About
Tucked into an unassuming office strip mall in Plymouth, Minnesota, Joe's Shrimp Shack has built a devoted following among Twin Cities aquarists — and for good reason. This specialty freshwater shop lives up to its name with one of the most impressive shrimp selections in the metro area. Neocaridina, PRL (Pure Red Line), and a rainbow of other colorful varieties fill immaculately maintained tanks, each outfitted with sponge filters that speak to the care behind the operation.
But shrimp aren't the only draw. The store stocks a solid lineup of live aquarium plants — Rotala, tissue cultures, and other species that reviewers report thriving and spreading quickly in their home tanks. Driftwood and spider wood pieces are available in generous variety for aquascaping projects, along with foods, fertilizers, and supplements.
Bettas line one wall in individual containers with a drip filtration system, and small schooling fish like Pygmy Corys round out the livestock. Nerite snails and other invertebrates are also on hand. What makes Joe's Shrimp Shack feel different from a typical pet store is the atmosphere.
Owner Joe sets the tone — greeting customers with humor ("Welcome to Walmart") and genuinely engaging with visitors, including kids. Staff are consistently praised for being patient with newcomers to shrimp keeping, answering basic questions without a hint of condescension. There's even a couch for family members who need to wait while you agonize over which shrimp colony to bring home.
The store also has a quirky side — Pokémon cards and hot sauce sit alongside aquarium supplies, giving the shop a personality all its own. Pre-made planted display tanks showcase what's possible and serve as inspiration. Joe has even made appearances at events like the Houston aquarium expo, building community well beyond Plymouth.
For freshwater hobbyists in the Twin Cities looking for healthy, vibrant shrimp and quality plants without paying shipping fees, Joe's Shrimp Shack is worth the drive.
What they offer
Livestock, services, water
- Livestock & products
- Services
- Consultation
- Specializes in
Highlights
What makes them special
- Massive selection of colorful shrimp varieties including Neocaridina and PRL
- Thriving live aquarium plants and tissue cultures
- Every tank equipped with sponge filters for top-notch water quality
- Excellent aquascaping supplies including driftwood and spider wood
- Comfortable, immaculately clean store with a welcoming family-friendly atmosphere
From keepers
Customer reviews
“This shop is now in rotation for my family. We love fish and Pokémon! Not a soul leaves disappointed. The tanks were mostly clean.. fish and plants appeared to be in great health. The shrimp were thriving!!! I got my fourth betta for my fourth Betta tank and a plant. I was a little disheartened by the care of the bettas. They’re kept along a wall in individual small glass containers with a “drip” filtration system.. the fish towards the bottom were in poor health due to, getting the waste from the fish kept above them. I actually picked a betta that was in a small round Buddha bowl.. not on the wall. They were kind enough to sell to me. I have two tanks cycling currently and I can’t wait to visit again for plants, spider wood, and shrimp! I attached a photo of the betta we purchased in his 5 gallon cube. With a sponge filter and heater”
— Ashley sun4.0a week ago“Always able to get Pokeman cards for my boys.”
— Saul Singh5.02 months ago“Joe's always has quality shrimp and helpful employees!”
— Molly Foss5.02 months ago“My family came with me the other weekend to pick out some shrimp. We were really impressed with this shop. The store and tanks were clean, fish were healthy, cool store decorations my kids really enjoyed and it was nice that there was even a couch for them to wait while I took forever making up my mind. I also really appreciated that the employee there seemed knowledgeable and passionate about the industry and really let me ponder at my own pace without feeling pushy or shadowy. They have a great selection of shrimp here, and all looked fantastic and healthy. Although shrimp is their specialty they also have a decent selection of fish and plants as well. Their plants all looked phenomenal and i ended up walking out with some Rotala in addition to my Pygmy Cory’s, Nerite Snails, and Neocaridina shrimp. Everything came home and quickly adapted to the new tank and are very active already. We had to come back for Black Friday to get some more, and also picked up a few new additions to the tank 😎 overall highly impressed with the shop, I highly recommend them. Their prices are more than fair and the fish couldn’t be more well taken care of. Can’t wait to come back!”
— Riley Poe5.02 months ago“Helpfull staff, lots of options. Fish and shrimp are always healthy with plenty of options. Im happy its on my side of the metro.”
— Michael S5.02 months ago“Best place to get shrimp and plants! Plants have been in my tank for a month and have already grown and spread.”
— Jax Zimmermann5.02 months ago“Honestly Joe is very rude, reminds me of myself at the age of 12 with Pokémon cards.”
— Jon DaVinci1.02 months ago“Everything is overpriced”
— mitya shin1.0Edited 3 months ago“This shop has more than shrimp. We got a great female Betta here and her name is now Queenie. Great service.”
— Susan Nelson5.04 months ago“Walked in not knowing what to expect and left completely blown away! No wonder Joe's shrimp shack is so highly rated. Very friendly knowledgeable staff that are approachable with any kind of wild question you might have.”
— Josh Prentice5.04 months ago
Reference
Frequently asked questions
Note — Store information and services may change. Always call (952) 212-7913 to confirm current availability, hours, and services before visiting Joes shrimp shack.