About
Tucked into Roanoke, Virginia, Alien Aquatics is a father-and-son operation that has earned a fiercely loyal following across the region — with customers driving 45 minutes or more to shop there. Owner Brian Fuller, his father, and their small team run the kind of aquarium store where the tanks are spotless, the fish are healthy, and nobody tries to sell you something you don't need. The shop serves both the saltwater and freshwater sides of the hobby with genuine depth.
Coral enthusiasts will find a solid and growing collection — the store has been expanding its reef offerings, including a coral display. Freshwater keepers can browse healthy gold rams, live plants, and a well-stocked medication and chemical section. Live black worms and copepods are available for those who feed live foods, and the shrimp selection has drawn planted tank hobbyists looking for quality invertebrates.
Axolotls are a crowd favorite here too — customers rave about the adorable specimens, and the store clearly takes pride in sourcing healthy animals. Bettas get special attention at Alien Aquatics. Brian's father is known for walking first-time betta owners through the entire setup process, opening tanks and explaining each component with patience and warmth.
That hands-on consultation style runs through every interaction at the store — Brian will tell you straight which fish work together and which don't, and he's helped numerous customers troubleshoot sick tanks and plan their first planted setups. The store stocks driftwood, aquarium supplies, and the essentials for both reef and freshwater systems. If something isn't on the shelf, they'll order it.
Prices may occasionally run higher than big-box alternatives, but the health of the livestock and the caliber of advice make the difference obvious. Alien Aquatics also gives back locally, sponsoring community events like the local fishing rodeo. For Roanoke-area aquarists who want clean tanks, honest guidance, and fish that actually thrive when they get home, this is the shop worth building a relationship with.
What they offer
Livestock, services, water
- Livestock & products
- Services
- Consultation
- Specializes in
Highlights
What makes them special
- Father-and-son family business led by owner Brian Fuller with a passionate, knowledgeable team
- Exceptionally clean and well-maintained tanks with healthy livestock
- Strong saltwater and coral selection with an expanding reef display
- Live black worms, copepods, and quality invertebrates including shrimp
- Popular axolotl and betta selection with hands-on guidance for new owners
From keepers
Customer reviews
“Great shop with lots of knowledge & helpful staff. Great saltwater selection!”
— James Whiteside5.02 weeks ago“I am so excited to be leaving this review. Today was my first visit, and I was struck by the care displayed with the tanks, all the stocking conditions looked immaculate, the customer service was very warm and personal without being overbearing. The quality of product is unmatched in the region. Prices can be on the high-side for some things, but I was honestly alright with it considering the overall shopping experience. Will be coming back time after time!”
— Alec Taylor5.0Edited 2 weeks ago“They will give credit for larger healthy fish when they out grow your tank. Awesome selections”
— Dominic DiFrancesco5.0a month ago“Great family-owned business that we are grateful to have found! Super friendly, knowledgeable and affordable pricing. Ended up with some great live plants, all of our food and tank supplies and brought home some shrimp as well! We are happy to call this our "home" fish/aquarium store.”
— Suzanne Turner5.0a month ago“Great store and the owner is a great help”
— Brittany5.02 months ago“These guys are absolutely amazing! They are very knowledgeable and so straight forward and will tell you what you need and don't need! They are so so sweet and they just got them a life time customer!!! I love these guys! They have everything you need to get going with saltwater or freshwater and if they don't have it they will order it and have it ready for you! They have an amazing selection of fish,corals, axolotls and betta fish! I can 100% promise you will not be disappointed with this father son shop!”
— Davia Robinson5.02 months ago“This was our second visit to Alien Aquatics. My husband and I live 45 minutes away. So it's quite a trip. It is worth the drive for us. Brian is amazing, extremely knowledgeable. He is vert friendly and has helped us greatly in developing a fish tank that is right for us. Thank you Brian, Candy & Bill.”
— Candy Weitz5.0Edited 4 months ago“Very professional experience”
— Gregory Lacoste5.05 months ago“Awesome store , live Black worms, live copepods, very clean . Great quality gold rams !!!! Plants, wood , lots of reef stuff.”
— Michael Griffith5.05 months ago“Awesome people with very clean shop. Very obvious that this is more than a business for them. It is a passion and love for the hobby.”
— SARA Roanoke5.05 months ago
Reference
Frequently asked questions
Note — Store information and services may change. Always call (540) 566-3475 to confirm current availability, hours, and services before visiting Alien Aquatics.