About
Richmond Aquarium LLC in North Chesterfield, Virginia markets itself as the state's largest marine aquarium specialty company — a claim that generates both excitement and, at times, unmet expectations. The store occupies a space with visually impressive, well-maintained display tanks that showcase what the operation is capable of. Reviewers consistently note how clean the tanks are, and when stocked well, the selection of freshwater and saltwater fish earns praise for healthy, good-looking animals at fair prices.
The store offers custom aquarium designs alongside its retail operation, carrying supplies, fish food, and equipment for both freshwater and saltwater hobbyists. Their coral selection, while present, has drawn mixed reactions — some visitors hoping for a broad marine inventory have found the tanks lightly stocked with mostly common pieces, a letdown for those driving significant distances based on the store's bold advertising. Availability seems to fluctuate, and staff have offered to special-order items not currently in stock.
Staff interactions are where Richmond Aquarium gets its most polarized feedback. Multiple reviewers describe employees as friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable with positive energy. Others, however, have had starkly different experiences — from being completely ignored upon entry to receiving questionable care advice.
One particularly painful account involved a betta named Einstein, where feeding guidance allegedly contributed to the fish's death from bloating within three weeks. That story underscores the importance of consistent, accurate fish care knowledge across all staff members. The store's hours have also caught some visitors off guard, with at least one customer driving 40 minutes only to find the doors closed during expected business hours.
It's worth confirming hours before making a trip, especially from outside the Richmond metro area. When Richmond Aquarium is firing on all cylinders — stocked tanks, attentive staff, solid inventory — it delivers a rewarding shopping experience with clean facilities and competitive pricing. The foundation is clearly there; consistency appears to be the challenge.
What they offer
Livestock, services, water
- Livestock & products
- Services
- Specializes in
Highlights
What makes them special
- Clean, visually impressive display tanks for both freshwater and saltwater
- Custom aquarium design services available
- Ability to special-order fish and coral not currently in stock
- Fair pricing on fish and supplies
- Saltwater and coral inventory available, though stock levels vary
From keepers
Customer reviews
“I rarely ever leave negative reviews, but after driving 2.5 hours to this pet store, I felt it was important to share my experience. The website advertises the business as “Virginia’s Largest Marine Aquarium Specialty Company,” so I had high expectations and was genuinely excited to purchase live fish and coral for our saltwater tank. The display tanks themselves were very clean and visually impressive, but the majority of them were empty. The coral tank was lightly stocked with mostly very basic pieces, which was surprising given the company’s advertising. Over the past 30 days, we have visited several marine and saltwater pet stores across the NOVA, Roanoke, and Richmond areas, and this location unfortunately had the smallest selection of all of them. The employee we interacted with was friendly and helpful and offered to order anything we wanted, which was appreciated. However, based on the way the store is marketed, we were expecting a much larger selection and more impressive displays. While the store may have the potential to live up to its title in the future, this visit was the complete opposite of what we expected if you are looking to see a wide variety of marine inventory in person.”
— James Whiteside2.0a day ago“I can't give them an honest review on fish quality or product knowledge because I was never acknowled. No welcome, hi, hello, be right with you... Nothing. So my review is based strictly on the lack of service I received. I will not be back.”
— Iris Jaye1.02 weeks ago“Very friendly and helpful staff.”
— Renay Landis5.0a month ago“Great staff!!”
— Darryl Peterson5.02 months ago“Drove 40 minutes one way for them to be closed at 3pm on a Monday.”
— Eli White1.04 months ago“These people don’t have the knowledge to be selling fish or giving advice. After 2 weeks my once beautiful, happy fish was lethargic and looked bloated. I was told he was bored and I should switch up his tank (by 2 different people). After only 2 weeks? I pointed out didn’t he look bloated? Nope. I told him I’m feeding Einstein a few pellets once every other day and 1/4 of a blood worm cube once every other day, on alternate days from the pellets. I was told to feed him more, 1/2 a frozen cube instead. So I gave him more blood worms that day. Two days later Einstein was dead. I did my own research afterwards and read that bettas can get bloated from too many bloodworms, and should just get a 2-3 worms, defrosted, once a week. On a side note, each time I went in there for supplies, they would recommend something, but when I wanted to buy it, I was told they were out of it. I purposely went to a store that I thought would have more knowledge than a chain store. I was wrong. This was my birthday present from my family. Sad memories instead. When I went to the store afterwards to tell them my fish died after just 3 weeks, the employee responded, “Oh”.”
— LJ1.05 months ago“Knowledgeable staff who always have a positive energy I go there.”
— Aidan Mcdonald5.05 months ago“Staff was very helpful! Great selection and fair prices. All of the tanks were clean and animals were happy and healthy.”
— Devyn5.05 months ago
Reference
Frequently asked questions
Note — Store information and services may change. Always call (804) 276-3474 to confirm current availability, hours, and services before visiting Richmond Aquarium LLC.