About
Uncle Bill's Pet Centers in Fort Wayne is a sprawling chain pet store that casts a wide net — live animals ranging from puppies and birds to hermit crabs and reptiles, plus aquarium supplies, fish food, and feeders. It's the kind of place where you can pick up a filter for a new tank, grab crickets for your chameleon, and browse freshwater and saltwater fish all in one trip. Several reviewers note the sheer variety of products on the shelves, including items they hadn't encountered at other stores in the area.
The fish department maintains both freshwater and saltwater sections, though the quality of care has drawn mixed reactions. Some visitors have reported murky saltwater holding tanks and dead fish, while the freshwater side has generally fared better in terms of cleanliness. The store does offer a 7-day live guarantee on fish purchases, though at least one customer found the return process frustrating when they couldn't produce a receipt.
Staff interactions tend to be a bright spot. Multiple reviewers describe employees as friendly and willing to walk customers through the store, whether they're shopping for chameleon food or seeking advice on caring for a Savannah monitor. The team appears genuinely engaged with customers' questions about animal care, and several people highlight the knowledge base among the staff.
That said, pricing is a consistent pain point. Beyond the aquarium side, the store's bird and puppy pricing has drawn sharp criticism — cockatiels at $500 and green quakers at $1,100 struck some visitors as wildly inflated. The store also sources bred puppies rather than shelter animals, which has not gone unnoticed by rescue advocates.
For Fort Wayne fishkeepers, Uncle Bill's remains a convenient one-stop shop for fish food, tank equipment, and live feeders like crickets and mice — though feeder quality has been questioned. It's a store that delivers on selection and accessibility, even as animal care standards and pricing warrant a careful eye before committing to a purchase.
What they offer
Livestock, services, water
- Livestock & products
- Fish Food
- Specializes in
Highlights
What makes them special
- Wide selection of freshwater and saltwater fish alongside other live animals
- Convenient source for fish food, crickets, and tank equipment in Fort Wayne
- Friendly and knowledgeable staff willing to assist with animal care questions
- 7-day live guarantee on fish purchases (receipt required)
- Broad product variety including hard-to-find items
From keepers
Customer reviews
“Love this pet store! Best in Fort Wayne”
— Phil Hodges5.0a week ago“DO NOT BUY FEEDER MICE FROM HERE! WE GOT MICE FROM HERE AND NOW MY SNAKES HAVE MITES :((”
— Chevelle Brandeberry1.02 weeks ago“Had a wide variety of things I needed and had not seen in a store before. All staff were friendly, and the atmosphere is just outright engaging!”
— Christopher Elder5.02 weeks ago“It's to see a person making a way for their family but to sell animals at such a price to where people can't afford to buy them is sad. Especially when they wouldn't pay the price them self. In my opinion this is not a good place to purchase a dog not many selection and very over priced.”
— Bradford & Eva Ruef1.02 weeks ago“Got a hermit crab from there and I always get my fish food there awesome service fun store”
— Brandon Morris5.0a month ago“The staff is so friendly at Uncle Bills. They know a lot about the animals they take care of.”
— Jamie Forrest5.0a month ago“What's wrong with the pet world today.... I have done animal rescue for many decades. We stopped by this pet store to get a filter for a new tank. Many of the saltwater holding tanks were so bad you couldn't see in them. There were dead fish also. Freshwater tanks were clean. We were asked if we needed help and the young lady with the bull ring in her nose couldn't stop clicking her neon colored ball tongue stud long enough to find help for us. I wanted to know if the $1100 price tag on the green quaker was for just the bird or the bird in the cage. I'll say he for argument's sake, the quaker, wasn't drinking very well and was having a hard time negotiating the bottom of the cage. I also wanted to know why the the cockatiels were $500....FIVE HUNDRED!! This is what's wrong. (By the way, the price for the quaker was just for the bird and not the cage too.) People will get suckered into buying a pet.That's hugely overpriced... Disgustingly overpriced..... And think they've got a cute cuddly, little animal for their young one or even themselves. Not so. These birds are not hand tame in the least. The puppies they had in the store also were in pretty rough shape for the most part. And I understand you can't keep up on a dozen dogs, but letting them sit in a cage with poop in there.... The people working in that store should be stuck in the cage. I would proceed with caution with this place.”
— Michelle1.0a month ago“Lots of bred puppies no shelter puppies at all. Keep the puppy mills going.”
— Darrol Clark1.0a month ago“Love their crickets and their prices.”
— Hells Minion5.0a month ago“Lasy employees”
— Josh Banfield1.02 months ago
Reference
Frequently asked questions
Note — Store information and services may change. Always call (260) 436-9900 to confirm current availability, hours, and services before visiting Uncle Bill's Pet Centers Fort Wayne.