About
Queen City Corals in Mint Hill, North Carolina, has earned a devoted following among saltwater reef enthusiasts across the Southeast — and well beyond. Tucked behind a building (multiple reviewers warn you to drive around back), this clean, well-organized coral shop draws customers who routinely make two-hour pilgrimages and place thousands of dollars in orders. The reason is simple: an extraordinary selection of corals at prices that span every budget, from beginner-friendly soft corals to ultra-grade specimens that collectors covet.
Their rock flower anemones are a standout, with ultra-grade packs generating real excitement among buyers. The frag selection runs deep — torches, hammers, chalices like the Hollywood Stunner, and a rotating inventory of rare and WYSIWYG pieces photographed individually for their online store. That online operation is a major part of what makes QCC tick.
Reviewers consistently praise the $35 flat-rate shipping and the meticulous packaging: corals arrive secured through frag cup bottoms, individually bagged, and insulated well enough to survive 20°F winter temps. Multiple customers report zero hitchhikers after dipping and full polyp extension within hours of placement. The physical store experience matches the online reputation.
The facility is immaculate, the variety can easily absorb an afternoon of browsing, and the staff genuinely knows their reef chemistry and husbandry. Clean-up crew invertebrates and saltwater fish round out the livestock offerings. Seasonal sales — Cyber Monday, Christmas events — bring serious value, and mystery frag bonuses ship with many orders (though the occasional GSP freebie has raised an eyebrow).
A few reviewers note that when the owners aren't present, in-store service can lag, and the online inventory doesn't always reflect real-time availability. But these are minor friction points against hundreds of glowing experiences. For anyone building or stocking a reef tank in the Charlotte metro area — or anywhere their shipping reaches — Queen City Corals has built a reputation on healthy livestock, honest photography, and packaging that borders on art.
What they offer
Livestock, services, water
- Livestock & products
- Services
- Specializes in
Highlights
What makes them special
- Massive coral selection including rare and ultra-grade specimens with WYSIWYG photos
- Meticulous packaging with corals secured through frag cups and individually bagged for shipping
- Ultra-grade rock flower anemones are a signature offering
- Customers regularly drive 2+ hours to visit the Mint Hill location
- Clean-up crew, saltwater fish, and invertebrates available alongside corals
From keepers
Customer reviews
“Great coral company, great communication, excellent shipping. The whole process was very smooth. The coral’s I received were in excellent shape , they were packaged very well with care. I highly recommend them to anyone looking for quality coral. Thanks Queen City Corals!”
— Jason Frankenfield5.0a week ago“The QCC team is #1 in my book. I will not order anything from anywhere else. My family and I have placed 4 orders through them and every one has been meticulously packed and the attention to detail is on point. They are friendly and extremely knowledgeable. Im SO happy I found them. Keep up the GREAT!! work QCC....You Rock!!”
— Greg Walsh5.02 weeks ago“Very great workers and many varietions!”
— Keighly Soto5.03 weeks ago“Hard to find. Drive to the back! Completely worth it!!!”
— Conny Hartwig5.03 weeks ago“This is an edit to my original review. Let me start by saying that I've gotten tons of great corals from this place. They are the best coral store in the Charlotte-area. However, their in-store customer service has been less than ideal recently. When neither of the owners are present, it is extremely difficult to get any attention. A couple of weeks ago, I entered the store and neither of the employees that were working could be bothered to offer me any assistance. I ended up leaving empty-handed. Today, I saw a rock flower anemone listed on their site that I wanted. I made the hour drive to Mint Hill only to find out that, despite the fact it was still listed when I arrived at the store, it had been sold. As long as it took before someone actually helped me, it may have sold while I was waiting. Nevertheless, two hours of driving for absolutely nothing.”
— pitter60683.0Edited 3 weeks ago““I’m convinced Queen City Corals could package a live tornado and have it arrive unruffled. My coral showed up so perfectly protected It even had its own tiny seatbelt, it was still nice and warm even though the temps were 20F outside. I think the torch coral probably enjoyed its trip. The coral itself? Stunning. Healthy. Practically posing for Instagram the second I acclimated it. 12/10 packaging, 11/10 coral happiness, 12/10 My happiness with my coral will definitely trust these wizards with my future livestock purchases You’re the real MVPs of the frag game.”
— Moke&Ref Johnson5.03 weeks ago“All their stuff has been great from multiple orders. But GSP as my 50% off Mystery frag is kind of a kick in the balls.”
— Chris Michels - Dell DE4.03 weeks ago“Normally i would be giving 5 stars, all of my other experiences with queen city corals have been awesome. I recently received a hammer that had been a gift for Christmas and a free frag that came with the order- the hammer looked rough on arrival and didnt make it long before melting, but the other frag (hollywood stunner chalice) was good although it fell off the plug during shipping. I reached out to queen city about the frag and the possibility of replacing the coral and was given a code that last 3 weeks to use upon my next order if i wanted to get the replacement coral. Unfortunately i dont buy coral too often and this was a gift so i dont i will see that replacement. :( 130$ for a Hollywood stunner- they have since also offered a code that gives 50% of shipping, which took 9.99 off. Thats 28%”
— Soldier2.0Edited 3 weeks ago“Great help. Fair price. I will make this my go to location for my needs. Very lucky to have them in the area.”
— Jason Arter5.04 weeks ago“They have an incredible selection of coral, fish, and clean up crew with amazing prices that you can’t beat anywhere. Definitely recommend checking them out if you’re working on a salt water tank.”
— Reece Arter5.04 weeks ago
Reference
Frequently asked questions
Note — Store information and services may change. Always call (980) 533-1037 to confirm current availability, hours, and services before visiting Queen City Corals.