About
Bright Aquarium in San Jose is a newer locally owned shop that has quickly carved out a niche as a destination for high-quality imported freshwater fish. Owner Harris, who has Vietnamese roots, has built a store around carefully curated livestock rather than sheer volume — and the difference shows. Walk in and you'll find tanks of designer guppies in striking color varieties, flowerhorns with impressive head growth, discus, bettas, and goldfish, many of them imports you won't encounter at chain pet stores.
The real standout is the shrimp program. Bright Aquarium stocks Sulawesi shrimp — a species rarely seen in Bay Area retail shops — alongside a rotating selection of other ornamental shrimp in vibrant colors. One customer drove three and a half hours just to visit, and called it worth the trip.
The store also helps customers set up dedicated shrimp and Sulawesi tanks, with Harris walking buyers through water parameters, salt requirements, and cycling timelines. Multiple reviewers praise his willingness to stay in touch after the sale, even troubleshooting fish health issues over text until problems are resolved. The physical space is clean and well-organized, with naturally styled shrimp tanks that double as display pieces.
Pricing is consistently described as fair and affordable, with promotions like buy-three-get-one-free on guppies. Fresh shipments arrive regularly, so the inventory stays interesting for repeat visitors. A word of caution: the store does ship livestock, and a handful of online orders have had DOA issues with delayed customer service responses.
In-store experiences, however, are overwhelmingly positive. Harris is described as friendly, informative, and genuinely passionate about the hobby. For San Jose fishkeepers seeking imported flowerhorns, specialty shrimp, or quality discus and guppies, Bright Aquarium offers a focused alternative to big-box stores.
It's a young shop with a clear identity — quality over quantity — and a dedicated owner building something personal.
What they offer
Livestock, services, water
- Livestock & products
- Services
- Specializes in
Highlights
What makes them special
- Rare Sulawesi shrimp rarely found at local Bay Area stores
- High-quality imported flowerhorns, designer guppies, and discus
- Owner provides hands-on tank setup assistance and ongoing care advice
- Clean, well-organized store with naturally styled display tanks
- Affordable pricing with regular promotions like buy-three-get-one-free guppies
From keepers
Customer reviews
“Good servce and knowledgeable”
— nhat long truong nguyen5.07 months ago“Very nice.”
— Thuan Nguyen5.08 months ago“I wouldn’t suggest ordering any shrimp from Bright Aquarium. Of the 10 shrimp I ordered last week, 2 arrived dead and 3 more died within an hour of going into my tank. I took photos and videos, have emailed multiple times and called the seller and they will not respond and have a full voicemail. I wouldn’t suggest ordering from them. It’d also the first company I’ve ordered shrimp from that doesn’t include 2 extra shrimp in case of DOA.”
— Sully Wellington1.010 months ago“They are scammers. They send dead fish to the customer and refuse to return the advance payment.”
— Igor Green1.010 months ago“Great selection of shrimp and many lovely discus”
— A. S. (Alexa)5.0a year ago“The staff was incredibly knowledgeable and friendly, helping me select the perfect setup for my home aquarium. The variety of fish and plants available was impressive, and everything looked healthy and well-cared for. They provided great advice on maintenance and care, making me feel confident as a new aquarium owner. I left feeling excited and inspired. Highly recommend this shop to anyone looking to dive into the aquarium hobby!”
— Han Pham5.0a year ago“I love visiting Bright Aquarium! They're constantly getting in fresh shipments of fish and shrimp so there's always something interesting to see. I've bought a few fish and many shrimp from Bright and have always had good results. Occasionally shipments have issues, but don't let that impact your opinion of the store overall--the owner is working very hard to get this business started and build a happy customer base. If you have questions, just ask, the owner is very responsive!”
— Jeremy Tangren5.0a year ago“The owner provides good recommendations for taking care of fishes, even when my fishes had some trouble, he helped me immediately to cure them via message until they get better. The store: still new but clean, beautiful display Price: affordable Origin: from vietnam - my mother country. Therefore i have great conversation with him during buying fishes Highly recommend if you’re looking for a place to select and buy your baby fishes”
— Hồng Nhung5.0a year ago“We had such a positive experience! We went in to buy a sorority of 4 beta fishes . The owner was very friendly and informative. We would definitely come back”
— emily lor5.0a year ago“Lots of selection of fish great prices. I will be going here a lot in the future”
— Ryan Tran5.0a year ago
Reference
Frequently asked questions
Note — Store information and services may change. Always call (669) 309-0909 to confirm current availability, hours, and services before visiting Bright Aquarium.