








Aquaridise in East Brunswick, New Jersey is one of those increasingly rare independent fish stores that stocks both freshwater and saltwater livestock in serious volume. Walk in and you'll find rows of tanks holding everything from cichlids and jack dempseys to arowanas, Bornean spiny eels, gold gouramis, and a solid marine selection that draws newer saltwater hobbyists back repeatedly. Their live plant section gets consistent praise, and the coral inventory rounds out a saltwater department that covers reef essentials.
Supplies fill the aisles too — Fluval equipment, magnetic worm feeders, chemicals, tank décor, and the kind of niche accessories you won't find at chain stores. Owner Howie is the heartbeat of the operation, known for personally ordering hard-to-find items and following through on promises. Staff members like Rai, Christian, and Scott earn regular shout-outs for their product knowledge and willingness to stop what they're doing to talk through stocking questions or water chemistry.
The store offers free water testing and runs a rewards program, which helps offset prices that some customers find on the higher side — though most consider them fair for a local fish store of this caliber. Aquaridise does carry a seven-day guarantee on most livestock, though some reviewers have experienced losses shortly after purchase, particularly with shrimp and higher-value fish like arowanas, where a separate policy apparently applies. A handful of customers have noted visible illness in certain tanks, so inspecting fish carefully before buying is wise.
That said, many long-time hobbyists swear by the quality — one reviewer's jack dempsey purchased here years ago grew into the best specimen they've ever seen. The store has a nostalgic, mom-and-pop feel that's becoming harder to find in central New Jersey. For anyone building a freshwater community tank, stocking a new saltwater setup, or simply browsing for something unusual, Aquaridise delivers selection and expertise that big-box retailers simply can't match.
Just take your time picking livestock and don't hesitate to ask Howie's team questions — they're usually happy to help.
Chris Charran
58 reviews
Howie is a great owner and person to deal with
Danny Guerrieri
164 reviews
Great place much info
Eliza Cresler
63 reviews
Stopped in to see what they had and it wasnt good alot of fish didn't look good or were evidently sick. They have large fish in not large enough tanks. The employees weren't super friendly but they did offer assistance and then didnt seem to fully know what they were talking about. Their prices also seemed high to me, but could be normal for that area, im not sure. They do also sell fish supplies and tanks. Overall I won't be going back and I think they can take better care of their fish.
Ali Tango
76 reviews
I have some mixed feelings here. Howie is great; super friendly and able to order just about anything. Rai and Christian are also great and really knowledgeable. Some of the other staff have definitely given some questionable advice. The reason I knocked a star off is because the last few times I’ve bought from them the fish or shrimp have died within a few days. They do have a 7 day guarantee, but it’s quite disheartening to be buying fish only for them to die, and then having to drive back to get a replacement. I also noticed that every time I am there, there are dead fish in the tanks. I assumed this was fairly standard, but as I’ve gone to other small business fish stores, I do not see the same thing. I’ve gone to stores with twice as many tanks and every single fish looks happy and healthy. It’s definitely better than a big box store. They have a lot of equipment as well. But with the actual livestock, there is some room for improvement.
Patricia Duval
Terrible customer service. The owner is nice but all workers are very rude and treat customers like a bother. I’ve spent over $1,000 in this store and they will never get a penny out of me again!
Jason Ling
2 reviews
DO NOT RECOMMEND ! Don't buy any expensive fish from here , they sell sick fish. Traded in my smaller Arowanna and another fish plus cash for a large 20" Arowanna which was not eating for a few days once I took him home. Thought it was normal due to rehome. Fish ended up dying within the first 5 days. Now I have to treat my remaining fish that were in the tank as well. I called to tell them what happened and they told me there's nothing they can do about it and that they ended up loosing my arowanna as well which they put right into the tank as I was there that this larger arowwana came out of ! On the phone they stated " I think we forgot to tell you about our Arowanna purchase policy" They tried telling me it could be my water quality which is not true because I am strictly on top of always. It seems to be too much of a coincidence that my trade in fish and the large fish that lived in the same tank without water change both passed away in the same time frame ! I was offered no compensation and was pretty much told I am beat. DO NOT RECOMMEND !
Maxwell Rose
2 reviews
The selection of fish was quite good and they had many different species, however a lot of the fish were sick and the staff didn't seem to care about that. However, the staff were quite helpful. In addition, they had a decent range of supplies. Also, the prices were pretty good, about what you'd expect for a local fish store. (I'm usually a skeptic about fish stores in general too and it's hard to meet my demands, and unfortunately this store didn't quite reach my demands due to how much sick fish they had. I've been going around to different local fish stores to see how they are, and reviewing them.)
Kristopher Thomas
11 reviews
Can't speak highly enough about this business! Appreciate them helping me out and making a dream come true for my neice!
Santo Scavuzzo
26 reviews
They have many different types of marine species. I just started a large saltwater aquarium. I definitely will return.
Susan Hill
19 reviews
Professional staff, great selection of healthy fish!
Note: Store information and services may change. Always call (732) 967-9700 to confirm current availability, hours, and services before visiting Aquaridise.
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415 NJ-18, East Brunswick, NJ 08816
February 7, 2026
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