Aquatic Betta Shop

Tucked away in Fresno, Aquatic Betta Shop is a small, locally owned store that has built a devoted following around one thing: bettas. Owner Sao stocks an impressive rotating selection that includes hard-to-find varieties like Thailand aliens, giant bettas, and avatar bettas — fish that customers say they simply can't locate anywhere else in the Central Valley. One reviewer drove all the way from Porterville and found exactly what they wanted within moments of walking through the door.

The shop is compact, but that tight footprint is packed with color. Males building bubble nests in their individual containers signal healthy, well-conditioned fish, and multiple reviewers report their purchases thriving weeks and months after bringing them home. One couple picked up eight bettas for three separate tanks, and all remained healthy.

If Sao doesn't have the specific betta you're after, he'll place a custom order, letting you pair males and females to your own specifications rather than settling for whatever happens to be in stock. Beyond bettas, there's more here than the name suggests. Reviewers mention guppies, rainbow fish, pearl cichlids (one customer had babies within weeks), and what several people describe as exotic or predator fish.

The shop also carries aquarium salt, fish food, and basic tank accessories, so you can pick up essentials alongside your new fish. What keeps customers coming back is Sao himself. He's consistently described as welcoming, knowledgeable, and genuinely invested in helping people succeed with their tanks — offering advice on fish health, compatibility, and care.

He's the kind of owner who remembers returning customers and takes the time to answer every question. Pricing is generally praised as fair, with occasional deals like $5 bettas popping up. It's a no-frills operation — don't expect a sprawling showroom — but for anyone in the Fresno area searching for quality freshwater bettas and personalized service from someone who truly knows these fish, this shop delivers.