About
Walk into Ray's Tank in Northglenn, Colorado, and you'll immediately understand why this freshwater fish store has earned fierce loyalty from Denver-area hobbyists. The walls are lined with well-maintained tanks holding an ever-rotating cast of exotic and rare species — giant arowanas, alligator gar, fahaka puffers, tiger parrot fish, blood parrots, Oranda goldfish, bettas, and wild-caught specimens you simply won't find at big-box pet stores. It's the kind of place where you might walk in just to look and leave genuinely amazed.
The staff is the real engine behind Ray's Tank's reputation. Names like Jacob, Eric, and Zach come up again and again in customer conversations — not just for being friendly, but for taking real time with people. Jacob has walked newcomers through the entire process of cycling a fishless tank, explained cichlid compatibility for those considering a blood parrot setup, and helped families with young kids pick their first fish.
Eric has guided customers through live plant selections that actually survive and thrive at home. These aren't rushed transactions; they're genuine consultations where the staff will tell you to wait if your tank isn't ready rather than push a sale. Beyond fish, Ray's carries a solid selection of live aquatic plants, freshwater shrimp, snails, and accessories like heaters.
Customers regularly note that prices are competitive with online retailers, and the shop is generous — tossing in an extra plant if one looks questionable or not sweating an extra shrimp that slipped into the bag. The tanks themselves are clean and the fish consistently look healthy, a detail that experienced hobbyists notice immediately. Owner Ray and his team have built something that feels less like a retail store and more like a hub for the freshwater community.
If you're anywhere near the Denver metro and serious about exotic freshwater fish, Ray's Tank has earned its spot as the go-to shop.
What they offer
Livestock, services, water
- Livestock & products
- Services
- Consultation
- Specializes in
Highlights
What makes them special
- Constantly rotating selection of rare and exotic freshwater species including arowanas, alligator gar, and fahaka puffers
- Staff members Jacob, Eric, and Zach known for patient, in-depth consultations on tank cycling, compatibility, and care
- Healthy live plants and freshwater shrimp alongside an extensive fish inventory
- Honest approach — staff will advise waiting rather than pushing a premature sale
- Clean, well-maintained tanks with wild-caught and hard-to-find species
From keepers
Customer reviews
“It was closed, it was supposed to be open so I went to just fish instead”
— Martin Rayner1.014 hours ago“This is the coolest fish store I’ve ever been in. The fish all look healthy, happy, and thriving in their environments. They were so kind to teach us about the fish and even gave our kids stickers on the way out. We’ll for sure be back!”
— Maureen Dady5.0a week ago“This was not a very good experience for me I ask a lot of questions for the fish I bought winch were 60 for both and they didn’t answer my questions and didn’t answer my question so they ended up dead and I couldn’t get a refund for it not even for one even tho it was kinda their fault and they still try to blame me for it and every thing is really messy”
— Ivan Barranco1.02 weeks ago“Love this place so much”
— Derek Hohn5.02 weeks ago“A wonderful place for your fish tank needs. They had the live plants I had been searching for! The guy who helped us was very nice and helpful. We definitely will go back! I’m very impressed by the Beautiful array of Gorgeous fish and the healthy tanks!”
— G Money MALONE5.02 weeks ago“I will come here again soon !! I got a tiger parrot fish for my brother at a great price not saying it’s cheap but it was def more cheap than expensive in my eyes !!! I also got me a fahaka puffer at a great price here and I got me a healthy one too thriving little fat guy ! The store was nice and clean tanks as well! Happy customer I will be here again soon ❤️🔥 just wanted to update my review as i am again super happy customer ! I wanted to for a shout out to Erick fo helping me and being very knowledgeable on the fishes I asked in particular it helped me out a lot ! Thank you so much for being g kind and taking your time to educate me !”
— cyn alfaro5.0Edited 3 weeks ago“This place has an amazing selection of tropical fish! We went in to get a new community of fish for our tank and Jacob was extremely helpful and super knowledgeable about how to put a community together. Thank you Jacob for your amazing help!”
— Tasha Herrera5.03 weeks ago“Great selection and well kept tanks.”
— Brenda Pfeifer5.0a month ago“Every fish I’ve bought here has been good quality and always good customer service as well!”
— Robert Vigil5.0a month ago“I’ve been to Ray’s several times now since moving to Denver; sometimes to window shop and sometimes to purchase. They have a solid selection, including more “exotic” options (it’s neat to just go in and look, even if you’re not a hobbyist), the fish always look pretty healthy, and the staff are always helpful and knowledgeable. So far I’ve nabbed a few plants, some freshwater shrimp, and a heater. They also appear willing to be generous when they select the cheaper stuff, which to me shows they care about the customer. So when one of my plants had questionable roots, they threw in another. An extra shrimp snuck out of the net (which are assuredly live-breeding in their tanks)? Ah well! The heater was about 4ish more than online, but I’d much prefer to support a LFS. Solid place imo as a 5y+ hobbyist; I’ll be back many more times!”
— Justin Barry5.0a month ago
Reference
Frequently asked questions
Note — Store information and services may change. Always call (720) 536-5119 to confirm current availability, hours, and services before visiting Rays Tank (Exotic Freshwater Fish Store).