About
Walking past Zooxae on the streets of Elgin, Illinois, you might find yourself pressing your face against the glass like one regular dog-walker who can't help but stop and stare every single day. Step inside and you'll understand why — this is a meticulously curated aquarium shop where every display tank looks like it belongs in a magazine spread. Freshwater setups here rival beautiful reef tanks, a feat that multiple reviewers note with genuine astonishment.
The livestock selection spans both freshwater and saltwater, from Cardinal tetras and Habrosus Corys to corals and marine invertebrates, all kept in visibly pristine condition. Reviewers consistently point out a near-total absence of dead fish in any tank, a testament to Zooxae's rigorous quarantine practices. The plant selection is enormous and constantly refreshed, making this a destination shop for planted tank enthusiasts and aquascapers throughout the greater Chicagoland area.
What truly sets Zooxae apart is its "Plankton Pub" — one of the few shops in the region carrying live fish foods including daphnia, rotifers, copepods, phytoplankton, black worms, and both hatchling and adult brine shrimp. They also sell RO water, remineralized RO, and premixed saltwater, opening up possibilities for fishkeepers who lack their own water preparation setups. The hardscape selection — driftwood, stone, gravel, and specialty substrates — draws aquascapers who rave about the quality and pricing.
Nano tank enthusiasts make long drives specifically for Zooxae's curated selection of small tanks, filters, and accessories. Staff members like Thomas are repeatedly praised for their patience and depth of knowledge, whether walking someone through their first planted aquarium setup or advising on betta fish health issues with product recommendations that deliver results within a day. The owner's passion is visible in every detail, from the inspiring display tanks to the weekly deals that keep regulars coming back.
People routinely spend two-plus hours browsing — and leave planning their next visit.
What they offer
Livestock, services, water
- Livestock & products
- Services
- ConsultationQuarantineTank SetupAquascaping
- Specializes in
Highlights
What makes them special
- Plankton Pub offering live fish foods including daphnia, rotifers, copepods, phytoplankton, and brine shrimp
- Sells RO water, remineralized RO, and premixed saltwater on-site
- Rigorous quarantine practices with consistently healthy livestock
- Exceptional planted tank and aquascaping hardscape selection
- Stunning display tanks that rival high-end reef setups
From keepers
Customer reviews
“Beautiful set ups of aquariums and terrariums. Wide selection of freshwater and saltwater fish, plants, and coral. Along with a wide variety of stone, gravel, and wood. Staff is friendly and knowledgeable.”
— Amber Riis5.03 days ago“My husband and I absolutely adore this shop. They hands down have the prettiest, cleanest, best stocked store in the area by far. The attention to detail is fantastic, the owner is friendly and informative as well as just a cool guy- we have shopped at his other store in the past, and was so excited when this one opened. Their plant selection is amazing, the weekly deals are a must have, and they even sell R/O water, remineralized R/O and premixed saltwater so every fish keeper can get the water they need and open the possibilities for so much more stock wise. We easily spend well over 2 hours here every time we come, and always find some amazing stuff for our scales! This tank is almost all Zooxae plants and I snagged the beautiful driftwood on the right from there for a great deal!”
— Elizabeth Altergott5.06 days ago“Probably the best fish store I’ve been to in illinois, they have a big variety of fish, saltwater and freshwater, and they are very professional about quarantining, I couldn’t find a single dead fish in any tank, super helpful staff and numerous beautiful tanks, even if you aren’t looking for a fish I still recommend stopping by Zooxae just for the experience.”
— Maxwell Greer5.06 days ago“Great customer service and products!”
— Gamer 15.0a week ago“Great place! Every time I come here I always have a good experience.Thomas helped us a bunch today.”
— Shantell Hannah5.02 weeks ago“This is by far the best aquascape store in the tri-state area. (I’ve checked) With the superb staff, an incredible selection of hardscape, livestock, plants, corals and specialist supplies you simply can’t go wrong.”
— Graham5.03 weeks ago“This store is amazing! The staff is very friendly and knowledgeable. They have lots of cool aquariums, plants, rocks, driftwood and fish. Fully stocked with great products for all of your aquarium needs. I will be coming back and I highly recommend this place.”
— Chevyguy5.0a month ago“We love coming here to purchase freshwater fish and shrimp for our home aquarium. There are abundant varieties of fish (both fresh and salt), shrimp, plants, food, substrate, and equipment. The staff are super friendly and helpful too!”
— Jessica Felten5.0a month ago“This place is one of the best aquarium stores in the entire country! You don’t want to miss it!!”
— George Mavrakis5.0a month ago“A clean modern store. You can tell they care about their livestock, Also staff always welcomes you nicely”
— Christian5.0a month ago
Reference
Frequently asked questions
Note — Store information and services may change. Always call (847) 780-1113 to confirm current availability, hours, and services before visiting Zooxae.