I drove all the way from Camarillo to check this place out. The store was almost completely empty. One car parked at the same time as me and by the time I left, 25 minutes later, another different car/customer had parked in the same spot and left with product in hand. That means 2 customers had been helped and one of them arrived after I did. I spent the entire 25min walking around the store and not a single person acknowledged me. They walked by me multiple times but no one asked if I needed any help. I was ready to purchase some dry goods and livestock. Most of the saltwater fish looked pretty healthy and the store was well maintained. Some of the saltwater fish were priced way too high and other were priced competitively. Because of the complete lack of service, especially during an extremely slow time, I give them 1 star. I doubt I'll be returning to this place. read more

Love that Simi has this fish and coral shop. Andrew and his dad Peter are always super nice and helpful. It's good to see them so busy during the pandemic and that more in the community is getting into the hobby. I am thankful they are right down the street for me as my kids and I are into marine and freshwater aquariums. Delighted to see a local family do what they love and help others in this hobby. That is what truly sets them apart from the other shops. read more

The first time I went to The Aquarium Connection I was in shock by how amazing it was inside. Huge tanks, colorful fish, basically anything you could possibly imagine for a fish store. I bought a betta out of their huge collection and it was by far the most beautiful fish I had seen in a long time since the local PetSmart's bettas were all dead. When my Goldfish died my other one wouldn't even swim and I knew I had to get another. I went to PetSmart, out, went to Petco, too small, and then I remembered this place. I drove over and became obsessed with the most gorgeous goldfish I had seen. The colors were amazing. Of course, I asked the guy to get it for me but when he said hang on, he picked up a dying fish out of a different tank with his bare hands and threw it into a freezer and proceeded to help me. Without even washing his hands he bare handily picked up my new fish and plopped it into the bag. That is when I noticed all the other dead fish in the same tank. Me and my mom paid and my new fish started its acclimation into the tank. Everything was amazing for a few days but when I came home one day, both of my fish were floating at the top of the tank. I thought they were dead and when I knocked on the tank they both began to move again. I quickly looked it up and it was called swim bladder and could kill them. My new fish had given it to my other one, the shark, and my shrimp. within 2 days of the discovery and a bunch of medicine to slow down and possibly help them from the virus, everything in the tank had died within hours of each other even when I moved each of them to their own tanks away from each other. TAC was the reason my healthy shark, shrimp, and precious goldfish died. For a person that has a fear of death that was one of the scariest things, I have came in contact within a really long time. read more

This spot is a godsend to the area. Super friendly and helpful staff who make me feel like I'm being well taken care of. I came in 2 days in a row as I'm setting up a new saltwater tank. The owner takes his time to walk me through what I need/don't need to reach success, and even offered to test my water as the cycle continues. Definitely highly recommended as they are true experts and have genuine care for the well-being of their customers and their product. read more

I live further away but wanted to check out the shop based on pictures & reviews. It was more than I expected & every foot of the store is stocked with items. But it wasn't that that will make me come back it was the polite & friendly staff & owner it makes a huge difference when shopping & spending your hard earned money. I was there for cichlids & they have many in different sizes & fish look super healthy & tanks clean. You can see they take pride in there shop. Made a request for some cichlids I've been looking for so will return to check in. Thank you for making my trip worth it. read more

This is the best place for all aquarium related products and advice. Andrew and Peter have helped me with my hobby sooo much! I have both saltwater and fresh water tanks. The service is the best! The selection of fish, plants and aquariums is fantastic. Don't see what you want? They can customize something for you. read more

Awesome service! Aquarium Connection has aquarium monthly service where they come to your home and the change the water in your tank and bring more fish and coral. I learned that they personally curate their fish from around the world and make sure the fish are healthy and strong before selling them here in California. I love the fact that it's a family business and not a corporate run branch. Andrew loves marine biology and brings his knowledge to provide the best service! Highly recommend! read more

I am extremely happy with all of my purchases from here and will only shop here for my frozen food and plants. Local is best and the staff are friendly and personable. This is a great place for hobbyists or for serious aquatic enthusiasts. They can even custom install massive tanks! I come here every week almost just to see what they have in stock and they are always willing to order anything I need that they do not carry. Love this place 10/10 would recommend. read more

Great place! This store reminds me how discerning shoppers can/will always find real & honest businesses no matter where or how often they move! Brief History: This business is a mainstay of Simi Valley & I have been giving them business since I discovered them more than 25 years ago at their old location in the small mini-mall on the NW corner of Royal & Sycamore (behind the 7-11!). Then, when Simi Valley's infamous "Theresa's Country Pet" opened up not long after that, we were very happy & surprised to see our buddy running half the back of the store in his own special "aquarium area" set aside just for him to run just about completely separate from the rest of Theresa's original huge warehouse (tho I recall being able to check out bird seed & such if I ended my shopping in their beautifully setup fish & fish supplies store!) And tho it was a bit lacking in room back there, you can bet it was crazy-busy all the time! But now that Theresa's scaled back a bit, our family's fave fish store is now in it's new location on E. Los Angeles Avenue, just a bit west of Erringer Rd. in a redorated mini-mall backing the railroad tracks. Present Info: The people working at The Aquarium Connection are EXTREMELY knowledgeable about everything "fish" along with the creatures included therein, & tho there is a big variety of fish/water creatures to choose from, they can always quick-order what species they might not have at the moment. (Which is spectacular when one just can't, or just doesn't want to, wait for eBay to send stuff! ) With regard to supplies & needed expertise-you need it, they have it. It's as simple as that. This is not your "mall pet store" yet don't forget they are still very family-friendly & all 4 of my kids have grownup around this business! So laid-back too! The store has a long comfy couch to kick back on & watch out their big bay store windows whilst my oldest daughter peruses what saltwater fishes she would like to add to her tank. I myself find myself drooling over The Aquarium Connection's latest in LED acrylic tanks of which they have in stock bigtime--from the largest of furniture-sized tanks to the cutest & tiniest filtered beta tanks (which could fit literally anywhere). These new types of acrylic tanks boast extremely quiet back-of-the-tank "hidden" filtration systems(?) (lids-optional?) with LED lighting so that one is able to just enjoy the sight & sound of the surface water churning & the fishes in a much more "naturally domestic" fish paradise! --which is also soooo much more beautiful, attractive & captivating to look at. My daughter has already purchased one med-large saltwater tank like this & we never tire of how darn nice they look. Conclusion: I truly wish I have had more time to go there lately but I did stop in briefly a couple months ago to pick up fish-mox for my freshie tank & they were still like family, always ready to help (or just chat) even tho they are apparently, from what I saw, still busy-busy-busy with their constant slew of neverending shoppers! (Even on a rainy day!) read more

Andrew and his dad Peter have been supplying us with beautiful fish and servicing our tanks for now 2 generations. They are extremely knowledgeable and when I was ready to purchase my first tank I went to Andrew for help. He not only set me up with my beautiful tank, but he and his dad helped explain to me how to keep my tank looking nice and how to care for my fish. I'm a new aquarium owner so I still have learning to do ( thankful that they do come out and service the tank for me) but Andrew always responds to my questions promptly or I just swing by the store and talk to anyone who works there. THEY KNOW THEIR STUFF! Slowly building my tank, will share more pictures once it's totally complete but can't thank them enough! read more

Best fish shop around! They used to be Petes tropical fish in the back of Theresa's per store. This new store is amazing! They have a great selection of fish and corals there. The main reason they get 5 stars is because of their customer service. I've been coming here since it opened and for about 10 years when it was Petes. The atmosphere is amazing and the staff makes you feel welcome and helped. Great store. It's worth the trek even though I don't live in simi anymore. read more

Another MAJOR thumbs up for George! This guys is a living encyclopedia. He's extremely knowledgeable with plants (as well as pretty much all fish), to the point of knowing their Latin names!!Anyways, this guy really is great, he's friendly, helpful, and just makes the whole experience a pleasurable one. He really makes this place awesome, kind of a bummer he's there only on weekends though... anyways, I started a planted tank and he got me going in the right direction with the million questions I had about everything. Their fish/plant selection is nice and I believe they get new stuff on the weekends. The place is clean and well organized with a ton of supplies. Prices are good but add up quickly lol. Would definitely recommend coming here. read more

The Aquarium Connection - Aquariums Near Me - Simi Valley, California

Good local store for fresh and saltwater supplies. Reasonable prices. Great selection of fish and always rotating stock. I've bought 8 saltwater fish and several corals over the past 90 days and everything is healthy, no pests or issues, and everything is thriving. They take requests if your looking for something particular, just keep following up and make sure they have your number. Corals are decent and healthy. None of the really insane prices and "rare" corals from other stores. Mostly just softies, but all are healthy and Staff is knowledgeable and friendly. Would recommend stopping by and checking it out if your in the area. Also the 550 display tank is awesome. read more

Had Great experience with Peter and the rest of the crew . I mostly was doing my Homework on my first tank . Deciding to go fish or saltwater , size etc . They where super helpful. I even had my 2 kids with me that where kinda being a handful . They where super patient with me and the kids . Look forward to supporting this local shop . read more

Starting a saltwater tank soon after my move. Came here and checked it out real quick and I have to say....hands down best experience I've ever had. George (i think that was his name) gave me the best experience and has so much knowledge overall. He walked around with me and picked out what I needed to complete my tank. Any other place would probably just tell you the aisles the stuff is in, but not this place. So if you're looking for friendly staff and a great place to get your products from go here. I highly recommend it. read more

My tank has finally cycled thanks to Ryan at Aquarium Connection. My tank is about 3 months old. I have had a NO2 spike that has been 5.0ppm since about 3 1/2 weeks after I purchased it. I tried everything suggested to me at another store but became very discouraged when my spike never went down. All other levels stayed within or below safe range. I went into Aquarium Connection initially seeking a under-gravel filter thinking the problem was seeping up through my gravel. Ryan at Aquarium Connection listened to my issues I had been dealing with and in turn gave me amazing advice as well as suggestions on how to meet my tanks needs. Ryan quickly pointed out I had too smooth gravel which my bacteria could not cling to, I didn't have the right bacteria and there was not enough flow in my tank. Ryan showed me what to purchase, which was new gravel that was more coarse, Stress Zyme for the bacteria, a medium sized live plant that's like a moss and little round (can't remember what they're called) clay coarse white things that came in a sock that I actually cut open and placed in my filter due to the fact it's open water compartment is too small for the full sock. It's been a little over two weeks my spike has finally broke. My water became cloudy as I was told it would and I've been doing my 25% water changes. My NO2- has gone from +5.0ppm to fluctuating between .50ppm and .25ppm but generally staying at .25ppm. Literally my levels stayed dead at +5.0ppm for a solid 2.5 months. I tried everything and anything. I am so happy that my levels are starting to balance. I'm almost mad at myself for not going into Aquarium Connection sooner. Their staff is amazing, prices are a lot cheaper than most commercial places, huge selection of tank decor, sea/fresh water fish/plants. They're very knowledgeable about all things fish- especially Ryan. He knew how to answer all my questions. This is now my new home for all things fish. Highly suggest Aquarium Connection! Oh side note- they take fish. I had a plecostomus fish that got really aggressive out of no where and I tried everything to accommodate him but ended up having to get rid of him. Aquarium Connection took him and trade me an otocinclus fish instead for free. Extremely satisfied with my experience here 5stars. Thanks guys! Will see you again! -Lee Anne read more

The Aquarium Connection - My beautiful 35 gallon tank is now NO2- free thanks to Aquarium Connection - Aquariums Near Me - Simi Valley, California

Brought my 5 year old son who loves and gets excited about fish and other things that live in the water. Looks like a great store with everything you would need to start and maintain an aquarium. I was disappointed that the staff wasn't more friendly. They just ignored us (it wasn't busy) and when one staff member did ask if we needed help, he just walked away when I told him I had brought my son who loves fish. I know that doesn't sound like a big sale, but maybe if you were more friendly when we do need fish supplies we would come back? I was going to buy food for his beta but didn't want to spend money after the staff's disinterest. Just because we were browsing today doesn't mean we wouldn't spend money at another time if we had felt welcome. read more

Fantastic service and help! Went in for a small tank for my sons room and they really helped me get what I wanted and needed for a great price! They employees were so helpful and knowledgable and helped me pick the fish that would last and were so healthy! Highly recommended! read more

The Aquarium Connection - My sons nemo tank - Aquariums Near Me - Simi Valley, California

This is a great aquarium store, all the way around. To stop in for big or small needs and also for maintenance of your tanks to your home. Cameron does our maintenance and is awesome!! And the store staff is always great as well. My daughter loves having her very own little mermaid tank "Santa" brought too :) read more

The Aquarium Connection - My daughter got her very own little mermaid tank from Santa ;) - Aquariums Near Me - Simi Valley, California

Super disappointed in this store... my boyfriend and i went to get some new cichlids to restock our tank... my boyfriend happened to bring his camera as he was in udder amazements of the store and wanted to take some photos to post and advertise the store! Well the owner(im assuming) came up and very harshly yelled at my boyfriend that he has absolutely no business in here claiming he was filming things and much more.... the walked away saying how stupid he was for "not knowing basic etiquette" needless to say we will not be supporting this store or purchasing anything from someone who could degrade their own clientele this way... there was a decent selection of fish however such confrontation took any want to purchase them now, we were watched as we left and went to amazonian to get better and warmer service! read more

The staff here is fantastic. Especially the serviceman Cameron. He is absolutely wonderful. Very knowledgable and helpful. Always willing to work hard on my tank to make sure it is spotless and all fish and plants are healthy. The freshwater fish I have received from the shop have always done great. Never any issues! Always on time service and even great help with emergency service. Any questions or concerns I have had are always answered respectfully and honestly. I truly couldn't be happier!! I wish they had 20 more servicemen like Cameron! read more

The Aquarium Connection - Aquariums Near Me - Simi Valley, California

This is the best place in SoCal to get anything for aquatic/amphibious. They have it all and they know just about everything. If they don't know, they will learn it for the benefit of the customers they serve. I have two turtles and they built a two level turtle condo for them. This thing is solid and well built. We love the style they gave it and the affordable pricing on a very custom job. I always come here for anything I need because I know they are educated and honest. Update: A few months ago I had a small leak on a fitting with my tank and it was dripping water very slowly. The owner came out himself and took a look because I couldn't fix it due to an injury to my shoulder. I honestly could not even see it and thought it was a broken bulkhead. He took a look, told me it was just a bit loose, tightened it up, and charged me nothing. He refused to take any money for coming out for something simple like that. This is the kind of small community customer service that business like this keep alive. They don't want to just sell you some stuff, they want to be your go to for all your aquarium needs. read more

To whoever may consider ever setting up your own personal aquarium right in the comfort of your own home, I highly recommend you checking out The Aquarium Connection! Great fish, both fresh and salt water as well as fresh water plants and marine corals! The staff on duty always with the upmost professionalism, super friendly and extremely helpful! read more

I am getting back into the hobby of fish keeping after an absence of about 40 years. Toward that end, and after doing considerable research, it was time to decide where to go to get my new fish and supplies. After checking out a few aquarium stores, I found this one to be truly superior. I live in Santa Clarita so this store is not the closest to me. But they stand out with their selection of fish, quality of fish, cleanliness of the store and the tanks and selection of everything you need in terms of equipment and supplies. Most of all, I greatly appreciate their outstanding customer service, advice and helpfulness. They make you feel welcome as soon as you walk in the door and go out of their way to be friendly and of service. I purchased my first first several days ago and they are doing beautifully. I look forward to going back often to slowly stock my tank with their beautiful fish. read more

Great place with lots of stock. Customer service and management excellent. Huge tank w tons of fish to keep kids occupied while I shop.

The staff is as friendly as the fish are varied. And believe me, I've never even heard of half the fish they've got in stock. Everytime I've gone there, they've patiently answered all my questions and assisted me with making sure my tank was ready for life. Unlike Petco/PetSmart, I can actually trust these people - not to slander the other two stores. The employees here are extremely knowledgable in what they do and I that makes me love even just stopping by. It's basically a hidden gem that everyone needs to see. read more

The Aquarium Connection is the best place to go for anything you need for aquariums, ponds, live plants, fish and all the accessories. They have extensive knowledge and are very nice and friendly. This is my one stop shop for all my aquarium supplies and i highly recommend them to everyone. read more

I drive 20 min out of my way to visit this store, which is now my regular store for fish supplies. My local store in westlake village is just horrible. Anyway, peter at the aquarium connection is really friendly, knowledgeable and easy going. read more

23 days ago, Andrew, the owner contacted me about my horrible experience at his store. He asked for me to contact him and he would be, " happy to work with you." I did and nothing from him.. Clearly, as his comment mentioned, he's more concerned about how my comment reflects badly on his business and will have an affect on it, instead of being considerate or compassionate about how his tainted water and sick fish affected my wallet! read more

Love this place and visit them once a week to see what their new inventory is. Any question I have they are happy to answer and they are there because they care about fish not because they're at a job to put money in their pocket. read more

Andrew Bunya - Owner of (The Aquarium Connection) was nothing short of perfection. FIVE STARS!!! I was referred to Andrew through a close friend, I can say with full honesty that when thinking about buying and setting up a reef aquarium, definitely speak to this guy first. He really knows all aspects of how an aquarium is built, plumping, types of fish to add, how to manage it cost effectively yourself and how to take care of your fish. Below is a quick story how everything panned out for me: Andrew came out to my house, 86mi away to measure, discuss pricing, time frames and my specific needs for my dream aquarium, ALL ON HIS OWN DIME! He wasn't pushy, he took the time to discuss what I wanted and didn't focus on his profit which is hard to find in a salesman. He knew I had a specific budget so he ate some costs on his own to make things work. Originally, I was going to have a custom one built in my home to divide my two rooms but Andrew talked me into using a different wall to hide the plumping, promote less noise, keep tank out of direct sunlight and not monopolize the room. He gave me great ideas after showing me his insane portfolio and discussing specifics. He changed my entire perspective and gave me a specific vision for my custom aquarium in under 30 minutes. When it came time to built everything, he got it all together very quick, he had the custom acrylic piece made in 2 weeks and the cabinetry, stand and hutch a week later. He saved me hundreds on plumbing and start up costs; he put EVERYTHING together himself, he even bought the supplies at his wholesale price to save me money. I didn't want to spend a ton of money on coral to start, so he recommended a great place that makes near perfect faux replicas. I plan on adding real coral in the future, but Andrew could tell I was getting inundated with all the costs and personal maintenance, so he unselfishly helped me out by getting me this faux coral at a discounted price and installed everything for me instead of charging me hundreds for real coral, cost for chemicals and maintenance to keep it all up. He is an extreme perfectionist when it comes to managing your tank, I would strongly recommend that you follow his instructions; you can tell he cares about all fish. Please listen to what he has to say about adding specific fish to your tank, feeding times, types of food and timelines when to add fish. From what I've heard, lots of people like to rush the process by adding fish and coral too quickly. Word of advice: Listen to Andrew, he knows what he is talking about, DON'T TRY AND SPEED THINGS UP ON YOUR OWN. Haha I hope you enjoyed my personal experience with The Aquarium Connection, I'm sure you will be writing a review like mine once they finish completing your aquarium. Josh read more

I have a small salt water aquarium that was struggling and needed help. I found this business on Yelp and reached out to Andrew. Even though the job was not a big one, he agreed to help me. He sent his technician Lynn to help me out. Lynn is so knowledgeable. He not only helped fix the tank he actually helped improve the tank. In just over a month the tank looks better than it ever has. I am now looking forward to adding more corals and fish! And after talking to Lynn I will be getting all my products from Aquarium Connection. They care about their customers and the quality of products they deliver. Thanks Lynn and Andrew! read more

The Aquarium Connection is the finest tropical fish store I've ever had contact with. They have a vast selection of fresh and salt water fish. The folks who run it, Peter and Mike really know all about the different types of fish and all the products you might need. Needed a 100 gallon fish Aquarium, with cabinet and canopy. Mike informed me of all my options I have in regards to specs of the tank, cabinet, and canopy and pricing. Thanks guys, will be back again. read more

Went in looking for a Butterfly Koi for my pond. The employee who was in the store either didn't know the difference between a Butterfly and a regular Koi, or else was hoping that I wouldn't. I ended up buying a regular breed Koi anyway, because I liked the coloration, and it was floating dead in my pond within 48 hours. Other fish in the pond (both newly introduced from different stores, and old timers) are all alive and well. Called the store to see what they'd be willing to do about it, and the person on the phone displayed absolute indifference. Not even an apology, much less an offer of refund or replacement. I'll never be back. read more

A friend of mine and I followed this place from its beginnings in the back of feed store to their beautiful new shop. We purchased a few healthy animals, but because we were always short on funds, we usually used this place as a sounding board for what we should purchase at a chain pet store. I'm sure they knew that, but they have always been courteous and helpful anyway. Life has recently been kind to me, and I decided to upgrade my goldfish tank from a 37g to something bigger and more spectacular since I was moving to a new place. Aquarium Connection was my first choice in doing that. I had originally walked in wanting to buy an 80g, but they surprisingly talked me into something smaller (try to find that at a chain pet store!) Andrew, the owner, led me to a stunning 75g set up. It had all the bells and whistles--a beautiful honey-coloured stand with solid wood holding the tank (as opposed to just holding around the frame), a nice border around the bottom of the aquarium, double-thick glass, and a matching hood. Even the FRAME of the aquarium matches, and the light fixture is made of colour-coordinated plastic with a piece of laminate on it that matches the rest of the set up. In short, it looks like a custom piece and the quality is absolutely unreal. Better still, he told me that since it had been hanging around the shop for a while and he wanted to move it, he would offer me a nice discount and could deliver it the following day after it had been cleaned up. As soon as I said I wanted it, he had someone wiping it down and getting it ready for me. We chatted about some other products I was interested in, I scheduled the delivery for a few days later so I could prepare my apartment, and I bought a few other things and walked out. A little while later, I realized I had forgot to specify which bulb I wanted for my fixture, and I called him and asked that he bring one for me at the time of delivery. Fast forward to delivery day (which was also moving day for me), and I took a look at my receipt. To me, it looked like I had been charged $25 more than what I had been quoted. I called Andrew, and he remained firm on what he had charged me. We went back and forth for a little while, and I finally gave up on trying to "get my money back." Before we hung up, he told me the cost of delivery, and the cost of my bulb. I didn't realize that the bulb was not included with the fixture. Since moving day had already made me irritable, I snapped that since I was not happy with the tank issue, I would not be purchasing the bulb that day. He apologized and told me he wanted me to be happy with the whole transaction. I reassured him that I still planned on being a loyal customer, no matter what the mix up, but that I simply wasn't ready for the so-called "extra charge." A half hour later (and exactly at the scheduled time), Andrew's father and another employee show up at my door with my tank. As soon as I saw it in all its shiny, clean glory, and perched in its perfect spot in my dining room, I felt so, so stupid for arguing over $25. I had gotten an amazing deal, and Andrew was such a kind and genuine guy. Then, to put the cherry on top of my shame, I noticed that there was a brand new bulb sitting inside of the aquarium. I was shocked at Andrew and his shop's amazing customer service and hospitality. I respected him immensely for standing his ground, but still wanting to ensure that his customer was satisfied. I tried to call a few hours later, but got his voicemail. I left a message thanking him, but have since been too embarrassed to call back and thank him again. Andrew, if you read this, please know that I will be visiting your store again soon and that your amazing kindness has not been taken for granted! read more

Great shop! Helpful staff, great selection, and beautiful store. If you need anything from plants, to fish, to all (and I mean all) the accessories, this is the place to get them. read more

Awesome customer service. Honest answers. And best of all, they greet you when you come in the door! Talk to Andrew, he knows his Aquariums and he is easy to get a long with. There are closer stores to me, AC being almost 30min away, but they are my go to store for any supplies and more importantly healthy fish and corals. Thanks guys! read more

Simple the best place to go for all your aquarium needs. My salt water tank has never been so healthy. The fish are always healthy and beautiful. The service is great and the staff is very knowledgable. Whether it's a bowl or a 100 gallon set up this place has everything you need to make it beautiful. There monthly service is very reasonable and more important my tank looks amazing... Thank you for an amazing set up for my family to enjoy... A++++ read more

Hands down a 5 star service and animals were exactly what I was looking for. I found Peter knowledgeable and he remembered me. He took the time to help me and he listened to what ones looking for. I am happy to be their customer. read more

Awesome customer service! I needed a new hood light for my older hexagon fish tank. They checked the catalog and were able to order it for me. Was delivered the next day! Thanks so much for the fantastic service! read more