About
Aquariums and Reef Center is a family-owned aquarium store in Fort Myers, FL that locals consistently rank as the best fish shop in town — more than one regular says to try here before Pet Kingdom. The shop recently settled into a new location, but as longtime customers are quick to point out, it's the same people offering the same patient advice. Rows of clean, well-maintained tanks run deep on both sides of the hobby, so freshwater keepers and reef builders find their stock under one roof.
On the freshwater side you'll find tetras, corydoras catfish, shrimp, and dwarf crawfish, plus harder-to-source livestock like discus and special-order rarities such as teusgelsi bichirs. Planted-tank hobbyists turn up regularly too — one customer had been hunting Monte Carlo carpeting plant locally for weeks and finally tracked it down here. If you're searching for healthy freshwater fish for sale in Fort Myers, FL, this is a frequent first stop.
The saltwater room is just as serious. The coral and anemone selection draws comparisons to a public aquarium, with frags and display pieces kept in vibrant, high-flow tanks. Reviewers single out the staff's knowledge of saltwater management, and the self-serve premixed saltwater right inside the front door is a detail reef keepers genuinely appreciate.
Whether you're stocking a nano reef or chasing down replacement parts mid-build, the team tends to ask the right questions before they sell you anything. Staff member Steven gets named again and again for walking first-timers through their initial tank setup, and the owners come across as attentive and genuinely invested in their livestock. Prices land on the fair, budget-friendly side, and customers regularly report their fish and corals thriving weeks after a visit.
For anyone after corals, live plants, or freshwater and saltwater fish available in Fort Myers, FL, Aquariums and Reef Center is a dependable, walk-in destination worth the trip.
What they offer
Fish & livestock for sale at Aquariums and Reef Center in Fort Myers, FL
Aquariums and Reef Center stocks corals, reef fish, anemones, tetras, catfish, shrimp, invertebrates, discus, aquarium plants and freshwater & saltwater fish for sale in Fort Myers, FL. As an aquarium store serving Fort Myers, FL, it also carries aquarium equipment and offers aquarium setup, aquarium consultations and water testing.
- Livestock & products
- CoralsReefAnemonesTetrasCatfishShrimpInvertebratesLive PlantsPlanted TanksDiscusRare SpeciesAquarium Equipment
- Specializes in
Highlights
What makes them special
- Family-owned aquarium store locals rank as the best fish shop in Fort Myers
- Deep freshwater and saltwater stock under one roof, from tetras and corydoras to corals and anemones
- Self-serve premixed saltwater available right at the front of the store
- Staff member Steven praised for patient first-time tank setup guidance
- Special orders and hard-to-find livestock like teusgelsi bichirs and Monte Carlo carpeting plant
From keepers
Customer reviews
“Healthy fish, nice assortment accompanied by great staff.”
— Whey Guy5.08 hours ago“Wide variety of fish and plants. Prices were decent and the staff helped us when we asked. We will probably be back for more fish”
— kait Nichole5.02 weeks ago“Very friendly staff . Will be back for sure”
— Jeremy vivyan5.03 weeks ago“Selection, price and knowledge of saltwater management and fish.”
— Bryant Hawkins5.03 weeks ago“Great people always very friendly and helpful and they have most things you might be looking for had been looking for some Monte Carlo locally for a couple weeks and they had it awesome guys! Very attentive and informative with any questions or doubts you might have”
— Enmanuel Alba5.0a month ago“Very personable family owned aquarium store I would recommend to anyone looking for fresh or saltwater fish! The owners are very attentive and have been so helpful to us with our tank! Best one in Fort Myers Hands down! Try here before pet kingdom ☺️”
— Makayla Smith5.0a month ago“Great place lot of different fish, saltwater and freshwater, but be careful, TDS on the store is super high 1400+\- ppm, acclimate your fish the right way, before you put it on your tank, great service, this is my only concern, took my half a day to acclimate my discus, anyways good store”
— Julio Gonzalez4.02 months ago“To the Tifanny M aka "Karen" TikToker Lady that left the unfair review I’ve been coming to this store consistently for the past 3 months since I got into the reef hobby, and I can confidently say my experience has been completely opposite to what was described in that negative review. The staff here have been nothing but helpful, patient, and knowledgeable from day one. They’ve helped me correct mistakes from fish I was sold at other stores, guided me through setups, and always taken the time to answer questions without attitude. That’s not something you fake, these guys actually care. I was also in the store during the situation mentioned, and what I witnessed was not someone “respectfully trying to help.” It was loud, confrontational, and honestly uncomfortable to watch. There was absolutely no reason for that level of drama. This is exactly what I would call a “Karen” moment, someone creating a scene out of nothing. To be honest, it felt less like a genuine concern and more like something staged to create content. The whole interaction had that “this is going on TikTok” energy, pushing for a reaction, escalating things, and turning it into drama when it didn’t need to be. Later on, I found out this person reportedly keeps around 200 axolotls at home and creates content around them. At that point, I honestly started questioning how appropriate that even is. I don’t even know to what extent it’s legal or ethical to house that many animals in a private setting, but if we’re going to talk about animal welfare, maybe that situation should be looked into as well. Trying to publicly call out a store while acting like that, raising your voice, and pushing buttons to get a reaction says more about the reviewer than the business. No store is perfect 100% of the time, but blowing up a situation and then running to leave a dramatic review is not fair to a team that consistently helps customers and takes care of their livestock. If you’re new or experienced in the hobby, this place is solid. Good advice, good people, and a team that actually stands behind what they do. I’ll definitely keep coming back. And in the end I was right, I found her on TikTok. Anything for content these days, and nothing gets more views than drama. Don’t believe everything you see on social media, be smart.”
— Manny Bell5.02 months ago“I normally don’t leave negative reviews, but this experience really bothered me. This is a fish store that carries many aquatic animals, yet they had an axolotl housed in completely inappropriate conditions. It was kept in a tank with rocks as substrate, which is dangerous for axolotls because they can easily ingest them and become impacted. The axolotl was also housed with angelfish, which are territorial, known to nip at their gills and stress them out, and Pleco fish that will suck on the axolotl and has known to be very dangerous with axolotls. Even worse, the water temperature was over 80°F with what looked like a heater running, which is far too warm for axolotls. They are cold-water animals and typically need temperatures in the 60–68°F range to remain healthy. I tried to respectfully help. I gave the employee my business card and told them if they ever receive axolotls again I would be happy to help them with proper care information. Instead of being receptive, the employee became argumentative and defensive. While I was standing in line, the employee approached me and accused me of planning to bash the store on social media simply because I took a video of the business card display. I had no intention of doing that at the time, I wanted the owner’s information so I could offer help. I even asked several times for the owner and the employee said “I just work here”. Unfortunately the employee and cashier both insisted the axolotl’s setup was perfectly fine and showed no willingness to learn or correct the situation. Aquatic stores have a responsibility to properly care for the animals they sell. Seeing an axolotl kept in unsafe conditions and being treated rudely when trying to help was really disappointing.”
— Tiffany M2.03 months ago“Awesome selection of fish and supply's. Lots of salt water and fresh water animals. Friendly, knowledgeable staff.”
— Jesse Wilder5.04 months ago
Reference
Frequently asked questions
Note — Store information and services may change. Always call (239) 334-4440 to confirm current availability, hours, and services before visiting Aquariums and Reef Center.