About
Cichlid Express has been a Daytona Beach institution for decades, and stepping inside quickly reveals why. The tanks are immaculate — multiple reviewers call it the cleanest fish store they've ever visited — and the African cichlids are the undeniable stars. Rows of brilliantly colored peacocks, haps, and mbunas fill the displays, with varieties like German Red Peacocks drawing repeat customers from well outside the local area.
But the selection extends far beyond cichlids into South American tropicals, community fish, koi, bristlenose plecos, and live plants. Owner Billy and his wife Brittany run this family operation with a hands-on philosophy that prioritizes education over sales. Billy is known for talking customers out of purchases that won't work for their setup — one visitor came in looking for fish for their koi pond and left with plants instead, after Billy explained the fish likely wouldn't survive a Florida winter.
That kind of honest guidance has built fierce loyalty. Customers routinely mention Billy reviewing their existing stock lists, making personalized recommendations, and spending as much time as needed to get things right. The trade-off is wait times; this is a place where patience pays off because each customer gets genuine, unhurried attention.
The store breeds some fish on-site, which contributes to the consistently healthy, vibrantly colored stock that customers rave about. They also carry a solid range of supplies, decorative stones, and aquarium plants. For those who don't live nearby, staff carefully packages fish for safe transport home — a detail that has kept one customer coming back for eight years to stock their 36-gallon freshwater setup.
Cichlid Express occupies a particular niche in the Daytona Beach aquarium scene: it's the specialist's specialist for freshwater fish, run by people who genuinely love the hobby and treat every tank like it matters. The selection has a way of making people upgrade to bigger aquariums — consider yourself warned.
What they offer
Livestock, services, water
- Livestock & products
- Services
- Specializes in
- FreshwaterPond
Highlights
What makes them special
- Premier African cichlid selection including varieties like German Red Peacocks
- On-site fish breeding program ensuring healthy, vibrant stock
- Owner Billy provides personalized stocking recommendations based on your existing tank
- Immaculately maintained tanks praised as the cleanest fish store customers have visited
- Carries live plants, koi, community fish, and decorative stones beyond cichlids
From keepers
Customer reviews
“Billy is always great to deal with and has set us up with a tank full of beautiful fish.”
— Thomas C5.02 weeks ago“The best place for Cichlids!! They are very knowledgeable & so helpful making sure we get the right fish for our tank.”
— Brian Villa5.0a month ago“Great staff.prices reasonable.”
— Kimberly Morrow5.02 months ago“That customer service the guy attending the store. He wait for each customer make a decision for what they want so they can take our order. I was waiting there for 30 minutes ready to get the fish I want, but the guy say he need to wait after he attend each the first customer and then I’m gonna take me.”
— Carlos Carrero1.02 months ago“This is the real deal. A true aquarium store for the true aquarist. Best selection of African cichlids around.”
— Bryan L Dorion5.0Edited 3 months ago“Hands down one of the best place to get fish they have everything from South American to African to community fish and the staff is super friendly and helpful. Best place around beats all the others that are around in Daytona. Thanks Billy for your help. It’s always a pleasure.”
— Nelson5.03 months ago“Amazing place. The staff here are incredible — genuinely friendly, knowledgeable, and passionate about what they do. They don’t just sell you fish; they take the time to get to know you and your tank.”
— charlie Hughes5.03 months ago“Went there this past Saturday and met Billy the owner. Great selection on Cichlids and tropical fish. Gave him a list of what I had in my aquarium. Let him make all the recommendations. He selected 9 cichlids and a bristle nose. Was very helpful and I will be returning in a month for more additions to our tank.”
— Daniel Snyder5.04 months ago“Excellent services It was worth the trip to find beautiful cichlids!! They have so much variety and all of them look happy!!”
— Patricia Collazo5.04 months ago“Dropped in to see the aquarium and what a great little find!!! They provide great enclosures for each of the many animals there and have a large aquarium hosting shark, morays, grouper, and many more. They also have a large selection of reptiles from dart frogs up to the American alligator. I particularly liked the monitors! Great place for adults and kids alike. The touch tanks are nice and it’s fun watching the kiddos exploring nature in a safe environment. Highly recommend. Edit: 9/17/25 - The CORRECT location my review refers to is: DAYTONA AQUARIUM & RAINFOREST ADVENTURE”
— Dan Meek5.0Edited 4 months ago
Reference
Frequently asked questions
Note — Store information and services may change. Always call (386) 253-0054 to confirm current availability, hours, and services before visiting Cichlid Express/ Daytona Aquarium Fish Store.