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The 5 Best Fish & Aquarium Supply Stores In New York

If you are a fish aficionado, we have the low down on the best places to shop for everything from exotics to freshwater friends, plants, pumps and of course food in New York City. Here are the best fish and aquarium supply stores in the city.

There's a reason Pacific Aquarium receives rave reviews from its patrons.This Pacific paradise is packed with everything you need to create the perfect underwater habitat. The staff is professional and knowledgeable. Run out of food on a holiday, no worries, Pacific Aquarium is open everyday 365 days a year. In addition to a wide selection of aquarium supplies. Pacific Aquarium's full selection of fishing gear may encourage you to create an aquarium bycatching your own fish.

A visit to this venue is more like walking into an aquarium gallery than a store. Housed in a spacious showroom,this venue is the place to go if you are considering an aquarium extravaganza for your home or office. This full-service aquarium supplier, will come to your home or office to set-up and/or maintain your aquarium. Want to add a something special to a big event or gala? This company also offers a party rental service.

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If saltwater fish are your passion, the variety at this venue is sure to please. Specializing in saltwater fish, this store may be local, but they ship all over the country. They offer a large selection of marine fish, coral and live rock at great prices. If you would rather shop at home, now worries, you can make intelligent additions to your saltwater have at home online.

Located in the Jackson Heights section of Queens, this mom and pop store has been a local fixture for years. Offering a large selection of aquarium supplies, the knowledgeable staff can answer just about any aquarium inquiry. Customers report that if its aquarium supplies you're looking for, this neighborhood shop gives the big box stores a run for their money.

Don't let the small size of this shop fool you. Packed with everything you could possibly need for your aquarium, customers rave that this is the place to go in the Bronx for a comprehensive selection of fish and supplies. Don't see something you are looking for?Just ask, chances are if it belongs in an aquarium, they have it.

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Dr. Jennifer Powell-Lunder is a freelance writer in New York. She is a clinical psychologist specializing in work with children, adolescents, young adults, and their families. Her work can be found here

Chattanoogans Are Taking To Personal Aquariums Like A Fish To Water

At feeding time, Dale -- a freshwater Mbu puffer, one of the largest puffer fish species -- flaps his fins like oversized wings and glides toward his tank corner. He's also the unofficial mascot of Fish Mania in East Ridge, a local aquarium supply store.

"He sees you coming and starts doing circles, like, 'Feed me, feed me!'" says Ethan Dickinson, the 25-year-old owner of Fish Mania. "He's awesome."

Dale draws a crowd, but he's also part of a much larger wave. Across Chattanooga, aquariums are surging in popularity -- appearing in homes, doctors' offices, vet clinics, restaurants and anywhere that benefits from peace and pretty fish.

COVID-19 gave the industry a shot in the arm. "It was probably the busiest time for the fish industry as a whole," Dickinson says. "And it never really dropped off."

Dickinson, a Chattanooga native, caught the aquarium bug early. He grew up in Ooltewah and remembers a massive saltwater tank in his elementary school library. At nine or 10, he convinced his parents to let him set up his first tank: a Walmart starter kit of incompatible fish. "I started with a tank full of dead fish," he says, laughing. "But it made me want to do better."

He started breeding guppies, selling extras on Craigslist and to local shops. At 14, he landed a job at Fish Mania. At 16, he became manager. At 21, he bought the store outright, following four years of negotiation with its original owner, Keirl King. "I wanted to be a teacher before this," he says. "Now I get to teach what I love every day."

Open since 1978 and in its current East Ridge location since 1983, Fish Mania is Chattanooga's oldest fish store still in operation. Dickinson is now expanding it, adding 800 to 900 square feet by knocking through the wall to the next-door unit and extending the dry goods section to make room for more aquatic displays.

Their most popular tanks? "Planted freshwater tanks and reef tanks," he says. "Those used to be really difficult, but in the last five to 10 years, a lot of technology has progressed. You've got cheaper lights, better filtration and even CO2 systems for plants."

Jennifer Lewis, a surgical technologist, is part of that wave. She started with a 10-gallon tank for her granddaughter three years ago while grieving for her son. "It was so peaceful just hearing the water flow," she says. "I needed a hobby -- and it was perfect for me."

Now she maintains three tanks -- down from her all-time high of seven -- including a 125-gallon centerpiece filled with angelfish and keyhole cichlids. "They have their own little personalities," she says. "Some of my fish will eat out of my hands. You're creating life -- it's not just fish; it's an ecosystem."

Fish Mania is her go-to store. Dickinson tests her water, answers late-night questions and even purchases baby fish from her if her fish breed. "Ethan walked me through every single step," she says. "His knowledge base is infinite."

Dickinson's attention to care is key to the store's growing reputation, so much so that customers drive in from out of state. Veterinarian Nia Grandille and veterinary assistant Stormy Barton come from Rome, Georgia, where they help maintain a 200-gallon saltwater tank in their clinic.

"There's no local store that sells saltwater," Barton says. "We come here."

The tank, first installed in 2009, was overhauled two months ago and has since become a magnet for clients. "People have always liked it a lot," Grandille says. "We definitely have more interest recently ... We go for stuff that's really pretty, bright and interesting." They plan to keep expanding the tank, adding more coral to enhance the reef aesthetic.

"Hospitals and doctor's offices use them for the same reason," says Jason Ha, an aquarium maintenance expert with 30 years of experience. "They're attention-getters, and they're calming. You can just sit and watch a fish nibble on a rock. It's mindless in the best way."

Aquarium maintenance has also gotten easier. UV sterilizers help control algae and bacteria. LED lights run cooler and more efficiently than older bulbs. Filter systems now come with beneficial bacteria to help cycle tanks faster. And for saltwater enthusiasts, pre-mixed five-gallon jugs of seawater make water changes much faster.

"The industry has exploded, especially on the saltwater side," Ha says.

Starting a tank doesn't have to break the bank, but Ha encourages beginners to think beyond the smallest kits. Larger tanks offer more room for error, especially for new hobbyists balancing water chemistry and fish compatibility. "You can start with a 10-gallon tank and all the equipment for under $100," he says. "But honestly, the bigger you go, the easier it is to keep stable."

Dickinson agrees.

He adds that many legacy stores failed to evolve beyond old-school sales tactics -- what he calls the "you don't know anything" attitude. "Now, people will talk to you all day, then go home and check everything on YouTube," he says. "You have to know your stuff."

Internet research culture sparked interest in biotope tanks -- mini-ecosystems modeled after specific rivers or regions -- and in microscapes, which are lower-maintenance aquariums designed to mimic natural habitats.

He adds that Chattanooga -- part of the most biodiverse aquatic region in the country and home to fish mosaics along the Riverwalk and the Tennessee Aquarium -- is the perfect place to dive into the hobby.

Then he glances back at Dale, who is spinning lazy circles in front of the glass.

Dickinson adds, "I always say, there's a fish for every person, and a person for every fish."

To learn more, go to fishmaniachatt.Com.

Best Fish And Aquarium Supply Stores In Baltimore

If you want to see the most exotic fish in Baltimore, you head to the National Aquarium, of course. The awe-inspiring collection of more than 16,500 specimens of fresh and saltwater fish on display may also prove inspirational. After all, there's something both intriguing and relaxing about the movement of fish as they swim through their aquatic environment, and the colors, patterns and shapes of tropical fish can be inspiring. But fish fanatics don't have to go to the National Aquarium to enjoy the beauty of aquatic life; they can create undersea worlds at home.

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There are numerous places in the Baltimore area for fish fanciers of all species to get their fix and their aquatic supplies. Here are a few of the best:

House of Tropicals7389-F Baltimore-Annapolis Blvd.Glen Burnie, Md. 21061(410) 761-1113www.Houseoftropicals.Net

Hours: Mon-Sat 10 a.M.-9 p.M., Sun 11 a.M.-5 p.M.

Aqua enthusiasts travel from Pennsylvania, Delaware and D.C. For the expertise and offerings at the House of Tropicals. In business for more than 40 years, this store carries more than 1,000 species in 750 tanks, including a rare and "oddball" fish. In addition to tanks and supplies, they boast a wide and constantly changing variety of coral, crustaceans, and invertebrates. A trip to House of Tropicals rivals a visit to the National Aquarium.

Exotic AquaticsNorth Plaza Shopping Center8870 Waltham Woods Rd.Parkville, Md. 21234(410) 668-1200exoticaquatics.Com/

Hours: Mon-Fri 11 a.M.-8 p.M., Sat 10 a.M.-8 p.M., Sun 11 a.M.-5 p.M.

Exotic Aquatics has recently expanded its reach by offering its healthy livestock in their shop, as well as via the Internet. Customers will find a wide variety of freshwater and marine tropical fish, invertebrates, live corals, live rock, plants, pond fish, in the store and online, sourced locally and around the world.

The Aquarium Depot3689 Offutt RoadRandallstown, Md. 21133(410) 521-4529www.Aquariumdepot.Net

Hours: Sun 11 a.M.-6 p.M., Mon 11 a.M.-7 p.M., Tues 11 a.M.-5 p.M., Wed-Sat 11 a.M.-7 p.M.

From fish to filters, the Aquarium Depot carries it all for the beginner to the seasoned collector. The large selection of exotic freshwater, saltwater and tropical fish includes African cichlids, rock, rainbows, angels, catfish, discus, koi, tangs, tetras, swordtails, goldfish and more.

Wet Pet and Reptile Center429 Eastern BoulevardEssex, Md. 21221(410) 391-9494www.Wetpetreptilecenter.Com

Hours: Mon-Fri 10 a.M.-8 p.M., Sat-Sun 10 a.M.-6 p.M.

This small shop has the largest selection of exotic fish and supplies in the Eastern Baltimore County area. The knowledgeable staff prides itself on offering sound advice in a clean environment. Beginning collectors won't feel like a "fish out of water" thanks to the experts at this shop.

Tropical Fish World16529 S. Frederick AvenueGaithersburg, Md. 20877(301) 921-0000tropicalfishworld.Com

Hours: Tues-Fri 11 a.M.-8 p.M., Sat 10 a.M.-7 p.M., Sun 11 a.M.-5 p.M.,Mon closed (open on holidays)

Looking for monster fish and hard-to-find species? You will find them here, as well as expert advice on aquariums and accessories. If you don't see the aquarium to match your décor, Tropical Fish World can help create a custom aquarium. The service ranges from initial design, through construction and plumbing, all the way to stocking. Customers have high praise for the owner and staff of this store who offer sound advice if things aren't going swimmingly in your home aquarium.

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