About
Tropical Treasures has anchored the Phoenix freshwater scene long enough that owner Don has become something of a local institution, the kind of guy regulars are told to "say hi to" the moment they walk in. The storefront is modest and admittedly snug, but it crams an astonishing amount of life into a tight footprint, drawing a loyal following that keeps the place reliably busy. Hobbyists come for a deep bench of freshwater tropical fish, robust live aquatic plants, and the harder-to-find species the big-box chains never stock.
Recent visitors have walked out with blue acara and firemouth cichlids, while longtime customers rave about the jade green shrimp, giant gourami, and rare plecos — one reviewer flatly called it the best place to buy monster fish in the state. If you're hunting cichlids, planted-tank greenery, or axolotls for sale in Phoenix, AZ, this is the small shop locals point you toward. The staff is the real engine.
Names like Cole, Jennifer, Paul, Nate, and Trevin surface again and again — people who package fish carefully for a long drive home, who ask you to bring in a water sample before they'll sell you anything for a new setup, and who will decline a sale outright until a tank recovering from ich is fully healthy. That kind of honesty earns trust; one customer drives roughly three hours for fish from here, and another credits the crew with talking him out of dropping a fish into un-cycled water. Water testing and patient consultation are simply baked into the culture rather than offered as formal services.
Prices land consistently lower than nearby specialty competitors, and the fish arrive noticeably more vibrant than chain-store stock. It's a true mom-and-pop shop with a family feel, and one regular reports that roughly 85% of her two 75-gallon setups — fish, plants, snails, substrate, decor, and equipment — came from this store. For genuinely rare freshwater species, healthy live plants, and a fish store that educates rather than upsells, Tropical Treasures has earned its near-thousand reviews.
Walk in and see why this Phoenix, AZ shop keeps its regulars coming back.
What they offer
Fish & livestock for sale at Tropical Treasures in Phoenix, AZ
Tropical Treasures stocks rare and hard-to-find species, shrimp, axolotls, plecos, cichlids, angelfish, aquarium plants and freshwater fish for sale in Phoenix, AZ. As a fish store serving Phoenix, AZ, it also offers water testing and aquarium consultations.
- Livestock & products
- Services
- Specializes in
Highlights
What makes them special
- Deep freshwater selection including monster fish, giant gourami, and rare plecos
- Cichlids like blue acara and firemouth, plus jade green shrimp and axolotls available in Phoenix, AZ
- Staff (Cole, Jennifer, Paul, Nate, Trevin) test your water and decline sales for an unready tank
- Healthy live aquatic plants priced below nearby competitors
- Long-running mom-and-pop shop with owner Don, busy and well-loved with nearly 1,000 reviews
From keepers
Customer reviews
“Wasn't sure what to expect pulling up, but really surprised at how many species of different animals they had. We picked up some blue acara and firemouth cichlids. As well as some wood and air stones. Cole was really knowledgeable and great customer support. Packaged our fish up really well. Especially considering we were driving to Maricopa. So far so good and we will definetly be going back.”
— shannon d5.0a day ago“Great selection and price for a small store!”
— Chris Carter5.05 days ago“Great selection, very clean!”
— Duke Rosin5.0a week ago“Bought angle fish from here less then a week ago and it died. The fish tank was set up and it was perfect for them. I’m assuming it was sick or something. We called this place this morning to see if we could get our money back if there anything they could do to help and they didn’t do anything, it was a $50 fish and it’s just a loss for us. So much for customer service.”
— logan KCM2.02 weeks ago“Got a Lil fuzzy mouse. Lots of animals that are very cute and for sale. Staff was friendly and helpful”
— Charlie Smith5.02 weeks ago“Decent selection and friendly help”
— Perry Villarreal4.03 weeks ago“Love this place. Staff so friendly and helpful with any questions needed. Picked up freckles my axolotl a year ago. And very healthy”
— Pamela Garcia5.0a month ago“Knowledgeable! Kind”
— D H5.0a month ago“Such a unique and informative pet store, i was looking for fish and may have found the cutest one! i recommend for much more than fish, their tanks are amazing and prices too!!”
— Princess5.02 months ago“I have been going to this business for 5+ years and I'm so thankful for them. I go for food for my snakes and they not only show me options, they explain the differences and point out ones specific for my snakes. Thank you for being there for me and I look forward to my next visit.”
— Jason Barker5.02 months ago
Reference
Frequently asked questions
Note — Store information and services may change. Always call (602) 993-8000 to confirm current availability, hours, and services before visiting Tropical Treasures.