Smelled really bad and most of the tanks were empty. The staff seemed friendly and the fish they…read moredid have looked good.

My three aquariums were crystal clear after they cleaned them AND they accepted them as donations…read morewhen I wanted to downsize (Petco wouldn't)

Unfortunately I couldn't get a quality review from this visit as it seems they had a fire…read more It was hard to breath in here. It was crampt and dirty. I hope to try visiting again, after things are cleaned up, to adjust this review.

I am relatively new to the area but an old-time aquarium hobbyist and retired professional in the…read moreindustry. I visited another highly recommended fish shop in the area and was highly disappointed and disgusted. I did review that shop today too. I really want to find some good shops near where I live instead of driving to my trusted old haunts in the Viginia Beach/Tidewater area. I found Azalea Aquariums on Yelp and saw it was close to where I was and took a chance. I got there 10 minutes before closing, but I live about 30 minutes away so I thought I might as well check it out, get the feel for the place, and come back later if I like the vibes and am interested in the stock. I wasn't planning on getting any live plants or fish today, but I have a new tank set-up to review for a company and I will need to stock it when it's cycled. I wanted a plan and was just hoping to window shop today. I walk in, and while it's not the cleanest or most professional looking shop, it was clean enough and the fish looked cared for. It had that worn-in, well-loved feel about it and even had a cozy cat napping on the bottom shelf of a tank. It had a saltwater side and freshwater side of the shop, which I thought was an organized way to present them and care for them. The lights were low and there was just one alley with tanks on either side which was a bit uncomfortable, but I could see all the fish easily. There were very few empty tanks and species names and prices were visible. I didn't see one floater or sick fish. I was impressed by the health of the fish. Even most of the bettas were in nearly full-color, which shows that they are not super stressed out. Five minutes after I entered, I was ushered out of the store by a woman who came from the back room; previously there was just a man helping a customer. I looked at my watch and it was 4:55; it was five minutes until closing. I didn't argue but said something like, "Oh, I thought you closed at five." She said she would get me something if I needed it, but they were closed. She passed by me in the aisle, went to the front door, then went back to the back without a word. When I got to the front door a minute later, sure enough it was locked. It was off-putting. I was 30 minutes from home and not easily able to get back anytime I wanted. I was interested to see what gravel stock they had, how healthy their fish seemed, and just get an idea of the species they carry. Another five minutes would have fully satisfied my whole reason for being there in the first place. She didn't even ask if she could help me. She didn't introduce herself and was wearing street clothes. The tanks could be maintained better, and while it wasn't as bad as the dump heap of a fish shop I visited earlier in the day, it did leave a sour note that I won't forget. I probably won't be back.

Everything the Customer Service is amazing the stores very clean very knowledgeable associates…read moredefinitely worth your trip even if it's a long way we come two hours and it's well worth it

Purchased a tank setup from Joe. Very pleased with his knowledge and quality…read more If his prices are higher than other places, I take into account that I am getting good stock and valuable advice. Priceless... Very easy to work with and we got exactly what we wanted.. AND he has been Super available after he cashed the check.. Highly recommend this business

Our go-to store for fish and supplies. The owner is very knowledgeable and helpful. A wide…read morevariety of fish and aquatic plants as well as tanks and food.

I wish is was a little more spacious. Anyway...yes, they do have axolotls here..and they are…read morewell-fed.

This is one of my favorite stores to visit. I'm new to aquariums and I've learned a lot from the…read moreguys in the store. I've watched them fr9m the first day they opened and have been back regularly every couple weeks to get more water or to see what new fish they have in stock. Great store, and great people to help maintain your tank.

We recently got into reef aquariums. In this hobby, a trusted expert will save you a lot of money…read more Caleb and Kole are our guys. They have redirected our passion to buy a fish that they know will destroy our coral to purchasing a fish that will fit in with our existing livestock. We've learned a lot about the hobby from them. They aren't out to just sell you something they are genuinely invested in making sure you get what you need- not necessarily what you think you want. They are excellent in aquarium servicing. Prompt, fairly priced and super at sharing their knowledge.

The water garden center (at the opposite end of the parking lot from fin & feathers) is a wonderful…read morelittle shop that supplies garden pond supplies from pumps and filters, to fish of all sizes. They also have a very fine selection of water garden plants. We've had Great success with the water hyacinth and dwarf cat tails purchased here. On today's visit I bought several water plants that will provide cover and a safe nursery for our baby fish this spring and summer, and a filter for our pump. Ian assisted me in selecting the water plants and gave me a comprehensive explanation of how to see clues about which water hyacinth will put on a blossom. The garden pond was my husband's Quarantine project and it has brought nothing but joy to us since 2020. The Watergarden Center has played a significant role in the success and beauty of our garden pond.

I can't believe that there are no reviews for Skoolz of Fish yet! Heck, I can't believe -I- I…read morehaven't written a review for SoF yet! Skoolz of Fish is run by a very nice guy named Rama that I found through a Craigslist posting about 4 or so years ago. He started selling fish out of his house, but would only meet with you somewhere else to give you the fish. Now, he has a location off of Chamberlayne Ave in downtown RVA where you can go see the stock he has for yourself! The location is a bit iffy, in fact, the first time I came here, I was a bit hesistant to get out of my car...but rest assured that Rama is awesome. In fact, I'm not the only one who thinks so as I've seen several other customers come to him, especially when they know he has a new shipment coming in! I've since moved away from RVA, but I've heard he sells both freshwater and saltwater fish nowadays (he only had freshwater when I was setting up my tank). If he doesn't have it, he can definitely source it for you. I know for a fact that he has gotten axolotls in the past! Rama is very helpful with any questions you may have and very professional. His stock is always changing, so the best thing to do is either keep up with his facebook page or call him to see what he has. He's only at the Chamberlayne Ave location for a few hours everyday, but I'm pretty sure that he's flexible and can work out a meet up time with you if you can't come during his hours. Best of all, his prices are reasonable! If you need some aquatic stuff, definitely go to Skoolz of Fish. SUPPORT LOCAL! In this case, you won't regret it.

Be careful spending your money here, especially if your new to the hobby. This place has some…read moreawesome fish! The owner is very hard to get in touch with and rarely at the store. Do your research on everything and dont rely on them to keep you from killing your fish with helpful support. They are pretty short and seemed bothered by explaining the intricacies of the hobby. You will be encouraged to buy high dollar fish when you are not ready. You will be told to google information. You will see young people with little knowledge doing grunt work for free while the owner profits from people's learning curves. Don't spend thousands like me and expect to get more knowledge just to be thrown on the back burner. Proceed with caution

The socks and gloves are amazing, warm in winter and very comfortable in summer as the socks do not…read moreabsorb moisture. I only wear alpaca socks now. I met Ken at the St. Stephen's Farmers Market and he truly is a wonderful person. You should get to know him.

My family recently moved to Powhatan. We have two small children and thought visiting some local…read morefarms would be a nice activity for them... and us. We came across Shady Nook Alpacas farm on the net - located only 3 miles from the Powhatan Village. I sent the care takers an email and after a short exchange we scheduled a time to visit. It sounded nice, but we had no idea what a treat we were in for. Alpacas are some of the friendliest animals I've ever encountered. My 3 and 1 year old were welcome to walk the barn and visit most of the 30 Alpacas on the farm (plus two peacocks and a rooster). Ken & Lois, the owners of the farm, were kind and patient with our kids. Aside from the Alpacas they quickly became the highlight of our visit. They answered all of our questions and gave a nice tour and education on Alpaca farming. They showed us how to clean the fiber and what products could be made from it. I highly recommend visiting Shady Nook Alpacas if you live or are passing through the Powhatan area. It was a special treat and an afternoon well spent (give yourself about an hour and half on the farm) with our family.