Alpine Koi and Reef

Alpine Koi and Reef turns out to be a full service LFS. They are located at 2715 E Mulberry St, Fort Collins, CO 80524. Their hours are Mon – Sat 9-5, and Sun they are closed. While Koi and Saltwater aquariums are their specialty along with Ponds, they also do freshwater fish, shrimp, and aquatic plants. The store has a large selection of aquarium products to satisfy the neediest aquarist. In the back they have the Koi undercover to protect them from both the elements and predators. There are several ponds with aquatic plants as well as potted specimens for sale. The display pond with a nice waterfall makes visiting well worth the trip. To the east of the main building is their other business Pond World for wholesale business. Below are my pics and you will see what I mean about the wide selection of product available.

As a lover of planted tanks, I am most impressed with two of their saltwater tanks with macroalgae. The reef setups with a nice selection of fish and inverts also impressed me. Upon entering the store, I was welcomed, and I felt right at home. These older stores have an ambiance which is difficult to reproduce! The owners shared that they have the property for sale. They would like to find someone interested in keeping the doors open and expanding the Pond business. Casey and Hannah are ready to retire, so if you know of anyone interested or if you just wish to find out more, contact them at their store.

There is not a lot to complain about with this LFS. The curb appeal leaves a bit to be desired and is one reason I had not visited the store before this. The age of the store shows, and it was not the most tidy or presentable place, though the products are well organized and the tanks clean. They said they were having a lot of difficulty getting supplies and livestock with the supply chain issues, though I did not notice by looking around. The freshwater fish selection is limited, though the shrimp seemed well stocked. The saltwater fish were spread around, and I think this worked well for them. I did not see any live food, though they did have a nice selection of dry and frozen foods.

All in all, this store presents a great opportunity to any budding aquarist with the desire to have their own store and the pond business has great potential. All one needs do is step up and make it happen. It will be interesting to see how things develop for them down the road. I wish them all the best. Please stop in and give them your support!

Sequoia Elisabeth