Pasadena Tropical Fish is by far the best fish store in Pasadena, and as far as I know, the best in the San Gabriel Valley. It may even arguably be the best fish store in all of LA, especially if you are looking for salt water fish or some more unusual African or south American cichlids and catfish. In fact, PTF (as it is called by it's initials) is so good that we some times joke that PTF actually means Praise The Fish! Anyway, for selection of interesting and unusual fish and quality supplies at great prices, check out PTF! read more

Today was my 5th time there. I drive from Santa Monica / WLA over to this pet store every now and then because they have: 1. 7 days / long hours of opening. 2. Knowledgeable owner 3. Fair pricing 4. A very large selection of very healthy and happy looking tropical and reef fish and coral. I've been to a lot of the stores around zip code 90024 and they do not compare. The owner has a few large tanks setup and several frags tanks going. While he's not a forum kinda guy, he has learned all he knows from trial and error, which is actually really refreshing. read more

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Definitely not coming back to this fish store ever again. I recently moved to Pasadena and was excited to find a LFS right down the street from where I live. As I walked in the store owner glanced at me and gave me an unwelcoming look. He never bothered to ask if I needed any help or acknowledged me until I asked him if I could get some fish. As he packaged my fish and took them to the counter he said In a rude tone "ANYTHING ELSE?". It gets even better, most LFS if paying with cash they will not charge you tax. I kindly asked him if I paid with cash would there be any tax? He rudely says, "Just insert credit card into the chip". I'll never be coming back here again read more

This is one of the best places to purchase Salt Water fish in all of San Gabriel Valley, and I have yet to seen a better place with a plethora of selections. I first came here to start a fresh water cichlid tank and I ordered a 80 gallon tank that would fit as a border between my living room and dining room. The item came just as it described and it looks perfect!. However, the chichlids sold at this location is a bit pricey so i would recommed people to shop at other cheap chinese fish stores. The salt water fish are of good quality, the corals are beautiful and the clean up crew are fantastic. The owner helped me start my own nano tank and gave me a few hermit crabs and snails. He also schooled me on the types of lighting I should purchase; he is expected to change all his lighting read more

I went to 7 fish stores in 3 days to get a pretty betta fish and finally found a good selection here. I think he imports them from Thailand and I have a beautiful Candy Koi Betta now. It was $25 + tax. In general, the fish here look healthy but I'm no expert lol. If you're looking for some pretty betta fish though, this is a local fish store that actually has a selection. read more

When I'm around the area I stop by to see what rare aquatics I can find. There are impressive fish and inverts for sale from time to time. My only gripe is that the store is a little dirty and the prices of fish are expensive for the quality. Cull Guppies which other stores sell as feeders are marked up to $1 each and below average grade Bettas are sold for upwards of $50+. Many fish are asking sick. Many exotic fish are sick and take effort to get back to full health. If this store improves on cleanliness and tank maintenance they will be on there way to becoming the best tropical fish store in the LA area. read more

Steve is freaking amazing he works with you and at your pace he helps you from not spending unnecessary and get what you need to get you going or started I'll be going here for the rest of my time for his customer service! Thank you Steve!! read more

I been going to this place for over a year , they have a lot of supplies , fish, and corals . I bought my first reef tank and they have been helping me with what I put in it and guiding me to get the things I need for it . I'd highly recomend , might not look like a friendly place at first but the more you go the better they treat you. read more

Pasadena Tropical Fish - Local Fish Stores Near Me - Pasadena, California

I came to this place with hopes of adding to my Fancy Goldfish family and left feeling sad. Almost every fancy goldfish tank had a dead and/or dying fish. I'm hoping there is just an issue with the filtration in that portion of the store. I walked down the rest of that aisle plus the one on the other side and the remaining fish seemed okay in the terms of no floaters. I also intended to buy some plants but didn't have the heart to give money to a place with those conditions. Really hoping this is an anomaly :/ read more

I gave it 5 stars because this is the best fish place I know. If you're looking for a place that has a better stock and better knowledge of fish and aquariums than your neighborhood Petco, then this is the place. Pros: They are very very well stocked. Their selection of fish is amazing, rivaled only by the Aquarium of the Pacifics. The guy there is very knowledgeable and won't recommend stuff to you just to make a buck. He's told me not to buy certain things because I don't need it. He is my go-to guy for anything fish. I'm not sure how much fish things are suppose to cost, but I know this place is cheaper than Petco. Con: the hours aren't great. They open at 10:30 and close at 7pm on weekdays and hours are shorter on weekends. Also, some people may find the owner guy a bit abrupt and not as nice. But Americans are so used to chatty sales that anything short of that is rude. Personally, I like the fact that he's not overly chatty and gets to the point. He says hi and bye when you come in and out, so to me, that's manner enough. Overall, I will definitely recommend this place if you are an amateur aquarist. Even as a pro, I'm sure you'll find this place useful. read more

Large store with great selection of saltwater and fresh water fish. Good selection of aquatic plants too.

Pretty much the best fish store in the Pasadena Ive been to a lot fish stores in the area . Great plant and fish selection. Hard scape awesome aquariums used and new. Food lighting plumbing, treatments. Corals salt water it goes on and on read more

I really want to like this store. I think their prices are reasonable. They have a ton of tanks and equipment. Their plants are very. Well priced. My main concern was I saw what they do with their fish shipments. Maybe this is common with all fish stores, but seeing this first hand was something else. They just poured the fish AND the water that was in the bag into their tanks with fish that were already there. I didn't see any medication added after. I think we really do need to support our local fish stores, this one is no exception. I would just put the word of caution out with how they add fish shipments in. I'm not saying I'm not going to buy fish from them but I will definitely definitely definitely be quarantining any fish I buy from them. read more

I visited Pasadena Tropical Fish shortly after moving from Hollywood-Pasadena. After reading the great reviews here and elsewhere online, I figured it was the best place to try for the fish tank stand I was looking for. I have a 55 gallon acrylic freshwater setup, was on a tight budget, and was really hoping not to have to get one of those particle board monstrosities that Petsmart or Petco sell...and thankfully I was able to get a beautiful all-wood tank stand here! They didn't have it in stock and had to order it for me, but it came promptly (under a week) and the price was more than fair. I love the way the stand looks in my living room and it's perfect for my tank. When I came to pick up the stand, I also took home a few plants and filter media, as well as a pretty little butterfly telescope goldfish. They have a good stock of fancies here (though a little heavy on the ranchu), and my new little guy is doing great with its older, (much) larger tankmates. Will definitely be coming back to PTF again and again! read more

Came in here for some feeder fish and to see what type of fishes they have. The variety of fish they have here is great, but the prices aren't that spectacular. Everything seemed overpriced...I mean 99 cents each for feeder fish when I can get 10+ for a buck elsewhere... I don't know what's the difference between their feeder fish and feeder fish from other aquariums that they have to charge so much. The supplies they sold are also pretty overpriced as well, but if you're looking for variety this is a good place to go. They were selling 'albino plecos' for around $12 or 15? The eyes were black... I'm not an expert so correct me if I'm wrong...but shouldn't albino plecos have red eyes?? .... I'm only giving them a 4 star rating due to variety and cleanliness of the store, but I wouldn't come here again due to the prices. read more

Came here after not seeing much variety at the big box pet stores. This place has every kind of fresh and salt water fish. Kids loved checking out each tank. Owner, Steve, was very knowledgeable and recommended some great fish to start off our tank and outlined a timeframe on when and how many fish we could add as the water in the tank adjusted appropriately. Don't let the run down shopping mall it's in dissuade you from checking it out. read more

Not sure why anyone would come here? The place wreaks of mildew, tanks look dirty, fish look unhealthy. There isn't much freshwater selection and the store was pretty much empty and I wasn't offered any help from any of the sales associates. If you love aquariums, do yourself a favor and drive to West Covina and go to CK fish world. They are the best store I have found in the area! read more

I love PTF! this is one of the best fish stores in San Gabriel valley. Great selection, friendly customer service and no stinky fish store smell. Steve the owner, is increadibly helpful and friendly. I have spent too much money here and have no regrets for doing it. I recently purchased a dozen rasboras and 8 panda cory cats and they all appear very healthy and are ravenous eaters! Of all the fish I've bought over the years, all have been very healthy and lived long happy lives. What makes this place stand out from the other fish stores is the owner. He really takes personal pride in running this store, something in low supply these days of corporate take over like walmart and petco. When I was getting back onto fish keeping, Steve wouldn't sell me the more beautiful and exotic species because he knew that I wasn't ready with my limited tank space and experience. I was bummed then but now I'm stoked because I would have ended up killing those gorgeous fish very quickly! read more

We bought 5 fish here. Two of them are doing pretty good and the other three died within 3 days due to bacteria infection. If you are experienced, you can get some decent stuff for a reasonable price as long as you keep an eye on. However, if you are new to this hobby, please avoid this place. The owner can be a real jerk like what other people said. read more

Ive had great luck with my fish that I have gotten from Steve! Healthy, and Happy fish with outgoing/not scared, hiding traits. Even my pleco cruises all over all day. The store has a good variety to offer. Thx PTF ; ) read more

The place is so dirty , the guy is really rude and his face look angry , to be honest i rather prefer drive 5 more miles but never come back to that place , I really NOT recommend this place at all!!!! read more

The owner at the front was extremely nice and knowledgeable. The store is not very organized. But, the fish looks healthy. The prices are a little high. Average for most fish stores. I did not see any unusual fish. He is on the inside corner of the mall. They are good for basic fish and great for information. If you are a local this is a good place. But, I would not go out of my way read more

Called for some fish health issues. The gentlemen listened and gave me additional information to help with my bloated bubble head goldfish. Glad he was empathetic. read more

I have been here a few times already and it was time to finally write my review. They have a huge variety of fish and accessories. Their pricing is pretty good for the fish as well as the accessories. All of the tanks are really clean and I was actually surprised because you'll usually see dead or sick fish in the tank. That's not the case here! The owner's wife was so helpful. If there's a particular fish you want, she will catch it for you. I was choosing a few guppies to take home and was choosing them based on colors. She caught the ones I wanted and also made sure that I only had male guppies so that I didn't end up with a bunch of baby fishes. She also is knowledgable with the fish. She was beyond helpful and extremely friendly. Dealing with her was truly a great experience. There are a handful of places that I would ever get buy fish from and Pasadena Tropical Fish is a place that I trust. All of the fish I got are happy and healthy! read more

The best local source for freshwater tropical fish. It takes up a large back corner space in a typical u-shaped strip mall with a sandwich shop, pseudo-Crossfit gym, and music academy nearby. There was a large Chinese restaurant facing Colorado Blvd., but it looks long gone--a victim of changing demographics and better competition just a few miles away. But I digress, on to the fish part of this review. The selection, as expected, varies from week to week. Fish arrive on Sunday morning in plastic bags and there is a discount on fish still in the bag. There is no Big Chain guarantee on the fish, but the selection and pricing is competitive. Their sourcing for fresh water fish is, as expected, from Southeast Asia. If you are looking for live food (black worms and occasionally brine shrimp) this is the place to go to (but do call ahead). Overall, it's stock of plants is excellent. As usual, soak the plant in a salt water solution to de-snail whatever you want to put into your tank. The owners are a Chinese couple who are as different as night and day, but they both are very knowledgeable and they provide helpful advice to regulars. There is usually only two here in a very large store, so try to come at an off hour if you need advice. Price-wise, they are generally competitive with the Big Chains. My preference is to buy locally and you can't do better in the San Gabriel Valley than Pasadena Tropical Fish. read more

One of the last few good tropical fish stores left.. they have a more selection of tropical fish than your local petsmart or petco, one of my last few go to places for fish and freshwater plants, don't ever close!! read more

in my opinion, the best LFS in the area by far. I've been going there for the past 10 years. Steve (the owner) is a great guy....you just have to get to know him better and you'll understand. I've gone there when i first started with my freshwater tank and throughout the years as i expanded toward saltwater fish tanks. Sunday's are the best day to go. He has these sunday specials and you can save some money that way. Usually I find what I need and if not, I let him know and he'll try to find it for me. read more

This store is just okay. They have a large number of tanks and usually have most varieties of tropical fish. If you are an experienced reefer then go on in you'll be well equipped to navigate this store. For those that aren't as well versed beware. The tanks are not taken care of as well as they could. Perhaps there is just too much for the staff to handle. I often see dead fish or fish that are swimming in odd manners hanging around in tanks for far too long. The staff while helpful are also standoffish. Their ability to figure out that you don't know what you want isn't there and they will probably just give you a blank stare or just ignore you. Going in for advice isn't that easy. For pet/fish stores I expect staff that know more than I do and keep up on the hobby. I often go in looking to have a conversation and even if I'm the only customer and the owner is sitting around doing nothing, they don't seem to want anything to do with you. Visit with caution, but stick to the net or buddies for advice as this place is fresh out. read more

+ Clean aquariums. + Great selection of both Freshwater and Saltwater animals. + Friendly staff, the male owner is very knowledgeable. + Great parking. + Huge freshwater plant selection. - They have good days and they have bad days in terms of selection. Be sure to call in if anything. - Kind of wished that the wife and son knew more about the Aquarium game as much as the owner did. ~ Fair to pricey priced fish. I have been coming here for a few months now for mainly advice and shrimp and will continue to for a while. This is probably the only aquarium shop that has an extensive selection of plants. They're all pretty much green too! read more

The best freshwater and saltwater fish store in town. Steve is helpful and kind with a vast array of knowledge. A huge selection of livestock and inventory. They have and can get everything with great deals and prices! Steve helped me build a mixed reef custom tank from scratch which is thriving with new additions added weekly!! Whether a beginner hobbyist or advanced veteran, Pasadena Tropical Fish is the place to go. He will help you build the tank of your dreams and successfully sustain a thriving colony as in nature. Sunday shipments of marine livestock are 25% off! read more

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These are fish people. This shop has been around for over 25 years in Pasadena. Steve knows more about raising ,breeding and taking care of fish than anyone I have ever known. He really is a a master at his trade. If he doesn't have what you are looking for and that is doubtful he will certainly get it for you. I have been a customer for over 25 years and enjoy and only recently gotten back into the hobby for the third time sharing it with my kids this time. Pasadena Tropical Fish rules!! Tell him Clay from www.studiocitytattoo.com sent you! read more

Man'o man this place has got one hellova selection. They had a huge selection of living corral and fishes and even some exotics like shrimp... They seemed to have an indigo glow and even a blue sapphire look to some. I dream of the day I get a serious tank like that, I know that it'll become another obsession so I'm not rushing into it just yet. From what I could tell its a rather expensive hobby. The owners are really knowledgeable and it seemed like they knew everyone ok a first name basis. There were at least three different people in there getting some new pets, not cheap ones either. I like that they don't crowd you so it gives you time to look at everything and then ask your questions, which I always have. They also have turtles and all the supplies for them (which is why I was there). read more

I really enjoy coming to this shop! Always have fish corals and inverts you can't find anywhere else. Steve and his family are always helpful and willing to answer all my questions! read more

Entire shopping center is pretty jaded. Lots of building have peeling paint. The actual store is just as old and worn out. When I went on a Sunday morning, the fish tanks were dirty and there many bags of fish were stacked up on a table waiting to be put into tanks. I guess they were too busy to put those fish in the tanks before the store opened. Because of this, there was no customer service other than a cashier who didn't look very friendly. (I hope that wasn't Steve.) The aquariums look like they could use a bit more care and the fish looked pretty stressed out. I saw many fish hiding in the upper corners and lots of raggedy, torn fins. The two employees look like family members who had other places they'd rather be. They should at least wear conforming uniforms which would make them look more professional. Prices were about average for a fish store, maybe a little above average. Selection was barely above Petsmart or Petco. I'm not sure if it's worth spending money or time here. read more

The place is dirty. Fish are not healthy and the owner does not even care anymore. I think he is going out of business soon...

This place has a great selection of fish and some exotic selections! They have pretty good pricing and have a staff that is very knowledgeable. I was thinking to get a new coral in my small tank and the staff there told me how to introduce the coral and check the ph etc levels to make sure my tank was ready. They also were able to help me pick up a good set of tropical fish what would all be sure to be friends! Happy to say all of my new fish friends are happy and the coral has been alive and thriving for a few weeks now! I don't think the tanks are any more dirty than other shops I have been to so I wouldnt count that against them. read more

I have been coming to this store for the last 10 years for freshwater fish. All the freshwater livestock are healthy and well kept. Every morning, you can see the boss-lady wheeling a shopping cart of supplies to each of the tanks, feeding the fish and cleaning the tanks. If you are a freshwater fish keeper, I highly recommend this store. They stock some rare fish from time to time, like Mbu puffers, african tiger fish and Amazon dorados. They maintain an impressive display of discus along the back wall. The enormous store is a joy to browse. I do not recommend buying any of their saltwater fish. Every salty animal I purchased from them has expired as soon as I got it home. It is not uncommon to see several dead fish in the tanks. Saltwater hobbyists should make the drive down to Age of Aquariums in Long Beach. read more

I bought fish here in 1999 that are still alive! We like to take very good care of our fish and they've been real helpful about the different types of food and live plants we can provide our fish. If you really listen to what they tell you here your fish will live a long, long time. But you have to listen. They're very knowledgeable here. read more

My go to local fish store for both marine and freshwater flora/fauna , honest and trustworthy owner , cares about well being of pets and will not push you to buy. Wide selection of marine and freshwater plants / fish / coral. All coral / tanks / fish I have purchased from PTF throughout the years are alive and thriving despite my sometimes neglect of my fish tanks. One of the top 3 local fish stores in the 626 / SAN Gabriel valley . Support your local fish stores people, although there are other channels to purchase flora Diana nowadays nothing beats coming to an actual store with your parents / children and experiencing the excitement of new fish stocks for the week and seeing all the new tank designs in person and speaking to fellow hobbyist. So support your local fish store and your local mom and pop businesses please ! read more

Although a little bit on the pricey side, their selection is great and the staff are very knowledgeable and helpful. Tanks are clean and the animals look healthy. I'm happy to support this business. So why not 5-stars? - The store looks a bit like a storm went through it - you can see the general organization of products, but there are boxes/clutter in the aisles and display tanks look half-unpacked. Some areas on the floor have water damage, which I wouldn't have dinged for had I not almost tripped over some damaged tiles. - There are many tiny "tanks" for sale next to their bettas that say to me the store supports the use of pint-size containers for keeping these fish. I wish they'd encourage larger, more appropriately sized aquariums for them. read more