About
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.
What they offer
Livestock, services, water
- Livestock & products
- Services
- Specializes in
Highlights
What makes them special
- Recognized as one of the better coral frag shops in the DFW metroplex
- Staff known by name — Shawn, Christina, Holland, and Jeff each praised for expertise
- Good variety of shrimp including red, blue, and amano shrimp
- In-store water testing and personalized tank setup consultations
- Affordable live plants, stem plants, and aquarium rocks
From keepers
Customer 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.”
— CHRIS BERDAN3.0a week ago“Insane selection of healthy stock”
— Rusty Morgan5.02 weeks ago“Small place but have nice fish at reasonable price”
— Vivek Shukla4.0a month ago“Excellent spot if you have or want an aquarium, salt or freshwater. Incredible selection. Staff is friendly and knowledgeable.”
— Chris Caviness5.03 months ago“Love the people here”
— YANETH CASTILLO5.03 months ago“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.”
— Shawn S3.04 months ago“Pro! I'm waiting to see how theire Proposal will look like for a New aquarium.”
— Rodolfo Miserez5.05 months ago“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 !!!”
— Zephon Barrientos5.05 months ago“Nice!”
— M Carter5.05 months ago“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!”
— AWARIES5.05 months ago
Reference
Frequently asked questions
Note — Store information and services may change. Always call (972) 423-0414 to confirm current availability, hours, and services before visiting Aquatic Design Aquariums.