Adam's Pet Safari in Chester, New Jersey is a sprawling pet shop that doubles as an exotic animal destination, with a fish department that draws customers from well beyond Morris County. The store stocks a solid variety of freshwater fish and live aquarium plants — one reviewer recounted going in for a single plant and leaving with three plants and three fish after a genuinely helpful conversation with a staffer who clearly knew her aquatic botany. The betta section, notably, has been praised for being cleaner and better maintained than competitors.
The freshwater selection appears broad enough to keep hobbyists interested, and the store's knowledgeable staff consistently earns praise for giving sound advice on fish care and tank setups. Several reviewers specifically credit the owner's expertise, and the willingness of employees to walk customers through purchases without being pushy stands out in multiple accounts. That said, Adam's Pet Safari is a polarizing place.
The store is primarily a multi-species pet shop — ferrets, rats, reptiles, birds, and more — and the sheer volume of animals under one roof creates real challenges. A significant number of reviewers describe a powerful odor upon entering, disorganized aisles, and concerns about cramped enclosures for some of the non-fish animals. The fish department itself seems to fare better in reviews than the mammal and reptile sections, but the overall store environment is something prospective visitors should be prepared for.
For freshwater fishkeepers in the Chester area, the draw is clear: reasonable prices, healthy plants, a decent fish selection, and staff who can actually talk substrates, species compatibility, and plant care with authority. The store functions as a genuine local resource for aquarists who know what they're looking for and appreciate old-school, hands-on pet shop knowledge over big-box retail anonymity. Just be aware that the broader store experience may not match the quality of the fish department.
krystie fulton
213 reviews
I went here for the first time to buy 1 plant for my fish tank. I don't remember her name, but the girl who helped me was so knowledgeable about the plants and fish. She was so helpful in fact (and not in a salesperson, pushy type of way, I asked a lot of questions), that I ended up leaving with 3 plants and 3 fish. It's been about a week or so, and everything is still thriving. Their prices were good too. I'll definitely go back!
Pete G
5 reviews
Awesome and healthy animals
Vik M.
99 reviews
Friendly staff, good selection of pretty much anything.
LeashDriver
46 reviews
Was there years ago and it was great. Everything I read about it these days says it still is!
Jared Hackney
7 reviews
Very helpful here and full of great advice. I wouldn't buy my fish from anyone else
Em I
I dont usually make reviews like this but this place is in need of a look at. First, I would like to say that this place is super unorganized and is in desperate need of a clean, its hard to find things and there are random bins, items on the ground, the register is filled with things behind, its a lot. Secondly, the animals are in such poor condition. Most of the cages are not fit for the animals directly. For example, you cannot have a 6ft long ball python in a 10 gallon tank. That is beyond me. You should not have 4 rabbits in one little tank. There were many bearded dragons around the store, I honestly saw like 3 tanks. The mice and rats were honestly the worst for me. You should not keep them in the smallest cage possible, idc if they are feeder rats or not. The one positive thing I will say is the beta little tanks are pretty clean compared to other pet stores. The store smelled like an animal farm (which is do kinda understand because of all the animals but still) it was honestly giving me a headache from the time I went in there till I got to my home. I honestly couldnt tell who was an employee and who wasn't because they didnt even have shirts on or anything. The staff was pretty okay and nice though. I felt super uncomfortable being around these poor animals that look sick and are in the worst conditions possible. Not to mention, they claim they have certain items on there website, but then you go there and its not even there! This place needs major improvements or I will be contacting the state because of the animals conditions. Please clean up your store and do better.
gabby m
2 reviews
purchased a ferret from this store a few years ago. staff claimed she was spayed, come to find out whatever vet did her surgery left multiple parts of her reproductive system in her. now my poor baby is in heat and if nobody knows this, once a ferret is in heat and doesn't reproduce, they can pass away. the staff claimed she was spayed since she has the identification markings on her ear and tried to convince me to get 2 ferrets since they had a "deal" on them. now i understand why. after i told them i already have another young ferret given to me by my friend who could no longer keep hers, they charged me an extra $200 more for my ferret since i wasn't willing to buy another from them. which i was ok with since i drove over 2 hours and really needed a friend for my other baby. i'm just extremely disappointed in this store, i do believe the ferrets there are well socialized and very friendly as i got to interact with almost all of them but the owner just seems to not care about how the animals are treated as they kept about 10 ferrets in a very small glass cage. petco isn't the best pet store either, but the most i've seen in those enclosures were 2-3 so imagine that. please don't purchase a ferret from here unless you want to pay a hefty vet bill. 🙏🏼
Sophia Villaverde
15 reviews
The items here were okay but the pets seemed to be living in dirty tanks and small cramped cages :(
Richard Dacey
19 reviews
Shop local great people
Meg M
36 reviews
Purchased 3 rats from here over the weekend and just came back for a 4th. The rats are so even tempered and well behaved, you can tell they put a ton of work into socializing and handling them. The owner and the worker who helped with the rats both times were extremely knowledgeable and friendly. I came from an hour and a half away, and I will drive that hour and a half for all future visits or more rat friends because you just don’t find such well bred animals anywhere else. Any questions I had, they were quick to help. Really appreciate you guys!
Note: Store information and services may change. Always call (908) 879-8998 to confirm current availability, hours, and services before visiting Adam's Pet Safari.
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19 W Main St, Chester, NJ 07930, USA
February 7, 2026
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