aba blog: Clementi Florist and Aquarium

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

C328 part II

Last night I was at C328 again,cycled there and looking for Cardinal Tetras to top up my 2ft fish tank.

After checking the prices with one of the elderly uncle staff, it was confirmed at 70cents per pc.

Instead of the pre-packages of 30pcs at S$15 (S size), S$18 (M size), S$39 (XXL size), I'v decided it is reasonable and cost-effective to just buy 6-10 pcs for my small tank.

While catching 2 Cardinals Tetras into a small pail, I noticed some of them flip over on one side as if they are dying. I asked the aunty boss whether its a sign of sickness and can they survive home?

She just took a quick glance into the pail and walked away without answering me a word.

While netting the 3rd Cardinal from a tank, she passed by again. Taking the opportunity while netting, I again check with her the same question. She responded the same way too. Weird manner she has I thought , but what to do, carry on netting.

While catching the Cardinals, I was wondering why the business at this local fish shop is so "super good" despite the usual cool responses that we are getting from the bosses and the cramp tight narrow walking spaces to put up with all these years of shopping at C328.

Then I realised that the local fish shop at 328 is stocking up with a lot of fish-related items and the prices here are very reasonable too. That probably keeps the customers and fish hobbyists to return back for more purchases.

Furthermore, the questions we asked may not be 'relevant' and she can choose not to answer if its not that important. Anyway the Cardinals survived back at my home and all 4 of them are being qurantined to monitor for any diseases.

Hence I reckoned that the aunty boss is just confident that the Tetras are ok, thus she decided not answer me and tend to other important shop matters.

Besides, she is always on the move. Occasionally u can see her climbing up using the small plastic chair to get equipments for customers, sometimes she is changing water for the fish tanks or you may see the staff packing the fishes or even tending to suppliers.

You can see what I mean by looking at the below pics, dun panic if you see youself inside.

Most of your faces are not taken except the supplier :)

Video of Shrimps , Guppies and Bettas tanks:

HDB flats for guppies & bettas

netting high

s$5 Koi pool

supplier stock take

aunty looking at aros

plants, guppies & shrimps

goldfishes

silver aros

That night also saw something that I shouldn't have in my entire life as a fish hobbyist at C328.

A boy catching the S$5 kois with a net that he can't even handle properly. See Youtube clip below. This should be handled by a more elderly person. but the staff is too busy and too many customers mean we have to catch it ourselves which we are glad to do it, but not the boy he shouldn't have done it. The pool of Kois seem to be terrorized... :D

I also managed to see some innovative items at c328.

a) Snail Trap

b) External filter boxes (which also double as a shrimps and breeding tanks)

See pictures for illustration

a) Snail Trap

(S$7.50/set)

snail trap at S$7.50
(but all words in japanese - dun know what's writing)

picture at back of the snail trap package
(looks easier to understand than the japanese words)

b) External Filter and Breeding box

( S$8 = 0.7 litres | S$9=1.2 litres )

Two sizes: 0.7L and 1.2L

act as for breeding fish or even as a shrimp tank
(maybe can also use as brine shrimp / tubifex worms storage?)

act as external filter for your fish tank
(but where to stuff the media?)

Back to the C328 history and original blog

~ End , to be continued~

Friday, July 9, 2010

C328 LFS: Clementi Florist & Aquarium in Singapore

Clementi Florist And Aquarium

A very popular local fish shop (LFS) among fish hobbyists in Singapore,Clementi Florist and Aquarium or what it is known today to many as C328, started up their humble business in 1984 retailing in just flowers, bird cages and tropical fishes of all sorts. The shop which is a family run business was managed and anchored by both Mr Toh and his brother.

It is during this initial stage that Mr Toh started toying with fishes and hence begin to learn about tropical fishes. His hard work and perseverance paid off for his exposure to the different types of tropical fishes and the knowledge that he gained from the very beginning in this fishy business thrived as noticed by the number of customers patronising C328 increased over the years.

Today, C328 retails in more variety of product related to aquaria. From a whole range of fish foods, to medication, filtration systems, tanks and even arowana, C328 is in fact a one stop place where hobbyist could obtain what is needed all under one roof. Many different range of accessories are easily available.

Probably the best and longest surviving business in the whole of Singapore lfs, this local fish shop (LFS) has not changed much over the years except that more products can be seen and customers flocking to them are on the rise. Even the face of the lady boss looks pretty much the same as 15 years ago - back when I was a teeenager.

Prices of live stocks, fish food, medications, pumps, lights, water plants, gravels in C328 are the cheapest (price check almost in whole of Singapore lfs). If you do notice there's a lfs about 5 shops away (name: Polyart) , C328's prices are anytime 10% to 30% lower to theirs.

I even have a retiree buddy who will faithfully come down every 2 weeks from his Jurong West hdb flat to top up a bottle of Tetrabits Complete pellets for his pet Discus every forthnight as it is $2 cheaper here (S$8 elsewhere). He really enjoys shopping at this place very much as there is a wide variety of fishes and water plants to choose from and can meet his tight budget .

Walking spaces in C328 are getting "tighter" over the years as more products are added in, it is not uncommon to knock into another person and saying sorry to the victim afterwards. A give-and-take attitude is important over here as space is constrain and there are many people in the shop. Sometimes, I am concern about what happens if there are any emergencies like fire, can people run out in time? But so far nothing of that nature has happen, so worrying about that is futile. Just enjoy our shopping there.

The fastest way to complete your purchase is to come at their off-peak hours that is around 11am-12noon , 2-4pm. Knowing and getting familiar with how C328 allocate their products is also good since the workers and the bosses are not always available to tend to our enquiries. Even though most of the prices of fishes are scribbled on the glass of the repsective fish tanks, it's good practice to confirm with the workers the sale price unless you already know from past purchases.

Finding your way, facing the shop entrance:
On your right side are the water plants, discus, oscars, many kinds of tetras, goldfishes, arowanas, bumble bees, mini puffers, sucker fish (floor area).
On you left side are the cichlids, guppies, cardinal tetras,red parrot, gouramis, angels,shrimps, bettas, water snails and other exoctics.

Additional modifications are the wooden racks that look like Hdb units with tiers of mini fish tanks that houses guppies,bettas,shrimps and snails, located near the front desk cashier. More recently, C328 have also employed 2 to 3 more workers to help them handle the increasing work load.

CCTVs are installed all around the important sections of shop, especially the arowanas department. The CCTVs are there probably due to an arowana theft incident that took place many years ago. The arowanas are like gold commodity to C328.

Mode of payment is through cash or Nets if you do not have enough $. Usually I prefer cash as we may not know when the next electronic system breaks down.

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