About
Ocean Aquarium and Ponds is the kind of independent aquarium store that hobbyists across southern New Mexico will drive real distances to reach — customers regularly mention coming in from Alamogordo, El Paso, and from 60 miles or two hours out, and leaving like longtime regulars. Tucked into Las Cruces, NM, owner David (Dave to his regulars) runs a tidy, well-stocked floor that reviewers consistently describe as cleaner and more carefully kept than any big-box pet store. The saltwater side is what put this shop on the map.
You'll find live coral, anemones, clownfish, and reef fish for sale in Las Cruces, NM, with longtime customers calling it the best place in town for saltwater. But it's far from marine-only: Dave carries a deep freshwater lineup — tropical fish, koi, goldfish, freshwater shrimp, snails, live plants, bottom feeders, and decorative driftwood, much of it priced at or below chain-store levels. Several first-timers note they tried Petco and PetSmart first and found nothing close, especially for ponds.
What comes through in review after review is Dave himself. He helped one family build their very first pond from scratch — two goldfish, a snail, and a couple of plants, all reported thriving months later — and walked a saltwater newcomer through anemones and clownfish without any pressure. Recent visitors call him kind, professional, and genuinely knowledgeable, the type who remembers what you bought last year.
The store has even passed an Aquarium Co-Op inspection, a point regulars cite for its cleanliness and integrity. Beyond livestock, the shop stocks aquarium equipment, fish food, medications, and aquascaping supplies, and Dave's crew handles koi pond cleaning and algae removal too. If you want quality fish and honest, hands-on advice in person, this is the aquarium store to visit — note that weekends get busy, so come midweek if you have lots of questions.
Whatever you keep, the fish and supplies you need are available in Las Cruces, NM.
What they offer
Fish & livestock for sale at Ocean Aquarium and Ponds in Las Cruces, NM
Ocean Aquarium and Ponds stocks corals, reef fish, anemones, clownfish, koi, goldfish, shrimp, invertebrates, aquarium plants and freshwater, saltwater & pond fish for sale in Las Cruces, NM. As an aquarium store serving Las Cruces, NM, it also carries aquarium equipment, dry goods and fish food and offers aquarium setup, pond services, tank cleaning and aquarium consultations.
- Livestock & products
- CoralsReefAnemonesClownfishKoiGoldfishShrimpInvertebratesLive PlantsAquarium EquipmentDry GoodsFish Food
- Services
- Specializes in
Highlights
What makes them special
- Owner Dave is deeply knowledgeable in both saltwater and freshwater and remembers returning customers
- Live coral, anemones, clownfish, and reef fish for the saltwater hobbyist
- Freshwater tropical fish, koi, goldfish, shrimp, snails, and live plants for sale
- Koi pond cleaning and algae removal, plus help building ponds from scratch
- Passed an Aquarium Co-Op inspection; clean tanks and prices at or below big-box stores
From keepers
Customer reviews
“Owner was very kind, very knowledgeable and professional. Would definitely recommend checking this place out if you like aquariums”
— tucker w5.04 days ago“Super helpful in setting up my tank. Great selection and wonderful staff. Highly recommend this gem!”
— Charly Collins5.05 days ago“They have become my go to place for my aquarium needs”
— Bonnie Dozier5.04 weeks ago“Wow! This place is amazing! So nice to shop local and also have the best customer service. I will definitely be back. Anyone with fish needs to come here!”
— John L5.04 weeks ago“Great place for aquarium enthusiasts. Friendly and knowledgeable staff and a very good selection of quality products and live animals. Also less expensive than the big box competitors, which makes our patronage a no trainer. Our new favorite spot!”
— O G5.0a month ago“Amazing array of fish. Very friendly and knowledgeable staff.”
— Claudia Garcia5.0a month ago“Skip the chain stores and get professional products and services from this local-owned business. It has a bigger selection and pros who are personable and helpful.”
— Tim Eason5.0a month ago“Beyond happy with our experience here. We built our first pond and had no idea what fish to get, or really anything about what we needed. The owner was extremely helpful and knowledgeable about everything and really took his time to answer all of our questions. We got two goldfish, a snail, and two plants from here and they’re all thriving!!! Everything is really affordable with plenty of options/prices. I really love that you can get everything you need in one place and it’s supporting a local business. We first tried petco and PetSmart and they have nothing for ponds. So glad we ended up coming here and will forever come here only for our pond/fish needs. I cannot praise this place enough! All of the fish are happy and well taken care of! I recommend this place to anyone over the big name pet stores. The inside is clean, organized well, and truly is unique! They have so many options in fish and supplies. I love it here, I could honestly just go in to look at all the amazing fish they have in there for fun. They also have lots of saltwater options! Really incredible place! You won’t regret doing business here! Saturday and Sunday are always extremely busy so if you’re looking to ask a lot of questions I would recommend going during the week.”
— Andrea Alvarado5.0Edited 2 months ago“Dave was very knowledgeable and friendly. He helped me get fish, sNails, and plants for two of our aquariums. The fish in his store are more colorful than in the box chain stores.”
— Bon Simmons5.02 months ago“Great customer service, knowledgeable staff, good selection of supplies and fish!”
— Melynda Montgomery5.03 months ago
Reference
Frequently asked questions
Note — Store information and services may change. Always call (575) 259-5033 to confirm current availability, hours, and services before visiting Ocean Aquarium and Ponds.