About
Big Fish Aquarium has earned a devoted following among Chicago fishkeepers, and a recent move has only raised its profile. After outgrowing its original compact strip-mall shop, the store relocated into a larger space and is busy settling in — one June visitor noted the team "just moved from a smaller space and were in process of setting up," with even more livestock arriving as the new location fills out. The density of healthy stock that made the old shop a destination has made the jump intact.
Inside, clean, well-tended tanks hold both freshwater and saltwater fish alongside a strong coral selection and lush live plants that customers repeatedly call healthy and thriving. This is an aquarium store built for hobbyists who want the unusual as much as the everyday: neocaridina and cherry shrimp for sale at prices regulars rave about, plus ember tetras, pygmy corys, and a deep run of micro and nano fish ideal for small tanks. Reef keepers come for the corals, and families come for the experience — one recent visitor's niece and nephew even got to touch a starfish.
What customers mention most is the staff. Employees like Zach and Eddie earn constant praise for their patience and their willingness to walk newcomers through cycling, species compatibility, and full tank setups; one Chicago aquarist bought a complete system here and, two months later, had more than 40 fish thriving. Beginners say they never feel rushed, and longtime hobbyists happily drive an hour or more for the selection and advice.
Beyond the sales floor, Big Fish offers in-home tank maintenance and cleaning across Chicago, IL — a downtown school had Mason deep-clean its turtle aquarium and praised the flexible scheduling — and runs a membership program with perks for regulars. Prices skew a touch above the chains, but the quality of the livestock and the guidance keep people coming back. For anyone searching for healthy freshwater fish, saltwater fish, or aquarium shrimp for sale in Chicago, IL, Big Fish Aquarium is a genuine neighborhood standout.
What they offer
Fish & livestock for sale at Big Fish Aquarium in Chicago, IL
Big Fish Aquarium stocks corals, reef fish, shrimp, betta fish, invertebrates, aquarium plants and freshwater & saltwater fish for sale in Chicago, IL. As an aquarium store serving Chicago, IL, it also offers tank maintenance, aquarium setup, tank cleaning and aquarium consultations.
- Livestock & products
- Services
- Specializes in
Highlights
What makes them special
- Recently relocated to a larger space — same dense, healthy stock with more livestock arriving
- Healthy freshwater and saltwater fish, corals, and thriving live plants in clean, well-tended tanks
- Standout selection of neocaridina and cherry shrimp plus micro and nano fish for small tanks
- Knowledgeable, patient staff — Zach and Eddie frequently praised for guiding tank setups
- In-home tank maintenance and cleaning across Chicago, plus a membership program for regulars
From keepers
Customer reviews
“Stopped in with my niece and nephew - lovely experience! Staff with friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful. They were showing the kids the coral and even let them touch a star fish. Kids had a great time! Wonderful selection of fish and tanks too. Excited to go back”
— Alicia Ortiz5.0a day ago“Mucha variedad de peces 🐠🐟👌🏾👍🏾”
— Germain Robles4.0a week ago“They just moved from a smaller space and were in process of setting up. The gentleman i met was quit helpful and knowledgeable. I will be back”
— The food dude4.02 weeks ago“5/5 Star service! They are just moving into there new location so a bit messy at the moment. Staff was very polite and helpful. I was able to get good prices that matched or were cheaper then ordering online. Great selection of shrimp and micro fish for those who like small tanks like me. Good selection of freshwater, and saltwater. They have more stock I was not able to see yet due to move, so I am sure inventory is even better then what I saw. Went and purchased a 60Long tank from them yesterday to set up for a few small fish and shrimp. I was able to get all supplies including dragon stone. I went back the next day to get some supplies for my other tanks since they were so helpful.”
— 8bit goldfish5.03 weeks ago“Ended up coming here to donate my sailfish pleco due to him growing out of his tank I'm sure they'll find a better home for it, will be coming back to grab some other accessories or (smaller) fish. Great experience!”
— Nabil Najera5.03 weeks ago“Lovely experience and staff was so sweet! Fish are well taken care of”
— Mati Paisley5.03 weeks ago“Great experience, the staff was incredibly knowledgeable. I visited to help give up a sailfish placo, they had a good home for it and helped to educate me on my own set up with a great selection go get it going. Definitely coming back”
— Andrew Ryan5.03 weeks ago“Went in to this store after a long time , and the guy that was there answered or tried to answer all my questions even if I didn’t know how to explain since im a beginner, i probably asked the same question for a couple times but i just wanted to make sure that I understood what he tried to explain, im planning on getting some fish and shrimp once I learned how to properly take care of them and ill definitely come back to this store!”
— Daniel Bernardino5.0a month ago“I didn't buy anything this time around but first time in. Very welcoming and bright environment in the store. Will be visiting again when I'm in the area!”
— Zachary Chilton5.0a month ago“Big Fish started servicing my tank about one year ago. I have nothing but positive things to say about this company. To this point, I had not had a lot of luck with my aquarium. I would spend a lot of money buying corals for the tank, and in a few weeks, they would be dead. That is not the case with Big Fish. Most of what I put in the tank a year ago is still alive and growing beautifully. Also, they implemented several steps to protect my investment. Options that had not been given to me before from other companies. This speaks to their professionalism and knowledge. In addition to these factors, the staff is very kind, caring and respectful. They really seem to want you to be pleased with their services. I would highly recommend this company to anyone.”
— Nadine Tyson5.03 months ago
Reference
Frequently asked questions
Note — Store information and services may change. Always call (773) 413-7137 to confirm current availability, hours, and services before visiting Big Fish Aquarium.