








Tucked away in Lancaster, Ohio, J P Success is a family-run fish store operated by Joe and Linda that has built a devoted following over the years. The shop stocks both freshwater and saltwater fish, with reviewers singling out the saltwater selection as particularly impressive. Joe and Linda breed their own clownfish on-site — customers call them some of the best clowns around — and the store carries a solid roster of freshwater species including African cichlids, oscars, angelfish, mollies, platys, and corydoras catfish.
The layout is unconventional. The front rooms house the main retail displays, while a back warehouse area expands the available livestock considerably. The store carries corals, live plants like java moss and corkscrew varieties, as well as invertebrates including amano shrimp and mystery snails.
Sponge filters and other dry goods round out the inventory at prices customers describe as fair for an independent shop — sometimes even cheaper than chain stores or Amazon. One of the standout services is free water testing. Joe and Linda will walk customers through their parameters and explain what needs adjusting, making the store a genuine resource for newcomers to the hobby.
Multiple reviewers describe being guided through their first tank setup, particularly the leap into saltwater, with patient and honest advice. One customer recounted how Joe could have upsold hundreds of dollars in products for an African cichlid issue but instead simply recommended monitoring — the kind of integrity that earns long-term loyalty. The store keeps a rotating stock, so regulars stop in weekly to see what's new.
Joe and Linda can also special order fish and supplies for loyal customers who can't find what they need on the shelves. A few reviewers have noted occasional tank maintenance issues and the odd ich outbreak, but the overwhelming consensus is that fish leave healthy and the owners stand behind their stock with exchanges when problems arise. For aquarium hobbyists in central Ohio, J P Success is a community institution built on personal relationships and genuine expertise.
TwistedEveryDay
4 reviews
Happy and healthy fish shrimp and plants
Angela Marie
138 reviews
Amazing fish store. I make a weekly trip here just to do my rounds around the store. See all the fish & buy the little odds n ends i need!! Linda & her husband are amazing. The prices are decent! They breed some of the best clown fish around. I haven't had a problem with the business or fish. If u cant find what ur looking for they can order in some stuff. Thats what I love about being a loyal customer. They know I come get what ask for so if they dont have it in store they have always been able to order & get it for me! I will bring them business as long as their doors are open!!!
Ian Parrish
3 reviews
Staff is always friendly and are very knowledgeable about their products. They always have a rotating stock so it's worth stopping in on the regular.
blueS500picker
Very helpful and knowledgeable. Joe and Linda are fantastic! Have bought Many fish and a few tanks there.
sam snyder
158 reviews
Love it here. The fish, the variety, the staff, the products... all are great. My go to when shopping for fish.
Melodie Rezac
5 reviews
Stopped in about 5 weeks ago. I wasn’t sure if I wanted a freshwater or saltwater tank. Joe was incredibly helpful! I went with saltwater tank. He and Linda are very knowledgeable and helpful. Their advice has helped ease me into this new hobby. I have nothing negative to say.
Daily Grindin
19 reviews
Stopped by today and spoke with Joe about some issues with an african cichlid. He could have easily talked me into hundreds of dollars in stuff, instead he was honest and told me to simply monitor the situation. In times like today these are the true heros. Thank you for saving me some money today Joe
Rachel Kaculis
10 reviews
Gonna start off by saying I am not trying to speak badly of JP success. I have had both good and bad experience here and am just trying to be completely honest. The staff is very friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. Pretty good selection of supplies and decorations. Unfortunately I’ve had a bit of a bad experience with the fish. I bought 8 fish from here and they all got ich and died, didn’t respond to treatment as it had progressed too far by the time I realized what it was. I went back for shrimp and snails to do a shrimp tank instead and noticed the two tanks I had gotten my fish from were ich infested and had quite a few dead fish. I’m really disappointed about that, but in the shop’s defense, it can take up to 2 weeks for the ich to be visible and my fish didn’t show signs the day I bought them, so I believe they didn’t knowingly sell me sick fish. They were my very first fish in a brand new cycled tank and the tanks at the store had ich yesterday so I know it wasn’t already in my tank. (The fish were mollies, Platy, and Cory catfish in case anyone wants to know) My good experience: my amano shrimp is doing great so I got him 4 more friends and a mystery snail. The snail is beautiful, very happy in my tank and moves around surprisingly quick. I bought some plants last week and they are doing great. The java moss is a lovely bright green and the corkscrews have already sent out new baby plants! :) I’ve bought two sponge filters and they’re working great and were a good price. Some of the products are a tad more expensive than what you’d see from a chain store or amazon but that is to be expected from an independent smaller business so I am happy to pay it. Some things are actually quite a bit cheaper here so it just depends on what you’re looking at. They test your water for free if you need it, and can explain what you may need to change about your water, which is really helpful if you’re new to the hobby like me. Overall I would recommend this store. Just make sure you look very closely at all the fish in the tank before you bring one home, but that is true of anywhere. I will still be using JP Success as my primary source for my aquarium needs. :) Photos are of two of the fish that had ich (they were both black) and my happy new snail
Justin Denney
5 reviews
Don't listen to the lady who has zero common sense or knowledge of anything bashing joe. I've been buying here for years and prefer them over 90% of all stores. Their saltwater selection is top tier. Yes their are dead fish on occasion. They are a business and buy stock that gets shipped clearly not all fish will make it. But out of the 10k dollars I've spent at jps I've had 2 fish not live and they exchanged the fish no problem at all. I've literally called over an hour after close and was let in to get 35 gallons of water . Several fish and products. This store is far from a perfect store. But they keep their fish well cared for. Joe will gladly double his prices and hire 4 more people and completely remodel the store to fit the look you guys want . Or he can maintain beautiful fish stock. Amazing saltwater selection. And fair prices. Most people can't keep and maintain a goldfish.
Porsha Wilson
17 reviews
I just moved to the area and wanted to check this place out. I saw multiple dead and sick fish. The only thing good I could find to say was the staff was very friendly. Otherwise the tanks were very gross and algae filled. The first two rooms you walk into were dusty and had a smell that was stronger and a bit more gross than just a fish store. The very friendly staff person asked if we needed help and when I explained it was my first time there they explained they had a back "ware house" in their words and lead us through a very dark (walking hazard) and dirty storage area into a back room (it honesty felt like the beginnings of a horror film) it was very cold for some of the tropical fish they had back there, the fish were very sluggish and the only ones I thought looked healthy were the angel fish babies. Before the owner responds to me the way they did the other 1 star review they received, just know that I don't want to leave a bad review on a local shop, because I'd rather give them my money than any box store but I won't support any business small or large where there is clearly neglect. I'm not sure if they need to downsize their stock to better care for the fish they own given they said they spend all of there time there already or if they need to hire more people to better manage their tanks. I'm sure the owner cares about their fish because you don't start housing and selling animals unless you love them but like the tiger king there is a point where it's not okay for the animals. I didn't take a photo of the dead fish because there was a family in the store and I didn't want to make a scene but I did take a photo of a fish to research it later and you can see how much algae was built up it was like that on all of the tanks... I'd love to see a response to this comment saying that they took some time to clean the tanks and made them safer for the aquatic life there so maybe I can enjoy and support a local business but until then I'll buy from personal breeders or I'll drive a bit to a cleaner shop elsewhere.
Note: Store information and services may change. Always call (740) 654-7660 to confirm current availability, hours, and services before visiting J P Success, Inc..
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222 S Memorial Dr, Lancaster, OH 43130
February 7, 2026
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