Coral Reef Pet Shop

Coral Reef Pet Shop has been a fixture of New Orleans' Lakeview neighborhood for close to 30 years, and despite its name, you won't find a single coral frag or saltwater tank in the building. Multiple reviewers have shown up expecting reef livestock only to discover a modest freshwater fish operation and a full-service general pet supply store — so consider yourself forewarned. What you will find is a family-run shop where the owner greets regulars by name and offers genuinely knowledgeable guidance on tropical freshwater fish keeping.

The freshwater selection is small but well-maintained, with healthy tropical fish and snails at fair prices — one customer walked out with two fish and two snails for around $15. The owner has explained that COVID forced them to scale back their tank count, though longtime patrons remember when the fish section was more robust. Koi have occasionally been advertised, though at least one visitor found the actual inventory didn't match expectations.

For pond keepers in the area, the shop does sell pond fish — one local customer stocks their backyard pond here, though they joke about competing with the water birds from Bayou St. John for their fish. Beyond fish, Coral Reef carries a wide variety of dog foods, cat supplies, hamster setups, feeder mice, and other small animal essentials.

Several reviewers praise the store as cleaner and more reasonably priced than the chain pet stores, with a loyalty rewards program for frequent buyers. The staff can special-order products they don't carry in stock. The shop also operates a grooming service — groomer Ashley gets consistent praise, though experiences have varied.

The real draw here is the personal touch. In a city dominated by big-box retailers, Coral Reef offers the kind of one-on-one consultation where the owner will walk you through fish care or help you pick the right food for your pet. It's a neighborhood shop in the truest sense — modest in size, genuine in service, and deeply rooted in the Lakeview community.