About
Salty Underground has carved out a distinctive niche in the St. Louis saltwater scene — and well beyond it. Operating as both a brick-and-mortar shop and a robust online retailer, they've built a following across the Midwest and nationally for their coral selection, marine fish, and one specialty that sets them apart: Berghia nudibranchs.
Multiple reviewers specifically sought them out as one of the few online sources for these aiptasia-eating nudis, and report successful shipments even in harsh December weather. The physical store stocks a colorful inventory of corals, starfish, pufferfish, anemones, and maxima clams. Reviewers rave about their half-off coral sales, where newcomers have walked out with their first frags at prices that surprised them.
Tangs, Moorish Idols, yasha gobies, yellow clown gobies, and clean-up crew packages (hermit crabs, snails) round out a catalog that skews toward serious reef keepers. They quarantine fish before selling — a detail loyal customers appreciate and one that distinguishes them from many competitors. The ownership and staff earn consistent praise for their passion and willingness to educate.
One reviewer described the owner walking them through examples of everything they asked about while they were still deciding what kind of tank to set up. Staff members Megan and Cynthia get called out by name for responsive online communication. Shipping is where opinions diverge.
Many customers report next-day arrivals with livestock in excellent condition and generous extras thrown in. Others have experienced delays, miscommunications, or items dropped from orders without notice. The $50 shipping cost stings when things don't go smoothly.
A couple of reviewers also flagged ich concerns in-store, noting cross-contamination between tanks — a serious issue worth monitoring. At its best, Salty Underground delivers healthy marine livestock at competitive prices with genuine enthusiasm. Their online reach, periodic sales, and specialty offerings like Berghia make them a destination for reef hobbyists across the region.
Walk-in hours are limited, so check before visiting.
What they offer
Livestock, services, water
- Livestock & products
- Services
- Specializes in
Highlights
What makes them special
- One of the few online sources for Berghia nudibranchs for aiptasia control
- Half-off coral sales with impressive selection for reef tanks
- Quarantines fish before selling to customers
- Ships saltwater livestock nationwide with next-day air options
- Passionate and knowledgeable staff including owner who takes time to educate
From keepers
Customer reviews
“Great place for all your salt water needs. Can get whatever you are looking for.”
— Lucinda Marie Murrell5.0a month ago“Fun place to learn about fish. The staff is very informative and will answer all your questions. It’s very clean in here and you can tell the fish are well taken care of.”
— jackie kuhl5.0a month ago“Blatant disregard for the well being of animals. There was an entire tank that was infested with ich. All fish were severely dull with copious ich marks. There were multiple dead fish in the tank that presumably died from ich. The dead fish were in mid to late stages of decay. The employee that showed me around then contaminated other tanks by using the same hand that touched the infected tank to touch other tanks. I now know why they used to not be open to the public and only did online sales... very disappointing.”
— Jay Rahn1.02 months ago“Everything likely has ich... There was a tank that had a complete infestation of ich and the person working there used the same hand that touched the infected tank to reach into another tank. There were also multiple dead fish in tanks which I found baffling. It is disappointing to see how unprofessional this place is. The employees were very nice though.”
— Anonymous Person1.02 months ago“came in looking for aiptasia, majanos, and asterinas and they gave me those + more pests. they also have a really cool berghia farm”
— Kazran S5.05 months ago“I ordered a cuc. Arrived the next day. I only acclimated in the bags for temperature. Snails and crabs are thriving one week later. Two have molted. I do drop an algae wafer, and blue legs all sky dive off the highest rocks. Like a dog, to get the food, lol. My favorite store in the Midwest. Update: 3 months later. The yellow clown goby I ordered. Acclimated well and eventually feed on flakes. Depleted some pods. He greets you at the glass, lol.”
— Tim Graber5.0Edited 6 months ago“Great salt water reef store, staff is extremely helpful.”
— Konrad Reed5.08 months ago“Great place, great staff. Prices on the site cover a wide range - sometimes high, sometimes unbelievably low. I like to watch for a good deal and then drop by to pick it up to save on shipping. Everything I've bought was always healthy.”
— Brad Murphy5.08 months ago“The owner is totally amazing! Great personality and very kind. My husband and I visit here a few times and each visit was nice. The staff is kind, the store is neat and always has a unique selection of fish. The prices are reasonable on some fish. Others are expensive but that's to be expected for saltwater fish. The best part is the owner being down to earth and easy to talk to. Answers questions and is eagered to help. Hope he stays in buisiness for a long time! I learn more things about saltwater each time I visit this buisiness. Great guy.”
— Jessie Rene'5.08 months ago“Went to the shop in stl, open sign but door was locked. Ordered online later, website says next day air shipping paid 50 bucks for shipping (cost more than the product), 4 or 5 days later my order hadn't shipped, wasn't gonna get shipped either til the following Monday. 2 stars cuz they did give me a refund. Disappointed because they seemed like a good shop but im not gonna pay more for shipping just to have to wait twice as long as competitors, don't waste your time.”
— Lucky Reynolds2.09 months ago
Reference
Frequently asked questions
Note — Store information and services may change. Always call (314) 756-2259 to confirm current availability, hours, and services before visiting Salty Underground.