About
Tucked into Bentonville, Reef Keepers has become a go-to aquarium store for serious hobbyists across Northwest Arkansas — the kind of independent shop where owner Ethan knows every tank on the floor and won't sell you a fish your setup can't support. Walk in and you'll find spotless, well-kept tanks of healthy freshwater and saltwater fish, with Ethan, Eric, and Mike ready to talk through stocking, compatibility, and water chemistry without a hint of sales pressure. Customers regularly mention how clean the shop is and how genuinely the staff care about what happens after the fish leave the bag.
The store has built a real following among cichlid keepers. Recent visitors describe Ethan walking them through exactly which cichlids pair well together, and more than one regular has bought a few and come back to order more. If you're hunting cichlids for sale in Bentonville, AR, this is a rare local source that pairs honest advice with healthy stock.
Reef fans come for the coral frag selection — reviewers call the frags and fish "excellent specimens" — alongside shrimp, snails, and competitively priced frozen food. 99, less than he'd paid for a 13-gallon elsewhere years earlier. Beyond livestock, Ethan handles tank planning, design, setup, and ongoing maintenance, and he'll source hard-to-find species he doesn't currently carry.
Whether you're starting a first 20-gallon or graduating to a 100-gallon reef, saltwater and freshwater fish are available in Bentonville, AR from someone who actually keeps tanks himself. This is a growing operation, and the inventory is curated rather than cavernous — but the tanks are healthy, the prices are fair, and the knowledge behind the counter runs deep. For Northwest Arkansas aquarists who want a true local fish store over a big-box aisle, Reef Keepers is the shop that earns repeat visits.
What they offer
Fish & livestock for sale at Reef Keepers in Bentonville, AR
Reef Keepers stocks corals, reef fish, cichlids, invertebrates, shrimp and freshwater & saltwater fish for sale in Bentonville, AR. As an aquarium store serving Bentonville, AR, it also carries fish food and offers aquarium setup, tank maintenance, aquarium consultations and custom tank builds.
- Livestock & products
- Services
- Specializes in
Highlights
What makes them special
- Strong cichlid expertise — Ethan helps pair compatible cichlids for freshwater and saltwater tanks
- Coral frag selection plus healthy fish customers call "excellent specimens"
- Complete 75-gallon tank setup available for $499.99
- Spotless tanks, healthy livestock, and honest no-pressure advice
- Tank planning, setup, and maintenance with custom sourcing of hard-to-find species
From keepers
Customer reviews
“Excellent family oriented OG spot for all your fishy needs. Highly recommend over the big box stores”
— John F5.0a week ago“The owner was extremely helpful throughout the entire process of figuring out which cichlids should be paired together. Not to mention how clean everything is. His professionalism & communication was nothing but awesome. If you need anything for your aquarium - fresh or salt water, this is your place!”
— Austin Reid5.0a month ago“Ethan is so helpful and has much knowledge about fish tanks. I appreciate his business being in NWA and the time he takes to help his customers.”
— Kyler Tabor5.0a month ago“What a great find! We used to have a large tank years ago and decided maybe it was time to have one again. We started with just a 20 gallon and needed something to help with keeping the tank clean. Who knew that we would get so much helpful information by going into reef keepers. This isn’t really the place for people that just want a beta. Go to petco for those. But if you’re serious about your tank then this is definitely the place to go to. Ethan was so kind and helpful. It’s obvious that he knows what he’s doing. All of the tanks were so clean with healthy fish. So nice. He will even help you plan, design and setup your new tank.”
— Ty Mrahunec5.02 months ago“Nice coral frag selection, have purchased frags and fish, excellent specimens , been sometime now and everything is ALL GOOD 💯”
— Eugene Storer5.02 months ago“Just got back in to aquariums and have been working on a 100 gallon tank while going through radiation and chemo. Finished treatment and the tank on the same day and found Reef Keepers! I am so excited to have a local guy who has actual aquatics knowledge! I bought 3 cichlids and am going to order more. This will be my go to store for everything.”
— Scott S5.03 months ago“Always willing to help.”
— Adam Hughey5.04 months ago“We honestly didn't know what to expect when coming here. We had been so used to bad aquatic pet stores where we used to live that we didn't have high hopes. When we got there the shop was amazing. It was extremely clean and all the tanks were well taken care of. The employee, Mike, was a huge help and was very friendly and knowledgeable. Right now we have freshwater fish but when we go to salt water we know where we will be going. Thank you Reef Keepers and Mike for making the experience worth it.”
— Brett Steward5.04 months ago“Prefer the local shops. They are very polite and helpful.”
— James Riley5.04 months ago“Always helpful and knowledgeable”
— Kevin Bizzell5.02 weeks ago
Reference
Frequently asked questions
Note — Store information and services may change. Always call (417) 434-8160 to confirm current availability, hours, and services before visiting Reef Keepers.