Monfort Aquarium & Pet

Monfort Aquarium & Pet has been drawing Cincinnati fish keepers from across the region — some driving 30 to 40 minutes each way — for its impressive breadth of both freshwater and saltwater livestock. This family-owned shop on the east side of the city stocks a deep selection of live aquatic plants, corals, and healthy fish that reviewers consistently praise for their bright, vibrant scales and overall condition. The freshwater side covers serious ground.

Customers have picked up everything from cichlids and lyretail mollys to swordtails, guppies, mystery snails, and ornate longfin bristlenose plecos. The planted tank section is robust enough that newcomers building their first aquascapes regularly leave with armfuls of greenery alongside expert guidance from staff like Tyler, Tom, and Dave — names that come up repeatedly in reviews. The saltwater department is equally compelling, with a gorgeous spread of marine fish and corals that one reviewer compared to visiting a zoo.

Multiple customers who started their first reef tanks here credit the staff's years of hands-on experience for getting them through the learning curve. Beyond livestock, Monfort carries tanks, hoods, filters, décor, and a notable variety of frozen and live feeder mice — making it a legitimate one-stop shop for multi-pet households. Prices land in the reasonable range for an independent store, and the quality of both equipment and livestock runs well above big-box chain offerings according to regulars.

What sets Monfort apart in the Cincinnati aquarium scene is the culture. Staff have been known to recommend competitors when they don't have a specific tank in stock, and they've taken in fish from customers who needed to rehome them before extended travel. The store is consistently described as clean and well-maintained, with tanks that reflect genuine care rather than just retail display.

For anyone building or maintaining an aquarium in the greater Cincinnati area, Monfort has earned its reputation through decades of straightforward, fish-first service.