I have worked with fish tanks for years. Centreville Aquarium knows the business, has top end supplies for all levels of hobbyist, and have been nothing but helpful and supportive in all of my experiences. I have never had any issues with fish quality or anything else from the store. Highly recommend and worth making the trip over a big box store. read more

Owner has been very helpful, providing advice and gentle suggestions, recommending more economical choices to help me get back into the fish hobby. read more

Fish conditions are awful. First, their female bettas were in a sorority that couldn't have been more than fifteen gallons total with a bunch of tetras and rasboras. All of the females had nipped fins - awful sign. Second, they were selling 'betta tanks' - 2.3 gallon long tanks. Worse, they had two male bettas each in these tanks for display, with only a clear glass shield between them. Anyone who knows anything about fish knows that two male bettas shouldn't be housed together, and that housing them near each other in full view is deeply stressful. They all looked sick and listless, an awful time. This was only the beginning of the issues they have with stocking. It looks like they have guppy fry in their filtration system. How do I know? There were tiny baby guppies in every single tank. How else do I know? I saw an aggressive knifefish eat one whole in front of me. Considering there were small children in the store getting their first fish, I imagine that would not be a good thing to see as an intro to the aquarium hobby. Housing fifteen crawfish in a tank to the point they're crawling on top of each other and getting flipped over is not humane. Neither is not taking the time to feed your starving, skinny African Dwarf Frogs, who are half blind and often have to be hand-fed. Tanks were dirty, centrally filtered which can spread disease, they have no quarantine policy, and they clearly know nothing about fish. Pea puffers were placed in a community tank around longer-finned tetras and gouramis. Those are aggressive fish, and putting them with fragile tankmates is a recipe for disaster. I didn't feel comfortable buying anything from this place, and honestly felt a little sick to my stomach after going. Save yourself the money and depression and hit up Splashy Fish in Springfield, they actually care for their stock. read more

Great place for Aquarium hobbyist! We have made several purchases here of fish, hardscape, and plants with no issues at all. The staff is friendly and helpful to us and I routinely see them take time to explain in detail how to start up an aquarium with new folks just getting into the hobby; not just pushing things on them to make a sale. Highly recommend! read more

Centerville Aquarium has a nice selection of mature and juvenile tropical fish. I have purchased a number of varieties of fish and plants and have had no issues with disease or hitchhikers. read more

Centreville Aquarium - 3 months in, Big G - upper left corner is doing great in our tank. - Pet Stores Near Me - Centreville, Virginia

Did not see one floater or nothing dead and they have a lot which looks very well taken care of!

Friendly, knowledgeable staff. Picked up some black fin tetras and some rum noses for my community tank and they seem to be healthy and enjoying themselves in their new home. read more

Centreville Aquarium - Healthy active fish - Pet Stores Near Me - Centreville, Virginia

Local aquarium store that has a lot of supplies, freshwater fish and a small amount of saltwater fish too. I would recommend if you're in a pinch or need to donate fish. They'll give you a coupon for 20 percent off in exchange for the fish. Pricing is a little high but nothing crazy. I wish they would make the store more presentable because the items look old and expired sometimes. The store itself is starting to look bad. There's leaking from the roof (huge rust stains on the white walls) and it doesn't look like they're maintaining the store well. The employees are hit and miss. Some are friendly and knowledgeable and another look like they don't want to be there. I think read more

The store has good collections of fish and the water plants. The staffs are friendly and helpful.

Went back to buy neon tetras that were recommended last time and the price was a lot more than was told to me on my first conversation. Also they don't carry blacklight bulbs which would seem like a miss if they have the neon fish. Not sure I'd drive again to visit unless I happen to be in the area. Was hoping that this was going to be my go to. read more

I've been to this store a couple of times. It's a small, simple store with helpful employees. The fish are in the back. I like that they have a lot more variety than the bigger pet stores. I was shopping in particular for tropical fish so not sure about other types. They had shrimp too. Fish prices are comparable to the other stores. I've never had a problem with their fish being sick as other reviewers have mentioned. In fact, they are still alive and thriving many months later and I love my rummy nose tetras! I know I'll be back again read more

I have been going to this store for years. I have family that owns an establishment in that same strip so my son always been enamored by the place pretty much since he was born so we are always popping in to look at the "fishies". Before I was ever a customer, they were always very welcoming to us using the place like a free aquarium and never pressured us to make a sale. Wanting to support the place we've been mooching off of, I eventually caved and got my first tank with florescent gravel and glofish for him. ..so much regret.. They took the time to make sure I understood how to cycle the tank and how to stock it appropriately. Yes, sometimes I get conflicting info from various employees but it's never incorrect. There are many paths up the mountain. Yes, out of the many many times Ive popped in, there are the odd fish or two that die in the tank. That happens and the employees are always busily working. Overall, over time, it is a warm and welcoming local establishment and I feel some responsibility to keep it going for all of us in the area that don't want our corporate overlords dictating what fish we can keep in our glass boxes. I just went in the other day and saw these upside down catfish. Weird and so cool. My only criticism is the store doesn't really cater to my preferred style of planted tank with rimless tanks, bold hardscape, aquasoil, and a wide variety of plants. My conception of aquariums coming only from that store was limited. Google IAPLC and see what is possible. Perhaps with more demand locally we can help support this side of the hobby locally. read more

It took me a few years to even discover this place, and I think I drive by daily. It definitely blends in with the background! With that said, the employees are extremely knowledgeable, very friendly and informative people. I am just getting started in the hobby and every time I stop by, I learn something new. I'm very thankful for these guys & gal(s)! read more

Spent over $400 there starting new tanks at our school - got a recommendation to pair specific fish - within 5 days one of the recommended fish ate the tails off the other species. They will not replace them because it doesn't fit into their 2 day return policy even though they recommended the fish to us. read more

First time here with my son! The owner was super nice with a lot of knowledge on fishes! No sale pressure; felt like going into to a mini aquarium for free! Wish we lived here (visiting from SoCal) and this place will get 100% of my business. Thank you! read more

Gave bad advice and killed my fish. Not big selection as well. Guy didn't even stop to talk to me after I asked a question. read more

I bought several fish here... they ALL died within a few days. Took a couple purchases to realize it was not my tank/water but the livestock. Informed the owner, who acknowledged his fish have ick 'this time of year.' However he continues to sell bad fish and sticks to his return policy in which he will not honor a refund or store credit if the fish happen to survive longer than 2 days. In this case they do died immediately (as in this case)he will only replace your fish with more sick fish! read more

Centreville Aquarium has been my go-to aquarium store since 2016, and they've been perfect every step of the way. They are extremely kind and polite, and both the owner (David) and his employees are a wealth of knowledge about fish, aquariums, water parameters, and aquatic plants. I have never had any problems with any of their live stock (our goldfish, nerite snails, and amano shrimp are living long, healthy lives, and acclimated quickly and easily to the tank). Their plant selection is great, and I have never had any issues with stowaway snails or other pests (Swords, anarchris, java moss, and anubias). A quick rinse, and they do just great in the tank. They also have a wide variety of aquarium supplies and food, and more specialized/advanced equipment (substrates, planted tank ferts, filter pieces, CO2 systems) than you can ever hope to find at a big box pet store. They are the only local dealer that offers the full line of Seachem products and medications that I know of, which is nice for me. It's the little touches though that I like about this aquarium shop. They let you browse the tanks for fun ("Oooh look at this pretty blue one!") without pestering you. They are patient when you're particular about picking/netting a plant or fish. I appreciate how if they don't have something, David will immediately order it and give you a call when it's in stock a few days later. Also, they do nice things like give you an ice pack for the trip home when you buy frozen food, offer great seasonal coupons, or give away bits of established filter media when someone is starting a new tank. It's those little touches that let you know this small business cares about its customers, fish, and place in the community. read more

Decades of Experience can't be found very many places these days. I love it when they know the equipment from the 80's. It was well worth the drive. Many Rare Fish! I wish my tank wasn't so new I could have finished it then. Will be back in a few weeks.. read more

All the plants and animals are healthy and medicated. The staff is nice and they know how to take care of these. I would recommend this place. read more

So I don't know if that day I went is the norm but the clerk pulled out 4 dead fish from various tanks within the hour I spent there. Some bettas are housed in 2.5 gallon tanks which is MUCH better then big chain pet stores, but the bare bottom of those tanks were loaded with filth. They sell those tiny 'betta' bowls corporations want to pass off as livable for a fish. It's not. I wouldn't feel comfortable buying a fish from this store. BUT, the young man working the counter was very helpful and immediately would take the dead fish out as spotted, helped me locate the supplies I needed & knew enough to chat about the pros and cons of certain clean up crew species. So 3 stars for customer service. read more

Even though I may have been a bit harsh in the past,I will re-review. Supplies are always available,good quality of products,nice selection of fish. The owner is available for fish info and expertise,which is nice,it helped me pick a better variety. I guess I must have just had a bad experience that day. I have not had any bad experiences since. read more

Just moved to the area and was excited to find an independent local fish store just minutes away. Picked up 6 Pygmy cories, but 3 of them died within 4 days. The store refused to replace, discount replacements, or work with me at all to find a reasonable solution. I would love to support a local fish store but it's tough when they don't stand behind the health of their stock for more than 48 hours. read more

This store has been around forever. So it's not as "bright and shiny" as some might prefer. The prices are fair. All my fish from here have been healthy. I was "that person" last week and requested a specific Kuhli from a tank of 20 hyperactive ones and the employee was very patient. The owner is always super nice. They are willing to look for and bring in things if you ask. Considering the supply and shipping disruption during this Covid mess they have been pretty well stocked on fish and plants by Fridays usually. Their plant prices are fantastic. If you go early in the week stock may be low from all the customer traffic. The best advice I can give a lot of the people on here giving poor reviews and complaining about employees giving different info- the internet has all the info you need. Look up stuff yourself. Either before you go or while you're there. We all have computers in our pockets now. And test your water often. I never bring fish back to stores for refunds unless something has happened within the first 24 hours. Because after that its probably something I did or didn't do. /soapbox read more

A few days ago I bought two two saltwater fish (blue and yellow tang and a wrasse). Spent $110 on them, turns out the blue and yellow tang had ich. I bought kick ich by ruby reef from this store to treat the tang. The kick ich killed four of my fish, including the tang and wrasse I got from this place. Then they would not refund or give store credit for the dead fish. I also want to mention that on the day I went to buy the fish, a whole aquarium was filled with dead fish. I don't recommend buying anything living from these guys. read more

I totally forgot to write a review but here I go! Probably my fun little spot to go after Siroo or KFT. The workers know what they're doing and take care of the fish! I wish Petco and pet smart would actually be like this place and take care of the fish. read more

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This is a good place if you're looking for fancy fish. They had a few Bettas and an abundance of plain guppies. I was looking for a variety of smaller fish for my granddaughter's tank. read more

David and Daniel were absolute aces. Extremely knowledgeable and friendly. We arrived pretty late and they were about to close, but they did not rush us. In fact, they took extra time to give us some tips. We bought a dozen very healthy fish and they are all doing great! They have a nice selection of fish and supplies. Prices seem pretty fair too. We will be back. read more

I've been an avid aquarium hobbyist since childhood, and take enormous pride in my home aquarium. After searching fruitlessly for a fish store more convenient to my house, I stumbled upon this gem. I cannot praise Centreville Aquarium enough. The tanks are pristine, the fish and other animals are in the pink of health, and you can rest assured that you will be treated with respect by a very knowledgeable, friendly staff. The store frequently carries relatively uncommon fish, and the advice and guidance of the employees and David, the owner, has been invaluable. I have not had a single fish that I have bought here turn out to be sick or otherwise not in good condition. David and the employees clearly care about both their animals and their clientele. Since finding this place, I have never looked for another fish store again. Why bother when you have the best? read more

I purchased several fish from this store which all died within 2 to 3 days. I thought it was my water, but after having it tested at two different places it turns out the fish were bad. Some even had what I found out to be ick. After telling the owner he says it's "ick season" as if it was ok that he sold me sickly fish. He made it a point to push his two day return policy on me as if he wasn't in the wrong. Not to mention I was in the two day period. I asked for store credit to meet him in the middle and he refused saying he could only give me fish credit to buy more crappy fish. Poor customer service. I don't always listen to reviews because some are just mean but the ones I've seen for this place are a reoccurring theme. The wiener doesn't care and he is aware of his problem. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! read more

Nice staff, attentive and knowledgeable. Great variety of products! I'll definitely be back!

Recently purchased java moss and ten shrimp for an established tank. I explained that we needed to shut down a tank because a plant we purchased came with pond and rams horn snails, and we were getting rid of those pests. I was moving a few fish over to the other tank and needed some variety in that tank. The clerk was instructed to get the java moss from a specific tank, which I assumed was because it was pest free since we just finished talking about making that mistake. I was wrong. The moss came with snail and worm apparently, so I have my work cut out for me. With in a week all ten shrimp died. My two hardy existing shrimp persist. When we called the store to discuss this we were given the catalog of known potential problems, water being the likely issue, but were told that there was no explanation for how the other shrimp survived. The summation is that we had some "bad luck". I'd agree because my lock cost me cash at the store, but unlike luck I have a remedy which is not to gamble at a pet store that views selling products as gambling. Since it is like gambling you need to remember that the house always wins. My advice is to avoid this store. read more

this specific store is hands-down one of the best places to get fish. We bought our son a 10 gallon aquarium for his birthday just a few days ago and bought 10 fish. Within less than an hour all of our fish died and we had no idea. This is not the first fish tank that we have put together. The very next day my husband took the fish back and they were very kind and tested the water from our aquarium for us. The stuff that he worked with was incredibly knowledgeable and told us exactly what was wrong. They did not try to overzealous on products or try to push anything on us to purchase. Even though our fish died, they gave us store credit for it because it was within 24 hours. Because of their great knowledge and great customer service we will absolutely continue going to them instead of going to the larger chain pet stores. read more

Essentially wiped out my $200 worth of Caradina shrimp with their RO water. I made the mistake of assuming the water was pure. The readings were ridiculous. 47 TDS/6 GH/9 KH. Will be going to NOVA Tropicals moving forward. read more

Staff seemed very knowledgeable and eager to answer questions and help you find the right fish for your tank and provide plenty of care tips. read more

This place was great! I was especially impressed by how much better they treat their Bettas so much better than most pet stores. They seem very healthy and vibrant and have plenty of room to swim. Their customer service was excellent--thank you Caleb and Brian (employees) for answering all my questions and being very patient with me as I hung around the store for way too long. They also have a great variety of affordable live food for fishies and lots of healthy, live plants. They are quite generous with their portions of java moss--which can be quite pricey normally. Would definitely recommend to anyone in the area. read more

Its a little bit small comparing to other stores , but good variety for starters and mid levels , a very gentleman and interested sales person, very helping . Sharing all kind of info, guiding and advising. read more

I've never had good luck at this store. We are just beginners, granted. We like to keep our Bettas in nice conditions. I continually find the help at the store is sparse, the advice hasn't worked out, and their goods are very over-priced. Honestly, I would do just as well ordering off of Amazon, after reading product reviews. I really wish that I had better support from the folks at this store. I am trying to set up a planted Fluval tank for my Betta, that's it. Nothing complex as a first time product. read more

THE. BEST. aquatics shop around my currently listed postal code, your only other real options for fish in the area is PetSmart [ bad but not terrible ] & PetCo [ even worse, i have never walked into a PetCo that didn't have a massive, obvious, Ich infestation, when it comes to fish; PetCo is a Bad Idea ] They usually gets their shipments of live brine-shrimp, black-worms, & any live fish in on Tuesday nights as far as i know, so plain visits accordingly. Great place that takes care of their animals, some of the tanks could use a substrate exchange though, & have the gravel removed & replaced with soft sand for the specific species gravel as rough as they use can potentially hurt. If it spends a fair amount of time on the ground ? give it soft, fine sand read more

I bought a pencil urchin at Centreville Aquarium several weeks ago. At the time I purchased it, I asked if it was reef safe (safe for my corals). I was told it was a great algae eater and wouldn't be a problem. Since putting the urchin in my tank, I have lost $50+ dollars worth of corals. Trusting the advice I was given at Centreville Aquarium, I didn't put together that it was the urchin responsible for all of this death until I caught it last night beginning to chomp on my duncan coral. I did some research and found out the pencil urchin in fact is not reef safe and promptly put it in a jar to take back to Centreville Aquarium today to discuss this poor advice. I spoke with the manager on the floor (who may actually have been the same guy that gave me the advice in the first place) and told him I simply wanted to exchange my coral killer for something of relatively equal value. He said he was willing to treat it as a dead return, and offered me a 20% off a fish purchase coupon, but that would mean I would have to spend near $100 just to get back the $15 or so I spent on the urchin. I told him I was even willing to take a $10 emerald crab, but he wouldn't consider it. Not only that, but he said because I didn't have my receipt there was no way to know what the value of the urchin would be. Really? There's no way to look up what you sell pencil urchins for? Right. I understand if I had been told to be wary or advised not to put the urchin in my tank and I did anyway that the coral death would be on me, but in this case, trusting the advice given to me by Centreville Aquarium, the coral death was on them- I wasn't even asking for as much in exchange as I had paid, nor for them to reimburse me for the coral I lost, and I was even going to give them the urchin back to resell if they liked. This ridiculous unwillingness to make good on their mistake and maintain a relationship with a customer is completely unacceptable, so knowing full well there are several other saltwater shops in the area, I walked out and dumped the urchin in the parking lot. If you've bought a pencil urchin at this place soon after this posting appears, know that it spent some time out on the asphalt and that it WILL eat your coral. read more