About
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.
What they offer
Livestock, services, water
- Livestock & products
- Services
- ConsultationAquascaping
- Specializes in
Highlights
What makes them special
- One of the largest ADA product selections in the Los Angeles area
- Stunning aquascaped display tanks showcasing expert-level planted setups
- Owner Toru brings 15+ years of specialized planted tank expertise
- Carries ADA, DOOA, and UNS brand equipment and tanks
- Curated hardscape selection including stones and driftwood for aquascaping
From keepers
Customer reviews
“Once upon a time before Los Angeles traffic was this bad I used to go to their location in Santa Monica from my home in NELA. I got out of the hobby for a few years and when I got back in traffic seemed to have doubled so I didn’t go for a long long time. I was delighted to go in today to find the store is immaculate which can be said for a very few LFS. The owner is still one of the most knowledgeable planted tank experts. The selection is extremely well curated and elegant. Whether you are looking for a full set up hardscape or stock I wholeheartedly recommend you at least go for a visit to see how good it can be. Biggest ADA selection I’ve seen.”
— Hilary Asher (Silent Music Photography)5.02 weeks ago“Very friendly and knowledgeable owner, good prices for plants!”
— Stephanie Rivera5.03 weeks ago“amazing, i would go there everyday, great small business. has a lot of options, amazing guy. ❤️”
— Keyon Solamany5.05 months ago“Best small business in the world”
— Ethan Eghbali5.05 months ago“Very clean establishment, very good for all aquascaping needs”
— William The Wretched5.07 months ago“Truly awesome tanks with happy little critters and clearly made w lots of experience and love. Didn't realize I could get so excited picking out stones and sticks but this place managed to to do it for me 🤭”
— Ina Clavano5.08 months ago“Incredible variety of plants, moss and vivarium/aquarium supplies. Beautiful types of stone too. The owner is very knowledgeable and welcoming.”
— Grant Hyun5.09 months ago“Best aquarium store I’ve found in LA for planted tanks. Toro is super helpful. Small store but there’s a ton in there.”
— Graham Friedman5.011 months ago“Drove from the valley expecting at least more hardscape very badly kept store. Also the person working there was rude to the questions I had. Pretty dissapointed I had this place recommended by alot of scapers. Also no restrooms better go somewhere else for that.”
— Alexis Chavarria1.011 months ago“Passionate owner and local community. Go to learn, grow, and be inspired.”
— GraysonStubby5.0a year ago
Reference
Frequently asked questions
Note — Store information and services may change. Always call (310) 829-6180 to confirm current availability, hours, and services before visiting Nature Aquarium.