About
4-star average across hundreds of reviews shows exactly why people keep coming back. Step inside and you'll find a spacious, spotless layout where a water change always seems to be happening somewhere on the sales floor, a clear sign that livestock health comes first. A resident 14-year-old piranha holds court as the unofficial store mascot.
The freshwater selection is the real draw. You'll find bettas, nano fish, shrimp, loaches, livebearers, and tetras for sale in Denver, CO, and the betta section earns near-universal praise for housing fish in proper planted tanks rather than tiny cups. Shrimp keepers and aquascapers are well covered too, with live aquatic plants, water lettuce, driftwood, rocks, and even hard-to-find live black worms regularly in stock.
The store also keeps axolotls, which pull in a steady stream of curious visitors. Beyond fish, Aquatic Dog doubles as an exotic-pet destination, stocking the kind of creatures a chain store won't carry, from tarantulas, jumping spiders, and millipedes to frogs, salamanders, and newts. Reviewers consistently praise the clean, well-managed tanks and the patient, genuinely knowledgeable staff; team members like Brandon and Eric are called out by name for walking customers through tank setups, species compatibility, and reptile care.
For Denver-area hobbyists hunting healthy bettas, nano fish, shrimp, and live plants, Aquatic Dog offers a hands-on experience that big-box retailers can't match. Whether you're cycling a first nano tank or chasing a rare invertebrate, this is the freshwater fish store that regulars happily drive across town, sometimes an hour each way, just to visit.
What they offer
Fish & livestock for sale at Aquatic Dog in Denver, CO
Aquatic Dog stocks betta fish, shrimp, axolotls, invertebrates, rare and hard-to-find species, aquarium plants and freshwater fish for sale in Denver, CO. As a fish store serving Denver, CO, it also carries aquarium equipment and offers aquarium consultations.
- Livestock & products
- Services
- Specializes in
Highlights
What makes them special
- Family-owned freshwater fish store in Denver, CO with a spacious, spotless layout and constant water changes on the sales floor
- Bettas housed in proper planted tanks instead of tiny cups, with a wide, frequently restocked variety
- Strong nano fish, shrimp, loach, and livebearer selection plus live aquatic plants, water lettuce, driftwood, and live black worms
- Axolotls and an exotic-invertebrate lineup including tarantulas, jumping spiders, and millipedes alongside frogs, salamanders, and newts
- Patient, knowledgeable staff (Brandon, Eric) praised for tank-setup and species-compatibility guidance; resident 14-year-old piranha as store mascot
From keepers
Customer reviews
“I ordered reptiles from this store on Palmstreet and I’m lucky they arrived safe and alive because the shipping was terrible. They arrived in a reused box which is not allowed for animal shipping. The scorpion-tailed gecko had no air holes in his cup. The skink was in a snake bag even though it’s a baby and absolutely small enough to be in a cup. The skink’s bag had no padding so nothing kept it from being jostled around during shipping. The animals are nice but I’m disappointed in the lack of care to shipping live animals. I’ve had MANY animals shipped to me and this was the worst packaging I’ve seen by far. Aquatic Dog really put these animals’ lives at risk. Side note: the puppies this store sells are from puppy mills which is gross and unethical”
— Laura Ebel1.03 days ago“They have a somewhat small shop. But they have a number of different types of animals. Fish, salamanders, newts, frogs, spiders and other bugs. They have a lot of good breads of fish. They also have really healthy tanks.”
— Glenn Wilcox5.0a week ago“My family and I went to visit to get fish fir a science project, we walked out with tons of plants and beautiful fish. Everybody was nice and the puppies were cute.”
— Juana Pérez5.02 weeks ago“It was a cool store walking in, but the guy working at the desk was very disinterested whenever you asked him questions.. my sister asked him where the nerite snails were, and he said they're right where you're standing. Mind you, she was at the register, so there were no snails there? And then I found the snails myself and I asked for the pink lady. He told me those weren't for sale. How am I supposed to know if you don't show me where the ones for sale are? Also, they have puppies in the back corner of the store, which I thought was cute at first, but I noticed that their only water source is from a hamster bottle? Really? Is it that hard to give them a bowl of water? There were also no toys or food in their pen area which makes me concerned about how these puppies are treated and where they're sourcing them from. Overall, the customer service was bad and the guy working today seemed very rude and sarcastic. He didn't even act like he cared, which is unfortunate because it is a really cool store”
— Gwen Tilelli2.0a month ago“Love love love this store!! . Everyone is amazing.”
— Neddie Bodnar5.0a month ago“Great pet store for aquariums and reptiles. Bought a few shrimp, frogs, tetras and aquarium plants. Has a decent selection of reptiles and amphibians. Surprisingly better than petco in variety for fish or reptiles. Staff was busy but extremely helpful and knowledgeable. They definitely have pets and love animals!”
— michael cronin5.0a month ago“It's a small store. Fish selection was decent. Tanks were ok. Puppies are adorable.”
— Neon Frogs3.0a month ago“Great store, very knowledgeable staff, and fantastic selection. They sell very healthy and top quality fish and plants. Also they are one of the few places you can buy live black worms from. I got some water lettuce plant for my aquarium as well as some blue amano shrimp. They prices are a little higher for fish compared to petco but there is a huge difference in quality in terms of what you get. This will definitely be my go to stop for anything related to my aquarium and pets”
— Ricardo Serna5.0a month ago“I was totally blown away when I walked in. I knew it was fish + puppies, but there were all sorts of other "exotics" such as tarantulas, frogs, etc. And not only was there a variety, but also the care for each individual animal was exemplary. A lot of the time you may see pet stores storing animals (especially fish) in less-than-ideal situations. But the tanks were all in superb condition, clean, and appropriately stocked. Just incredible. And everyone was super friendly. I'll be returning.”
— Samantha Romero5.0a month ago“Love this shop! Extremely knowledgeable staff and great healthy animals!”
— Sick5.02 months ago
Reference
Frequently asked questions
Note — Store information and services may change. Always call (303) 369-8812 to confirm current availability, hours, and services before visiting Aquatic Dog.