This place is new, as far as live stock and prices there's no where that beats this place in…read moreCharlotte you not gonna get everything you need here but this is the place to go for the rare species of fish for true aquarists hobbiest at the best prices compared to anywhere without the shipping cost and not know what your gonna get while ordering fish online. Tell the guy what your looking for if he don't have it. He will get it. Everywhere else they over priced the fish and majority are juveniles at prices of adult fish. Here you can get really good sized show fish in addition to your display tanks. Glad to see a place that focuses more so on fish selection than just trying to sell your a bunch of marked up products you can buy on Amazon. As a serious aquarist I highly recommend this place

I had a very disappointing experience with Aqua World…read more Before making the trip, I spoke with them over the phone and clearly explained the size of the fish I was bringing -- approximately one foot each. We agreed on a trade based on that information. I then drove about two hours to the shop. When I arrived, they placed the fish in their tank and then told me they were "too big" for their system. This was confusing because I had already been very clear about their size during our phone conversation. After driving such a long distance, it was frustrating to have them change their position. The fish were slightly stressed from transport, which is normal after a two-hour drive, but they were healthy. I was told they "weren't happy with the way they looked," and no trade was offered at all. Not even a partial trade. Overall, it felt like a waste of time and gas, especially after we had already discussed and agreed on the details beforehand. I just wish they had honored their word or at least tried to work something out. Very disappointing experience.

Please do not buy from here. The fish are not kept well,…read moreBeta fish are in a small tank with one single plant (one of the beta fish was going crazy back and forth looking at its own reflection) They have stingrays who's tanks are way to small Axolotls same thing small tanks with nothing it's just the tank no sand no plants nothing and that goes for most of the fish they are simply swimming back and forth.

I buy all my fish there. The fish are healthy, and the knowledge of the people that work there are…read moreexcellent plants are healthy as well

Good fish store in Gastonia. It's not as it was a few years ago since the original owner passed…read moreaway but still a solid choice for your aquarium needs over any box store. This has been an established part of the area for decades and has been a great resource for the fish keeping community.

I bought several fish and snails from them. They're awesome . They're the only place I shop for my…read moreaquarium needs.

We are first-time customers of Queen City Corals and decided to purchase two Black Light Anemones…read moreon 02/03/2025. My order was shipped on 02/04/2025 (Order #89196) and delivered on 02/05/2025 at 10:20 AM. Given the many five-star reviews, I had high expectations. Their website claims a 99% Live Arrival Guarantee, that staff are trained to the highest standard of corals, and that each coral is securely triple-bagged and encapsulated in specific specimen containers to ensure live arrival. Unfortunately, these so-called commitments proved to be untrue. Upon opening my package, I was immediately hit with a foul odor coming from each bag. The anemones displayed clear signs of distress, including open mouths, faded coloration, shrunken and deflated tentacles, a lack of response to stimuli, and visible tears on their bodies. The only positive aspect of my order was the mystery frags--a Birdsnest and a Neon Green Acropora--but even those were underwhelming. I immediately contacted Queen City Corals' support team, but their response time was slow. When I called and spoke with the manager, I was assured that the anemones "just look pissed" but would recover after acclimation. Despite following the acclimation process exactly as instructed, the anemones began to deteriorate and melt in my tank. I attached images as evidence. To prevent further damage to my reef tank's water quality, I removed the anemones and reached out to Queen City Corals again, seeking guidance on how they would rectify the situation. After receiving no response, I followed up the next day. When I called, a representative assured me that the manager would return my call. Hours passed with no response. Frustrated by the lack of communication, I called again and was once more told the manager would "look into it." After much back and forth, they finally issued a refund for the Black Light Anemones but refused to refund the shipping cost--even though the corals were dead on arrival. While I understand that shipping costs are a shared loss, this situation clearly warranted a full refund for the entire order. Although a partial refund is better than nothing, the entire experience highlighted Queen City Corals' lack of communication, poor product quality, and false advertising. I strongly recommend looking elsewhere, such as Aqua SD or World Wide Corals, for better quality and service.

I had a great first experience at Queen City corals. The customer service was great and answered…read moreall of my questions. I bought a hammer coral in at the store a few days ago and it is doing great in my tank!

Went thrice and have purchased fish, plants, and decor from them. All were premium quality and all…read moreis well with the purchases. Great customer service, and they truly cared about what they were doing. 5/5 would recommend.

Always a great experience here. Great selection of fish (salt and freshwater) with a much better…read moreselection of freshwater compared to other stores in the area and same for inverts. Always manage to stop by when I'm in the area and never disappoints.

C-Mac's is the best aquarium fish store in the area. They have a passion for what they do that…read moreoutshines any box store you've been too. Come in and just look at the amazing fish and aquatic specimens they have here. It's amazing what can be kept in your home or office. The owner Chris and his employees are great to talk to and will help you figure out the best fish for your situation. No it's not cheap but this isn't the point this is to provide the best service and living environment for your pet. The store is great and you'll have a hard time leaving without taking home a new pet friend.

Best exotics store I have found in the Charlotte and surrounding area. Continues to upgrade and…read moremake things better. They are renovating. They have been making the space ideal for their animals, for business growth and success, and for functionality of patrons. But mostly for their animals. Don't let the Fries down below dissuade you. This place is AWSOME! A couple of idiots hoped to pull a fast one and get some high dollar fish for far less than they're worth and then hop on a years old band wagon.... We have been shopping here since they opened. The owner, the staff, the selection, everything has only gotten better and better! This is the only place I will buy feeders, reptiles, etc. Also, to combat the whole "smell" accusation from before and from the Fries..... Guess what; we live in the south. It's humid. Animals smell. They all do. Birds, reptiles, fish, bugs, rats, mice, even cats and dogs. And they all smell worse when it's humid. WE SMELL WORSE WHEN ITS HUMID. Guess what. A fish and reptile store is going to have a scent. It is NOT a big box store that has thousands of square footage. It's is a wonderful locally owned establishment that caters to those of us in the exotics trade with professionalism, kindness, cleanliness, care, concern, all while remaining price conscious. Don' t let the previous reviews below dissuade you from shopping here. Just some retail Kyles and Karens hoping to pull a fast one because a Cichlid tank had assorted Chiclids and they hoped to get a steal on a pricey fish. This place is our only go to!

Love this store, the renovations are amazing, the fish and other tanks are so well organized and…read moreit's very easy to find what you're looking for. We also buy our frozen rodents for our snake and bugs for our gecko. Always fresh and very well priced. Can't wait to see when all of the renovations are complete! It is going to be fabulous! Highly recommend!

Sea Life Aquarium located inside of Concord Mills Mall in Concord, NC…read more I've lived in Charlotte most of my life and have never visited this aquarium. I'd heard mixed reviews, with the scales tipping more towards rotten tomatoes... The biggest complaint usually being that it's not worth the money. I will say, the prices are a bit steep for what you get, bluntly. But, take that statement with caution. These days, what IS cheap and/or appropriately priced. It is a bit pricey, but I tell myself that for it to be our only aquarium in Charlotte, they're holding it down, so. ‍ Now regarding the size of the aquarium, don't expect to see huge sharks & whales in these tanks, haha. Don't get me wrong, there were plenty of sharks. I'm just telling you not to go seeking a hammerhead, great white, or anything over 400lbs. Yes, 400 is considered small for a shark. It's a smaller scaled aquarium by all means. For reference, depending on your pace, you can finish the entire exhibits in about 30-40 minutes. However, considering that it's in a mall, there's not much room to criticize or complain about that fact. When we went, the baby of the family was celebrating her birthday, this aquarium hit all the right notes for her & that is good enough of a win for the rest of us, . We did the Beyond The Surface Tour which was a 30 minute guided tour showing the behind the scenes of how the aquariums' water system works, how they prepare food for their residents, etc. ending with an aerial view of the main tank called the Ocean Tank. Seeing the animals from this angle WAS cool, gotta admit. Notably, the staff were extremely friendly and informed. Every employee we encountered was able to give us a fact about the animals or their lives, as well as a good attitude received from every person. In conclusion, I would go again as it was a fun time with family, we all left feeling like we'd had fun, and that's the whole point!

We took my 1-year-old godson to SEA LIFE Charlotte-Concord Aquarium and he really enjoyed it. There…read moreare so many different sea animals to see, and you get to learn about them along the way. One of the best parts was the interactive station where you can stop and touch some of the underwater creatures. At the end, there's also a nice play area for kids plus a coloring/craft station, which was a great addition for little ones. The only downside is the pricing. Tickets are about $30 per person if you buy them the same day, versus around $19 online if purchased at least 24 hours in advance. Personally, I don't think it's worth $30, and there are no discounts for NC residents either. Overall, still a fun experience, which is why I gave it 4/5 stars.