About
Art of Aquaria has carved out a devoted following in the St. Louis aquarium scene by doing things a little differently. Tucked into a space that's bigger than it first appears, the shop is built around a passion for aquascaping, live plants, and thoughtfully curated livestock rather than sheer volume.
Reviewers consistently call out the plant selection as the best in the area — lush, healthy, and varied enough to anchor everything from a simple nano setup to a full planted display tank. The shrimp selection is another standout. Multiple customers describe it as the best in the St.
Louis metro, with colorful cherry shrimp varieties, blue dream, and crystal shrimp drawing hobbyists from across the region. The store also stocks a compelling range of small community fish, Bolivian rams, plecos, and other species you won't find at big-box chains. A dedicated room houses driftwood and hardscape rocks — much of it sourced locally — giving aquascapers a hands-on way to plan their layouts.
Frameless and micro tanks line the shelves alongside premium fish foods and dry goods, and the shop has expanded into corals, saltwater, reptiles, and terrestrial invertebrates. Tanks throughout the store are notably clean and well-maintained, a detail that comes up in review after review. Free water testing is available, and the staff — often the owners themselves — are praised for spending real time walking customers through setups, cycling questions, and livestock compatibility.
The vibe is relaxed and knowledgeable rather than pushy. One customer recounted meeting an owner at a MASI (Missouri Aquarium Society) swap meet and being directed to freshly stocked Bolivian Rams at the shop. Another credited the team with helping them build their very first aquascape from scratch, supplying everything from substrate to tips and tricks.
Art of Aquaria rewards the visit. It's a store shaped by people who clearly keep tanks themselves, and that sensibility shows in every detail — from the livestock health to the carefully chosen inventory.
What they offer
Livestock, services, water
- Livestock & products
- Services
- Specializes in
Highlights
What makes them special
- Best shrimp selection in the St. Louis area with multiple color varieties
- Top-rated live aquatic plant inventory praised as the area's best
- Dedicated hardscape room with locally sourced driftwood and rocks
- Specializes in frameless and micro tanks not found at chain stores
- Free water testing and hands-on aquascaping guidance from knowledgeable owners
From keepers
Customer reviews
“Didn't even know this place existed. Great store”
— Jason S5.0a day ago“Very nice place Very nice staff”
— Brian Brown5.02 weeks ago“Dead fish in nearly every tank, many covered in parasites. I don't care that you are a small business with a small staff. Taking 10 minutes a few times a day to pull out dead fish is not expecting much. And from a customers perspective, what is causing all of your fish to die? I will shop elsewhere and avoid this incompetence.”
— Josh Waters1.0a month ago“good think to go”
— yahya alrashid5.02 months ago“Nice selection of fish, plants and anything you may actually need to start any aquarium. I think at all the fish we looked at seemed to be healthy compared to what you may find at the big pet stores. Staff seemed extremely knowledgeable of the inventory we was very impressed.”
— Micheal Haley5.02 months ago“Advertise native fish species but do not have any in stock. Went to shop for the first time. Employee never welcomed us. We walked around and looked through the store for about 15 minutes waiting for him to be done with another customer. When he finished with them, he continued to ignore us and helped a different customer who came in to the store quite a while after us. We were very interested in what they had to offer but the customer service was very lacking and we left without being spoken to and will not be doing business here in the future.”
— Keirstyn Fullerton3.03 months ago“Neat setup great tanks. Thanks for the plexo!”
— Tony Zebrowski5.03 months ago“Suprising great fish store! Great selection of plants and aquarium supplies, rocks and driftwood and super friendly. Will be back soon!”
— Joel Platke5.04 months ago“Definitely a unique spot worth checking out! Plus tons of invert and plant options.”
— Taylor Priest5.05 months ago“They have lots of fish and the staff is VERY helpful. I highly recommend this place.”
— Amanda Jeffries5.05 months ago
Reference
Frequently asked questions
Note — Store information and services may change. Always call (314) 282-0257 to confirm current availability, hours, and services before visiting Art Of Aquaria.