About
The Fish Crew is widely regarded as one of the best aquarium stores in Northern Colorado, pulling hobbyists from across the NoCo region into its clean, brightly organized Fort Collins shop. 5-star rating, it has become a genuine destination — the kind of place where customers stop in just to watch the fish, including the mammoth show tank parked in the middle of the floor and the rotating saltwater displays that regulars rave about. The store runs both freshwater and saltwater systems side by side.
On the freshwater side you'll find African cichlids, livebearers like the hard-to-find Dwarf Platy, rummy-nose tetras, and a wall of bettas, all for sale in Fort Collins, CO. Saltwater shoppers come for marine fish, clownfish, and live corals available in Fort Collins, CO, plus shrimp, snails, and other invertebrates. A standout detail plant keepers mention again and again: aquatic plants are grown directly in display tanks rather than sealed jelly cups, so they transition into your aquarium far more reliably.
Aquascaping rock and driftwood, tools, fish food, tanks, decorations, and dry goods round out the shelves. Staff are the real draw. Names like Mason, Emma, Ethan, and Nick come up constantly for patient, genuinely educational conversations about tank setup, stocking, and fish compatibility — several reviewers drive half an hour each way just for the advice.
The Fish Crew also rehomes surrendered fish, once taking in a neglected African cichlid until a new home could be found, and offers aquarium maintenance service for homes and facilities around town. A couple of buyer notes echoed by experienced aquarists: quarantine new corals, since aiptasia has turned up on some colonies, and inspect shrimp before buying. For Fort Collins aquarists who want healthy livestock and real in-store expertise, this fish store remains a NoCo favorite worth visiting in person.
What they offer
Fish & livestock for sale at The Fish Crew in Fort Collins, CO
The Fish Crew stocks corals, reef fish, shrimp, invertebrates, African cichlids, livebearers, betta fish, clownfish, aquarium plants and freshwater & saltwater fish for sale in Fort Collins, CO. As an aquarium store serving Fort Collins, CO, it also carries aquarium equipment, fish food and dry goods and offers tank maintenance, aquarium consultations and fish quarantine.
- Livestock & products
- Live PlantsPlanted TanksCoralsReefShrimpInvertebratesAfrican CichlidsLivebearersBettasClownfishTetrasAquarium EquipmentFish FoodDry Goods
- Specializes in
Highlights
What makes them special
- Both freshwater and saltwater livestock in clean, well-kept display tanks, including a large central show tank and rotating marine displays
- Live aquatic plants grown in display tanks rather than jelly cups for far better survival rates
- Hard-to-find freshwater species including Dwarf Platies, plus African cichlids, rummy-nose tetras, and bettas
- Knowledgeable, patient staff (Mason, Emma, Ethan, Nick) known for in-depth aquarium and stocking advice
- Fish rehoming program and aquarium maintenance service for homes and facilities around Fort Collins
From keepers
Customer reviews
“Used to be a great place to go for fish, aquatic plants, and more but last time I went in I felt a complete 180 and the crew were just disrespectful and ruined the experience for me and my family. Unfortunately will not be going back 😕”
— Dakota Jones1.013 hours ago“Kool store with fresh and salt water and four awesome show tanks”
— Larry5.017 hours ago“This business deserves -5 stars!! "I am writing this review to warn other hobbyists about the practices at this store. I have maintained healthy, established aquariums for well over three years. I purchased livestock here based on the staff’s explicit guarantee that all fish are properly medicated and quarantined upon arrival. This turned out to be false. Within a short time, these fish introduced a severe pathogen, Ick into my system. Because this store uses shared filtration, the infection was widespread. When I returned to resolve this, the management team was not only unhelpful, but actively hostile. I was given conflicting instructions, had my receipts and personal property confiscated, and was ultimately told to leave the store—all because I challenged their attempt to blame my water parameters for a pathogen they sold me. Even more egregious, they refused to sell me the medication needed to save my remaining, dying fish. If you value the health of your livestock and professional customer service, I highly recommend avoiding this location. They do not stand behind their products, and their management is both unprofessional and dismissive of animal welfare." Avoid like the plague!!! I have all the proof including pictures. I just don't want to see my friends last moments struggling to live posted as a GRAVE reminder to all.”
— Casey Jones1.03 days ago“Great fish store. They have a great selection and the staff is very knowledgeable. I drive a half an hour just to go here.”
— Andrew H5.0a week ago“That's a really cool aquarium fish shop! Great layout with fresh and saltwater fish with very knowledgeable folks there to help you out to answer any questions. If you find yourself in the neighborhood, you should go check this place out!”
— Kyle Legg5.0Edited a week ago“They are always so helpful and have cool stuff.”
— Mattie Hennig5.0a week ago“So clean and the staff is so knowledgeable! My preferred fish shop!”
— Kelly Hamm5.0a week ago“The Fish Crew always have what I need and are always willing to answer any questions regardless of how busy they may be. Wonderful crew, wonderful store!!”
— Debora Romano5.02 weeks ago“I do not recommend this fish store. I went there one time and bought two clownfish. I brought them home and put them into my main tank, which had no fish in it and had been cycled for a month and a half. Twelve hours later, I saw white spots all over them. Clownfish are very prone to parasites, and if the pet store doesn't treat them before selling them, then your clownfish is much more likely to get very sick. There are two major parasites clownfish commonly get: ich and marine velvet. Marine velvet comes on very quickly, and they can be dead within 24 hours. Ich, on the other hand, usually lasts longer and is a little easier to treat. As I was saying, 12 hours after they were put into my tank, white spots appeared all over them. I immediately set up an emergency quarantine tank, which I now keep running because I learned my lesson, and moved them out of my main tank. One of them died two hours later. The other died about 12 hours after that. I brought my water and the fish back to this pet store. They tried to tell me that my fish did not have marine velvet. However, when I contacted every other pet store, sent them photos, and explained exactly what happened, every single one of them told me it sounded like marine velvet. But here's the part that really bothers me: this fish store refused to give me my money back even though they have a three-day guarantee. They used the excuse that my pH was too low. However, 7.5 is still an acceptable pH for a marine tank. Yes, it's on the low side, but it's not going to do major damage, and it definitely would not kill clownfish that quickly. The other thing they said—and of course I don't believe them—was that my salinity was too high. It was around 1.028, and even if it was at that level, it would not kill clownfish immediately. Because this store refused to give me my money back and because of how this situation was handled, I will never go back. They might be cheaper than my other store, but my other store has actual professional aquarium knowledge. They also treat all of their fish when they come in, and if something does go wrong, they stand behind their products and will work with you. If I were you, do yourself a favor and skip this pet store. Go to Underwater Wonders instead. Yes, they're only open to the public on Fridays and Saturdays, but they are the best in the region. Go look at their tanks and you'll see exactly what I'm talking about. I love that place. They'll help you start up a tank, show you how to use live sand and live rock, and you don't have to worry about all that "dry rock" nonsense. For about $40, they originally helped jump-start my tank by giving me some of their water, sand, rock, and more. At some other pet stores, I'd spend $40 on live rock alone. Like I said, they may be more expensive when it comes to fish and supplies, but in my experience, the quality is far better.”
— Neaki Moss1.02 weeks ago“Knowledgeable staff”
— Jesse Frasier5.02 weeks ago
Reference
Frequently asked questions
Note — Store information and services may change. Always call (970) 286-2245 to confirm current availability, hours, and services before visiting The Fish Crew.