Westside Aquarium & Pets

Bill Waller

2024-01

Extensive supply of exotic fish both fresh and salt water as well as marine crustaceans and invertebrates combined with great information coming from decades of experience.UPDATE: Recently relocated not far from the Dale Mabry location to Manhattan Ave. He started from scratch at the new location and the place looks very good.

Kimberly Padawer

2024-04

Super helpful there. Staff knowledgeable and helpful!! So happy its here. They helped me setup my aquarium filter correctly for my betta tank at affordable cost. Very good prices. Thank you

Annie Kresek

2023-08

The owner is highly knowledgeable and helpful. It is evident that he cares for the health and welfare of his fish & aquatic animals. Like many others, I also commute about 45 minutes for my aquarium needs. My guppies are beautiful and provide me great joy. Thank you, Paul!

Chad Sharo

2024-01

great shop, great prices, great owner and good prices! Im 30 minute trip away but this is a top place for me now. Stocks a lot of unique fish you dont see too much which i enjoy.

Tony B

2023-05

The absolute best service, knowledge and selection! A great small business and I will gladly drive 45 minutes out of my way to get there.

Coach Adam

2023-09

The best and most knowledgeable aquarium fish store around, with the best quality fish. Hands down.It’s not real clean, doesn’t smell great, but I don’t go there to lounge, I get great healthy fish at competitive prices.Go to the other guys for over-priced sick fish in a pretty store… come here for good deals on good fish.

Jon

2023-05

Great local shop . It might not be a flashy store with big display tanks but Paul makes up for it with amazing live stock . You truly will not find a better price in tampa bay . Everything in my tanks come from West Side Aquarium!!!!!!!

Benjamin Zamora

2024-01

Nice plants for fresh water and they have a saltwater set up for sale fish they're expecting for this Friday or Tuesday next week right now they have low inventory

alan chichester

2023-05

The gentleman that owns this place is so friendly. He sat there for 30 minutes. Talk to me, answered about 1000 questions. So appreciative the time he spent with me. Definitely will be coming back there. Thank you.

Richard Williams

2023-12

Fish insanity. One man show in a small space with a crazy variety of fish. When it comes to fish at a great price I think this is the place to go. Oddballs delight. I've been doing this fish thing for 40 years and this store is in my top 2 of fish stores from Central Florida to NYC.I had to update after seeing all the posts about dead fish. I have worked in pet shops in my younger days in the early 90s. Every pet shop has dead animals. Most places make sure they get rid of everything before you get in the store. This store is a one man show and he may not have time to run around and constantly scoop out the dead fish.If you really care about fish then only buy captive bred as by the time the fish reach the the store most have died in transport from whatever country they are coming from.A clean car but does not mean it is well maintained.

Reinaldo Macias

2024-05

Paul is the best!!Best prices in town and has the best selections.

Toni Harrelson

2023-11

Great little shop and the owner has been around for years. Paul can help with anything and he's a phenomenal pond builder. Highly recommend!

John Taylor

2023-07

Not like your neighborhood pet mart. This place is packed with amazing fishes and Paul the owner is encyclopedic. Don't be put off by the self service option or the fact that the place is a bit dirty. This store is my favorite fish shop in Tampa!

Trevor Delp

2023-05

Always a great experience with Paul. He has so much knowledge and is so willing to help it’s unreal. I was really impressed with the amount of live plants in his tanks. All the fish I’ve gotten from him have done great. It’s a small store but a wealth of information. His prices are also arguably the best in the area, super reasonable.

Gino DiCanio

2023-05

Paul is great to deal with and very knowledgeable. We bought 6 beautiful angelfish recently and some great African peacock cichlid along with some beautiful Severums in the past.We drive over an hour to get there but well worth it.Highly recommend.

Ken R

2023-05

I recently got into the hobby and as I have been establishing my two tanks I keep finding myself here rather than the 5 other places I have tried. I will be shopping at Westside exclusively now. No, the shop is not fancy. However, he has the healthiest fish in town at extremely reasonable pricing. Driftwood and rocks are also competitively priced.I saw someone groan about customer service. It's a one man show, he does it all, and if you ask a question the owner will spend lots of time explaining and brainstorming ideas and offering years of knowledge.

debbie James

2023-05

Very polite and helpful loved seeing all the Betta's were in a nice big tank and not in a small individual cup stuck in a corner. They were happy and healthy. Great place has everything you need.

heather Incognito

2020-05

Really nice aquatics store. Extremely knowledgeable owner and friendly and helpful. This store is a must for fish lovers.

Teresa Lea B

2022-05

Paul is very knowledgeable and kind. The fishes are more exotic in color and size , yet the prices are the best I’ve seen. Same goes for the aquarium plants.I’m happy to know that the store is still around, but moved from the location I grew up with on Manhattan years ago.

Julia

2022-05

Honestly I can’t recommend this place enough. Good selection of fish. The owner is very nice and actually cares about the health/ quality of what they have in stock. Answered all of my questions and they have a good selection of driftwood and other natural tank decorations! Also compared to other stores in the area their prices are great.

Zac Martella

2023-05

I just moved to Florida and found this place online. I couldn't be happier with the service I received here. Talked with Paul and he was super helpful and nice. Grate prices on the fish and everything. I will definitely be coming here from now on. Thanks Paul glad to know there is a old school mom and pop shop down here. I won't be going anywhere else for my aquarium needs.

Jaime Portales

2023-05

I meet Paul years ago at his aquarium store and never regretted, his very helpful on anything concerned at marine or freshwater life and also you can do special orders thru him and very honest and modest man.

TooCold Cutz

2022-05

Love this place. The owner is great and very helpful. Bought all of my fish and plants and basically everything from here. He has everything 9/10. If not. They’ll be coming in the following week! Great customer service!

Mike Barker

2022-05

Paul is a good guy. He is helpful and will spend what ever time it takes to help. His prices are very good compared to other shops.Just like the way he conducts business.I have read all the reviews about what a bad and dirty etc. place it is.It's a fish store and I can afford to go and buy anywhere, I choose Westside.Nuff said!

Stephen Weston

2023-05

A South Tampa staple. A family business with over 50 years of serving people. Superior selection of fish and supplies. Extremely knowledgeable. Paul is a Guru that could teach Aquaman a thing or two. I highly recommend going here if you want to do things the right way.

Mark Sierra

2022-05

Paul is amazing ! I read the few negative reviews. Seems fraudulent that the negative reviews came all at one time, from people in Australia, Texas, Nevada, Arizona, and California. There are larger, fancier stores. That said , are you more interested in healthy fish from a lifetime expert who is more interested in you…or looking to spend big bucks from an inexperienced retailer also selling dogs, cats, birds, hamsters, and reptiles in a fancy plaza.Personally, I care about MY OWN tank and MY OWN fish. If your goal is to have your own great tank and great prices with free advice, go here. If you care about what you want, this is the PLACE. He is Focused on YOU !

Leonard Smith

2021-05

Prices are good for the area, especially for the size of the fish. The few fish i looked at seemed very healthy and disease free. The store is a super old fish store without a lot of flash or upgrades. A lot of negative things to say from looking at the condition of some of the tanks, specifically the saltwater and lack of stocking. However, after a brief conversation with the owner all my former apprehensions were gone. Owner knows what he's talking about and has been in the business a long time. The stock is limited because he orders fast moving fish or only the requested fish for the week. So be sure to ask for what you want and he said it would be there within a week. I was only looking, but I will give a detailed assessment of the livestock once I start purchasing.

Tim and Sandy Dorion

2022-05

Super helpful and friendly! Great prices! I am new to the hobby and they were very gracious with their advice. They gave me a coral magazine to take home and told me about ReefCon next April in Orlando. I really liked them and will definitely be back!

Graig Cleary

2022-05

Weird that a ton of negative reviews came in over the last 2 weeks. Sounds like a little snowflake wasn’t happy and asked their friends to write bad reviews. From someone who actually goes there on a weekly basis, the selection and health of the fish is top quality. Anyone who is in the hobby would know that aquarium stores are purposely dark. If you want a wide selection at the best prices in tampa, you go to Westside. If you want a big box store with high markup, go for it if you feel safe there.

junior & Vivian Godson

2019-05

Great customer service and he was very helpful. Better then a y pet store. This guy knows his stuff. I bought fish from him 2 months ago and they are still strong and healthy. He takes the time out to teach you about what you are buying and what you need. Also great prices. Great fish selection more then anyone in the Tampa area