Marine Warehouse Aquarium

For local residents in Tampa, Florida, searching under the category "Pet Store Near Me" for an aquarium specializing in marine life, Marine Warehouse Aquarium, located at 8021 W Hillsborough Ave, presents a complex picture based on recent customer feedback. While the store is acknowledged for a potentially large selection of fish and a knowledgeable manager, significant concerns have been raised regarding the health of the livestock and inconsistencies in the quality of customer service provided by different staff members. Potential customers should carefully consider these mixed experiences when evaluating Marine Warehouse Aquarium for their aquatic needs.

One detailed review from a long-term customer who frequently makes substantial purchases provides a concerning account of a recent visit: "Everytime I visit marine warehouse, without a doubt my husband & I always spend 500+. 20-30 cichlids. Our last visit December 13th, we went & purchased 20 cichlids so I could stock my 300g which only had a Texas & 2 peacocks. I wanted to get back in the hobby and thought there’s no better place than marine warehouse right? Upon arrival, we met with Melissa. I was asking her questions & I asked her what my total would be for 20-30 cichlids before I proceeded and if there could a be a little discount because I noticed the fish were being medicated. HOWEVER she told me they always medicate the fish and 'there’s no reason' as to why they were being medicated that day. Because i trust this store I personally still purchased fish from them. 20 peacocks & 2 Eels. Since we purchased them, the first week I noticed they were a little off, but I thought maybe because they are adjusting to the tank? So far, I’ve lost the 2 eels I purchased & 3 cichlids from there. I mentioned this to Melissa over the phone today January 4th & she disregarded the fact that I told her again about the fish, she said there was no reason as to why the fish were being medicated that day & there was nothing she could do. She said it was the last shipment of fish they were getting till after the holidays and I took her word for it & bought the fish. The fish I bought are completely covered in ICH. So here’s my problem, even if she wanted the sale that day I WOULD HAVE STILL PURCHASED EVEN IF SHE WAS HONEST WITH ME like yeah we’re medicating the fish because we just received them or they had a small case of ICH going on. If she was honest with me, I WOULD HAVE KNOWN that it was going to be my responsibility to continue to treat them with ICH and it would have been fine. What makes me upset is lying to get a sale, when I come here often. The first picture of the cichlid, is the OB peacock, their show size cichlid. Since I received him he’s been swimming upright like that. The next three pictures are the fish I purchased from here covered in Ich. I hate this, never had this problem here. My tank had a Texas and a peacock which I’ve had for years and they are humungous, my personal show fish that are now sick too." This detailed account raises serious concerns about the health of the fish being sold and the transparency of the staff regarding their condition. The customer's experience of losing fish shortly after purchase and discovering an ICH infestation is troubling. The alleged dishonesty regarding the reason for medication is particularly concerning, as it deprived the customer of the opportunity to make an informed decision and take preventative measures. The fact that even established fish in the customer's home tank became sick suggests a potentially significant health issue with the newly acquired livestock. The observation of a "show size cichlid" swimming upright since purchase also indicates a potential pre-existing health problem.

Another reviewer provides a more balanced perspective but still highlights issues with inconsistent customer service: "It is difficult to write this review because on one hand I like this place, they have a pretty big selection of fish and the manager we met towards the end of our visit was really knowledgeable and friendly. The reason I am giving it 3 stars is because of the other employees that initially sort of helped us.. There was a heavy gentleman with very short dark hair that made my family feel like leaving almost right away because he very obviously didn't want to talk to us. He was super rude. I get it- it was getting close to closing and I had two small kids who were being really good other than being really excited and maybe kids aren't his thing but we drove an hour to go to this place to set up our first saltwater tank and he just made the experience bleh. Asking him questions felt like a huge inconvenience for him. Some of the other employees seemed annoyed with us as well because it ended up taking us awhile to get out because we purchased so much. Im grateful to the manager for helping us so much.. even out to our car! But it would have been a lot more fun and taken a lot less time if we would have received the help we received from the manager when we arrived. It shouldn't take a manager to give good customer service and be kind. The picture includes the awesome live rock we purchased. Maybe we will give this business another chance some day. 💗" This review acknowledges the positive aspects of Marine Warehouse Aquarium, including a "pretty big selection of fish" and a "really knowledgeable and friendly" manager. However, it also details a significantly negative experience with other employees who were perceived as rude, unhelpful, and annoyed with customers, particularly a family with young children who had driven an hour to set up their first saltwater tank. The stark contrast between the poor initial service and the excellent service provided by the manager highlights a significant inconsistency in customer care within the store. While the reviewer appreciates the manager's efforts, the negative initial impression significantly impacted their overall experience, leading to a lower rating.

Based on these reviews, the environment of Marine Warehouse Aquarium might be characterized by a potentially large selection of fish and possibly other marine supplies like live rock. However, the inconsistency in staff attitude and the potential for undisclosed health issues with the livestock are significant concerns that could negatively impact the overall shopping experience.

The services offered by Marine Warehouse Aquarium include the sale of a variety of marine fish, including cichlids and potentially other species like eels and peacocks. They also sell supplies such as live rock. However, the negative reviews raise questions about the reliability of information provided by some staff regarding the health of the fish and the potential for purchasing sick or parasite-infested livestock. The positive mention of a knowledgeable manager suggests that expert advice may be available, but it might not be consistently accessible from all employees.

The key features of Marine Warehouse Aquarium appear to be its potentially large selection of marine fish and the presence of at least one knowledgeable and friendly manager. However, significant drawbacks include the risk of purchasing fish with undisclosed health issues like ICH, the potential for dishonest or misleading information from some staff regarding fish health, and inconsistent customer service, with some employees being perceived as rude and unhelpful.

The provided reviews do not contain any specific promotional information for Marine Warehouse Aquarium. Local residents in Tampa interested in learning more about their current stock, prices, or any potential promotions should contact them directly at (813) 884-0787 or visit their location at 8021 W Hillsborough Ave. However, they should also be aware of the concerns raised in the recent reviews regarding fish health and customer service consistency and consider these factors before making a purchase.

In conclusion, for local residents in Tampa, Florida, searching for a "Pet Store Near Me" specializing in marine aquariums, Marine Warehouse Aquarium offers a potentially large selection of fish and has at least one knowledgeable manager. However, recent customer reviews reveal significant concerns regarding the health of the fish being sold, including instances of undisclosed illnesses like ICH, and inconsistencies in customer service, with some staff members being described as rude and unhelpful. Potential customers should exercise caution, thoroughly inspect any livestock before purchase, and seek assistance from the knowledgeable manager if possible to ensure a positive experience and healthy aquatic additions to their tanks.