Nature Aquarium

Nature Aquarium in Culver City is one of Los Angeles's most focused and meticulously curated planted tank destinations. Owner Toru has been running this shop for over 15 years — first in Santa Monica, now in its current location — and his expertise in aquascaping is evident the moment you step inside. The display tank near the entrance alone is worth the visit: lush, pearling plants set among carefully arranged hardscape that showcases what's possible when skill meets patience.

This is an exclusively freshwater store, and that singular focus shows in the depth of inventory. Nature Aquarium carries one of the largest ADA (Aqua Design Amano) selections in the region, alongside DOOA and UNS lines — brands that serious aquascapers specifically seek out. The plant selection spans tissue cultures, emersed potted plants, and various mosses.

Hardscape offerings include a curated range of stones and driftwood that customers describe as genuinely exciting to browse through. Livestock leans toward nano and community species suited for planted setups — endlers, butterfly loaches, shrimp, and other small fauna that complement an aquascaped environment. The shop also caters to the terrarium and vivarium crowd, stocking bog plants, tools, and reference books.

Multiple reviewers mention leaving with their first vivarium supplies after coming in just to look around. Toru is known for honest recommendations — one customer noted he talked them out of buying sand they didn't need rather than making an easy sale. The store is compact but densely stocked, and the immaculate tank maintenance sets it apart from most local fish shops.

A few visitors have noted inconsistent hours and occasional plant quality issues in the retail tanks versus the display setups, so calling ahead and inspecting purchases carefully is wise. But for anyone in the LA area pursuing aquascaping, planted tanks, or high-end freshwater setups, Nature Aquarium delivers a level of specialization and curatorial care that's genuinely hard to find.