About
Walk into The Waterfront in Salt Lake City and the first thing you notice is the silence of a well-run operation — no funky smell, no cloudy tanks, no dead fish floating in corners. Every aquarium is crystal clear, meticulously maintained, and stocked with healthy, active specimens. It's the kind of place that makes you want to start another tank, even when you swore you wouldn't.
Owner Louis has deep roots in Utah's fishkeeping community — some customers recall buying pacu from him on KSL classifieds a decade before the brick-and-mortar shop existed. Today, The Waterfront has earned a reputation as arguably the best local fish store in the state, drawing hobbyists who happily drive nearly an hour from places like Spanish Fork just to browse. The freshwater selection is where The Waterfront truly shines.
Alongside bread-and-butter community fish, you'll find stingrays, oddball exotics, and rare species that simply don't show up elsewhere in the region. Their shrimp selection gets frequent praise, and cichlid keepers will find solid stock — though some wish for even more variety. Bettas are housed in properly sized, decorated tanks rather than sad plastic cups, a detail that speaks volumes about the store's ethos.
They also carry an impressive driftwood selection and live plants, and staff members like Taylor will actually demonstrate aquascaping techniques to help you visualize layouts at home. The Waterfront operates a competitive online store with shipping, and multiple out-of-state customers report receiving fish in excellent health. They'll special order hard-to-find species, notify you when something arrives, and even sex fish for you before shipping.
The shop also practices quarantine — they won't sell a fish unless it's in top condition. Staff members including Louis, Taylor, Jay, and Stephen are consistently cited for their patience, passion, and deep species knowledge. They'll stay late for a customer rushing from work, take in fish that need rehoming, and spend real time talking through stocking plans.
The Waterfront isn't just a store; it's a community resource that takes fishkeeping seriously.
What they offer
Livestock, services, water
- Livestock & products
- Services
- Specializes in
Highlights
What makes them special
- Rare and exotic freshwater species including stingrays and oddball fish
- Immaculately clean tanks with quarantined, healthy livestock
- Competitive online store with nationwide shipping
- Bettas housed in properly sized decorated tanks, not cups
- Best driftwood selection in Salt Lake City
From keepers
Customer reviews
“Louis, and Jay over there. I mean im speechless, i know of PLENTY of avenues to secure fish. And after keeping fish for almost 20 years and im 26. I would never consider shopping elsewhere. Met Louis selling pacu on Ksl a decade before the store opened, amazing guys !,”
— Google Phone5.0a week ago“Very informative staff, we got some awesome shrimp there, and the place is kept clean and well maintained. I would recommend this place for all of your fish needs and aquatic pet inquiries.”
— Jessie Areyn5.0a week ago“This is my first time visiting and Wow! - they have the best driftwood selection in town! Their aquariums are so clean and the fish they have are very unique - definitely a place you should check out!”
— Crystal Evans5.0a week ago“Absolutely Love this fish store. The variety of fish from cichlids to exotics to commons is amazing. The staff is knowledgeable and friendly. And the livestock have always been top notch quality and health. Been buying fish from this store for over three years. Not only is the waterfront the best shop in Salt Lake City. But their online prices and shipping is also incredibly competitive. If you’re new to the hobby or have years of experience keeping fish. The waterfront will get you taken care of.”
— Alan Rose5.0a week ago“Pretty cool operation for a fish store needs to have more options for cichlids.”
— Joseph Wayman3.0a week ago“Was really cool. Great selection”
— Jared Bingham5.03 weeks ago“This is by far the best maintained, and coolest fish/aquarium store I’ve ever been to! Very friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable staff. The tanks are kept very very clean compared to most competitors, and the employee that helped me really seemed to be passionate about the hobby and caring for the fish in the store. I will always recommend this store first and foremost as the place to go for exotic fish!”
— Shea Prince5.03 weeks ago“Stayed open an extra 10 minutes so I could make it after work and answered ALL my questions! Very knowledgeable and helpful! We will definitely be back!”
— Shayla Bartlett5.03 weeks ago“Great service!! I’m leaving for my mission and they gladly took my Albino Corydora Catfish since I could no longer care for it. Thank you to the Waterfront for the help!”
— DogeyBoy5.0a month ago“This is a high quality fish store that carries hard-to-find species as well as common stock.”
— Lisa Liu5.0a month ago
Reference
Frequently asked questions
Note — Store information and services may change. Always call (801) 770-0045 to confirm current availability, hours, and services before visiting The Waterfront.