About
Jawz Aquarium in Elmsford has earned a loyal following across Westchester County as a go-to destination for saltwater enthusiasts and freshwater hobbyists alike. The store's showpiece—an 800-gallon display tank stocked with big, beautiful tangs—sets the tone the moment you walk in. Reviewers consistently praise the saltwater livestock selection, from leopard wrasses to coral frags, and the reef inventory draws serious marine aquarists from across the region.
On the freshwater side, Jawz stocks harder-to-find species like longfin bristlenose plecos and spike nerite snails, though the saltwater selection clearly takes center stage. They carry a solid range of aquariums in various styles, hardscape materials, substrates, life rock, and general supplies. If something isn't in stock, the staff will place special orders—customers have sourced everything from 90-gallon tanks and stands to canister filter media through the shop.
Service is where Jawz really distinguishes itself from the big-box competition. Staff members like Jessie and owner Maurice are frequently name-dropped in reviews for their patience and deep fish-keeping knowledge. The store offers complimentary water testing—one customer brought in samples from both a 3-gallon and 10-gallon tank and left with detailed care advice.
Beyond the retail floor, Jawz provides house calls for tank maintenance and setup; one customer had them install a UV sterilizer on a 90-gallon tank that cleared green water within 48 hours. Maurice even appeared on the show Tanked (Season 14, Episode 22), a testament to the shop's credibility in the aquarium world. Prices run slightly above chain-store levels, which is a common refrain, but most customers feel the quality of livestock and personalized expertise justify the premium.
A few reviewers have noted occasional service inconsistencies—being overlooked during busy moments—and one experienced a frustrating shrimp mislabeling issue. Still, the overall consensus is clear: for saltwater fish, corals, and hands-on aquarium guidance in Westchester, Jawz is the local fish store people keep coming back to.
What they offer
Livestock, services, water
- Livestock & products
- Services
- Specializes in
Highlights
What makes them special
- Stunning 800-gallon saltwater display tank with large tangs
- Impressive reef and coral livestock including frags and live rock
- In-home tank maintenance and setup services including UV sterilizer installation
- Free water testing with detailed care advice from knowledgeable staff
- Special order capability for tanks, equipment, and hard-to-find species
From keepers
Customer reviews
“Great place for all your aquarium needs”
— Alex Zic5.0a month ago“Solid prices and knowledgeable staff”
— Daniel Heyman4.02 months ago“I was going to give them 4.5/5, but now I have to change it to 3/5 :( Overall, I’ve had a somewhat decent experience with this store. I appreciate that they sell some harder-to-find species, like longfin bristlenose plecos and spike nerite snails. The prices aren’t as low as big chain stores, but the selection is more unique. However, I recently realized that all my “Amano shrimp (young)” I purchased all grew into wild-type Neocaridina instead. This was extremely disappointing. Because I bought them several months ago, I’m not planning to return them, but the mistake has caused issues in my tank—these wild-type shrimp are gradually breeding with my bright cherry shrimp and washing out their color. Now I’m ending up with more and more ugly brown wild-types, and I don’t have the heart to cull them or space to re-home them. I still think the store has strengths, but this mislabeling really affected my tank and makes me hesitant to buy more expensive shrimp here again. Anyway, you can still buy Amano shrimp here, but just don't buy the young ones!”
— Albert Chen3.02 months ago“Stopped bye to see what they had as we have salt water fish and fish water shrimp tanks. Store wad really clean tanks looked great.”
— Lisa Sela4.05 months ago“We have been ignored two different times when coming to purchase fish here, while being the only customers in the store. Today we asked for help from both the young blonde lady and man working & we were continued to be ignored and ended up walking out without any assistance today. Several dead fish in the fresh water tanks”
— Stacy S1.0Edited 8 months ago“Great variety and professional and knowledgeable staff”
— Jennifer Glen5.0a year ago“I came into Jawz Aquarium today for a water test on my 3-gallon & 10-gallon freshwater tanks, & Jessie was absolutely fantastic! As a local business owner myself—I own 9Round Kickboxing Fitness in Hartsdale—I completely understand the value of having competent, motivated, & knowledgeable employees who go above & beyond with customer service. Jessie was exactly that! She was super helpful & patient, taking the time to answer all my questions & share her expertise on keeping my fish & tank mates healthy. Jessie offered some great tips that I’m excited to try out, & I look forward to coming back in a few weeks for another water test. Hopefully, by then, we’ll be ready to add an Otto Catfish & maybe a couple of snails to help keep our tanks clean. My 6-year-old son is thrilled about the idea of adding a cleaner fish to our setup! We’ll definitely be returning—thanks for the wonderful experience!”
— Angela R. Arias5.0a year ago“Excellent service, and the fish were healthy and beautiful!”
— Ruby Hernández5.0a year ago“I really like this store. The 800 gallon is amazing. Some really nice big beautiful tangs in there. They also have a really decent selection of saltwater fish. I bought one of my leopard wrasses from them a while ago and shes doing great. Beautiful fish.”
— Gregory Fotty5.0Edited a year ago“Very rude workers, I was going to purchase fish till the man who was working was too much into a conversation with someone and would not even agnowlenge us, just ignored us. I would never go back!”
— Danielle LaRotonda1.0a year ago
Reference
Frequently asked questions
Note — Store information and services may change. Always call (914) 345-5855 to confirm current availability, hours, and services before visiting Jawz Aquarium.