Insanely overpriced and poor customer service. Just one example below - they sell this exact sprayer bottle at dollarama 50ft away for $3.50, but at big al's it sells for $21.99. Beside being overpriced, the customer service was really poor. Maybe it was just an off day when I came in but the associates were standoffish and arrogant. I came in with a lot of questions about my aquarium and trying to get answers and advice felt like pulling teeth. They kept walking away from me mid-conversation. I'll be taking my business elsewhere.

I recently purchased a 90 gallon fish tank, including stand and filter setup. The gentleman who helped me I believe his name was Gary, this guy was super knowledgeable and friendly. He made me understand the importance of having a good filter setup as well as frequent water changes along with checking water quality. I even hired him to come and set up the system for me to make sure everything is running smooth. I would highly recommend this guy if you are looking to purchase. This guy is definitely value added employee to this organization.

Really helpful and knowledgeable staff. I wanted to get my son his first aquarium and the person I spoke with helped a lot with the tank size and the fishes we can put in there. We actually lost our first batch but after bringing a water sample back and finding out it was because we had a water softener the store let us pick another 3 fishes at no extra cost. Now our fishes are nice and happy!

Wide selection of small fishes, they were very lively.

Terrible customer service. There was multiple dead fish in several tanks, and when I asked about them the person there just told me “he’s going through the store” referring to one of the staff, and then said “fish die” I replied “i understand but there’s so many dead fish in the tanks its concerning” And he just ignored me. I also asked for not pregnant mollies, or ones that don’t seem pregnant since I understand that it takes a bit for them to show, and he just grunted and shrugged saying he can’t guarantee it very rudely. Last time (Sep 2021) we got fish from them, we got 6 mollies, two cory catfish, two african dwarf frogs and some cherry shrimp. The staff was very rude towards us this time too. The mollies ended up having ick and we had to quarantine and treat them, and one of them ended up dying. Considering that we spent over $200 we expected that they would be healthy. They do carry a large variety of supplies and food, however a lot of them are very overpriced. The catfish and the rest are fine so far and have shown no signs of illness thankfully. We have more fish in the tank that we got from the Big Al’s location in newmarket and they’re completely fine. The new fish we got today are in quarantine now til we can make sure that they’re healthy and don’t have ick.

Rude staff in the fish room I used to be a regular customer to Bigals North York since 2015. I had a lot of satisfying experiences there. But recently, I noticed that there is a black guy in the fish room being rude and very unfriendly. He acted like a street gang and was very impatient. Will not buy anything here anymore unless this guy is gone.

Both of the Beta displays had atleast 60% of the fish dead. I’ve been to locations before since I was young, and understand fish die in the tanks. But these fish were left in an extremely DIRTY bowl, dead on their own. Not in a bowl of 10, 20 fish. When over half of your display of fish are dead — its obvious that the staff don’t care. The least you can do, is take the dead fish out of display, and not leave them there.

Great staff, healthy fish and aquatic plants. A lot of thanks go to Gary for his professional, honest and wise advices. He pationtly answers my questions and he's saved my fish life.

I had a fantastic experience at the fish store, and I must commend Ernie for his outstanding customer service. Ernie's expertise in fish care was evident as he patiently answered all my questions, providing valuable insights and guidance. The entire staff demonstrated a passion for their work, creating a welcoming environment for both seasoned hobbyists and newcomers. The variety of fish and the store's commitment to their well-being were impressive. Ernie's dedication to ensuring customers leave with not just fish but also knowledge is truly commendable. If you're seeking a fish store with expert advice and excellent customer service, look no further. Kudos to Ernie and the team!

Went there today to buy a few items. The customers were really cautious about socially distancing from each other. However, the staff kept following people around. They were so close that they rubbed shoulders with my dad. Needless to say we bought nothing and left immediately. The manager needs to seriously educate the workers. Also there were a lot of dead gold fishes in with the healthy ones. Perhaps the workers should focus on cleaning up rather than crowding the place.

There live rock is dead excellent customer service still.

VERY rude and sanctimonious employee - a girl with short blonde hair. Not only was she incredibly rude to us, but we witnessed her yelling at other customers as well. Terrible attitude. We will not be back to this location while this employee works there. I see other reviews mention her as well, so obviously this is a persisting problem.

Lots of dead and sick fish. Decided against getting some platies. Also only one apple snail was alive in the whole tank. Ended up going to petsmart. Didn’t see any dead fish there. I was disappointed because I’d like to support local businesses! If you don’t mind the drive, go to big als on Dundas, it’s a lot better

Knowledgeable staff, sometimes a small wait to get hold of one, but once they’re with you they are happy to give you a huge amount of advice. Selection is also good.

The different kinds of fish available at this store is amazing and the size is decent as well. All the other staffs were helpful as well except there was one male staff that would do nothing but follow us and stare at us no matter where we go. Very creepy and strange, while other staffs are helping us find what we need he would still just stand aside and stare at us. Really ruins the mood and the feeling of wanting to buy anything at this store. Will not come again.

Helpful staff, good stock dry goods and some fish. Good COVID controls in place

Great location, they have a large variety of guppies, Guramis , clown fish and cichlids amongst other fish. They have 25% in store special for corals. This location is for fish and aquariums only, no pet items. Staff are nice and knowledgeable. Much larger location than it looks. Tanks are clean, and well maintained.

I am incredibly disappointed with this location, I have been using big als as my main aquarium supply store for years and I have never seen a location worse than this. Walking around the store I noticed a lot of dead fish in there tanks, most of which look like they were starting to decay so I assume they had been there for at least a day or two. All of their bettas looked sickly and were very underweight, and I noticed a few that looked like they were in the starting stages of fin rot. Their Salt water show tank in the back of the store is decorated with entirely fake plants which you would think a chain that specializes in aquatics would know better than to do. The staff is unhelpful and frankly just incredibly rude, they need to learn how to treat customers. I am very upset overall with this location and I will not be returning.

We bought some decor for our fish tank. They love the skull and volcano in their tank! The shop had a wide range of aesthetics for different fish tanks.

It’s a good place for buying aquarium related products. They have a variety of sizes and features. They have a huge collection of fishes both freshwater and salt water.

Not hard to find when you know what to look for, but for a first timer, the signage doesn't help. Great location, all on one level, which is perfect for me being mobility challenged. Been there twice so far. First time I got fish for my 55 gallon tank, and a few other things. Next time I ordered online for store pickup, picked up and paid for the order a few days later. Would be nice to be able to order and pay online to make pickup easier. They don't have much for sales, but their prices are reasonable. I'll definitely go back to this location again.

Amazing selection of fish and other wildlife! I loved the battleship decoration for the fish tanks. We just bought some driftwood for our pet frog and we loved having so many options to choose from. Would highly recommend a visit, even just to see the fish!

Always always loved this place. They have soooooo many different kinds of fishes and aquarium animals. Every time we go, we are like kids lost in the candy store. You could spend hours admiring the beautiful creatures getting inspirations about how you would build your own aquarium. The favorite part of the store for me is the koi pond. The store staffs are very knowledgeable and patient to answer your questions. They make good suggestions for you. Will definitely go back.

Great place the people that work there very knowledgeable and ready to provide you info without feeling like if your not buying don't talk to me if your there to buy or wanna learn something I felt like they are ready to help we went few times and all the times we went even without buying for help and when we bought something we got full info and the person was very patient and answering us We bought 3 glow fish so far few days and are happy in our aquarium and some kits In case the person remembers me forgot his name but was me and my wife and got blue purple and green glow fish a net and thenlmeter 😀

My family started doing aquarium a year ago, I've been going here since. Staffs are really helpful, knowledgeable and super friendly. They always ask about my tank, what's in there, what can go what can not. I can see that staffs really thoughtful and care about fishes. They also have great discounts, follow them on instagram!

We just got our first aquarium as a gift for Christmas and the service was outstanding. The sales person was very helpful and explained to us everything that we need to know about the aquarium and the fish we purchased. Great service, we will definitely come again.

Always had a great experience here, most of the staffs are friendly and knowledgeable. I believe the ones that people deem not as friendly just cares about the fishes (so they are a bit strict and asks questions about your set up, so that they will be well cared for). Keep up the great work (:

The live food has more parasites than the fish! The sales people give misleading advice just so they can rip people off into buying an overpriced empress stand. Once heard a sales representative tell a customer it’s pointless to reseal an aquarium because it seldom works! Your only safe buying hard ware and dry goods from “parasites “r” us. Please be careful when shopping big Al’s!

Staff were not vey helpful... I felt ignored. There were Alot of tanks full of fish with ick. I know the fish were new arrivals but it still didnt leave me with a great impression.

Go here all the time for aquarium supplies and fish, staff are friendly, prices are good and they always have decent stock.

The man and girl asian store staff were very rude. Guy with glasses stare at customer. Never seen any employees doing that in my life.

Nice tanks nice staff. Gary taught me a great lesson. Thank you.

I am disabled they have sold me dead fish in the bag several times and refused to honor their return policy. They are highly fraudulent and the worst place to go to buy live fish as they can not care for them properly, all of the fish at the location are sick and constantly given medications to keep alive and as soon as they go without their medications they die either immediately or within a month.

Staff are actively trying to help if we needed any questions answered.

Very big selection of fish, the staff are very friendly and knowledgeable aswell. The only reason I deducted a star is because there were many dead fish left in the aquarium with other fish when I visited both times. The few here and there would be understandable but there was more than I usually see at a pet store.

When we were here the last week, we were assisted by 3 gentlemen who were very knowledgeable and helpful! The best Big Al's location!

This place is good. But I liked the other places better. They have a bit less inventory and verity of decorative items. Staff were not that responsive when I was there. Fish collection is good though. Overall an average store.

Wide selection of products and livestock. Maintained properly and you can see the fishes are healthy. The employees are always friendly and insightful. They are always willing to help and answer your questions.

They have a large selection of animals, and all are high quality. The best pet store I've seen yet. The only issue I had, is not to trust their website. Some plants/animals were not in stock, even when listed to be

Always has everything I need since I've first been there in 2004. Always very knowledgeable staff and very cool fish to look at. Also a huge range of products for any fish related need you might have!

Great selection at comparative prices, and the staff are amazing. Just getting into the hobby, and the staff are very helpful and don't push upselling. I'd be lost without their help. Definitely recommend

Been coming here for a while now but decided to rate today after a really wonderful experience with a sales associate. I didn't catch her / their name but had short blonde hair, new in the fish room, and was really lovely and picked me the best fish! The whole staff is super knowledgeable and great at giving recommendations to beginners as well as veteran aquarium owners.

Happy to see the Oranda. Would have been better if it had a bigger cap or there were more. Gorgeous decorations in tank.

I was there today to pick up a few things and the employee Alex was extremely rude and had a very bad attitude. Management needs to deal with her or have her fired. But a man in glasses and a hat stepped in to help and he had excellent customer service skills. 0 stars for Alex 5 stars for the young man.

When it comes to plants, this is probably the best Big Al's to go to in the GTA region. They also post stock updates on their Facebook page regularly, which is helpful to know when their plants stock is replenished. Their plant holding tanks are very clean and well maintained. Their plant selection is also very good with many varieties and difficulty levels. Highly recommend for any planted tank enthusiasts

The staff was super helpful and very knowledgeable. They're definitely the go-to place if you have fish or questions about your tank.

I was there the other week and I really like the variety of items. I was helped by a very helpful gentleman Roman, who helped me find what I wanted. Very easy and Convincing. Recommend.

This brand has best service in Big Al's family in GTA. Staff here are kind and enthusiastic to help u. There's also full stock of everything whatever for aquarium for reptiles. Nice place.

Friendly helpful staff.

Good customer service

True professionals work there.

I highly recommend this location. The starff and management are very knowledgeable and helpful, always goes the extra mile for their customers. This location has a high standard of cleanliness which includes the maintenance and husbandry of livestock and corals . Keep up the great work 👍

Friendly and best service from them, they make sure your happy and taken care of

Very fast for curbside pickup. Super fast. Like less than half an hour. Got live fish and well packed and waiting for me to pickup. Strongly recommended to local aquarists!!

I was able to buy a betta fish here at curbside without preordering online,after beng refused service at petsmart.

Helpful and friendly.

Love this Store....very fast with curbside great customer service, even helped lift heavy items to car

As always...for decades. ..and even through the challenges of Covid19...Big Al's on Steeles just west of Yonge Street has the best staff, best selection and is always fun ...

Quick service and safe during covid

I love this shop. Huge choice of aquarium's stuffs, 🐟 🐠 and more for reasonable prices.

Great shop, staff and selection for all your aquarium needs. One of my fav go to shops

Thank you Luigi for educating me about combination of fishes and choosing my clown loaches and guppies.

This is my go to Big Al's. The fish are healthier here than I have experienced at the Scarborough location. Been to both for a number of years.

Everyone is really polite and super informative on the floor. Really busy place and fast service with the live fish. Very clean and overall clean and healthy tanks of fish. Only thing, is I could the cashier did not want to be there. She didn't handle the fish(es) I purchased with any care... but it was good experience.

Bought an aquarium there last week. Got great staff. A bit pricey. Will keep using their services. Just came back from there with some sturdy fish.

We bought all our fishes here. We still remember when they had a lizard's section and snakes. All fishes we bought are healthy and nice. Staff is friendly and helpful.

Courteous, knowledgeable, and direct staff; they are *not* about getting the sale, they are about setting you and your pet up for success(/survival). 10/10 would recommend

Excellent!!!

Attentive staff, they greet you and ask you if you need help. Good selection of merchandise and fish. Fish side of the store needs more staff and I usually have to hunt down an associate to help us but overall I like this place.

I bought fish from this location twice between June and July. Now most of my fish are DEAD with 3 clinging to life. Those 3 will die before the end of the week. They gave me a store credit for the 2 or 3 that died soon after purchased the second time. These fish I bought came with a parasite that wiped out the entire tank. I don't even want the store credit they gave me, I am not even going to keep their membership cards. I am completely FINISHED with this location. I will stick to the Scarborough location from now on.

Went in for fish, came out with fish!

Welcoming,friendly service

Great variety of products and staff are extremely helpful and friendly

nice price. hidden gem. must try.

One of the better centers. Well stocked and organized. Very kind staff. Went extra mile to get my order done, even though closing up. Thanks

Lots of fish

Always friendly always super knowledgeable I would recommend this store to any customer

Great place for aquarium enthusiasts!

A good place to go when they have their coral clear-out sales.

Always ways a great stop, to get fish or anything else for the fishes.

My favorite store to buy fish, live plants and aquarium supplies. I will strongly recommend this store over the other franchises to all whom are in the hobby. Update: I felt like they have increased prices compared to other Lfss

Bad part is parking but this place is well stocked

Gary is amazing!

HIGHLY recommend this location specifically. We drive from Milton & it’s WELL worth the drive. All of the staff are very attentive and actually want to help you (unlike the staff at a certain location closer to home). If you’re looking to start a new tank, look for Gary. He’s by FAR the most helpful person I’ve ever met, from all of the info and recommendations he gives to the organization of the cashing out process and even helping carry heavy items to the car! Wish I could give these guys 10 stars 👌🏻

(Translated by Google) A very complete place .. of everything there is ... well attended .. quiet, I left very happy with my purchase for my aquarium .. thanks (Original) Un lugar completisimo..de todo un cuanto hay...bien atendido..tranquilo,sali muy contento.con mi compra para mi aquarium.. grascias

Reasonable, clean and organized.

My wife and I had a fantastic experience at the fish store, and I want to extend my sincere thanks to Mike for his excellent assistance. My wife and I visited the store to pick out some fish, and Mike went above and beyond to help us make the right choices. His knowledge and friendly demeanor made our visit enjoyable and educational. We're now proud owners of some beautiful fish for our aquarium, all thanks to Mike's guidance. We'll definitely be returning customers!