Aquarium Outfitters

It's hard to find an independently owned store that sells tropical and salt water fish in this area. In fact, this may be the only one! I don't know how long they've been in the biz, but for at least the last dozen years that I know of.

The building itself is sizeable and painted with a fun under the sea scene with brightly colored paint. That in itself is attractive enough to draw anyone in! Inside they have a huge variety of fish and supplies to keep those who enjoy this hobby happy. Some say their prices are high. Can't say as I haven't owned a tank in so many years. I just stop in about once every few years just to browse and enjoy seeing all that they offer.

On a recent visit I was happy to see they're still around, especially since most people seem to go to Petsmart and whatever the other big box pet store is in the area to fulfill their tropical fish collection desires.

As I perused through the store enjoying the fish I saw a couple of tanks that looked like it was time for some cleaning maintenance. Continuing down the aisles I was shocked to see there were in fact several in dire need of some serious cleaning. I mean it was beyond the stage of an algae buildup and the water was very, very cloudy. The fish seemed to be hanging in there, considering the conditions, but none that I would buy from such a badly kept habitat.

Honestly, I don't know what to make of what I saw beyond more tanks than I've ever seen in a store being so unkempt. I didn't post any pictures of them in case it's taken care of by the time this review posted, but I've never encountered this before in all the years I've visited. I hope for the sake of the fish that this is addressed - and quickly!

I'm astonished at the bad reviews here and as a customer who is very happy with the fish and service that I get here, I truly believe that many of the bad reviews have been planted. I've read ridiculous reviews such as "all of the fish I buy here die the next day." Either this person knows nothing about fish or is not telling the truth. It's sad to see a business and the great people who work here and work very hard get maligned in this manner.

Do NOT buy fish here. I bought $70.00 worth of fish and every one of them were dead in 3 days! I have had tropical fish for over 40 years, and the condition of these fish were the worse I've ever seen. Even Petco fish are better than these.

Service and selection were great! Best place around for your freshwater tank needs. Great supply and unique fish that we haven't seen anywhere else. Also lots of reptile supplies and some saltwater stuff as well.

Grimy store, slimy people...
If you are a beginner with fish, do NOT GO HERE!
Instead of helping they will scam you. My fiancée went in to start a tank and was given wrong/misleading information on a number of subjects. Substrate, number of fish that should be put in the tank, filter, you name it. It is pretty obvious that these guys work off of commission and just want a quick check. The store is disgusting and needs to be cleaned regularly. Staff is extremely unprofessional. When celebrating a good day in sales, "cocaine and strippers" were jokingly mentioned in front of me. Do not do business with them.

The staff and selection are amazing! This is a hidden gem. I am new to fish keeping and they are very knowledgeable and friendly! From the outside you might think "oh my" but go inside and you'll understand. They love their fish and everyone looked healthy and happy! Not pushy for sales. Great place. Go check it out!

"NO DOGS ALLOWED" should be plastered to the outside of the door. I frequent this place occasionally for their aquarium supplies and fish. Today, I brought my Frenchie on a leash - because if dogs are allowed anywhere, it's in a pet store - and as soon as I walk in, 3 big Dobermann Pinschers behind the counter freak out and start barking, out of control. I walk past, and they stop barking. A few minutes later I walk back past the counter, and the big Dobermanns start freaking out again.

The place is run by a few amiable young guys, and one extremely bitter, unfriendly old man who I guess is the owner or manager. The old man approached me and told me "You need to take your dog out to your car. You're causing a scene."

Exactly whose dogs were causing a scene? My dog was silent and well-behaved the whole time. I did indeed take my dog out to the car, and left. I will NOT return to this store. There's another aquarium store 15 minutes away that is quite helpful and friendly. I will not give my money to a store where customers are treated this way.

We immediately walked in and were greeted by multiple sales associates. Within minutes someone actually was taking out a snake for us to look at and touch, it was super cool. The store has a plethora of fish items and plenty of cool fresh and saltwater species. The only thing I would say was off about the place is there were some tanks that just looked terrible, poorly maintained, etc. Other than that I would say it's a great place to at least visit and look around if anything.

Being a frequent customer and quite frankly, a huge fan of Aquarium Outfitters, I'm both confused and saddened by the negative reviews that I've read here. Ever since I discovered this hidden gem, it's quickly and easily become not only my absolute go-to for aquarium supplies and healthy fish, but also for advice and guidance.

STAFF: These guys know their stuff and have always been friendly and helpful. Even with such a large collection of all different species of fish, they are always a source of interesting and valuable information. I'm a pretty big worrier when it comes to my fish being happy and they have always been attentive when I'm asking a million different questions about different species of fish, water quality, maintenance etc. The owner, Kurt (aka: "The Fish Guru") definitely lives up to his name. If you have the chance, pick his brain about fish. You'll leave with lots of knowledge (and probably with a few big laughs) under your belt. He's entertaining, friendly and is an expert in just about any aquarium. Such a great resource to have for any level of fish hobbyist.

STOCK: I've always had freshwater community tanks growing up, but never really had much of a variety because larger retail chain pet stores typically carry the same stock of fish species...all of the time. I can't even begin to tell you how excited me and my fiancé were when we walked through the front doors of the eclectic exterior building into what I can only describe as an aquatic candy store. SO MANY TANKS! And all teeming with beautiful and healthy fish. (I was also very pleasantly surprised to learn that each and every one of the tanks are INDIVIDUALLY filtered. For those of you who are seasoned fish hobbyists...you know how great this is. For those of you who are checking out AO because you want to get into the hobby, having individually filtered tanks for all of these fish is pretty impressive considering the amount of time and effort that it has to take to maintain them all. It's also extremely important in the event that any fish have an illness (this does happen, guys) that it doesn't spread to the other tanks. Anyway...back to their selection. They have so many different species and variations of species that I've never seen before. If you're an experienced hobbyist and are looking for something new, this is the place!

After years of sticking to just freshwater community tanks, we decided to venture into the world of Cichlids. We wanted to make sure that we were doing everything right prior to stocking our new tank - everything from water quality to decor and fish selection. Not only did they pump us full of knowledge, they had everything in stock that we would need, walked us through the details and gave specifics about each product. They also have a pretty sizable selection of natural rocks and substrates for those of you who like a more natural feel to your aquariums. When we were finally ready, we got some pretty beautiful fish there!

Long story short (or short story, long?) I highly recommend Aquarium Outfitters to anyone in the Triangle area who is looking for more that just a "Pet Store." You won't be disappointed!

DEFINITELY don't recommend. We are aquarium enthusiasts who have frequented several aquarium shops in our area. A filter malfunction resulted in the death of most of our cichlids, so we found ourselves looking to replace them in the middle of a pandemic.

Supply shortages meant that our usual store, as well as many others we contacted, were out of the size we needed. Imagine our surprise when Aquarium Outfitters answered our phone inquiry saying they had a wide selection.

Our concerns with the store began the moment we entered. Our state still has very strict rules regarding social distancing, maximum capacity, and sanitation for all retailers. They were adhering to NONE of them. The store was PACKED, with neither costumers nor employees wearing masks. Our usual shop has limited entry, requires masks, and their employees wear protection, as well. As we were masked and gloved, we went ahead and cautiously entered the store.

It was true they had a wide selection of cichlids. It was also obvious why. They were charging nearly THREE TIMES AS MUCH for the same size and type as the other aquarium shop we frequent. Their supplies were also very overpriced, with a water testing kit we use costing double what we were charged at other shops.

When we declined to purchase any fish due to cost, the gentleman that I presumed to be the owner rudely stated that he needed to make money. I pointed out that a store just down the street charges far less. I mentioned the store by name, at which time employees standing nearby laughed and disparaged the other store.

To be clear, the store we frequent is NOT a national chain. It is a small, local aquarium shop. We quickly left the establishment after this and won't be back. While they are a large store carrying a wide selection of stock, they are also VERY expensive and unprofessional.