La Tienda de Acuarios The Reef

Experiencia fantástica: This store is about an hour from home, and I wanted to check it out while we were in town. Great selection and staff asked us many times if we needed help. Picked up some water lettuce. Looking forward to coming back for some fishy friends and shrimp after I get my tank fully cycled. Store was clean and had a great selection of fish and plants.

Experiencia fantástica: The Reef is quite possibly my favorite store in this entire city. Sometimes I'll make up excuses to bring people with me. Anytime I have a question about my axolotl I come here and I can ask anyone working there for help. I LOVE the reef

Experiencia positiva: Very busy. Great experience. Staff very knowledgeable.

Experiencia fantástica: Amanda was very helpful to my husband today talking about his new freshwater 20 gallon tank! We are doing a fishless cycle right now and eventually will get fish from here. We are excited and he’s visited maybe multiple times a day since buying his tank. We are so grateful that this store is 2 minutes from our house and that he can get all of the expert help he needs!

Experiencia negativa: I purchased a $60 pleco - which by the way, I had no clue it was $60 for how small it was until I went to pay - came home and put him in my tank. For reference, this pleco was about the size of your index finger. I noticed on day 9 he was dead. I tested my water - which showed no sign of ammonia, nitrates and nitrites. I called and they said the best they could was test my water since it’s past 7 days. Are you kidding me? 7 days for a $60 fish?!?! Yet, they will test my water but not a single issue with any of my other fish! Previously this was the only store I’d recommend, but not after this! Steer far from this store if you don’t want to waste money!! I should have known better when I was there and seen a tank full of dead fish because other fish were attacking them. I even told the employees about that tank who said “they’ll be in quarantine until we can move them.” Not to mention, I waited over 30 minutes to be helped, even after I asked an employee.

Experiencia fantástica: Always clean, everything g we have gotten over the years has been hearty, plants, fish, snails and shrimp. Friendly and knowledgeable staff

Experiencia fantástica: We will happily drive 30 mins to the Reef just to look around, but also love learning from their staff and bringing new wonders home. It’s an absolute gem and has stoked my kids’ fascination with all things aquatic since they were little.

Experiencia fantástica: It was fun to at least visit although I didn't buy anything.

Experiencia negativa: Every single person I know that shops at the reef comes home with invasive species and end up with problems with their tanks. I hear nothing positive and also their prices are way too high. It’s also disgusting to go in their and see dying fish or axolotls.

Experiencia fantástica: Everyone here is super helpful and nice. The fish are well taken care and the habits are immaculate. Prices are great.

Experiencia fantástica: We've come to truly enjoy the Reef and the staff. We have to travel about an hour to get there, but the selection of fish, plants, and accessories is impressive. Most of the staff is very knowledgeable and if they cannot answer your question themselves, they ask another staff member to assist.

Experiencia fantástica: Easily the best, most knowledgeable, and cleanest aquarium store in Indianapolis. The selection is unmatched. Literally. In both aquatic plants and fish alike. If there's a fish you can't find anywhere else, or a plant odds are they sell it here for a very reasonable price. The employees are very happy to see repeat customers here too which is very nice! I've never had a bad interaction with any of the employees. I live 30+ minutes away and consistently come back here. They are easily the best fish store in Indianapolis.

Experiencia fantástica: I trick dudes into coming here with me while on dates and make them look at all the fish. Good variety of plants and fish. They even have isopods.

Experiencia negativa: Customer service just sucks here anymore. Everyone seems angry to answer a simple question. Been telling everyone to go to fish happens instead. Much better and a lot of people have seen the same thing. Not hating just something to consider and work on. Keep in mind I was a regular here for years.

Experiencia positiva: It's alright, nothing special. Their freshwater fish selection isn't very good

Experiencia fantástica: I wanted the shark, but they did not show sharks, but I did not notice but I thought there were sharks, but the store is cool

Experiencia fantástica: Good friendly staff an alot of inventory

Experiencia fantástica: I love this place. Great variety and friendly help.

Experiencia fantástica: Place has an awesome selection of fish and employees are very helpful

Experiencia negativa: I had purchased a dart fish from this store, and about a week later, a roundworm emerged from it and killed the fish... I do not recommend purchasing salt water fish from this place as it seems they are wild caught this was the most descusting thing I think I have witnessed...

Experiencia negativa: The reef is great in the sense that they’re the only really well stocked aquarium store in the area. That being said, the employees should not have “aquatic specialist” on their shirts as they are not. I have been given tons of false information from them multiple times. Beware of buying live plants from them as well, as I’ve got trumpet snails in both of my tanks from separate purchases.

Experiencia negativa: Nice fish store but needs some new employees. Stood in the same spot to buy a fish for 20 minutes while one lady was walking around with a python frantically talking about not wanting to turn the faucet off to help the customers that were asking her questions or needed help. Then she started talking to another lady who was alone in the saltwater department about how the boys went out on break at the same time and making jokes about it. MEANWHILE.. an older worker was at the front desk doing nothing because no one was in line checking out. He finally came over and helped someone who hadn’t been waiting for long after one of the workers asked him to help. The one lady using the python finally stopped using it after 10 minutes and then started helping people who were obviously there after us. Ignoring us for who knows what reason. I finally got sick of waiting and decided to just buy my plants they bagged up 30 mins prior. Went up there and two workers were cashing people out and when I went up for my turn they both walked away and left me up there to stand. I honestly was shocked! What terrible customer service! Then the lady with the python came back when someone got behind me in line after waiting for 5 minutes and asked them if they were trying to check out. I really hope they figure things out because someone should be managing this team way better! That’s coming from a manger and this is just inexcusable. I went there on April 17, 2025 around 6pm. Maybe you can have a staff meeting and figure out what was going on and how to better help your customers. I will say that there was a younger male worker with longer hair who did a great job. He kept asking if we needed help but unfortunately when he went on his break nobody was there to help.

Experiencia negativa: Just waited 20+ minutes to get a fish. Lady with short hair and glasses blatantly ignored me and helped another customer who had been waiting a shorter time.

Experiencia fantástica: The reef is awesome!! Super nice selection. And lots of team members to help who really care.

Experiencia fantástica: We love visiting The Reef! They have an excellent selection of fish, tank supplies & plants. Everyone there is extremely friendly & knowledgeable. We love talking with the Macaw as well.

Experiencia fantástica: The place was beautiful and you can see how well all the fish are cared for. It's an excellent place to visit to buy anything for aquariums and paladarium. They had an extensive selection of freshwater fish, plants and scapes and a great selection of saltwater fish and corals. They also had a small selection of plants that would be good in a paladarium and all the things you need to build one. The staff were also friendly and helpful! A great place to stop by for all your fish needs! We will surely be back!

Experiencia positiva: Nice store, friendly and helpful staff. Was able to help me with pricing questions of a few of their products

Experiencia fantástica: The Reef is literally your one stop Mom & Pop style aquarium shop. Fresh or salt! They have good people with great information as well! Highly recommend!

Experiencia fantástica: We are newly minted aquarium enthusiests and have had nothing short of exceptional service every time we come here. Every staff member we interact with are friendly, knowledgable, and incredibly helpful. Special shout out to the staff member from East Lansing (I didnt catch his name) but he did an amazing job helping us navigate this new hobby and make sure we were informed in our decisions. 10/10 for both the inventory and experience.

Experiencia positiva: A lil higher than I remember but it was cool

Experiencia fantástica: The best fish store I have ever been to. They have very nice and knowledgeable staff while offering a wide selection at very reasonable prices

Experiencia negativa: fish happens has a way larger selection and is much more cheap, go check them out!

Experiencia negativa: First time and last time I’ll see foot in this place. Absolutely horrible experience. The staff recommended a tank for my betta fish with a filter that was WAY too strong for a betta. While we were setting it up, the glass of the tank broke. When my husband went to return it, he stood around waiting for over 30 minutes while the person at the checkout made small talk with another customer, completely ignoring him, and no one else bothered to help him. When it was finally his turn, he was informed our nearly $300 tank wasn’t eligible for a return because of the broke glass. Despite claiming to provide “expert” service, this place hires uneducated staff and doesn’t stand behind their poor quality products. I’ve had way better luck at big box pet stores. Also they keep their betta fish in cups and sell plastic tank decorations. So disgusting. All their talk about proper fish care is clearly just that…talk.

Experiencia fantástica: I Went w/ My Man to "check out" Sump pumps & Supplies needed to Set up a Saltwater Aquarium. We were So Pleased by th selection. The Reef is Very Clean! We were Impressed. I Bought 2 Sweatshirts for Us 'Cuz of a Sale they Ran. His was a B-Day Surprise (for Later!) Huge Selection of Fish & Coral. Now-I'm Excited 2 Build Our Aquarium.

Experiencia fantástica: Rosalind was super helpful on my last trip there. One of the best employees I have ever encountered anywhere!! Answers all your questions - and if she does not know something she finds out. Store has a nice selection of items for fresh and salt water aquariums.

Experiencia negativa: Employees are liars they tell you they have specific fish that you ask for when you call ahead then drive the hour there only to find out they do not have them. Customer service is lacking and most who answer the phones have been rude and unprofessional. The prices aren't that great and honestly they don't have much of a selection pretty much if you can find it at a petsmart or petco it can be found here.

Experiencia fantástica: I was surprised at the plant collection. I couldn't help but buy a lemon lime pothos.

Experiencia negativa: I have given them multiple tries and every time my experience in this store gets worse. From listening to the employees bad mouth customers, being flat out ignored, or having employees being rude and condescending when you ask questions about a particular fish. I'll stick with Fish Happens. They are always happy to help and always take the time to answer questions and don't belittle people that are wanting to learn.

Experiencia fantástica: Fantastic selection of both sea water and freshwater tanks and fish.

Experiencia negativa: DO NOT WASTE MONEY GETTING FISH FROM HERE! Every fish that comes from this shop dies within a month. My water is tested frequently and is literally perfect however only the fish that comes from their shop die.

Experiencia fantástica: Yes, they can be pricey, but you get what you pay for. I've ordered fish from known distributors and also obtained some from other stores and theirs are always higher quality. The only supplier that has had equally healthy fish has been Aquatic Arts that I've ordered online from and then scheduled a pick up. The Reef is my choice to go to if I want to browse and ask the knowledgeable staff about the fish and which ones might work best in my community tank.

Experiencia fantástica: The shop was really nice, had everything I could think of, and the tanks we clean and cared for. Staff was very friendly and helpful.

Experiencia negativa: Called last night and this morning to confirm they had the specific freshwater fish we are looking for both calls confirmed they had them, so we drove the hour one way to get there, only to find out that they in fact didn't have any we were looking for! So a complet wasted trip, we have been told by several fish keepers to go here they are the "best" I guess they meant the best at misinformation and lying because that's all we got! Also the place is way too small, you can't move without running into someone or something! And so dark it's like they are scared of the light, made it extremely hard to read tags, And trying to get help from an employee was a total joke. We won't waste our time e going there again, or wasting g anyone's time by recommending the place.

Experiencia fantástica: Has everything I've looked for, and the employees are very knowledgeable.

Experiencia fantástica: O M G-ville people. The staff here are absolutely amazing. The product supply was way more than adequate for my needs (I am a beginner... so I don't have any intense setup) Their fish and all the stock tanks were clean and healthy. Their aquatic and non aquatic plants were extremely varied and gorgeous. Their prices were reasonable. But honestly, the best part of my shopping experience was their staff. I am super terrible with names, so I can't tell you the gentleman's name that helped us... and I wish I could give him a shout out..... but THANK YOU°°° we will be back. (We live almost 1.5 hours away.. so that says a lot)

Experiencia positiva: After visiting multiple times, i must say I'm definitely conflicted. We either get great customer service, or the worst. I must say, i commend them on tank maintenance and cleanliness but that's about where it stops. Prices match the market, nothing was "overpriced" so idk where people are getting thoes reviews. Isopods: We bought some Isopods (we have experience with them) and it says it was supposed to be a 10 count, but there was only 6. And for the price I paid I'm truly disappointed. After telling the employee about our purchase, they did their job and pulled them to double check. We went a week later, they had new stock, and can say they are checking to ensure count. Sadly nothing was done about the fact of my purchase though. Fish: They look healthy, although each time we went, there was some dead fish floating about. We own a 55gallon long with a 220g canister filter and do biweekly water changes. Currently has 2 orandas and 2 moores, we were looking to add a 5th. (That's all that's in the tank) The employee basically demanded that we not add a 5th goldfish to my tank, and bashed the fact I would even think to add a 5th. He turned around and pointed at the big Oscar tank and said, "people always think they can keep adding fish, but that's how and why we keep ending up with them." I am not new to the hobby and know the limits of my tanks and test my water biweekly. I told him I still wanted him, and he hesitated, then with attitude stated, "I advise you don't" needless to say, we did not purchase that 40$ fancy Moore. And my daughter was truly heart broken. You can recommend and teach but the way he went about the encounter definitely left a negative experience for me and my wife. To the owner reading this, You still have the best fish store in Indianapolis period, if not indiana. But with the repeated issues we keep having, it's no wonder why a lot of customers are turning to online vendors. It saddens me after the the stores history, to see yall grow so well for this to keep happening.

Experiencia fantástica: **EDIT** Please see the owners thoughtful and thorough response. I sincerely appreciate the care they took in replying to me and they seem to treat their employees well. Support this business! I love the Reef, I have been coming here for about 5 years, and I've been in the freshwater hobby for around 10. I love supporting this place. But due to the volume of business, I feel they've turned to lower quality sources for their stock. There also appears to be some over-policing on their live fish warranties (maybe because of lower quality stock?) Around a month ago I purchased 3 albino cory catfish, they seemed to be in good health but some of the others in the tank seemed a little worse for wear. At that point I should have known better. The employee helping me offhandedly mentioned that the store's filtration system had gone down the day before but that they would be fine. I brought them home, but after a week of adding them to my tank 85% of my community was wiped out. No visible signs of illness. Naturally this was outside of the warranty period, so there was not much I could do. At that time I purchased an oranda for my goldfish tank, quarantined for a week. Not three days ago that same fish came down with ich and infected my entire tank. If you don't know, ich is a parasite that takes a while to incubate and show symptoms. I am an experienced owner, I test my water, I quarantine my new fish, I know how to treat disease. I've never gotten sick fish from here before this. I also feel the staff is not as knowledgeable as they used to be. Good help is hard to find, I understand. New people deserve time to learn and grow into the hobby as we all did. It just seems there is a higher turnover rate these days, and training should be prioritized a bit more. Lastly, prices have climbed quite a bit (as most places have.) But $14-15 for a single anubias seems uncharacteristically expensive. I love this business, my intention is not to slander a good company. But I need to make it clear that things are not running as well as they could be and folks like me are disappointed. I hope things improve for the sake of the business, employees and customers.

Experiencia negativa: Was in the shop for 15 mins. No one spoke or offered any assistance. Don’t waste your time here.

Experiencia positiva: I purchased a super red long fin. Bristle nose And some other kind of long find black with what tip bristle nose i will put the a picture of the black one up as I see it

Experiencia fantástica: Incredibly helpful & knowledgeable staff! You can tell that the folks working here care about the fish/critters in their shop. Not a fish guy, can't speak to how fair their prices are, but leagues better than Uncle Bill type stores. Also, they've got a dope parrot.

Experiencia fantástica: Love the Reef. Staff is very knowledgeable! Peri was great and knowledgeable. Was a tremendous answering questions and giving us ideas to better our fresh water tank. Would definitely recommend The Reef!!

Experiencia negativa: I've used the Reef as my go-to for a little over a decade. I believe they have changed ownership as the older guy who was clearly the brains/businessman is no longer there. The last 4 times I've been in there it has been like pulling teeth to get advice on products, the staff is dismissive, and I no longer trust the answers I get. The stellar rating they have is from a bygone time.

Experiencia fantástica: This is hands down the best aquarium shop in Indy! My fiancé and I have been here a couple times in the process of building our new aquarium and every time we walk in we are greeted and given great customer service and expertise. They have a wide selection for fresh and saltwater set ups, highly recommend if you are beginner hobbyist or looking for a new aquarium shop to spend your money.

Experiencia negativa: Had a very troublesome time at home after my visit here this weekend. I got saltwater for a water change before I leave town, and come to find it the salinity at 1.036, dangerously high for a reef tank. Without having something to test for this, I can only imagine the horror of a reef owner having to watch their corals and fish suffer from the poor mixing of the saltwater purchased. Is oversight too difficult for something the store continually offers? Luckily I caught it in time, and hope for a Christmas miracle no one has been affected this weekend.

Experiencia fantástica: This place has the best quality stuff. The staff is always attentive and willing to help. All the employees seem very knowledgeable in all their products. They have a wonderful freshwater and saltwater fish selection. They also have some Indoor plants along with all your accessories needed for your aquarium setup.

Experiencia fantástica: I’ve spent hundreds of dollars here and I wish I didn’t move so I could spend hundreds more. Sadly they don’t have an online shop to order from. Only issues I’ve had is some things I’ve bought have stopped working and there wasn’t anything they could do for me. Other then that some employees I love and some are a little judgmental. I’ve never met the owner before but he runs a nice establishment.

Experiencia negativa: I came in to the Reef over a month ago because I wanted to buy dwarf African frogs. I ended up coming home with five of them! At the time of my purchase, I did not realize that I had bought diseased sick amphibians. They soon started to die a few days after I brought them home. I came back to have my water tested(Everything was in the clear) and return the dead frogs which were credited to an in-store credit and one was replaced, which ended up dying the next day and then that one was added to my in-store credit amount. The last two hung on a couple weeks, but eventually died. After speaking with Brandon and Toby, I learned that the frogs were quarantined at the store and were sick and that all but two of the frogs died at the store. I came in as soon as I could to return my last two dead frogs and asked to speak to the manager on duty, which was Ian and I had the most horrible experience dealing with this unpleasant human. Before I could speak with Ian I spoke with Toby. He was extremely knowledgeable and pleasant and reassured me It was nothing I had done wrong and that the frogs were indeed very sick and that the manager on duty would take care of me. Upon meeting Ian, he was flat out resistant and refused to help me or understand my circumstance and just continued to tell me it was past the return and that there was no record of me having purchased any sick animals from the store in the system. He made me feel very uncomfortable. I spent over $60 for 5 frogs for which should’ve been healthy animals that are now all deceased and all I have to show for it is a measly credit to your store for only three of them. This is unacceptable business. The way I was treated by your employee Ian was unacceptable. I have lived in this area all my life and I am almost 53 years old and I have been coming into the store for a long time and I have no desire to do so anymore. I expect a full refund for my purchase.

Experiencia fantástica: They have a very knowledgeable staff and are extremely friendly. They have a truly amazing variety of fish freshwater and salt water. They have a huge variety of invertebrates. They have a lot of corals, rocks, driftwood and plants. The tanks are extremely clean. The prices were reasonable too. They also sell tanks and all your fish tank items including tank water. They’re a go to for all my fish tank needs. The only downside is there’s not a lot of parking.

Experiencia fantástica: This place is absolutely amazing. It has anything and everything you would need for the aquarium hobby. Also, I am the kind of into carnivorous plants they had a pretty good selection. They also had other plants and terrarium. If you go, you definitely need to check out the parrot she is hilarious.

Experiencia fantástica: The Reef is one of the really good local fish stores that should be on every aquarium lovers must visit list. They do a great job of maintaining their own tanks, their selection is excellent for both saltwater and freshwater livestock, and their pricing is fair. It is a couple hour drive for me to get there, but I make a point of stopping in every time I am in the area ... and I usually wind up taking something home that I didn't know I couldn't live without until I saw it. Staff are busy but helpful and friendly. If you are in the Indy area, stop in, you won't regret it.

Experiencia negativa: Bought guppies from them last week the tanks smelled horrible, I had a guy ( the only black guy that works there) helping me out getting me water a different tank for the 6 guppies that we choose to buy, a week later everything in my tank (about 40 guppies) gotten rotten fin disease because of the new fish that was purchased from them. I’m done going to this place and will definitely stick with uncle bills and fish happens. As I was complaining to a friend she also claims the same thing happened to her and she also gotten snail infestation from plants that was purchased from them. Also just to add they accept donated fish and sell them right away without the proper quarantine period, the day I was there as I’m getting checked out I seen A lady donate snails and fish they went in the floor tanks to be sold , which was surprising but didn’t think much of it the fact that they have that many good reviews. but now I know most likely they bought their reviews. (((to the owner or the person that reply to reviews))) please investigate what happened and ask your employees why the tanks were not cleaned and why they smell horrible before you reply to my review and be 100% honest with your findings. I don’t want my $35 back you can keep it, I lost way more rare fish to this disease that was caused by your fish and my stupidity for trusting and not quarantining the new fish. All I want is you as an owner to investigate and do better so others wouldn’t feel as bad as I feel. Thanks I will definitely be looking for your reply.

Experiencia negativa: My husband stopped by to get a replacement on 2 out of 6 guppies . “Tattooed short girl said he couldn’t get a replacement because the water is borderline safe. It is safe but can improve” my husband decided to talk to manager then he said without seeing or retesting “she said on borderline safe so that automatically voids warranty, it’s still ok but going from one tank to another where the nitrate levels are different can kill fish”. We get home and tested our tank and they look good. We been going there for years and we loved spending our money there as we own 6 tanks and 1 hospital tank. Unfortunately like everything good eventually comes to an end, we won’t be returning . I added a picture of the api test kit that we previously bought from them. Which from what I was told by them it’s more accurate then the test strips that they use.

Experiencia fantástica: Wow, I recently decided to get back to Aquascaping as a hobby. Having recently relocated to Indianapolis from San Francisco, well, let's just say the water is hard and 4 options for supplies. Petco, Petsmart, Uncle Bills, and The Reef. All have served me well. The Reef is one of the oldest here and wow, talk about presentation, they got it down. The store had everything. I heard they were expensive, but that was not true. From the moment I checked out their website til I left the store, i was in awe. I mean, who has an updated inventory of there stock, that impressed me. The store shelves were full, and they had more than what the website showed. The employees were friendly and very knowledgeable. So the Reef has something to offer both high and low hobbist. Word to the wise our community is hugh but those who support us with their stores and YouTube videos can all serve us better when we shop and visit them all. Support your local pet stores.

Experiencia fantástica: As far as I can tell, this is the best fish shop in Indy... The staff is friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful. The selection of live fish is extensive, the tanks are clean, and the fish are haelthy.... A little pricey, but you do get what you pay for...

Experiencia fantástica: Well trained and very knowledgeable staff. Without the knowledge of these guys I would be losing hundreds of dollars due to my lack of knowledge when it comes to choosing correct face for my aquarium.

Experiencia fantástica: I didn't get the little guppie guy I wanted, but the first one so far has my heart! Very knowledgeable & helpful friendly staff. So many great selections & assortment of everything right at the site!

Experiencia positiva: Love this place for the aquarium/terrarium building hobby! They even have a little section for isopods which is tough to find in person. It's a little overpriced, but most speciality stores are I guess. It's fun to check out the salt water/marine fish as well.

Experiencia positiva: Love the atmosphere but seemed understaffed, probably because the heavy foot traffic and great store, saleman/manager (what was on his shirt) talked fast, no explanations and some what discouraging

Experiencia positiva: Updated review. I bought a gourami on sunday, 9/8, and it was dead by tuesday 9/10. It was only $12 so I'm not going to take in a water sample to mostly likely be told it's my fault (tho all my other fish are doing ok) somehow only to get a store credit. I also bought some plants a couple months ago at the time of my original review, and got an infestation of snails. I still like the store. Nice merch. The staff are super friendly usually, but, ill stick with cheaper fish. This is a small time hobby to us. The platy I got from petsmart are still going strong and multiplying. Visited tonight mostly to look around as we are getting back into having a freshwater aquarium. The store was as great as i remember. Been coming here off and on since childhood. It was not busy at all on Tuesday evening. We were asked several times if we needed help as we browsed. Everything looked clean and orderly. The fish and displays looked healthy. Is it a bit pricey? Yes, but the quality is worlds above a petco/petmart type store. If you're new to fish, yeah, you maybe want to start with a cheaper fish and work your way up to the pricier fish that are here. The aquatic plants are the healthiest I've seen.

Experiencia fantástica: Great s store fir fresh and salt water fish. Staff very helpful and with take all time with you and not rush you. Price on somethings great some seem a little high. But over all will be back for items. Also great plant selection for tanks and outdoor plants.

Experiencia fantástica: Very well maintained and calming, Very clear water these people care about their aquatics, bought a panda but he/she turned yellow and white! I still love her shes a chunky baby.

Experiencia fantástica: Exceptionally knowledgeable, friendly, helpful staff. Very clean tanks. Lots of fish selections in both salt and freshwater. Live plants were very healthy. They even had an area for pond fish and plants. Every fish and plant I bought from here are thriving. The Reef will be my ONLY fish store, from now on. I am a customer for life!

Experiencia fantástica: The aquarium shop has just about everything you would need for any design you want to do. Their saltwater selection is fantastic. They have an entire outdoor area where you can pick your own driftwood, and their freshwater fish, plants, and bettas are varied and plentiful. Employees are always willing to help and are always friendly. I can not recommend this place enough.

Experiencia fantástica: I had an amazing experience at the Aquarium Reef store in Indianapolis. Max was fantastic!!! He was super knowledgeable and incredibly helpful in guiding me through everything I needed for my new terrarium project. The shop is beautiful and well cared for, from the aquariums to the entire space, and the staff really knows their stuff. I was greeted and asked if I needed help multiple times after I walked in, which is rare to find these days. I'll definitely be coming back for all my aquarium needs!

Experiencia fantástica: If you’re looking for top-notch aquascaping expertise, The Reef is your go-to destination. I recently had the pleasure of working with Tyler, and I can’t recommend him highly enough. He spent over an hour and a half helping me select the perfect supplies for my aquarium project. Not only did he guide me through choosing the right materials, but his artistic talent was evident in every suggestion he made. Tyler took the time to explain the basics of aquascaping, ensuring I understood how to create a visually stunning and healthy environment for my fish. His patience and thoroughness were truly impressive. The Reef is a hidden gem for anyone interested in aquascaping—thanks to Tyler’s expertise, I now feel confident and excited about my aquarium setup. Highly recommended!

Experiencia fantástica: Really incredible aquatic shop. I LOVE how they have an online inventory you can check before stopping in to see exactly what they have. I got a crypt, 2 more endler boys for my tank, and this beautiful betta boy I named sprinkles!! I had a two hour drive home but these fish are extremely healthy and are having zero problems in my tanks! I’m excited to return.

Experiencia fantástica: Beautiful store. It’s a gem in the city.

Experiencia fantástica: The best shop I know around indy for well over a decade. You just see the quality and skill when you walk inside. All the fish and tanks along with the plants are all well taken care of by professionals. Sparkling clean glass, crystal clear water, minimal dead fish (it happens) but it's always promptly taken care of. They actually quarantine the fish when necessary, not just let diseases spread rampant. Always quality, helpful services. I have yet to discover another fish shop with this level of care. Highly recommend.

Experiencia fantástica: I moved away from Indiana and am missing The Reef so much! Aquarium stores like this are just rare gems - I have yet to find a replacement for it. I was able to establish several aquariums while living in Indy and all were stocked with fish from The Reef. They were the healthiest, most beautiful animals and the staff TRULY care about them and manage to do so without being condescending. They are extraordinarily helpful, kind, and obviously enjoy the work they do. Thanks to them, I was able to expand my horizons and try things like planted tanks and CO2 and now I'm never going back to plastic anything or tanks without massive amounts of plants. Going here on pay day was my guilty pleasure. I could spend hours looking at the animals and equipment and decor. One of the best parts is how they have hardscape set up. You can see what looks good together before purchasing. When I left Indianapolis, I couldn't take my big tank with my across the country. I was devastated, but I didn't think my babies would make it through the mountains and snow out west (we drove). I called The Reef desperate for a solution I could trust was best for my pets. They took them for me. I didn't trust anyone else. I built their little world for them from nothing but some sticks and rocks and lots of love and patience. It killed me to let them go that day but I feel relief knowing whose hands I placed them in. So thank you, guys. All of this is to say - whether you're new to aquariums or an old pro, these guys are legit. Best aquarium store I've ever been in without question.

Experiencia negativa: Do not buy fish from these people. Beware. They tell you they refund your money. Lies. They fish died the next day. They even tested the water and said it was good for the fish. Customer service sucks. A bunch of yound inexperienced staff

Experiencia positiva: We went in to get new fish for our aquariums. The guy that helped us was very short and I would say rude even. But we got our fish and came home. Within 24 hours all of our guppies and endlers died, and 2 of our cardinal tetras died. Our tanks have been set up for 10+ years and are well established, any time we have gotten fish from the co they have lived. I am well aware of the return policy of fish, but given the fact that its not close by, its not worth our time to go back. We went to the reef for better selection. I only gave 3 stars because our axolotl, pea puffer, and some of the cardinals are still doing well.

Experiencia positiva: Great place to get fish, aquatic plants, and any aquarium accessories. I would consider this a 5 star place but I knocked a star off after a really weird experience where the aquarium specialist talked down to me and keep trying to imply I was not a good enough fish keeper to get the fish I wanted? They also got the wrong type of neon tetra despite me saying "normal" and pointing to the correct tank. I understand this type of job and having to tell people that x fish cannot fit in y tank with z other fish, but I'd rather my aquarist be direct and ask if I know how to handle these fish instead of saying "only someone who knows what they're doing can do this" and looking directly at me. Definitely won't buy fish here if I see them.

Experiencia negativa: I came in with my 5 year old son to buy Oxilatils and was totally insulted and refused a sale. I have no idea why the employee insulted me..by telling me I didn't know what I was doing and that he wasn't gonna sell me what I needed. I'm extremely disappointed that the employee disrespected and embarrassed me in front of my son. I've taken care of my animals of all kinds my entire life and am knowledgeable about the nitrogen cycle and the type of environment an Oxilatil requires. The employee asked to see what kind of set up I had and I showed him a picture from my phone of one of many set ups I have and it was not the set up I planned to put the Oxilatils in and didn't have a chance to explain that I was going to put them in something different because the conversation turned when he became rude and said no offense..I know that's a real nice set up but the Oxilatils need to be in something different than that and I can't sell you these. I wasn't going to put them in the Palidarium I showed him..I was simply very proud of that particular set up and was making conversation. I just couldn't believe his attitude. He stuck his nose up at me basically for whatever reason. Maybe it was because I have a hyper active son ..that likes to touch a lot of stuff in the store and was irritating him. Idk. But I'm very very disappointed the way I was treated. In this economy...for starters who talks to friendly customers that way? His pupils were as big as hockey pucks. This employee turned down a $400 plus sale ? And I was gonna buy a new set up..a tank.some filtration..some water conditioner..all kinds of plants and decorations. And would've become a regular customer and brought a lot of money their way. But Unfortunately...For.. probably political or social profiling reasons I was basically told I wasn't welcome. I'm pretty disturbed by the experience honestly and it's stuck in my crawl. I am a decorated war veteran. A great dad. An upstanding member of the community. And A 100% animal lover. I really am thinking about speaking to their managers or the owner but the employee could be family of the owner and it wouldn't do any good. So all I can do is just get over it. Don't shop their. Go to UNCLE BILLS!!! I actually got a way better deal at Uncle Bills!!! Seriously. The Oxilatils I bought..3..I got two blue Oxilatils and a Copper one. And the whole kit and kaboodle they needed. And they're thriving. Eating veraciously and showing their personality. And it all costed around $542. From Uncle Bill's. So..for whatever reason...The Reef employee ..literally ..I was told I didn't know what I was doing.

Experiencia fantástica: My family loves this store, caters to all your fishy family needs, really sweet and respectful staff, knowledgeable and willing to help. It's a great place.

Experiencia fantástica: I've searched several shops around town and The Reef has the best selection, priced and employees are very knowledgeable to help no matter if you are new aquatic life or just wanting to add something to an existing setup. Prices beat big box stores and almost as cheap as online. Can't beat it for a local shop.

Experiencia negativa: Do not buy fish from the store! My daughter has had fish for years and knows exactly how to take care of them. We came here and bought a beta fish and two catfish that clean the tank. She did everything she normally does before putting them in our filter tank at home. They were doing great when she went to bed late that night. When we woke up. They were all dead. I returned them to the store only to be told, I cannot get a refund. $35 wasted. We’ve never had this issue at Petco or any other pet store supply chain when getting fish. They have lived for a very long time.

Experiencia fantástica: I have driven by this store for the past 11 years. I went in today for some isopod supplies. I was greeted and helps by two of the workers. They answered my 4-5 questions and showed me where I could get what I needed. Wonderful shop!

Experiencia negativa: The reef is ok but there are many issue like how expensive things are, they have clams that are only 3 inches long for 140$ when at places like modern aquatix it only 40$ for the same species. Another problem is the clams they had on display we just laying down on its side it also looks like they did not have a foot either. There was a blue curan that was 109$ and it's fins were torn to shreds and I can get the same thing at modern aquatix for 20$ without the fins being ripped up. They also charged 10$ a pound for rock modern aquatix is only 6.99$ a pound. Overall monder aquatix has more and better value than the reef.

Experiencia fantástica: My go to for anything aquarium related, prices are good and the staff are extremely knowledgeable and helpful. I can trust them with anything I need better help understanding and know they'll do me right. It's worth driving an hour to get to every time and I recommend it to everyone I know who might be interested in the hobby.

Experiencia fantástica: Fantastic place. One of the best aquatic hobbyists is in Indy and indiana. Very friendly and knowledgeable staff that are willing to go the extra mile to help or answer any questions or any thoughts that you may have about the aquarium hobby. Whether it's fresh or saltwater you're looking for, you will fined it at the Reef. If somehow they dont have it, just give them a couple of days, and they will have it for you with a smile

Experiencia fantástica: Excellent selection of products and livestock. The employees are also highly knowledgeable and helpful. This is definitely the best aquarium shop in indy.

Experiencia fantástica: Realy cool place. It's nice to see they don't put the bettas in tiny little cups. They also cool down their axolotl enclosures and keep them seperate, which is way better than pet places I've been to nearby. Love to support proper animal care.

Experiencia fantástica: Wow...new to the aquarium world. Staff was so helpful and educated me. So many things to see and learn about and they were so patient. Came home with my Rocky Bal-betta...my first fish!! And He is thriving!!

Experiencia fantástica: Came in looking at their offerings and to get an idea on cost to install a salt water tank for a client whose home they want to renovate. Evalyn was extremely helpful and informative and Debra with Reef Management Services (The Reef’s installation company) gave me a great quote that I can present to my client. Thanks for the great service!!!

Experiencia fantástica: I fish I took marine tide to lake photos, however the place is so beautifully put together you will be over simulated on first visit. This is not pets.inc it's multiple biomes very well maintained from substrate, plants and the fish. Even if you don't want an aquarium it's worth checking out.

Experiencia fantástica: Great knowledge of all things aquatic from tropical to fresh water and outdoor pond plants and animals!

Experiencia fantástica: The staff was friendly and very knowledgeable. I came in for a new tank for my fish and had the best experience there. We took home a cube shaped tank and everything we needed to keep our fish happy! My favorite part of the whole store is the live coral tank on the salt water side of the store. I never knew that people can actually keep live coral.

Experiencia fantástica: Lots of fish to choose from and plenty of staff there to help you out. They have freshwater/saltwater fish and supplies and everything in between. I buy my Endler Guppies, cherry shrimp and mystery snails from them. All arrived home safe and happy. My girls are expecting soon and I can't wait to see all the baby fry.

Experiencia negativa: WORST OWNER EVER!! Kevin, the owner, is the rudest person that owns a small business I have ever encountered! I purchased 2 Amazon Puffers and a handful of Cardinal Tetras in February along with a few other items, this will be our 6th tank. The tank was thriving and we never had an issue. So, to fill the tank out a little more we went in on 03/23/2024 to purchase some more Cardinal Tetras and jumbo bloodworms, Hikari brand, along with a few more items. I acclimated the fish and gave them a cube of the bloodworms I had just bought from the reef, we also fed another puffer we kept in a separate tank (only fish in that tank) a cube of the same bloodworms. The next morning, around 9am, I turned on the tank light to find every single fish DEAD, 2 puffers and 19 Cardinal Tetras. I immediately began looking at my other tanks, remember we have 6, only to find all but one more are perfectly fine. The one that wasn't was the lone puffer tank we also fed the bloodworms too. That puffer was on it's last leg and ended up passing a few hours later. We went to the reef and explained what happened. The one manager there was kind enough to refund me for the purchase I made the day before. However, when I brought up the issue with the fish I purchased in February, she was not able to do anything and eventually recommended I contact the owner, Kevin. I am thankful for them refunding the Saturday purchase, even though I didn't want a refund but it was my last resort option (See below). Here's where it gets wild! I spoke to Kevin today, Monday 03/25/2024, to make a long story short, he made up every excuse in the world possible to push blame away from the bloodworms. Mind you, the bloodworms were the only thing exposed to tanks that killed off all the life, life without any issues prior, where the other 4 tanks are perfectly fine. He also became very argumentative, rude and even yelled at me, weird right, because even though the reef doesn't make the bloodworms and only sell them, he's not doing anything besides what they have already done. Basically, a big F-U it's not my problem a product we carry and sell killed everything. Then I get a call from a lady named Deborah, who's only solution was, we'll contact Hikari and MAYBE they will compensate. We all know nothing will ever come of that. Now Kevin, if you're readying this, which I hope you are. You'll respond back to this with everything you can to make your business look good, as expected. However, you failed in that aspect. Owner or not, NEVER get that angry with a customer. I never wanted or asked for a refund for my purchase that Saturday, I never wanted or asked for a refund for the other fish that died, I never wanted or asked for a refund for anything! All I asked was to be made whole by simply replacing the fish that passed. What would that have cost the reef? Maybe $20-$30, if that, in inventory for cost of fish before markup and keeping a customer/s, my family, that has spent well over $1,000 in the past year satisfied. You could have easily said, "I will replace all the fish for you one time and one time only. Should It happen again, I'm sorry but I won't be able to do that again." That's a free lesson in customer services for you. How easy would that have been to do instead of get angry, blame everything under the sun including the customer, and now lose a customer going forward? Side note, I just noticed 3 of your last 5 reviews are 1 stars.. might be a testament to the awful customer service you and the reef provide! Update part 2! Not once did I raise my voice, get angry, or speak over you except when we were talking and you had someone call in and tried to get me to stop talking so you could answer the call. After you answered and got back to me things were cordial. Never once did I blame the reef for the death, but I did make my statement for replenishing my fish as a means of great customer service! As all will notice, you’re trying to blame everything possible other than the actual source. He doesn’t listen, I don’t want a refund just the fish replaced.

Experiencia negativa: Went to this store on 3/23/24.. we went to look at their OB African cichlids as we have some already and wanted to add to our tank. We got there and there was a tall kid working and filing the big tank. He told us he couldn’t leave the tank while filling, to which I understand as I have a tank myself. While he was filling the tank, another employee told us just a minute. Hmmm, longest minute ever, as he did not come to help us. When the tank was filled and he put the hose away, he walked right by us and went to the center isle that your employees congregate around. A gentleman walked into the fish area and this kid literally walked up to him and asked him how he could help him. As we had been waiting approximately 20 minutes. Not one time did he come over to us nor did any other employee acknowledge that we were waiting. There were many times that we were looked at by your employees! This had to be the worst guest service ever! You will NEVER get any money from myself or my husband or anyone that we talk to! My recommendations about your store will not be good! I asked for a manager or the owner and it was a deer in the headlights look.