About
Tucked away in Zelienople, Pennsylvania, The Reef Gallery has become a destination coral shop for reefers across the greater Pittsburgh area — and based on the enthusiasm of its customers, the drive is well worth it. Under new ownership led by Ethan and supported by the knowledgeable Jamie, the store has undergone a significant transformation: cleaner tanks, clearly marked prices, and a dramatically expanded selection of livestock now available for purchase. The heart of The Reef Gallery is its coral selection.
Reviewers consistently praise the diversity and health of the frags, noting they're generously sized — not the microscopic cuttings you might find elsewhere. From soft corals to SPS, the store caters to reefers at every stage of their tank's development, and the pricing undercuts much of the Pittsburgh-area competition. One transplanted New Yorker declared it his new coral spot without hesitation.
Beyond corals, the store stocks saltwater fish and invertebrates, and has recently expanded into freshwater livestock and live plants. While the freshwater side is still growing, it signals the store's ambition to serve a broader community of aquarists. The saltwater fish and inverts on hand are consistently described as healthy, disease-free, and well-maintained in spotless display tanks.
What sets The Reef Gallery apart is the personal touch. Ethan is described as passionate and approachable — the kind of owner who will walk you through diatom crashes, help you recover from a dinoflagellate wipeout, and make sure you understand exactly what you're purchasing. Jamie brings deep coral knowledge and has built a loyal following among regulars.
Multiple reviewers mention the store smelling clean and feeling organized, a rarity in the aquarium retail world. For saltwater hobbyists in western Pennsylvania looking for quality coral frags, healthy livestock, fair prices, and staff who genuinely care about the hobby, The Reef Gallery in Zelienople delivers. It's a veteran-owned business building a reputation one healthy frag at a time.
What they offer
Livestock, services, water
- Livestock & products
- Services
- Consultation
- Specializes in
Highlights
What makes them special
- Exceptional coral frag selection with generously sized pieces at competitive prices
- Veteran-owned with passionate new ownership under Ethan and Jamie
- One of the cleanest aquarium stores in the Pittsburgh area
- Recently expanded into freshwater livestock and live plants
- Knowledgeable staff who take time to educate customers on purchases
From keepers
Customer reviews
“Interesting place with a good diverse collection of corals that are thriving.”
— Stephen Fast5.0a month ago“Excellent place could not believe I never knew that this gem of a fish store was in my area. The owners are pleasant and knowledgeable. I highly recommend you pay them a visit. They are now carrying freshwater livestock along with the saltwater stock.”
— James Anzaldi5.0a month ago“The Reef Gallery is a wonderful location providing an important service to the community by being staffed with the most wonderful, kind, caring and passionate people, as well as offering a high quality and wide variety all at unbeatable prices. This business is a must stop shop for anyone looking to get into, or well versed in the aquarium hobby!”
— Jake S5.02 months ago“If you have ever had a bad experience at this place, it's under new ownership and the selection of coral is amazing, super nice dude very passionate about our hobby, give the new ownership a shot you will not be disappointed, just disappointed you haven't stopped sooner.”
— Gavin Show5.03 months ago“New ownership is friendly and knowledgeable. Super helpful, great and healthy looking corals and fish.”
— Matthew Cole5.05 months ago“Local saltwater aquarium store specializing in corals. Very knowledgeable staff. Limited variety of fish and invertebrates are also available.”
— R Scott Domowicz4.0Edited a year ago“Met the new owner today. I was glad to see some really great changes and updates to the store. It is looking super clean and all the prices are clearly on the tanks making it easy to see what is available. Speaking of what's available, large sections of the store are no longer NFS. It's great to see a veteran owned business in my area as well. Fish, coral, and inverts all looking healthy and priced fairly!”
— Chad Murphy5.0a year ago“Very friendly and knowledgeable staff! I didn't catch his name, but the worker (owner? manager, maybe?) listened to my VERY excited son and got exactly what we needed. Highly recommend!! We'll definitely be back soon!”
— Cristy Gwin5.0a year ago“They have some of the healthiest fish and coral meant to live in your tank. And their owner Ethan is very nice. And Jamie is also very knowledgeable and helps to make sure you’re very aware of what your purchasing”
— Braxton Hilderbrand5.0Edited a year ago“Ethan and Jamie are very nice. Tanks are clean and always getting new livestock. Great prices as well”
— Jason Cavaliere5.0a year ago
Reference
Frequently asked questions
Note — Store information and services may change. Always call (724) 473-0754 to confirm current availability, hours, and services before visiting The Reef Gallery.