Reviews of Big Al's Pet Supercentres (Fish Shop)

Shah Ghafoori

This is my store to buy food for my dog and cats. The only suggestion I would say is to have heavy litter bags more accessible. Sometimes they are underneath other items which makes it harder to pick up. Other than that it's a great store.

Rachel McKenna

Big Al's is a great place to get quality pet goods, entertain the littles with their huge aquarium section, and find consistent customer service.

Michael DuBeau

Great store and helpful staff, tend to upsell on things but that's likely.part of the job. I've had some great run ins with helpful staff with loads of information. Like any pet store it depends on how much the staff care for the animals and there are plenty of staff here who do so. My only gripe is they don't allow you to pick your own fish..

Kira LeBlanc

Rude service, woman at the desk is curt and the man in the lighting department was short and unhelpful. Staff in the aquatics department had no idea when more plants would be coming in. Disappointing. Terrible customer service.

Jeremy Butler

Best pet store in Hamilton. Especially for aquarium enthusiasts but really it's a one stop shop

Veronica Grewal

Always love this place. Very very knowledgable ppl here. Sooooo much so they talked me outta buying plants...for my tanks it seems like I needed more knowledge to make my purchase. Butttttt honestly I can't stand going into a store and asking for help only to receive the I don't know let me get someone else but...now I'm waiting for a shipment of plants we left a # but no call ....hoping I can get my tank plants soon ...for my axolotls so please get your shipment :)

Nathan Corbett

Don't waste your time at the chain pet stores. I got better help and more information from one visit than 10 visits to petsmart.

Towelie 420

Staff were knowledgeable and happy to help. The store is fantastic with a huge selection of fish and supplies.

Benjamin Mason

They have a variety of things however I had a product that I purchased warranty on and was essentially told I couldn't return it cause it seemed functional. They did give a store credit but felt they were implying I wasn't being honest about the malfunction.

Just me

Great selection. Sales really tried to up sell me on a larger tank.

Jerry Bilous

Wow. This is the petstore of all petstores!! I saw small birds, big birds, cages and perches, turtles and lizards in terrariums and aquariums. Kittens in cages, sharks in large tanks, itty bitty food fish for pyrannas, hard food and soft food for cats, dogs, rabbits, gerbils... Im sure if you have any type of pet, except for maybe a tarantula or scorpion which I didn't see in here, then they got you covered. Great place, awesome selection, good prices. Friendly staff through. Was just looking for kitty litter and had a great time,was entertained by the endless possibilities... Definately worth the visit to even have look...

Brandin Hall

Purchased a Ball python from these guys, it had RI!! Then returned it for another snake hoping I would be in good health, it also had RI! After visitingthe vet, going on Facebook, it seems not only was it nearly impossible for me to have created the RI issue with my husbandry but I also discovered that the snake I was sold was incredibly underweight and shouldn't have been sold to me I the first place. I loved this snake, cares for it in every way I could, spent money at the vets in taxi and for antibiotics and had to watch it die.

Sarah McHattie-Kane

This place is so cool! The staff are extremely knowledgeable and friendly. Will be going here whenever I require aquarium supplies. They also have a pretty descent rewards program.

Lua Grimaldi

YASSSSSS!!! What could I ever say bad about the Big Al's Hamilton location!!! The employees are knowledgeable... caring... and charismatic!!! Im always confident going in there as I know I will get the best service I could ever have, plus I know I'm getting the best advice about my fishies... sad to see the Shark gone from many years ago... but still an Aquarium and Animal shop that you can't afford to miss

Aimee Elkins

This pet store is by far the best one! There staff are all very nice, approachable and educated. Huge shoutout to the reptile section and their manager she is amazing!!! If you need to purchase a reptile, feeders and supplies this location is the way to go. Amazing variety and always happy to answer any questions.

Dave Mon

My favorite store for all my pet needs. Great fish/aquarium selection. And tons of products for reptiles and such. Everything for dogs/cats/birds as well!

David Schuurman

Great, iconic local place to pick up fish and other pet supplies.

shelley ram

Big Al's is the best. The employees are friendly and helpful. Always there when you need them

Mellissa Smith

This store has always been amazing. They have the best selection of pet toys and supplies. The staff is friendly and helpful and the pricing is fair.

Bev Giberson

Staff are nice, knowledgeable and very helpful! I didn't know my tank filter could be fixed for a fraction of the cost of buying a new one, but they told me what part I needed and I saved a bundle! Thank you! ????

Dizzy Gardener

I would give Big Al's 10 stars if I could. I have been coming back to a Big Al's for more than 20 years! This past weekend, my youngest daughter invited me to go shopping at Big Al's in Hamilton with her, and she drove! It is such an enriching experience that my wife wanted to come too, as well as my daughter's boyfriend. We browsed for almost 4 hours and were only bothered by a salesperson when we looked them in the eyes. Between us, we spent nearly $1,000 on equipment, accessories, decorations and livestock for four of our tanks. We LOVE Big Al's!

Jolly Goat

Are you poor and want to pretend that you're basically in a zoo? Because I am. I wanted to buy a ferret and a lobster but my sassy COWORKER wouldn't let me. Something about letting them live in the closet at work being unethical. Lot's of exotic pets and knowledgeable staff. I never met Al. I cannot verify how large he in fact, is. 5 stars.

R C

Huge selection of fish . Lots of Cichlids . Both African and south American. Fair prices.good staff

Mark Brewer

Great place for all things related to pets. Great bird accessories.

Sheena Fry

I love big Al’s! Staff is always super friendly and helpful. I buy most of my fish and fish supplies here and recently got a budgie as well. They quarantine new fish and ask what your tank setup is so they’re sure you can properly take care of what you buy.

Krista Cook

I quite like this store as someone who just buys Betta fish. It's been awhile since I owned one and went in the other day. Staff were helpful and friendly. I wish the staff I was speaking to would have mentioned that the Betta kit I purchased didn't come with gravel but that's largely my fault for not reading what's included on the box. Jimmy is quite happy in his new home and I'll return for more items. 've included my purchases on this review so you can replicate it if you like the look and don't want to stand there staring at plants deciding a set up. - Tank: Aqueon Minibow 1 - Gravel that is neutral browns and smallish - Acro Coral (purple) - Underwater Treasures Willow Leaf (3.5"/6pk) - Underwater Treasures Mini Plant Baby Tear (2.5"/5pk) - Underwater Treasures Moneywort (5"/purple) - Zoo Med Betta Bed Leaf Hammock (large)

a nope

Pricier than some local pet stores but the variety is always available and staff are often helpful!

Mama Jenn

Staff is friendly, they almost always have what I need minus the odd thing here and there (specific color on a water bottle), I get just about everything here for my pets, ready within the day and very efficient and you can also collect points and they have *deals* with Uber bedding and aspen so you buy so many and get one free ????, prices are fairly decent too! Thanks for wonderful service every time!

Amanda Moreton

Got my newest addition, Nugget the bearded dragon from Big Al’s almost a week ago now!! Really awesome customer service and friendly staff. They helped me get everything I needed for him and were knowledgeable about bearded dragons as well!

David Moriarity

Great pet store and the new guy there was very helpful with my tank inquiries.. They you so much ????

BushFox

The store itself is good, and well equipped. However, no covid protocols are being followed here. Was bumped into repeatedly as the staff allow people to crowd eachother. If I catch covid, I have no doubt where I got it. No place I have been in the past 2 years was this jumbled with people. Next time i am bringing a 2 metre staff and I will smack anyone who gets too close.

Iza A.

Staff are very knowledgeable about their products. Good selection of fishes and the ones I bought were healthy. (Update: July 2/17) Visited this store a few days ago and got an amazing Beta Fish (Siamese Fighting Fish). It has lavender body, yellow fins with dark puple edging. Thanks to Cory at the fish room for his help!

Alex P

While discussing the topic of food for my leopard gecko, an employee (younger woman, with blonde-ish hair) was outright disputing information from my veterinarian. As a vet student myself, I found this incredibly disrespectful and, quite frankly, potentially dangerous. I hope nobody else has recieved incorrect information regarding the care for their own pets. The last thing I want to see is somebody's animal getting sick, or worse, because of the recommendations they recieved at a pet store like this. Make sure you only take advice about your animals from a licensed veterinarian or a source you know you can trust. This is clearly not one of those sources. The manager handled my situation with grace shortly after, and I thank them for that. Because of that positive interaction with the manager, they managed to salvage a 1-star rating from me. Otherwise I'd be saying I wish there was a 0-star option ????

Mei Like the month.

We love it here! We always go Wednesdays because of double points. The staff are knowledgeable and always have recommendations for tank stock. We rarely get sick fish from Big als. I got 6 dwarf crayfish there recently and they are all wonderful.

Hawk Girl

Not sure if it's the same staff at the place or not when I use to work there but I was completely and utterly treated like garbage. Definitely not friendly staff at all in the department I was working in, no communication and I didn't get trained or taught nothing. The only part that was great was interacting with the animals while I cleaned there cages and fed them.

Thomas Nelson

I absolutely love this place. They have everything I could ever need and more for my home aquarium. The staff are not pushy or hovering and seem excellently knowledgeable for all my questions. I also really like that they interrogate me before every fish I purchase to make sure my tank is a safe and comfortable environment.

Eleanor Lorden

Nice fish, friendly staff. Good selection of supplies

Carleen LeBlanc

Had a great experience buying a new fish tank here on Sunday July the 4th. Gentleman with the ponytail working in the aquarium section was a big help; we came in to buy a new hood for our hand-me-down aquarium, but we quickly saw it was cheaper to just buy a whole new kit (tank, filter, heater, etc) for only $60 more. The gentleman helping us gave us lots of good points about buying a new setup vs. getting a hood that might not work for our beater tank. We figured that was the way to go, but he cemented the idea and it was nice having someone back us up! Selection of fish here could be better, but honestly, you just can't seem to find a vast amount of fish in 'traditional' pet stores these days anyway! Those old setups have gone the way of the dodo. Fish here were super healthy otherwise! Loved the kuhli loaches! We will be back in the future just for our aquarium needs alone. A++

Sarah Gerencser

Came here to purchase my nephew a freshwater aquarium kit and the fish he chose to create his first community tank. The staff were incredibly informative and helpful. They advised us to purchase the tank and set it up then let it run empty …

Sam Emery

Great customer service and always have the best selection of products and small pets.

Brad B.

Wow, what a great store and fabulous selection of beautiful fish, and aquarium products

Kenny MacInnis

Excellent selection of saltwater fish, Excellent selection of underwater plants, Friendly and knowledgeable Staff, Update on the female pregnant guppy that I bought there she has had 8 fry all are well thank you big Al's

Ode Depths

Decent size! Lots of variety. They have everything from pea puffers, to degu's! It's always worth it to head up to Big Al's to pick up whatever is needed. All staff is very polite, friendly, and ready to help out when needed.

Alyssa Kennedy

Wonderful pet store. Staff is knowledgeable and friendly and they have great selection

Bonnie Greentree

Beautiful, clean store. The aquariums are well maintained and stocked with an amazing variety of salt and freshwater fish. Tons of decor, aquariums, and maintenance items.

Kathy Walden

My experiences at Big Al’s has always been pleasant until yesterday. My family and I were browsing in the reptile department when we over heard 2 employees talking!! The female employee who now I know is the manager was the utmost Ignorant person I have ever encountered. The male employee told her that he’s ready to come back to work because of a illness! And the managers response shocked my husband and I “ Greg I can only give you 2 days a week because your unreasonable I need someone here to be my right hand and with knowledge!! That she has 2 jobs and can’t do both !! The employee said I’ve been sick but I’m better now with her response was!! We all make sacrifices Greg that’s the best I can do. You don’t treat your employees that way and my family and I will not be returning to that store again. We returned all our items and left the store.

Dwight McDonald

Donna your amazing. It's been 4 years, Thank you for always serving us with a SMILE. Thank for always being so warm and open. Every one support local, support Canada. This store deserves your business

zoltan farkas

why do they keep the bettas in small cups of water ? they all look miserable and dead . if these guys were smart they would take one long tank and put in baffles to house all the bettas in one tank . and at least then they can have filtered water and a heater.

Paul Pedersen

I was pretty upset. I got my pond up and running for 4 weeks. I put new liner and rocks and waterfall. Water crystal clear and now end of may I want to add fish. I ask them what fish will survive over the winter and they had some gold fish and colorful ones. I bought 9 medium size ones for 150 and bring them home. Follow the instructions they gave me to put in pond. Ans 3 days later 2 are dead. I asked them to replace them and the would not. What kinda if place does this? The fish that were supposed to survive over the winter didnt even last a week. Careful what u get there.

kirsten martin

Very impressed by the grooming salon. Was in today with two larger dogs and a bunny, was very fast service and an amazing price (40$). The dogs were the best behaved I have ever seen and I was able to remain there for the service. They did an amazing job and will definitely be returning!

Terri-lynn Taylor

Big place with everything I could need for my pets. We came to watch the shark feeding but with the recent temp drop he wasn't hungry. ???? Oh well he was way cool to watch.

Daryl all

We just got a new aquarium to bring our fish inside during the colder months. The associates were super helpful in making sure we got everything we needed and made sure we knew all we needed to in order for success

Jennifer Burns

Had a few good deals for black Friday! We had great visit! Helpful and knowledgeable staff.

Janice Aveling

Upon walking in the store today, I had a bag from another store that I had just visited. The second I walked in, the lady at the counter abruptly told me I would have to put my bag in one of the bins across from cash. I get it, people steal, but to deem me as a thief before you can even say hello? RUDE!! It made me uncomfortable and to be honest it was a little insulting and I almost wanted to walk out and not spend my money there. Not to mention the stuff I had in my bag that I had just bought from another store where Christmas presents, some were expensive and I wasn’t too keen on putting them in a bin where anyone could walk by and grab them, cause don’t tell me you are constantly watching them, you weren’t. You better be prepared to replace people stuff if that’s what you are making them do. BUT anyway, I complied and went along with it cause I needed to buy a couple things (not steal ;). Here’s an idea. If this is in fact your rule, then maybe you should try enforcing it with every single customer and not just single out certain ones, cause while I was in there shopping after all this, I saw 3 or 4 people carrying shopping bags while they were shopping .In fact, while I was being cashed out, a customer beside me at the next cash had a shoppers drug mart bag in her hand but not one word was said to her! So do you just randomly pick and choose who you do that to? Thank God I don’t have to use your store very often cause some of you guys need a lesson on dealing with the public. Not to mention, your prices are outrageous! I work at one of your competitor pet stores and all I know is we would never treat people that way for absolutely no reason. You want people to spend money at your store? Treat them better!

Nick Hopman

Fantastic store. Employees are knowledgeable. A true full service for any pet owner.

ella goldshtein

Not a lot of variety of fish and you can only use the rewards program at this store and not other big als Edit- just went back today and had an amazing experience with help from the staff. They even let us know about our cities water chemical levels and what to be aware of during tank changes.

Dennis Menace

Bought the wrong size collar for my dog no problems changing it for the right size. Good customer service

Erik Dalley

I was in the store today (06/29/21) around 3pm getting bird accessories as we are getting my daughter a budgie for her birthday. The lady whose name I didn't catch was very helpful and informative and very easy to talk too. Answered all of my questions perfectly. We will be back in a couple weeks to pick up the budgie itself.

Lynne Glover

The staff were so helpful setting us up with a hamster and all her essentials! Not the easiest task curbside! Thanks again, our daughters are in love with the hamster you picked for them!

Steven Greaves

Fast friendly service. Knowledgeable staff assisted us with our questions. My daughter enjoys her aquarium and all the little fish are healthy and active.

Conrad MacKenzie

Great place to shop for all your aquarium needs! Super helpful and professional; highly recommend!

A. Gibson

Big Al's has exceptional customer service and the best variety of fish out of all of the pet stores in the Hamilton/Niagara region. Donna and Katrina went well above and beyond my expectations and saved me driving 40 minutes for nothing, as they stayed 10 minutes after close just to make sure I was able to get my order. Really appreciate it and I look forward to adding these little guys to my community tank! Cheers girls!

Stevewbcanada

Products and staff are fine but don't bother with the website, it's completely useless. It looks like it was designed by a 5-year old child and where there are multiple pages (such as product listings or ordering) there are no links to get past the first page. Update: I recently ordered onliine from Big Al's using Amazon's site. Delivery was extremely prompt with no problem.

Florence dormady

Very impressed with sales agent James. His knowledge of aquatic vegetation and pond building/ maintenance was extraordinary. I will definitely be back to Big Al’s in the future. Thank you so much James for all your assistance and recommendations. Appreciate the excellent Customer Service.

Paulette Bartlett

Took my grandson to buy a Betta...positive experience for us both..cashier at the front happy to give advice to us for caring for the fish????

Marie Tsai

Most horrible shopping experience. They know nothing about how to care for a hamster. After my hamster got stuck in the tube of a cage (Rody 3) recommended by them. They still insist they are right and won’t give me full refund. Never shop there again unless you have too much money to waste.

Jenn N

It's definitely seen better days. The store seems to be getting run down. They definitely need to do some updating.

Amanda Antler

Always a great place to take the kids even if you have no intention to buy. However we bought some really cool glowing tetras

Nicholas Angelatos

I spend over 1000 a month there. The main cashier there has an issue with doing simple returns! Most of the staff are nice except for the owners daughter and the cashier who acts like they own the place! She is very rude! P.s.-They also phoned the owner on me to complain that I am a bad customer! I spoke to the owner and he apologized for his incompetent cashier who could not handle working alone and his rude daughter. ????

Amanda Stewart

My son and my dream space. I'd lie in the fish room if I could!