The Hidden Reef

Things are priced well, but their customer service skills need a ton of work! Purchased a dry goods item, not even out of the box and not even opened....wanted to return it for a larger size, and they were out of it (it is an item that is needed immediately). ""Manager would work on getting it asap"" since they ONLY GIVE CREDIT and no money back, and he never got back to me, and I doubt he ever worked on it. I am....ehem....""was"" a regular customer. No wonder they can't keep employees. Constant revolving door and they don't know how to talk to people that are not happy. They do nothing to appease. Go to The Fish Factory instead. They REALLY know their stuff. Furthermore, everyone has their own opinion of how to handle issues at the Hidden Reef, and they lead you into a million directions when you ask them for advise. more

After several years of searching for cheaper prices, greater selection, and honest/accurate advice I found this store. The staff members are DEDICATED hobbyists and make every attempt to give me the best advice for my tanks. They always present me with multiple solutions to problems, sometimes involving products($) and sometimes just plain old maintenance practices(FREE). Every answer is NOT ""Buy this and then buy this...""--very different from chain stores (and they actually understand what the products do, if they really are my best option). So many places (people) tried to sell me all kinds of unnecessary products when I was a beginner and this led to MAJOR trust issues with fish store staff. Once I started doing MY OWN RESEARCH I could see through the b.s. When I found this place, having did my homework, I could see that they weren't about all that (mostly, anyway.GOTTA DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH!!!) The staff knows their stuff and if they don't they say so outright and try to find someone who does. I find this RELIEVING to say the least. ---->TRUST FACTOR IS HIGH <---- they earned it.\r \r Did I mention prices?Some things 1/2 price (or less) of big chain stores. \r \r AND CLEAN TANKS!!!! staff is always actively maintaining tanks (AND still happy to talk with me while they work :)\r \r ----> could use some more cichlid variety(locally still the best i have found...i just like the hard to get species).good about ordering stuff not in stock.could use bigger live plant selection sometimes but still satisfied(stuff sells quick and i miss out).needs more freshwater inverts like shrimp/snails/fancy crayfish.saltwater selection ROCKS other local stores (prices too).SWEET corals(all kinds),frags,inverts & saltwater fish.\r \r --where i go when family/friends are tired of hearing me talk about fish(at length,in detail-BIG DORK).staff are all aqua-addicts(whose family/friends are probably wishing they would change the topic of conversation too)\r \r THANK YOU HIDDEN REEF!!!\r \r Pros: customer service, prices, knowledgeable/dedicated/personable staff, livestock/product selection, location Cons: nothing significant but see review text more