About
Ely's Tropical Fish has been a fixture in Florham Park, NJ for more than three decades, a family-run aquarium store that customers happily drive across northern and central New Jersey to reach — some coming all the way from Sussex County. The storefront looks modest from the curb, but inside there's room after room of tanks (regulars count well over 200), stacked deep with freshwater and saltwater livestock, aquatic plants, hardware, and pond supplies. Owner Steve and his son run the place with the kind of hands-on knowledge that keeps people coming back 30 years and counting.
This is where you go for a straight answer about cycling a shrimp tank or sizing a new setup — one recent visitor recounted how Ely helped her plan a tank around its size and how she wanted it to run, and another remembered staff sending them home with a bag of cycled aquarium water to triage struggling shrimp. That level of care is rare. The freshwater selection is the headline draw.
You'll find specialty guppies, pagoda and nerite snails, cherry and white amano shrimp, reticulated hillstream loaches, and koi for the backyard pond, all visibly healthy. Hobbyists praise Steve's water quality and disease control — one trusts the shop enough to have bought 25-plus fish over a year without a single loss. If you're hunting rare species or quality marine life for sale in Florham Park, NJ, this is the shop locals point you toward.
Beyond livestock, Ely's stocks hardscape, substrate, medications, foods, and the accessories a build needs, plus on-the-spot water testing — just bring a sample. Prices run a little above the big chains, and customers say it openly, but the consensus is just as clear: you're paying for healthy animals and genuine expertise. For anyone keeping aquariums or a koi pond in northern New Jersey, Ely's is worth the trip.
What they offer
Fish & livestock for sale at Ely's Tropical Fish in Florham Park, NJ
Ely's Tropical Fish stocks shrimp, livebearers, koi, invertebrates, rare and hard-to-find species, aquarium plants and freshwater, saltwater & pond fish for sale in Florham Park, NJ. As an aquarium store serving Florham Park, NJ, it also carries aquarium equipment, dry goods, fish food and fish medications and offers aquarium consultations and water testing.
- Livestock & products
- ShrimpLivebearersLive PlantsKoiInvertebratesRare SpeciesAquarium EquipmentDry GoodsFish FoodMedications
- Services
- Specializes in
Highlights
What makes them special
- Family-run aquarium store in Florham Park for 30-plus years, run by owner Steve and his son
- Deep freshwater selection: specialty guppies, pagoda and nerite snails, cherry and white amano shrimp, plus koi for ponds
- Carries freshwater, saltwater, and pond livestock alongside live plants, hardware, and supplies
- Hands-on, knowledgeable staff offering consultation and on-site water testing
- Reliably healthy livestock praised for careful water quality and disease control
From keepers
Customer reviews
“Great selection of tropical freshwater fish. I've been coming here for all of my aquarium needs for 30+ years.”
— Greg Kraft5.0a week ago“Ely clearly loves his work and the animals he has in his care. The shop is wonderfully kept, each fish and plant I’ve purchased has been extremely healthy and lived quite a long time, and he has helped me make decisions on my tank based on size and how I want it to run. Highly recommend stopping by and shopping here if you ever are in the area!”
— Hannah Sedam5.02 weeks ago“Fantastic shop, good people and a great selection at fair pricing.”
— Jeff Lawson5.0a month ago“Owner and staff extremely friendly and kind, great selections!”
— David Pettigrew5.0a month ago“Owner is very knowledgeable”
— Jim Smith5.02 months ago“My go to fish store. Staff is great and knowledgeable. Little more expensive than corporate stores like Petsmart or Petco BUT the quality of fishes is incomparable. I've bought fish from corporate stores that died in a few days. Corporate stores are good for pet accessories. Ely's tropical fish is where you want to go for quality marine life while receiving great service. My daughter thanks you!”
— R S5.02 months ago“My go-to local fish store. I must have bought 25+ fish from Ely's over the past year and I've never had any issues. I trust his water quality and disease control. I've bought fish, hardscape, plants, substrate, meds, and foods here. Everyone working there is super knowledgeable and honest. Definitely skip the big chain stores and check out this store instead!”
— Tom C5.03 months ago“This place is amazing. Tons of different fish and plants, all well cared for, plus any accessories you might need. And super friendly staff!”
— L J5.03 months ago“Beautiful, cared for fish and amazing knowledgeable staff!!”
— Suehilah Hassan5.04 months ago“Amazing store!!! There's a huge selection of fish and aquatic plants, I purchased some white amano shrimp and they're absolutely stunning. The owner was very kind and helpful- if you're looking for healthy fish and a great local shop, this is definitely the place to go.”
— Gabby Klimczuk5.04 months ago
Reference
Frequently asked questions
Note — Store information and services may change. Always call (973) 377-0570 to confirm current availability, hours, and services before visiting Ely's Tropical Fish.