Tropical Isle
- Thread starter ReeferDude
- Start date
Mr.HaHa
Non-member
well agreed. on drygoods the coupon still doesnt do justice. but on live goods its pretty good
I'll be unpopular here....
Not to be the voice of (mostly) dissent with what is basically my first post, but I have to say that, in my experience, not all things Tropic Isle are bad. Yes, they are expensive on dry goods. Yes, some of their fish prices are a little higher than you would like to see. And yes, sometimes it takes forever to get acknowledged there. However, they do have a fantastic selection of livestock. In addition, I've almost always had a good experience there - at least in terms of getting what I was looking for.
The gentleman with the ponytail (Dan is it?) is great - always helpful. Yes, he comes across as gruff - but I've always found him extremely receptive to questions and helpful (and joking) in his answers. If you don't speak first, he's going to mostly leave you alone. I'm ok with that.
The young guy with the sideburns (at least he used to have them...) as well has been great to talk to - always asking questions about your set-up, giving advice, and has even talked me out of an unnecessary purchase. I don't know his name (anyone able to help me out with that?) but he is the one that I will consistently seek out when I walk in the door.
Yes, there are some fish room guys that I do not care for, and whose advice I wouldn't trust. When I've had these one or two ask me if I needed help, I usually just smile and say "not yet, I'll let you know thanks" and then find one of the two that I trust more. It's pretty simple.
And as for the counter help... I can certainly see what people are talking about with the potential for "attitude." But each time I've gone in, I've at least gotten a "thank you" (even if it wasn't without a smile) - and I'd say about 75% of the time I've been able to engage in conversation and get a chuckle or two - so I guess it can be done!
Just my own experiences...
Jason
Not to be the voice of (mostly) dissent with what is basically my first post, but I have to say that, in my experience, not all things Tropic Isle are bad. Yes, they are expensive on dry goods. Yes, some of their fish prices are a little higher than you would like to see. And yes, sometimes it takes forever to get acknowledged there. However, they do have a fantastic selection of livestock. In addition, I've almost always had a good experience there - at least in terms of getting what I was looking for.
The gentleman with the ponytail (Dan is it?) is great - always helpful. Yes, he comes across as gruff - but I've always found him extremely receptive to questions and helpful (and joking) in his answers. If you don't speak first, he's going to mostly leave you alone. I'm ok with that.
The young guy with the sideburns (at least he used to have them...) as well has been great to talk to - always asking questions about your set-up, giving advice, and has even talked me out of an unnecessary purchase. I don't know his name (anyone able to help me out with that?) but he is the one that I will consistently seek out when I walk in the door.
Yes, there are some fish room guys that I do not care for, and whose advice I wouldn't trust. When I've had these one or two ask me if I needed help, I usually just smile and say "not yet, I'll let you know thanks" and then find one of the two that I trust more. It's pretty simple.
And as for the counter help... I can certainly see what people are talking about with the potential for "attitude." But each time I've gone in, I've at least gotten a "thank you" (even if it wasn't without a smile) - and I'd say about 75% of the time I've been able to engage in conversation and get a chuckle or two - so I guess it can be done!
Just my own experiences...
Jason
Scott
Non-member
I dropped in there today. Same experience, zero acknowledgement from any of the staff as I wandered around.
They were doing some photo or video shoot today. There was a very attractive woman there, dressed nice, lots of cleavage. I assume she was some sort of talent for whatever they were doing. She had no trouble getting some attention.
They were doing some photo or video shoot today. There was a very attractive woman there, dressed nice, lots of cleavage. I assume she was some sort of talent for whatever they were doing. She had no trouble getting some attention.
smpross
Non-member
OMG Crib... If I had been you I would have also bought a lottery ticket last night!. I have always like Jason, but the owners and managers are so horribly rude, that I refuse to go back. Edited to remove second hand info.
So let's recap: Horrible customer service, lousy advice, High prices. Yeah, I think I will burn my money before I spent another penny there.
Scott
. I have always like Jason, but the owners and managers are so horribly rude, that I refuse to go back. Edited to remove second hand info.So let's recap: Horrible customer service, lousy advice, High prices. Yeah, I think I will burn my money before I spent another penny there.
Scott
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I really like the fact that they usually have an OK selection of bulkhead fittings in stock!
I also think well of Jason and Dan.
I actually feel that I'm treated OK by the counter staff, not warm and fuzzy, but appropriately. (that said, I've been going in there for about 16-18 yrs so I must look pretty framiliar AND I'm the polite and patient type customer).
No comment on the other stuff (cause my momma taught me if you have nothing..............)
jk
I also think well of Jason and Dan.
I actually feel that I'm treated OK by the counter staff, not warm and fuzzy, but appropriately. (that said, I've been going in there for about 16-18 yrs so I must look pretty framiliar AND I'm the polite and patient type customer).
No comment on the other stuff (cause my momma taught me if you have nothing..............)
jk
Mr.HaHa
Non-member
jason and dan are great guys. jason is friendly off the bat and dan can come off as "difficult" at times but i think he means well.
on the other hand, the owner, mr london, on two occasions has given me ill advice, of which i did not adhere to. he had told me a flame angel would be ok in 12g nano and a maroon clown pair (small) and perc clown pair (small)would be ok in a 50g bdr.
needless to say i dont seek him out for advice.
on the other hand, the owner, mr london, on two occasions has given me ill advice, of which i did not adhere to. he had told me a flame angel would be ok in 12g nano and a maroon clown pair (small) and perc clown pair (small)would be ok in a 50g bdr.
needless to say i dont seek him out for advice.
Ok - I admit it when...
... I'm wrong. I was wrong. And by now I'm just annoyed. Hopefully someone from TI still reviews the postings and hears about this, and MAYBE something will be corrected in the store...
I stand by what I said about the help/personalities of the employees. However, I can NOT keep a fish from them alive. I recently bought 2 firefish and a dragon goby. Come home, put them in QT (which is fully cycled, filled with RO/DI mixed water, all parameters are great, and salinity is .025). Two days later - bam - one dead firefish. Two days after that - bam - other firefish is COVERED in ick. No way that the infestation came from my QT - because it was set up and cycled without ever having another fish in there. This morning that firefish is dead. Now I have to continue with hypo on the dragon (still getting the SG down) despite him not yet showing symptoms.
I have two TR false percs that have lived from there. However, other than that, I have never (and we're talking about around a dozen by now over the last year) had a fish from there make it more than 3 weeks in QT, and never into my DT. I kept blaming myself - I didn't have RO/DI water, I didn't acclimate them slowly enough, I didn't I didn't I didn't. There comes a point where I can't blame myself any more! lol
What's the definition of insanity? Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. Well, I can't be insane any more.... Time to be done with them, regardless of how helpful and nice Jason and Dan are.... I don't need a friend, I need some fish that live!
... I'm wrong. I was wrong. And by now I'm just annoyed. Hopefully someone from TI still reviews the postings and hears about this, and MAYBE something will be corrected in the store...
I stand by what I said about the help/personalities of the employees. However, I can NOT keep a fish from them alive. I recently bought 2 firefish and a dragon goby. Come home, put them in QT (which is fully cycled, filled with RO/DI mixed water, all parameters are great, and salinity is .025). Two days later - bam - one dead firefish. Two days after that - bam - other firefish is COVERED in ick. No way that the infestation came from my QT - because it was set up and cycled without ever having another fish in there. This morning that firefish is dead. Now I have to continue with hypo on the dragon (still getting the SG down) despite him not yet showing symptoms.
I have two TR false percs that have lived from there. However, other than that, I have never (and we're talking about around a dozen by now over the last year) had a fish from there make it more than 3 weeks in QT, and never into my DT. I kept blaming myself - I didn't have RO/DI water, I didn't acclimate them slowly enough, I didn't I didn't I didn't. There comes a point where I can't blame myself any more! lol
What's the definition of insanity? Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.
Well, I can't be insane any more.... Time to be done with them, regardless of how helpful and nice Jason and Dan are.... I don't need a friend, I need some fish that live! 
x22hockey
MAJOR REEF HEAD
i went there for the first time in a while not very happy with the selection. the first times i went there i thought this store had it all and now i go in and it looks like they are not investing in salt water anymore. I know it has been a while since i have been there so has this been a staedy decline.
51 boxes of Marine fish and inverts last week and 38 boxes of the same this week..... I'd say we're investing a bit in the fish !!! I have Caribbean, Australian, Red Sea , Indonesian, Pacific, African & Hawaiian. 12 species of clownfish, 13 species of anthias, 3 varieties of leopard wrasse, pantloads of gobies & blennies, 8 types of pygmy angels, flasher & fairy wrasses, including LaBoutes and Lineatus. What are you looking for ?!?!?!
smpross
Non-member
It is not a stock problem that TI has, In my Experience, It is the complete lack of customer service. There are some people that work there that are friendly and Knowledgable like Jason. But who really wants to deal with Sharon when she is there? Does anyone think that she really gives Stellar Customer service? People are willing to pay the premium for a helathy fish. But are people willing to pay a premium for dry goods with lousy customer service?
Scott
Scott
