Carson Tropical Fish — Local services in Hawaiian Gardens

7.7.2011...I started keeping tropical fish in 1985 and I could immediately tell that this is a bare bones operation for the hardcore hobbyist. If you need frou-frou hand holding and a shiny store just limit your worldview to PetCo and stay there! If you are an experienced reefer with 4+ years experience come here and you will find bargains galore. You need to look past the dust, coralline algae, and salt creep and REALLY LOOK at the corals. It's like going to a club swap, really cool selection with rock bottom prices. The same applies to the used equipment, you have to know what to look for. I bought a used & working 250W HQI MH Nanocube hood for a steal, with ballast included; and tons of SPS & softie frags too for a client's setup. There are good deals on new aquarium packages. The new dry goods selection was okay, but they can always order what you need at fair prices. The marine fish selection was disappointing but I've noticed that many brick & mortar shops have stopped trying to compete against the online retailers on both regards. You're better off going to the shops near LAX for fish. Even Vivid Aquarium, Age of Aquariums, Pacific Reefs and so forth halfheartedly stock fish. Tong's in Fountain Valley has a good fish selection, but only with a 65% survival rate once brought home. I don't even know why Carson Tropical Fish stocks freshwater, they seem like an after thought, but it must be for the neighborhood families and kids. The owner's English isn't the best but there's usually a younger employee around if you have problems communicating. I received excellent service and noticed other customers did as well. I drove over an hour to get to the shop, and albeit off-putting at first, am glad I did. Now it's ranked amongst some of my favorite SoCal LFS's....

These people and their reviews, A BAD experience at Carson?? Get outta here.. This shop is by far the best shop around..I travel quite a distance and always have. I pass 4 other Tropical Fish Stores just to go see Carson. Let me tell you an experience. I was living in Fountain Valley. Shopped called TONGS, I had a aggressive fish in my coral tank. I asked what solutions that had to get the fishy out. I was told to go look over on that isle and they had fish catchers. $80 for a glass box with a closing door. I needed it and bought it cause I couldnt make it to Carson before they closed. Caught the fish that night. Took the fish to Carson the next day. Saw the same Fish Catcher at Carson brand new for $50 but they had a used one they said "Next time you need to catch a fish come borrow our catcher and bring it back." Carson has been the only shop that doesnt mind testing my water and they do it with a smile. Instead of saying "oh your good" they tell me exactly what I need to do to get things running 100%. If you ask for help you get it at Carson. I also own a retail business and I understand the importance of customer satisfaction. My hat is off to the guys at Carson...

New to the area and I’ve been look for a pet fish store near by for the last couple weeks. I came across this store on google search. Let me tell u, I’ve been in the freshwater aquarium fish hobby over 7 year when I was in West Virginia and now I’ve entered the reef hobby just a year and a half ago since I’ve moved back here to Cali. When I had a freshwater tank I had African Cichlids the whole time and only dealt with one store because the owner and staff alway done me right and I mean “always” and that mean something to me. So I went to this store and I tell you, Bryce made me feel welcome and he didn’t even know how much of a passion I have for this hobby. Now I can write countless of paragraphs of my experience in the store, but let’s just say I was there for over an hour. As a reef tank hobbyist theirs countless effort we put into our aquarium, so when I say give the store a try, you will not be disappointed in spending your hard earned money with them (Bryce). Have not met the owner personally yet, but I can only imagine he would be a reflection of...