About
House Of Tropicals in Glen Burnie, MD is the kind of aquarium store that turns a quick errand into a two-hour wander, and hobbyists happily drive 30 or 45 minutes, even an hour, to do exactly that. One recent visitor brought his three- and six-year-old grandchildren and left two hours later with dreams of their own "Waterworld"; another insists the place beats the Baltimore Aquarium and costs nothing to walk through. The freshwater side is enormous, running from White Cloud Mountain Minnows and a striking Congo tetra community tank near the entrance to plecos, flowerhorns, goldfish, and stingrays you rarely see outside specialty importers.
Shoppers single out the freshwater shrimp for sale in Glen Burnie, MD as the best variety they've found anywhere, healthy and fairly priced. The saltwater room holds a deep range of marine fish and corals, making this a genuine reef destination as much as a fish store, and reviewers call the coral and saltwater selection some of the coolest around. A full aisle is devoted to healthy aquatic plants, hardscape, and driftwood, and there's a dedicated pond section, including tubs of terrestrial pond plants that regulars say show up here before anywhere else.
Staff knowledge is the throughline. A first-timer named Barry credited an employee named David with walking him through a whole ecosystem and helping him build a thriving freshwater paludarium with a waterfall for his minnows; Lisa is praised for guiding plant beginners, and Shawn handles both salt and fresh with ease. Bring patience: the store stays busy, help runs on a line system, prices sit at the higher end, and a few visitors have met curt service.
Seasoned keepers also suggest quarantining new fish before adding them at home. There's no public restroom, so plan accordingly. A Maryland landmark for decades, House Of Tropicals rewards the unhurried, walk-in visit.
What they offer
Fish & livestock for sale at House Of Tropicals in Glen Burnie, MD
House Of Tropicals stocks corals, reef fish, shrimp, invertebrates, plecos, pufferfish, goldfish, koi, aquarium plants and freshwater, saltwater & pond fish for sale in Glen Burnie, MD. As an aquarium store serving Glen Burnie, MD, it also carries dry goods, aquarium equipment and fish food and offers aquarium consultations.
- Livestock & products
- Live PlantsPlanted TanksCoralsReefShrimpInvertebratesPlecosPuffersGoldfishKoiAxolotlsRare SpeciesTetrasBettasDry GoodsAquarium EquipmentFish Food
- Services
- Specializes in
Highlights
What makes them special
- Enormous freshwater selection: White Cloud Mountain Minnows, Congo tetras, plecos, flowerhorns, goldfish, and stingrays
- Standout freshwater shrimp variety, called the best around and fairly priced
- Deep saltwater room with marine fish and corals for reef keepers
- Full aisle of healthy aquatic plants, hardscape, and driftwood, plus a dedicated pond-plant section
- Knowledgeable staff (David, Lisa, Shawn) who guide first-time tank and paludarium builds
From keepers
Customer reviews
“The Baltimore Aquarium has got nothing on "House of Tropics", and costs nothing to enjoy. Took my 3 and 6 year old grandchildren there to visit. Two hours later, with dreams of setting up their own Waterworld, we headed home to propose our plan to my better half. Update : we are going back next weekend to pick out our new babies.”
— Patrick Pomeroy5.0Edited a day ago“Pretty fish and fair prices and knowledgeable staff.”
— Andrew Smith5.0a day ago“I walked into House of Tropicals missing a ton of information and knowing close to nothing about how to actually set up a proper tank. I was worried I’d be overwhelmed, but the store layout and the incredible staff made the whole process seamless. A team member named David helped me out, and his boss should definitely know he’s doing a fantastic job. He guided me through how the whole ecosystem works and helped me gather all the right supplies without overloading me with a mountain of confusing technical info. He broke down the basics perfectly so I felt confident walking out. Thanks to the massive selection and great guidance at this store, I was able to build a thriving freshwater paludarium with a waterfall that my White Cloud Mountain Minnows absolutely love. I highly recommend House of Tropicals to anyone looking to start a setup—you will be in great hands!”
— Barry M5.03 days ago“Went in today like they don't want to help if you don't have a lot of money not customer friendly like we were bothering them”
— Mary Montrose1.05 days ago“Its a very cool place to visit.”
— Renee Gurovich5.0a week ago“Excellent customer service, and knowledgeable staff.”
— Darin Tillman4.0a week ago“Good selection, good pricing”
— Talha Gursoy5.0a week ago“I go there for my pond plants, which at always healthy and available before other sellers.”
— Tim Phillips5.0a week ago“The place is big and the employees are nice and helpful. I would have given 5 stars but I have to warn others to make sure you quarantine any fish you buy from here. I had a well balanced and cared for tank get pretty much completely devastated due to the last set of fish I bought there being sick. Only two fish left and Im not sure if even they will make it. Alot of money wasted.”
— Dennis Mejillones (Vsions)2.02 weeks ago“I was having issues with a small tank getting cloudy. The staff were very helpful with lots of information and guidance. Within two days of following their guidance my tank was crystal clear. I learned a lot. The store has lots of great fish and supplies. Everything you need.”
— Christine Papp5.02 weeks ago
Reference
Frequently asked questions
Note — Store information and services may change. Always call (410) 761-1113 to confirm current availability, hours, and services before visiting House Of Tropicals.