Excellent service, and even greater owner! I've been coming to this place for the past 4 years, on and off, but every time is a great experience. The owner might look a little intimidating on the outside, but on the inside he is a nice and friendly person. Very helpful as well, if you want a fish that they currently do not carry, then the owner will order it for you, he is very knowledgeable of tropical and salt water fish. Beginner, novice, or even expert fish-takers, this is a place definitely worth stopping by and checking out! read more

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

Man!!!! secret gem. Awesome knowledge base. Owner breeds and imports beautiful creatures

Pasadena Tropical Fish is totally great. It's hard to find specialty aquarium product and this place is fully stocked and local. All we could possibly need. I'm sure they could order anything you want too. The fish variety is great rather then a large corporation. You will find more plants, exotic fish, and large sizes then other stores. They loose a star for being disorganized and a little slow to the draw. I think they only have one person working at a time which is cool but not your PetsMart of service. Yes to this place! They are gay friendly as in, they couldn't care less. read more

The owner is an honest guy and gives good advice (he doesn't force a sale). His fresh water fish selection is great. The species he has in stock vary, but they're always healthy. His plant selection isn't the best, but if you want healthy livestock this place is perfect. (I've exclusively stocked my tank with his livestock) He also has a ton of koi and larger pond fish if that's what you're looking to purchase. He has a beautiful selection of salt water fish, inverts, and a medium sized selection of coral. I am NOT a salt water hobbyist, so take this part of the review with a grain of salt. I highly recommend shopping here if you live nearby. read more

They're so rude over the phone. I've called twice and they snapped at me twice for asking them if they have female Halfmoons in stock read more

They have some cool and unique fish but they don't clean the tanks very well. I was just there looking to get a Betta fish and their little cups are so dirty it looks like they haven't been cleaned in a while. They're also kept in smaller cups than Petsmart which is pretty bad. The man there isn't very friendly. He's very one worded and he seems to not want to help you out. The woman is friendly and seems to know her stuff. They have some decent fish products and stuff. i would only go there for that and not for a fish because of their living conditions. read more

This is the single best local fish store. Huge selection of specialty stuff. Imported Koi, Discus, African Cichlids, etc etc. Largest selection of saltwater fish / coral in the area as well. The owner Steve is very experienced and won't lie to you to sell you a fish like most places do. He'll also order stuff for you in case you can't find what you're looking for. I can't say enough about this shop, been coming here for about 10 years. read more

One of the largest pet fish stores in the SGV (I liked this place more than Super Pets due to the selection). I was interested in their koi and goldfish selection and these guys have many different types of breeds, colors and sizes. As other have mentioned, it's not fancy but I'm about selection and quality. I took home 3 new goldfishes (panda, different types of ryukin). They've got the good stuff here. read more

It's changed since the last time and I came out a buyer. I was helped by the wife this time and she was thorough and knows her stuff. I bought a blue tuxedo sea urchin and it's been chomping away little by little at my green hair algae. read more

This is by far the BEST fish store in San Gabriel Valley area! As a new reef keeper, I decided to visit all the fish stores that sell salt water fish within a 20 mile radius from Pasadena and this store was #1. A lot of variety of healthy saltwater and fresh water fish, corals, plants, koi fish, supplies, food, and best of all friendly and helpful owners. Other stores like the ones in Glendale, Alhambra, Pasadena, Duarte, Rosemead and East LA are either too small, have no fish, the owners or staff are not approachable or helpful, and their fish are sickly and over priced. I love coming to this store on Sunday's when they have 25% off sales on fish :D read more

This place had interesting saltwater assortments. Great prices and he was very informative. read more

Pasadena Tropical Fish - It looks like a rock fish... But it was interesting! - Local Fish Stores Near Me - Pasadena, California

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The best saltwater aquarium store in the Padadena area. It's very much a mom and pop shop so be patient because it can get crowded on the weekends. They have lots of experience with fresh and salt water aquariums and it shows. I've come here for over 10 years and never gotten bad advice. If you're looking for coral frags, they restock each week with a nice selection including some rare and exotics. read more

Love love love this LFS - knowledgeable and friendly owners, healthy and clearly happy tanks that are well cared for, and they actually have nudibranchs in their store - these are a notoriously difficult to care for species and we saw two today that are just thriving in their tanks. Highly recommended. And they have decently priced marimo (moss) balls [$6.99 for a golf ball sized ball], though we just cleaned them out today so they're currently out. read more

Not very helpful, rude, didn't seem like he wanted to sell anything just gave short replies and when I asked for advice he told me just do what I'm doing, witch didn't make any sense since I never told him what I was doing read more

Honestly this is my second favorite shop in SoCal. Steve is really helpful on what kind of fish are compatible with what. It's especially hard when you are new into saltwater hobby like I am; but that doesn't stop Steve from helping! read more

I adopted a pet turtle from my sister and the little guy was in serious need of a tank upgrade. After looking at everything online and the inventory of big box pet stores I decided to pop in PTF for a quick look to see what a local establishment had to offer. PTF had everything I needed and at a better price than petsmart/co. It wasn't even just the price that was better but the quality was better as well. I had read a review about the stand they offered being wood and not particle board big box junk and they were right. They had the perfect stand. They knew what I needed and gave me helpful tips and pointers. Even threw in a little pamphlet on turtle care. Very nice people, very friendly, very knowledgeable, and I'm definitely glad to have found this gem. read more

Great store and good prices! Abundant selection in both saltwater and freshwater.

They're not super nice if you're not a serious buyer. Meaning, if you're just in here to look they won't waste their time with smiles and artificial kindness. All that said, this place has GOOD stuff. It may look dingy and dusty inside but all the animals are well cared for and healthy. I don't think I've ever seen a sick or injured fish in their tanks and the owner seems to pride himself in the quality of his stock. I also like that they have decently priced new and used tanks and aquarium decor. If you're there to buy, expect good, knowledgable service! read more

I cannot say enough great things about this place. Not only are the owners friendly and knowledgeable, they stock a wide selection of everything I've ever needed. I've had all kinds of tank setups-- brackish, marine, tropical, goldfish and outdoor pond. They've been very helpful with all of these. I've since downsized to just one large goldfish set up and this is the ONLY place I would ever even consider buying goldfish from. As some previous reviewers mentioned, the store ain't pretty on the inside. This doesn't hinder my view of it at all. I mean, it's not a Petco. It's run by 2 really hard working good people! read more

Wow, drove out here due to the reviews. I must have come on one of their bad days! I didn't get a hello when I walked in, nor did I get anyone to walk over to me even though I let them know this was my first time. Their main displays where horrendous, torch coral melted away, acro's all brown water very dirty. I decided to go through the whole store since I did drive out here. Only thing that kept running in my mind is what kind of hitch hikers can be introduced. Then I saw it Aiptasia in one of the tanks. No thanx and definitely not worth ever coming back! read more

Steve is very knowledgeable about both salt and freshwater fish. I've been going to his store for 15+ years and he is always helpful and fair. He is the Best!! read more

Selection lacking, particularly in the saltwater tanks--fish & corals, alike. Disappointed, as well, by the general husbandry--some of the water is just plain dirty. If you buy a specimen here, plan to quarantine! read more

I don't understand the high reviews if you look at the goldfish tank...dead fish in every one and they are so expensive for having ripped fins. I bought a Ranchu here and I didn't notice the ripped fins until I got home, but the guy saw it and had me pay full price...even tried putting the fish in another plastic bag so I couldn't see the damage. read more

I went in to browse over their betta fish after seeing how great they looked on instagram. Honestly the store looks nothing like it does on instagram, it's not the cleanest, it's dimly lit, & they had a lot of used products for sale (tanks, lights, pumps) I was disappointed in their betta section, not enough detail on their display. They reuse cups from petco/petsmart and the water of most of them was cloudy and due for a change. However, The quality of their bettas is superb! They had a lot of "giant" bettas, which were HUGE they really lived up to their name, but they're pretty expensive ($50 for a male $45 for a female). The koi males were stunning, patterns I had never seen in person before and only $20! I ended up purchasing a giant female that I loved. They also had a good selection of spider wood and plants. read more

This is the store which teaches me how to maintain a reef tank. I have bought many cheap and affordable corals from this store and the boss teaches me how to keep it well. I just follow his instructions and the successful rate is more than 95%. When he thinks that you are not ready for a certain types of fishes, invertebrates, or corals, he will tell you to wait (until your system is ready) instead of selling his organisms to death for a bit of profit. He is honest in that point. The only thing which this store makes me disappointed is the quality of the expensive fish (like blue tank). Three weeks ago, I just upgraded existed system into a 30 gallons tanks. More than 50 percents of the water were from the old system. All old corals lived great and all fishes were extremely healthy. All the life rock were from the old system too. That means my system had no problem. Three days ago, I bought a blue tang for 39.99 from this store and it died three days later. It was clear that the boss did not do the health inspection well and the quarantine system of this store was bad. Although I bough 2 healthy clown fishes from this store before (Now they are so healthy and happy in my system), the expensive fishes (blue tang, and etc.) were not in good shape and quality. (next time, when I visit his store, i will let him know my concern). OVERALL, the fishes' quality of this store is 50/50. If you are planning to buy fishes under 25, go for it (since they have a large number of those fishes in store so you can choose). But you have to have a really strong skill of fish health inspection. Otherwise, you will waste your money. One more thing, many people think that the boss is rude and impolite. Actually, he is pretty friendly. The boss is an Asian. As an Asian myself, I know that Asian people are not that expressive like Californian do. Sometime, we are a bit shy to start the conversation or maintain a good conversation with Native English speakers (since English is our second language). In Asia, the store owners mostly will just let customers to walk around by themselves instead of showing them around (respect of someone's privacy). That is simply Asian culture. Although some American thinks that if you are in America, you better do things in American manner, some people feels more comfortable to do things in their own cultural manner. America is a multi-cultural and free society, hope you guys can understand Asian culture. Thanks. So, next time, if you need help and ask him nice question, don't feel shy to ask. He will answer it nicely and help you. read more

Amazing customer services! Steve has unlimited knowledge of both fresh and saltwater fishes! Great selection of fish, corals, inverts and equipment. Best prices in LA. I drive an hr each way to go back here top get everuthing I needed for both of my fresh water tank and salt water tank! read more

Been to fish stores all across Southern California and this is by far the most awful, depressing place I have ever experienced. Dead fish in almost every tank and bags of dead fish lining the shelves above them. This place is deserving of an inspection over animal welfare violations. Please support other local stores before shopping here. Buyer beware!!! read more

This is my go to place the owner is very knowledgeable and the fish are reasonably priced the store it's self is a little rough but I'm not there to judgeThe ceiling or the floor justThe fish and I've been coming here for quite some time and I've never had issues with the quality of the fish I purchased read more

I've been going to Pasadena tropical fish for over 20 years now . They are one of the best if not the best and I'm not joking. I've gone from San Bernardino all the way to LA, i lived in both areas and they are the best. I now live in Ontario and still go there at least twice a month. Just went yesterday purchase a green neon carpet anemone, Colt coral, bicolor mushroom, sand starfish and sand snails. Do yourself a favor if you ever go in which I recommend you do. Talk to Steve the owner, take his advice he knows what he's talking about. I raise clownfish ! I know what I'm doing and yet I still find myself asking him questions all the time he is a tremendous asset and a friend. read more

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

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My goldfish from here got dropsy (pine cone scales) after 2 weeks. I've done research and have concluded that dropsy starts off with small symptoms (mostly sleeping) and then moves on to the noticeable "dropsy" it's far too late to treat a fish at this point. So I assumed that my goldfish already had it I just didn't notice it until it was too late. I tried returning it and the owner refused and laughed at me... I wasn't lying to him or anything I thought he would be understanding. read more

Dirtiest fish store we've ever been to. Price is higher than average pet store. Need to renovate. People can trip and fall on the uneven broken floor. read more

This has got to be my favorite aquarium shop throughout Los Angeles County. Great selection of fish Everytime I go to visit.

To me, coming here is like going to the zoo. You'll see the most exotic fish ever imagined for sale here at this family run business. I have never seen a dog fish or cow fish until I came here... it was trippy. It's the saltwater fish that are especially surreal. Too rich for my blood, but it's cool to come by and check them out. There's also fine reef stuff here as well for you Finding Nemo lovers. I'm more of a goldfish/koi keeper. You won't find prices beating the shady aquariums of the ghettos, but you'll find some pretty decent deals and assortment of fish here. They also stock supplies for reptiles and furry pets. I suggest just checking it out to see some of God's wonderful creations. read more

What a FANTASTIC place with the most knowledgable, genuine, fun and caring folks! We will never go to another place for our fish, feed or aquarium needs, again:). read more

One of my buds finally decided to follow my footstep and start a saltwater tank. Thing is he lives in Arcadia and the closest LFS will either be A+ Tropical Fish or Pasadena Tropical Fish. Didn't recommend him to go to A+ since I had a bad experience (plz refer to my review on A+). So, with Pasadena Tropical Fish as the last and closest choice, we headed that way. First impression of PTF: OMG, this store is huge. Gonna take me awhile to browse through their inventory. Turned to the left for the saltwater section, great selection on live stock and saw couple rare species in their tanks. Wait, this is too good to be true!! Now, here come the downfall, saw at least one RIP or half way dead fish in every other tank. Probably water quality is not up to par or bad selection at wholesaler. Look even closer to the fish, some of them got injured badly (yes, i'm talking abt the Koran Angel's eye is half way gone or falling off). Jeez, feel bad for the little guy and start questioning how much work/time they put in to take care of their inventory. That's just a major turn off for me. Before I drag my bud out of there, I glazed at the pricing. I almost screamed "WTF" out loud. Pricey aka rip off!!! I understand local store like PTF need to make profit to stay above water for surviving and i have no problem with that at all. But come on, average 10-20% higher than other LFS I encountered is just unacceptable. Now, definitely is time for me & my bud to get out of there. Final thought: There are few good quality LFS in LA but definitely not PTF. Don't be lazy, get in ur car and enjoy the drive cos definitely worth the time when you go home with a healthy fish rather than a dead one in a day or two. read more

This place is a must see for all tropical fish hobbyists. The store owner is super friendly, reliable, and educational. He has some very very rare fish. All his fish are reasonably priced with clean healthy fish. read more

Owner is very unpleasant humorless and cheap, prices aren't too high but when you make huge purchases he won't bring the price down like other fish stores, fish have HLLE and other diseases, if it wasn't for the large drygoods section this place would get a 1 star read more

Went here recently only to see almost every single fish sick. Their coral prices seemed fair but I would never put anything that came from their water possibly killing my own livestock. The tanks were all so dirty that it was very difficult to see a lot of the corals and the store was also very dirty. The dry good selection was very large which is why I gave them 2 stars instead of one. The store has a lot of potential but I didn't see the owners doing any cleaning or upkeep on the tanks when I went there which is a shame. read more

First and foremost, just to let everyone know, I don't give 5 stars, unless it's a very special circumstance. My 4 stars are equivalent to 5. With that said, I want to say that this is an AWESOME store. The variety and quality is excellent. They have new species often. Prices are ok..decent, but it's the choices and quality of their fishes that is great, so keep that in mind. Now here's the thing, I get negative feedback from people who buy here when I hear them talk at other stores. People mention customer service isn't there and price is high. Prices are decent, however there are other items that beat the competition in price. Prices will vary here and there, but again, quality and rarities and availability is to be considered. Okay, service, demeanor, and attitudes of the owner and staff. You must keep in mind, everyone looks and reacts a certain way, but doesn't mean they are that way, "don't judge a book by it's cover". Like all of you, I was sensing that at first as well, but you have to give time for them to get to know you. There's so much they have to do there, managing and caring for their fishes and tanks and customers. Very busy, and that's a good sign because you know they maintain a quality standard for their aquatic friends. There is Steve, the owner and the lady who cares for the fishes, they are great and wonderful. I was scared to ask any questions when I was there the first time, because Steve looked mean..lol(forgive me Steve). But he is a very friendly dude and very helpful in giving advice on your questions. And the lady, she is the sweetest and nicest gal. My girlfriend wanders off when we get in the store and checks out cute fishies and everytime, she gets her questions answered before I even have a chance to even look at the fishes, because the lady is that kind and helpful. In conclusion, I highly recommend this place to aquatic hobbyists. Keep up the great job there Steve!!! read more