I had sent my husband to Lucky Ocean several times for odds and ends for our aquarium (as well as a new finbaby), and each time he came back feeling awesome, so I knew I had to visit myself. I finally got the chance yesterday as we had purchased a used 40 gallon bow front off of Craigslist over the weekend with an old, discontinued Penguin 330 HOB bio wheel filter. The tank was disgusting, so I wanted new bio wheels - Hubby's third trip to Lucky Ocean! They didn't have them, but said they would order them for us. After cleaning the tank and filter, I set them up and found the impeller in the filter making a very loud rattling noise. I eagerly went to Lucky Ocean after work for some of the expert advice my husband and other reviews had been raving about. I didn't catch the gentleman's name, but he told me that the bio wheels on the penguin filters were really not much more than a gimmick, so he was actually going to call my husband and tell him so, but didn't have to now that I was there. I described the noise in my filter and he asked if I could bring the filter in so he could take a look at it. (This is how you differentiate between a chain pet store and a good local fish store - they don't want to up-sell you unless it's absolutely necessary. Bio wheels, not worth it - impeller noisy, let me check it out!) I ran home and brought the filter back to the shop, and he just happened to have found an older style impeller in stock (the packaging was discolored with age! Awesome!) and even put it into the filter and gave it a whirl before having me pay for it! He said to take it home and give it a try for a while - if it started getting noisy again, I could bring it back and he'd give me a credit towards a new filter! I will do my best never to shop at a chain store again! The fish at Lucky Ocean are very well cared for, and the staff know the hobby so well it's mind blowing. The store itself is small and unassuming - just the kind of hole-in-the-wall type of place I like! Truly a diamond in the rough. We got our black moor here and he has been healthy and happy despite a setup mistake when we bought a larger tank to fit two fancies (I was a newbie and didn't cycle - still mad at myself for that). tl;dr - Lucky Ocean is THE place to go in SF for your aquarium needs (including filter service, supplies, advice, and of course, the fish)!!

Look, this place is the best, by far. Don't even bother going anyplace else. The owner is usually there and, if not, is well represented by his son. These guys care about their fish, they've got the know-how, and they'll take time to talk to you. If you only want cheap prices or vast selection then go to 6th Ave Aquarium - and half your fish will die and good luck getting help from them as they don't care about you or the fish they sell. That place is only there to make a buck. Stick with Lucky Ocean. I could list all the things that, if you know anything about taking care of fish, you could check off to validate that this is the place to go, but you know, I don't have to. Just go. See for yourself. Yeah, the parking can be tough and you might have to wait a little bit to get advice or help but if you are one of those kinds of people that gets ticked off by these kinds of things and project your frustration onto business owners then, number one, you shouldn't be entrusted with caring for fish, and, number two, I don't want you going and giving my go-to fish guys a hard time. Go to 6th Avenue. They'll love you there.

I was in the area and wanted to take my toddler to pick up some new fish for his tank. The shop is right in the neighborhood and has everything you need for your pet fish. Steve was very helpful and knowledgeable about the fish that we were interested in. This guy knows what he's talking about. We picked up a black moor and oranda goldfish - show quality for a good price. He provided some freebies such as aquarium salt and PH regulator for our tanks. Not many shops will give you this type of service and use their own products to give away. Definitely a great place to pick up your pet supplies, gain more information, and just hang out to check out their stock! We need to support more businesses like this especially if you are a fish/aquarium hobbyist!

U love this place. The owner always nice and kind every time he sees me or my BF he always asks about our fishes. And how all doing. Always helps us in case of any questions we might have. And honest with his answers. He didn't let us buy new fish shipment he had until the corantine for them is over. Wich is shows his patience to work and what he do. All the fishes we got on this place are happy and alive. . No sign of sickness or stress. I highly recommend to support and get your fish from this place. They always have great selection coz the place is good size. Not too small. Thank you so much for your business Lucky Ocean Aquarium.

Lucky Ocean is the place to go if you want quality sea life for your aquarium OR if you're just starting out with an ecosystem, the owner and staff are VERY knowledgeable about what to add to your aquarium and when to add it. My roommate started a saltwater tank and kept killing his fish, little did he know that he needed to add corals and rocks first before introducing fish. My roommate has now successfully kept animals alive for more than a month :) When compared to other aquarium stores (specifically on Geary) this is the place to go. It is clean and has everything you need for a fully functioning fish tank!

This is the best aquarium store in San Francisco and Marin. Can't speak to other areas of the Bay Area. The owner is friendly, and knows his stuff. He will sell you what you need and not what you don't. He has a wonderful selection of fresh water fish, which is the sort of tank we have. As for salt water, his selection looks solid, but I am not a salt water expert. Much better than the general purpose pet stores which seem far more focused on dogs and cats with fish being an afterthought.

Very nice local fish store. I think it doesn't make them justice to be overshadowed by stores like 6th Avenue. They had very knowledgable staff and they offered very pretty and healthy fish, I loved that when I visited they had a large frontosa as well as smaller ones, fish that are not as easily found all healthy and looking happy. They also had a decent selection of shrimp and some imported bettas. Definitely a store I want to stop by again when I visit SF.

Honestly it's the best marine tropical fish store we have in the city of San Francisco, but they'll be the first ones to tell you it's a just a shadow when compared to the great legacy of tropical fish stores in San Francisco. They're honest and provide great service, but the SF real estate costs limit their selection. One thing is for sure, I'd be cautious about shopping for saltwater fish or invertebrates anywhere else in town.

The owner, Steve, is a very knowledgeable and honest guy to deal with. The fish he sells are of good quality and free of typical parasites commonly seen in high volume fish stores. He provides good advice and his prices are very competitive. I have done business with him for several years and have recommended many friends to him. He is top rate guy in this business. 5 stars in my opinion! Dave G, Marin

This place is A++++++++ We made a new friend with the gentlemen that owns this aquarium. Highly knowledgeable!!!! Gave us the best advice and educated us and our child on how best to care for our tank and fish. I am so happy we came in! We will be forever lasting customers here. Great selection of fish and tiny bitty frogs, snails. Salt water and fresh water fish. THANK YOU

They have everything you need to start and maintain an aquarium. The selection of fish (salt and fresh) is great and rotates pretty often, so it’s always worth a trip to see what’s in stock. It’s also noteworthy that all of the fish for sale have been quarantined for 2-4 weeks, so you know the animals are in good shape. I will be returning soon!

This place is different than the one on 6th & Clement. It's a lot smaller and price is a little higher but the fishes look super healthy. I have bought fishes from both and would highly recommend coming here. Very knowledgeable owner and willing to test your water to ensure it is the right parameters to save you the headache of dead fishes

Steve is sensational!!! He is extremely patient in explaining how to properly and successfully prepair your tank for your fish to survive. All you have to do is listen:) Customer service is great. If there's a problem, just call. This man is a Knowledgable Master Craftsman. Again, he's great!!! Lien & Philip

Steve made me feel like I been there for years. I could stay there all day listening to him telling me about fishes. Service was the best in the world, service like this is hard to find now a days. Steve really takes his time to explain to you about the fish you buying an what kind of care it needs.

This is a great place to bring your entire family. There is an endless amount of fish, sharks and rays/skates. Very educational experience that demonstrates the world below the surface that we rarely think about. We were easily able to see the aquarium, japanese garden and the zoo all in one day.

Great spot in convenient location especially for parking! The owner is very knowledgeable, friendly and gave me some great advice on which products to use for ideal water parameters. I will definitely be recommending this store to fellow fish keepers and will be back again to buy some fish soon.

Love Lucky Ocean. Smaller selection, but you can just see the passion they have for the fish and corals. It's all about selling what's right for the customer and fish, not trying to sell the most possible or just brokering whatever aquaria is around. Definitely shop here before 6th ave.

Great local fish store. Steve is super knowledgable. Supplies are well stocked at a fair price. Fish are healthy and look good. They quarintine the fish for a few weeks so you know you're getting fish that don't have diseases. This has been my go-to fish store for the last 7 years.

I went there for a Big eyed black moor sadly it passed away from negligence on my part, i went back embarrassed to try and get some education and get another black moor. We have successfully kept him alive thanks to the owners fish experience and will go back for moor!

Lucky Ocean is the best Tropical fish store in the Bay area. I have been coming to Steve for over 20 years. All the fish I buy from Steve last a good long time. He is very knowledgeable and always will remember you. Why shop any where else.

This has been my go to aquarium support shop for 5 years. Small, high quality fish, very knowledgeable and helpful. They will check your water quality and help with fixing problems, choosing fish and plants. Support small businesses!!

The owner is great. Very knowledgeable and extremely friendly and so helpful. He tries to talk me out of buying expensive stuff. But I like supporting a local business. And I like supporting him. He helped us get everything set up.

Really nice guy and knowledgeable. Bought some chem clean. Had an issue with my red cyanobacteria. Hope this takes care of it. But shop is tiny. Just has a really nice efficient store owner. Would come again inna heart beat.

Please do now waste your time going here for saltwater fish or corals or anything to reef . They have 4 tank all empty. This place is mad tiny. Please don’t bother going here. Don’t go by the picture that are posted up.

The owner Steve has had this business for decades and provably knows everything there is to know about aquariums. If you're thinking about getting an aquarium, this is definitely the place to go. One stoop shopping.

These guys really care about the fish in their store and have extensive knowledge of aquarium care. Youtube videos will only get you so far, but talking to Steve or the other employees is always very educational.

Great place if you are looking for home aquarium supplies. My family has been using this shop for all things related to our salt water fish. Steve is nice and very knowledgeable. Highly recommend!

The owner is super knowledgeable and when I asked about certain fish, he had great suggestions on how to help them thrive in my tank at home. I will be going back here the next chance I get.

Great little shop, knowledgeable staff who was able to help me with suggestions, and even gave me some free java moss to help with a minor algae problem. Closes at 4:30 during the pandemic.

Wonderful experience. I took my 4yrs old daughter to pick out her 1st pet fish. The owner was very helpful, patient with my daughter helping her pick out a fish just for her. Thank you

The owner is very nice. He is willing to answer your questions and give advices . I drops by once a while and see he has different fish. A 5-star community aquarium store.

Helpful owner and employee. The store small don't have a lot of options to choose from. However, they have the best prices and healthy fish and corals. Thanx for reading

Incredibly helpful and knowledgeable staff. They want you to succeed and are always willing to give you advice so that your experience is positive. They do it right!!!

Amazingly knowledgeable owner. Feel in good hands. High standard of fish health and safety, including quarantining new supply to ensure they don't harbor diseases.

The owner of this store was super helpful and knowledgeable in getting me the best supplies when my fish was sick. Great selection of live fish and supplies.

The guy here is an expert at Salt water fish and aquarium keeping. He knows the chemistry side if keeping delicate sea life, and helps a lot for no fee.

A nice little shop. Very nice staff. Gave (free) my friend some plants that he's been looking for. Also, sold a tall manzanita wood for $45, a steal.

Very helpful and knowledgeable about African cichlids. Good amount of inventory as well. Everything is definitely fairly priced like Amazon prices

The owner of the store was super knowledgeable and helpful. Even gave me some water and gravel to get my fishless cycle started. Would recommend!

Great LFS that my friend introduced me to who has been coming here for over 7 years. Owner is extremely friendly and helpful. 10/10 recommend.

Super good! We get all our fish here. You can trust the quality of the fish and they have a pretty decent selection. Tanks are well cleaned.

People here are great — always open to answering questions and providing helpful recommendations! Extensive range of fishes and accessories!

It is a great place to buy fish they really care about there fish I have bought a lot of fish from there and they are very happy

I love shopping at Lucky ocean aquarium and they are very knowledgeable about fish and they sell fish tanks everything you need

It's a small, local business, but it's the best aquarium store in the neighborhood. Very friendly and helpful customer service.

Very nice owner! A mid-size collection of freshwater fish, combined with an outstanding set of aquarium products and tests.

Very good store!the owner is there before the 89 earthquake !was cool to hear his story on what happen on that day..

Great selection of saltwater as well as fresh water fishes. The people work here are very knowledgeable and helpful.

it's a good place... takes good care of the fish.. The variety could be better but they can order anything you want.

I have been going to this aquarium store since 1991. Steve is a super knowledgeable guy and selection is very good.

Friendly owner, who is passionate to help his customers or anyone who is interested to learn more about fishes.

Friendly, informative and gentle on noob wannabe fish owners, no hard sell, and some beautiful fish to admire

A good well-stocked high-quality store, healthy fish that are well taken care of, and really good prices too

Good Selection although I did not purchase many nice fish to choose from a little over priced for my liking.

Great small business been in business for years. Steve have great knowledge on salt and fresh water fish

This is an amazing place- the owner is an expert aquarist and it is the only place I buy livestock!

There is not a lot of choice but the fish are very healthy with beautiful colors ! Friendly staff.

Great place to go for all your aquarium needs, whether it be live stock, informaruon or dry goods.

Our family have been getting all our fish knowledge and supply’s from here for many many years!

Really great place with helpful people. Beginners and advanced will find what they need here.

Good selection of fresh and marine fish. You can get fish food and aquarium supplies here.

Knowledgeable and friendly staff -- a great local business and asset to the community

A great place to restart your aquarium hobby. Owner/operator is very knowledgeable.

Very friendly staff, mostly healthy livestock but a very limited selection of fish.

Lied about what fish theyh have in stock when I called. Wasted two lyfts...

Dirty and not alot of fish ...fishtanks are dirty and some fish where dead

Fish here are always healthy and the staff it's knowledgeable and helpful.

Helped me setup a new fish tank very nice and knowledgeable ..good prices

Best Fish store in SF!! They know their stuff. Both fresh and salt water

The fish are healthy and different varieties than in other stores.

Knowledgeable staff and great variety of fish and products

Very friendly. Had different fish then PETco. Nice prices.

Very helpful and informative staff. Prices are good too.

Great staff! Our go to place for all things aquarium!

Small shop with very cool fish at reasonable prices.

One of the best local fish stores in the Bay Area!

Very helpful, and busy aquarium and fish store.

Very helpful staff who cares about their fish.

Steve is a great guy and I love his shop …

Best place to buy fishes in Bay Area！