New aquarium store opens in Perkins Township

PERKINS TWP. — Childhood friends who came together to open an aquarium store are finding out if their plan can hold water.Blue Seas Tropicals, at 3708 Columbus Ave. near Pizza Brothers, is owned and operated by Christopher Stoner and Dustin Brummitt. They met as sixth graders in Norwalk."I still remember going to the reservoir to catch fish for science," Stoner said. "To open a place like this has been a dream for both of us. I grew up with fish tanks and have worked in pet stores."Stoner heard the old L&S Aquatics closed and started asking around to find out who had the lease for the property. When he found out he contacted Brummitt to see if he'd be interested. Brummitt bred and sold fish in addition to working other jobs.The two men found the shop in worse shape then they thought. The tank at the front was completely frozen. The other tanks were left with fish still in them. Amazingly, some of the fish were still alive."It was closed for five months and we were here for another month straight every day with friends and family scrubbing and cleaning," Brummitt said.After their hard work, they were able to open Blue Seas Tropicals and begin their dream of selling exotic fish and aquarium supplies."We have salt and freshwater fish," Brummitt said. "We have the oddballs you couldn't find at the big box stores, but at a rate a family can afford."Since opening about a month ago, they've already attracted clientele with many people coming to find exotic fish and unique amphibians like axolotls. Stoner said they're popular because people think of the animals as a realistic Pokemon. "Pokemon" is a popular Japanese video game series about fictional monsters and animals.Axolotls in a tank at the Blue Seas Tropicals. The new exotic fish and aquarium store has difficulty keeping the unique amphibians in stock because they're so popular."They're the strangest things," Brummitt said the axolotls. "They're these underwater salamanders with feather-like gills. We can't keep them in stock."Blue Seas can also offer advice to people on breeding and aquarium care with Brummitt being an expert in freshwater and Stoner an expert with salt water.They also hope to be able to expand the business as it becomes more successful and start offering tank care services. But for right now, both men still work jobs in addition to the store."People say it's a job if you go and don't want to be there but it's a career when you go and enjoy yourself," Brummitt said. "I finally know that feeling. I come here after my regular job and it doesn't even feel like I'm working."Reach reporter Michael Harrington at michaelharrington@sanduskyregister.com, follow the Register at Facebook.com/SanduskyRegisterOwners of Blue Seas Tropicals Christopher Stoner, left, and Dustin Brummitt Sr., center, stand inside their new aquarium store with Brummitt's son, Dustin jr. on Thursday, March 28.Blue Seas Tropicals opened in the former location of L&S Aquatics in Perkins Township.Tanks containing dozens of exotic fish available at Blue Seas Tropicals on Thursday, March 28.