Great Fish Store- NERD, Plaistow , NH

[Reefdweller]

Dear BRS Members,

It's nto often that I have something good to say about a LFS. However, today I visited NERD- New England Reptile Distributors on Rt 125 in Plaistow, NH. Phone: (603) 382-3338/web site www.newenglandreptile.com. They just started a salt water/reef section last year, and they are doing great. While its still quite small ~ 50 tanks, the quality of the livestock is excellent and Kevin McCurley, the proprietor is extremely knowledgable. The prices are fair and more importantly this guy is committed to providing quality goods with lots of first hand knowledge.

I suggest that anyone interested in checking out a top quality LFS/Pet store check out NERD. Besides fish, Kevin breeds designer serpents- particularly Pythons. He is a world expert in the breeding these animals and has written 3 books on the subject. He has the same passion for reefs as he has for snakes.

I hope everyonehas the chance to check out this place. You'll be glad you did!

Happy Holidays!

Mark/Reefdweller

 

[stevenp]

Thanks for posting this, I'll be in that area tomorrow and will check them out

I have to admit though, reptiles and arachnids give me the heebee-jeebees so I'll be avoiding that section

Steve

 

[billm]

I'm going to check It out also

 

[skipp]

I agree

This is a great store.There is a large sign on rt 125 that reads,ZOO CREATURES.
It is onthe right if your headed north.The store is not viseble from rt 125

 

[fanaglethebagle]

Isn't this the one that skinnypete had difficulties with?

 

[Pat H.]

I'm a regular at Zoo Creatures. Great prices and a helpful passionate staff. I like to stop by at least once a week to see what they have. Good selection of equipment in stock too. I'm currently drooling over an Oceanic 70 gl with cherry trim and stand....

 

[RayD]

I found their prices to be about the same as all the others. Too freakin expensive!!

You have to shop for the deals. I'm a bargain hunter.

Forget about dry goods. Priced WAY out of whack!

 

[Reefdweller]

My only comments were about the livestock. I don't think any LFS can compete with the price of dry goods online. That said, I don't mind paying a little extra to a LFS to help keep a good quality store in business.

What I like about NERD is they seem to care about the livestock and the customer. My sense is that if others like the quality of livestock and purchase from them, they will continue to grow and carry a greater variety of quality livestock over time. If you see what this guy has invested in reptiles, you'll know that he's not your average JOE.


PS. If reptiles and rodents don't turn you on- don't ask to see the 20ft reticulated pythons. These creatures are awesome and they are entirely captive bred. It will be nice when we can do this with all our reef creatures.

 

[RayD]

I had a totally different experience with Zoo Creatures so maybe that's why I'm soured.

No biggie.

 

[rtc_reefer]

Soured. But happy that you had a good time!

 

[RayD]

I always have a good time.

 

[Bobbofin]

I'm soured, I buy stuff for my gecko there but go elsewhere for salt water and reef supplies.

 

[EVILMORPHGOD]

Hi,

I am the owner of Zoo Creatures and New England Reptile Distributors.
Call me clueless, I just found out abou this forum and all.

Thanks for the nice comments....

As far as the "soured" comments i think ANY place will have some of this. Your business and reputation are often as good as your weakest link. Owning any business and more importantly a pet store is rough when it comes to get the right kind of employee. Your employees may have some knowledge and often some of that is often incorrect. Secondly, do they understand what they are actually doing? Finally, are they motivated enough to educate the customer and verbalize the theory of what they are trying to do?

I can tell you this, if they actually catch me in the store and talk to me they will surely find I am motivated and have some good information. I am all about teaching people about what they are doing and trying to get any customer to understand what is actually going on. For those that know me, the alkalinity, calcium, magnesium speech. The protein skimmer speech, the "you have what?" for a filter speech. I hate bio balls speech. Over filteration speech. Better lighting speech.. drop your salinity speech... blah blah... I TRY to educate and correct people whenever I can. I try to teach my employees about reality and what they need to know, if they don't get it and just sell stuff...they are MISSING what I am trying to accomplish.

We have changed some of employees recently and hopefully it will be a positive thing. It takes time to get them up to snuff...

I certainly do not know everything, I do know a ton about animals and grasp animal care very well... I am always learning and there are people here that know WAY more about specifics but I am very well rounded.

I suck at naming my corals at this point....but love having great water quality!

We make lots of mistakes but we are very open minded! I have sooo much to deal with on a day to day basis, I must rely on my employees to help run the show. Many times this falls short of my ideals but this is all that I have at this point! Hopefully, we will get better and better over time if we survive!

Kevin

 

[Reefdweller]

Zoo Creatures

Please read Kevin's post above carefully. I am no agent for Zoo Creatures, but I can tell when a store is truly dedicated to the hobby and the customer. This store is. There are so few LFS stored out there that really are a resource for BRS members. Give them a little time and support and I bet they will be one of the better reef stores. If there is something that you didn't like about the store or the way they are doing business, I suggest you talk to Kevin and give him a chance to respond.

JMHO

 

[~Flighty~]

Welcome to the BRS, Kevin. I'll have to make my way up to the store. I hope you can use the BRS as a resource for you and your customers and employees.

 

[EVILMORPHGOD]

I was just reading a TERRIBLE thread about a mantis shrimp from US!


Ughhhhhh...... it can be no fun having employees...... They do some weird things and do some REAL stupid things too!!!

One thing, there is NO WAY I have a salinity of 1.034 in that top system where we keep mantis Shrimp!!! That same system dumps into a 400 gallon refugium rock rubble tank. It is generally around 1.021-.023...DKH 12 - 14 and Calcium(whne i can get them to watch it! 400 ppm.

If my salinity was that high the Copperbanded butterfly, mandarins and assorted blennies that have lived in the refugium for ages (year plus) would be BUMMING OUT and DEAD! SO I have no idea about that claim.... I am NOT a big fan of high salinity and actually maintain the fish only 1,750 gallon system around 1.014 with a DKH of 12 - 14 with a VIPER SL - 175 U.V. sterilizer. I DO NOT USE any copper....... I like low salinity to deal with parasites and such. Ick is not often seen here and when fish come with it it generally goes away, the system is kind of on the warm side.


I can tell you, the fish department has been cleaned out. As in, Fired AKA "took out the trash"! We have new trainees that should be helpful, but are learning! It takes time and an actual brain(we scan for grey matter when hiring) to get the principles of salt and reef.

We actually need another "know it all" in our fish room!

I try my best to make things work but it is very difficult to control so many variables..... it will be fun to see the day that I wait on someone and they try to tool on me here.... then I can properly defend myself!

Kevin

 

[fanaglethebagle]

Nice to know
Are you thinking of becoming a sponsor?

 

[EVILMORPHGOD]

Yes, I have just been so busy trying to manage many things I have never been able to stop and think about how to get more people to know that we are actually here. I think that may be worth a shot; realize that I am a hardcore reptile guy that is just looking at fish sites. The fish stuff is more like my hobby gone out of control. I grew up breeding fish and have always been into African Chichlids, the reef stuff seems to be a natural progression.

So, I would say yes. Now I just need to make a few pages about our Salt section and get it looking good before I sponsor. It would also be nice to get a new fish guy in the store before I go nuts. I have new trainees and myself working that area so things are a bit hectic!

Kevin

 

[smcnally]

Kevin, it's good to see you guys here. I contacted you guys years ago (probably about 9 years ago) and you guys couldn't have been more cool about my situation. I was one of those idiot young adults that saw a Caimen in NH when it was about 6" and "Had to have it". I raised it until it was 3.5 feet long (in my Air Force Dorm ) and although well fed and healthy, I couldn't handle it anymore. You guys took it in without giving me a hard time about my stupidity and even gave me a more manageable reptile as a trade. I don't think you guys even dealt with the public back then, did you? I always thought you were wholesale. Anyways...Good to see you guys here, I'll have to make the trip up to see the salt section some day.

 

[~Flighty~]

I just got over there today, very nice store. Looks like they have reely been bitten by the reef bug. The place is definately worth the trip and will be on my list of regular stores to visit.