Was walking around this area waiting to go eat some Italian food and came by this aquarium store, peeked into the door as one of the stores staff was outside. I asked to you work here and immediately noticed his t-shirt said something about "aquarium" and duh, of course he does. With a big smile he said, "Go on in! It's great!". Went in and from the cold dry Seattle November weather it immediately shifted to tropical 95% humidity and 82 degrees. The glow of aquarium lights filled the air, the calm karma of light, plants and fish filled the air. Very calming, absolutely no smells, quiet and peaceful came across. This store isn't a fish store although there's fish, it's more of a plant for aquarium's store. Every aquarium had loads of different plants, fish galore and the staff super friendly giving me an introduction to plants and their care and feeding. Very fasicnating store and people that love aquarium's and plants, almost seems like a cult facination. Really loved looking and I can see how people get hooked on this hobby. read more

Sold us a nice aquarium, but included the wrong lid. They were the ones who picked out the lid for us, but they refused to exchange it for the correct size because the cardboard packaging was torn when we pulled the tape off. Really bummed because our son was excited for his new aquarium. read more

A huge selection of aquarium fishes and other things. Highly recommended! Definitely worth to visit!

I love this place. I buy all of my fish stuff here. Staff is helpful and knowledgeable, and I love seeing the fish being well-taken care of. I'm glad there's at least one fish store in Seattle that cares about their animals. read more

This store is on the smaller side but they have a TON of products! From live plants and livestock to hardscape and aquarium maintenance supplies. My partner and I were the only customers and the three staff (two maintaining tanks/stocking shelves, one staffing cash register) were wearing masks. They have some beautiful display tanks that make me wish I had extra space for more tanks even more. The plants, shrimp, snails, and fish look healthy and active. I ended up getting a zebra nerite snail, a marimo, and some water spangles. Per other comments: yes, customer service was on the quieter side but I don't mind that. It's a very relaxing, chill place and I personally don't like it when staff pester me when I'm trying to browse. The staff did ask me if I had any questions/told me to let them know if I needed any help. I didn't feel like I was unwelcome or being rushed. Parking can be tricky but we came on a Sunday so fortunately we were able to find a free street parking spot right out front. read more

Aquarium Zen is simple on the exterior, merely a sign adjacent to some windows and a door with condensation clinging to them... speakeasy? Yet when I first blindly walked in, I was taken somewhere unique. I simply wanted to know more about what was happening inside, but once inside, I wanted to know more about what was happening inside these magical cubes of glass containing plants and beautiful aquatic animals? I tried to resist but eventually I couldn't, not support Steve and the crew that keeps this place. Aquarium Zen is one of those special places that is unique, grounded and special in this world. People when you find a business that resonates with you, one that feels special, give them some of your love and your money, cause that feeling is fleeting in this world! Steve and the crew have helped me not just with my fish and my 'aquascapes', but also indirectly with myself and how I relate to my surrounding world. I suggest we all could use a bit of that. read more

I love this place! Of any place I've ever seen fish for sale, these fish are living the life. All of their tanks look so happy, and so beautiful. It really is a zen vibe (though I've never seen it not crowded). And the staff are helpful and knowledgeable, ready with honest advice. I've stopped shopping elsewhere. read more

I did not mind coming into this store. And it came highly recommended in the local fish-keeping community. The projects that were in the store where phenomenal and inspiring to look at as a person new to aquascaping. And, having gotten into fishkeeping through houseplants--seeing how my plants can be incorporated into the scapes was legitimately awesome. All the fish tanks were clean, and the fish appeared healthy. None of the staff were rude to me or the 3 children I had in tow. It was quite busy in the store while we were there, so it was pretty difficult to get a sales person's attention for a conversation. When I came into the store, I was very new and starting my first tank--so I had a LOT of questions. And there just wasn't anyone available with the bandwidth to educate a first timer on "what's this fish" type of basics. I went in one time and haven't made it a focus to return mostly because this place is quite cramped layout-wise and requires the customers to be adults who are specifically interested in aquascaping. And--they aren't open until it's too late for me to pop in and look while the kids are at school and then drive back in time to pick them up. If they opened earlier, like 10--I could definitely see myself being a much more frequent customer. read more

Knowledgeable, friendly staff. Go to stop if you want aquatic plants, nano fish and mid to high level aquatic supplies. Staff are happy to have you in even if you just want to wander in and relax. Worth a drive into Seattle if you're just visiting. read more

Aquarium Zen - Emersed growth/ aquatic plants. - Local Fish Stores Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Awesome little store, just was looking back at my reviews, it's been 3.5 years since I've got these plants and they're all KILLER!!! They look even better today than when I got them! Totally changed the look of my tank! read more

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Impressed with the variety of plants, cleanliness, natural aquascape and customer service. A real treat for your eyes with a wide variety of healthy fish. Well done you! read more

They definitely know their fish! They can tell you the best environment for a particular fish, what fish cohabitate best together, and whether or not a fish you're wondering about would work in your existing set-up. I'm a huge betta fan, and they keep their bettas in large jars- not those small, pathetic plastic cups you see everywhere else. Staff is friendly and always willing to answer all my questions. Definitely my favorite place to go for aquascaping inspiration!! read more

I've been there a couple of times and bought fish and plants the second time. A surprising location with a tiny entrance. I kept missing it when driving by and only found it on foot. A small store but I like the selection of fish very much. The have a lot of aquatic plants and the fish are healthy. The service is good too. This is my #1 place for buying fish in Seattle. read more

What a diatribe to further attack a potential customer. I could've been a good customer. Now I'm just a guy with a big mouth. What a failure of businessman you are. There is no conspiracy here. You are just unpleasant. I see you removed the comments about me being a liar, a coward, and how I go around picking on people, and that my life has no meaning or something to that effect. Instead of getting mad at me for your failure, try learning from this experience. Treat the next person better. Jesus. Since you want to continue to call me a liar. I was actually in your shop for at least 30 minutes. I patiently waited while everyone else was helped. I even stayed after you walked away from us, my wife's next question trailing off as you went back to the register area and got on your phone. After your other employee walked by us and helped a man that came in after us, we had enough and left. Do you expect a good review after that? read more

Aquarium Zen - Here is pic of my tank, that you questioned me having. You did walk away from us. And I'm calling you out on it. - Local Fish Stores Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Aquarium Zen is one of the best spots in the entire country for anyone interested in the beautiful art of aquascaping. I've been a customer for years and strongly recommend visiting them! read more

Fantastic little store- when I walked in, I realized I was in some place special. I was taken back by the beauty of the fish and the quality of the many fish tanks that were on display. I wasn't sure if I was interested in a new hobby, but within minutes I was sold on aquascaping and reminded how much I enjoyed my little aquarium when I was a kid. The owner was a wealth of information and advice. He answered all my MANY questions, no matter how simple they were. Thanks to Aquarium Zen, I have a new hobby. Beautiful inventory and displays and excellent customer service. Do yourself a favor and visit this unique business. It's a different (underwater) world! read more

I was pleasantly surprised, great selection and knowledgeable staff. It was fun looking at the various aquariums they have set up stocked with fish & plants. I bought a couple cool rocks, a branch and plant for my aquarium. read more

Aquarium Zen - My home aquarium with rocks, plant & branch from Aquarium Zen! - Local Fish Stores Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I gotta say I was quite put off by some of the reviews on here about lack of customer service etc but my experience when I went was completely different. We went in on a busy Saturday afternoon and the place was packed. We just started looking at someone the tanks when we were approached by a sales person asking if we needed help. I asked out Betta's and possible tanks mates and the answered I got were very informative with zero pressure. We carried on and 2 minutes later a different sales person asked if we were ok or had questions. We thanked them and said we were good. About a min after that someone else asked if we needed help. Like I said it was a busy Saturday afternoon and the place was packed with customers yet we had plenty of opportunities to ask questions and be given great information. Maybe some of the people who have bad reviews need to realize that A) the staff here are people too and have lives outside of work which, on occasion, might impact their customer service skills. B) you're not the most important person in the world And C) the customer is always right is not actually true. I will definitely be returning to get plants and advice. Keep up the good work guys. read more

This shop has always been the best for aquascaping, in my opinion. Staff is friendly, knowledgable and helpful. Recently I have noticed a wider selection of unusual fish such chocolate gouramis, plakat betta, glass catfish and golden loaches. All are reasonably priced, and fishes range in size from small to large. Shrimp varieties are sure to impress you. Always an invigorating experience for a hobbyist! read more

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I find it extremely interesting that he admitted that we were ignored in his initial response due to being in the middle of a creative project. But today it's a different response that really is indifferent to if he cared if we came back or not and no wrong doing on the stores part. You're telling me you couldn't be bothered to stop fiddling with your camera for 20 minutes to make a return customer? We drove an hour and a half to visit your store and the fact that you couldn't be bothered to talk to us or even ring us up says a lot about your professionalism or lack thereof. The fish I was going to purchase you made it out to be that I couldn't take care of and didn't feel like you actually were going to sell them to me. That's when we decided to leave. I'm upset at myself that I spent $70 in your store. On 4 plants and a couple of items we didn't really need. I hope people not only see my review but also look below to see that this type of behavior is this stores norm. read more

This is my happy place. Great selection of healthy plants and fish. I'm inspired every time I walk in. This store is what showed me that aquariums can make an amazing centerpiece in a home. I've been suffering from multi-tank syndrome ever since. Ben and Taylor are incredibly knowledgeable and patient. I am usually peppering them with questions while asking them to pull a variety of plants and shrimp for me. Go see them if you get a chance! read more

Coming up from SF, this place is really nice and equivalent to Aqua Forest Aquarium. Tons of hardscape materials and healthy plants and fishes. I really appreciate how well cared the bettas are placed in large jars. Took one home with me the same day. read more

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Such a cool store. You can tell they care about their customers. They set me up for a successful aquarium. Thanks!

This is such an incredible fish store! It's small and busy, but with a little bit of patience (as anyone should have with a small business with limited staff) I've had every single one of my many questions answered. The entire staff (especially Taylor!) were friendly and thoughtfully helped me set up a dreamy tank over the course of about a month and numerous trips. The fish and plants I've purchased are thriving and I can't believe how much better a natural approach to an aquarium looks. read more

Aquarium Zen - Happy natural tank! - Local Fish Stores Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I just had the BEST experience while visiting Aquarium Zen. My roommate was looking to buy a betta and a few more supplies for our tank. He found a fish that he really loved and got some really great quality supplies. I'm a huuuge houseplant guy, and I was so excited to see that they also sold some really great non-aquatic plants. (For other plant lovers, it was a Philodendron verrucosum. I've been looking for one for so long!) The shop is designed and decorated in a really pleasing way. There were two women working that I interacted with (I wish I had asked for their names), and both of them were so helpful, knowledgeable, and kind. I already want to go back and visit again. Thank you for such a great experience! Sure hope there's a raise in their near future! read more

Aquarium Zen - Betta fish - Local Fish Stores Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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First of all, the store isn't huge but what they do, they do well. The quality of plants and livestock here was incredible, especially when compared to other LFS in the area. Their hardscaping materials might be a bit on the expensive side, but if you're looking for plants or fish you'd have a hard time beating them out. Definitely worth a trip, in particular if you're in the market for Neocaridina shrimp. Not sure if the service is just inconsistent, but I haven't had any of the problems with staff that some have. The younger guy that helped me last time I was in was awesome. He was super knowledgeable, answered the many questions I had, and was eager to help without being overbearing. He meticulously fished out the individual shrimp and snails I wanted. I'll be back in the future, perhaps some have just come in on an off day? read more

Went to this shop after finding them on Instagram. WOW! The shop itself is really cool and packs a ton of products really well in a small space. Every product I noticed was high quality and from a well-known brand. Since there is a limited amount of space (it's a boutique not a big box store), it is very clear everything is cherry-picked for quality rather than quantity. There were some beautiful display tanks of all sizes with full aquascapes for inspiration. Definitely goal-worthy! Their fish and invertebrates were next-level as far as quality goes. In most "fish stores", the tanks are normally gravel with sparse decor and few (if any) plants, often over-stocked and there's always at least one... floater. Here, each tank looked genuinely livable for the inhabitants: all animals looked like they were thriving, tanks were mostly planted and clean, natural looking, and NO DEAD FISH which was nice. Many species were ones I had never seen in person or hadn't heard of, and the more common ones like endlers had insanely cool colorations I had never seen before. They had a really nice plant selection too, probably more variety than other local stores. Overall, this is not a standard "fish store." Yes, the products are pricey, but you get what you pay for. Perhaps not the cheapest place to start your first ever beginner tank, but definitely come here for inspiration or when you're ready to upgrade your aquascaping game!! I'll definitely be back! Edit:after reading some comical negative reviews, I suspect the people with complaints have never worked in retail or food service industries. There were two employees and the owner, everyone was clearly working or helping customers at all times (I was there for maybe 1.5 hours, waiting on traffic and shopping in aquarium zen). Everyone acknowledged my existence and I didn't have any trouble getting help when needed. Even nicer, everyone let me do my thing without distraction which 100% led me to buy more than I'd planned. Crap. read more

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I was excited to check this store out based on the incredible reviews and the store's instagram page. I'm a beginner with planted tanks and didn't know where to start. The two stars is for the cool tank set ups, but that's basically the only good thing I can say. I was never greeted or spoken to by any staff member. At first I assumed it was because it was busy, so I browsed a bit and the store cleared out. Had zero customer service which was disappointing. I would've asked for help but it was unclear as to who was an employee and who was a customer. I have also reached out to the store previously on Instagram for help and didn't get a response there either. Based on some other reviews it looks like I'm not the only one who had this experience. Ended up driving out to the new aquascaping store in issaquah. Even smaller shop but way more friendly and helpful read more

Update: the owner Steve offered to refund me for the betta purchase! I'm extrememly happy with the generosity and kindness extended to me, and definitely recommend doing business with people like this! ------------------------------------------------- I bought two betta for $18 each, and brought them back with me to Portland. I put them both in seperate tanks with fresh water. I noticed that one of them started floating sideways, and the other one seemed to be having trouble breathing. Within a couple of days, both fish had died. I am disappointed because they were quite beautiful fish and I was really thrilled to take them home with me. It ended up being a waste of almost $40. The store itself is beautiful, and I loved the variety of plants, fish and aquarium goods they have here. I bought some aquatic red tiger lotus that I had been looking for, and the lady at the register recommended I purchase rooting tabs as well. I am excited to see how they grow and develop. They have an excellent selection of plants and fish here, as well as tanks and equipment that you can't find anywhere else. This is truly a gem of a store, and it looks beautiful in every aspect. Next time I am in Seattle I definitely will return. read more

It's an ADA store. If you want a good deal and a good place to find aquascaping supplies, you had better come to this store. My first trip there. I bought a lighting system for my tank, some fauna, and plants. He has tons of great plants, but this store is a gem. Their display tanks will give you an example of how you can turn some wood, plants, substrate, and a tank into a piece of art. All of the supplies and almost everything you need is already in the store. The last bit is just walking in, and deciding whether or not you want an underwater garden in your home or not. read more

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Aquarium Zen was suggested to me by a friend when he heard I was trying to get into Aquascaping. I have taken months to plan out my first ever tank with hours and hours of youtube and research. But nothing really beats the live expertise you find within this hobby. Aquarium Zen has a wide range of plants, shrimps, fish, tanks, and hardscape. The quality is great and they are a local ADA supplier. But the main driving force that makes this place so great is the staff! I have spent too long just talking to the knowledgeable employees at Aquarium Zen about what I could do for my first tank. They helped me out every step of the way, from plants, to CO2, to hardscape. My tank is currently cycling but I will be back to soon enough for more knowledge and fish products! read more

Now I want to redo my entire tank but just taking baby steps. I love their natural look and all the plants. So much fun stuff!!

Very clean and modern aquarium shop. The rimless aquariums are very eye catching. Each tank is well kept and the best part is all the aquatic life are alive and happy looking! This place is truly a hidden treasure--full of freshwater plants and creatures. Great place to start off a planted aquarium! Steve is awesome and very knowledgable! Just ask if you need help! read more

My girlfriend and I been going here for the last 5 years and we love this place. A lot of great fish/plants selection and the owner is very knowledgeable. Ignore the low ratings, some of the complains here are ridiculous! lady claimed her thermometer is bad and wanted refund ( It's not hard to verify the accuracy of a thermometer, Steven verified that it is correct and she's still throwing a fit). Or the guy who drove his bettas all the way to Oregon, claimed they're in poor health and died. (Have you seen the way Steven keeps his bettas? His betta is always in giant jar with almond leaf. They're locally sourced, hand picked by Steven, and always blow giant bubble nests. They're as healthy as they can be.) Or the guy who said he bought everything all at once to start his new tank with one week old water and somehow his fish died from disease like Ich. That's a big red flag to experience fish keeper. Tanks don't cycle in one week! Even if you use product like Stability you should give it at-least 2 weeks to make sure you have a decent amount of bacteria. Ich does happen occasionally and it happened to everyone out there, it is easily treated and the medicine should not kill the fish alone. I only know one store in my life that quarantine fish and even that get very costly and time consuming to do. Start supporting small business owners and stop giving out unreasonable ratings base on parking and store man-power for single owner business. Steven is a very nice and down to earth guy and you can tell that he really take care of his fish. Sorry for the rant. read more

We went to Aquarium Zen today wanting to creating an aquarium ecosystem and knowing PetCo absolutely would not do. We were basically their worst nightmare - total newbies with about 2,856 questions and two kids in tow. Despite peppering them with question after question and hypothetical tank set ups, they never lost patience with us and eventually sent us on our way with everything we need to get started, including an epic amount of advice and precise instructions for how to set up each of the plants we bought. We can't wait to go back in a few weeks after the plants have settled in to get the fish. This store is a terrific find AND locally owned. Side bonus! There is a shop dog - a lovely rescue pup named Juno who let my kids love on her for the better part of an hour. We kinda wanted to take her home, too. read more

Aquarium Zen - Our new aquarium set up - fish TBD - it's happily cycling for now. - Local Fish Stores Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I had heard of this establishment months ago but only made it in today. Natalie was a HUGE help.... I had a thousand questions and she was super patient and beyond knowledgeable. They have a great owner who appreciates his staff and it shows.. If you want quality/service this is the place.. read more

They did a great job setting me up with my first aquarium. The plants and the soil medium are still alive and well six months later. The fish died after a month because they weren't eating the pellets that one of the employees sent us home with. These were tiny fish and I give the employee the benefit of the doubt that he made a mistake. I expect they can give me a replacement of fish? read more

Parking is difficult to find but you can park across the market. Plenty of livestock to choose from. The owner keeps all his livestock healthy and happy. I've never had to quarantine the fish I buy from here and they are still alive and strong. Price is higher than other LFS but you get quality and peace of mind rather than buyers remorse. So why the three stars? Overall lacking in four star customer service. If they are busy good luck ever getting help and if they aren't you need to take the first step in asking for help. Also it's really unprofessional when you're doing inventory and cleaning up all your boxes during business hours when you could be helping customers. The place is messy and crowded but I understand that you need to use all the space you can since rent is probably high as it is. read more

This is what I wish all aquarium stores were like. Gorgeous fresh water tanks with healthy, happy fish good prices and a really nice selection of plants. The first time I walked in I was excited to see ADA products and actual planted tank products as well. If all of that isn't enough the staff is friendly, knowledgeable and easy going. read more

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In the store the staff are nice and knowledgeable. The owner - is a bit surly over email when problems arise. All of my fish died within a week of purchase - the tank was new, water sat in tank for a week and water change done. Ph good. Owner's response disclaimed any responsibility - even so - not even a - come in an I will sell you new ones at cost. I got "i am a small business". My thinking: A jerk - figure out how to be customer friendly. I won't ever buy from this store again with that ethic. He deserves to go out of business. read more

Aquarium Zen - Email from owner - Local Fish Stores Near Me - Seattle, Washington