This was a recent article from the suburbanite
Captain Larry's Aquarium grew out of a “hobby gone bad,” said Larry Secaur.
Fish have been a lifelong interest for Secaur. He started a mail-order fish and supply company 25 years ago.
His wife Kriss married into the business and they opened their first store in 1994.
“I like helping people get into it with a fair price,” he said.
The store, located at 259 Pauline Ave. in Akron, has a small staff, small store, no frills that keeps prices low. The store's philosophy is that keeping saltwater fish does not have to be a hobby that requires a lot of money. They have a combination of high-quality net-caught and drug-free fish at low prices.
“Aquarium service is a big part of our business,” Secaur said.
They have 75 clients they service monthly. They do aquarium rental and moving. They deal with tanks as small as 10 gallons to as large as 900 gallons. They once put a 900-gallon tank in a bedroom of a house that was being built, and they had to use a crane to do it.
“No job is too big or too small,” said Secaur.
While other stores are cutting back or closing, Secaur is proud to be expanding. When the expansion is finished there will be more than100 saltwater tanks.
This unique business is so commonplace for the Secaur's that they don't see what they do as uncommon.
“It's everyday to me,” Secaur said.
Trying to come up with stories about unusual creatures, the couple, in their red matching Captain Larry's jackets, just shrugged.
They talk about seahorses they have, the stingray tank and shark eggs that hatch in the store.
They also mention Mr. Pickles, a five-foot eel that lived in the store for a couple of years. To the Secaurs, an octopus with a head the size of a softball and 20 inch arms getting loose in the store is routine.
For more information
Captain Larry’s, call 330-733-5955, which includes 24-hour emergency service. Showroom hours are Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 4-8 p.m., Tuesday closed, Saturday
10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday 12-5 p.m.