My mom and I could not work in the yard because it was a rainy weekend. I had driven up from San…read moreFrancisco to help her with her immense yardwork. So we drove from the elk Grove area all the way out to Rockland to visit the store for the first time and we were not disappointed. Incredibly clean and well laid out store. The tanks are well-maintained and not overcrowded. Lots of ample parking and two of the nice gentlemen were working the day that we visited. My mom and I each purchased some fish and I purchased some decor. We were already super thrilled with this store when the unthinkable happened my mom I noticed looked like she was crying and when I ask her what was wrong I heard her blood sugar monitor go off. It was below 50 the picture you see was taken after the doughnut one of the gentleman at this location saw my mom was in peril and quickly acted and had the other gentleman working in the store bring up his snack bag of powdered sugar donuts, which saved the day I was able to get my mom back on track and some real food in her afterwards, but these guys definitely go above and beyond firstly with an amazing store and secondly with generosity thank you folks so much. We will definitely be going back to the store, even though it's well out of our way it's nice to support businesses who support their community and strangers, especially in a time of need.

I have mixed feelings about Aqua Life Aquarium. The store itself was clean and well organized, and…read morethe staff I encountered seemed friendly. I also did not notice any dead fish, and the water in the tanks appeared clean. What concerned me was the setup of many of the tanks. When I walked in, particularly along the right side and walls, I noticed several tanks containing fairly large or numerous fish with what appeared to be little more than water and bare glass -- no substrate, plants, or places to hide that I could see. Several of the fish were bunched together in the corners. There were tanks toward the center with plants and more enrichment, so the difference was especially noticeable. I understand there may be reasons aquarium stores keep certain sales or holding tanks very simple, and I don't claim to know their individual care protocols. It was just surprising to see so many fish in such bare environments at a specialty aquarium store. I'm accustomed to seeing specialty stores provide more habitat and enrichment than the average chain pet store, not less. Overall, I wouldn't call this a terrible experience. The store was clean, organized, and the employees seemed pleasant. I simply left with some concerns about the fish environments I observed and would have felt much better seeing more hiding places or enrichment in the tanks.

Imagine waking up to a leaking aquarium and scrambling to find a replacement--that was my morning…read more I initially stopped at Aquarium Depot and had a pretty frustrating experience. I left feeling like I was inconveniencing them just by asking about their ordering process. It honestly felt more like Aquarium De-nope! That led me to Your Reef Experience, and the difference couldn't have been more clear. From the moment I called, the owner was welcoming, patient, and genuinely helpful. He took the time to answer all of my questions and helped me place an order for an out-of-stock aquarium without making it feel like a hassle. He also kept me updated throughout the entire process, which I really appreciated. One thing he said stuck with me: 'I just want to see successful aquarists.' That mindset shows in how he runs his business. If you value knowledgeable, friendly, and customer-focused service, this is the place to go . Highly recommend.

This place is great. Large selection of fresh and saltwater and they have water plants. Workers…read morewere very friendly and helpful.

We started off at pet stores with small, cheap gold fish. We have "graduated" to fancy gold fish,…read morebig tanks, and lots of plants. We now (usually) go to Aquarium and Reptile Depot - we really enjoy the variety of fish but I have been more impressed with the helpful suggestions (without being judgemental) and answer to questions from all their staff. They even had some advice for our Chocolate desert millipede (thanks Bugtopia - kill me!). As this is a recently aquired past time - we are still new to fish and although we make mistakes, we appreciate that they are willing to discuss and suggest things as issues come up. It's a little farther from our house but well worth it. I've read some good and bad reviews and realize that everyone's experience can be different - but we have made MANY trips there as we fumble our way through aquarium and aquarium care, and I don't have any complaints. Props to all the staff that have had to listen to me fumble through things I've read online and then offered diplomatic suggestions on how I should approach fish care.

I first found Aquarium Depot about 13 years ago when I was desperately searching for a specific…read moremedication for my goldfish. They not only had what I needed, but took the time to guide me through using it properly. That goldfish went on to live another eight years, and I've been a loyal customer ever since. They truly have just about everything I could need for both my aquariums and my bearded dragon. Most recently, I purchased a huge enclosure for my beardie from them, and they've even kindly taken in my pleco and MANY pleco babies when my fish apparently decided their aquarium needed to become a full-time breeding operation. One thing I've always appreciated is how they keep their animals. The aquariums with fish available for purchase are consistently clean and have plenty of plants, hiding spots, and enrichment. I've purchased fish here over the years and have never brought one home that had health issues. It's clear they take pride not only in their store, but in the care and environments they provide for their animals. After more than a decade of shopping here, I genuinely trust Aquarium Depot with my aquarium and reptile care. Their selection is fantastic, their knowledge has been invaluable, and they've consistently been there when I've needed help. Exactly what I want from a specialty pet store and an easy five stars from me.

Came to get help with building a new tank. The staff were so helpful and gave us homework before…read moretrying to sell us anything. You can tell they actually care about fish/aquatics and want people to be successful with them. They have freshwater as well as oceanic setups and example tanks. We will definitely be back for all of our needs.

Haven't been here for two years and things have gone downhill since. Their display tank was empty,…read morethey didn't have much fish selection, but had cool anemone selection. Other than that, nothing much to see here ..: sad.

Called and spoke with Justin and he said he wasn't talking on new clients because he is so busy…read morewhich I totally understand. Knowing he wasn't going to service my tanks and make any money he still spent time on the phone with me to help me with all my questions. Pretty good dude and quite knowledgeable, there's not a lot of people out there who will help you knowing they aren't getting paid. 5 stars.

Absolutely the best aquarium maintenance in town!!!! Always on time, professional and has the best…read moreaccess to livestock and dry goods!

The staff is very knowledgeable and a great selection of fish. I definitely appreciate how clean…read morethey keep their tanks. They're always willing to help out a little bit if you have any questions.

Ryan is amazing!!! I recently set up my first tank after MONTHS of research...as most of us know…read morethere is so much conflicting information out there. After deciding I wanted to cycle my tank slowly and naturally I was then convinced to use chemicals to cycle and to add fish right away. After many tragedies I contacted Ryan to have glass top made for my frameless tank (thinking the cat may be responsible) he came over to take measurements and ended helping me in so many other ways. He was friendly, encouraging and assertive about what was the best way to move forward. I now feel 100x better and confident I have a plan moving forward of how to get my tank on track so I can have a beautiful happy eco system. Plus I'm getting a beautiful glass top to go with my beautiful tank. His prices are more then fair and his expertise is above and beyond!

Eric, the owner of Sustainable Reef Solutions, was fantastic! He was very responsive and did a lot…read moreof fact-finding prior to his arrival so he was able to get right to work when he got here. He was able to find identify the problem with my koi pond and got it back and flowing in no time. I'm so impressed that I will be retaining him for regular maintenance. I highly recommend his services!!

Wow! Can't say enough good things about SRS! Incredible prices, corals are all super healthy and…read morevibrant, great value and frag size, very prompt and professional delivery. I will definitely be back for some additional pieces. Will keep my eye on the website for new corals! Very happy to support local businesses like this!

I've driven past this place a thousand times thinking nothing of it. I definitely judged a book by…read moreits cover with location. Recently got some pea puffers and was in need of snails to feed them. I walked in and was immediately taken back by all of the tanks in the store. Tons of really well taken care of BEAUTIFUL bettas. And lots of happy fish. I spoke with the worker asking if he can source a specific fish for me and he gave me some really great info and I'll be reaching back out to them soon about it. Before leaving, he handed me the bag of snails and said he didn't have much left and that I could take the for free. Such a super kind gesture. Have a feeling I'll be a regular here. Definitely worth checking out to anyone looking for a local spot.

I've gone to this shop twice and they are so helpful and accommodating! First time I bought a pleco…read morethat has grown quite a bit and is really happy. Lol. Definitely a pet parent right? A couple weeks ago I went back to purchase a betta but after learning my aquarium had only been cycling for 4 days he sent me home with goldfish to assist with the needed beneficial bacteria. No charge!!! Wow. Who does that? Well they have a customer for life now...and I plan to pay it forward by returning these fish so someone else can also benefit. Its a small place in a strip mall but they have fresh and saltwater fish. They don't have a large selection of aquarium decor but the fish are healthy and the service is professional and much appreciated. Masks are required. Gotta respect that.

First of all, the shop is big, bright, and clean. The staff are welcoming, happy to answer…read morequestions & help...but they don't follow you around & make you feel rushed. They'll let you browse & trust me, you'll need time to check out all the tanks. They are always busy--cleaning tanks, feeding fish, helping customers, stocking the floor, never have I seen anyone just standing around. I have been to multiple other local fish stores in my couple of years of fishkeeping experience, and some are gross and dirty, some are just ok, and some are downright sad. So I'm happy to drive all the way here to be guaranteed a clean, welcoming environment. (I will always choose a family owned shop if there is one, and you should too!) The fish & plants they have in stock change constantly (follow their Tik Tok to see the latest arrivals). They are always super helpful in choosing which fish & how many to get, which can be in a tank together & which ones shouldn't. They helped me pick out a whole new tank & all the accessories I'd need based on the kinds of fish & style of tank I was looking to set up. Their aquascaping table with measurements on it is super helpful to get an idea of tank layout for your rocks & wood pieces. Their example tanks (sand waterfall & a beautiful planted community tank) are fun to look at for ideas. I have been back multiple times now, for both advice & purchases. I have also called with questions & every single time, they have been great. They actually answer on social media too. I highly recommend them & honestly will always be stocking my tanks here moving forward. I guess I'm a "regular" now too, lol. 10/10!

parking: lot line: good…read moreservice: attentive Great selection of fish and supplies! Were willing to help make an order for something they did not currently have in stock.

Excellent quantity and quality of corals. Owner and employees were extremely knowledgeable, helpful…read moreand friendly. Just found out about this place while internet searching and must admit, I was more than pleasantly surprised and impressed.

We bought our first anemone from their booth at Reefpalooza last year. They were informative and…read morewelcoming with all our beginner questions about corals since we previously only kept saltwater fish with live rock. Now we're building our coral collection and hope to see Islander Corals at other events in the future.