About
Fish Bowl has been a Searcy, AR institution for decades — long enough that customers who browsed its tanks as kids now bring their own children back to take in the fish and reptile displays. The shop is run by owner Jack, the kind of independent operator hobbyists happily drive past the big chains to reach, and the heart of the place is a deep, well-tended fish room. On the aquatic side this is as much an aquarium store as a pet shop, stocking both freshwater and saltwater species.
Regulars have taken home rope fish, Oscars, and a steady rotation of betta fish, alongside a real invertebrate selection that's uncommon in a smaller market — Neocaridina and Caridina shrimp, mystery snails, and hermit crabs are all available in Searcy, AR. If you run a planted nano tank or a community setup, there are freshwater fish for sale here you'd usually have to leave town to find, and the saltwater tanks round things out. Feeder fish and feeder rats stay reliably in stock for anyone keeping Oscars, snakes, or other predators.
Beyond the tanks, Fish Bowl is a full-service pet store carrying parakeets, cockatiels, green cheek conures, rabbits, guinea pigs, ferrets, snakes, and other reptiles, plus aquariums, supplies, and equipment to keep a setup running. Customers consistently describe the young front-counter staff as friendly and genuinely knowledgeable, and Jack has a reputation for going out of his way — one longtime regular still tells the story of him diagnosing why her daughter's betta kept struggling (an automatic air freshener in the next room) and refusing to charge for the help. Prices can run a little higher on some items and cheaper on others than the chains, and it's worth confirming exact shrimp and snail species at the counter before you buy.
Even so, for central Arkansas this stays a favorite — a locally owned fish store where a quick errand routinely turns into an hour of happy browsing.
What they offer
Fish & livestock for sale at Fish Bowl in Searcy, AR
Fish Bowl stocks betta fish, shrimp, invertebrates and freshwater & saltwater fish for sale in Searcy, AR. As an aquarium store serving Searcy, AR, it also offers aquarium consultations.
- Livestock & products
- Services
- Specializes in
Highlights
What makes them special
- Decades-old, locally owned shop run by owner Jack, with multigenerational regulars
- Dedicated fish room stocking both freshwater and saltwater species
- Carries Neocaridina and Caridina shrimp, mystery snails, and hermit crabs
- Strong betta and freshwater selection, plus rope fish and Oscars
- Full-service pet store with birds, rabbits, ferrets, snakes, and reptiles; feeders reliably in stock
From keepers
Customer reviews
“Best place to get feeder rats for your snakes. Always in stock! Great customer service!”
— Jana Latcham5.0a day ago“Great as always”
— Melanie Middleton5.02 weeks ago“They unfortunately do not take care of the ferrets properly very sad to see, wouldn't reccomend supporting the business until they do. Or stop selling ferrets.”
— Bumble Naberius (BUMBLE)1.03 weeks ago“One of the best pet stores I’ve been in. TONS of stuff and happy animals, staff and owner are very friendly and knowledgeable. And the prices are great! Definitely a favorite.”
— Wyatt Sinclair5.04 weeks ago“I am shocked, disgusted and enraged by the abusive treatment at this place. I came in to see if they had dubias or mealworms for my bearded dragon. When I first walked in, it smelled very bad. I knew that wasn’t a good sign. I walked up to the counter and said hello to two of the employees, they glanced up at me and continued their conversation. No acknowledgment whatsoever. I went looking for the reptiles, And what I saw literally brought tears to my eyes. They have 10 to 15 bearded dragons All piled in together. They have no hides, The crickets they were fed were way too big, They had the wrong substrate, Wrong lighting. There’s no way these people care about animals. This is cruelty!! I’m searching for any animal advocacy groups, I’m gonna call the Better Business Bureau. There’s gotta be something that can be done about this!!”
— Amy Black1.0a month ago“I have bought several things from them and so far the only thing that has survived is the hamster we got a few months ago. I get the same critters from another store and they all stay alive. Not going back which is sad because the people there are nice.”
— Jason Hancock1.0Edited 2 months ago“Gotten 2 pets from here and they are helpful each time!”
— Alex Jeffers5.02 months ago“Friendly staff. Solid selection. Prices are higher on somethings but cheaper on others than competitors. (Photo of my girl who is always happy with my finds there!)”
— Matt Brown5.02 months ago“Take the family for a wonderful fish and reptile display!”
— Alena Fears5.02 months ago“I've been coming here since I was a kid 30ish+ years (even when they were located on down race st) and I've never had a complaint. Jack (the owner) is a very kind and good guy and knows his stuff! I enjoyed looking at all the exotic animals when young, and now I take my children in sometimes to do the same. Jack helped me a decade ago figure out why my daughters beta kept turning belly up when he noticed I had previously purchased a similar looking beta to try and replace hers before she noticed ). Turns out my automatic air freshener in an connected laundry room was the cause. 😆🫣 He didn't even charge me but he should have! He also helped me re-home my well trained very loved pet bunny after a new landlord purchased my rental and made me get rid of him despite paying the previous landlord a pet deposit. Jack made that process a ton easier considering we didn't have marketplace back then 15+ years ago and really didn't use Facebook for those sort of things. He found a very good loving home for me when he didn't have to. I've always been treated well by every employee I've encountered and can always find what I'm looking to purchase there. Shopping local from locally owned and operated businesses in my opinion is the way to go when you can! I like to know my money is going to a business that has good hearted, family oriented owners and workers than the big chain corporations that do Lord knows what with the money you spent with them. Great and fun place to go! Check them out!”
— Katelyn Gulledge5.02 months ago
Reference
Frequently asked questions
Note — Store information and services may change. Always call (501) 279-2995 to confirm current availability, hours, and services before visiting Fish Bowl.