Once Upon A Time ...
February 16, 2010 by Anonomous Aquarist

... back in the 80's, The Fish Store was a wonderful place to go for fresh and saltwater fish and accessories, or just to talk fish with others who were more knowledgeable than you.

In 2010, The Fish Store is filthy, cramped, has HUGE markups on retail items, sells severely diseased fish, cannot even tell the difference between or even properly identify the different species of fish and plants they carry, and has the rudest, most apathetic staff I have had the misfortune of encountering.

As much as I HATE to say it, give me Petco any day.

Helpful and Informative
September 30, 2009 by Anonomous Aquarist

I wanted a fish and although my husband knows everything under the sun about fish, the staff at the Fish Store helped me pick the perfect fish for me. And, their knowledge appeased him. I go back for all my fish needs. It may cost a little more than PetCo or online, but it's LOCAL. That's more important to me than saving 50 cents on fish food.

Great Selection
July 23, 2009 by Anonomous Aquarist

I really don't know what people are talking about when they give this place a bad review. In my opinion, this is one of the better stores in Washington and I frequent stores from Tacoma to Bellingham regularly. (fish are my Crack)

The selection is fantastic. Sure I'll see an occasional fish/tank that has the Ich, but that's expected in a retail store that has high turnover. Fish get stressed/die when you move them.

Staff knows what they are talking about for the most part.

I will not argue that some things are priced a bit high, but others are a bargain. The real trick, is to sign up for their monthly mailer that sends coupons! Usually by the time you factor in a coupon, they are beating most of the competition out of the water. (pun intended)

Bottom line: Check this place out. Then check it out again because they probably got something new and awesome that most other places would never consider carrying.

If you like the sterile facade that Petsmart and the like provide, you really don't know much about this hobby.

Wouldn't Recommend It
June 1, 2009 by Anonomous Aquarist

I wouldn't recommend this store to anyone unless they're absolutely desperate. The staff are helpful but they make me extremely uncomfortable since they just followed me around and stared at me while I looked at the fishes. All of the tanks were dirty and overstocked (you do NOT put a 5 inch puffer in a 1 gallon tank) and many of the fishes I saw suffered from a variety of diseases. The entire store is dark, dirty, and smells funny. If you want a good place to get fishes, go to Dennys Pet World in Kirkland instead. It's worth the drive.

The Fish Store is 2 thumbs up.
April 1, 2007 by Anonomous Aquarist

Prices would be the biggest negative to this store, they charge a lot, but the fish/inverts are really good quality so I still go to them.

They give good advice also, the only thing I would be wary about it acclimation time. For inverts they always suggest a fast drip, but I'd go with a slow drip, it's easier on the animals and generally leads to a better survival rate.

Overall this store is good though, great quality fish and they always have a good variety to choose from.

Selection is amazing, but...
January 8, 2007 by Aaron

It really depends on what you are looking for... they have a large selection of cichlids and other freshwater fish as well as a decent saltwater selection, but the tanks looked dirty and it smelled. Plus the tanks had quite a few dead fish in them.

The staff acted as if I was a nuisance (I was the only customer there). Also the did not carry any eHeim product...

Great Selection, Knowledgable staff
January 8, 2007 by Jefe Le Gran

The Fish Store is one of the best in the greater Seattle area. They have a great selection of fish and their staff is extremely knowledgable. Their selection of African Cichlids is also very good. They do have a few quirks which take some getting used to. The tank room is not very well lit, which I like since it makes seeing the fish a bit easier and the staff is a bit on the cranky geek side, so make sure you know your stuff before you come in. However, if you want a store with healthy stock and a great selection, you can't do much better.