About
Rick's Fish & Pet Supply has been a Frederick, MD fixture for the better part of four decades, and longtime customers describe it as one of the last real pet shops left — a densely packed, family-owned warren of tanks and enclosures where inventory spills into every corner. The aisles are tight and the shelves are stacked high; this is old-school expertise over chain-store polish, and regulars wouldn't have it any other way. The freshwater wall runs deep, from feeder guppies and swordtails to rotating rarities that veteran hobbyists say they'd never seen in 40 years in the hobby.
If you're hunting unusual livebearers or hard-to-find fish for sale in Frederick, MD, this is the kind of aquarium store where the stock changes week to week. Aquatic plants like duckweed and frogbit are available too. On the saltwater side, the coral section is a genuine draw: pulsing Xenia at $10 a stalk, zoa frags, and reasonably priced hammer corals, plus copepods and phytoplankton for reef tank feeding.
Reef keepers also find wrasses, pistol shrimp, anemones, and saltwater crabs and turbo snails near the back. Owner Rick is often on the floor talking aquarium hobby, and staff like Jake and Arty earn repeat praise for patience and willingness to educate, especially around water chemistry. The shop runs water tests and will walk you through the results honestly — even when the news is that your own test kit is the problem.
Beyond the tanks, Rick's is a full menagerie: ball pythons and other reptiles, birds, rabbits, rodents, and invertebrates, with dry goods, food, and equipment across species. The space is admittedly cramped and can carry a strong tank-room odor — a high-density operation in a compact building. But for Frederick-area fishkeepers who prize selection and hands-on knowledge over aesthetics, Rick's remains a go-to local fish store with a loyal following built over generations.
What they offer
Fish & livestock for sale at Rick's Fish & Pet Supply in Frederick, MD
Rick's Fish & Pet Supply stocks corals, reef fish, invertebrates, shrimp, livebearers, anemones, rare and hard-to-find species, aquarium plants and freshwater & saltwater fish for sale in Frederick, MD. As an aquarium store serving Frederick, MD, it also carries fish food and dry goods and offers water testing and aquarium consultations.
- Livestock & products
- Services
- Specializes in
Highlights
What makes them special
- Saltwater coral section with pulsing Xenia at $10/stalk, zoa frags, and hammer corals, plus copepods and phytoplankton for reef feeding
- Deep freshwater wall of feeder guppies, swordtails, and rotating rarities hobbyists say they've never seen in 40 years
- Owner Rick and staff (Jake, Arty) known for hands-on water testing and honest fish-care advice
- Family-owned Frederick institution that regulars call 'one of the last real pet shops left'
- Full menagerie beyond fish: ball pythons, reptiles, birds, rabbits, rodents, and invertebrates
From keepers
Customer reviews
“Called first thing in the morning to make sure they had the crabs and snails I needed in stock before driving from Hagerstown. Waited over 30 minutes for help to get some snails and crabs for my saltwater tank. Had to leave to meet someone else no big deal I'd come back later. Came back an hour or so later. Waited another 30 minutes, no employees at register and roughly 5 people in line, watched two people infront of me give up and leave after waiting for who knows how long. Finally got some help, she can't find the crabs that I was assured they had plenty of. She just starts grabbing shells apparently. So I get home and roughly half of the crabs that I paid for are just empty shells and 2 dead turbo snails in a bag. The one employee was very nice and apologized for not being able to help me my first trip but the others were worthless. They need an adult in this building ASAP.”
— Rusty Baker2.06 days ago“10/10 will always recommend Rick’s due to his genuine customer service as well as his care for every animal. His knowledge is far beyond anyone else and his employees have all been nice to me for the few 6-7 months I’ve been going here. Always a pleasure to speak with you Rick. Thank you for being who you are! Need more people like you in this world ❤️ - Customer Forever”
— Kelsey Engram5.0a week ago“Friendly, knowledgeable workers who want to help you. A great variety of fish, some of never seen before in 40 years of the hobby.”
— Julia Miller5.03 weeks ago“I've been a customer of Rick's for nearly 40 years. It's a great place to get fish, birds, rabbits and reptiles. I take my grandkids there sometimes just to look around. Highly recommend.”
— Val Duffy5.0a month ago“Always great selection, service and aquarium hobby talk”
— Ted Kinsall5.02 months ago“Love this family owned business”
— joey bland5.02 months ago“Been going here for years, never an issue. Everyone I've ever asked a question has always been helpful & there's never been a need to go elsewhere.”
— Mike P5.02 months ago“Felt like I was just being led on and told to buy stuff when I just came for fish (possibly.) Still ended up buying fish as well and they all died. I am a "so-called" beginner in the fish tank endeavor but everything else in my tank is still alive and thriving. I feel like I got scammed.”
— Cortez Boyce1.02 months ago“Rick store suck and took a 14 year old money and refused to exchange his fish or give him back his money. They lied after they asked him to jump through hoops they never had any intention to give him his money back . He worked hard for 66.00 to get his fish . He trusted Rick and spoke with him a lot about fish so he knew what he was talking about and has spent iver400.00 in the store previously. Bad way to run a business will not be going back but will be leaving bad reviews everywhere. They could of help him out instead of blowing him off”
— Kim harris1.03 months ago“Typical LFS ... And more ... A little bit of everything”
— Michael Hunt5.0Edited 3 months ago
Reference
Frequently asked questions
Note — Store information and services may change. Always call (301) 694-9664 to confirm current availability, hours, and services before visiting Rick's Fish & Pet Supply.