About
The Fish Crew has carved out a reputation as one of the best aquarium stores in Northern Colorado, drawing hobbyists from across the region to its clean, well-organized Fort Collins shop. 5-star rating, it's clearly a destination — not just a pit stop. The store stocks a solid range of both freshwater and saltwater livestock.
Reviewers specifically mention healthy fish, live corals, shrimp, snails, and aquatic plants grown directly in tanks rather than sold in sterile jelly cups — a detail plant enthusiasts will appreciate. On the saltwater side, the marine displays are described as genuinely beautiful and worth visiting just to browse. The freshwater selection includes harder-to-find species like Dwarf Platies, African cichlids, and various invertebrates.
Aquascaping hardscape — rocks and driftwood — along with tools and dry goods round out the inventory. Staff members like Emma, Mason, and Ethan come up repeatedly in reviews for their willingness to answer questions and share detailed care advice. The store clearly invests in training its team, and many customers describe lengthy, genuinely educational conversations about tank setup, fish compatibility, and husbandry.
The Fish Crew also rehomes fish — one reviewer brought in an African cichlid a neighbor was neglecting, and the store took it in and cared for it until a new home could be found. Beyond retail, The Fish Crew provides aquarium maintenance services. A nursing home staffer praised their professionalism, communication, and the warmth they showed residents during service visits — a telling detail about the store's character.
A few notes for buyers: multiple reviewers recommend quarantining corals, as aiptasia has been spotted on colonies, and shrimp quality has drawn occasional criticism. Some customers have had less-than-stellar interactions with individual staff members, though the overwhelmingly positive feedback suggests these are exceptions. For Fort Collins aquarists looking for healthy livestock, real expertise, and a store that genuinely cares about the animals it sells, The Fish Crew delivers.
What they offer
Livestock, services, water
- Livestock & products
- Services
- Specializes in
Highlights
What makes them special
- Strong selection of both freshwater and saltwater livestock with clean, well-maintained display tanks
- Live aquatic plants grown in tanks rather than sealed containers for better survival rates
- Fish rehoming program for surrendered or rescued fish like African cichlids
- Aquarium maintenance services for homes and businesses including nursing facilities
- Hard-to-find species like Dwarf Platies and diverse invertebrate selection
From keepers
Customer reviews
“Had a great time at the fish shop got a whole new batch of fish, shrimp, plants and filters. Everyone there is very helpful. If you ever just need to take a break during the day I highly recommend going in and just looking at all the fish and things. If you're starting a new tank or you've been in the hobby and have a few more tanks great place.”
— Jeanette Wilson5.0Edited 6 days ago“I love stopping by the Fish Crew every time I’m in Fort Collins! I always end up just chatting with Mason who is so knowledgeable, and just a delight to talk to. If you’re ever in the area, pop in to see some beautiful tanks and ask questions to the very friendly staff (:”
— Jack Rose5.02 weeks ago“This crew is absolutely fantastic! Friendly staff that are absolutely delightful! Emma, Mason, and a few others are always willing to answer my questions even when I have a million of them since I'm newer at fish tanks. The only less than ideal interaction was with Matt. He comes across as very unfriendly and unapproachable which is not a good mix when your job is customer service and educating people with questions. I would prefer to deal with anybody in this store vs dealing with him. Everyone else is great and obviously love what they do!”
— Rich Mercado5.03 weeks ago“This store is so beautiful! And the staff are awesome and so helpful. The livestock is healthy . It's also a experience just to walk around and see all of their Salt Water Fish Beautiful.”
— Lori5.03 weeks ago“Quality of the fish and the expert knowledge of the staff are 1st rate!”
— Brad Floyd5.0a month ago“This place is great! They are very friendly and know a lot about fish obviously! 🙂 And they are great at rehoming! I have an African cichlid that a neighbor was going to let die and I didn't have a big enough fish tank. So they took him and he is waiting to be rehomed. I have visited him twice and he is being very well taken care of! Definitely the place to go for fish!”
— Clista Harman5.0a month ago“Probably the best aquarium store in all of Northern Colorado. Clean and well kept. The tanks are full and the fish healthy. Well stocked on supplies and such too!”
— Brandie Fabian5.0a month ago“Mason was incredibly helpful and have honest answers.... we'll be back!!”
— Andrew Rosen5.0a month ago“Updated review - Infinitely better experience than the first time I visited a few years ago (I think we caught them on a bad day that time). This was the only store in the region that I could find Dwarf Platy. Store is super clean and employees were friendly. The selection of fish, inverts and plants is top notch.”
— Craig S5.0Edited a month ago“Favorite fish place thus far in the NoCo region. It's on the pricier side compared to big pet stores but it definitely has a good variation of offerings! I'd say get your aquatic plants here, they're left growing in tanks instead of jelly containers. They don't die on you like PetSmart/Petco plants. Great freshwater and saltwater livestock options, aquascaping rocks/woods, tools. You name it! Very friendly staff who are ready to assist across the store as well! 👍👍👍 For anyone reading reviews: it's easy to leave a bad review when you had one unpleasant experience, but if you do have an amazing one, do leave a good review as well where the credits are due.”
— Yan Ying Lim5.0a month 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.