A small but fascinating museum and aquarium, well worth a visit if you're on Cumbrae. We went there…read morelast month - partly to get out of the rain, if I'm honest, but we thoroughly enjoyed finding out about all the creatures which live in the River Clyde! I was astonished to discover that such large, beautiful and colourful anenomies thrive there, along with huge crabs and starfish, not to mention a large number of fish. The aquarium is fairly small but there's a lot to see. The museum is named after Dr David Robertson, "The Cumbrae Naturalist" (1806 1896). The history of marine science is outlined and there are examples of current research at the Marine Station. There's a tiny 'shop' inside near the entrance which sells small items including pens and postcards and there is a free car park outside. Opening times: Mon Fri 09:00 16:15 Adults £2.00 Concessions £1.00

A silly silly friend of ours got us a couple of goldfish as a flatwarming present. Fastforward a…read morecouple of hours and already one is floating about on its side. We decided to go to this speciality fish shop near Stu's work to see what we could do about the other fish, who seems to be anorexic. The guy in the shop just couldn't help enough - he was full of information. And never mind the information, or the fish food, this shop is so interesting just to look at the fish. Upstairs are the more common varieties, as well as some super-cute terrapins, all flailing limbs and jaggy mouths. Downstairs is where the tropical fish live. We spent ages just looking at the different varieties, none of which I could name. It was fascinating nonetheless, and such a friendly place, considering we had only spent 95p!

M & R Dog Fish saw my grandpas angel fish go from the scabby scale look to sleek and beautiful. And…read moreall it took was a few little droplets in the water 4x a day! The man here was a fountain of knowledge on water creatures, the shop is full of them. I fancied some goldfish while I was in there, they are so cheap, but I managed to restrain myself and did the right thing leaving. I wish this pet store was more convenient for me so that I could come instead of go to the big stores. The service was good and everything was really fairly priced which is always pleasant.

While Deep Sea World and the Scottish Sea Life Centre in Oban are miles and miles away, Balloch…read moreAquarium is only a short train ride out from Glasgow, near Balloch. It is part of the Loch Lomond Shores area which consists of a number of businesses located in a beautiful, tranquil setting next to Loch Lomond. As far as I remember the entry prices were £7-10 for an adult, which is reasonable, but I was able to get in free from a special promotion on the back of a subway ticket, which was very good. There are also special discounts for Tesco clubcard holders for example. My favourite attraction at the aquarium is the asian short-clawed otters, which are kept in an enclosed area where you can see them swimming and playing about. It is very difficult to see these creatures in the wild, so to see them up close like this is fantastic. Another real selling point for the aquarium is the sharks. You may not meet 'Jaws' here, but there are several smaller but equally formidable looking species such as Bonnethead sharks, which one can view very closely in a large tank similar to what there is at Deep Sea World. There are countless other species of fish all over the aquarium, so many that I can't even begin to explain them, but I do know that there are a variety of rays, eels and those ugly-looking fish that lie motionless at the bottom of the sea. As well as being able to watch all the animals being fed, there are special activites such as 'touchpool encounters' and sessions where people can learn more about the fascinating marine environment. There is a gift shop and a cafeteria, although the latter is reached via a huge flight of sprial steps (*big gasp for air!*). All in all, great fun for all the family.

The Aquarium itself is quite expensive, over £10 each, but the location is phenomenal on the Lomond…read moreShores. The place is smaller than hoped for but a good visit, a whole day probably could not be spent here but there is alot do do around the aquarium if the sun is out. Watch the otters play or the little jelly men drift round their tank, the tour is idea for children and some of the talks given by staff where the little ones could touch the rough slimy skin of some sea creatures were all the rage. And that wasn't something I heard, oh yes I was dipping my hand in the dark little rock pools too. I must advise that if you are going to look too keen then the man in charge may nominate you his assistant who will, in no time have an arm covered in starfish. Interesting experience! No cameras allowed in this area though, it hurts the crustaceans in some way, well that's what Jim said anyway.

This pet store is a nice change from the really commercialised and expensive Pets at Home which is…read morenearby. It stocks small animals and fish, although I have never noticed birds, but all of the stuff I buy is at the front of the store so perhaps they are a little further up. It's a relatively small store but packs in loads of stuff; we always get our puppy gravy bones from here which you can pick yourself, in a sort of doggy pick n mix. The prices are very, very reasonable too, with a good sized bag of dog treats coming to just under a pound. You would have paid triple that amount in Pets at Home! Hopefully this wee shop doesn't suffer because of Pets at Home's success!

I have used this shop for decades, the fish are very healthy and the shop and tanks are…read morespotless.The owner Kieran has a vast knowlege of fish and will help you choose suitable fish.

This is a great store, the lady who runs it is really friendly and helpful…read more The display tanks are spotless, and the quality of the fish is excellent, by far the best Aquarium store in the Stirlingshire area. We had some fish that were agressive and attacking the others in our peaceful aquarium, and we were able to return them, and choose some replacements with no fuss whatsoever. Excellent service and highly recommended

I ordered a ball machine for my dog on line months ago. It never came…read more I have emailed them three times already asking what is going on and no reply. My order number was #1017 I have telephoned the on 01415523170 but can't get through. They have just stolen my money. Has anyone else had this experience?

Sorry I was in it not so long ago and it was needing a good clean out maybe ready for closing who…read moreknows

I'm a sucker for a good pet shop, and this one certainly does fit the bill. One room contains all…read morethe dog and cat stuff (though no actual dogs or cats, obviously), and in the other they have a wonderful selection of coldwater and tropical fish birds and hamsters, gerbils etc. After much deliberation, we opted for Herman, a black moor goldfish, and the staff were very helpful in telling us all that we'd need for his bowl, even giving us a little "how to take care of your fish" leaflet. A nice touch was that i got the impression the staff really cared about the animals, a lovely local pet shop.

Creature Comforts is a great little pet store, I always go here for goldfish supplies and to check…read moreout what new critters they have in store. They're always really helpful and give great advice on all types of animals. You can get lots of fish here, rabbits and other rodents or perhaps you'll get a couple of lovebirds. I remember when I was around nine I found a Tadpole in my friends garden pond, he was so cute and I called him Ray. That day I took a trip to Creature Comforts to get a new abode for Ray complete with colourful stones and a little plant. Ray loved it, but sadly he never made it to froghood but did sprout two frog legs which was fascinating if a little creepy.

Pets at Home really now how to tug at the heartstrings. It's practically impossible to walk past…read moretheir adoption section for unwanted pets, without leaving with some form of livestock under your arm. They'll have a little sign up next to them with something written like "My name is Buttons, please give me a second chance of a loving home." I actually found it quite difficult the other day not to take a giant rabbit home, even though deep down I knew he was just a massive, twitching rat. In all seriousness I suppose getting people all teary eyed will help to ensure the animals get a new home, so I'm all for it. Other than that, they stock pretty much everything you could hope for in a pet superstore, from food to bedding to toys to hutches to aquariums etc etc etc, and have a massive selection of fish and rodents, though strangely no birds or reptiles, which was a minor letdown.

It's no secret that I'm a sucker for pet shops - so with that fact in mind I'll try to be as…read moreunbiased as possible. It's not just a shop- it's a superstore! It is to your local pet shop what B&Q is to the tiny hardare shop around the corner. They stock bedding and pet food in bulk - perfect for kenels I imagine, and have a vast aquarium section. It's pretty tempting too when little electric coloured fishys are priced at a mere 99p - but don't get carried away; the start up costs for fish are huge - even more so than any other animals. Plus, fish are so delicate that my friend and I managed to make a game out of spotting the casualties floating at the top of the tank! You can literally get EVERYTHING for pets here; toys, treats,cages, leashes, collars, pet guides, dog clothes, cages, beds... the list goes on. There's even a comprehensive selection of "Beware of" signs for every breed of dog - even the ridiculous chihuahua! There's a small animal section, and a touching adoption area where the animals automatically become more cute by association with abandonment. Disappointingly, there were no larger animals like cats and dogs to coo over, and the bird section has disappeared. So don't go looking for that budgie for Granny here.