About
Tucked into the mountain town of Boone, North Carolina, Reef Magic has been serving aquarium hobbyists for over two decades — a surprisingly long tenure for a specialty fish store in the High Country. The shop carries both saltwater and freshwater livestock, with particular strength on the reef side: clownfish, cleanup crews, corals, and live rock draw marine hobbyists from across the region, some driving over an hour to visit. Freshwater keepers will find community fish, angelfish, koi, mystery snails, ghost shrimp, and live plants.
The store has a personality all its own. Regulars know to look for Nora the nurse shark, Cheese the cowfish, and Luna the husky who greets (sometimes aggressively) visitors at the door. Staff members like Jacob, Sara, and Lorenzo earn consistent praise for taking time with customers — planning out community tanks, explaining saltwater basics to newcomers, and even arranging fish shipments for out-of-state buyers.
One customer from Miami described having fish sent back home to Florida, a testament to the shop's willingness to go the extra mile. The store has changed hands over the years and moved to a new location, which reviewers note looks sharp. Long-time saltwater hobbyists report finding everything they need for marine aquariums, from healthy livestock to a solid coral selection.
RO water and premixed saltwater are also available, a practical draw for reef keepers in the area. That said, Reef Magic has rough edges. Multiple visitors report arriving during posted business hours to find the doors locked and lights off — a frustrating pattern, especially for those who've traveled a distance.
Some reviews flag inconsistent tank maintenance and limited dry goods inventory. The store seems to run best when fully staffed, and quality can fluctuate. For Boone-area aquarists, Reef Magic remains the primary local option for both saltwater and freshwater fish, and at its best, it delivers knowledgeable service and healthy livestock that rival shops in much larger cities.
What they offer
Livestock, services, water
- Livestock & products
- Services
- ConsultationShips Fish
- Specializes in
Highlights
What makes them special
- Over 20 years serving the Boone aquarium community
- Strong saltwater and reef selection including corals, clownfish, and live rock
- RO water and premixed saltwater available for reef keepers
- Staff praised for patient, knowledgeable consultations on tank planning
- Ships fish to out-of-state customers
From keepers
Customer reviews
“Very helpful”
— Mason Price5.02 weeks ago“Store looks good with the new owners. They have a nice variety of salt and fresh water fish as well as various supplies and food glad to call Reef Magic our local fish store.”
— George C5.0a month ago“Lorenzo was super helpful, and took the time to help me plan out my community tank. Glad I got to support local.”
— Abigail Morris5.0a month ago“Great atmosphere. It is a new store but owner is willing to explain any questions regarding fish tanks, fish species and more”
— Frank Navarro5.0a month ago“I purchased some freshwater fish from here last week and the owner was super nice and took plenty of time helping me and I didn’t feel rushed, he let my son watch the shark get fed! Great prices. I also am looking into starting a saltwater tank, I called and spoke with the same gentleman who was extremely courteous, helped explain to me certain things to do! If you need freshwater fish or plants or saltwater fish, coral, live rock, RO or mixed saltwater, supplies, or more, get it from Reef Magic. I am and Will be happy continue to be doing business with them!”
— David Farmer5.0a month ago“Great new selection of fish! Wide variety of fresh and saltwater!”
— Alek Schober5.02 months ago“Really neat and fun displays with koi fish and a small shark! Beautiful saltwater fish that you’d have trouble finding anywhere else locally. The gentleman in the store was good about taking his time with everyone who came in. However, a lot of the tanks were empty. The tank of ghost shrimp was full of dead shrimp. There was a sad limit to the amount of supplies and tank accessories for sale, which was the reason I came to the shop in the first place.”
— Emily Howse3.02 months ago“I had great experience and help, lots of cool fish as well”
— Christopher Keller5.02 months ago“Traveled over an hour just to visit this store on a Sunday, it says business hours are 12pm to 5pm .... we arrived at 2pm lights off, no sign on the door, door locked!! UPDATE:: I messaged reefmagic on Facebook, even though I did not believe the response on why they were closed, I thought whatever just let it go!! Then I woke up the next morning to this!!! This is not how you run a business, Especially when other stores in that town says this is a normal occurrence and they end up with their customers upset because the store is not open!!! Pitiful Update:: its been 3 months since I left my review, we were in the area again and thought what the heck lets check them out! Here it is Sunday opening hours advertised is 12pm to 6pm We pull in the parking lot at 1pm.. sign is off, doors locked and no one around. Dont waste your time with this place!”
— Alicia Wall1.0Edited 3 months ago“Unbelievable knowledge. They are just getting started. I can't wait for the changes coming.”
— Rod Mil5.04 months ago
Reference
Frequently asked questions
Note — Store information and services may change. Always call (336) 990-1911 to confirm current availability, hours, and services before visiting Reef Magic.