Sho Tank Aquariums

Fantastic experience: Friendly staff, always willing to help and provide info, allot of knowledge from everyone, perfect place if you're just starting off or are an experienced reefer, I've been coming here for over 12 years since Matt owned it and it had only gotten better, Steve, Chris, Paul, and Jake all have a ton of knowledge and in this hobby you never stop learning, exceptional service and pricing, perfect for those that need maintenance and doing custom installs, nicest corals around, and if they don't have it they can get it. This place is the reason for my success, in this hobby you're always learning, I'm glad it's through this store, thanks again guys! They also have a great selection of used equipment at great prices, but they sell fast!

Fantastic experience: Chris was great. I wish there were more tanks for sale in the store.

Fantastic experience: Lots of interesting corals and fish. The prices are pretty good here too. Staff is always friendly and helpful.

Fantastic experience: Great stuff for any aquarium. A must see 2000 gallon saltwater system in the front. Still the best place to get saltwater critters in the area.

Negative experience: Unfortunately I have nothing good to say about this place. I would love for this to be our local fish store as I live minutes from it but I will never go back. Recently we worked with Nick to rehome a large pleco. We were promised a “decent in-store credit” and told he would either be kept in a large tank at the store or be given to someone with a large aquarium. We brought the pleco into the shop (although very hard and sad for us to give him up - we wanted better for him as he outgrew our tank). Nick never called or followed up on the store credit. I have visited a few times to inquire and was very rudely dismissed by the store manager and told that our pleco is one of many others that people just give up and they have too many that won’t get rehomed and therefore, he will just sit there and he is not worth any money. He offered us a $5 credit to appease us. We declined and asked for Nick to call us, hopeful that the intention of rehoming our pleco was still there. We left our name and number for a call back two separate times. We were never called back and our pleco still sits in a smaller pond in the front of the store. Extremely disappointing and disheartening. Poor customer service from everyone I have dealt with there. It’s a shame…

Fantastic experience: I have been coming to Sho Tank for over 20 years. They are always welcoming and take good care of both customers and livestock.

Fantastic experience: Nice place. Had some interesting fish that you won't see at your regular big brand stores

Positive experience: Lots and lots of problems. Andy was great but overall this business has some issues and they kept selling me fish that died (over 20) and defective equipment like pumps and ATO’s. I’d go elsewhere.

Fantastic experience: Sho Tank Aquariums customer service is excellent--from ownership to my home cleaning tank person, as well as any of the store associates. they always take great care of my fish, tank and me the customer.

Fantastic experience: Chris and the sho tanks family are amazing!

Fantastic experience: They didn’t have the very unique Axolotl we were looking for, but Chris provided us great info and recommendations on them to no benefit to him. Highly recommend this place for the great Service they provide.

Positive experience: Very friendly and good prices on majority of salt water corals.

Positive experience: Been going a couple years now. Store is starting to look a bit worn down. Most times I go there isn't a good selection of fish. Pretty empty tanks. Place needs a good remodel IMO. Staff is nice, usually one person working. Decent selection of frozen foods.

Fantastic experience: Andy is the best

Fantastic experience: Small town shop. Very knowledgeable team. Good quality, healthy fish.

Fantastic experience: The one place my old man always got his RO_DI water from.

Fantastic experience: Great store! Very helpful and huge selection of coral and fish!

Fantastic experience: As always, they have the best selection of fish and coral.

Fantastic experience: Nice local fish store. Reasonably priced for most items. However they seem to have a heavier focus on the saltwater section than freshwater section.

Fantastic experience: Go here to get all my tank needs, military discount a huge + and I never have to take the gallons of water to my car as they are awesome to do so for me

Fantastic experience: Clean very helpful I bought close to 70 fish they're all still alive I've had some for 3 years good people

Fantastic experience: Great prices! Very knowledgeable people working there!!!

Fantastic experience: I love this place very helpful knowledgeable great peoples

Fantastic experience: There is no place with better quality aquatic fish, rock and plants.

Fantastic experience: Always fascinated when we go n, the Crew is Awesome. Thanks Guy's

Fantastic experience: Very neat place! Chris was very informational and nice! I will definitely go back there to get my seahorses when I am ready!

Fantastic experience: The owner is very helpful and knowledgeable. He has a wide selection to choose from and the tanks are very clean. It was a fun and rewarding experience for us.

Fantastic experience: Is very helpful clean organized love it's going to be my permanent fish store

Fantastic experience: Love them they re like a family we got a tank from them and fish and everything supper nice and friendly

Fantastic experience: I can’t stop going here, super nice owner Steve, he will take care of you along with his awesome staff. Super knowledgeable, great prices, and best of all Sho pieces for sale at great prices. One of the top LFS in the area. If you’re a beginner or experienced reefer this is the place to go and support. They will treat you like family and give you the best advice, saw Chris yesterday and he was very knowledgeable in the live stock selection for my tank, he dedicated his time in making sure I got what was right. Make the drive fellow reefers it’s worth it!

Fantastic experience: They are the best!! We have been going to them for years. They are great with their customers willing to spend time answering any questions... and making sure you are making best decisions for your current tank considerations even if that means no sale that day. Awesome people great selections.

Fantastic experience: It's hard for me to leave a good reviews theses days. But hands down this is great store. All employees I have talked too have very good advice and are super helpful. From now on this will be my go to store!!

Fantastic experience: Very nice and very knowledgeable! Can be hard to get waited on if only one person working.

Fantastic experience: Love this place! They are so awesome, friendly, and knowledgeable. Tom is amazing!

Fantastic experience: VERY CLEAN! Staff Very helpful and nice.

Fantastic experience: Chris was a huge help. Much better selection over the other nearby stores.

Negative experience: The staff is not helpful at all. Trying to get someone’s help is like pulling teeth. Not to mention the staff likes to make assumptions about how much customers are willing to spend when I asked about a certain Cora he told me that those are expensive so I wouldn’t want them then directed me to the $20 tank.

Fantastic experience: Staff has helpful info

Fantastic experience: Ran in yesterday to grab cycled water for my new Biocube. The guys in there were super knowledgeable and knew what they were talking about. Beautiful corals, livestock and display tanks. I would 100% recommend going here if you have any questions or want some really nice prices. Thank you guys so much, I will be back soon!

Fantastic experience: Really good marine livestock and very friendly staff. Would recommend this place to anyone wanting to try saltwater aquariums. I have bugged them with several noobie questions on phone and email and they have responded to each of my requests. Keep up the good work Sho Tank!

Positive experience: Wish they had more fresh water fish . They're the place to go for saltwater fish.

Positive experience: Great place and knowledgeable staff. This is where you should go for all of your aquarium needs.

Fantastic experience: First time in this shop tonight, good experience! Picked out a nice variety of Cichlids to start a tank after not keeping fish for 20+ years. Owner/manager was friendly and helpful! Start a tank yourself, watching fish is a natural de-stressor and will cure your COVID blues! Go out and support small businesses like this!!

Fantastic experience: Always great! Very helpful, great selection. They are the best around.

Fantastic experience: This place has it all, but beware the frags, if you care you may want to clean em a bit, one came with a feather duster, and perhaps bubble algea, but it's cool for the feather duster, in my tank nothing is a nuisance yet . Got 7 starter frags for 30 bucks. So I'm digging it.

Fantastic experience: Great place highly recommend checking out their coral auctions app.

Fantastic experience: Great group of guys and solid ownership. Truly care for their customer base and always strive to make themselves available regardless of how crazy busy they are all the time. Support local, support Sho Tank!

Fantastic experience: I just purchased a 180 Gal tank and I am in the the stages of setting it up. I stopped into the store and Spoke With Chris What a pleasure . I did not purchase anything at this time but when I do I will not go anywhere else when I start to purchase my fish and equipment It was so nice to be at a place that cares about you and the Hobby.

Fantastic experience: Awesome place to do business with, if your new to the hobby or if your having troubles with your current set up, this is the spot to go! They will give you all the knowledge and help you need and won’t try and push products on you that are unnecessary! Absolutely the BEST aquarium team in the Midwest by far!!! Steve Goldman and his team are truly dedicated to this hobby and will make any tank look spectacular! Definitely has helped me out more times than I can count and I am forever grateful! Why go anywhere else when this could be your one stop shop for your aquarium needs! Keep up the Great work Sho Tank!!!

Fantastic experience: Hands down the best fish store I’ve seen in many years! I’ve experienced nothing but professionalism and respect through the years I’ve shopped there highly recommend checking them out!

Positive experience: Amazing coral and saltwater fish, the only thing lacking in the freshwater selection.

Fantastic experience: Talked with steve for about an hour after they closed, he answered every single question I had and went above and beyond for a new customer that he will have for as long as I have my tank. I can't stress it enough on how much more I learned from him in the hour of talking to him compared to my time at every other pet store. He really knows his stuff and takes pride in his business. Highly recommend this store to everyone!

Fantastic experience: Steve is the man. Knows it all. Helps with all and always makes time for everyone

Fantastic experience: This place is legit. Been going there for 10+ years, best prices as well!

Fantastic experience: Man this place is the most amazing place to go very helpful they will always help you with any questions you have all the staff is great they will make you feel like your at home thank you guys

Fantastic experience: I can’t describe in words how great this place is, from the owner to the employees, and the selection of corals and fish, go see it for yourself.

Fantastic experience: Ever since I started up my Reef Tank in april of this year I have gone to serveral shops around the area and also travled more than an hour and a half to go check out shops. Out of all the shops that I went to that had saltwater, this shop by far is not only the best with their prices but also with their amazing slection of fish and the beautiful collection of coral that he has for view and for sale. The staff is always very welcoming and helpful with any questions you have. The owner Steve is also a very helpful a great guy. If you have questions about anything he is willing to help you out as much as he can and treats you like a human and cares for what you have to say and not just look at you for your moeny. I would reccomend to anyone that is going in or already into to saltwater to go to his shop beccause you will not leave unhappy. Ive bought over 1000 dollars worth of coral and everything is doing great.

Fantastic experience: Love this place :)

Fantastic experience: Good prices and very nice selection of fish and coral. They also do custom orders on livestock if they don't have what you want.

Fantastic experience: This place never disappoints me. I always have a top notch experience here, and the staff is extremely helpful and full of knowledge. Also best prices around!!!

Fantastic experience: Great place for tropical fish

Fantastic experience: The staff here is incredibly knowledgeable. Not like box stores where you get a different employee every visit who went through only basic training. Everyone here clearly has a passion for what they do, and a passion to see you succeed in your own aquatic adventures. Even if they appear busy, they always take the time to make sure they answer all of your questions, and make the suggestions that are best for your personal needs. Will never go anywhere else!

Fantastic experience: Sho Tank Aquariums has been the best place I've went to for fish. The staff really cares about the fish and are very helpful.

Fantastic experience: Amazing prices and selection of everything.

Fantastic experience: Very happy with selection, quality and service!

Fantastic experience: Service is sometimes slow due to only one person working. When your turn comes up it is all you. Ask questions, they are truthful and will even tell you to buy things elsewhere if they are cheaper there. They steer you away from things that might not work in your tank and suggest things that would.

Fantastic experience: Great place nice selection of frags and fish, very competitive prices.

Fantastic experience: Great LFS that you should visit. Always helpful and great selection.

Fantastic experience: Knowledgeable staff. They love what they do and it shows. Support small businesses!

Fantastic experience: This place is awesome! I used to work for Aquarium Adventure, and while I still love AqA, ShoTank has them beat on price! Been to every aquarium store in a 30 mile radius, and there is no better livestock store in this area! I have multiple aquariums. Bought cichlids, crayfish, and a variety of saltwater fish over the past few months, and I haven't lost a single one! Also, the staff is VERY knowledgeable and honest! They would definitely want you be successful and make the right decisions with your aquarium. They have a customer for life!

Fantastic experience: Steve super helpful, he was the first person I met there and was very impressed by knowledge and Customer services.

Fantastic experience: Best in the area, no question. They also service my reef tank and do a very professional job.

Fantastic experience: Great group of guys. Customer service is right on..

Negative experience: Freshwater fish were all sick with ich. Many so covered they were white with spots. Lots of dead too, plust tanks shared filtration so all of the FW fish had been exposed. No one who worked there cared, ich would have beeen easy to treat. Never comming here again. Store is almost nonexistent they seem to have a sales are with an old couxh then another room filled with multiple fresh and saltwater tanks in very poor condition. Not a good way to sell fish. The SW fish were pretty pale and stressed looking as well. If i would have lnown I would not have wasted my time going here.

Negative experience: Not sure how they got such great reviews. I was there for 40 minutes and was never acknowledged. They had four tanks of what i was looking for which were peacock cichlids, unfortunately which were all sick.. they had ick on their fins, one tank had a few which were dead, and all their tails were closed and the fish were clearly stressed. I'll give it to them, absolutely they had the best pricing I've ever seen, but for sick fish. I drove an hour for absolutely nothing. Save your time pay a little extra and go to the GCCA swap.

Fantastic experience: Really great place! Some stores lose interest as soon as you say you're there to ask questions, but they were really great about it! Great prices too! They were even able to help me with information about a fish they don't sell there! (Betta fish. I understand and respect why they don't stock them, and am really glad they don't keep the poor things in cups all day.) Will definitely be going there again! A little small and a little understaffed, so don't go if you're in a hurry. Definitely go there if you want a good experience!

Fantastic experience: Fantastic selection, very clean tanks, great people, good prices too! We stopped in because we were in town for family function, I will definitely make the drive from janesville Wi to go back.

Fantastic experience: Sho tank Aquariums is hands down the best place to get fish and corals in the area. Steve the owner is top notch in every aspect of the business. His knowledge is unparalleled, his work ethic and dedication to his profession is rarely found. He believes that the success of his customers is truly the driving force in his business. I have been a customer for more than two years now and look forward to many more years. Sho tanks makes this hobby enjoyable because it is not just a place to buy fish and corals. It is a place to hang out and get your questions answered and run your thoughts and ideas past the team and feel confident that you will be successful.

Fantastic experience: Love this place.

Positive experience: Needs a little help with freshwater, but with saltwater they are great!

Positive experience: Seasoned Pros have been providing knowledgeable friendly service in support of the finest quality products for generations!

Fantastic experience: Is very professional staff thank u guys

Fantastic experience: Fantastic shop great selections and killer prices.

Fantastic experience: Really can't say enough good things about this place. Chris helps me out every time I go in and he's always helpful, never judgemental and always willing to explain things in an easy to understand way if I need some clarification. I'm not new to fishkeeping and have over 10+ years experience in freshwater nano tanks, but I started my first saltwater tank this past summer and he has helped me every step of the way from getting the live rock and water and live sand to testing my water to checking what sort of fish I could have in my tanks. He's awesome and so is this store. Doesn't matter what size tank you have, if you are into salt water and are interested in starting a tank of your own, please don't waste your time anywhere else and just do yourself a favour by going to Sho Tank first.

Fantastic experience: Great shop for corals, reef stock of all kinds.

Positive experience: Good prices, friendly and knowledgeable staff. Has a strange schedule though

Fantastic experience: There is a reason his reviews are good! We had Steve help us set up our 450 gallon saltwater tank and he and his crew did a FANTASTIC job. I honestly can't say enough about it!! You definitely feel that he and his staff really care about you as a customer and want what's best for you! He doesn't treat you like you are just another customer to him. I highly recommend Sho Tank for anything you need regarding your aquarium!!

Fantastic experience: Great selection, competitive pricing, knowledgeable and friendly staff.

Negative experience: Tanks weren't the cleanest. Was not greeted at all. Not a good freshwater selection.

Fantastic experience: Great store, great service. Steve, the owner is super friendly and nice. He literally set up my saltwater tank for me without charging me any delivery or labor fees! I couldn't believe it. Another thing I can hardly believe is he lets anyone have free RO water--I can come pick it up myself whenever I want, while other stores I have seen charge to buy even a small bottle of it. On top of that he will replace dead fish for free if they die within a week of purchase. Highly recommend over Fish Planet in Deerfield, whose prices are much higher, store is smaller and they also will not refund or replace dead fish regardless of who is to blame for any problems. Keep up the good work, Sho Tank!

Positive experience: Nice variety of fishes. Doesn't have many options to decorate.

Fantastic experience: I have run the gamet of all the fish store in all the various suburban areas, and have yet to find any store that has the variety and quality as SHO Tank Aquarium. The owner, Steve is both extremely knowledgeable, fair, and honest to a fault! After getting opinions from many sources the advice he has given me has always been the most accurate! If you are aquarium hobbiest, I would strongly suggest you pay him a visit!

Fantastic experience: Amazing selections of fresh water fish and by far the healthiest I've ever seen at a "petstore". They also have great customer service and will help you with anything you need.

Fantastic experience: By far the best salt water fish store in the area. We travel from Cary and pass three other fish stores just to get to Sho Tank Aquariums. They have the largest selection of corals for literally half the price of their competitors. Then on top of that the owner and his staff are always eager to assist with any and all of our questions. We appreciate you guys!

Fantastic experience: Just started going to this store recently after years of driving 45 minutes to Schaumburg. This place is great and they have the healthiest fresh and saltwater fish and many beautiful corals. Every fish we have purchased in the last 2 months for our 3 tanks is still alive! Beautiful selection and the owner gives honest advice and recommendations. They have some supplies - but it's not a Petsmart.

Fantastic experience: Very nice fish store. Huge selection. Price is decent and sometimes cheaper than other fish stores, the quality of the fish is higher than other fish store I would say. I believe the owner Matt always QT his fish before introduce them into stock, very responsible owner. Since I live close by, I always visit Sho tank, it became my No.1 option when I need to look into new live stock.

Positive experience: Expensive, but knowledgeable and a good selection of unique or hard to find aquarium gear on the shelf.

Fantastic experience: Matt is the most knowledgeble aquarist and LFS owner you can find in the area, great reef fish and corals selection, excellent prices. Can always count on Matt for great advice!

Fantastic experience: I am lucky that this is the closest reef store to me. Matt is a really chill guy and very knowledgeable. He doesn't come up to you and ask you if you want help every 5 minutes, you have to go up and ask him. It is nice to be able to look around the store at your leisure this way without being pressured by overzealous store clerks. The prices are always great (haven't found anywhere cheaper) and his livestock is always in great shape. I would not recommend going on Mondays - because of his prices and quality, there typically isn't much left, but he does get shipments on Wednesdays. There is a back parking lot/entrance which is much easier to get in and out - the back door is not marked but you can easily distinguish it by the glowing blue light in the window above it.

Fantastic experience: The owner is very knowledgeable and the place is awesome!