About
High Tide Aquarium is Tallahassee's dedicated saltwater destination, and the reviews make that crystal clear — this is a marine-only shop that has earned a devoted following stretching across north Florida and into south Georgia, with customers regularly driving two hours or more just to browse the coral selection. And what a selection it is. Reviewers consistently single out the corals as the store's crown jewel — SPS, LPS, bubble tip anemones, and everything in between, with the owner reportedly knowing the Latin names of every specimen.
The shop also stocks captive-bred seahorses, a variety of saltwater fish, crustaceans, sponges, reef-safe nutrients, pumps, and other marine equipment. If you're looking for freshwater supplies, though, you'll need to go elsewhere — High Tide is unapologetically all saltwater, all the time. The store's physical appearance comes up in nearly every review.
Customers call it the cleanest fish store they've ever visited, with one reviewer favorably comparing it to ATM's showroom in Las Vegas. The display tanks are immaculate and serve as living showcases of what a well-maintained reef system can look like. It's the kind of place where even non-hobbyists stop to stare.
Scott, the owner, and staff member Chad are the names that come up most frequently. Scott is described as a "coral meister" who genuinely cares about the long-term success of each customer's reef system — offering acclimation advice, troubleshooting ich outbreaks, and even following up with phone calls. Chad gets special praise for his approachable demeanor and patience with newer hobbyists.
And then there's Bailey, the resident Jack Russell who greets visitors and reportedly receives as many compliments as the livestock. Pricing is another recurring theme. Multiple reviewers note that High Tide's coral prices rival or beat what's available in the more competitive Central Florida market, which partly explains why people travel so far to shop here.
For reef keepers anywhere in the Florida panhandle or southern Georgia, High Tide has firmly established itself as the store worth the drive.
What they offer
Livestock, services, water
- Livestock & products
- Services
- Consultation
- Specializes in
Highlights
What makes them special
- Exclusively saltwater with one of the largest coral selections in north Florida
- Captive-bred seahorses and bubble tip anemones in stock
- Immaculately clean tanks frequently compared to top national stores
- Customers regularly drive 1-2+ hours from across north Florida and south Georgia
- Owner Scott knows Latin names of corals and provides detailed reef consultation
From keepers
Customer reviews
“Every tank is full of thriving beautiful anemones corals fish and mini crustaceans its gorgeous and very well kept definitely should stop by!!”
— Lyric Rose5.0a week ago“Freshest sushi in town!”
— G Hall5.02 months ago“Great store. Knowledgeable staff.”
— Jason Hendryx5.02 months ago“My husband just bought an array of fish, coral, and foods right now and this is the cleanest aquarium we've been to so far. The gentleman that helped us is very knowledgeable, kind, and helpful. Wonderful shop!!”
— Koala Bean5.06 months ago“This is a great looking store. Great selection of corals. Very friendly staff. I wish I lived here but was visiting from Virginia. Very clean all the fish look great and the corals were to die for. Great shop”
— Beach Bum5.07 months ago“The staff here is wonderful! Very knowledgeable, extremely helpful (but not in a pushy way) and the selection of fish is amazing. Oh, the Scott and Bailey (well mostly Bailey aka cutest Jack in the world) greeting is the best. Highly recommend!”
— Robin Reister5.07 months ago“Staff is knowledgeable and friendly, tanks are super clean never had a problem with any purchase here”
— jeff shetron5.0Edited 8 months ago“Been going for years, starting my third setup soon.”
— Ronny Ahmed5.08 months ago“Great place and awesome people very helpful and have great prices will be back when I purchase more for my tank thanks guys keep up the great work”
— Michael Cromer5.08 months ago“Awesome place of you are looking for coral”
— Justin Smith5.010 months ago
Reference
Frequently asked questions
Note — Store information and services may change. Always call (850) 562-3474 to confirm current availability, hours, and services before visiting High Tide Aquarium.