About
Violet Aquarium LLC is a saltwater-focused aquarium store in San Jose, CA. Google describes it as a large store offering a wide selection of saltwater fish and corals plus inverts, and reviewers echo that, praising a great selection of fish and coral of all types along with aquarium tanks and the everyday necessities for both saltwater and freshwater setups. Visitors also mention a resident bird that lives at the shop.
The marine fish list leans toward the unusual. Recent arrivals noted in reviews include a striated frogfish and anglerfish, and buyers have also picked out a Naso tang, a goldenback triggerfish, a wrasse, a one spot foxface, an angelfish and copperband butterflies. For reef keepers looking for corals for sale in San Jose, CA, the coral side is a real draw: one reef keeper with a small 40-gallon tank asked staff which corals would suit it, got several recommendations, and reports robust growth from a plate coral that went from nickel-sized to saucer-sized, along with an outstanding variety of livestock and invertebrates at reasonable prices.
Staff draw praise for being knowledgeable, professional and kind, and several reviewers describe them as responsive and quick to communicate. Reviews are mixed on livestock condition, though: many buyers report healthy, well-fed fish that eat on the first day, while a few others describe fish that would not eat or looked underfed, so it is sensible to ask whether a specimen is eating before taking it home. For saltwater hobbyists hunting marine fish, corals and inverts available in San Jose, CA, Violet Aquarium LLC is a large aquarium store with an unusual stock list that rewards a visit with questions ready about feeding and care.
What they offer
Fish & livestock for sale at Violet Aquarium LLC in San Jose, CA
Violet Aquarium LLC stocks corals, reef fish, invertebrates, angelfish, tangs and freshwater & saltwater fish for sale in San Jose, CA. As an aquarium store serving San Jose, CA, it also carries aquarium equipment and offers aquarium consultations.
- Livestock & products
- Services
- Specializes in
Highlights
What makes them special
- Large saltwater-focused store with marine fish, corals and inverts
- Unusual marine fish such as a striated frogfish, anglerfish and Naso tang
- Coral recommendations matched to small reef tanks, with strong reported growth
- Tanks and everyday necessities for saltwater and freshwater setups
- Staff described as knowledgeable, professional and responsive
From keepers
Customer reviews
“This place is awesome apparently they have a bird that lives at the shop very beautiful bird but a little annoying.. Jk the bird is lovely😍😍”
— Hootabell5.0a month ago“Love the place fast and reliable”
— Sergio Stanovski5.0Edited a month ago“Ordered fish from this place a while back and every single one perished. I’m not blaming the shop in any way since I was newer to the hobby back then. Fast forward I wanted to actually visit the shop to see what they had. I must say they had quite the selection and the fish seemed healthy enough. I just wasn’t crazy about how nothing had prices and the tanks had catalog type numbering on them. I wanted to ask questions and inquire about some of their livestock but the employees acted like we weren’t even there. No acknowledgement upon walking in and not even a “may I help you or if you have any questions” was exchanged. They made us feel like we were unwelcome and invading their space. After this experience I will never do business with this shop again. I traveled quite a ways to get here and was made to feel like a trespasser. I was informed by an ex employee about how their fish are over medicated and their corals being infested by bacteria so buyers beware.”
— Flo Amor2.0a month ago“Very cool store and great customer service.”
— Edgar Ogarrio5.0a month ago“late review...2nd time buyer and all specimens are healthy and active. They were backed up due to overwhelming orders, but they do have excellent communication and they will tell you what is going on. Ordered 2 angler fish that is less that 3" and I got specimens that are larger and more expensive! They asked me if it's doable and of course, I told them YES! I would suggest to et them know the temps of your area for the next few days for them to prepare how to ship your specimen. Thank you Violet Aquarium!”
— Niko Tomeldan5.0a month ago“I just received a 12-inch Naso Tang from Violet Aquarium, and the experience was top-tier. The fish arrived healthy and clearly well-fed with a nice, round belly. This was my first time ordering a fish of this size online, and their packaging was top notch. They used roughly 5 gallons of water just to ensure the fish had enough swimming space and comfort during transit, even though that extra weight definitely cost them more in shipping. Customer service was also excellent. During initial ordering, the staff reached out proactively regarding a stock adjustment and gave me clear options. Communication and overall transaction speed were smooth and professional. Side note for other buyers leaving negative reviews about flat bags : Over-inflating shipping bags with oxygen isn't always ideal. Overfilled bags are actually more prone to bursting under pressure or temp changes and don't do well when shaken in handling. I’ll definitely continue supporting this local business over big corporations. Highly recommended!”
— Mason Yang5.02 months ago“Striated frogfish just came in today! The specimen looks really healthy, upright and moving around! Thank you for providing us a great specimen! 🤙🤙🤙”
— Burgess5.02 months ago“I bought a one spot foxface rabbit fish from Violet Aquarium. The fish arrived alive, so I put it in my quarantine tank. Fish would never eat. Fish ended up dying of starvation. They should really make sure a fish is eating before selling to a customer. I will never purchase anything from them again!”
— kian casimier1.02 months ago“Awesome selection of fish! Staff has gone above and beyond to help me with my orders. My first order a few weeks ago arrived healthy and looking so good. They are eating like pigs now! LOL. Just placed my 2nd order today and the staff again went above and beyond to meet my needs. You have a customer for life now! Thanks again guys for the great fish and customer service.”
— Ken Krugh5.0Edited 3 months ago“I have a small 40 gal saltwater reef tank. I asked what corals would do well in it and several recommendations were made. I have been thrilled with the growth of what I got and how robust the growth has been. A nickel size plate coral put in last November is now in July the size of a saucer plate! Everything lived and now my tank looks so much more interesting. Very knowledgeable staff and reasonable pricing and an outstanding variety of livestock and invertebrates.”
— Carl Schattke5.03 months ago
Reference
Frequently asked questions
Note — Store information and services may change. Always call (408) 352-5339 to confirm current availability, hours, and services before visiting Violet Aquarium LLC.