About
Tropical Fish Incorporated — known locally as Pasadena Tropical Fish — has anchored Colorado Boulevard for roughly 40 years, and a single walk through the aisles explains the loyalty. Customers talk about 15-year relationships with owner Steve, a walking encyclopedia of aquarium knowledge who would rather talk you through a problem than simply sell you a product. If you have been searching for a genuine fish store in Pasadena, CA, this is the kind of independent shop the big-box chains can't match.
The freshwater selection is unusually deep for a local fish store. You'll find fancy goldfish — including quality ranchu at honest prices — alongside hard-to-find nano species like chili rasboras for sale, plus catfish, healthy guppies, freshwater shrimp, and oddball imports that rarely surface elsewhere in the LA area. One reviewer bought 20 chili rasboras, a species notorious for struggling in transition, and didn't lose a single one over three weeks, a testament to how carefully the livestock is conditioned before it goes home.
The freshwater shrimp in particular are frequently called out as a great deal. Because the store runs a full marine section, it doubles as a true aquarium store: corals, invertebrates, and saltwater fish are all available in Pasadena, and the reef stock is genuinely impressive. A dedicated pond area rounds things out with koi and a solid assortment of pond plants for sale, while live aquarium plants and aquascaped planted-tank displays have begun appearing throughout the shop — a small but telling signal that this place is run by and for hobbyists.
Aquarium equipment, hardscape, and décor fill the remaining aisles, and Steve offers the kind of hands-on consultation you simply can't Google. The atmosphere is admittedly old-school and the layout can feel a bit chaotic, but for sheer variety of healthy livestock, fair pricing, and decades of real expertise, Tropical Fish Incorporated remains one of Pasadena's most dependable destinations for freshwater, saltwater, and pond keeping alike.
What they offer
Fish & livestock for sale at Tropical Fish Incorporated in Pasadena, CA
Tropical Fish Incorporated stocks corals, goldfish, koi, invertebrates, shrimp, rare and hard-to-find species, catfish, aquarium plants and freshwater, saltwater & pond fish for sale in Pasadena, CA. As an aquarium store serving Pasadena, CA, it also carries aquarium equipment and offers aquarium consultations.
- Livestock & products
- Services
- Specializes in
Highlights
What makes them special
- 40-year Pasadena institution with deeply knowledgeable owner Steve
- Unusually large freshwater selection including rare nano species like chili rasboras and quality fancy goldfish
- Impressive marine section with corals, invertebrates, and saltwater fish
- Dedicated pond section with koi and pond plants
- Competitive pricing on livestock, especially freshwater shrimp
From keepers
Customer reviews
“Steve is very knowledgeable. Have been coming here for many years. Selection of stuff is great.”
— Michael Chen5.0a day ago“Steve is by far very knowledgeable and so friendly and helpful,also gives mr the correct and best advice,all his fish are also very healthy and I highly recommend u to buy from him.”
— Anna Stickle5.02 months ago“Great guy”
— gcarrier19715.03 months ago“Need more salt in their salt water. It should be 25-26 salinity but it’s only 23.5. My corals are not happy and I need to buy saltwater from other store and change my fish tank water”
— Mealson Wang1.03 months ago“Old School aquarium store. A great visit.”
— Dan Ermey5.02 months ago“The best local fish shop in Pasadena. The store is huge for a LFS. they have a wide selection of freshwater, marine and koi pond fish, as well as plants, corral, and tons of related accessories. The fish tend to be healthier, larger and more affordable than other fish shops nearby, especially the the big box chains. The owner is knowledgable and will help solve your problems and answer your questions. This review is for the retail store on Colorado Blvd., in Pasadena. The sign says Pasadena Tropical Fish. Highly recommended!”
— Phil Blum5.03 months ago“Great store. Great fish 🐟. Great service.”
— Anpan Mom5.04 months ago“Super nice owner and the staff are really helpful! The livestock are a good deal, especially their freshwater shrimp.”
— Seiji5.05 months ago“Finally after 6 months of searching i found my dream fish. For 20$ it is an excellent near lemon head ranchu. Will be treating with methylene blue just in case. The guy also had a large assortment of pond plants and healthy guppies, Also the only store that has cheap good quality goldfish. Ill be going again soon!”
— ginger balls5.06 months ago“I had stopped by this store several times over the last couple years, but just to get hard scape and various supplies. I stopped in recently and was surprised to see a huge supply of chili rasboras available, which I haven't seen at any other local fish stores. I had been wanting to grow my school, but I hate having to order fish online, so I was thrilled to see them in person and immediately bought 20. They were juveniles, but nearing full size, which I appreciate because it's just a better chance of survival. They were all healthy, a little pale due to being juveniles, but I've had them for about 3 weeks now and they're really starting to develop their red colors now, it's easy to tell which ones are a few weeks older than the rest because theyre really hitting that saturated adult red color now. I added them to my established, planted tank and although a few of the smallest ones ended up in the filter chambers the first week, I didn't have a single loss of the whole 20. I know chilis as a fish that can struggle with transition, so to not lose a single one was fantastic. At this most recent visit I noticed several really nicely aquascaped tanks had popped up around the store, which looks great and get the creativity flowing for me. This little touch, to me, is a real beacon to acknowledge that this is the kind of fish store for hobbyists. The variety of fish they have, the good health of the fish, the variety of hard scape and other materials for a tank, plus the huge selection of equipment from a wide range of brands shows a sincere dedication to the hobby and not to making a buck. I honestly can't imagine the work it takes to maintain the number of tanks in there with such a massive variety of conditions, and I hope the owner and staff all know that at least I recognize the work y'all are putting in, I hope everyone else does too.”
— Carly Nichole5.08 months ago
Reference
Frequently asked questions
Note — Store information and services may change. Always call +1 626-449-4987 to confirm current availability, hours, and services before visiting Tropical Fish Incorporated.