About
Animal Island Pet Shop has anchored the south Chicagoland scene for decades, and for Midlothian fishkeepers it doubles as a genuinely serious aquarium store hiding behind an unassuming storefront. " The freshwater room is the heart of it: multiple distinct varieties of cichlids for sale in Midlothian, IL, plus the kind of interesting, harder-to-find species that keep regulars circling back to see what just came in. " It's also a planted-tank stop.
Aquascapers come for the live plants — Bacopa and stem plants among them — and for what one shopper called the biggest collection of rocks and driftwood at the best prices he's seen locally; the crew has been known to toss in a free plant just because they're chill like that. If you're starting an aquarium from scratch, this is a place that walks you through it. Sapphire credits Caitlyn with showing her "every single thing I needed," and the team regularly helps newcomers build out a first setup tank by tank.
" The shop is admittedly compact and can get crowded on a busy sale day, but that intimacy is part of the charm. Beyond the aquatics it's a full exotic-pet destination, with reptiles, tarantulas, and amphibians sharing the space, which makes it a true one-stop visit. For healthy freshwater fish, aquatic plants, and aquascaping rock and wood available in Midlothian, IL, Animal Island remains a south-suburban favorite well worth the drive.
What they offer
Fish & livestock for sale at Animal Island Pet Shop in Midlothian, IL
Animal Island Pet Shop stocks cichlids, koi, shrimp, invertebrates, pufferfish, rare and hard-to-find species, aquarium plants and freshwater & saltwater fish for sale in Midlothian, IL. As an aquarium store serving Midlothian, IL, it also carries dry goods and aquarium equipment and offers aquarium consultations and aquarium setup.
- Livestock & products
- CichlidsKoiShrimpInvertebratesLive PlantsPlanted TanksPuffersRare SpeciesDry GoodsAquarium Equipment
- Services
- Specializes in
Highlights
What makes them special
- Deep freshwater fish room with multiple cichlid varieties, plus koi, shrimp, and mystery snails
- Owner Jason and staff like Caitlyn help start aquariums from scratch, tank by tank
- Big selection of aquascaping rocks, driftwood, and live plants (Bacopa, stem plants) at competitive prices
- Praised by a decade-long regular for top fresh and saltwater aquatic selection in Chicagoland
- Full exotic-pet shop too: reptiles, tarantulas, and amphibians alongside the fish
From keepers
Customer reviews
“Large selection of fish and reptiles. Friendly knowledgeable staff. If you are looking for fish or reptiles I would recommend you check this place out.”
— Em Mattson5.06 days ago“Most pet shops you visit keep their reptiles strictly behind glass, but this place is a wonderful exception. They actually allow hands-on experiences with the lizards, which is exactly how I fell completely in love with bearded dragons, they are now my absolute favorite animals! The only reason I’m giving this spot four stars instead of five is the layout. The store gets incredibly tight, and the aisles are quite small and cramped to navigate. It’s such a fantastic shop with amazing animal interactions that I really feel like it deserves to be expanded or moved into a much bigger space. If you don't mind squeezing through the narrow aisles, the chance to actually connect with the animals makes it entirely worth it. They have a large variety of spiders and snakes as well!”
— Angelena Shelton4.0a week ago“Came in here today for the first time for Koi fish and will be back! I told them this store reminded me so much of my favorite pet store in the 90's! Jason and the staff were very friendly and helpful and every single pet looked healthy. See you guys again soon! - Poppy, Nina and Paul”
— Nina Bryson5.0a week ago“Very helpful and knowledgeable. Big assortment.”
— Karen Morris5.0a week ago“I decided to visit since they had a big sale and they did not disappoint. At first I thought it was gonna be small joint based off the outside of the store, but I was wrong. They had rows and rows of fish tanks inside with almost every fish I could ever want and for good prices. One day I’ll get those pea puffers. I ended up buying 3 blue mystery snails, rocks, wood and 2 plants. They threw me a free Bacopa plant because they’re chill like that. They have the biggest collection of rocks for the best price I’ve seen in the area too. They also had some cool reptiles and a ferret which were fun to look at. Very helpful, friendly, passionate and chill people. The only thing I’d see being better is if they had a bigger collection of stem plants, but other than that 5/5.”
— Adnan Mesiti5.0a week ago““This is the best day of my life” - me, 18x after stepping into the shop. I have attached a candid photo of the statement being spoken below. I went here for the first time yesterday with a friend, and I am certain I will never use another pet store again! The employees are incredibly friendly and welcoming, and you can tell they truly care about the health, safety, and happiness of the animals there. Unlike when I go to a Petco or a Petsmart, I felt like I could ask questions and get real answers and recommendations! I really enjoyed the selection of products as well as live animals and insects. It was wonderful being able to share my passion for the fish hobby; you can tell the employees understand that your animals are your family and they care! 1,000,000/10 would recommend.”
— Julie Myers5.0a week ago“Jason is fantastic”
— Andrew Wigsmoen5.0a week ago“Bought lots of fish from here they all come healthy and have different varieties of different fish and animals and the employees are very helpful and kind overall is a good store”
— Damian Murillo4.0a week ago“Got this gorgeous creature from this place they told me everything I needed to know about having him and have everything you need to keep your pet happy. Recommend you stop here first before you buy a pet anywhere else they literally have everything and more than other places.”
— William5.0a month ago“It looks like a great store”
— Jeff Capes5.0a month ago
Reference
Frequently asked questions
Note — Store information and services may change. Always call (708) 293-0600 to confirm current availability, hours, and services before visiting Animal Island Pet Shop.