Reviews of Aqua World (Fish Shop)

Samantha White

I get all my fishes from here for my aquarium . I've yet to have had a bad experience and I definitely recommend this place...

Jerika Ratcliff

Love this place glad I found it. Kinda expensive though

BENJAMIN Wiesner

This store has the cleanest tanks in st. Louis. All tanks are on their own system. Extremely knowledgeable and friendly staff. Also, the plants are the best in St Louis.

Adriana Bulger

Very nice, their fish are healthy and their plants look great. Little bit on the pricier side but I'll 100% pay more for healthy fish. Very knowledgeable staff, and most importantly: their bettas are kept in 10 gallons instead of cups!

Nikki Virgo

Love this place! Always helpful and personable, they go the extra mile to help you wether you spending 5 dollars or 500, really recommend them to all.

Andrea Winn

Best fish store ever.

Gph

24 hour return policy on goods sold outside of fish is ridiculous. Now I'm stuck with $32 worth of unusable seachem substrate.

CSFY byShareese

Chris (I think that was her name

Tim Vickers

Friendly, had just what I needed (oxygenating plants for a pond). Huge selection of fish.

Ricky Trevor

I came in kind of knowing what I wanted but wasn't 100% sure. Jason was able to help me put my ideas into reality. He helped me get a tank setup with some great fish and plants it's always a pleasure going in to shop for things to add to my tank

Frank Dalton

Aqua world is the best fish store. Mike is always super helpful and friendly. This is the only fish store I go to

Christopher Myers

Went up to a very disappointing fish convention a few months ago, so not to waste the day my friends and I decided to check out the local fish stores. This store really stuck out to me for it's variety of fish and most importantly the cleanliness of the entire place, especially the tanks. Also only place I found mosquito larva my little community fish love it.

Melvin Portell

Best fish shop in St. Louis. Large selection of fish and live plants. Most importantly the fish are healthy.

Michael Baranowski

These guys are pretty cool to talk to if your getting into the aquarium hobby and they will definitely help you get in the right track

Fred Domke

Great team with extensive knowledge of fish science. Good displays, helpful staff. It's worth going just to see the fish!

Sarah Bogacki

Always friendly! Good variety of fish, tank decor and fish food. Very hearty and healthy fish.

just a person

Beautiful fish and aquariums!

Steve McCord

I went on a little tour of the tropical fish stores in STL the other day and each has its pro's and con's. This is one I will definitely be back to the next time I set up a planted tank. Their selection was great and well priced. Unfortunately they were a little proud of some of their dry goods and equipment. The staff was very friendly. I look forward to seeing them again soon.

Ryan Starks

Nice store very helpful.I was able to purchase drift wood out of tank with plants on it. I'm ready to go back!

Derek Wright

I drove almost 50 miles from Festus, MO to this store to buy fish for my 55 gallon fish tank. I also happen to be in a wheelchair so I don’t get out of the house that often and when I do go out it’s a big deal. So I drove an entire hour to see this great store only for it to be totally inaccessible for wheelchairs. My mom who drove me there went inside to ask if there was a way for wheelchairs to get inside and she was told “we can’t help you, sorry”. They should at least have something on their website that says it’s inaccessible. In this day and age people in wheelchairs ought to be able to do the same kinds of things regular people can and the fact that they can’t take the time to make a wooden ramp for a few steps says volumes to me about the kind of people that run this business. Please don’t support them until they serve people who are physically disabled.

Lauren Christians

A little pricey, but full service, good selection, smells and looks very clean.

Summer Shelton

Great selection of products and fish. Very clean tanks with healthy fish.

Stephen Musial

Great service and great selection of plants.

Charles O'Rourke

I'm new to the hobby, and new-ish to St. Louis, so I had to resort to Google to find a good LFS. For some reason, this is the last store I tried out of 5, and I probably wouldn't have even made it here if I didn't leave all of the others so miserably disappointed. Thank god that the other stores in town are so bad, because Aqua World is fantastic. I started with plants so I could do a fishless cycle, and the selection here has everything you could want, all in great condition. I bought about twelve plants to start, and months later all are flourishing at home. Got a few snails that tagged along, but that's to be expected, and I wanted some anyways. As far as fish go, I have only seen like one dead fish here ever. The tanks are always in pristine condition, and all the fish look happy and healthy. They take care to quarantine and medicate all their new fish, not selling them too early, which helps mitigate risk for someone like me who doesn't have a quarantine tank at home (yet). I've bought 8 so far and all are doing great. Finally, the staff. I have met two workers and a third who I believe is the owner. They are all incredibly knowledgeable. The more you learn about aquarium-keeping, the more you realize that you don''t know sh**. These guys are constantly teaching me new things despite the countless hours I spend reading online. They will talk you out of making dumb purchases, and not push any sales onto you, which is admirable. I like to browse in peace and they'll let you. Only thing I would caution here is that the supplies definitely seem overpriced. I think this is one area where a local shop cannot compete with the economies of online shopping.

Ryan Patterson

Great service and knowledgeable staff always ready to help. Even after a long discussions about how to deal with problems with my fish they haven't tried to upsell me.

Daniel Frazier

Checking it out

Claire Tyson

Very knowledgeable staff

Gala Williams

I used to go there to get fish for my aquarium

Mikayla Reed

Amazing staff, the cleanliness went beyond my expectations, the variety of fish is astonishing and knowing all the fish are healthy and cared for properly is a 5 ⭐️. In my opinion this is the best fish shop in the area!

Lesa Harp

They had alot to choose from but the beta I bought was sick and died within 6 hours. Never will I buy there again.

Ant Valentine

They had everything that was needed

whynot itsfun

This is the only place I will go for livestock and plants, end of story. Healthiest fish I've ever bought, hands down. I started with a 10 gallon 3 years ago and now am running both a 75 and a nano, both planted. Best variety of plants too. As other reviewers have said, the prices are high (I've found the Gravois location to be less than the Ellisville location, FYI). You get what you pay for, folks. You can buy a fish at a chain store for $2 and save a few bucks, but then again, you can also watch that $2 fish die and kill off everything else in your tank, as I have many times. If you want to be a cheapskate, go for those chains and have unhealthy fish. Or, you can be a responsible fish owner, go to Aquaworld and spend more, but save yourself a lot of time and grief and have healthy fish. They've got tank bred species that you can only find wild caught at other stores-- They've had the best cardinal tetras I've found anywhere and I haven't lost a single one out of all 24 I've bought.

Kobie

The staff is always nice but some are better than others. I ended up buying a fish that a more seasoned LFS staff would not have sold me, but they took it back no problem. I always enjoy going in and seeing all the wonderful and beautiful fish they have. It is also nice to have a LFS who is locally owned nearby that offsets PetSmart down the road. I get supplies at PetSmart and my fish from these guys. Their live plant collection is mind blowing, too.

Jessica Bachmann

Good selection of cichlids!

Tony Zebrowski

This place is fantastic and the tanks are crystal clear. Great plant selection. Some rare and hard to find fish as well. Must go for tank enthusiasts

Mike Bircher

I found this place a few days ago. Friendly staff, old-school vibe, beautiful and healthy looking plants and livestock. This will be my go-to spot for aquascaping needs. Reasonable prices just cement the deal! I left with a ton of beautiful plants for a new aquascape and didn't break the bank as I'm used to.

Alexander Garibay

Cleanest freshwater tanks I've found! Staff is knowledgeable. They usually have some oddball or less commonly found fish in stock. I even asked for them to order some fish for me, and they called me back about a week later letting me know they were ready for pickup! Items can be a bit pricey, but that is the cost of a brick and mortar store these days. I choose to support them and help keep the place open instead of going to petsmart or amazon for supplies.

Silver Lonewolf

Amazing place. Friendly and inside of the store is real clean with a huge selection of fish, water plants and items needed for proper fish keeping.

Alexis Siman

Very friendly, helpful , and knowledgeable. This is our new fish spot!

Gregory Crumer

They are very helpful

The Real Ladies of the Midwest

Good folks

Aaron B

Both locations are hit or miss on friendliness which I think is really important for the fish keeping hobby. My last visit was a hit and I felt welcome to browse wether or not I was there to buy anything that day. They have a great selection and seem knowledgeable but unfortunately I feel they are priced higher than most other independent stores and therefore are not my go to. I continue to stop by hoping things will change for the better because honestly I'd rather shop at a local/ family owned place.

Shanetta Naylor

I love this place, always helpful especially Mike that's my guy even though i might work his nerves from time 2 time he always have excellent customer service!!! Keep up the good work Aqua World❤❤

firebadge08

It's a great place for sure. I love the selection they have on hand. They watch their fish closely and if they even suspect a fish to be sick

D Shockley

Nice friendly knowledgeable staff members. With an assortment of fish, aquatic life. Helpful advice and instructions on the type of fish to incorporate into a tank. And yes I have 1 Betta in a tank with my fish and a frog.

Clayton Bigsby

If you're looking for a well appointed salon, move on. This shop is 'old school' in terms of floor design, product placement, etc., and you need to be comfortable with clutter. That said, they are totally on their game with respect to their attention to the health of the fish and other livestock being sold, and they do have a very good selection of mid to high end products such as external canister filters, CO2 systems, and other electronics for aquaria. Their marine selection has greatly increased as of late and their livestock is in top notch condition. This is poorly marketed, but they offer complete installation services and can undertake full tank upgrades and swaps. Their prices are quite in like with other 'brick and mortar' stores and if you're not too cheeky they'll work to meet in the middle if you show them online prices. Matching online to the cent is of course stupid as they have to float the storefront, but they're flexible.

fride Bloney

They are great. Very helpful and good prices. It's what keeps me coming back.

cleo kids

Well first let me say this the aqua world that I used to attend 15 years ago was fabulous the people were fabulous they were helpful the store was really nice now it looks like a dump and the staff will they let you walk in go look at fish and leave without speaking a word now I don't know if it's because I got color or if it's just because he didn't feel like it he was sitting at the desk I don't know but I wanted to buy some rainbow fish and they had them they looked really great but I refuse to buy them there not because they were $20 a piece but because he was so rude did not even acknowledge my presence won't go back and will tell everybody that I know

Aaron McCaleb

So, I was in there this last week over Christmas for the first time. Initial impressions were that the tanks were clean and al of the fish looked very healthy and very high quality. All the plants were in great shape. Prices were a little higher but you get what you pay for. You pay more because the fish are much higher quality and they are much healthier than other stores. I didn't see a single dead fish in any of their tanks. I bought a potted plant from them (crypt undulate), and when I got it home and got it out of the pot to put into the tank I realized that it was so full that I could separate it into multiple pieces. I ended up with four very good sized plants out of the one pot. I could have easily separated it into more if I had wanted to. I will be back to this store every time I'm in the St. Louis area!

fraughtrun

Super cool dude runs it. Knowledgeable staff. Where i go for all my fish needs.

BleuEyedPapi

Friendly knowledgeable staff, they have fair prices, everything is clean, and the fish and plants are healthy!

zeb202

The staf are very helpful and a large selection of freshwater fish and plants its just a litle pricy but I'm willing to pay the price and knowing I'm getting a healthy fish unlike going to pet smart and getting something you don't know the state of.

Rachel Jinkerson

Aqua World is my go-to for fish and plants! They have a wide selection of both and the staff is very friendly and informative! I would recommend 10 out of 10times!

Kev Setch

Great place for all your aquatic needs. Very professional and friendly.

Jeff Wilsman

I've been going to Aqua-world for years. Staff always treat you well and you can tell they really enjoy the fish hobby and are very knowledgeable. They can be a little pricy but its worth it knowing your getting healthy fish and plants. If they do not stock non fish items they can usually get it for you. Love this place. Jeff

Alex Ha

Great place to get info and quickly start a new tank. I was able to purchase driftwood pieces from tanks. Very very awesome and highly recommend to all.

Ally Duffin

Mike is so knowledgeable and friendly and always helps us pick out great plants for what we need. We got a fungus in the tank and he has been helping us for weeks now to get rid of it ( it's a strong one) and I feel confident that what he recommends is the right choice. They always have a great selection and their plants are BEAUTIFUL and so full!! We used to hop from lfs to lfs but not anymore, we can get just about everything we need from chemicals to meds, sub and decor, wood/rocks and plants they have what we're looking for. I love this store, it's my happy place. Thank you guys so much for helping us.

Marlo Ware

Great selection..fair prices

Call me Panda

Cute small pet store. Has a variety of freshwater fish. Not much as far as new aquarium supplies.

Biannca Lambert

This place is always my first stop!

Nikki Boyce

Did see fish there that were hard to find anywhere else. The fish looked healthy and well cared for. However the place was a cluttered dump and the prices were OUTRAGEOUS!

jay roc

I love this place! Best local selection for plants and fish

Fig Beebo

This is the best place to get fish, hands down. They've never sold me a sick fish, they know what they are talking about, & they are an excellent resource. Extremely helpful, great selection.

Stephen Olds

I like this store! Lots of very clean tanks and healthy fish, along with an impressive selection of supplies. The plant selection was the best. Owner was very friendly too. Highly recommended!

ABDULLAH ALMATROODI

Great

Adam Coyle

Beautiful small aquarium shop. Counter person (owner?) was friendly and informative while I was browsing.

Maya Wasserstrom

The staff is very helpful and knowledgeable! I was helped by Chris who very patiently answered my long list of questions and gave me honest answers as to the best products. The place looks a bit dark/small when you first walk in, but their animals are in clean tanks and well cared for. Their bettas are even free swimming, not in plastic cups! Best collection of plants I've ever seen, almost everything in the tanks are for sale. The prices are slightly higher because it's a local shop, but it's definitely worth it for the fantastic customer service and healthy, beautiful fish. Will definitely be going back!

CASEY MOSER

Amazing people

Mike Garrison

Great selection and prices

Matt Day

So this place is kind of way over priced and I think the plants I bought gave my fish white spot.

Dianna Smith

I'm new to keeping fish but the sales people didn't talk down to me. They were friendly and accommodating and answered all my questions. Service was top notch, as was their selection of fish and plants. I'm in the process of adding live plants to my aquarium and the young man gave me some good options to choose from for my size tank and experience level. I really appreciated his help.

Will Christensen

Great selection and some of the best fish, plants and aquariums I’ve seen in our area. They sell used equipment too, lots of rocks and supplies. Staff was very helpful and got my tank back in shape in days with their knowledge and help. Thanks guys!

Steve Karcher

Both locations were incredibly nice aquarium shops and I can’t figure out why for the life of me why anybody would have a negative thing to say about them. Sure, they may not be the glitzy stores like Petco but their tanks were incredibly clean, fish were in top-notch health and unlike most aquarium shops, no unpleasant odors! I’m from Central Illinois and you don’t realize how fortunate you are to have such a nice shop with the tremendous variety of plants and fish they offer. I felt like the prices were very competitive with other stores and online shopping. We need to support all our local shops where you can actually see what we are buying and more importantly their staff’s expertise. To the few negative reviewers, count your blessings St. Louis.

Amanda Vick

I went to the Aqua World in Ellisville and I thought it was HORRIBLE. The people weren't nice, they didn't help. They sold me some endlers as guppies because they don't sell endlers. Well, all three endlers die so i messaged them on facebook asking what I do as they had died the next day. The owner started arguing that they don't sell endlers and that I'm crazy. Long story short, I'm never going back there again. I swore it off and went to Tropical world. Again, not a very clean and friendly place. My manager had been raving about aqua world for some time so I figured I'll try again. THIS LOCATION IS WONDERFUL! The tanks are clean, properly lit, they look like an ideq l tank you want in your house. Well planted and definitely well maintained. I did not see a single dead fish in any of the tanks. I'm definitely going to keep coming here.

Shirley Eller

Jon and I love going in the store and have good luck with all the fish we buy. I bought a fish fountain spitter yesterday and it is in the pictures on Aqua’s photos. I just love it. We recommend this store over any in the St. Louis area.

Jim Krueger

Best tropical fish store. Fish are in great shape.

Elesia Porter

Variety of fish and very informative on their selects.

Ian McIntire

Great selection of fresh water fish and even better selection of plants not to mention the helpful staff. I had been in the store for 20 seconds and already had someone helping me.

Tim Schisler

Really helpful staff!

Doris Matino

FREAKIN AMAZING

Sexy V Money

Beautiful place to take the family, kids and enjoy life

Kyle Gregory

This place helped me move my giant tank. Even went the extra mile to make sure all my crazy worries were taken care of. None of my prized fish (which were purchased at their Ellisville store) were lost. Couldn't have been happier.

Michael Wojick

I really like this place. The staff is nice and very knowledgeable. They have fish I have not seen anywhere else before. One great thing is you don't see dead fish floating like you do at all the big retailers. Yes as some of the reviews say. Prices are a little high. But its a small business they cant get the big orders to sell cheap like chain retailers. Their equipment is higher quality. The tanks are very clean and bright . They do have a warranty on the fish like other places. I will be going back their a lot more.