About
Tucked into Seattle's Lake City neighborhood, The Fish Store is the kind of independently owned aquarium store that keeps regulars driving in from as far as Renton and turning away from the chains for good. Owner Mark and a knowledgeable crew, including longtime staffer Orlando and more recent helpers like Cory and Dan, field a steady stream of questions with real patience, often offering tank advice you didn't know you needed. " The draw is the breadth of healthy livestock under one roof.
On the freshwater side you'll find bettas, guppies, amano and blue velvet shrimp, bristle-nose plecos, and discus, alongside a well-priced, consistently healthy selection of live aquarium plants. Shoppers regularly spot uncommon species here they've never seen in person, so a visit feels a bit like a treasure hunt. Looking for healthy freshwater fish or planted-tank plants for sale in Seattle, WA?
This is a long-standing local favorite. It's an aquarium store in the full sense, too. The saltwater side is widely cited as one of the best spots in Seattle for marine fish and corals, with everything you need to build out a reef tank setup, and customers report their fish and corals arriving healthy and thriving for years.
Recent visitors also note the space is clean and well-kept, with friendly service that lets you browse without anyone breathing down your neck. Beyond livestock, the shop stocks tanks, heaters, filters (including Fluval canister models), fish food, and quality driftwood and stone hardscape, with display aquascapes throughout for inspiration. Staff will test your water, help you plan a community tank, and walk first-timers through setup.
Prices skew a touch high on some equipment, but the fish health and genuine expertise keep this Lake City shop a beloved Seattle institution. Pro tip from a regular: celebrate your new fish with a stop at the ice cream shop next door.
What they offer
Fish & livestock for sale at The Fish Store in Seattle, WA
The Fish Store stocks corals, reef fish, betta fish, shrimp, invertebrates, axolotls, discus, plecos, aquarium plants and freshwater & saltwater fish for sale in Seattle, WA. As an aquarium store serving Seattle, WA, it also carries aquarium equipment, fish food and dry goods and offers aquarium setup, tank maintenance, water testing and aquarium consultations.
- Livestock & products
- CoralsReefLive PlantsBettasShrimpInvertebratesAxolotlsDiscusPlecosAquarium EquipmentFish FoodDry Goods
- Specializes in
Highlights
What makes them special
- One of Seattle's top spots for saltwater fish and corals, with reef-ready livestock that stays healthy
- Deep freshwater lineup: bettas, guppies, amano and blue velvet shrimp, bristle-nose plecos, discus, and uncommon finds
- Well-priced, consistently healthy live aquarium plants for planted tanks
- Free water testing plus hands-on community-tank and setup advice from owner Mark and staff like Cory and Dan
- Independent Lake City shop with display aquascapes and a clean, no-pressure browsing experience
From keepers
Customer reviews
“I fell in love with this place as soon as I walked in. The place is clean and smells clean. The variety and pricing is worth the visit alone. The customer service was phenomenal. Staff that is very helpful but will also let you browse without breathing down your neck. Cory helped me today and I only have great things to say about them. Cory was very helpful, knowledgeable, and even provided advice based on my tank descriptions that I didn't even know I needed. I learned a lot today and I'll be back very soon. Thanks again, y'all! *Edit* I called in with a question to make some ends meet with my project and received a very articulate and helpful answer.”
— David Dieter5.0a week ago“Cool little old-school aquarium store!”
— C Opal5.0a week ago“Amazing service, so many beautiful fish and plants! Shop local you'll be happy you did :)”
— Tiffany Rogers5.03 weeks ago“Excellent service.. been shopping here for years.”
— david cates5.0a month ago“This is a fantastic local fish store! The fish all look to be very healthy, and Dan had some fantastic advice. They have everything you could need for a freshwater planted or reef tank setup. Definitely check them out!”
— Victoria Barnes5.0a month ago“Great selection of fish and aquatic plants, and the employees are helpful, knowledgeable, and enjoy teaching about the fish. All the aquatic animals I have purchased have lived a very long time and are very cute.”
— Mark J5.02 months ago“One of my favorite fish stores in the area by far. Super educated and friendly staff, large selection of freshwater and saltwater fish, live plants, and sections with tanks, already set up tanks, heaters, food, filters, etc. Way better than a chain pet store, definitely recommend. A bit on the pricier side though, mixed saltwater is expensive and some equipment they sell is very overpriced.”
— delaney5.0Edited 2 months ago“Great Fish Store in Lake City. I'm so excited about having fish again!”
— Jerry Olsen5.02 months ago“Nice little local fish aquarium store. Very friendly staff members . Highly recommend for people who want to start a fish tank.”
— Burberry C5.02 months ago“Came in looking for a betta for my 10 gallon tank and found a nice healthy selection. Then I asked if they had any blue velvet shrimp, the employee said they did and got some really nice ones for me. One of the females was even carrying eggs! They also have a nice selection of aquatic plants so I picked some up. I’ve always loved this place since I got my axolotl there about 5 years ago. They didn’t have any axolotls this time around but they still have lots of variety.”
— Ana Malmassari5.04 months ago
Reference
Frequently asked questions
Note — Store information and services may change. Always call (206) 522-5259 to confirm current availability, hours, and services before visiting The Fish Store.