7048 Old Canton Rd Suite 1001, Ridgeland, MS 39157
Jackson Fish and Coral in Ridgeland, Mississippi has earned a fierce loyalty from saltwater hobbyists across the state — and beyond. One customer drove all the way from Gulfport, another from Texas, and both left raving about the quality of livestock and the depth of knowledge behind the counter. This is a dedicated saltwater shop, and that singular focus shows in every detail: healthy, vibrant marine fish with not a nicked fin in sight, stunning coral displays, and a curated selection of premium equipment including Red Sea tanks, skimmers, and rollermats.
The store is the vision of owner Greg (along with team members Tim and Will, and former owner Clyde), and reviews consistently highlight their patience, transparency, and genuine investment in customer success. Multiple first-time saltwater keepers credit the staff with guiding them through their initial setup without being pushy — even helping them save money along the way. One customer purchased six marine fish totaling around $700 and reported all were eating within 24 hours, a testament to the health of the livestock and the store's care standards.
Beyond retail, Jackson Fish and Coral offers tank installation and maintenance services. Greg and his team installed a custom in-wall aquarium for one customer who described it as looking like a piece of art. The store also provides water service for added convenience, and staff are happy to give detailed stock lists and pricing over the phone for those traveling from a distance.
The shop itself draws praise for its clean, organized, and professional atmosphere — one reviewer noted it's the only fish store his wife will actually visit with him. Beautiful display tanks showcase what's possible with their livestock and equipment. While the inventory is exclusively saltwater (freshwater keepers will need to look elsewhere), the focus pays off in quality and depth. For reef enthusiasts and marine fishkeepers anywhere in central Mississippi, Jackson Fish and Coral is the destination.
Just Fish LLC has anchored Mississippi's Gulf Coast for more than fifty years, and the family-run shop in Biloxi still draws aquarists who happily drive in from Mobile and beyond. Run by father-and-son team Gerwin and Roger, it's a full-service aquarium store stocking both freshwater and saltwater fish for sale, plus the livestock that reef and planted-tank keepers actually come looking for.
On the saltwater side, you'll find live corals and reef fish, anemones, and live rock available right here in Biloxi, MS — a selection reviewers call unbeatable, even "better than the aquarium." Freshwater hobbyists are covered too, with live aquarium plants, shrimp, driftwood, and hardscape rock for aquascaping. One customer described spreading rocks across the shop floor to plan their next layout while the staff cheered them on.
The dry-goods side runs just as deep: tanks, filters, and aquarium equipment, including hard-to-fit gear like a filter sized to clear the tight rim on an Imagitarium 75-gallon. If something isn't in stock, the crew will track it down and order it, and prices stay on par with online retailers.
Free water testing comes with honest, no-upsell advice — reviewers repeatedly note that the team explains exactly what your tank needs without pushing extra products. Tank setup, aquascaping guidance, and one-on-one consultation are all part of the experience, whether you're starting your first saltwater tank or fine-tuning a mature reef.
What truly sets the place apart is the crew: eight or more knowledgeable, beginner-friendly staff on the floor at any given time, with regulars mentioning Gerwin, Roger, and Kevin by name. With a 4.8-star rating across 50 reviews, Just Fish LLC is the fish store in Biloxi, MS that locals trust for healthy livestock, premium equipment, and service that treats your tank like its own.
Gone Fishin Exotic Pets is a locally owned aquarium store in Tupelo, MS that packs a remarkable amount of aquatic life into a modest, well-stocked space. It's one of the only places in the area carrying saltwater fish alongside a deep freshwater selection, which makes it a genuine destination — plenty of regulars say they drive an hour or more just to browse. Tanks hold vibrant guppies, bettas, otto catfish, shrimp, axolotls, and live coral, plus live plants for planted setups, so freshwater keepers and reef hobbyists alike can find livestock for sale in Tupelo, MS without driving to a big city. One longtime customer recently noted the pink finally coloring up in a fish she bought here — a small sign of the healthy stock people keep coming back for.
The fish room shares the floor with a full exotic-pet lineup — reptiles, snakes, budgies and Quaker parrots, guinea pigs, ferrets, and small mammals — and reptile keepers stop in weekly for competitively priced feeder crickets and mice. Across the board, reviewers say prices undercut the big-box chains, and the locally owned character shows: regulars are greeted by name and helped out to the car with heavy purchases.
Staff knowledge is the most cited strength. The owners are repeatedly praised for genuinely caring about the animals, and team members like Bilal are known for patient, honest guidance rather than a rushed sales pitch — the kind of help that makes the hobby approachable for newcomers and rewarding for seasoned aquarists. Customers mention buying snakes and fish here years ago that are still thriving today. Service can vary a little from one staffer to the next, but the owners and the long-tenured crew keep a loyal following returning.
If you're searching for saltwater fish, live coral, or hard-to-find freshwater species near me, Gone Fishin is the rare Tupelo shop that covers the whole tank — livestock, plants, and supplies — with in-person advice you can actually trust.
Pet Palace is a family-owned shop on the Hattiesburg pet scene that punches above its weight in the aquarium department. The store stocks both saltwater and freshwater fish, with reviewers specifically calling out nice saltwater frags and up-to-date reef products alongside freshwater staples. Their aquarium displays have been described as "mystical," and the owners clearly put effort into curating stock that rotates regularly — loyal customers mention making weekend trips just to see what's new.
The husband-and-wife team who own the store are frequently praised for their species-specific knowledge, whether you're asking about axolotl care, betta husbandry, or the nutritional differences between mealworms and dubia roaches. They carry live plants for aquariums (though results have been mixed for some buyers) and maintain a selection of tanks and aquarium equipment that sometimes includes items the big-box competitors don't stock. For pet food, they carry brands like Canidae. The store also offers water testing guidance — their fish exchange policy requires a water sample, which speaks to their emphasis on proper tank parameters even if the 48-hour window has frustrated some customers.
Beyond fish, Pet Palace is a menagerie: birds including cockatiels and parakeets, reptiles like leopard geckos and leopard tortoises, small mammals from ferrets to chinchillas to Mini Lop rabbits, and an impressive feeder insect selection featuring gut-loaded dubia roaches, crickets, and superworms. Several reviewers note the animals are kept in clean enclosures, though a few have raised concerns about specific husbandry choices like substrate selection.
The store's strength is its personal touch — the owners take time to answer questions without rushing customers and will special-order fish and feeders by request, though ordering timelines can occasionally slip. For Hattiesburg aquarists who want saltwater frags, freshwater livestock, and face-to-face advice from people who genuinely know their animals, Pet Palace fills a niche that chain stores simply can't.
Crystal Reef Aquariums in Gulfport, Mississippi is the kind of place that has been woven into the fabric of the local fishkeeping community for decades. Multiple reviewers mention shopping here since childhood — some since the 1990s — and owner Gary has been the constant through it all. His depth of knowledge is repeatedly cited as the store's greatest asset, with one longtime customer calling him "as knowledgeable about the hobby as anyone on the entire Gulf Coast."
The shop leans heavily toward freshwater, with a solid inventory of tropical species alongside more unusual offerings. Reviewers specifically mention aquatic frogs, eels, rope snakes, and what one customer calls "oddball fish needs" — suggesting Gary keeps things interesting beyond the typical community tank staples. Goldfish, feeder fish, and minnows are available for those with larger predatory fish like Oscars. Saltwater stock tends to be more limited, and coral availability appears inconsistent based on customer reports. Live plants and pond supplies round out the livestock side.
The physical space is modest — a compact, old-school fish room that won't win any design awards. Some visitors have noted dim lighting and maintenance issues, and a few have found the saltwater section underwhelming. But for many Gulfport-area hobbyists, none of that matters when weighed against Gary's willingness to special-order fish, test your water, and walk you through problems step by step. He's the kind of owner who will sit with you, diagnose your tank issues, and recommend exactly what you need without upselling.
Pricing opinions are split — some find deals here, while others feel equipment runs high compared to online retailers. The store stocks tanks, accessories, and general dry goods alongside its livestock. For Gulf Coast fishkeepers who value personalized guidance and a genuine relationship with their local fish shop, Crystal Reef Aquariums delivers something no online retailer or big-box pet store can replicate: Gary behind the counter, ready to talk fish.
