They always have top notch African Cichlids! We drive from far out Loudoun County for this store! The prices are great, the staff is all knowledgeable, and it's probably my favorite aquarium store in the DMV region. You can tell the fish are well cared for and that they keep stock rotating. Parking is a bit of a pain, but it isn't their fault. read more

Quaint aquarium in a basement, but absolutely the best variety of guppies in the DMV area. Friendly and knowledgeable staff. I love coming here. read more

Tropical Lagoon Aquarium - Gorgeous male guppy from Tropical Lagoon Aquarium. - Local Fish Stores Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

First time here, they had everything you need for your aquarium. The people were so friendly and help in understanding what I was looking for and "Mary" took her time explaining things to me about the fish that I was interested in. They have a steady customer in me. Thank you. read more

Tropical Lagoon Aquarium - Red Sevrum - Local Fish Stores Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

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Please bare I'm mind that I'm fairly claustrophobic...sooo... For starters, it's in a basement. Enter through street level door to immediately descend cluttered staircase. It's very warm/hot...due to moisture, lights, heaters. Not the worst fish store experience I've had, but I had to deep breathes to stay calm while moving about. Super packed with "stuff", so you'll prob find what you're looking for. Seemed somewhat on pricey side for tank decor, but fish seemed more normally priced. Haven't bought from them yet. Didn't find fish I was looking for. Not totally opposed to returning, but not thrilled to return either. So...just a 3 "meh" for me. read more

Wonderful place with a wide selection of fish. Best part is the people who work there, specifically Mary. She advised my wife and I on how many and what type of fish would be best for our small fish tank. She went out of her way to ensure we did not have too many fish and the ones we got would be happy together. Really great to get advised in our own (and our new fish) best interests. Thank you for the great experience, we will be back! read more

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Very helpful people, and a WIDE selection of fish from big to small. You can find a lot of fish here that you might not be able to in other fish stores. Definitely a great fish store! read more

I bought a few fish and some fish food. The owner took care of me. I would recommend they have a nice selection of fish read more

Tropical Lagoon Aquarium - Fish - Local Fish Stores Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

Wonderful variety of tropical fish, well-maintained healthy aquariums, knowledgeable staff, and just a fun place to go looking for new ideas for your tanks. read more

I'm giving Tropical Lagoon Aquarium five stars but with an asterisk. The doorway is hard to find, we drove past once, but look for the big red Sports Bar sign. The entrance is right next to that. There is some street parking but there is also a County lot half a block away. You may have to put a quarter or two in the meter depending on time and day. Now for the asterisk. From the front entrance you have to go down a long, steep flight of stairs. I don't know if they have a freight elevator somewhere, but I would check if you can't navigate steps. They do advertise that they offer curb side service. So after very carefully negotiating those stairs we entered the store. It was crowded with a lot of boxes. I learned later Wednesday is the day they receive supplies so that might explain some of that. We asked about Koi and were directed to a tub in the back of the store. Don't let the sign about $59 or $69 fish scare you away. We wanted small fish and they were about $17 or so. After we had looked at the fish for a few minutes, an employee came up and asked if we were ready. We'd had time to pick out three that we really liked. We got a "Skeleton", an "Asagi" (blue and orange), and a mystery gold Koi. Check-out was quick and easy. I noticed a jar that had a sign that read "Booz Fund" so I had to drop a bill into it. Turns out the money actually goes to charity. One of the main reasons I am giving Tropical Lagoon five stars is the three fish we selected are healthy, active and so beautiful. Very much five star fish. read more

Newbie owner of nano tank here. I was looking for clownfish and a bubbletip anemone.. Mary was great at showing us what was available, steering us towards introductory priced fish, and giving tips on temperature and feeding. It was obvious that she really knows her stuff and we will definitely be going back for all our aquarium needs. read more

I was in the store to make a purchase, and sliced my leg on the edge of a lidless glass tank that had been left on the floor. I went to the cashier to tell him I had just suffered an injury in the store, showed my bleeding leg, and requested that they move that before anyone else got hurt. To my utter disbelief, all he said was 'uh', and then went back to ringing up people in line. No offer of even an alcohol swab or a 'where is that so I can at least cover it up before someone else gets hurt'. Nothing. I will not be going to this store again. It became clear that they value the funds customers provide, but not the customer themselves. Not sure what was more irresponsible: leaving the tank on the floor or once advised, failing to act to prevent someone else from becoming injured. read more

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What a wonderful shop that was.. The went in there to see if they sell box turtles, they didn't have any turtle so i just walked around to see what they have and man they have some of the most people aquatic plants and some of the most bueautiful fish and aquarium setups.. Its seems the is kinda upper scale store kinda colorful light kinda dark and loud music..very lively place. I would love to come back there and buy some fish someday.. read more

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It's so cute! Best advised to come in a group of only 2 people because it's very tiny in there, and whatever you do don't pet the dog! They have a wide variety of most fish care needs. I'll be coming back to get some water plants for sure! read more

Tropical Lagoon Aquarium - Sign above the Dog's chair - Local Fish Stores Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

Awesome store! Great customer service! The store itself is on the smaller size, but you won't be disappointed! They have everything you could need for your freshwater or saltwater or pond aquariums or your reptiles. They have the best selection of aquatic plants, natural aquarium decorations, including natural substrates, a vase selection of driftwood, stones, pebbles, concrete slabs and more; plus of course there are no shortage of fishies for your tanks including bettas and coral reefs, etc!! read more

This place is a welcome business in a deficit of stores that supply accessories and food for reptiles. The staff is generally friendly. However, in my first encounters with going to this store, I noticed that the owner is not the friendliest. I am a melanin-dominant man who often patronizes this store. I have only just seen some of the complaints regarding the owner. I will say that he is pretty decent in recent interactions. However, I do wonder now that if the initial rudeness had racial implications. read more

Absolutely a diamond in rough. I didn't buy anything from this place-- I was just keeping a friend company as she debated on which fish to buy while I snapped over 30+ pictures of all colorful fish, frogs, hermits, and one super-mellow dog that I want to steal. Serious, Tropical Lagoon people if you are thinking about giving away your dog, CALL ME FIRST. I want that sweet blue-eyed dog... The owner, which I assumed to be Steven, is very friendly and helpful with my friend deciding on which hardy saltwater fish she should start out with-- my friend wanted like a zillion fish and he had to stop her and tell her to take one step at a time; and she can always come back in a few weeks if these hardy fish survives first. So you want honesty-- you will definitely get it here. My friend bought four clownfish, two tomato fish, and two, ahh I forgot the name, black angels? One of the black angel fish died a few days later because it didn't know how to eat. Or rather it went on a hunger strike. The rest survived but they fought hard for their food. My friend plans to get more fish and some cleaner shrimps. She wants some live plants so she plans to pimp out her saltwater aquarium (55-gallon tank). So I definitely will join her back to this place for some more awesome pictures. (I have uploaded a few to this business' photos, so check them out!!) It is a bit crowded store and a bit wet, so don't wear anything pretty that you do not want to get splashed with when they scoop out your fish/hermit/whatever. I love this place. I love the sarcastic decor. I love the fact it is a basement shop. I love the aquarium. I love taking pictures in this shop. I will recommend this place for anybody who is seeking freshwater or saltwater creatures. Or for any photographer who wants far-out pictures! read more

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They had everything I needed and an employee there was super helpful. He had an answer for every question I asked and I didn't feel like he was pushing me to spend more than I wanted to. Overall great experience! I got rainbow neocaridinas (2 for $5) which I felt was a good price compared to other locations! read more

Amazing aquatic store with quality supplies and super helpful staff! They have a plethora of fish, including some absolutely gorgeous bettas (I am now an owner of a black male orchard betta :) ), a nice selection of frozen and LIVE fish food, and tanks dedicated to numerous plants. They even have a section for reptiles. Joe was extremely helpful; he matched my enthusiasm over my fish and makes you feel as if he cares just as much as you do :) The only downside to the store was the space- because there's so much inventory the aisles are rather small and the store front is a bit hard to find, but it is organized so if you ask the staff they'd be more than happy to direct you towards the area you want to go. I work at a petstore, but TLA will definitely be my go to for fish supplies read more

Honest owner and honest employees! Steve (the owner) will never steer you in the wrong way. I went there to buy a Betta for my son because the Bettas that I ended up buying at Petsmart ended up being sick and ended up contaminating the other Betta in the dual tank. My son cried for hours because the very 1st pet he bought ended up dying the very next day. Bad Petsmart! Bad Petsmart! Yay for Tropical Lagoon for saving the day with healthy Bettas! Now back to the honesty part......so I came back another day to buy things I didn't really end up needing according to Steve. I appreciate being in an establishment where people don't try to swindle you out of your money. At Tropical Lagoon they are straight to the point as to no you don't need that and stop trying to spend money on things you don't need just because you heard or read somewhere that it is essential. Here at Tropical Lagoon you can feel safe that your needs will be taken care of and that whatever questions you may have will be answered with valid knowledge and not BS. MAKE SURE TO GO IN THE BACK OF THE STORE AND TAKE A PHOTO OF THE HUUUUUUUUUGE LIVE TURTLE AND POST IT ON FB OR INSTAGRAM LOL FUN TIMES! read more

Tropical Lagoon Aquarium - Make sure to visit Mr. Turtle!!! - Local Fish Stores Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

Great store. The tanks were clean and had individual filtration. The owner was nice, helpful, knowledgeable, and willing to put in the effort to enhance the shopping experience. Nice staff too. read more

Tropical Lagoon is my preferred LFS. It's like a hidden treasure to me. Just because it's small,it doesn't mean that it's bad. I love it. See for yourself. https://youtu.be/v79HiFpbMUY read more

I have to update the review I left below (i've had good experiences here in the past, but i guess the stock and costumer service is hit or miss). The last two times I went the corals were too ordinary and the prices were just average. Also, both times in the store the employees have made me feel awkward and uncomfortable. I left my wallet in the store accidentally, first they told me to go check the parking lot (?) and then they giggled amongst themselves when I asked to give them my number in case they found it (i'm a youngish woman). Thankfully the customer in front of me pointed out it was sitting on the counter next to the register. The other time I went in to buy a fish and the employee insinuated that A) the fish was too expensive for me, and B) my tank was not big enough for the fish. Neither of these things were true. The older employees seem to be a lot crankier than the younger ones, but the super young ones arent as knowledgable. Since they've given me good deals in the past i'll leave my positive review below.... The store itself isn't that aesthetically pleasing and traffic getting into it is bad, but I always leave here happy. They have a lot of stock to chose from (freshwater and saltwater) and great prices. The staff are laid back and always are happy to answer whatever questions I have. I've left this store with 20 neon green zoanthid polyps for $30 and a double ricordea mushroom for $18. In the past I've worked in this industry and never seen prices that low. Some other fish/coral are priced more moderately, but I never feel like I'm being over charged. This is probably my favorite store in the DC area, and worth the 45 minute drive for me. Even if I don't buy anything, they have a lot of interesting, oddballs that I enjoy looking read more

steve and the crew can not be beat !!!!! great fish and hard to beat prices !!!they also have mostly everything you could possibly need.... been a loyal customer for more than 30 years read more

One of my go to places. Owner seems a bit scary but hes a nice guy is who is very knowledgable. They have some of the best livestock in the area in my opinion. Haven't lost a single thing in the 3 years I've been coming here. read more

Great selection of fish. Friendly staff, And all kinds of aquarium products and fish foods. It's an hour plus drive for me but I'll definitely be back. read more

We've been going to this shop for all our fish needs for years. We were worried when we ran out of fish food for our tropical fish during this Covid-19 pandemic. Thank you so much for staying open during these trying times. read more

Not sure what the other reviewers are talking about as this is a perfectly fine aquarium & fish supply store with a surprising large variety of live stock. They have some very nice specimens and the tanks were very well maintained. I did not see a single sick fish or signs of any issues. Yes its in a basement but it does not smell of mold and is as organized as any other fish/aquarium supply I've been to. The male & female staff members were very friendly and asked if I needed any help a # of times, pointed me to what I needed and also provided a cheaper option for a tank treatment I needed. They were friendly and had a nice conversation. I walked in here after driving by it multiple times as I am setting up a small aquarium for my son but I have maintained the 125gal aquarium at my parent's house since i was teenager. I like to support mom & pop stores when I can and its nice to have a store like this nearby. The random pets that are lounging around the store are awesome cute & friendly. The talking parrot/bird is hilarious and very verbal. read more

This is my favorite tropical fish store. They have freshwater and saltwater fish, corals, plants, supplies, pretty much anything you need in the aquarium hobby. This is one of the few places you can find good hardscaping materials. It's been around forever and it is family owned. The proprietor and employees are very knowledgeable and helpful. This store might not be the biggest/cleanest, but the livestock is always in fantastic shape! Forget the chain pet stores! read more

Tropical Lagoon Aquarium - Made out like a bandit... Look at these vals! - Local Fish Stores Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

I'm not a normal review writer but I have now been here a few times. It seems people either really like it or hate it but no one really seems to be giving many details.... Positives: ~ IT IS WHAT IT IS! This is not a high end retail store, this is a mom and pop shop. No BS. ~ THEY DON"T TRY TO PUSH SALES or KISS UP TO YOU! *****Don't go in looking for someone to kiss up to you. If you don't ask for assistance they WILL assume you know what your looking for and leave you alone. If you want to know, you have to ask. ~HUGE selection of fish ~Knowledgeable staff ~Decent selection of tank add on/ins ~ Other critters LIVE here! sweet puppies, cats, a parrot, snakes and even a GIANT turtle! ~They also sell crickets & feeder mice, frozen feeding supplies etc. ~ Fair priced Negatives: ~Annoying to get to the location during rush hour traffic (restricted lanes etc)[otherwise it's easy when not rush hours] ~ It is in a basement with not so great ventilation, it smells like mold. But what else is to be expected... it's a basement room with concrete/ tile floor with TONS of water... if it didn't somewhat smell like mold it would be a miracle) ~ The staff may come off as rude to you because they are "stand off ish" but ask a question they will give you a straight answer, ask stupid questions you will get stupid or sarcastic answers (Personally I find this a positive but many people take it too personally and as "rude") read more

Maryland's best kept secret! I love this place. It's not pretty. It's not fancy. Tropical Lagoon is as "NO FRILLS" as it gets. This is a business with a personality. It's just a great place to buy fish and aquarium supplies and get expert advice. If you are new and trying to get set up, you can expect the best advice and you won't feel like you are getting ripped off (I didn't when I first started coming here as a "noob"). The owner, Steve, was an aquarium enthusiast who worked for the previous owner and in 1984 he bought the business. You can tell immediately that he has a real passion for these animals and his business. I assume the lack of frills helps him to keep his costs and prices down because his merchandise is consistently cheaper than any other store I have been to. I have been to every aquarium store in the area and once I found Tropical Lagoon, I stopped going anywhere else. Here's what you can expect when you go to Tropical Lagoon: * it's not easy to find. It's only a doorway in a small strip of Chinese food and other small businesses. It's there, don't worry. If you see Hunan City, you're there. There's a public lot at the corner. Park there and walk over. You will see it. * Lots of high quality fish and corals. The Prices are extremely reasonable. Just about everything they sell is at least $10 cheaper than Congressional Aquarium. * Quality advice from a real expert. Ask for Steve. He's always there. He won't recommend a fish or coral, etc if it's not right for your setup. He wants customers to keep coming back. * A gigantic 65 pound turtle in the back of the store (he "winters" there). * A very entertaining parrot that squawks "Gimme a beer" every so often. * Racks made out of two by fours holding up crystal clear tanks filled with beautiful, exotic fish, invertibrates, and corals. Tips when going to Tropical Lagoon: * Pay attention to the store's hours. Mon/Tues: 11-7, Wed thru Fri 10-8, Sat 10-5, Sun 12-5 **** Shipments come in on Wednesday afternoons. Time your visits accordingly! This is a great local business and I can't recommend it highly enough. read more

If you're looking for a big, well-organized store with lots of room for you to walk around and shop, you'll probably be put off at first glance by this place. That would be a big mistake. What you realize after a closer look is that, while the store itself may seem cluttered and a little dusty, the tanks are absolutely immaculate and the various fish, plants, and other aquatic life for sale are in the absolute pink of health. They have a constantly changing, eclectic collection of freshwater and saltwater fish (as well as plants, aquarium supplies, etc.), so each visit is a bit of an adventure. Having purchased fish both here and in various chain pet stores in the area, Tropical Lagoon is without a doubt the only way that I will go to stock my tanks (I have one freshwater and one saltwater). Another major plus is the extremely knowledgeable and helpful staff, who have proved to be a great source of guidance for me. read more

This is a well established LFS (local fish store) for any serious hobbyist. They carry saltwater and fresh water livestock, equipment, a few reptiles and birds. If you own exotic pets this is the place to go. Fantastic marine life selection, prices and customer service. This place could be a little more tidy but everything seems healthy and the owner is honest! He is always front and center and willing to answer any questions. There are a few store pets, so you should expect an "aroma" upon entry. Just a couple of dogs and a cat but they're super friendly and tend to entertain themselves. We come here for the saltwater selection as it is not like any other in the area. Happy Shopping! read more

I'm not sure why this place got such high ratings. I've been to pretty much all the fish stores in the area (see my reviews).. and this one wasn't that great. it is very tiny and the inside looks like a basement cellar. kind of creepy. just concrete floors that are falling apart. the tanks themselves looked okay and the prices seemed fair. i came one day after work and the staff did not seem too friendly/helpful. there are better fish stores in the area in my opinion. read more

I'll start off by saying I tend to gravitate to places with all the bells and whistles. Embellishments always grab my eye (and usually end up costing me). I like clean, relaxing environments that don't stress me out.... Tropical Lagoon is not that! But yes, I love it. :) When I first walked into this underground fish mart...it wasn't quite what I expected. It is raw and not your average glamorous fish store. It's bare bones basics--when it comes to appearances. BUT!! they do have amazing fish, great prices, and they know their stuff. This place definitely has character. There are tons of regulars- it's a well kept secret among locals. This made me realize that people don't come to Tropical Lagoon for the pretty; they come to this small local business for personality. Steve (the owner) is their no BS fish guy. His straightforward personality, easy sense humor, and slogan t-shirts make me laugh every time. Once I got over my horrified princess moment, I realized how great this place is! It's more than you'll ever find at any other aquarium store. Take a deep breath and give them a shot! read more

I have been coming here for a while. I am a discus nerd. They don't have the best selection for them, but I will say I have gone to specialty Discus shops, and the Discus here have been so much more healthy and reliable. I have one that I call "big momma" that has lasted 2 years, despite my spotty fish keeping! I also just got some rams, and they have been by far the healthiest I have bought, and many will tell you, rams are tough to find without issues. read more

The Tropical Lagoon Aquarium Store saved my betta's life! Stepping into this store is otherworldly. Downstairs from the street entrance is a cramped space crowded with aquariums and equipment where you will be greeted first by a dog, two cats and the noisy chatter of a parrot. But once you connect with a staff member, you will get everything you need to create a healthy life for your fish and other aquarium pets. My betta was languishing on the bottom of the tank with his fins clamped, barely breathing, hardly moving and not eating. He was thin and losing color. Steve listened to the symptoms and prescribed a medication for fungal infection and a series of partial water changes. He gave me worms to feed the fish. And he answered each of the typed list of questions with which I arrived. While there, I also picked up a small heater for my betta's holding tank for between cleanings. I think that a careless approach to maintaining his steady temperature is what made him vulnerable to infection. I followed Steve's instructions. My fish immediately started eating again and, as he continued to rest for a few days, recovered color and finally his original energy. Today, he is swimming happily back and forth across his tank and responding to my voice. I am so grateful. This is my first pet - - -ever. And I would have felt terrible if he'd died because of my failure to properly care for him. So glad I found my way to the Tropical Lagoon Aquarium Store so I'd know exactly what to do. read more

This may be my new favorite fish store. The store isn't big, and I wasn't really sure what to expect. I was here to pick up some live rock, and see what they had. The people are super nice, and the prices are more than reasonable. The parking can be kind of pain. Be sure to check out the shark in the live rock tank. The tortoise in the back is cool too. read more

The stores has done a upgrade to their Planted tanks and they look great now. This store as a lot of reviews said is what it is. Yes the store is a little out dated, you won't find any rare fish at this store, tanks could be a little cleaner, staff will not help you unless you ask for help and some of the dry stuff have sat on the shelf a while. Let me tell you though His prices are the lowest your going to get anywhere. If you ask him to go lower on the price he will laugh in your face and rightfully so because he is truly giving you the bottom of the barrel price. He is also very honest. If the product company is having a sale he passes the savings on to you instead of keeping the saving for himself. I bough a 180 gallon Aqueon tank with hood and pine stand from tropical Lagoon. He came right out and told me Aqueon is have a sale so the tank will be $100 less. I ended up paying between $1,250-1,299.Also he will not give you wrong advice. read more

Best Marine and Freshwater Fish store close to DC. Good prices on everything. The owner and employees are extremely knowledgeable and don't BS you. Fish are healthy and I have purchased extremely high quality specimens here over the years, Saltwater and African cichlid. Minus a point since the selection at times is not great, and doesn't often stray from the common stuff. This is my go to spot for dry goods, and commonly available livestock in the DC area. They also have some reptile/amphib stuff. read more

I have been too many fish stores over the decade I have been a hobby aquarist, and this is the best store I found. Nothing matches the personal attention Steve, the owner, brings. He is always happy to provide advice , to order any fish you need, or chat about best practices. On one of my many purchases, I discovered an ominous white dot on one the cichlids- I immediately contacted the store. The next day, when indeed the fish was littered with ich, Steve went out of his way to help me set up an isolation tank to treat the fish with strong medication, and to make sure I used a less invasive medication on the general tank. It happens at times that a fish you buy from a store is sick or dies, and I am used to battles with store owner. Instead, I got everything I needed to remedy t he situation, and and a re-assuring pat on my shoulder. It was wonderful! Such customer care is really unmatched! Always a pleasure to go! read more