About
Quality Aquatics Pet Shop has quietly become one of the most talked-about freshwater fish stores in the Twin Cities metro, and a visit makes it obvious why. This family-owned shop in Circle Pines, MN keeps its tanks stocked with a depth and oddball variety that regulars say they can't find anywhere else in the state — one reviewer with more than 30 years in the aquarium industry said he "saw more rare fish in one stop at Quality Aquatics than I have seen in quite some time," singling out the cichlids, oddballs, and plants. That reputation rests on the livestock.
Shoppers come in for rummy nose tetras and diamond tetras, leave with discus, and routinely turn up species you'd normally only read about — pea puffers, kuhli loaches, empire gudgeons, and a deep bench of bettas that make a friendly starting point for new hobbyists. Shrimp, fancy goldfish, and a genuinely impressive wall of freshwater aquatic plants and driftwood round out a selection built for planted-tank and oddball keepers alike. If you're hunting for rare freshwater fish for sale in Circle Pines, MN, this is the room to walk.
The centerpiece is a roughly 6-foot, 125-150 gallon planted display tank so densely aquascaped that the mature fish hide until you lean in close — a diamond tetra here, an empire gudgeon there. Beyond the showpiece, the sales tanks stay clean and the fish stay healthy, which longtime customers credit to the store's habit of quarantining and treating new arrivals before they ever go up for sale. Owner Andy and the crew are the other draw: patient, genuinely knowledgeable, and happy to have you "pick his brain," as one regular put it, whether you're chasing a specific oddball or planning a bigger setup.
Prices land well below most local shops, and the store keeps weekend-friendly hours, so it's worth confirming the day before you make the drive from St. Paul or beyond.
What they offer
Fish & livestock for sale at Quality Aquatics Pet Shop in Circle Pines, MN
Quality Aquatics Pet Shop stocks rare and hard-to-find species, betta fish, goldfish, shrimp, pufferfish, tetras, cichlids, discus, aquarium plants and freshwater fish for sale in Circle Pines, MN. As a fish store serving Circle Pines, MN, it also carries dry goods and aquarium equipment and offers fish quarantine.
- Livestock & products
- Rare SpeciesLive PlantsPlanted TanksBettasGoldfishShrimpPuffersTetrasCichlidsDiscusInvertebratesDry GoodsAquarium Equipment
- Services
- Specializes in
Highlights
What makes them special
- Rare and oddball freshwater species including cichlids, pea puffers, kuhli loaches, empire gudgeons, and rummy nose and diamond tetras
- Discus, a deep betta selection, fancy goldfish, and shrimp for sale in Circle Pines, MN
- Roughly 6-foot, 125-150 gallon densely aquascaped planted display tank
- New arrivals quarantined and treated before sale, so customers report consistently healthy fish
- Family-owned with owner Andy and knowledgeable staff; prices below most local shops
From keepers
Customer reviews
“It's really cool to see fishes you never seen before and they are my favorite people they are kind also know what to do and they have the stuff you need but not sometimes”
— Forsakenlover621 Chang5.04 days ago“Great family run place. As with any fish store, sometimes there can be some fish that shipped badly, but Andy is great about making sure sick fish don't go home with you. Tons of variety and options too!”
— Elena Mathys5.05 days ago“Great shop, lots of fish to choose from and very knowledgeable workers!! Highly recommend, worth the trip”
— Cory Doyle5.0a week ago“They take A M A Z I N G care of their fish. They treat them when they first get them as well. Every single fish we got from them is still alive to this day. We loveee going there. We HIGHLY recommend to everyone!”
— Tiffany Rogalla5.0a month ago“I love this fish store.they’ve got a lot of fishes.”
— Zoo Zoo5.0a month ago“Came in for some rummy nose tetras and was shocked at the selection and quality of everything, definitely will be stopping in again soon Update 5/26 this has been my go to store for anything fish for years now, they have everything you could ever want or need, thank you to the amazing people at quality aquatics”
— sean5.0Edited a month ago“A nice fish store with a good selection of fishes.”
— Tony T5.02 months ago“Everyone here is extremely nice and knowledgeable!! Their prices are very reasonable and I will without a doubt be shopping here in the future!!”
— Zakk Prokott5.02 months ago“Andy's the man! Great selection of fish!”
— Benny Yaj5.0Edited 2 months ago“I've been in the aquarium industry for over 30 years and I saw more rare fish in one stop at Quality Aquatics than I have seen in quite some time. Great selection of cichlids, oddball, and plants. Dry goods restricted to the essentials, with no garbage gear you often see at the big box stores. Family owned and operated. I will definitely be back.”
— Douglas McComb5.02 months ago
Reference
Frequently asked questions
Note — Store information and services may change. Always call (763) 780-3474 to confirm current availability, hours, and services before visiting Quality Aquatics Pet Shop.