About
Family Pet & Aquarium in Nashua, New Hampshire is primarily a pet store focused on puppies, kittens, and small animals, with a modest aquarium section that rounds out the offerings. Despite having "Aquarium" in its name, the fish department plays a supporting role to the store's main attraction: a rotating selection of purebred and designer puppies that draw families through the door week after week. The puppy selection is genuinely impressive in variety — customers have found Japanese Chins, Shiba Inus, Miniature Pinschers, Bichons, Havanese, Golden Retrievers, and Shiffons (Brussels Griffon/Shih Tzu mixes) among the breeds available.
Staff members like Chrissy and Howie are frequently praised for walking customers through the process, matching temperaments to lifestyles, and following up with phone calls after purchase to check on new additions. Puppies come microchipped, vaccinated, and registered, which streamlines the experience considerably. The aquarium side is more limited.
The store stocks freshwater fish and basic supplies, but reviewers note a lack of live plants, driftwood, decorative rock, and brand variety. One knowledgeable fishkeeper raised concerns about staff attempting to acclimate figure eight puffers — a brackish species — entirely to freshwater, which suggests the aquatic expertise doesn't run deep. If you're after serious aquarium guidance or specialty equipment in Nashua, you may want to look elsewhere.
Beyond dogs and fish, the store carries small animals including bunnies, rats, and birds — a striking African grey parrot has held court in the back of the store, commanding attention and "keep your fingers to yourself" warnings. The store occupies a compact footprint, so expectations should be calibrated accordingly. Customer experiences are mixed — the majority of puppy buyers report healthy, happy pets years later, though occasional health issues like Giardia have surfaced.
The store's willingness to reimburse veterinary costs in those situations is a point in their favor. For Nashua residents seeking a puppy with hands-on support before and after purchase, this store delivers on that front reliably.
What they offer
Fish & livestock for sale at Family Pet & Aquarium-Nashua in Nashua, NH
Family Pet & Aquarium-Nashua stocks pufferfish and freshwater & brackish fish for sale in Nashua, NH.
- Livestock & products
- Puffers
- Specializes in
- FreshwaterBrackish
Highlights
What makes them special
- Wide variety of purebred and designer puppies including Japanese Chins, Shiba Inus, Havanese, and Golden Retrievers
- Staff follow up with phone calls after purchase to check on new pets
- Puppies come microchipped, vaccinated, and registered
- Small freshwater fish section with basic aquarium supplies
- Resident African grey parrot in the back of the store
From keepers
Customer reviews
“Got my Silky terrier/ Westie mix from here as a puppy he’s 8 now! I would definitely recommend here for a puppy. I did a DNA test they were accurate, and before I got to bring him home we was sick and the informed me I could not bring him home until he was better… he did have parvo. I reached out to a vet to see if a puppy I “purchased” had parvo could cause any issues in future. My vet told me that in a way is not a so bad thing he had parvo as it helps him build more immunity to it in future. Love my little Ziggy, and he’s acts like he’s still a puppy!!”
— Zachary Taha5.02 months ago“Great place with friendly owner”
— Chih-Hsing Chou5.03 months ago“Went in today for the first time looking for a specific fish and they had exactly what I wanted. The gentlemen was very friendly and helpful, and gave me a discount. The fish tanks are very clean and well kept. While I was only there for fish, of course I looked at the pups. The puppies were healthy and cages were very clean.”
— Scott Peterson5.03 months ago“Went looking for a dog with my family. When we went in, the first thing I noticed was a "chinchilla cage" that was so tiny. And for 150 dollars. Not fit fir a chinchilla at all. They had mice and rats in cages that looked like 3 or 5 gallons, with no enrichment. Some were even solitary. The one that pissed me off even more, was willy, the African Grey. Africans Greys are very smart, and the smarter an animal, the more things it needs to keep its brain healthy (idk how else to word that). Willy had a plastic toy, news papers, and a waterbowl. Thats it. Poor thing is probably bored out of his mind. These people dont care about animals, they only care about money. Just as bad as petco and petsmart. Im disappointed.”
— Lillian Pasek (Bex)1.03 months ago“Got my beautiful miniature pintcher here about a year ago. She is the sweetest most loving little dog. I take her everywhere and she just brings so much joy not just to me but everyone she comes into contact with.”
— Scott Bradt5.0a month ago“my rats had babies. mind you, i was told theyre the same gender. this is not okay brotha.”
— Brielle Dinoia1.0Edited 4 months ago“lovely local pet store”
— Mordecai Veldt5.06 months ago“Love it”
— Sean Corcoran5.07 months ago“Rude, disrespectful staff. Dirty store, puppies look sickly and uncared for.”
— Kaitlyn Smith1.07 months ago“I got my bichon puppy Marilyn Monroe there just this past March and I love her so much! They are wonderful people there & care a lot about their animals. They made sure Marilyn was fully vaccinated and given the right food before she was ready to go home, she was already microchipped and registered and ready to be licensed. I highly recommend them for anyone looking for a new puppy, especially small dogs like Marilyn. They make sure their dogs find the right owners who care for them.”
— Cora Sloane5.08 months ago
Reference
Frequently asked questions
Note — Store information and services may change. Always call (603) 880-5464 to confirm current availability, hours, and services before visiting Family Pet & Aquarium-Nashua.