Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Tampa Bay Cichlids LLC's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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  Tampa Bay Cichlids LLC

  10235 Cowley Rd Riverview, FL 33578-7528

• 

  Tampa Bay Cichlids LLC

  8021 W Hillsborough Ave Tampa, FL 33615-4107

• 

  Tampa Bay Cichlids LLC

  Tampa, FL 33613

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/04/2025

  Type:Delivery Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I ordered african fish from Tampa Bay Cichlids in February. They delivered part of my order and said **** remained would ship shortly. I have written them numerous times in the last few months with no response. I either want the fish or a refund. Value $60

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/08/2025

  Type:Delivery Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Placed an order for $447.90 total for several types of fish. Received partial order for Taiwan Reef hap and several others arrived dead - 50% of order ok Did not receive any of 6 fish colony Copadichromois kawanga mbamba.Venustus arrived dead.Missing or dead fish accounting for $183.98. Fulfilling committed order or refund of money are both ********************************************* has not responded to any form of attempted contact via phone, email or website contact form.Note: half of Blue Otter colony was undersized < 1"in. Some undersized fish were expected and acceptable to me - know from previous orders and online reviews.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/31/2025

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  upon opening order#***** placed March 12, 2025 at 7:02 pm all fish orderwere included except 3 of the 4 juvenile upside down catfish repeated contact attemps have been made however they only share email as contact im grateful for what I have recieved but i would really like to have my 3 missing fish sent to me or refund so i can find them elsewhere without the worry of the money just being lost.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/03/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I spent $293 on may 24th with this company who advertised online to send 1.25 to 2 inches fish in size with fish being on the bigger side but what i received was false advertisement. I received most fish at 1.25 inches on the small side with just a few at 2 inches. Dont buy fish from this company! ***** the owner completely was rude to me. I purchased 10 cichlids and he claimed that the fish were all over 2 inches but only a few arrived at 2 inches the other fish all arrived like fry size about 1.25 inches. I asked for a replacement for a few fish he wouldnt send them and said I could return the fish but I doubt I would of gotten a refund and I worried about the fish dying so I didnt return. Never again will I do business with ***** or Tampa bay cichlids as he dosent care about customers satisfaction . He said he was done with me after asking for a photo of a fish and i took the time to lay the fish flat as he asked and he had the nerve to tell me i was raising the ruler higher to make the fish smaller which i didnt. the ruler was completely flat. He cant own up to the fact he sells small fry size fish. He claims online he will sell bigger fish all over 2 inches but what you get is 1.25 inch fish with a few being 2 inches and bad customer service from a very rude owner! Never again will I do business with this company. Stay far away from them and read all the other negative reviews before buying. Spent $280 on fish and I could of gotten bigger fish locally for what I paid. This company is deceptive and lying to customers about the size of the fish! Never again. We are done with him and his company ! Yes hes getting a bad review because he didnt even apologize about the situation didnt rectify it by sending more instead would rather pay to have them shipped back and put the fish under more stress. False advertising the size of fish. Unbelievable company. Will never purchase from this store again.

  Business Response

  Date: 06/03/2024

  I tried to explain to him they were the correct size. All he seemed to care for is he wanted me to refund him 50 percent and I wasn't willing to do that. He refused at first to even measure them so after reading several, long winded emails I gave up and told him I would send him a fish return kit. He then takes a photo but he held the ruler above the fish to make it look smaller, I have been in this business several years and I know this trick to be used more than once. No matter how Mr ******** my think he can not ship them back it is actually quite easy. I mailed him the return kit today and as soon I get them back, I will refund him in full. 

   

  Here is the copy of the instructions I sent him with the return kit so you can see how easy it is. 

  Here is your fish return kit. I have included three Breathable bags, four rubber bands, and labels so you can return them. Add 16 ounces of your tank water to the bag and put five of the cichlids in each bags. I included an extra bag in case one of them leaks. Do not double bag them or it will kill them. The bag needs to breathe. Apply the labels to the box and mail it back to me. Once I get them, no matter their condition, I will refund you in full.

   

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/05/2024

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because I am not satisfied with the way the customer service was handled. First of all Not only me but many other reviewers on ****** reviews and even ******** have stated they had the same issue with this seller. They all said they received fish smaller than advertised. The fish werent  all the correct size at all. The fish was no where near 2 to 3 inches. Seller is lying to make a Profit as the website is deceiving of what you actually get by mail. He did offer to let me return it but I did not return the fish as I explained to him because  the fish were shipped to me and very stressed out when arriving. He really thinks its gonna be ok to ship the fish again after they were stressed out once. No way.  Im not doing that to the fish. I did ask for a refund  of  50 percent which he didnt answer that but then multiple times I just asked for a few replacement fish for the fish I received that was not the correct size. I did receive a few fish  that were the right size but the rest of my order was small fry sized fish and  none were 2 or even 3 inches as he states he is selling  online and sending the biggest size possible which is not true. Many other reviewers stated  they received smaller fish than advertised including me. I do not want to return the fish because its going to stress them out too much and I dont want the fish to die so i decided to keep them. Seller also stated the fish are all guaranteed male but he cannot tell that when they arrived so small. I didnt want to measure the  fish because its stressful on them after they were just shipped to me. I took one out and measured it and it was 1.5 inches but  they were all that size with only one being around 2 inches and  not 3 inches as described online. I didnt receive any fish that were 2 inches except one. When I measured the fish I didnt use any tricks and it made me very angry the seller accused me of holding the ruler higher. Hes absolutely wrong with what he said. I laid the fish flat on a ruler as in my previous photo because the fish was wet and I had it on a hand towel with the net on it  so that I could easily put the fish back in the tank. I had fish for years and everyone I know measures fish this way. Hes absolutely wrong with what he is saying he just dosent want to send more fish of the correct size. He dosent want to believe his fish are 1.5 inches but that is what I received with the biggest fish being at 2 instead of 3. I was completely ripped off! I felt like I was scammed because of the fish size I received. l measured the length with the ruler and all of them were 1.5 inches except one. He is  selling fish online saying they are between  1.5 and over 2 inches and I didnt get but one fish at 2 inches and that was supposed to be at 3 inches. Seller was rude and unprofessional and I am unsatisfied with my purchase and will never purchase from this seller again. I dont want to deal with him again and I dont want To also ship back the fish because I dont think he would truly refund my money. But I care more about the survival of the fish and them not being stressed which is the main reason I kept the fish and didnt return. He could of given me some type of compensation by sending a few more but he didnt. Wont waste my money again at This business. Tried to be nice and courteous to the seller but he got rude and said he was done with me so I just got angry and decided to not talk to him any further realizing Im out my money.  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

  Business Response

  Date: 06/06/2024

  Im sorry you feel this way, once I get the fish back I will refund you in full.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/20/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I placed a $420.19 order on 11/7/23. Didnt receive tracking# or confirmation. A man txt from above phone# on 11/8/23 & were out of chili r ($120 of order). They could replace with ************* r, (lower $ & totally different). I said no, send my whole order when they come in. He said check back in a week. Txt on 11/16/23, no response (NR). Emailed on 11/21/23, NR. I txt 12/1/23, he said they were still out of chilis & can replace with s.berries. I said ok. He said theyd send order. 12/11/23 I email, hadntt received any confirmation or tracking# & this was ridiculous. 12/12/23 he txt, said theyd send order in 2 days, but now out of green tetra ($150 of order). I said just send the fish now, send tetras when they come in. 12/14/23 I receive email, order shipped. I get the order 12/27/23, (these are LIVE FISH). The box was from a different co (Aqua Huna). Goodjoseph was on nothing! Fish were DOA, I didnt even tell them b/c it was such a hassle! Tetra were missing, I expected that, but was also missing $30 worth of plants. I email 12/27/23 saying what was missing, & I wanted a refund for the remaining $180 items. I told them this was awful service, NR. I fwd the same email on 1/2/24, 1/4/24, NR. 1/20/24 I txt, and repeated I wanted a refund. He txt back saying hello, what fish missing. I sent a pic with missing items highlighted, NR. 2/11/24 I email & txt saying they owed me $180, NR. 2/15/24 I sent txt, ????, NR. 2/13/24 I wrote negative reviews on 3 sites. 2/16/24 he txt saying we wont take your money, please be sure, this is my personal phone I was in hospital for a month, those you highlighted are the ones you didnt get?. I said yes the highlighted ones never came. He said take off your review. I said That's what's finally getting me a response? I'll take it off when I get my refund. The review is true. It's $180 & its been 4 months. So ridiculous!. 5/18/24, still havent got response, refund, or the items.PLEASE HELP!!!

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/06/2022

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I made an order on ************************************* over 2 months ago. The order has not been filled in all this time, and any attempts I have made to cancel the order and get my money refunded have been met with silence. An email I sent came back with an error that it was undeliverable. I am also concerned that ************************************* states on its website and ******** page that it is located in Tampa, *******, however, I received an international processing fee of $3.57 from them in addition to the $356.89 that I was charged for the order. I am wondering why a ************* based business would process transactions in *************, and why the business would not make that know to customers. I have also read that this website has stolen many photos from ***********************. Aquatic Arts states: "In a move that is certainly not good, GoodJoseph Fish Store was found to be using 145 (!!!) photos produced and copyrighted by Aquatic Arts on their website without authorization. They have been contacted and we are not yet sure how this situation will resolve, but hopefully we are not once again forced to *** in the event the owner refuses to take responsibility for the theft and discuss a settlement/penalty." (***********************/pages/report-photography-theft-get-100-in-store-credit)

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/10/2022

  Type:Order Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I ordered 3 plecos on the 2nd with overnight shipping. On the 4th i contacted them about shipping information to see where my fish where at. They then claimed I had not paid dispite the fact they charged my account and sent me an invoice. They are now refusing to provide a refund. Today they claimed that PayPal put a hold on the refund dispite the fact I do not use PayPal. I informed them that I do not have a PayPal and that I paid directly with my card on their website and they then claimed they already refunded me on the 4th and are still refusing to send an actual refund to my bank