Reviews of Aquariums West (Fish Shop)

Eric Chan

They are a great place for aquarium supplies. Nice layout and they have everything you need.

Vlad Constantinescu

Absolutely amazing aquascaping and fish store! Would highly recommend! They are super helpful and can help you no matter where you are at in skill level. They have been instrumental in helping me get my first aquarium set up and stocked with great plants and decor.

Tia Sieber

A little too pricey for being one of the ONLY places you can buy your small pets necessities.

Joey Berezanski

Beautiful bougie fish store. Lots of selection. Immaculate plants. Looks better than the Aquarium. And it's not a billion dollars to see some fish. Deals on multiples. 50 points Gryffindor.

Taya Nowlan (Tayaryn)

Huge fish selections! Awesome displays! Good prices. Helpful staff

Clayton Tomanek

These people know there aquarium stuff. Nice guys to talk to and the only place my son or I will deal with. Beautifully looked after tanks in store, not a run of the mill bunch of species and how much they can sell you. Quality, definitely recommend.

Baka Kokoro

Very friendly staff even if you don't buy anything and just go around looking like me :)))). Nice place.

Darrean Lemieux

Clean, Safe during Covid, Happy Fish, Happy Tanks, Great Customer service, Good Recommendations, and much More!

Jack Hagemeister

Amazing place with super knowledgeable and helpful staff. I don't get my fish/other tank animals anywhere else. It is clear that all the staff truly care about their jobs. Yes their prices run on the higher side, but in this hobby you should already be at peace with having to spend a little money for quality products. If you're not ok with spending money, maybe this isn't the right hobby for you (you are taking care of live animals after all). I could honestly spend hours in there looking at all the cool species. 10/10 would recommend.

Jennifer Cosgrave

This store is great. If I ever set up another fishtank or turtle tank again, for sure this is the place to come. They also sell small animals like rats, which make excellent pets btw.

Rudy Mallat

Really great store, very knowledgeable staff, clean healthy plants and fish.

Jack Bondy

Best place to go for purchasing fish, plants, and supplies. I have purchased multiple plants, shrimp and x-ray Tetras that were in excellent health, so good in fact that I now have multiple xray fry swimming in my tank. Significant difference in quality compared to larger department stores. They have a vast variety of fish available and often have new types in stock. The store can get quite busy and at times it can be difficult to get an employees attention but it is worth the wait due to their knowledge in aquarium keeping.

Nick Maharaj

Aquariums West may have a decent selection of products but the fish they sell are incredibly unhealthy. Last month I had purchased a pair of black mollies and within 1 week of introducing them to a clean, healthy tank (cycled the tank for a year) they both developed sickness and died. 3 days ago I bought a pair of clownfish from them and this morning they had developed ich. They are the fist inhabitants in a 2 month long cycled tank. I believe they use the same filtration and water treatment for every tank, which spreads disease a lot easier.I will not be buying anymore aquatic life from Aquariums West. 2 stars because their plants are barely decent.

Srirag Sadanandan

Very helpful, knowledgeable and friendly staff. Great selection of products too.

p.francesca.o O. T.

Not returning. I regret the $300 I have spent at this hostile store on a new aquarium, plants, plant soil, filtration, & wood. Passive aggressive comments is not proper customer service blond lady...

Adeline

Very knowledgable staff~ got a beautiful betta here and lots of other tropical fish. Visit here almost every other week! Very high quality fish, since they sell their fish pretty fast! Highly recommend people to buy their fish here.

/-/ \/V

Good selection of fishes. Staffs are friendly and helpful. Only allow 2 persons in store at a time, so be expected long wait time.

Aynsley Hamilton

Staff are very knowledgeable and the animals are amazing/well taken care of

Alexis S

Picked up 3 rats here, staff were accommodating and very helpful and knowledgeable. Because of my situation I needed to pick out the rats one day and pick them up the next day, no other store was able to accommodate this but they had no problem with it. The animals all look well cared for here

Tristan Coatta

First this review pertains only to the freshwater aspect of the store as I don't have a saltwater tank. the store is definitely catered for freshwater aquariums, but still has some marine fish and products for saltwater aquariums, it also has a reptile department and selection of small mammals (mice, hedgehogs ect) but I cant really speak for these departments as I do not have a great deal of experience in them. Best aquarium store in the lower mainland. They have a great selection of tropical fish (not a huge selection of marine fish), and the healthiest looking plants I've seen in any aquarium store. All of my interactions with employees have been pleasant and helpful, and the store is beautiful. other reviews have mentioned price as an issue and it is true that it is on the pricier end of things its because they are an ADA retailer and ADA equipment is expensive no matter where you buy it, non ADA products from what I have seen are priced similarly to other stores. Their prices on chemicals, fish ect. are fine. The plants that they sell are higher priced than many other stores but aquariums west uses co2 injection in their planted tanks as well a fertilizers which is something many other stores don't do, and at the end of the day the plants I have bought from aquariums west always seem to be healthy, although might not be an option for those on a tight budget. I have never had a problem with any of the fish I have purchased from aquariums west and they have a varied and interesting selection. while in the store it is rare a rare occurrence that I have seen a dead fish in any of the tanks. I have read a couple other reviews that state they have purchased a sick fish, and this is just a fact at aquarium stores that livestock sometimes arrives sick and it can be hard to identify that the fish is ill until it starts showing symptoms at which point the infected tank is isolated and infected livestock is not sold (one of my trips to the store I noticed one of the tanks in this state so I know that the employees are watching for this eventuality). because there really isn't much a store can do to safeguard against selling infected fish prior to a fish developing symptoms, I recommend the use of a quarantine tank to put new fish in for a week or so, to make sure they don't develop any symptoms. this is a very effective way to prevent introducing a sick fish into your tank and infecting all of your fish. (I know I'm getting a bit off topic here but bear with me.) other than that use common sense if you're in any fish store and you see a tank with unhealthy looking fish don't buy fish from that tank. to get back to the matter at hand (Aquariums West if you've forgotten after all that digressing) they have a great selection of fish which from my experiences have always seemed in good health, that being said safety first and you should be fine with any of their fish. the staff are aquarium enthusiasts themselves and are a always willing to provide advice or useful information, ie. how big will this fish grow. In conclusion I gave aquariums west 5 stars because for me It has been an awesome store, if I were somebody who was on a tighter budget I might give them 4 stars or 3.5 because they don't have a large selection of cheaper product lines. at the end of the day in my experience this store is the highest quality in the lower mainland, even if you aren't willing to spend a huge amount on aquarium products I would still check out the store because they do have some affordable products that are still quality made.

G. Anderson

Great place and helpful staff! I have shopped for my Aquarium needs with them for years and now their 3rd and current location.

Fishby

Always a fun place to go to no matter how many times I've been there. The staff are very informative and kind to customers. Wide range of animals both rare and common that have a range in difficulty keeping. The fish are a bit pricey but the service makes up for it.

W Y

Great selection of fish, shrimps, aquatic plants, accessories and equipment. Very knowledgeable and helpful staff.

Ruth Delzer

Beautiful display tanks, knowledgeable staff. Sometimes a bit pricey and one star off for one of the staff being impatient with us.

Cynthia Traugott

I had written a terrible review of this place. I'd only been there a couple of times on the same weekend, but I've since been back and have had very good service and found everything I needed. Also, they have an amazing display of nano tanks and sell a ton of plants and aquarium decor you don't see elsewhere. Also, their bettas are not kept in cups like in most pet stores--they have small aquariums attached to the system of aquariums they have set up for other fish, which is so much more humane that the other big box pet stores.

Markus Schinkel

Perfect fish shop for small downtown fish tanks.

S. Shapiro

My partner and I have recently become enamored with the aquarium world (saltwater) but have pursued the plant/freshwater side of things as to not completely drain our bank accounts, heh. Aquariums West provided an excellent foundation of knowledge that not only mirrored some of the research we had done, but above and beyond exceeded our expectations of the great care and passion they hold at their facility. The staff was very welcoming and extremely helpful. We live on the north shore and I can say with confidence that I trust making the trek out to get my supplies and forms of life from AW :)

James S

I love this place!! People who work there are very friendly and helpful. I ended up quit drink for new hobby to grow fishes, shrimps, Lobster and live plants. Also my dog Walter love to go there. He always drag me there to shop. Great place! Highly recommend :)

Lysa Hayes

They always go out of their way to assist you n answer questions . If they don't have , they will offer suggestions next best thing. Very friendly atmosphere. Clean n organized. Friendly n helpful staff..

Tyler Palmer

Large selection of freshwater tanks, equipment, livestock and plants. The saltwater selection is somewhat limited. Helpful and friendly staff!

bluemartian9

Absolutely the best LFS in the city. Wide selection of tanks and livestock, both fresh and saltwater. I'd like to add that it's almost impossible to find reefing supplies in this city, but they have them here. A selection of coral and saltwater fish, as well as a tank dedicated for selling some wicked live rock. (Mine came with a snail and a couple starfish). Staff are terrific and knowledgeable. I came in a couple days later after my setup for help with a noisy pump. I had sediment in it, and seeing I was in a hurry and that I didn't know what I was doing they cleaned it for me real quick. Showed me what I needed every step of the way. They have a few REALLY well established and beautiful reef tanks for display. That way you can feel confident they know what they're doing.

Aliyah Daniels

Aquariums West is my go-to shop for fish and reptile supplies. I have an assortment of pets at home, and it's so convenient to get all of my shopping done in one place. The staff is very friendly, knowledgeable, helpful, and gives advice to work within your budget. The animal's husbandry standards and care are superb. I have seen them give great advice to first-time pet owners, and they are equally able to help me answer more advanced questions about my animal care. If a staff member on duty doesn't have insight into a specific issue, they have great teamwork to source the correct information for their customers. The only downside is that their hours conflict with my (admittedly unusual) work schedule, so I really have to prioritize scheduling my trips! Highly recommend for all exotic pet and reptile needs!

Jonathan Hii

Knowledgeable friendly staff, you never felt pressured to purchasing anything.

Ben

Always a pleasure going to aquariums west, they have pretty much everything you need. Staff is always helpful. I personally love how organized and clean the shop is. Keep up the great work!

Joseph Fearn

Really knowledgeable staff. Fair prices. Great business

Ronnie Moye

Despite being closed due to COVID, they were extremely accommodating to me over the phone and I was able to order what I needed and do curbside pickup on very short notice! They went above and beyond and I'm very grateful

polaco F

Great place! Huge selection at good prices. Knowledge of persons working there surpasses majority patsmarts, etc. It is quite busy, so had to wait for a little bit to get assistance, but I'm glad I did. Will return for sure!

J1mmySl1m

Extremely well educated staff, very helpful. Great selection of stock, for almost any animal. Love it!

Fraser Parlane

The staff here are fantastic and helpful.

Jazz Jazz

Love this aquarium hobby store. It's perfect if youre looking for knowledgable people who can really help you and teach you

yayo Esperon

Very safe about covid , nice variety of fish plants , and anything for a. Acuarium

Travon Hart

The staff here are super knowledgeable, especially about aquascaping and somehow know where everything is in this spacious store that’s got everything you’ll need!

Cris Tan

I love this place. It's like a very relaxing place for me. The website is updated daily with live animals and goods, different shipments coming from different parts of the world. The Staff were very knowledgeable and friendly. I like the gothic cool chic, she is great and knows it all. Also, the cute tall guy with aviator hat, he's very approachable, nice. The other guys as well and cashiers were on top of things. I highly recommend this place for beginners, advanced and pet enthusiasts.

R Monkey

I like the store and their prices are decent. They have friendly knowledgable staff. I bought some pink powder guppies and a couple plecos from here and my wife bought some fancy female guppies. It must have been their supplier because all of the guppies died within a week. I bought some guppies from another store and have also bread some but they are still alive. It was just theirs that died. Not sure I'll go back for guppies. The plecos were good except there were quite a few floating around in the tank.

James Allen

Staff knowledgeable and doing a great job keeping the store covid friendly. Only tiny thing is after we left the store it was a bit confusing trying to navigate our way out. Oh good pricing and they have a good selection of plants.

Sophie Poato

Aquariums west is a whole other world. The staff are personable and very attentive to your needs and openly lend you their expert advice. Their display and array of species is quite impressive and are very well organized. I have never been to an aquarium store so astonishing. With their array of exotic fish and lush aquatic foliage, no other fish store could help you find your aquatic needs quite like they do.

Renee Caines

Lots of great supplies there. Cool fish too!

GK108

It is a very well organized, welcoming and friendly place with very knowledgeable staff. Sometimes all I do is just stare at the aquaecapes that they have and the variety of fish they keep. It is far cheaper than going to the Vancouver Aquarium lol. As far as variety is concerned, there is a decent amount. I won't call it huge, but it is not small either. There are freshwater, marine, birds, hamsters and reptiles. The store is also nicely laid out with lots of space to walk and plan future purchases. No one really is stepping over anyone else. A nice place to start your hobby or just kill an hour or two.

Enoch

excellent pet store, really clean and nice staffs. the quality of live stock is superb and also has awesome equipment that other pet stores don't have.

Sid

The staff here are very helpful. They provide great service &the fishes are usually healthier than at other pet stores.

Shane Golden

Super helpful staff. Vancouvers best local fish store. I regularly shop at different fish stores online and brick/mortar and the cleanliness of the livestock at Aquariums West is next to none. I've never had a single pest on any of the dozens of fish / coral I've purchased. All my livestock go through strict quarantine procedures and I document as much as I can to help other people in the hobby.

Jordyn “Siferra 89” Chan

Just started keeping cherry shrimp and I noticed that they were dying off at a fast rate. The person who gave me the shrimp told me to go to this store and I did. I was helped by three different staff members, all of whom were super friendly and laid back, not to mention able to answer all of my questions. They tested a sample of my aquarium's water that I brought in and told me what I needed to address the water issues without being insistent or pushy. Prices are what you'd expect for a specialty store, but to me it's definitely worth it for the service and expertise I get here.

Aaron Innes

Great selection of things for reptiles and fish. I like that I can pick from a large selection of live feed for my lizard, though I wish there was a way to know through their website if they have any in stock before I make the trip to their store. Really helpful staff both on the phone and on the floor!

Star Joinson

Love this place great service and the cheapest place to get crickets they are even cheaper if you order them in bulk.

Tabraiz Sanaullah

They have good selection of pets, accessories and food

Jerry Yin

The store is clear but the fishes have diseases and it infected all my other healthy fishes in the tank!!!

Fred Rogers

Friendly and knowledgeable staff, very pleasant shopping experience. I've purchased most of my aquarium supplies from them.

Alexia Joseph

line ups were long. Waited 45 min to get in so I recommend planning your trip around a 45 min wait so you are prepared. Staff was really helpful and kind.( Really sexy guys that work there , so, ladies that was a plus +++ tattooed guy was very sexy ;) made my wait worth my while LOL ). But really, very beautiful layout and very good prices. I recommend this store to anyone in the lower mainland who is in the hobby of starting out, you must go here.

Kolyn Gay-Message

This is a great pet store, they provide good service, healthy fish and accurate advice. I've never bought a fish and had outbreaks in my tank. I have had problems in the past with my tank and they were able to help me. Regardless of the limited occupancy due to COVID restriction, the staff gave me the time I needed to make the right purchase.

Lee Parks

Aquariums West is a fantastic consumer experience.The store is respectfully laid out and equally respectful are their staff and management.It doesn't matter if you're in the store or on the phone, they give you their utmost attention.I'm more or less a little house bound and these people go out of their way to appease my every aquatic need in always having my orders ready for pickup telling me their opinions on what is good or not for my aquarium.Their Plant stock is amazing and quality of fish selection as well, they also have most of your needs for the aquarium experience.OH did I mention just how beautiful these peoples spirits are?Give it a shot ...you'll love it as much as I do. Splish splash enjoy your summer

Dave Fischer

Everything at the store just seemed proper and done right. Also some great selection and tropical fish I haven't seen before. Fresh and salt water fish

Sammy Maiers

Super helpful staff. Nice to have an aquarium store that has more than just fish stuff.

Dan Dunford

Very experienced staff, helped me get started with my first fish tank and even wheeled it out to my car for me.

Adam Henderson

We love going here, sometimes just to look. Helpful, knowledgeable, family run. Well kept. Hidden away downstairs.

Bonnie Wong

Really cool underground aquarium and amphibians shop ! You will prob find everything you need for your scaley friends here. There was a medium sized bird-eating spider for sale here. It was scary! (Just its last section of his body was the size of my thumb pad - does that make sense? You know, the muscle around your thumb?!) Can you see the picture ? The spiders gull body is probably the length of your phone. Imagine.... The prices here are a quite a bit more than average, but I guess its downtown, so the rent is also more. All in all, it's so cool in here.

Irish Anne

Great store, lots of livestock. A few aquarium selection, competitively priced. Street parking available for $3 per hour. Lots of decorations and tanks set up, gives you lots of ideas. Use the washroom before you go, no public washroom available.

BBrettley

Best fish and exotic pet store there is. The staff are knowledgeable, patient and fun. The store is beautiful and we'll maintained and they have a large variety of fish, critters and tank supplies. I won't go anywhere else. They surely deserve 5 stars

Julie Dunstan

Excellent service, great range

ben k

not just the place to go for your Aquarium needs, they are also very helpful with reptiles and other small animals.

Prasenjit Das

refused to let me into the store. yet if any of the staff were ill they would be more than welcome at my clinic. what a shame.

Colin Greig

Helpful staff, lots of high quality product in stock.

Ian 49th (the 'Tarmac')

Not only are they purveyers of the healthiest live aqua culture in Vancouver, they also source some of the most rare species. They have been committed to this practice for the past 30+ years and are always eager to help people be successful in the hobby.

franco ryan

Right in front of BC place. Wide variety of aquariums and fishes. Super helpful staff. Forgot to know their names. But The lady with the rat, the guy with a bonnet and the chinese looking guy were super nice and very patient while we ask a lot of aquarium models and prices that will suit what we want. We finally settled on 5gallon Spec aquarium. Got discount as well for it. Highly recommended.

Scott Reece

I went in and described my new aquarium and what I was looking for; and I was recommended great fish I hadn't even thought of. And I am satisfied and will be back for more fish.

B Lastname

Very personable friendly staff. Prompt and efficient. Lots of stairs to get down into the store!

Jeff Heron

Great service and prices very friendly stalllll This place is realitvly affordable with great,friendly customer service without all the robotic chain/franchise type if service that the completion tends to offer ! Highly recommend this place .

Caitlyn Logan

Lovely staff and great selection of healthy fish and other species. However, terrible return policy. I discovered a filter I purchased from there wasn’t adequate for my tank (incredibly low flow) I have receipt and they still won’t take it back. Disappointed.

Ron Togunov

good looking aquarium store with friendly and helpful staff. unfortunately they don't sell young crickets (they have older ones) and didn't have stock of alternatives (e.g., fruit flies)...

A.R. Wolfe

This has been a great place for supplies live fish and basic care support. Staff has been pretty helpful and knowledgeable with many of my questions. Definitely a place to visit even if your just looking around or in the area.

Arash Tabarestani

Very friendly and knowledgeable staff, nice collection of fish and aquariums, Jeannie the owner is very knowledgeable and nice, you will get the best customer support experience here, I got my first saltwater tank here , the light ballast burned after few months and I was very upset , I went to the store and told them what happened, Jeannie contacted the vendor and got a replacement for me super fast. Highly recommended

Ditiu Daria

The personal was really helpful :) giving is all the information we needed. Also they have a big variety of fish :)

HOOBANGINWSCG

Bought my 15g Fluval Flex from Aquarium West! these guys are great! just wish they were open later till 9pm ????

Alex Tan

Wow! Excellent layout clean and well kept store with great quality and prices!

Sergey Turitsa

Awesome pet store with a character and good selection of fish, small rodents, reptiles and arachnids

Kim Larson

Great store, nice and knowledgeable staff. Only downside is that it is hard to find and they didn't have bunnies or birds. Great selection of fish and small rodents tho.

Adrian Crook

Another zoo we visit on the way home from school, but this is downtown. Great, family owned pet store.

Tristan Pearson

Great quality live worms, informative staff who really care about the animals there

Daniela Galidor

Employees know a lot about their fish and all animals are clean and well kept.

james h

Super clean and covid safe, amazingly stocked store with knowledgeable staff. Super clean tanks and happy happy fish

Vinay Dev

Great collections.. reptiles, terrarium plants? Fishes .

Nikita S

My first visit, stopped in quickly to buy a betta. There were lots of options, and the staff person was super helpful and knowledgeable. Good covid safety measures in place as well. Would definitely visit again for any aquarium/fish needs!

A.M. Wolf

This is the only place I get fish & supplies for my small hobby tank. Staff is helpful, but not as helpful as they should or could be. You may be better served serving yourself.

Dustin Le

Wanted to go here today, but so many street parking restrictions and exorbitant parking lot prices due to a sporting event. Check events at the nearby stadium before you go!

Holden Tompkins

Friendly, funny, and very knowledgeable staff. Most reliable stop for Reptiles and Reptile supplies in the lower mainland. Keep it up guys!

Harran Shi

The more you go the more you like it, the longer you stay in there the more you find the hidden gems. They help you test your tank water and you can call them for stock availability. You can even call them to have your items ready in a bag to pick up. They listen to your instructions carefully and they have your items ready right on time. Before buying, if you ask about the fish, if it has been medicated and quarantined, they are always able to tell you. If your fish is sick they are willing to talk to you and provide advice. The plants are on the expensive side but they do not have algae. I especially like their low iron glass aquascape tanks. You can watch them for days. The Asian staff I think his name is Douglas is super enthusiastic and funny. The manager seems kinda quiet and yeah that is kinda true and you may be scared to approach him at first but he is actually super chill dude. Please do your research on the animal before purchasing.

Matthew Block

Lots of fantastic variety and great staff with a highish price point.

James Catterall

Incredibly knowledgeable staff who truly care about fish!

Wayne Chew

Hi Jennifer, I sincerely hope you watch your own copy of the video from this incident along with your employee. Playing the retail worker victim card doesn't fly when the worker is the aggressor. As for being singled out. His attack on my family and not the white family is the definition of discrimination. Covid has been hard on everyone, don't make excuses for him. Thanks for the apology, even riddled with caveats. We went to Aquariums west to buy a a goldfish for my daughter's 10th birthday which is today. After waiting in line for our turn we were accosted by a worker telling us that there are signs saying only 2 people at a time. There was only one person in front of us. I pointed out that the sign also says children are exempt. The oldest of my 3 daughters is 12. He then told us he can't have one family take up the whole store and that we would have to split up our group. He was agitated and clearly didn't want us to be there. He told us it's a professional day and that people are bringing their kids all day. If I hadn't promise my kid a goldfish their website showed "in stock" I would have told him to stick it up his a$%. He tried everything short of telling us outright to leave before he would even let us in. This is the worst experience I've ever had in an aquarium store in 40 years of fishkeeping, even despite the aquarium snobs at other stores. He didn't have a problem with the other family groups in the store, just our Chinese family. I was looking forward to stocking up as they're a Rapashy dealer, but I'll gladly drive to Surrey to go to Roger's to buy it after that experience. My wife wouldn't even set foot into the store after that gongshow. I had to take my 3 kids in 2 and then 1 just to buy some goldfish. Business must be good if they can treat people this way. There wasn't even anyone in line behind us. He didn't even want the rest of my family to wait in the store! Yes I would love to hear from management or ownership as to why they employ this moron with anger management issues who accosted my family for no apparent reason. Maybe come look for me on the Facebook BC Aquarium hobbyists page or the "VAHS" page, or maybe the aquarium fish hobbyist page. I'll post this review there too. Thanks for the great service! To further my previous review, it appears that the person who crossed the store to yell at my family was in fact a part owner of the business Kreig Leblanc. Maybe you should reconsider accusing people of being tourists in your store before knowing why they are there. Funny how we knew you had pearlscales and black lionheads in stock, but you never bothered to ask, did you? When people agree to all the terms of your signage regarding occupancy and Covid regulations you shouldn't change the terms to your own advantage. We split our group, even when there was no one in line behind us. Yet you didn't even want my wife and 12 year old daughter wait in line inside the store. That was very kind of you seeing at it was +1° at the time. Your own staff was embarrassed by your behavior when they realized we not only were we legitimate customers, but had specific purchases in mind. Why didn't you harass the other family with children in the store? You know with the daughter that was knocking on the tanks as she went? Were we standing too quietly waiting our turn? Or were my kids too happy to see the Rainbow fish in the tank by the door. Either way I couldn't care less. Just like you didn't when you started your rant in front of my kids. From the looks of the other reviews on this place, service is apparently a big problem. Avoid this place at all costs.

Andreas Lerch

Great 1 stop shop for all of your aquarium needs. They have a large selection of tanks as well as everything else you would need to fill it. The staff are quite knowledgeable and friendly. The layout is easy to navigate as well. Prices seem fair, it’s a bit more than amazon however you get it right away and the selection is great. Definatley check this place out next time you are looking for aquarium supplies, fish or reptiles!

Melissa McArthur

Great store for inspiration on planted tanks!

Jarett Rude

Best Place in Vancouver to buy live plants and freshwater shrimp. Selection of fish and hardware also beats out other local shops. They also have a free parking spot if you know how to find their back door off of Expo Blvd.

Victor Li

Super friendly and helpful customer service. I'll be definitely back to support this place of I need a new pet

Robin Liu

Professional outfit. Freshwater tanks have self-contained filtration. Connor was very helpful and knowledgeable.

Kitty Charlie

It's really cute and the staff are very friendly

Mark AquaticProjects

Best pet store for picking up grade red shrimps and affordable prices,always coming back for more your local costumer-Mark F,~Vancouver

Hugo Rancourt-Lizotte

Aquariums West staff is always very knowledgeable and products are not too overpriced. Living in Whistler makes it a long way to get there, but it's worth it for the quality of the products, but also the fish themselves.

Logan Runner

Great place with knowledgeable staff. My only complaint is the inhumane way they treat their Betas...keeping them in small containers. They will tell you that these fish are more comfortable in small containers, as, according to them, this is how they live in the wild...NOT TRUE! Beta's, or Siamese Fighting Fish, live in a tropical climate, so they need warm water, and they only live in small areas when they have to...dry seasons or when traveling from one water source to the next. The Beta is an intelligent fish, that requires at least a heated 20 gal tank to roam and explore. I've inherited two of these fish from people who kept them in tiny unheated bowels. Both of these fish spent their days sitting at the bottom of the their bowls, barely moving. Once I added them to my large tank, they were like whole new fish...active and interactive with myself. Not until the end of their lives, a couple years, did these fish become inactive. I should also mention, I did not keep these two fish at the same time...or they would have killed each other. Both of these fish were actually very well tempered and got a long with all my fish.

David Packer

Great selection of healthy livestock, knowledgeable and friendly staff. A pleasure to shop at.

Aidan Scott

The staff here are phenomenal, they really know fish. Great veriety and ability to make requests. Also offer a wide range of tanks, plants(tropica - great quality), and accessories.

Katie Ripley

Excellent fish and plant selection.

A. G.

Always so impressed by their item stock and displays as well as their knowledge for anything you ask. The staff is incredibly helpful, chill and I am especially impressed with their safety measures concerning COVID-19.

Qedo

Great fish. Lovely place! My leg is numb from sitting on it too long.

Glenn Martin

Crickets for Sammy my tarantula she's 16 now sweet sixteen .

Keven Dubinsky

There isn't a better aquarium shop in the lower mainland.

Stephen Willey

Not quite as cheap for the simple stuff as Petsmart but for fish it's great. Lots of good looking aquariums and helpful staff.

Alex Gee

An excellent and highly positive experience! I was very satisfied with the owners and staff and they are not only knowledgeable about their products and livestock, but also very friendly and helpful. The aquascaped display tanks are inspiring and are one of the best looking I have seen in the city. In addition, there is a wide selection of aquatic flora and fauna here that are kept in excellent condition and quality. I look forward to recommending this business to anybody and I hold high regards for Aquariums West. - From a Freshwater Nano-tank owner.

Barry Lai

My favorite aquarium in the city. They have some absolutely stunning aquascaped tanks. If you want to see how the pros aquascape, this is the place. They also host free seminars once in awhile.

Dhananjay Chavan

It's a unique petshop where things are way more organised and clean.. there is variety of different pets in containers like fishtanks and setups you can choose from as per your needs.. and interests.. very friendly, knowledgeable and helpful staff..

BattyBat

Knowledgeable and awesome staff! The store has a great range of supplies.

I Hernandez

Fair variety of aquarium a d terrarium accessories. Fair prices too.

Timothy J. Holloway

This is by far the best pet store I've ever been to. The employees are great but not in an uptight, always-smiling, pretentious way. They're human, they love animals, and they're there to help in a polite, friendly, professional way. This is also the place I trust the most. While I do my own research on pet care, they're willing to share their experience and opinions and are never reckless in their suggestions. I've bought three hamsters from this place, all perfectly healthy and alert. I'd recommend this place to anyone who cares about their pets.

Jimmy Yu

-Their products are quite pricey compared to other mom'n'pop shops -Great selection of plants; equipment and food are a bit limited. -Great staff who are very knowledgeable. -The place looks awesome and is very clean.

Adam Shar

Great selection and very high end shop, expect to pay a bit of a premium but you know you're getting healthy fish and top of the line stuff!

Melissa Blackwell

My favourite store for exotic pet supplies. They have great selection, and everyone who works there is super knowledgeable.

Bláithín Ruadh

Great selection of supplies needed for any sort of fish tank, very helpful staff and always a pleasant experience when i visit

Margaret Dutilloy

Always a amazing experience seeing all the different types of aquarium aquascapes. Plants , fish and shrimps great quality and reasonably priced.

Bree Munchkin

Love this place!!!! They have lots of pets from a number of different fish from salt water to fresh water all sorts of colors to snakes like python and more

batuhan yesilbursa

Great selection of fish, lizards, vermins, and pet supplies.

Sandi Spencer

Knowledgable and friendly staff, they helped us get set up with everything we need after we made a surprise betta adoption.

Rowan

Aquariums West is always my go to place whenever I'm downtown. They have everything you could ever need for Aquarium hobbyists and terrarium critters alike. The service is excellent and the prices are reasonable. Their displays are stunning and very well kept. Love you guys!

Karman S

This place is the best, their aquascapes are gorgeous, they have a large fish selection, and the 0

Garth Vader

Awesome store, super helpful staff. Clean and organized. Definitely returning.

Bijan Markazi

Great selection of aquarium supplies, fish, and plants.

cj brabant

Aquariums West is pretty outstanding. My experience with them is limited to buying live stock and asking for advice, a lot of advice. I can't count the number of times I've been in the store where... well, really every person working (esp. Alex) is willing to take the time to listen and help you. The coolest part though, and why I truly give them 5 stars is when I call. Often, I have a simple question, other times I have a pretty complex one dealing with a specific fish. No matter the case, they have taken the time to talk and listen, and then lead me in the right direction. I really am thankful that stores like this exist and how passionate they are. (Yes, Google helps too but often it's conflicting info and it's nice to have someone help you sort all that out.)

tina tag

Helped me get rid of my BBA and snail problems! Thanks guys!

Glenn A.

Have been buying all my tropical fish and a majority of the food & accessories from this store for 20 + years. They are always helpful and found them very knowledgeable about supplies and fish. Have followed them around to three different locations. I know travel from Surrey to Vancouver for my aquarium needs.

Curtis Matthias

Always great service. Friendly and knowledgeable staff!

Shawn Johnston

Truly fantastic selection and amazing customer service. Everyone is super knowledgeable. Plants and fish are very healthy

Marc Petrunia

If you want to go somewhere as a novice and come out feeling like you’re stupid , this is the place to go. Unwelcoming from the moment you step inside the door and are silently let in, most of the staff just ignore you til you hunt them down for help, but in an interaction that could result in an educational and uplifting experience sadly resulted in a very disappointed purchase. Two stars because of their comprehensive stock.

TKO Collectibles

Clean and well stocked for your aquarium needs.

Paul

Very good selection, and great helpful staff. Thx

Steve Truong

Good selection of aquatic supplies and fish. Staff know their fish and can advise you on tank size and care

Dwayne P

Checking this place out because wanted to see what Vancouver had to offer. Small shop but very knowledgeable about marine animals.

Peter Andrews

Other than giving me the wrong fish, they've had great service lol

Harsha Jayasekera

I've been going here for a few years now and I bought my 55g (freshwater) and 13.5g (saltwater) tanks and a lot of other accessories, plants, fish, food etc. from here. Very knowledgeable staff and a great selection of pretty much anything you want for your aquarium. Highly recommended.

Jonathan Gosling

Very clean store, however the prices are high compared to other local shops. The livestock also not looking too good, have had hit and miss experience with the fish purchased here.

Xanthea Vandelay

Great selection but unfortunately they keep their bettas in small tanks. Disapoointing

7ynx

Do they have Created Geckos for under 100 dollars just the reptile

Tristan Wilson

Amazing service. Great selection. Their covid precautions are reasonable and not overly restrictive. Wonderful experience.

Sammy Dee

Staff helpful, but I find one member could seem a little impatient like I feel rushed all the time.

Chris Wines

Staff are more than helpful whether you're buying your first tarantula or your one millionth fish. Simply brimming with information and enthusiasm about all the animals in store. Highly recommend going.

Adam Bailey

By FAR the best place to go! Whether your are new to the fish hobby or have been in it for a while. Staff are amazing always there to help you and so knowledgeable. Any time I have an issue with my tank I call them up and they get me sorted me out. I have been to almost every other store in the lower mainland and nothing comes close to Aquariums West.

Robert Klinzmann

The store is specialised to aquariums (fresh water and tropical) with a small section for pets. I like to check out their show aquariums to get ideas for my own tank. Staff makes a very professional and knowledgeable impression.

clinton yeung

It's old clean aquarium store with stylish presentation and has reasonable prices for fish.

Map Immersive

Very happy with the information about crested geckos and bearded dragon's we received from Claire. Thanks Claire!

Canadian Maple

I was so impressed by this store - the animals are in great setups, well taken care of, and appropriately fed. You'll be hard pressed to find healthier amphibians/reptiles/fish at another store! I would recommend Aquariums West to anyone looking for healthy plants, animals, or equipment. The staff are also extremely personable, friendly, and knowledgeable. There isn't a bad thing I have to say about this place.

Prasenjit das

this merchant unfortunately contributes to the societal apartheid.

no one

I've been three times now. I'm an avid experienced fish keeper, I was very excited to go to one of the " better " fish shops in Vancouver, I waited 35 minutes to get in, browsed the tanks, and as soon as I walked into the fish area I was told someone else wanted to look. And I needed to exit the area. The lady was looking for a beta. For her kids with a .5 gallon tank. I had about 500 dollars for a show piece fish for my tank, was escorted out into the access hallways of the building and had to find my way out no signage or explanation. Not handling covid well.

Lauren

Lots of selection for both pet accessories and live pets. The staff are nice and attentive. Live plants too! Would strongly suggest this place for those with scaly babies

fozzy wrx

Got my snake here and continue to get my snake food here. Always nice and friendly

Fantsy Pants

I love coming here! Great experience, friendly and knowledgeable staff that offer help but also give you space to look around. I love my cherry shrimps and guppy fish! Go during the week if you are able to when it is not as busy and no lineups :)

ruby r

i love them! they are way better then any other pet store

Amy Rex

Staff and very knowledgeable and get selection and prices

Darya Ivanova

Amazing selection of fish and other creatures, knowledgeable staff

Matthew Chan

Knowledgeable staff with a huge selection of aquarium products as well as fish and shrimp

Norb Janzen

Knowledgeable staff. Some people might gasp at some of their prices, but that's only because they carry the higher end items in the aquarium hobby.

Meghan Howell

Great selection, knowledgeable staff. Awesome fish and reptile stock.

Dan Clunn

Great staff, very friendly and knowledgeable! My wife is really into fish tanks and this place has been amazing at helping her find the right stuff to get started. They take covid protocols very seriously which is something I really appreciate. I drive all the way out from Maple Ridge to shop here, thats how good they are!

Mandeep Brar

Truly a local gem. They have everything you need for your cat, dog, rodent, fish, reptile and everything in between. Top it off with friendly, knowledgeable staff and competitive pricing.

Nicky Anderson

Great for fish and exotic pets of all kinds.

Brad Proctor

I had never heard about this store before and since my wife and I are starting our first marine aquarium we thought it would be a good idea to check out all the stores we could that deal with marine supplies. I was pleased to find a knowledgeable, friendly and helpful staff that patiently waded through our questions, offered advice, and even gave us a couple deals. I will definitely be shopping there again.

Raoul Duke

Drove a long ways to visit this store on recommendation. I’ve visited twice now. The first time my experience was actually alright. The young lady staff member that helped me was very nice, and willing to show me around the store and help me find what I needed. That visit I spent just over $200 on live creatures and feed for them. The second time however, I had come in to pick up some marine fish for the aquarium. The young lady who helped me first time was not working, and the 2 men that were in store were very unhelpful. The big guy who sits up at the front counter ingores customer’s questions, and directs answers at he younger employees to relay to me as a customer. Even though I am standing right in front of them. The fish were also very over priced and few in far between. When asked about when they would get some new fish in they told me “3 weeks” and that “its hard to get stuff in rn die to covid” however I know from shopping around to other fish stores in the area that this is not the case. They are just lazy. Long story short. Bad customer service. They don’t care about helping people, they just want money for there overpriced fish, in limited stock. (50% mark up of market value) No stock on Marine fish. And the manager (i assume the manager) is not friendly. Go to “Canada Corals” in Coquitlam for your marine fish aquarium needs. The prices are much better! (Meaning average market value) and they are much more willing to help!

John Smith

Very knowledgeable, friendly and professional staff... also very clean store, beautifully decorated. It's a pleasure to visit and shop there. They have a great selection of fish, frogs, rats (and I hate to admit but rats are soon CUTE), also there is 1 friendly boa constrictor. A beautiful store.

Willow Brough

Such an amazing experience! Beautiful store, great staff and it really feels as though the animals there are well taken care of. Definitely a business that deserves to be supported :)

brent stickney

Was more angry and honest mistake in the end I think. Thanks for reaching out. They were rehomed and I’ll come see you guys if I end up in the city again!

Don Sherrah

Staffs always very helpful, can be a little slow but helpful and great products

Matthew Li

Huge selection of fish and supplies!

Leila Bee

The tanks alone are worth staring at! Gorgeous planted show tanks. Good place, usually lots of staff, decent selection but could be a bit more if they didn't do mammals. Well stocked with equipment. Have had a few issues with new arrivals before they figure out they're carrying something, but they do stop sales on a tankful as soon as they know.

Victor Bud

Really good place to shop for anything small pet related. Quality products and knowledgeable, pleasant staff.

Jared Austin

I went in on Monday to check the place out and ended up getting 3 blue legged hermit crabs and a snail for my saltwater aquarium. I asked for extra air and water because It's about an hour's drive from the store and I received neither and the bag wasn't bagged very well. On the way home both bags leaked and I had to make an emergency stop to grab ziplock bags to keep my invertebrates alive. I messaged your store that day and it was seen the next day and no one ever responded to me.

Owen G

Great people, Great merchandise, Great rapport, Great quality, Beautiful layout and presentation, Knowledgable people. Only downside is the price, but you get what you pay for. This is my go-to fish store to buy fish.

Bradley Slatter

Warning if you enter this place you will never want to leave. You will be back. Such a wide variety of aquarium products backed up by solid knowledge.

Levi Young

A month later all fish but one, whom just out of his tank OSCAR survived. Planets are doing good and over all, my favourite place to buy exotic fish.

Elizabeth

Best selection for reptile needs although pricier than the competition

Nicole

Very impressed with the store - the staff are friendly and informative, the shop is clean, the animals look happy and they carry many great products. In spite of having to travel from mission, I'm excited to have found a shop that is passionate about aquariums and carrys things that you wont find at the average pet shop.

duaneology

Great pet store, knowledgeable staff.

Artem Kuznetsov

Love this store. Great selection of equipment, hardscape and livestock. Prices reflect the convenient location.

Mackenzie Jordana

Very helpful and knowledgeable staff. Will keep returning for any and all aquarium needs :)

Jim Arnold

Nice aquarium shop, lots of stock and friendly helpful service. Used to own fish years ago, just dropped in. Was depressed seeing the captive fish

Bonkowskiart

This pet store has an excellent selection of reptiles. Fish. Great displays. Clean and organized. My only beef with this place is the staff and owner are often unapproachable. They seem glum and disinterested in helping. But maybe that just my perception so 4 Stars!

Mark Schnell

They are only one left, the others closed up shop years ago . prices & selection on LIVEROCK cannotbe bet locally

Terry Coatta

Best aquarium store in Vancouver. Staff is incredibly knowledgable.

CM Kidder

Clean store, Traveled from surrey and arrived to see neat clean tidy store with helpful staff. Unfortunately their fish employee was knowledgeable and was trying to suggest African Cichlids with guppys to a lady in the store. Next I noticed that their was several tanks with a fungus and tail rot infesting the fish that were not quarantined. JD's and Jewel's had stubs for tails they were so rotted, As somebody who keeps JD's you would have to allow that to happen over a couple weeks with out any intervention. After being scared away from the fish section I talked to the bearded guy at the front counter who was very knowledgeable and was able to suggest a fix for my problem without selling me a product. All in all I am its a decent store but, with their least knowledgeable person running their fish section it seemed to have the guy in over his head.

Robert Coelho

Great place to help create your ultimate aquascape

Myra Suniga

Such a very nice place to visit..they have unique kinds of aquariums and beautiful displays..They are very friendly and helpful..

gemma bee

The staff here are consistently unfriendly and unpleasant. Will be avoided this store from now on. Range of products is ok, but a little expensive.

Caroline Dick

Went to Aquariums West for the first time today. I've been keeping fish for decades and this is hands down the best aquarium store I've ever seen. The COVID protocols are good, the staff are friendly. If you want help, they help you, if you want to be left alone, they leave you alone. They are knowledgeable and share information without being condescending. The selection is amazing. The tanks are beautifully kept. It's just a really fantastic store.

Karl Kwong

The only aquarium hobby shop downtown. They have a great selection and not bad prices. Most of the staff are quite knowledgeable.

ab kurk

Best aquariums store in Vancouver. The staff is knowable and take the time to help you.

Luke Matz

Great shop creegs great very knolagable staff and tons of items in stock and if you like red sea or own red sea they carry red sea pumps and parts in stock

Vincent Valenzuela

Great selection of fish species. Very clean environment. Excellent prices. Would recommend, even if you're just out for a stroll. But let's be honest, if you're a aquarium enthusiast, you don't just "look" when you enter fish shops hehe

ray nevill

Great selection and their website is great to let you know what future orders are bringing

Arjun Bassi

Nice place. Great collection of reptiles and aquariums. Although some staff doesn't have knowledge about reptiles but still they were helpful.

Grumpy Walrus

Great Store. I bought some Marine Shrimp there that I am very happy with! They are healthy and were well cared for inside the store. I was helped by two very knowledgeable employees Jen & CJ who were more then happy to spend all the time with me that I needed to have all my questions answered, and the Shrimp were bagged as I selected them. That visit was great experience overall and I will for sure be returning to the shop!

Hamish Robertson

very friendly and helpful staff. they all have a lot of experience with animals.

g

Will not take cash payment i will no Longer shop at this STORE this is the first store one the BOYCOTT LIST

red sea reefer 170

Good place for freshwater aquarium fish and supplies. Nice staff.

Chad McDowell

This place takes real pride in their animals. If you want to see how an aquarium or terrarium should look you should come here. Hobbiest style set ups are used to home these amazing animals while they wait for a place in your setup.

Vern Lacroix

Had all the fish I needed and the stuff to go with. Everyone is super helpful, even when short staffed.

Leo Allen

Helpful staff, good stock of fish and well organized store.

Kai K

Store is clean and there is a reasonable selection of aquatic livestock. Some of the saltwater tanks are infested with algae/pests, but not more so than other local shops, and they seem to be active in trying to keep on top of things. Customer service could be improved: staff are helpful, but tend to ignore you until directly approached.

Robert Martin

Love this place. Unfortunately a bit pricey. Have shopped around and found the same for up to 50% less in some cases. But if it's speciality items and knowledgeable staff you need this is your place

E A

Best pet store I've shopped at. Amazing staff, very knowledgeable, and really know how to look after fish. I bought a lot of supplies from them and they were honest and even told me what I wouldn't need (i.e. they weren't just pushing to make money). They actually care about the customers and the fish. And their aquascapes are incredible.

Arnold Carino

The store was good. Had lots of stuff that you will need for your hobby but I think it's a little on the expensive side, but all in all it's really a very very awesome store to go.

Jim Lee

Tidy store with helpful staff, but items and livestock are vastly overpriced. Comes with the location I guess.

Diddly

Lots of their products are marked up by a lot compared to other stores. Some employees were very helpful, others did not help at all. From my experience I was purchasing a tank and I asked an employee if I needed to buy a heater to go with the tank. Employee told me it came with one so I didn't bother buying a separate one. Once I open the box, I realized it didn't actually come with a heater.... Considering I spent half a grand on products that day, the service was pretty bad.

Jimmy Hu

I love this store. They have a huge selection of exotic fish and plants (and other pets), along with accessories and food. The staff are knowledgeable about most things pet related. The price is a little bit higher, but it is a local pet shop that I'm willing to support.

Maggie Tsai

Great place to get all kinds of fish and fish supplies. They have both freshwater and saltwater. There are also small animals and reptiles available, although their main focus is fish. They definitely offer a bigger variety than big box pet stores. Sometimes it is difficult to buy the fish I am looking for, as the store is so popular. Their prices tend to be a bit on the high side, but offer deals if you buy more fish, which evens out the cost. The staff are quite knowledgable and helpful. They have no parking lot, so you have to park on the street. Finally, you should definitely check out some of their setups. They are quite beautifully aquascaped and clearly done by someone who knows what they're doing.

Luke Guilbault

Great shop lots to see high qaulity merchandise.

Ghost Song

Best of the best. Lots of great displays and friendly staff.

Al

Intelligent, helpful, and kind staff. Thank you @ Connor for excellent assistance and pointers towards newer clients! Will definitely go out of my way to buy exclusive from this store.

Liz Esquivias

Excellent customer service ????

Kolton Drechsel

Experienced, knowledgeable, professional, and fun staff. They can help with any questions from beginners getting into the hobby and for those a little more experienced. Great selection of shrimp and fresh water fish. Lots of great live plant selection. The overall environment of the store is welcoming.

James Durance

Reasonable selection, friendly staff, quick service, no complaints.

Fabio Tok

The best place in town to buy livestock and accessories for your fish tank.

H

Extremely good customer service! You guys should have a tip option in the paying machine, those were the best employees I've seen so far. Many thanks to the tall guy that has an aquarium immitating the current of a river in his home. He guide me through the whole process of buying my first aquarium????????????

Scott Nak

Great selection of products and live stock. Friendly staff. One of the, if not, the best aquarium shops in lower mainland.

Wayne Underwood

Nice store. Lots of option for aquaroum and fish

Chey Coral

I have been going to aquarium west for the past year. They were rude and treat me as if I were a thief or a burden. I see they are always following me like I am going steal something but when I ask questions the staff walked away. More than one time I have felt disrespected and uncomfortable. If there was a closer fish store to me I would prefer but I dont have time due to my hectic schedule. I also saw lots of dead fish in their tanks even stuck on the filter tube half decomposed. I have got over 45+ fish, shrimp ,plants decor, etc . I also bought plants and didn't buy snails and I had a huge snail problem I had to clean my whole tank and remove over 200 + snails to what I now have is my own snail pond. Lol

L G

Was in today to get a setup for a fluval Betta tank. As always there was fantastic customer service and they saw to any questions and requests I had. ???? An extra star for this great shop :)

juliet s

Visited for the first time to get my supplies for my fish tank. The store has a lot to offer and the staffs are friendly. Also,their fish look healthy!

Sean B

Very friendly staff and helpful!

Jimmy James

Down the spiral staircase off obscure Beatty St at Robson St entrance lies a wonderland of presentation tanks, aquarium supplies, fish, shrimp, snails and even reptiles. Clean, professional, well stocked store, a pleasure to shop.

Wren Peters

I’ve come here for the past few years for all my lizard’s terrarium supplies. They always have what I need in stock, prices are competitive, and staff are nice enough. Like other stores, specific worms are available seasonally. Call ahead of time for availability, quality, and quantity. Their staff also helped me find a good clinic in the Lower Mainland (Dudney Animal Hospital, Maple Ridge), as finding herps can be difficult.

Kevin Carpenter

Bit pricey but sometime you can find some good deals on beautiful fish

Alex Holiove

Very good selection of many items, but a bit more pricy than other places

Laureen T

Knowledgeable and friendly staff! Aquariums west isn't close to me at all but worth the skytrain trip to get there. They always have the supplies I need. The fish all look healthy. The tanks always look clean. Even if I just need filters I'll head down. Buy 3 of the same item you get 15% off! So why not?? :D I wish there was an option to comment on some of these reviews. Neglegent pet owners are bringing the rating down because the staff wanted to make sure the animals are well taken care of. Like any pet; furry, scaly or slimmy they deserve proper care after they leave the store.

Hugo Wong

Service has gone down... Seems the person working at the back where the fish tanks are was choosing his targets to suggest 5 minutes time limit while you see others spending 20 minutes.. if he would of delivered that message nicely I would of been ok.. screaming it at my face... Not so ok..

hsu steve

Not bad their selection of tropical fishes, and fishes are quite healthy.

Raine P

Knowledgeable and helpful staff with clean aquariums and quite a bit of selection

Gary Carter

I have been a customer of Aquariums West for more than 20 years. Since purchasing my first tank and my father in-law's tank, I have purchased all of our fish, equipment and supplies from them. The service has always been very good. Unfortunately, a recent serious incident put an end to our long standing relationship. One morning last week I woke up to find several dead fish in my tank. As I had urgent meetings in the office in the morning, I asked my niece if she would take the water to be tested at Aquariums West as soon as they opened at noon. She took the water in promptly at noon along with my business card. She explain to the sales assistant what had happened, gave them my name and told the sales assistant that I had just bought some fish 2 weeks prior. The assistant told her that they were not testing water because of COVID19. She called me from the store and then went directly to PetSmart on 2nd Avenue. The sales assistant immediately tested the water and gave a full water assessment report, with out charge, even though I have never purchased a single item from PetSmart. The water indicated a spike in nitrites. Unfortunately, by the time I could get home to change the water, all of the fish except one had died. The loss included two large Discus which were over 15 years old. Are the sales assistant so busy that they did not have time to do a 3 minute water quality test. This is not the customer service I have come to expect at Aquariums West.

SnapZ Games

Awesome place, highly recommended getting some dart frogs from them this weekend

David Collings

Big store, great selection of plants as well as salt and freshwater fish. Lots of aquascaping supplies too. It can be pretty expensive though. A small piece of spiderwood was $128 when I visited. Tiny manzanita twigs are $11. Staff are very knowledgeable and there is always someone around to answer questions.

Nicole G.

Great for Pet Supplies and Pets! Depends on who you get for advice ... find the right person and you’ll get a great amount of information and advice. We get crickets and worms for my son’s class and he thoroughly enjoys his monthly visit to this place. There are beautiful fish and amazing reptiles. The place is very clean and organized, it’s like a mini aquarium.

eli

EDIT: a reasonable solution was met with the manager at the store. I am changing this from a 1 star to a 4. ~~they sold me incorrectly identified snails a year ago and now I have an infestation of hundreds!!!!~~ I came in because I had a snail problem from a plant I bought off of fb marketplace( only one type of snail) . I was looking for assasin snails to help cull them. They sold me several "assasin snails" and I thought the problem would get a little bit better. after the snails I bought bred and multiplied I brought one of them into a more reputable aquarium sore when i realized how many i had in my tank. they identified it as a Malaysian trumpet snail, not an assasin snail. Now instead of the initial single type of problem snail I have two types of snails and a population of hundreds. I was hoping to just have the snail population kept in check but now I will probably have to replace all my substrate, filters, and plants to get rid of their eggs, expensive, time consuming considering I have a 100 litre tank. Very unprofessional. *just go to a different aquarium store*

a t

Great selection and very helpful staff

Skye Dyken

Great store! Despite being swamped with Covid, they've been handling the demands pretty well and doing the best they can managing crowds. Worth the wait! Knowledgeable staff that are honest about what your pet will need and do their best to prepare you for giving the animal you're purchasing the best life possible. Definitely recommend - great staff, clean store and great atmosphere!

Ray W

Fun to have a look even if you’re not buying a pet (though you might be really tempted to after seeing all the marvellous creatures here) Such a huge collection of animals they have at Aquariums West. Mostly fish but you’ll also see plenty of other neat specimens like snakes, lizards, turtles, frogs and even huge spiders and scorpions. Check out the biggest spider you’ll ever see in real life: the Bird-Eating Spider

Mr. Kydd

I've been going to this business since they used to be located on Davie Street. This has been the absolutely worst experience I've had while trying to buy anything... Ever. The associate with the tattoos with the cloud of misery over his head will make sure your complicated experience of even trying to enter the business will leave you with a sour note in your mouth, with the zero percent he gives on whether your there to find something specific or to spend some cash... This is just heartbreaking to see the worst of what a business can turn into.

Mike Jabbs

All of the livestock and the tanks/ enclosures they are housed in prior to sale are beautifully done and high quality thus ensuring good health in plants and animals alike. The selection of items living or not is very good and the staff is knowledgeable about care. This is a premium pet store that has much more than just fish. The only con is it comes with premium prices on many things however there are bargains to be found if you look. You'd be challenged to find higher prices on betta fish anywhere else in the lower mainland even when the quality is poor. Lets face it, nobody wants to shell out up to $60 for a fish with ripped up fins but this is the exception rather than the rule. Singapore is both where these fish are imported from and a long way away. This store is one of the few stores left offering tarantulas and the species available tend to be the more interesting and attractive ones as well as the old standards. Prices vary anywhere from $50 - $350. The selection of reptiles, amphibians and arthropods used to be much wider but the current one includes only captive bred animals so the cash you saved in the past would be blown on vet bills for deworming, getting rid of other parasites or reduced lifespan and quality of life. That said, this way is both cheaper and better. Overall this is a good choice for everyone.

Terry Chow

Decided to buy some plants online as I don't have a car and transit would take me about an hour. Plants got here the day after they shipped in perfect condition. They even refunded some of the shipping cost since it wasn't calculated properly in the online checkout. A great experience and looking forward to visiting the store one day. I actually work about 5 minutes away but have been working from home for the last year!

D. Lotic

Too busy to even get in and they don't take cash. Might as well just buy online from amazom instead.

0rion

It's now my favorite store to go to. All of their little creatures look healthy and the tanks are beautiful, and they seem to have nearly everything I need all the time.

Tom Tom

The best selection I have ever seen in a fish store????

Adam Maybank

Knowledgeable staff. Very clean store. They have a little of everything. Parking is terrible but it's worth the effort.

Kim Vargas

The nicest and cleanest fish store that I have been. The fish and other stiff are not expensive too. Nice staff too. I bought a guppy here. And the next day the guppy that I bought from them died ( so I thought it was my fault ) the following day I went to this store again. Checkinh i they still have the same guppy that I bought. To my surprise the lady told me they all died too. So I told her the one that I bought died too. And then she told me that I could choose a guppy again and she'll gonna give it free. ????

Krista Lee

Beautiful display tanks. Carried a large selection of products but the selection of fish was lacking.

Milad Yousofi

Worst costumer service ever i will never come again here ????they dont even desrve to get one star even .

Scarlet Bazinet

Beautiful store with good supplies and pets, but a little overpriced for what you get. Will note that the rat I bought for $17 ended up having an upper respitory infection and ended up costing over $100 total after vet bills, so be careful about that!

Shane Gordon

Kind of expected that if i spend $60 on wood for my tank that it would sink without having to rig up plexiglass under my gravel. If I had known this I would have found my own wood. Unfortunately no return policy on anything that's been in your tank except fish. BEWARE.

Vasanth M

Good shop based on options and fair service, but the price is way high compared to other stores around. Bought 2 flex 9 Gl and then found I have spent 60$ more than the deals around, which made me feel I have lost some money which could have been used for setting up my aquarium.

Gordon Kwong

Great selection of tropical fish and salt water fish. Great displays of well planted fish habitats that can fit great in a condo.

Jeremy d wade

Expensive, ok selection, staff is limited to basic knowledge to start a tank. Cool store

Hank FaQ

Very knowledgeable, cleanest and most healthy fish of all the stores in Vancouver. Great selection of fish as well. Didn't hurt that the gal that helped me was mega cute either

Brian Ly

Nice and friendly service. Very helpful. New fishes every Wednesday

William Nguyen

Great store for everything you need for building an aquarium.

Paul Michalak

Inspiring place to visit! Hard not to become interested in aquascaping after you see what is possible here.

Andrew W

Nice place to look for new fish and aquarium equipment. It’s expensive but they always have the best quality products to buy to care for your fish. The fish they have in stock are really nice looking and healthy too. Very clean and well maintained store. Staff are knowledgeable too.

C M

One of my favourite local pet stores. A must for any aquarium hobbyist. They have a wide range of great products from hard scapes, equipment, etc. Fish selection has been a bit lack luster the last 3-4 times I've stopped by but regardless the staff are very knowledgeable and friendly. Best planted display tanks locally. Walking in here always keeps me inspired.

zach Werner

Extremely helpfull staff with amazing atmosphere and a huge selection of aquatic plants, fish and invertebrates

Michael Ryan

Bright, open, and clean. The staff are very knowledgeable and the quality of their products is top notch!

Jeremy Reinbolt

Super helpful. Magical little fish store

Darrin Pears

The best fish store that I have ever been too! The staff are all very friendly and knowledgeable. The prices are great, the store is very clean and everything is healthy.

Katrina

ammmmmazing place! they have a great variety of aquatics animals and have a few reptiles as well.

B C

One of the best local aquarium stores for inspiration. Always have beautiful display tanks and plants. Fish stock is a little light, but clean and looking great. I find myself trying to come down every few weeks. Thanks AW!

Jullian Bartolome

Has amazing selection for the aquarist or aquascaper, including equipment for plants as well as an amazing selection of plants I couldn't find anywhere else in BC. Has tropica container plants which are lab grown and safe to put directly into aquarium

Mike hunt

I have mixed feelings about this store. On the one hand they have a decent selection, and it's pretty much the only place to buy good quality live plants in the Vancouver area. The owners (husband and wife) are interesting. I find her to be okay, but slightly on the rude side sometimes. He's pretty nice, and usually chatty. The prices howver are borderline obscene, at least for plants. Also, they sold me fish a while back that had ick. Their tanks are nice and clean looking, so I didn't notice it, but it infected most of my fish. Luckilly I got rid of it witout any losses. As far as consumables go, I can't see myself buying from here anymore. Way, Way overpriced. Can buy from JL for literally half.

Chris Cheung

I am in the freshwater fish hobby and I can say Aquarium West is one of my favourite stores for getting fish and other gears (The other one is King Ed). Their tanks are mostly clean and so far i have no problem with their fish. It is probably the best place to get your fish in the lower mainland. People said the stuff in Aquarium West are pricy, I have to disagree. They usually have good price in the aquarium tank. I bought the Fluval 45 Bow set at King Ed for $399. I found out they are selling the same set for $369. The dragon stone they are selling around $9 per Kg. King Ed is selling at 19.99 per Kg. Other stuff like Melafix, Pimafix (The API stuff) are cheaper than getting from PetSmart or Mr. PET. However, some of the stuff are expensive there such as aquatic plants and the LED lighting. I bought the US current 36 inch for $136 in King Ed and Aquarium West is selling the same one for 200+. King Ed is probably the best place to get the aquatic plant and most of them are under $10 and they are all healthy. Oh yeah, they sell the Julii corydora for $13 each and I went to PetSmart to get mine at 6.49. It is still a very good store and I highly recommend to everyone who is in the freshwater aquarium hobby. However, you need to do your research if you want to get the best price.

Enda Sheil

Most staff are lovely like Conor but I have had a bad experiences in there where the staff were rude and made fun of me for not knowing everything about my setup at home. Also very expensive. If you have a car and don't mind a drive to Langley I would recommend Fish Addicts way more! Worth the trip for the owners personal collection of fish alone along with always keeping exciting livestock to cater for everyone's taste.

Jamie Epp

The staff members are amazing. Very helpful and knowledgeable in every department.

Pilot Matt

One of my favorite aquarium stores!

Shawna Eleanor

This place has amazing and helpful staff. I wouldn't go any else for fish/lizard needs. Very knowledgeable and happy to help. You can tell they are very passionate about their pets.

Craig Matsumura

Great folks. A little tough to get help. Very nice display tanks. Reptiles also

Micheal O'Keeffe

On to my second (larger) aquarium from them. Very knowledgeable and helpful staff.

Kenneth Fagan

I love Aquariums West, I used to shop around for my fish, plants and other necessities but now this is the only place I go. Staff are very friendly, helpful and quite knowledgeable too, happy to answer any questions you have. It is always a pleasure shopping here, and they have some really amazing display tanks too. Pay them a visit, it's worth it!

Eleanor Palleson

Helpful staff and tons of options. Animals look more humanely kept than other pet stores.

R. Lui

Very good aquarium shop! Knowledgeable staff and clean tanks. Healthy livestock!

Justin Smith

I have been shopping at Aquariums West for years now, and they are my go to store. I have always found the employees to be friendly, and accommodating and will do everything they can to help. I have never had a bad experience at this store, I will continue shopping there for my aquarium and reptile needs. I also appreciate that they have taken COVID seriously and keep capacity down, and require masks, one of the best retailers I have been to in regards to their COVID protocols.

Nawal Alotaibi

This is by far my worst experience in a shop of any kind in Vancouver! We went there planning to get a turtle and for unknown reason the guy who works there gave us a lecture about commitment and how we should be sure and was pushing us away from buying it! He started exaggerate about how much it costs to have the whole set up and we where still welling to pay and the kids were so excited but he told us to go and do research about turtle care and should be back when we’re sure! Lol it’s funny and frustrating! Anyways, really no one should go there. Let him have all of his fishes and turtles to himself!

Anderson Chiang

If I could, I would NOT even give a star at all. Brought my kids there couple of times to shop fishes. My kids start to build their own aquarium with their own hard earned allowance, The staff named Jane was no help at all, but let us feel pushy and was told if my kids can’t make quick decision, there are people waiting to get in (as matter of fact, it’s about store closing time not a lot customers in the store). I am really surprised how they treat their next generation customers. “Quick sales welcomed, but if you can’t make quick purchase decision, there are people waiting in line” attitude. Since then, we don’t go there anymore. As a fish lover living downtown, I would rather drive my kids all the way to North America aquarium on Kingsway or April’s Aquarium in north Burnaby. If you feel being treated the same way, go there and feel the differences.

Kyle Hutchinson

Great service along with a good variety of fish and other animals.

Kazmeen Abbasnejad

Cree was very helpful, we had a manufacturer’s issue with the tank and he made the replacement process very simple, we would recommend this place for sure!

Russel Horwitz

Great store in so many ways, however I have virtually _never_ bought a fish from them without importing an ich infection. Then they give you the standard answer that “it was always present in your tank” (which is complete nonsense). Then you lose some fish and have to fork out $20-$40 for medication, none of which they take any responsibility for. They should treat all their new fish for ich, and not just wait for the disease to show.

Chuck Mill

Super friendly and available to help. A little on the expensive side but never had a bad situation ever

Eryn

We came for a snail and got a snail. Successful trip. His name is Granny Smith. Staff here is friendly and incredibly knowledgeable.

Kevin C

Ordered some living plants online and very satisfied. Those living plants arrived on time, healthy, and were well wrapped and protected inside a box. Also the shipping cost was partially refunded (automatically) to reflect the real cost. Definitely will order more.

johnathan allen

The store is amazing, you will not be disappointed, the service is fast and friendly. You can get real answers to important questions. Clearly these are some very intelligent staff who are undoubtely passionate about animals and the wellbeing of the critters they sell. with the all encompassing visual experience you will be shocked the minute you walk in the door, first thing you will second guess yourself for accidentally walking in to a high class retail joint. The atmosphere is not like any aquarium or pet store I have ever been to. The store looks great and the entire staff are all next top model material. (Careful ladies, next time your man is " getting a new fish" he could be fishing for something a little different!) . Finally a store that would make peta proud. From the first step in the door you are instantly delighted and refreshed everything from the clean air to the clean cages is sadly something you can not find else where in this city. This is a place worthy of your dollars. Island pets = island putts King Ed consider em dead, your pets that is :(

Jonathan

Amazing, knowledgable and helpful staff willing to go above and beyond! Thank you Doug, Jen and Kreig for all the help and advice! Looking forward to coming back soon.

john wallace

These guys are very professional and courteous, and I I got a great deal on some cool coral frags.

Zora Feren

Shopping in this store is really a joy, such beautiful tanks and great variety

Cory Dueck

Almost as soon as I placed my order I received confirmation that my hard to find aquarium mosses had been shipped! It arrived the very next day, expertly packaged with obvious care. I have been looking online for months without success and here I could have had it in a matter of 24 hrs if I had first checked with Aquariums West!

Rj Bustonera

Great place and great prices. Lots of fish and stuff to choose from. If you are near BC Stadium then definitely drop by in here.

R Taylor

Well kept tanks is the upside to Aquariums west, you can feel confident that when purchasing fish or plants your fish will be healthy and without parasites and the plants are usually in very good shape and snail free. The downside is the expense, I think being downtown and paying inflated rent they have no choice but to jack up prices on their products. You can easily save 30% or more on your lights or filtration equipment by visiting Noahs pet ark or J&L Aquatics.

Rita

Always have healthy fish and plants alot of selection very well displayed store. The owners are super nice as well :)

Russell Nesbitt

This shop is super clean, well lit, well staffed, and well stocked. Also the staff I talked to seemed to have an in-depth knowledge of fish.

Dory B

I have been a customer now for 8 months and have been treated very well by ALL staff. I do not find the owner rude in the least as others have (rudely) stated, but rather perhaps a bit shy. She seemingly loves her business and I have found that she really tries her best to make my experience a positive one. If the prices are higher, so be it. Rent in this area is super high and everyone needs to make a living. I don't mind paying a bit extra for the service and time that each and every staff member patiently takes with me. I support LOCAL business over chains. Any time I have had issues with any products, they have also been very understanding. I have had a very positive experience that keeps me coming back and would not hesitate to recommend this store to friends.

Dickson Huang

Everything was extremely well kept. The water in every tank were extremely clean, and I could tell the staffs love the fish. Unlike many other stores they keep their bettas in actual tanks! The Betta tanks were small but its filtered and heated. They also kept their female bettas in a sorrority, the first shop I've seen do that. I definitely recommend.

Matthew Brown

So started out liking this store with friendly staff that seemed to know what they were talking about. After spending a fair sum of money their on plant food plants and shrimp I was just told that due to a small nitrate spike they will not replace a 10 dollar yellow shrimp. Pet smart with no questions asked have replaced crustaceans (one) that Hade died. This just list them a 200 + dollar a month costumer Much thanks for the previous service but this was a kick to the face. Find a better cheaper pet store there are many in Vancouver who want your business

Adrian Lee

Lovely aquarium and pet store just outside BC Place in Vancouver. It's located in the basement, but the store is well stocked and the staff were super helpful and willing to help educate. Focused more on aquatic life and pets, but there's a small section for other pets as well. The tanks are all very clean and we're happy with the fish recommended and purchase there. Parking is on the street and a bit of a challenge, be prepared to walk a block or two.

alaa heshmati

I don't recommend this place for getting small animals. They don't know much about the animals or their care such as their age, gender, and species. The manager is also rude and told me maybe I shouldn't purchase an item when I asked about their return policy.

alex m

Been to this store a number of times. Selection is decent and they have everything you need for your aquarium. Prices are quite high although they do carry good quality brands. Some (not all) of the employees could use a lesson or two on providing a basic level of customer service. I've had a couple of rude interactions with the same employee who seems only to work in the back where the fish are. Unfortunately Metro Vancouver doesn't have many aquarium stores left but I'll be going out of my way to avoid this store due to the poor service. It's simple guys, just be nice. Don't go out of your way to be difficult and rude.

Trisha Dugoy

They have a great variety of fish from fresh to salt water and amazing corals too!

Rickie Wu

Very knowledgeable in planted aquariums, staff there are also able to help you solve most of your pet problems. Is quite a busy a shop, so make sure you ask for attention/help and be patient while they get to you.

Mike Adamski

Pricey (it is downtown after all), but very elegant displays, and great and healthy livestock. The have a new up and running saltwater fish and coral section which is looking really good as well. Good stock of dry goods, tanks, equipment, etc. Staff are friendly and knowledgeable, especially when it comes to freshwater fish. They stock a few reptiles as well, like frogs, geckos, snakes. All look to be in good condition!

Nagisa Nagisa_hayashi

Clean and well managed. Big store with variety to choose from, slightly higher price because it's right in downtown. Staff are very knowledgeable and patients. Sell fresh water and marine aquatic pets, as well as reptiles and sometimes small rodents.

Jon Mike

Generic freshwater selection. Very poor saltwater coral husbandry, bad lighting, tank design, know is not up to date in the hobby nore are prices reflecting the hobby at its current state. very expensive. Not a place for anything marine, aways check online and local stores prices first. Good for downtown folk who need a pretty fish for their apartment. I wish I wanted to go back more often.

jordan dawick

Great store knowledgeable staff good selection of fish and they all seem happy and healthy =) love this place been back many times

wu ji xu

The store has great collection of hardware and live stock. All display tanks are well maintained. Price is modist higher but worth the quality.

Amanda Nguyen

They have a great selection of fish tanks here!