








Aquatic Design Aquariums in Plano, Texas has built a steady following among DFW aquarists with its dual focus on freshwater and saltwater livestock, a well-regarded coral selection, and a staff that regulars know by name. Shawn, Steven, Christina, Holland, and Jeff each get called out by customers for their hands-on expertise — from diagnosing tank problems on the spot to helping newcomers design their first setup. The store stocks a solid range of saltwater fish, coral frags, live rock, and invertebrates like hermit crabs and amano shrimp, earning praise as one of the better coral shops in the DFW metroplex.
On the freshwater side, you'll find healthy stem plants, affordable rocks, and a rotating cast of community fish including convict parrots and livebearers. Shrimp keepers will appreciate the variety — red and blue shrimp are frequently in stock — and at least one axolotl owner credits the staff with helping troubleshoot water quality issues specific to their city's tap water. The physical space is compact but clean and well-organized, with aquarium rocks displayed outside the storefront and plenty of parking.
Frozen fish food, marine salt, and dry goods round out the inventory, and if something isn't on the shelf, the team will order it and actually follow up with a phone call when it arrives. Water testing is available in-store, and the maintenance side of the business gets high marks — technician Jeff in particular draws loyal repeat customers. Plano shoppers have also purchased tanks as large as 110 gallons here, and the store offers consultation and proposals for new aquarium builds.
A handful of reviewers note occasional misidentification of fish species and inconsistent greetings on busy days, so it's worth double-checking what goes in your bag. But the affordable pricing, genuine expertise on both salt and fresh systems, and a willingness to problem-solve keep the regulars coming back every other week.
CHRIS BERDAN
28 reviews
The place has an ok selection of fish and tanks, but when I got a male guppy for my daughter's fish tank they gave me a female guppy that was mixed in with the males instead... so of course it had babies and died which messed up the ecosystem in my daughter's tank.
Rusty Morgan
59 reviews
Insane selection of healthy stock
Vivek Shukla
4 reviews
Small place but have nice fish at reasonable price
Chris Caviness
128 reviews
Excellent spot if you have or want an aquarium, salt or freshwater. Incredible selection. Staff is friendly and knowledgeable.
YANETH CASTILLO
19 reviews
Love the people here
Shawn S
Friendly staff, nice clean facility, but sold me 2 types of fish that weren’t as advertised. The “cherry barbs” they sold me were tiger barbs and the “emerald Cory cats” were basic bronze Cory cats.
Rodolfo Miserez
258 reviews
Pro! I'm waiting to see how theire Proposal will look like for a New aquarium.
Zephon Barrientos
2 reviews
Came in today for salt water best customer service I’ve experienced will definitely be coming back great selection I’d recommend if you need the best advice this is the place to be at !!!
M Carter
31 reviews
Nice!
AWARIES
159 reviews
It was my first visit I purchased a total of eight fish. Shawn was friendly and informative which I liked! They sell fresh water and salt water fish they have a decent selection. I would recommend!
Note: Store information and services may change. Always call (972) 423-0414 to confirm current availability, hours, and services before visiting Aquatic Design Aquariums.
Take control of your listing to update info and respond to reviews.
Claim This ListingFind on Map
1629 N Central Expy, Plano, TX 75075
February 7, 2026
Verified Data
Information verified through Google Places API and community contributions.
Other aquarium shops nearby worth checking out