About
Just Fish is a long-running, family-operated aquarium store in Bear, DE that has earned both devoted regulars and pointed critics over its many years in the area. The shop runs deep on livestock, stocking freshwater, saltwater, and pond fish under one roof, alongside live plants, cherry and neocaridina shrimp, puffers (including avocado and porcupine puffers), bettas, tetras, and honey gouramis. You'll also find small pets here — rabbits, guinea pigs, and birds — plus practical extras like crickets that are hard to source outside the big chains.
For planted-tank hobbyists hunting cherry shrimp and live plants for sale in Bear, DE, the selection is one of the widest around; one regular drove in, picked up five cherry shrimp and a batch of plants, and reported them all thriving in his heavily planted tank. Owner Carleen and her crew are the heart of the place. Reviewers repeatedly describe the staff as patient, kind, and genuinely knowledgeable — the kind of shop that asks new hobbyists questions, explains the why behind cycling and stocking, and helps families pick compatible fish so everyone's choice lands happily in the same community tank.
"Whenever he is looking for the right and perfect fish for his tanks, they have it," one customer said of her husband's favorite stop, while another called it well worth the drive. The store also does real community work, taking in and rehoming animals whose owners can no longer care for them. It's an honest pick to call polarizing.
A meaningful share of reviewers raise concerns about cluttered aisles, algae-heavy tanks, and pricing that runs above the chains, and several experienced fishkeepers advise quarantining anything you bring home. Come knowing what you want, ask the ladies behind the counter for guidance, and you'll find a deep, old-school fish shop with decades of hands-on experience. If you're searching for a local aquarium store near me with genuine variety, Just Fish in Bear, DE remains a destination the regulars keep coming back to.
What they offer
Fish & livestock for sale at Just Fish in Bear, DE
Just Fish stocks shrimp, koi, pufferfish, betta fish, tetras, aquarium plants and freshwater, saltwater & pond fish for sale in Bear, DE.
- Livestock & products
- Specializes in
Highlights
What makes them special
- Family-run aquarium store in Bear, DE with decades of hands-on experience, led by owner Carleen
- Deep selection spanning freshwater, saltwater, and pond fish under one roof
- Live plants, cherry and neocaridina shrimp, puffers, bettas, and honey gouramis available for planted and community tanks
- Knowledgeable, patient staff who help families choose compatible fish and coach new hobbyists
- Rescues and rehomes animals whose owners can no longer care for them
From keepers
Customer reviews
“Highly don’t recommend anything from this store every fish I’ve ever gotten from here has gotten sick and died. To anyone looking for a better fish spot I’d recommend pet Kare too grooming they are still open and slowly Turing the grooming store into more of a pet store with grooming haven’t had any problems with the fish I’ve gotten from pet Kare highly recommend them!”
— Kyle Heeter1.03 weeks ago“Love the variety and helpfulness, worth the drive”
— APRIL FLEMINGS5.0a month ago“They are always so nice and helpful.”
— Cecilia Brasier (Ceci)5.0a month ago“Dirty and cluttered store, awful prices across the board, and the selection of betta fish products are just abusive tanks that are way too small for anything living. I'd recommend a large pet store chain before recommending anyone goes here but thankfully there's plenty of actually good local fish stores in the area.”
— Alice1.0a month ago“They do not take care of there animals. Fish are very overpriced, as mentioned in other reviews. it feels like the pet store equitant of those stores in the farmers market that are packed form floor to celling of random stuff with no one around.”
— Matthew C1.0a month ago“Family owned and operated. Very knowledgable. Wide variety of choices.”
— Elaine Morgan5.0a month ago“This is my husband's favorite fish store. Whenever he is looking for the "right and perfect" fish for his tanks, they have it!”
— Maureen Cannon5.02 months ago“I went to this store several months ago and I can’t stop thinking about how atrocious it was. The animals cages were disgusting and unkept. They had little to no food or water and looked very unhealthy. The store was crowded dirty and dusty. There were dead fish in the tanks and zero decorations or plants. The animal cages had barely any hides or toys. The ferret was the most upsetting for me. It was a single ferret by himself which is NEVER okay especially for an animal that had clearly been in their care for a long time. Its nails were incredibly long, had a runny nose and the bedding in the base of the cage had an insane amount of urine and feces. There was only a water bowl in the cage that the ferret had flipped but there was no food under it either. The water bottle was attached so high onto the cage that it could not reach it which is slightly visible in the image. There was only one hide in the cage that was also soiled with urine. I cannot possibly explain how awful this store is. Absolutely do NOT shop at this store especially for their pets. They unfortunately would very likely die within a month.”
— Brooke Cresswell1.02 months ago“I love this store. I know you will read reviews on here that, in my opinion, are not fair to the owners. They really do care and all of the fish I’ve purchased from them have been healthy with no issues. Yes, the building is older. Yes, animals need constant upkeep and it’s challenging with so many tanks. But every time I’ve stopped in, I have been treated politely, the staff make excellent suggestions, and I always look forward to seeing what’s new. I do recommend them to friends in the hobby. If you are the Fish Police and a professional hater, go to your big box store. The ladies here are kind and knowledgeable. A big thank you to them for always helping me choose the right selection for my tanks!”
— Angie Spiva5.02 months ago“Very friendly and knowledgeable”
— Christopher Beavers5.03 months ago
Reference
Frequently asked questions
Note — Store information and services may change. Always call (302) 836-8250 to confirm current availability, hours, and services before visiting Just Fish.