Had a good experience with Tropical Haven recently and in some years past. This last visit was for some fish food which they had for my fish pond. I appreciate being helped soon after entering the shop and the clerk knowing and helping me find what I needed. Appreciated the efficient experience as my wife was waiting for me in the car... read more

I wish I had checked reviews before buying here. So many people have had similar problems since the new owners showed up. Tl;dr: Their return policy is deceptive and only explained on the receipt, and they refuse to take care of their customers. I bought a $20 electric heater for my kid's beta that was recommended to me by them, and even on the lowest setting, it was too hot for the fish and almost killed it. I came on day 10 of the 14 day return policy to get my money back, and they told me that they can't return electronics. I asked about the 14 day policy, and they said it doesn't apply to electronics. When I told them that I was never informed of the policy before buying it, otherwise I wouldn't have bought it in the first place, they didn't care and said it's on the receipt. ...You know, the ONLY place where this policy is posted to customers. The one you can only know about AFTER you buy something. It's aparently too "redundant" to state the policy that you can't return the product you're about to buy prior to buying the product. That policy. I asked if I could get store credit or replace it with one that works, and they refused. I was told I can contact the manufacturer to get a replacement heater. Everyone knows that the obvious choice a business should make when dealing with returns is to say "Nope. Not my problem." It's best business practice. Duh. On Monday (today), I went to to talk to the owner about the situation. He stood by his associates and said it's the responsibility of the customer to ask about the return policy, and did not understand why the policy would be unclear if the first time the return policy was explained was after it was purchased. He also seemed to not understand the difference between a warranty and a return policy, and was comfortable keeping the communication about their return policy solely on the receipt. He also didn't think he should go about and explain the warrant on any product you buy with him. When I told him I wouldn't be returning, he still didn't seem to grasp the problem of what happened. I want to support small, local businesses, but this place isn't worth it. They're happy to take your money, but then refuse to actually do any proper customer service when issues arise. read more

Took a trip to Modesto to visit Tropical Haven as they have a larger selection of fish than the normal pet stores. We spent about 45 minutes in the store mostly in their fish section. They had a large variety of fish that took up about half the store. The staff was friendly and offered assistance often and checked on us if we had questions. We ended up purchasing 9 fish, and a few other supplies for our first tanks. The store is warm and humid with all the tropical tanks in there, I was sweating by the time we were done. We were able to get other varieties of fish that are not available locally. They had great prices on their fish food & filtration systems, some of the fish were priced higher than I was expecting but overall the experience is good and the staff was friendly & helpful. Unfortunately we lost 2 of the fish we purchased within a few days but have hopes that it was just a fluke. read more

Tropical Haven - Pet Stores Near Me - Modesto, California

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I bought a fish here for about $30 and it died almost immediately after being added to my tank. When I went back, the staff even mentioned that it could have been the fish because they had just received that shipment. I tested my water and all parameters came back normal--there was nothing wrong with my tank. Despite this, they did not offer a full refund and only wanted to give me around $12 back. I understand store policies, but when a fish dies right away and the store acknowledges it may have been an issue with a new shipment, a full refund or replacement would be the fair thing to do. This store was recently bought by a new company, and unfortunately the change has not been good at all. The customer service and overall experience seem worse than before. This whole situation was really disappointing, and I hope management rethinks how they handle situations like this. Safe to say, never buy your fish here... read more

Tropical Haven - Dead Fish - Pet Stores Near Me - Modesto, California

Terrible customer service and communication. Went to the location to purchase a tank, they took all my info and were to call me back with info. They never called. Few days past called back to inquire again, took my info again, and said they would get back to me.....never called again. Didn't think it would be so hard to purchase something from a store and give them business. Wasn't asking for a discount, wasn't asking for anything custom. Just a simple tank by a brand they carry and can easily order (like i was told twice by the store employees). Very disappointed. Worst part is when I visited the store the first time I actually bought a different tank (they had in stock) so the one I wanted order would be my second tank purchased here. Would have never bought the first one had I known they would have this type of customer service and communication. read more

My son's new fish and one of my own died within 24 hours of purchase. When I returned to the store, I was denied a refund because my water parameters were allegedly "not perfect," which I find unreasonable. I have maintained a well-established aquarium for over 20 years and have never experienced issues like this, including under the store's previous ownership. The receipt clearly states that freshwater fish are guaranteed for 7 days. There is no indication anywhere that this guarantee is void if water conditions are slightly off. In contrast, when I previously had a fish die from PetSmart, they offered guidance on correcting my water conditions and provided store credit once the issue was resolved. Due to this experience, I will not be purchasing from this store again. I strongly advise others to reconsider buying fish here. read more

Tropical Haven - Pet Stores Near Me - Modesto, California

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We were out of town killing time and walked into this store. The conditions for the fish weren't bad, but everything else was awful. Especially the birds. They had 10-15 birds all in the same small cage. One bird was visibly sick, pointed it out to the worker who just dismissed it. You're better off supporting petsmart. read more

Tropical Haven - Pet Stores Near Me - Modesto, California

Good selection of fish. Staff is friendly and helpful. One of the better fish selections around

Since the new owners have taken over, they have done drastic remodeling. Every time I visit the store it looks better and better. Their selection is better than any other fish store around and the staff is very knowledgeable offering help with any questions you have. Can't beat their prices! read more

NEW MANAGEMENT. they're friendly helpful and having a new grand opening on May 2nd! My husband and I will be back to start our tank with Luis! read more

Have been coming here for a while now because of the customer service and the prices. All the fish and shrimp I've gotten from here have always been healthy and same with the plants. This is my go to store and will be for a while. If you have the chance to check it out you should even if it just to stop by and look and the fish, an employee told me theyre going to start getting exotic pets in soon as well as starting a co2 class to learn about how to use it for your tanks and the benefits of co2. read more

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Great selection of fish here at affordable prices. Some more exotic cichlid species too. This is is the largest fish store I have visited. All of the employees here were welcoming and kind. The young woman feeding the fish offered me help as soon as she saw me. Once I was ready for fish she was tied up with another customer and Saul helped me instead. He made the effort to catch the exact ones I wanted and it was nice to have a conversation with someone knowledgeable in the hobby. Fish were bagged in large bags with plenty of oxygen. The woman working the register was genuinely friendly too. Will definitely visit whenever I am in the area. read more

Poor customer service i bought a new 135 gallon tank after filling it i big chip appears in the corner made in usa they dont back there products they sell and elite tanks doesn't either sad when you shop small bissnesses to support them wouldn't waste your time or money this was the whole set with elites stand i wouldn't of even filled the tank with that big of a chip clearly structural failure so glade nothing serious happen or even my grandson being injured sad hard to suport small bissnesses like tropical haven or elite aquariums stay away from both read more

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Awesome place. Had a big variety of fish and plants. I love coming here it's the only close fish store to me.

Excellent staff, knowledgeable and friendly. Were able to make helpful suggestions and direct me to the fish/supplies I needed

AMAZING!!! such wide variety of plants, fish, and aquarium supplies. the gentleman with long hair who works in the fish section is super knowledgeable and really helpful. prices are unbeatable!! the young caucasian woman who works there is so sweet as well! she checked me out and answered all my questions about supplies for my tank! while we were heading out we got to talk with the owner ted who is such sweet and kind soul. he showed us so many fun magic tricks, you can tell he really enjoys his job and talking with people who come in!! i'll never go anywhere else for my aquarium supplies! read more

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Spent over $70 on fish and plants this past Friday. All the fish made it home safe did the 10 minute acclamation float. set the fish free the next morning. I noticed one fish had white spots on him so I contacted Fish Haven and let them know the situation. I text message one of them employees around five pictures of the fish that was infected with ich ! They are reviewing the pictures confirmed it was ich!! Next day. The fish died now my entire tank is more than likely contaminated with ich with over a couple hundred dollars worth of fish in there. Just got off the phone with them and they told me they'll give me half of the credit of the sick ich infested fish. They sold me. It's not about the $14. It's about principal.!!! Highly do not recommend this place and they cannot be trusted!!!! if I could put zero stars, I would!! read more

I was a bit apprehensive about checking the place out at first based on the polarizing reviews and the photos. But I went anyway because I know how retail can be and needed to experience it myself. The merchandise is actually well kept. Things are organized by categories well and it's easy to find what you're looking for. The selection they have is good and they carry a variety of products. Their pricing is VERY good. I think I've only come across a few things there that were higher than other places, but for the majority of products, the pricing is comparable or better (even vs Amazon). The fish seem to be pretty well kept. If you go in once and pass judgement, I can see how at first impressions some would be put off. The tanks aren't the cleanest they could be (but I also know the equipment needed to keep them all pristine are expensive and then you have to have the space to take everything down, temporarily rehouse all those fish, install it, put everyone back in their tanks - I get it, that's a HUGE task and a lot of money). Occasionally you come across a dead fish (this is not uncommon and totally normal - it happens). But from my handful of visits over the past few weeks, I definitely notice they do take care of their fish. I've seen fish moved out of their original tank for isolation, dead or sick fish are usually removed within a reasonable time. The fish, for the most part, seem very well kept. The first time I visited the tanks with all the plants were left wanting... but my last two trips it appears someone had taken the time to fix it all back up. They had some very nice anubias available. And I had to buy all their red tiger lilies - just gorgeous. One tank did have a bad case of cyanobacteria- that's a task all in itself - I'm sure they'll sort that out at some point. The staff are very knowledgeable with products and fish keeping. I don't think any of the staff are rude at all. I can see why some people would think that; people get tired, you don't know what's going on in people's lives, customers can be unreasonable often (I speak with decades of experience... ya'll gotta chill some times). But I think they are all quite friendly people. You can ask them anything, they will give you an answer the best they can. My dad had an issue with a tank kit he bought, not the store's fault, it seems the manufacturer forgot to include some items, he called and they said they'd make it right. Pulled the missing items right out of another box, put that box aside to be returned to the supplier. I really enjoy this store and the staff and will definitely bring them my repeat business. If you've been on the fence, or had a bad experience in the past, I highly recommend you check them out or give them a second chance. read more

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Knowledgeable staff, quality fish, very reasonable prices. Hidden gem! Well worth the drive from Tracy. read more

This was my first time in this store, I had heard about it from a friend and they had just the exotic fish that I have been searching for. I was looking at all the yelp reviews before I went, and I was kind of nervous before I want. When I walked in, I was instantly greeted with a smile and it put my mind at ease. The staff we helpful and I was amazing by how big the store was. I went in specifically for fish and I was in awe at all the fish tanks they had. The have 3 long rows filled with tanks. The had some exotic fish and had exactly what I was looking for and things that I did not know I wanted. I'm looking forward to going back and getting some more fish and supplies. Their pricing was reasonable for the area and they had good quantities as well. As far as aesthetics goes this place if not as clean as a Petco but I went here not wanting a Petco-like store. The have a lot of product, more than you will usually find at a local pet store. In the aquarium section there were some hoses in the ground, and it was dark, but there were a lot of tanks and they were clean for the most part. I would imagine it takes a lot of time maintaining the equipment and I could care less about a few minor hose I had to step over. read more

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Large store with a high variety of aquarium, pets, and products. This is definitely the best place in town to find unique and rare fish and fair prices on what you need to get started as a hobbyist. This is also the only place in town that will take fish that breed in your tank if you don't have room for them. I donate fish periodically which keeps me from having to euthanize them when they overstock their own tank. I think it's really decent that they are willing to accept donations and they are very helpful with tips and information about the fish. All of the staff here have quirky personalities to take some getting used to, but they are caring folks that are genuinely knowledgeable. Overall, best in town. read more

Rude over the phone and I didn't appreciate it at all . Could barely get my question out before he was talking over me.

I love this place for the variety of supplies they have for a decent price and the variety of fish they have. The older lady there seems a little on the rude side like " what do you want, now gtfo" kinda vibes. Even when approaching with a smile. Every time she's there it's not a very warm welcoming feeling. Mixed feeling about this place. read more

I've been here several times now and always leave content with my purchases and my dealings with the staff. They have a really good variety of fish and supplies. read more

Amazing, I love coming to this store! They are very nice and know what they are talking about. Very knowledgeable about fish and what to put with other fish or not to. Also great prices and variety, I come from an hour away just to get fish. Fish are healthy and happy. Will continue to shop here. read more

The employee atTropical Haven she didn't recommend what kind of bird seed to get for my bird she gave me nothing but junk seed for my parrot she just sale me what ever don't recommend this store just go to your veterinarian for questions for your pet bird read more

It had been several years since I had been to Tropical Haven. And after reading some of these negative reviews, although I had NEVER had a negative experience with them, my expectations were, admittedly, fairly low. First, I confirmed by phone they had the tropical fish I needed. The woman that answered the phone was polite and helpful, and they did have them. So, it was worth the hour drive, since no other pet store had what I was looking for. Once at Tropical Haven, I was politely greeted and directed to a person who could help me. The woman that helped was very efficient and knowledgeable. And as she prepared my order, I looked around. All of the fish tanks were clean and LOADED with numerous varieties of healthy fish. I do not believe there is any pet/aquarium store in the Modesto area with anywhere near the selection. Finally, rebuilding my aquarium, I have done a lot of shopping. And at least for tropical fish, Tropical Haven's prices were the best I could find - anywhere! Tropical Haven is in an old building in an even older strip mall. But do not let that dissuade you. It is a fantastic pet store with knowledgeable and experienced staff, and excellent prices! read more

I get my birds from here they usually come very tame I have got three birds in total from here the first two were very calm and loving my my most recent bird I cannot tame I guess I just got lucky with them the first time overall the workers are very nice but they can use more staff there's only two there everytime I go read more

Tropical Haven - The bird I got from the store - Pet Stores Near Me - Modesto, California

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I LOVE THIS PLACE!! I drive an hour every chance I get to go and restock. If I have questions I get straight forward answers. Even suggestions how to improve my tanks. Such a huge selection of fish it's always a joy going. read more

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Great people, great customer service!!! Always willing to answer questions, I've always had great conversations with the staff. I drive from sonora to specifically come to this place, not to mention they have been upgrading the store and it's looking great! If you take your kids in ask for the gentleman who does the awesome magic tricks!!! He was great!!! read more

Had been wanting to go here for awhile. So many fish! Great fish room stocked with so many kinds of fresh and saltwater fish. And not one dead/dying fish in any of the tanks! Marie was very helpful in explaining how to use the product I was purchasing for my tank, and it was only 6.99, compared to 11.99 on Amazon for the exact same item! There was also a young lady in the fish room who answered all my questions regarding tanks, types of fish, etc. I'll definitely be going back here for my aquarium needs. read more

Ted has owned this place forever and the family and I enjoy wandering around the fish room! Just recently re-started my 30 gallon cichlid tank. Made it a Community fish tank for my son to enjoy. Good place and great prices. read more

I love this store!!! Such abundance, doesn't compare to any other pet store i've been to!

I love this store they provided me with every fish I have and they are all so healthy and happy I'm glad I went to this store the bad reviews are just not true at all! This place couldn't be more good if a place to bring my business! read more

Tropical Haven - This is my fish tank it's a little dirty because I'm on vacation but I bought all of these fish and the frog from tropical haven! - Pet Stores Near Me - Modesto, California

Come for the fish, not the customer service. Lady complained about having to fish out a clownfish that was hiding in rocks. Comments included "Im not gonna remove all the rocks for you", "great its in the back and in not tall enough to get it", "this position is making my neck strain", "ow great i just strained my neck, just great". Then when i offer to help cause im now feeling guilty and afraid the poor lady is gonna break a neck bone, she tells me i may just need to "pick another fish" Lol Ay yi yi. Long story short i make her get the fish i wanted. This is your job lady lol. read more

I've been coming here for years, they had excellent prices on the African mbuna cichlids I got before as babies and now the best around on the Tanganyikans I keep as well. Yes sometimes it can be a little dirty but they have so many tanks how do you expect a little family owned store to keep them all 100% spick and span. They have a great selection of supplies and low prices as well. Also, maybe contrary to popular belief, I really don't think it is a fish stores job to completely educate you on the hobby. It is your responsibility to research any new animal you get. With that being said, I did receive lots of help and advice when I got my 55g African cichlid tank, but stop expecting people to do all the work for you. Randy's Fish Palace is nice and I got my ocellatus from there but it's definitely much pricier and has less supplies. Just my 2 cents. read more

Horrible service. Fishes have disease and dying. If you're an experienced fish keeper then you'll know right when you walk into the fish room. Don't go there. read more

Can't believe this place closes at 5! Most people work until 5! And they're closed Sundays! Trying to support local businesses but I literally just went to Petco! Spent 225.00. She stay open until 6!! read more

Best prices in town and friendly staff! Great product choices. We always buy our dogs food here and haven't found a better deal on taste of the wild dog food locally or even online. read more

Lots of fish varieties for the hobbyist looking for something new. This store really has all that you need for fish keeping including driftwood and food selections like no one else around. The staff can always point you in the right direction but they may not always have a proper answer which I cannot blame them, you can't know everything about all the different products. The biggest negative I had was witnessing the owner berate an employee in front of me. He was very grumpy about the quality of water in some fancy betta fish tanks and saw it as appropriate to yell at her in front of me on the sales floor. Very unprofessional. The woman getting yelled at handles it with grace but the owner should be ashamed. read more