Caye's Aquarium

Caye's Aquarium has been a Southeast Portland fixture for over 25 years, earning the kind of fierce loyalty that only a family-owned shop can. Walk in and you'll find a bright, compact space packed with tanks spanning a genuinely impressive freshwater selection — cichlids of every stripe, bristlenose plecos, Oranda goldfish, piranhas, Japanese rice fish, and axolotls priced at a remarkably affordable $10. They've expanded into shrimp and snails in recent years, and their live plant selection draws consistent praise from planted tank enthusiasts.

The staff — including Travis and the shop's namesake, Caye — are the heart of this operation. Multiple reviewers describe them going far beyond the expected level of service: advising on compatibility, hand-selecting the brightest colored fish, and in one case, donating personal supplies to help a struggling newcomer salvage a failing tank. That kind of genuine investment in customers is why people drive past big box stores and even past Portland's other well-known fish shops to come here instead.

Pricing is a consistent draw. Reviewers frequently note that Caye's undercuts larger competitors, especially on cichlids and axolotls, without requiring minimum purchase quantities that make building a community tank impractical. They also stock bulk fish food, equipment, and supplies at competitive prices.

The store isn't large — reviewers call it a "cute little store" and "awesome little aquarium shop" — but what it lacks in square footage it makes up for in selection density and personal attention. Staff are known for their patience with kids picking out their first fish and with nervous newcomers asking every question they can think of. 8-star average across over 560 reviews, suggesting these experiences are outliers.

For Portland fishkeepers who value fair pricing, healthy livestock, and staff who remember your name, Caye's is the neighborhood shop that's earned its 25-year run.