125 gallon SPS & LPS reef system with fish…read more I had an emergency tank removal and long term livestock storage (3-6 months) request October 2019. Then COVID happened... I understand the lag with the reinstallation, establishment and acclimation, thats a nonissue. However, I was assured my tank would be transported and quarantined appropriately and healthily...that was not the case! Chris was very friendly, accommodating and helpful with the $3400 project of relocating and storing my tank. It WAS dingy, but it was still a healthy ecosystem! Every time, he showed up ~around~ the agreed time, and seemed frazzled and rushed; I do understand and appreciate fast paced work. Mind you, he was careless with my respawned-dead-coral and my coral-bearing live rock. See the pics below. He broke most of the REAL coral pieces I had and "lost" or killed the rest. What I had respawned was OBVIOUSLY left in the can for months on a patio. Killing everything! I was told it would be taken care of...not the case! After months of waiting (due to the shutdown) we scheduled a setup and he provided the water (brackish at best, 1.016) and "dead rock" and a fraction of, my coral, but not the valuable branch and stag horn coral pieces I had previously. Nor MY fish, or colonies... he did offers a few condolence fish and cheap--cheap corals (lacking color to this day) and a sob story about how he had a "bad order" that killed everything of mine and most of his tank as well. Most of what he brought died within 72 hours... All the while, I was told my tank would be quarantined for the health of both systems...definitely not the case! After a few months of establishment with my "dead rock" and my own cleanings and water changes he calls to bring my livestock back and do a cleaning and a water change. I was appreciative but nervous, to say the least, as I had already put new animals in. However, he WAS gracious enough to use my test kit to check my basic water parameters. Ammonia, PH and nitrites (a 5 minute job I usually do myself) and add a bucket of his water, due to evap...which raised my salinity from 37 to 40. It took another 6 1/2 months to find another 3.5" porcupine puffer, a yellow tang, that died after a few weeks, and a blue tang that actually survived, after the second try... Previously, I had an 8" porcupine pufferfish that was VERY happy, not finicky and non-aggressive. He had a personality and, believe it or not, learned tricks! They're one of the smartest fish in the ocean. Yet, in return, I got an aggressive (wild) baby that wont eat when fed. He likes my inverts more. I've lost stars, coral, hermits, emerald, crabs and even cleaner shrimp... After all this, I talked to him about just having my tank back, nothing more, nothing less. Yet, in a seemingly childish response he brought me a dozen 'low-grade' corals, I didn't have before, didn't want, and didn't need and refused to take them back in a effort to quell my disdain. He reluctantly agreed to a ~one week warranty on everything he delivered but when I told him all but two them were dead within days, forcing me to do a 50% water change, he shrugged it off. Leaving me with a bland polyp colony and a dying hairy mushroom. He WAS, however, helpful with having my acrylic tank buffed to a 'minimum' standard which was appreciated. Im still missing pieces...

After a minor flood in my home, I needed to get my 180-gallon freshwater aquarium moved so new…read moreflooring could be installed. I did some research, requested price quotes, and finally settled on Chris at LotsaFishies because he had good reviews, was extremely responsive, and affordable. Chris was great at providing invoices promptly so I could coordinate with my insurance company for payment. The initial plan was to move the tank to another room in my home, then return it to the original location after the flooring was installed. In the midst of repairs, we purchased a new home. Chris was very flexible with the changing timeline and scope of work. He partnered with me to coordinate a schedule that worked to move the tank after closing escrow on the new home but quick enough to not delay the repairs on our existing home. Both moves were done quickly at the agreed-upon time without any issues. I would recommend Chris and LotsaFishies for any of your aquarium needs.

The owner Doug was great, he took his time was very patient and really knows his stuff.read more

I went to go return a pump, which was gonna be cheaper and I asked if I can get the remaining in…read moreguppies. Since I was gonna use for turtles, I only wanted to a couple remaining. They didn't want to sell it to me. And then when I complained, they told me that I was on a good one. the employees do not have a right to tell you what you can and can't do with your items. There's not a lot of parking. I would not recommend going.

Great service! He communicates well on scheduling & is always on time & does a great job!read more

Great aquarium. Lots of interesting sea life. Great way to spend 2 hours. I would highly recommend.read more

Such a great experience when we walked into the store! They had a great selection of fish and…read morecorals. Ethan was super helpful and informative. He helped me with all my questions since I just recently started my first saltwater aquarium. This store is a bit further for me but definitely worth the drive for the customer service, care, and quality you will find here!

So nice having an LFS in my neighborhood. Ethan is so helpful and informative whenever I pop in. I…read moreappreciate his knowledge and passion for the hobby! They did sell me a packet of expired Coral Rx once so docking a star for that - other than that it's a great store with lots of variety!

Great service and great prices. My filter in my pond was not working and needed work. I'm very…read morepleased with this company and my pond is on its way to looking clear again. Would recommend this place for sure!

Live Water Aquariums Transformed My San Diego Koi Pond - Absolutely Awesome Service!…read moreI can't say enough good things about Live Water Aquariums! They recently came out to my home in sunny San Diego for a full pond tune-up on my backyard koi setup, and wow--what a difference. The owner Mark himself showed up right on time, rolled up his sleeves, and dove right in (pun intended). He inspected everything from the filtration system to the water chemistry, cleared out some stubborn algae buildup, and even balanced the pH levels on the spot--our San Diego hard water can be tricky, but he nailed it without a hitch. My koi are swimming happier than ever, and the water is crystal clear, just like the Pacific on a good day. What's even better is that we signed up for their monthly maintenance plan on the spot. For a reasonable fee, they handle all the routine stuff--skimming debris, checking the pump and UV sterilizer, adding those beneficial bacteria to keep things eco-balanced, and monitoring ammonia/nitrite levels so I don't have to stress. No more weekend warrior sessions for me; I can just kick back in my backyard and enjoy the show. The guy is genuinely awesome--super knowledgeable, friendly, and treats your pond like it's his own. He shared tips on winterizing for our mild SoCal climate (like insulating the heater lines come December) and even recommended some hardy water lilies that thrive here. If you're in the San Diego area and need pro help for your pond or aquarium, Live Water Aquariums is the real deal. They've got my lifelong business. 10/10, would recommend to every fish-loving neighbor!

5 Star Aquariums really does earn their 5 STARS!! My…read moreaquarium was in such bad shape, the water where I live is extremely hard and fish just kept dying! I had given up on my tank ever sustaining fish and looking beautiful. Shane at 5 Star Aquariums came to my home and cleaned out the tank, filled it with proper water and brought everything else with him too! Gravel and lots of decorations to choose from. My tank looks so beautiful now and I am looking forward to getting some fish again. Thank you Shane!!

Always helpful!!! I was in a pinch for ro water after trying to go to our local store said open so…read morewe went in and they were actually closed. With no notice on the door.

Jonathan was extremely unprofessional and unreliable. He serviced my aquarium and 2 days later, all…read moreof my fish died. He denied that he was responsible and refused to replace the fish. I caution all of his existing clients as well as potentially new clients to go elsewhere.

Jonathan is really sweet. We have a single BETA fish. We don't want to hurt the little guy so…read moreJonathan comes in cleans his tank for us. It always looks amazing! We need more fish! Thank you, Jonathan!

I've been a little hesitant with services on my 187G mixed reef, but decided to reach out to a few…read morecompanies and came across Jason of Js. Aquatics. I'm so glad I did. He cleaned my tank with efficiency, was very thorough. Prices are extremely reasonable.

From the owner: We are a full service aquarium maintenance company. Offering goods and livestock…read more Extensive knowledge with a willingness to learn , attention to detail, and exceptional service are what we aim to provide.

He was very amazing the day very fast response he fit me in super quick in his schedule definitely…read morewill be having him come out to clean my tank often .. I definitely recommend everyone to call him if you need cleaning services

Chris took care of my 100 gallon mixed reef tank for over a month while I was out of town. He was…read moreflexible about the visits for my house sitters schedule, but also very reliable. I appreciated his attention to detail and the care he took in making sure that no minor issues became major ones. I'll recommend this service to my friends and also use this service again when needed.

The San Diego Zoo Safari Park is absolutely massive. This place is extremely huge, and honestly you…read morecould spend an entire day here and still not see everything. We showed up pretty late, so we were only able to do the Safari tour, which is one of the main attractions, but it was completely worth it. The way the Safari is laid out is unbelievable. Traveling through the park and seeing all the animals spread out across these huge open areas really makes you feel like you're on an actual safari. There's so much room and space for the animals to graze and move around naturally, and it was amazing seeing how different animals interacted with each other or how the sections were designed to feel natural and immersive. They also have a zip line that runs across the safari area and a hot air balloon that goes up and down over the park, plus plenty of other attractions and exhibits that we didn't even get a chance to see. Definitely worth checking out, especially the guided Safari tour portion. One important thing to note -- if you're searching for it online or using GPS, make sure you search for the "Safari Park" and not just the San Diego Zoo. The Safari Park is located up in the hills and is a completely different location from the actual zoo in downtown San Diego.

This was my first time going here, I've been to the San Diego Zoo twice. The Safari Park is about…read more36-40 mins away from the San Diego Zoo. It's a very scenic ride. We went on a Sunday and it was busy. With SD Zoo, you feel more cramped and crowded when it's super busy. At the Safari Park, it's more spaced out so you're not walking shoulder to shoulder with people. For general parking it's $20 for all day. Preferred parking is $45. If you park in the general section, be prepared to walk up a steep hill. For the admission, it's $78 for an adult and $68 for a child. We paid $130 for the multi day/multi park for adults. We spent 6 hrs here and that's including lunch. If you save your aluminum cup, I think it's $3 for refills. Be expected to pay for exorbitant prices for the food. Food portions weren't tiny so that's a plus. They have a free African tram that's about 25 mins long. The line can get very long depending on what time you line up. They have a Journey into the Wild presentation that is worth checking out. There is only one showing at 1 pm in the Benbough Amphitheater. It runs for about 20 mins. I would get there early to get good seats. If you have extra money, they have experiences that you can pay for. They range from $32 to $760 depending on what you're interested in. One of the highlights is being so close to the kangaroos without any fences.