Philippines. Although, I still prefer living here in Washington. LOL...

(please don't mind the annoying techno music. do yourself a favor and just mute the audio).


Here's a more "upscale" pet shop, located in SM MegaMall (in Mandaluyong, Philippines)... PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE don't mind the commentary, these people are so ignorant UGH... it irks me to NO. END. But yes, I did enjoy going to this store whenever we went to that mall.
For currency conversion rates, 45Pesos = $1 . . .  roughly. So, in the videos, you can see something like Crowntail Bettas for 75Pesos, that's essentially just $2.

A few years ago, around when I was getting started in the hobby, I visited thailand. My friends there took me to chatuchak (Jatujak?) market, and i got to see some of this stuff. To be honest, back then i wasn't ready to digest what i was seeing (probably a combination of inexperience and inebriation). Nowadays, I don't know how I'd react if i was there again. I don't have video or pictures of my walk through chatuchak. It was too hectic to stop and record anything. But I did find some dude on youtube who tried. Brace yourselves for 6 minutes of the vertigo that is bangkok... and their fish stalls. The video doesn't go into any of the stores, but it peeks into a few to give you a peek at the scale of this operation. The market is only a weekend market, so my impression is all those fish are bagged on a weekly basis to bring to the market.



It looks like they recorded this on a quiet day! My only souvenir from my visit to the market is three watches that i haggled down to a dollar each

I'd love to actually visit some overseas fish shops, I could spend hours in this showroom lol

MRTom wrote:crazy bangkok fish market stuff

Ok, at 3 minutes in that video- what.. is... that? are those puffers? at first i was alarmed because i thought they were some kind of colorful leech/slug thing sliding around in that tub by the way they were shaped

edit; also, i see that the asian market is not that into planted tanks.... or is it just that the fish are where the money is at

[quote="PokeSephiroth"]This place was one of my favorite places to go to when I was living in the Philippines. Cartimar. Just imagine a whole BUILDING full of petstores.... yes, that's right. Petstores side by side... prices were DIRT CHEAP. Discus being around $10, fancy goldfish not reaching over $15 for almost fully grown specimens, bettas were so cheap, only "show quality" ones were worth anything, and even THEY were cheap. Like $5 cheap.

It's one of the things I miss about living in the Philippines. Although, I still prefer living here in Washington. LOL...

The guy who filmed this moved way too fast...I had a hard time seeing things. It amazes me how clean the fish tanks are and those are some really large fish in those ones he got shots of. Also I find it interesting how healthy all those guinea pigs and hamsters (I think) looked even though they were just packed into those cages. But I'm not sure if climbing the walls indicates they are very happy...

Here's a more "upscale" pet shop, located in SM MegaMall (in Mandaluyong, Philippines)... PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE don't mind the commentary, these people are so ignorant UGH... it irks me to NO. END. But yes, I did enjoy going to this store whenever we went to that mall.
For currency conversion rates, 45Pesos = $1 . . .  roughly. So, in the videos, you can see something like Crowntail Bettas for 75Pesos, that's essentially just $2.

Same comment on the fish tanks ... really clean. Some beautiful goldfish.

Thanks for sharing Angelo. Having seen the Cartimar in person has to be a pretty neat experience. Although I have traveled some to various countries it was never on my to do list when I was in those countries to visit the pet shops or fish shops. That has changed for me now as I know when I travel now I will definately be stopping in on the local pet/fish stores.

MRTom wrote:A few years ago, around when I was getting started in the hobby, I visited thailand. My friends there took me to chatuchak (Jatujak?) market, and i got to see some of this stuff. To be honest, back then i wasn't ready to digest what i was seeing (probably a combination of inexperience and inebriation). Nowadays, I don't know how I'd react if i was there again. I don't have video or pictures of my walk through chatuchak. It was too hectic to stop and record anything. But I did find some dude on youtube who tried. Brace yourselves for 6 minutes of the vertigo that is bangkok... and their fish stalls. The video doesn't go into any of the stores, but it peeks into a few to give you a peek at the scale of this operation. The market is only a weekend market, so my impression is all those fish are bagged on a weekly basis to bring to the market.


It looks like they recorded this on a quiet day! My only souvenir from my visit to the market is three watches that i haggled down to a dollar each

Tom...I cannot imagine seeing this in person. The market reminds of Pike Market but with fish....and tons of fish. They had Koi in bags there...I would have thought they would have a hard time surviving a day in a bag. And just the shear amount of work the sellers go through to bag up all those fish for sale however often they do it...and the cost of the bags, maybe they are cheaper in Thailand.

Do you think the vendors have large die off rates due to stress on the fish from being bagged like that as I can't imagine that all those fish sell and many must have to be brought back to their tanks/ponds?

Lots of strange looking fish in there too...the tubs holding what I thought where snails and other assorted things I couldn't identify. And a tub full of little puffers it looked like. Amazing that the fish do OK with this.

And the neon decorations and tank accessories...neon nets...WOW. Very interesting watch on this video...thanks for sharing.

Jacko wrote:I'd love to actually visit some overseas fish shops, I could spend hours in this showroom lol

I don't think I have really appreciated what a beautiful fish the arowana is until I saw this video. The scales on some of those and the colors of them are incredible. If I did the currency conversion correctly RM1200 would convert to about $9.15 here.

This is another fish store/fish farm I came across in my forum travels.  They have many videos but this is one of their showroom tanks I believe.  Stunning fish and great tanks on display.  Makes me want a room of them also.

I've seen that Pisces farm video before, but had forgotten about it.  It's a nice one.

Angelo, I lived in the Philippines for a while and never saw any places like those -- I was already into fish, so I would have noticed.  I remember they used to sell these aquariums that were framed in bamboo and resembled huts. I wish I had bought one when I was there.

I lived in Japan for a few years and saw a few interesting pet stores, but can't find any videos. There weren't as spectacularly crowded with fish like these videos.   

cichlid-gal: It was really interesting how heavily stocked they kept their tanks. It may be, because the water is "cleaner" over there, in that it doesn't have as many additives such as chlorine, and the like.

Betty: Cartimar is located in Pasay City. It's been there for such a long time, I think I remember my dad telling me stories how they would go there when he was a lot younger to buy fish, etc. Very neat that you used to live in the Philippines!

I found one for Hong Kong...a goldfish market. Towards the end there are a number of stores that are also selling plants bagged up like the fish...lots and lots of plants. It still amazes me that the fish and plants can last for very long in these bags and how often they must have to open or refresh them. There were even discus in some of these bags on this street. Most of the tanks appear to be smaller ones also but it seems there is a good selection of aquarium supplies. WOW ... just fascinating really   .

LuminousAphid wrote:

MRTom wrote:crazy bangkok fish market stuff

Ok, at 3 minutes in that video- what.. is... that? are those puffers? at first i was alarmed because i thought they were some kind of colorful leech/slug thing sliding around in that tub by the way they were shaped

edit; also, i see that the asian market is not that into planted tanks.... or is it just that the fish are where the money is at

I was guessing puffers and loaches in those tubs. And i remember seeing some plants... though the bags outside had mostly fish. You had to step in to a few stores to find plants.

cichlid-gal wrote:Tom...I cannot imagine seeing this in person.  The market reminds of Pike Market but with fish....and tons of fish.  They had Koi in bags there...I would have thought they would have a hard time surviving a day in a bag.  And just the shear amount of work the sellers go through to bag up all those fish for sale however often they do it...and the cost of the bags, maybe they are cheaper in Thailand.

Do you think the vendors have large die off rates due to stress on the fish from being bagged like that as I can't imagine that all those fish sell and many must have to be brought back to their tanks/ponds?

Lots of strange looking fish in there too...the tubs holding what I thought where snails and other assorted things I couldn't identify.  And a tub full of little puffers it looked like.  Amazing that the fish do OK with this.

And the neon decorations and tank accessories...neon nets...WOW.  Very interesting watch on this video...thanks for sharing.

This market has [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]... and it all sets up and tears down every week. From what i saw, i would bet there is quite a bit of die off. I also heard a lot of "we just use river water", which there is readily available. Who knows what other crazy practices they have that we'd never imagine! (well... condone if not imagine).

Betty wrote:I lived in Japan for a few years and saw a few interesting pet stores, but can't find any videos.  There weren't as spectacularly crowded with fish like these videos.  

I went to a few when i was there... i found a video for a chain over there. The experience was similar to stores here (except for the diversity of products).


And some ADA torture just in case you needed some of that too! (I can't wait to go back to japan to do this tour)


And look at THAT! saltwater at 2:01!

These Japanese aquarium stores although they might be ''chainlike" they are incredible. So big and carrying just aquarium products...its amazing. We have nothing like it or that even compares really. And to keep those stores going you know there has to be a big aquarist following and aquarium hobby. As for the ADA tank showroom...I just look at them in wonder and awe. They are so beautiful.

Thanks for sharing all of those Tom.

When on Active Duty One of my favorite places was the Hongkong fish market

I lived in Thailand for 4 years and spent many hours at Chatuchak. The market is huge! The tropical fish section alone is the size of Pike St. Market. Chatuchak is the Grandaddy but there are many large tropical fish markets around Thailand. Here are a few quick pics.
180 Baht is about $6.
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Great pictures and awesome video .... When I was in Japan back in 2001 my friends parents had this wonderful planted tank that looked like a natural forest...... Love seeing fish from around the world

I thought this one was interesting...

I'm really liking this topic. Was reading some PFK today and thought of looking up a video of this place. Pretty interesting how they stock cold water fish, including shiners and sunfish. Those are native north american fish that you'd think we could find here in stores, but don't!

I can't believe how many species are pronounced so different on the other side of the pond (and IMNSHO, to a non-native speaker like me, their pronunciation makes a LOT more sense than the crazy pronunciations we got here )

Angelman wrote:When on Active Duty One of my favorite places was the Hongkong fish market

I bet that was a wonderful experience...to be able to walk this market. I'm still amazed by how much stuff they fit into those small spaces.

plaamoo wrote:I lived in Thailand for 4 years and spent many hours at Chatuchak. The market is huge! The tropical fish section alone is the size of Pike St. Market. Chatuchak is the Grandaddy but there are many large tropical fish markets around Thailand. Here are a few quick pics.
180 Baht is about  $6.

Great photos Plaamoo....my daughter has a friend that just visited Thailand and wants to go back and live there. She loved it.

Betty wrote:I thought this one was interesting...

OK Betty...my John says after seeing this video that I think we worry too much about our fish...  .

Those fish are hanging in bags, on the back of a motorbike, with a little umbrella hovering over the top that maybe would provide some shade AND YET....they have the most stunning colors I've ever seen. Geez...my babies travel three hours to Seattle in bags tucked down in an insulated box and I worry sick about them. Maybe we should tie our fish back to the back of the car and GO....   

MRTom wrote:I'm really liking this topic. Was reading some PFK today and thought of looking up a video of this place. Pretty interesting how they stock cold water fish, including shiners and sunfish. Those are native north american fish that you'd think we could find here in stores, but don't!

I can't believe how many species are pronounced so different on the other side of the pond (and IMNSHO, to a non-native speaker like me, their pronunciation makes a LOT more sense than the crazy pronunciations we got here )

Good video. I like the accent as I lived in Ireland for three years so it sounds pretty familiar to me. That was a lot of fish...100 tanks...wow and lots of variety.

Some German shops ... saltwater just gorgeous

cichlid-gal wrote:
OK Betty...my John says after seeing this video that I think we worry too much about our fish...  .  

Those fish are hanging in bags, on the back of a motorbike, with a little umbrella hovering over the top that maybe would provide some shade AND YET....they have the most stunning colors I've ever seen.  Geez...my babies travel three hours to Seattle in bags tucked down in an insulated box and I worry sick about them.  Maybe we should tie our fish back to the back of the car and GO....   

No kidding!  I put mine in coolers with padding around them and buckle the seat belt around the box! And I still hate it when I go over a bump or a pothole...  

I saw a mixed African cichlid tank in the UK store video. It looked about the same as the ones I see here -- not the greatest quality fish.

I found a couple more videos this morning...traveling the worlds aquariums vicariously...



Not sure if this is the same one Tom posted (title is different) but its gorgeous

cichlid-gal wrote:Not sure if this is the same one Tom posted (title is different) but its gorgeous

Nope... that's a different store... Yes, they all look like that. (well not really, but I read another article that says they all have to look like that to be able to compete.)

This. This needs to happen. Or maybe not. I don't know.
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PokeSephiroth wrote:[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

   That picture made me laugh. Actually my first thought was that Aquarium Co-Op had started making Poke do deliveries... Sorry Poke that's just what came to mind.   

Good way to keep in shape and get your fish fix too

I WOULD do that hahah

so, do people come up and buy fish directly off the back of this bike? or do you think he is taking them somewhere to be sold? i am leaning toward the first because it's like they are all on display and very eye-catching; it's just amazing that there are that many people buying fish to where you can successfully sell them just by riding a bike full around

LuminousAphid wrote:so, do people come up and buy fish directly off the back of this bike? or do you think he is taking them somewhere to be sold? i am leaning toward the first because it's like they are all on display and very eye-catching; it's just amazing that there are that many people buying fish to where you can successfully sell them just by riding a bike full around

If you watch some of the videos you will see that these stores stocks thousands of fish...the open air fish market store just baffles my mind. All those fish on display in an area like Pikes Market and they must sell them or they wouldn't do it that way...amazing.

Someone did post a video of someone buying a fish from a lady on a bike like that