They've definitely gone down hill within the last 2 years or so. I've gotten loads of platys from them. Sometimes I am in need of a restock but refuse to buy from them at all. Some tanks definitely seem diseased and not cleared of deceased fish . I've seen fish act a bit erratic and ill. But their products have a wide variety and when the tanks seem okay, they have a really nice stock of fish and always seem to have what I need. Salt water tanks seem pretty great, plants have always been clean and safe of traveling snails. I still come here quite a lot. I enjoy it! read more

I think it's a nice little shop. Loved to see the different sea creatures they had . Got koi fish for 10$ from there , not a bad price at all. read more

They do always seem to always have some kind of ich problem and the main guy that runs the store isn't extremely knowledgeable on fish species. There was a tank full of espei rasboras, it was marked as harlequin rasboras, and when I politely let him know they were actually espeis (also called lambchops), he insisted that they were rasbora hets (harlequins)... I have espei rasboras, and even with a quick google or a scan from iNaturalist, you can see that they are not harlequins, but rather espeis... read more

DO NOT SHOP HERE! I I went there a little over a week ago to get a couple fish for my tank, I noticed some of the fish looked like they had white dots and asked if it was a disease or anything and the guy working there said he doesn't know what it is and it should be fine. Not even a week later three of my fish are dead with a highly contagious disease called ich(which they got from the sick fish at the store) you would think someone working at a FISH store knew what that was.. thanks for the honesty! I have had these fish for three years with no problems. read more

I did not specify which fish I wanted of the batch, and I feel the owner slipped me the sick fish that had obvious problems. When I got him home he was turning different colors and very sickly. I don't expect him to last thru the night. before this experience, I had been pretty happy with the LIVESTOCK and the customer service from the employees. Funny how the owner is the problem... read more

Super helpful staff and owners here, been shopping here mostly for RODI water and browsing their selection of beautiful fresh and saltwater fish. As of more recently I've taken an interest in focusing on my parameters and planting my tank and the Owner Mike has been a lifesaver. Helping answer all my questions on how to cycle what to use what the steps are to fix and mistakes I may have made as a somewhat new owner. Great store wouldn't go anywhere else! read more

Staff was kind and knowledgeable. We bought a plant, a couple snails and a baby shrimp. All are very healthy and we plan on returning to get more fish. They had some very cool coral and tanks. A little hit of everything! Definitely recommend! read more

See all

I went here around three weeks ago first thing I noticed is the guy working the front counter doesn't greet you and was borderline rude when I asked for some items and doesn't ask you if you need any help. Here's the dealbreaker for me.....I bought three plants which have infested my fish tank with snails. I would not recommend this place and 100% I would not shop here again. read more

Don't listen to the snowflakes that require a royal welcome upon entering a local business. I have had nothing but a positive experience with the staff over the last few years and the fish are top rate! read more

My daughter and I went to the Cary location Wednesday August 3rd around 1:15. My plan was to spend some money there today to stock my tank! Nobody greeted us when we came inside. Store was not busy we were the only customers in the store. The only employee in the store never asked if we needed help and really didn't even seem to acknowledge that we were there at all. I decided that I would not spend my money in that store. When we left he never said a word such as "thanks for coming" etc. just plain rude and unwilling to help us at all! I've heard the Raleigh is much better so I'll make the drive! read more

Really nice but the betta shouldn't be in little bowls for display and didn't really help me we I asked

I saw many ratings online stating that this was the best aquarium store in the Raleigh area. If that's true, then the Raleigh area is sorely lacking a quality aquarium store. I found the staff to be only minimally helpful, the fish were in aquariums that were not well-maintained, and occasionally there would be dead fish lYing on the substrate. This store needs a makeover. read more

Some people like to catch fish; some like to eat fish; some like to own fish; and others like all of the above. For those who have a hobby of keeping fish and have the patience, the Fish Room should have everything you need. The Fish Room has entire setups and supplies for both fresh and saltwater aquariums as well as plants and corals to make your fish tank complete. The aquariums are beautiful, as are the colorful and beautifully marked fish. The store carries all sizes and types of fish and plants and I really liked the tiny shrimp and hermit crabs. The plants and corals, too, come in different sizes. As you would expect, the prices range from a couple of dollars to the high double digits and that can accommodate everyone whether an enthusiast or a beginner, although the initial set up of an aquarium can be expensive. Fish are relaxing to watch whether in a home or a restaurant and it's no different when they're in a store. I've never had much luck with aquariums, primarily because it's really a lot of work to get one set up and ready. I don't really like the idea that my lack of patience for tank conditioning is certain death for these beautiful fish. But if I ever decide to give it another try, I'll definitely stop by the Fish Room. Oh, and the staff is more than willing to help with whatever you need. The day I was there, the employee working was helpful, but not pushy. read more

See all

This store has revived my love of the hobby. Drew especially has given me excellent advice and feedback on my 10 gallon as I've worked through getting my tank seasoned and happy. He recommended tough little minnows for my daughter's tank that I might not have considered but they've become cherished pets, and they're incredibly healthy. Everyone I've talked with there has been knowledgeable and helpful. They're as helpful when I spend $5 as when I spend $200. I strongly recommend the Cary Fish Room for any aquarium needs. read more

I've known Mike since the original Fish Room opened ~15 years ago. I enjoy doing business with him at the Cary location. He knows the business, is honest and runs a tight ship. Some say the staff there are not helpful. This is not true. The staff pleasantly greets you and the fact is they don't want to be pushy and give you the time to look around and decide on items of interest to you. If/when you have a question you'll have all the unfettered attention and help you need or desire. ~Oceandude~ read more

I rarely write reviews, but in reading some of the one star reviews, I felt I needed to write a review. If you are looking for knowledgeable, honest, and helpful customer service, this is the place. Just because the staff are quiet and don't ask if you need help does not not mean that they are not ready as soon as you have a question or ask for help. I appreciate the time the staff (maybe owner or manager) gives to look around. The health of the fish is excellent. The tanks and water are exceptionally clean. As for the staff . . . yes, I have wandered the store without interruption. But anytime I had questions or was ready to make a selection, the man at the counter was ready, willing, and helpful. Highly recommend! read more

Literally only taking the time to review because I'm shocked by how poor the other reviews are. I have had fish from here die, but overall I've gotten good variety of freshwater fish that have done well and I had no issues with service. I like it. read more

Amazing experience here. Very helpful staff, willing and able to answer complicated or simple questions, it can be crowded but they always are willing to help so the wait isn't that long. There's a good selection of fish and they're willing to trade out if something doesn't work out in your tank and will give you store credit. It feels like they are there for the customers experience rather then strictly for money. Highly recommend. read more

It's a nice local business I mean it could be better a few dead fish here and there but besides that I would say it's a lot better than Petsmart and Petco. because the people in there actually know what there doing read more

I tried to like this place, I really did. The first time I called in asking for a Python brand water changer. After being assured they had it in stock, I showed up to find out, "Oh we carry Aqueon, they are all called that." No, they aren't. I didn't go here for a few months. I completed my 50 gallon setup using PetSmart. A few months later after doing a fishless cycle of my tank I showed up to buy some fish compatible with my cold water 8 Neon Tetras, 4 Pepper Corys. Now, the whole reason to visit a specialty shop is store knowledge. "What temperature water?" "74°" "It's going to be a problem to find fish for that temperature." (Literally the reason I'm at a specialty store, to find cold water fish.) "Try some loaches." I get home to find out this species of loach Pangio Kuhlii requires a minimum of 78°. My Pepper Corys die at 79°. My Tetras die at 79° I can't maintain my tank at exactly 78°, maybe 77°-79°, but not one degree exactly. Anyway I returned my fish, because I don't have the heart to put them into a tank destined to die. If this place had any decency I would have gotten a refund, so I tore up the store credit and left it on the counter. Maybe the money can go towards training materials. read more

The owner of the store was not helpful at all. He acted like he didn't have time to answer our questions. Even thought we were the only ones there, in most of the tanks were at least one dead fish. Should've not bought fish from him because three days later I lost three fish in the same day. I know there was nothing wrong with my fish I had before. very disappointed, he says he will only replace fish from him. I will never be buying fish from him again and definitely wouldn't recommend him to anyone I know. read more

I have visited The Fish Room a handful of times, a couple of them to "just look" and a couple of them to buy specific items--live plants, sand, filter material, et al. However, I have not yet purchased any fish from them, as I am looking for a a few South American species which have been especially difficult to find (anywhere) in the age of coronavirus. Mike, who is quite knowledgeable about fishkeeping, has always been patient with my questions and from what I can see maintains a quality shop--the store's numerous fresh and salt water tanks all appear clean with a good assortment of lively inhabitants. The live plants I've purchased from there have been exceptional as well; good growers It's nice to have a fish store "in the neighborhood", and The Fish Room is a good place to visit whether you're a first-timer or maintaining a number of aquariums. read more

I'd always rather shop at a small local store than a big chain, so I've given this place a couple of chances. Their prices are high. The selection isn't great. And a good number of the fish I've bought there are sick and die pretty soon. I think I'm better off at PetSmart, as much as I hate to say that. read more

Like so many of the other reviews state, the service at this location is abominable. I went in and bout everything to set up the 'free' tank that someone had given me and spent well over $1k on all the stuff he kept saying I need. Fine. I go back a few week later to get my water tested and get some fish and here come the 1 word answers and complete lack of anything other than apathy. Asking the owner to catch and sell fish is clearly an annoyance to him. One fish was dead by the time I got home from being beat up by the net. Any time you I ask for a recommendation I get "if you want" or "that's should be fine." If I want crappy service, no specialized advice and unhealthy fish I'll go elsewhere... read more

We setup a new tank and waited to add fish. Confirmed the chemical levels were good, and conditioned the water. We have purchased 6 fish from The Fish Room over the past 2 weeks. Three have already died, and one more looks pretty bad Two had some kind of infection causing them to lose color and have cloudy eyes and died within a few days. Two more had Ick really bad. One of them died, and the other I am not sure will make it. We specifically picked this store and drove about 30 minutes away because it was a Fish Store, not a pet store. I assumed that the fish would be healthier, but the ones we got were not at all. Another thing is that we went in 3 times. I will say that walking in the store for the first time, we were pleasantly surprised at how nice of a selection the store had. The first time, the guy was ok, but wasn't super helpful or talkative. The second time, the guy basically talked down to us about how small our tank is. I'm sorry that I don't have room or the ability to have a 60 gallon tank or whatever, but that doesn't mean that we wont provide a really great home to a few fish. The third time, we got the same guy we did on the first trip. I should have paid closer attention, because he gave us 2 fish that were visibly unhealthy at the time (I didn't notice until they were already in the tank). One died the next morning, the other 3 days later. The two with Ick didn't develop until about a week after we got them, and at the same time we got the last set of fish. This is the only place that it could have came from since we have only bought fish from this store. I'm sure most people would think we are crazy for caring about a few fish so much, but to us they were our family and we love them. I will not be returning to the store, and would strongly suggest if you do, to quarantine any fish purchased there until you are 100% sure they are safe. Also, in all fairness, I didn't contact the store because I am not interested in a refund or any other fish from there. read more

The Fish Room - Local Fish Stores Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

See all

The service hear is pretty bad. I waited 10 minutes at the register with people lining up behind me. 2 people working the store and nobody at the register. I wanted the bottle of aiptasia x behind the counter. Although I was starinG at what I wanted, and it was 4 ft. away, i had to continue waiting so someone could ring me up.... I kept waiting.... I started calling other pet stores from their register. When I couldn't find it at another store I, along with the other people, continued to wait for someone to come to the register. When nobody came, I started calling the store with hopes someone would come to the register.... I called three times. Let me remind you, I am standing at the register for more than 15 minutes by now and the employees can clearly see the line.... I gave up. I left the line, got in my car, found a new parking spot where I could watch the register. I started watching a movie.... When someone started moving stuff around the register I ran in the store and asked if he worked there.... Nope! Another customer... back to my car to watch some more Hulu.... WHEN AN EMPLOYEE FINALLY GOT TO THE REGISTER.... I ran in The store and got back in line. The two employees were both working a single register! I was visibly irate by tHis tiMe. . I finally got back to the register and finally got my bottle of aiptasia x that was 4 ft. away from the register. I've been Reefing for 23 years and this is by far tHe worst fish store I have ever been too! The employee said have a good day, I told him to eff off as I walked away. Never again! Go to Fintastic Aquariums or shop online (bulk reef supply, aquacave) read more

Yep, I'm done. I have heard that the Raleigh location is much better. I've been to the Cary location several times instead because it's closer to me. Multiple fish that I've bought from this location have died. I thought it was my fault - it wasn't. The manager will bully you into spending lots of money on the water they sell, heaters, food, pH tests, etc. When you bring back a sick fish from this location which has died within a couple of days of bringing it home - after you went over every detail to ensure that you could care for it correctly - she will not give you store credit or anything. By the way, when you ask questions to make sure that you have the correct setup, she will roll her eyes in annoyance and give curt, single syllable responses. At this point, this store has wasted a lot of my money. More importantly, the manager treats customers disrespectfully. Local businesses and their communities should foster mutually beneficial relationships. There are other stores in the area for aquarium enthusiasts. Choose one of the other ones, read more

My experience with the Cary Fish Room is quite contrary to the negative reviews posted here. I have patronized both the Raleigh location and now the Cary store for over 10 years and find the Cary store to be top notch. I generally buy RO water there, but occasionally also frags and salt water fish. I've never had a fish come home with a disease, they are thriving in my tank and most of the frags I've purchased are likewise doing well. Their coral prices are on the high side, and I find the equipment selection to be limited, thus four stars instead of five. Of course I can find anything I want online, but I prefer to patronize local businesses whenever possible. I recommend the Cary Fish Room! read more

Poor customer service. Went here to pick up a complete tank set up for my son. Unfriendly associate never left the desk as I asked questions throughout the store. Was told the aquariums I was looking would arrive in 2 days. Called 2 days later to check and was told later that day or next. Followed up again and still not in. Each time associates had no idea what I was talking about - yet the item is within 3' of walking into their store. They said they would take my # and call me back, still nothing. Guess instead of shopping local will have to go to big box or online. Very sad as was hoping to connect with local fish store for years to come. read more

I am a big fan of customer service and apparently they are not. Me and my wife walked through the door of the Cary location to find the guy at the counter. He looked up when we came in and saw us but no greeting. A few seconds later he's looks up again, nothing. I am the type of person that likes being acknowledged I'm in your store. A simple "hey how are you guys" would have been fine. But nothing. You should be thankful that people are still walking through your door with all that is going on in the country. I can take my business somewhere else where they will appreciate me coming to there store. My money is green, and it will spend anywhere. read more

The Raleigh location is so much better. I'm not sure why there is such a difference in quality/cleanliness of their coral tanks in the middle of the store in Cary. Raleigh doesn't have the same issues. I've been by both locations several times across many months. The only thing I buy from this location is RODI and SALT water and supplies occasionally. I've never purchased fish so I can't comment on the quality, but it seems there are always a few dead fish in more than one tank. I wish I could give a better review, however, if their quality improves in the future, I will update my review and rating. read more

I'm a fresh water aquarium hobbyist, and I've had very positive experiences at the Cary Fish Room store. I've purchased plants there that did very well, and I've had no problems with the livestock I've purchased. One thing that impressed me, with two different employees, is how skilled they were at netting the fish from the tanks. They were slow, careful, and patient and didn't overly stress the tanks or the fish that I had selected. I don't buy a huge amount of aquarium supplies, but the Fish Room will be my go-to store in Cary when I occasionally need something. read more

Walked in and was immediately greeted but not hovered over. Sales person spent a good amount of time discussing various tank set ups for salt water based off of the types of fish I was looking at. read more

I've been to this store twice. Both times I was the only customer and even though there were multiple employees both times, no ne said "Hi, can I help you?" The discus fish looked unhealthy as well. How do you run a business without acknowledging your customers? I wouldn't recommend this store if you want someone to actually help you. read more

I've been to this store a few times, and I've had some good and not so good experiences here. They do have a wide variety of food and equipment that's higher quality then the chain stores, and they have a decent selection of cheap fresh water plants in a neat little shallow tank in the back of the store. They also have a really cool setup of corals, but being a freshwater keeper I wouldn't be able to judge the quality or health of the frags and full sized corals. They have a good variety of marine fish, and they seem to be very well kept in lowly stocked aquariums My major complaint, as a few people have said before, is their treatment of their freshwater fish and their attitudes toward them. They have bettas in tiny, .1G bowls (that you can buy! they're not just for decoration) filled with neon gravel which I find terrible enough in chain store but absolutely repugnant in a specialty store. They only stock at most a dozen, if they wanted to, they could keep them in much better conditions. They have all their freshwater fish stuffed in tiny tanks that are insanely overstocked (I mean about 15 guppies in about 2 gallons of space) except the large cichlids. I bought two guppies from this location a few weeks ago, and within five days both were dead, from two different diseases. The male died from columnaris within 36 hours, while the female had some type of fungal infection and died about two days later. Being a new keeper, I didn't know how to identify columnaris until it was too late, but when I went in to pick up medicine I spoke to the worker there and was a little irritated by how callous he seemed, and how dismissive he was about the problem the store's fish had (the guppy tank was empty with one dead fish in it, clearly dead from columnaris). I haven't noticed any attitude problems in the staff besides the one guy, though he was much more pleasant the next time I came, but this store has some major problems. It's obvious that the store's focus is on marine and reef tanks, and they have a very bad attitude toward freshwater fish. It's clear that they want to be a saltwater store, and considering the difference in treatment between the fresh and salt water fish, I would much rather they switch focus. read more

If you know what you want and they happen to carry it, great. But don't expect friendly or interested customer service from anyone in this store - especially the manager who seems to always be there. He is apathetic ALL the time, and I've gotten bad advice from him regarding a fish medication. read more

We went in before Christmas and bought a tank and stand in a little kit. The prices were good and the staff was very helpful. We went back a few weeks later to get some sturdy fish to set up our tank. It took me a while to get there but the guy who I had called had set aside the fish for me. He was super kind and helpful and answered some questions for me. I love when people take the time to give you genuine answers with more information than what you can just Google yourself. Especially when you are interested in learning more about how to run your tank better. We have been making more of an effort during Covid to support small local businesses and this is definitely one that we will be working with into the future. All of the fish look very healthy. The tanks are clean and well looked after. after looking around at different shops we feel like this is the best one to spend our money with. We would totally recommend this to other people. I'm surprised to see they have a low yelp rating. I guess most people don't leave good reviews. They really only come to leave something if they have something to report and warn about. This is worthwhile but can sometimes give the wrong impression. That's why I'm taking the time to write this today and make sure people know that the shop is doing great for us! read more

I can hardly give this dump one star. He had water that he KNEW would wipe out your tank which he kept selling and wiped out my tank, killing all my fish. When I went to talk to him, he denied having a red algae bloom and all his fish died as a result and denied having to get all new fish. He was extremely rude and you can only get store credit anyway. It wasn't the money (i've spent over $1,000 there), it was the moral factor. So if you go there, be prepared for your tank to crash and all your fish to die and not get one cent returned to you. I NEVER leave reviews like this, but I want to protect anybody going in there from losing their fish and their tanks. read more

I had an excellent experience with the store in Raleigh, so I was so excited when we moved closer to the Cary location. I purchased three cherry shrimp and five neon tetra for my established 20 gallon community tank. There wasn't much selection for a non-aggressive tank, which is pretty specific, granted. A woman who worked there helped us and was clearly passionate about the hobby, as I am, but the rest of the employees were rude and cliquey. I've had neon tetras my whole life, and when they started getting white cysts, losing their color and dying despite quarantine, I didn't know what to do. They apparently had Neon Tetra disease and every one of my shrimp Died within three days. Meanwhile, my guppy school, Platy PLUS Platy babies, otocinclus, and snails are very much thriving and the water is testing well. My other fish were purchased from separate stores. I will not be purchasing any more fish from this location. read more

Ive bought several fish from this store mainly due to the fact that they have a wide selection but I've lost 30 dollars in fish because I'd buy them and they'd die only for me to be told it's my fault. They offer refund of store credit for passed fish but they require a water test. I know that my water is perfectly fine considering I test it with the same kit they have, following the directions religiously and it's always within a healthy limit. I've watched the people test my water and do it entirely wrong. They also leave the caps to all their testers open and I'm pretty sure that would affect the accuracy. Every time I've brought up that I test my own water they ask "are you tests expired?", I've bought these tests less than a month ago. A lot of the workers there are also snarky and rude. Overall this place sucks. A lot of their tanks are also filled with ick and there's always dead fish in multiple tanks every time I go and I've been several times on different occasions. read more