About
Under The Sea is a community pet shop in Laredo, Texas, that fills a real gap in the local market. Managed by Roy Santillan, the store doubles as a neighborhood gathering spot where customers routinely get personal tours of the shop and leave with far more knowledge than they came in with. Roy's enthusiasm is infectious — multiple reviewers describe him giving detailed walkthroughs of every species in the store, from freshwater fish and juvenile tortoises to conures and bearded dragons.
The aquatics side covers a solid range of freshwater fish, including flowerhorns, pufferfish, and large species, plus complete aquarium setups at competitive prices. One customer built their first koi pond and came to Under The Sea for six healthy koi and an algae eater, praising both the fish quality and Roy's guidance for a first-time pond keeper. The store has also signaled saltwater fish are on the way, which could expand its appeal further.
Beyond fish, the shop stocks guinea pigs, hamsters, long-haired baby bunnies, birds, reptiles, feeder rats, and feeder mice — making it a genuine one-stop for Laredo pet owners who want an alternative to big-box chains. What sets Under The Sea apart is the care visible in its enclosures. Several reviewers specifically noted the cleanliness of the tanks and habitats, calling them among the best-maintained they've seen at a community-owned store.
Roy is also praised for his honesty — recommending budget-friendly tank options and even directing customers to other shops for items he doesn't carry. The store was undergoing renovations at the time of several reviews, so selection was temporarily limited, and a few visitors reported negative experiences with dead fish in tanks and inconsistent customer service from other staff. But the overwhelming consensus points to a shop that genuinely cares about animal welfare and treats customers like family.
For Laredo residents looking for healthy pets, pond supplies, or aquarium setups with real personalized service, Under The Sea delivers.
What they offer
Livestock, services, water
- Livestock & products
- Services
- ConsultationTank Setup
- Specializes in
- FreshwaterPond
Highlights
What makes them special
- Manager Roy Santillan offers personal tours and detailed species knowledge
- Koi fish and pond supplies available at competitive prices
- Clean, well-maintained enclosures praised by multiple reviewers
- Complete aquarium setup packages sold at budget-friendly prices
- Diverse inventory including fish, reptiles, birds, rodents, and tortoises
From keepers
Customer reviews
“Friendly, and very polite. You always feel welcomed and they can explain how to clean and take care of any aquatics and reptiles.”
— Denise Tefs5.0a week ago“Mr. Santillan, the manager, was very excited about exhibiting us the pets throughout his shop and even let us to engage with the animals while sharing information about each one. He was sincere, even offering us excellent choices for inexpensive tanks. I've been to several community-owned pet stores, and this one has by far the cleanest and best-maintained enclosures.”
— Alexandra Garza5.04 weeks ago“Roy the manager is my new best friend he's super informative of all the species in this store and the cleanliness for these animals is great. You can tell these animals are loved. I will be coming back when the paycheck hits 😆.”
— Cielo Hernandez5.04 weeks ago“El local esta muy completo tienen cuyos peces y reptiles yo compre peces a muy buen precio tambien tienen peces grandes”
— Ana Negrete5.04 months ago“Rude & trashy establishment, the guy wasn't knowledgeable & there was a dead fish in one of the tanks, sure if I saw it he saw it but guess he's lazy & couldn't bother to dispose of.”
— Mary Pass1.05 months ago“Excelente servicio 100% recomendable”
— Toni Dominguez5.06 months ago“I got some feeder mice for my ball python.”
— F&S fishing channel4.08 months ago“I had an amazing experience at Under the Sea! Manager Roy was incredibly helpful and always had a positive attitude, which made the whole process even better. I got my beautiful bearded dragon about a month ago, and she’s been healthy, active, and such a joy to care for. You can tell they truly care about the animals and their customers. Highly recommend this place if you’re looking for a new scaly friend!”
— Yatzari Machado5.09 months ago“Absolutely horrible experience. As soon as you walked in there was a horrible stench. The man never came up to us to check if we needed anything. Not only that, but there was a rotting fish right next to his main big tank with the flower horn. It looked like it had been there for days and clearly DECOMPOSED. There was no way he wouldn’t notice it. Some tanks were green and didn’t have much of a selection either.”
— Tina Pecina1.011 months ago“The owner was nice. He was helpful to a certain extent but wasn't as knowledgeable as some other small pet stores about his birds. I went here to get my pet birds and later found out that paired conures are not the best pets bc It can cause a rift in their bond. (My fault for not researching more) still prefer small stores for pet birds over large chains.”
— Michael Saunders3.011 months ago
Reference
Frequently asked questions
Note — Store information and services may change. Always call (956) 612-7705 to confirm current availability, hours, and services before visiting Under The Sea.