Beautiful store, amazing service. The owner is kind, always helpful and just perfect. They let me bring back fish that "stressed me out" - and without judgement! Lol- this little hippie is so happy to have a local pet store who cares about the energy of a tank, as well as preservation of animal lives. read more

We found this place after visiting 4 or 5 local PetSmart/Petco style stores and being horrified to find their betta fish in tiny plastic cups with water so old that the poop was growing moss on it, with half of the fish looking sickly or obviously sick. If you own bettas, you know how fragile the little guys are. We were getting desperate, but I couldn't in good conscience give money to support these oppressive pet factories. Then we found Aquarium Zen, which has a large selection of really beautiful fish, obviously handpicked, all in large jars with clean water and live plants. Many of them had even created bubble nests, which is a basic sign of a happy betta. The tanks and other equipment were all high quality. This was such a breath of fresh air, I personally thanked the owner, who was there in person and obviously cared a lot about his local business. I strongly recommend Aquarium Zen! I wish Seattle had more stores like this. read more

This is exactly what the aquarium hobby needed in the Seattle area! I just got back from visiting Aquarium Zen for the first time and I loved everything about this little store. Locally owned. Great selection. Beautiful tanks. Great fish and plants. Awesome display tanks! Very helpful staff. Every fish and plant in the store was very healthy. I commented to my friend that I was with that this was the first aquarium store that I did not see on sick fish. Their selection of fish and plants are extremely extensive with fish that you do not usually see in normal big chain aquarium stores. This alone is a huge reason that I will return. Their display tanks are amazing. I wish I had everyone of them in my living room right now. The owner and his wife both helped answer any questions that I had. I highly recommend Aquarium Zen. Even if you just need some inspiration for a new tank. Go there! You will love it too. read more

Our favorite fish store by far. Steve is just wonderful, he doesn't force anything and will let you just look around for hours. We drive over an hour just to visit him. He answer any of your questions and help you set up a beautiful tank. I never feel he is out to just make a buck when we got there. I have an affinity for the rarer species of fish and Steve caught that right away. To those who think he is rude because he isn't in your face forcing you to buy or get out, then maybe this isn't the place for you. I will gladly give Steve my money any day of the week. Keep up the good and beautiful work Steve. See you next week! read more

Very knowledgable staff with a small but very nice place. They have a very nice Betta section that are defiantly show quality. Also a very nice guppy section too. read more

Lovely place, very knowledgeable and friendly would recommend if looking for live plants and nano fish

Even if you aren't into aquariums, or dont own any, this is a MUST go to shop if your in the area. This is nothing like any other aquarium shop that i've been in just by the "feeling" when you walk in. This is by far the best shop around as Steve's setup is purely ADA quality. Seeing this shop really brings out your ideas on what truly can be accomplished in the aquarium hobby when you have the drive and passion for something. read more

This place is very impressive, with plenty of planted display tanks, and a nice selection of small fish, some quite unusual. I was surprised with the variety and quality of everything here, no saltwater, and no tankbusters. The owner was happy to answer questions, and also provided any extra info our purchases required. Got some plants, some fish, and some plant food, all very reasonably priced, especially for the location. I cant wait to return! read more

Lovely little fish supply store. Even though it's small, it has plenty to see and a large selection. Friendly staff and awesome location.

Beautiful store, decent selection of inverts for a non-online store, great selection of freshwater fish, and average selection of food, supplements, etc. Lots of rimless tanks and driftwood/rocks. I had a few minor concerns: 1) There was a tank of beautiful fish that contained two long-dead fish (apparently died from ich) and two that were COVERED in ich, barely recognizable next to their same-species tankmates, and clearly had one fin in the grave. Ich outbreaks happen to the best of us, but those fish had clearly been in need of treatment for a long time. In addition to being cruel to the sick fish, the whole (overstocked) tank was endangered by the sick fish. I alerted a staff member and she said she was already aware... so why were the fish not in a hospital tank with proper treatment, and why were the dead ones still there? 2) As others have said, it's very hard to find. I understand that a business can't just move to a bigger storefront whenever they like, but a sign outside with the name of the business would be a good start. 3) The male bettas were placed in jars that were close together and didn't have shields between them. They were flaring at each other constantly. Overall, it was a nice store. I enjoyed my visit and got a nice aquarium light. The tanks were beautiful and if I lived in the area, I would come back. The drawbacks were concerning but not alarming and they could all be solved with very little effort. read more

This is hands-down the best aquarium store in the city. Aquarium Zen specializes in aquascaping supplies (the ADA line especially) and to this end, the selection is fantastic. You can find plant substrates, many sizes of horn wood driftwood, dragon rock and other stones by the pound, CO2 supplies....the list goes on and on. The plant selection is beautiful. Row after row of healthy, pristine tanks full of plants wait for you. I found the water lettuce and dwarf baby tears I'd been searching for here but now I want a little bit of everything for my tank- prepare to be inspired! The fish look happy and well-cared for; many of them are born in the tanks they are sold in! If you like more common things like guppies you'll find some beautiful varieties in the tanks, and locally raised bettas are everywhere. You will see things like chocolate gouramis, wild-type bettas, a spectrum of killifish and neon raspboras. You will find a better selection of fish for nano and community tanks here than anywhere in Seattle. The owner is a joy to chat with- clearly he loves what he's doing. If you're a GSAS member I think you get a discount in this store as well. read more

Super clean and nicely decorated. Definitely a simplistic look with a focus on planted tanks. Great selection of common, uncommon and rare plants and some awesome fish and bettas. The equipment sold is top quality and the owner and staff were super friendly. read more

The store, along with its plants and livestock, is beautiful. Steve is friendly and has been very helpful in getting my planted aquarium started. Would definitely recommend. read more

Steve's store is a masterpiece. Spectacular aquascapes and healthy, peaceful fish. We discover something new every time we visit, and our two boys love it too! read more

I had to swing by Aquarium Zen again to pick up some things for a nasty case of Ich in my tank; and I was reminded that truly, if you keep fish (or just love to look at them in gorgeously designed tanks), you really want to see this shop. I look forward to coming here every time, it's so beautifully designed you barely feel like you're in a store; except that there are a ton of cool things for your tank, lots of fish, and beautiful healthy plants to create a natural looking environment. I tell everyone about this store. There is a reason Aquarium Zen has so many 5 star reviews - there is no other place like it in Seattle. read more

This store is very clean and impressive. A awesome selection of fish and plants that you will not find at other stores. Steve (owner) is super helpful and knowledgeable. Absolutely the best shop I've been to in Washington read more

I have visited this store several times and every time was a great experience. The owner is the only person that works there so he can get a little busy, so have patience. He is very knowledgeable about aquascapeing and his fish, and willing to give advice if you ask. If you want a fish that he doesn't have, he will order it for you. Every time I go in he is cleaning his tanks or tending to the fish. His tanks are very clean and fish and plants are healthy. The store is well organized and never over cluttered. This is the only aquarium store I will shop at. read more

I wish I could give more than 5 stars because Steve has done an amazing job with Aquarium Zen. This is the highest quality aquarium store I have ever been to and would recommend checking it out to everyone. Aquarium Zen carries fish that are nearly impossible to find anywhere else and the plants are always thriving. Thank you for creating such a beautiful store! read more

Aquarium Zen is incredible, a store fully focused on planted freshwater aquariums and aquascaping. This is a completely different experience and atmosphere than any other aquarium or pet store; it feels more like a cross between an Apple store and art gallery. Steve has an amazing selection of fish, plants, aquascaping supplies and tanks, all for very reasonable prices similar to large pet stores. Many of the specialty flora, fauna and supplies (intricate driftwood, aquascaping stones, ADA supplies) are certainly unavailable anywhere else. Setting up and maintaining a healthy planted tank isn't always easy or cheap, but the reward of watching an underwater ecosystem thrive and develop is well worth it in my opinion. I wish Aquarium Zen had been around a year ago when I got started with the hobby, Steve's help would have been invaluable! I plan on stopping by weekly, even if just to gaze in admiration at the display tank masterpieces. read more

I have yet to go to an independent fish/pet store that I do not like. This store is BEAUTIFUL. This place specializes in aquatic plants and supporting features so don't be overwhelmed by the expensive prices. Some of the more common plants seen in other stores are also here and are actually great deals. All his tanks are zen style tanks so they are all a sight to see and every last tank is perfectly landscaped. There are fish selections here! In the back along with a small selection of everything you need to start a tank. Substrate, filters, lights, heaters.. Everything. Even though I previously said he specializes in aquatic plants you can still find and get everything you need to set up an aquarium at this location. I can say one thing about his fish is that they ALL look happy even the Bettas! Most stores keep them in small horrible containers while using the excuse of "natural habitat" to get away with it. All tropical fish need at least adequate space a heater and filter. All the Bettas here are kept in decent sized vases with a plant for natural filtration. It's not perfect but it's some of the best I've seen. If you look hard enough you'll see some Bettas in the big community tanks. This is one of two shops that does this. Also to end on a weird note their Amano shrimps are HUGE! I'll be coming here for those guys once my new tank is ready. read more

Definitely one of the cleanest and most well stocked fish stores I have seen, on par with the Aquarium Co-op but much more aesthetically pleasing inside. Most of the hardware I have only seen online and never in person. A lot of ADA products including the elusive and sought after Amazonia soil (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!). Every single tank is put together beautifully. I could spend a lot of time just watching fish and shrimp in these tanks. I'll add this to my aquarium stores to go shopping for equipment, livestock, plants, or ideas because the store is absolutely stunning. Plus its the closest store to me other than crappy petco. read more

The perfect blend of modern art masterpieces blended seamlessly with the allure of untamed nature. More of a living museum than the traditional pet store, this is one of the most impressive businesses I've ever had the privilege of visiting. Having traveled from the bayou with visiting this shop as the top of my itinerary (aside from work), it was a true pleasure. I am most jealous of any locals who are able to make regular visits to spruce up their aquaria. With absolutely certainty, I will be back and will be filling my bags with goodies to take home. read more

Steve, the Owner, has taken the tropical fish tank to a whole new level, into the realm of modern zen art. I've been to a lot of fish stores over the years and this one is the finest I've seen! the rimless tanks and efficient LED grow lighting make it possible to create a modern looking and vibrant showpiece, simple yet artful and dynamic. Aquarium Zen focuses on planted freshwater community tanks, something I only dreamed of as a kid, for lack of affordable lighting that does not require a chiller. the fish and plant selection is fantastic with many colorful small varieties that can co-exist in a tank. the owner is adept at helping one create a lower maintenance ecosystem that grows and changes over time, offering excellent bacteria for biological filtration, interesting cleaner shrimp, snails etc. this place is worth a visit at the very least, it's Seattle Aquarium quality window shopping without the entry fee and chances are, you'll get inspired to get creative! read more