Always worth a drive out when I need something for my tank... April's Aquarium is a small local business that punches above its weight class. Healthy stock, great plant selection and best of all friendly, reasonable and knowledgeable staff. A recent renovation has made a great spot even better - be sure to stop by whether you're an expert or new to the hobby. Update 2022-03-16: still my go to, picked up some great plants and a small school of happy looking sterbai. Great help from the staff!

Update: Thanks for the pea puffers and plants, April's! Always loving the attentive staff and selection. We got some awesome plants and pygmy cories for our betta tank, and some plants for our 20 gallon too. We definitely got bit by the MTS bug!!! As beginner hobbyists, we visited both locations and had wonderful service at both. We're lifetime customers now and look forward to return again! Once our tank is properly cycled I will be returning for my cute lil pea puffers, but for now this assassin snail will have to do.

I have been looking for a very special pair of fancy goldfish & discovered that there are very few resources for high quality specialty & rare fancy goldfish in Canada. April's name came up several times in on-line goldfish fancier forums so I contacted her. I am SOOOOO glad I did! She was professional, very efficient/easy to do business & in remarkably short order I received two OUTSTANDINGLY beautiful, very robust & healthy Thai Orandas. I had seen my fish in video/photos when I purchased them, but they were even MORE spectacular than I had imagined they might be in real life. I do not hesitate to recommend April/April's Aquarium if you are looking for a truly unique, superior quality fancy fish :) Thanks so much April!

Came here yesterday with a friend and family. Excellent service, I've been here once before and both times I have been really satisfied with the staff's help and knowledge on the shrimp I planned on getting, and their needs. Jared (I believe that is the name, please correct me if I'm wrong), was of course very helpful and friendly to us, suggesting many techniques and products that are beneficial for a thriving shrimp colony. For a bit of context, I wanted to restart a Neocaridina shrimp colony, a friend wanted help cycling his shrimp tank, and my dad wanted a new home for a betta fish. There is perhaps no better place in Vancouver to buy supplies for your aquarium hobby, and to gain help and advice. The long drive was worth it. We purchased 6 green jade shrimp and they were very healthy (although they are all females, so breeding will be difficult). We also purchased plants, food, and a new aquarium. The shrimp selection is not particularly huge, but the advice given on how to take care of any shrimp in general is worth more. I'd rather have this, than a store with tons of shrimp to choose from, but with completely unhelpful staff. We came mostly for advice, and also to buy, and unlike most other aquarium shops we've been to, the staff were patient and answered all our questions. Experience, good advice, and patience with customers is what every aquarium store should have, and April's Aquariums definitely hits the mark! Overall we had a very positive experience. We would give six stars If we could. Will definitely come back again.

The staff is so nice and helpful.. I've always bought fish from petsmart and got the wrong advice for fish care. This place is all about the fish wellbeing with natural elements, plants, snails, shrimps.. no cheap plastic decoration! They don't try to sell you things you don't need. If you like beta, they have some gorgeous ones! I have two babies and I've never seen my fish so happy!

Super knowledgeable friendly people. Helped me find some new plants for my new tank. Hope they survive since I’m terrible with live plants but cannot stand plastic. The only thing here is if you’re looking for cheap, that’s not going to happen. Fishes are expensive. Trios and bettas are usually about 50$ and above. Prior to the new owners I found a betta I wanted and it was 80$. I still love it here. My suggestion is to shop with a budget that works for yourself.

April's Aquarium puts a lot of effort into caring for their fish and making sure that customers know what they're getting into. I always learn something new and always want to come back. Jacob is a great employee and is very knowledgeable - he's genuine and always has a good attitude! He gives great advice when it comes to anything aquarium-related and you can see the care that he puts in his work. This is a smaller store, but it's also one of the only aquarium stores in the area. Because it's small they don't have a big selection of larger fish, but they do have lots of schooling and invertebrate species. No other can compete with this location within at least a 30km radius. I have yet to go to the larger location, but I have high expectations after experiencing the Hastings April's Aquarium! Keep up the great work! Just received the news that this location will close by May 1st. So sad :( Any recommendations closer to Burnaby for those that aren't able to make the commute to the South Vancouver location? I will miss this place, definitely was a go-to whenever I wanted to celebrate a milestone or when I wanted to feel better.

Myself and my partner are like 25+ minutes away from April's but its the only place we trust to give us healthy, well cared for fish. They are VERY knowledgeable and the staff are super friendly. We love this store as our "go to". Very helpful whether you're an amateur or if you have a 75 gallon tank. They'll look after you here!!

Love this place. Let’s start with the friendly and knowledgeable staff. Can’t find better. Great selection of fish and plants and always appear healthy. Not to mention, great prices

April is a huge nerd. She is just so badass to own such an incredible store. She replies to you on Facebook really fast and she can tell you which fish are available before you go to the store. I asked if the Holland Rams are still available and she kept count of all of them. That is insane. Only problem when I went there they were all gone when yesterday night she said one left 😂no big deal though.

The good part: The guy that was there was very nice and helpful. The fish (available for sale) looks healthy and pretty. The best looking bettas that I've seen is in this store Stunning. CONS: There's not much selection of fish here Other items I noticed is cheaper at your local PetSmart, so do your research. My expectation was overhyped by the recommendations I got that's why I was a little surprised seeing the place. Parking space is tight too The PROs are still better that's why I'm rating 4 STARS.

The best aquarium store in Greater Vancouver! Support your local fish store and don't shop somewhere like PetSmart. April's takes great care of their livestock, has great prices, and April is very knowledgeable. Love to see the expanding stock too. Wish there were some more ADA products though!

What a great store!!! We just sort of happened upon it because the google result at the top of the page wasn't what we were looking for, so we went to the next on the list that was nearby. They had everything that we were looking for, a great selection of reasonably priced, super exotic fish and plants, and the salesperson was a great resource. I had a number of questions about plants and fish and how to deal with problems (such as green spot algae on the plants, and the difference between different types of snails) and the salesperson answered them in depth. We would highly recommend them.

Very helpful and friendly. I am setting up my 5.5 gallon tank and I went there to get some live plants. They were well kept and the employees were super helpful when choosing the plants. Will be returning to buy my fish once the tank is cycled. Would recommend to a friend. Prices are slightly steep but the items are well kept and they help you out a lot more that larger chains like pet smart. I would trust this place much more to buy anything rather than petsmart. They take much better care of the items there and they are way more helpful. Great overall shop!

Top notch place to shop for new fish and plants. The selection is amazing, staff are super knowledgeable, great deals on schools. I love the betta wall, it's admirable how much they care about the livestock.

I love this place and can’t say enough good things about it. Darren and his staff are knowledgeable, friendly and welcoming. They have a great selection of fish, plants and equipment. I bring my crazy toddler in and I still feel welcome lol! She loves taking a look through the warehouse in the back with all the incoming fish. They really live up to their tag line as your local fish store and have a personal touch with every customer that is hard to find these days. 10/10 recommend!

Excellent store. I really appreciate their staff for taking the time to answer all my questions. It's great to hear their honest opinions and experiences versus just trying to be a sales person - pitching in more products and rushing a sale. Definitely worth waiting outside (regardless if its a 30 minute wait - patience is key)

Wonderful place. Wonderful people. The guy that helped us was quick to help, kind, and friendly. Would 100% recommend. Beautiful selection of fish. Seem to take great care of their fish. Clean store. I love local stores <3

An excellent store for nano fish! Very knowledgeable staff, very helpful & professional. Will be back soon ! Questions are answered via messenger quickly. A+++ service. I am a new hobbyist and was not aware of return policies or replacements in the event of loss. They were very happy to accommodate ! Highly recommended store !

Love the store Love the people Love the fish What more is there to say!

I honestly get world-class customer service from the staff at April's each time I visit! Everyone is SO incredibly helpful here and kind in educating fish hobbyists about fish/aquarium plants, regardless if you're new to the hobby or not! Their customer service is also great via phone/facebook messenger if you have small inquiries, I get super prompt and detailed replies each time. April's has a great variety of fish, plants, and other supplies at fair prices. They've got healthy and quality fish in each tank, and I would also say that they carry some fishes that are harder to find in general. I'm also appreciative of how they are so transparent with their store process (quarantining fish, what days they get what, which fish aren't on sale bc of qt/sick, etc). I can't wait to stock my next fish tank with fish and decor from here at my next visit.

So much help and friendly staff. So much to explore in such a small store, my son and I were very pleased to find this gem. Definitely a aquarium store that is dedicated to being great with people and their live stock alike. I'll be going back to April's Aquarium on a regular, even though it is kilometers farther from our house than the big box store. 🙂

I've been going to April's for a few years now. The new owners have only improved on what was already a good store. Fantastic, healthy nano fish and high-end bettas, along with all the plants and hardscape you need. Fair priced and quality low-iron rimless tanks available to order - they sell out fast so you might have to wait. Responsive staff - I was looking for an alien betta and they sent me photos the same day I inquired.

It's a small location with excelente quality with a 2nd and bigger store in North Van All the fish have the best color and are fully quarantined to go straight to the tank. Everyone is very knowledgeable and willing to help. The best fish store in Metro Van, no doubt.

I am a beginner aquarium hobbyist. Over the last two years, Darren and his staff have consistently provided me and my family with recommendations for livestock, plants, products and strategies that match our skills and budget. My experience with everyone who works here is that they are approachable, knowledgeable and ethical. The also have an impressive selection of products. I cannot recommend this business enough.

It was good, they know their stuff and have some interesting and healthy looking fish and plants but not a huge selection and the prices are about 30-50% higher then other places.

Some say the best compliment you can give a parent is their kids are good people. Well, I'm saying that each & every young adult that works here is just that. Parents, you've done a good job! The crew that works here is polite, courteous, helpful & just considerate. It's why I keep going back.

Visited April’s Aquarium in Vancouver yesterday and had a fantastic time - what a selection! Darren was great, answered all my questions and helped me buy everything I needed to get my set up going. Highly recommend April’s Aquarium in both in Burnaby and Vancouver (go visit Jacob at Burnaby location, also very helpful and knowledgeable). Had such a good experience, I’ll be back next week to buy more! - Constance H.

Great store, glad to see April's continuing and looking great. I know April herself had sold the store a bit ago, but I was so hapoy to see the new owners kept her name even for the new location. April was such a breath of fresh air for hobby aquariums in Vancouver, and I love what the new owners have been able to do, while keeping the same stocks of fish and plants that we love. Staff are always kind, helpful, and knowlegable. :-)

Can't recommend them highly enough. Customer service is absolutely top-notch. I've been in about 10 times this year for various things and have had a great experience each and every time. Got lots of advice and help from Jacob in particular who is super knowledgeable and always takes extra time to talk me though tough decisions. Will continue to go back for a long time to come.

An amazing store! Definitely the best freshwater fish store around locally. It's well kept and the staff are always super helpful. Even my girlfriend enjoyed browsing - she typically dreads it when I drag her into to pet stores. Well done!

Cute shop for nano aquarium enthusiasts. The store is small but so are all the fish, tanks, and various things so there's a ton of stuff for a tiny shop. Service and prices are great too! We'll be coming back one day for sure.

It’s refreshing to go to a retailer to discover that they are truly invested in their customers. We have recently gone down the path of establishing a new aquarium and found their advice and help to be very helpful and genuine. We have been to both locations several times and have found the experience very positive. Thank you for your great service.

Great experience at Aprils. I’m starting to use live plants rather than fake and they were more than helpful with choosing the best and easiest plants for beginners and correct care. Will definitely be back in the future. It was worth the nearly 40 minute ride out there. Highly recommend.

I had an excellent experience visiting the new South Vancouver April's Aquarium. I recently got into the hobby with my good friend and we've both been shopping at April's quite a bit because of what they have available compared to other stores in the Lower Mainland specifically for nano tank aqua scaping. Upon arriving at the new store, I was given a tour of the new store as well as the extremely large back room which has the store's holding quarantine tanks. The owner and the staff clearly care a lot about the quality of their fish and do whatever it takes to ensure that they are selling healthy fish to their customers. Overall I was very pleased with the experience and the new store and I will definitely be back.

Extremely nice aquariums, very cute fishes. Beautiful live stocks selections, with many great driftwood pieces to choose from. Prices are excellent, along with very nice staff. This store has better operating hours, then the Vancouver location. It's worth your trip to come all the way out here. "Don't support big chain stores" Buy from a small, privately owned shop, cause they are awesome!!! RECOMMENDED!!!

The best prices and a huge selection! The only place to get healthy fish! I found it way better to go in person and actually look at aquarium products and talk with the staff, who know what they're talking about, than ordering from some random online company. April's is straight up the best aquarium store period. Support a local business and people who are passionate about this. I will only ever go to April's!

April’s Aquarium was an awesome experience!! Darren took the time to explain which fish to get and how to take care of them and feed them the right amount. I love the big warehouse in the back with all the fish and frogs. It has a great selection of fish. What a wonderful place! I recommend it. (Ethan - age 8).

Absolutely phenomenal shop. Fantastic service, fantastic quality, fantastic range, fantastic people! Moved over beginning of 2022 and was interested to try fish keeping again (after the usual childhood error of buying fish and tank on the same day). I went about gathering supplies and an aquarium but was overwhelmed with all the info down the aquarium forum rabbit-hole. I stopped by Aprils on Hastings to see if they had something I was looking around for and, boy, I’m glad I did. Greeted by Jacob, who I explained my situation to, and he calmed any nerves I had and gave me tons of great advice, I never went anywhere else since. The whole team there have always been accommodating and have talked me through setting up 3 tanks now, and all of which have been incredibly healthy! The one time I had a fish die within the first few days, I was sure it was due to stress, it had been swimming rather erratically (unlike the rest of its school I’d picked up that day). I commented on it when I was next in, as I felt bad and was wondering how I could prevent that in the future, and the team handed me a replacement fish without delay and let me know that what I was doing was great, but there are occasional unavoidable issues in this hobby. I’ve always felt so welcome and I really commend the team for making the Hobby so much more enjoyable!

Have bought many beautiful and healthy fish here, staff were very helpful and knowledgable in helping to choose which fish and plants were a good fit for my aquarium. Would recommend!

Came here to get some Anubis plant for our beta. Extremely helpful staff!! Small store but had some good driftwood and plants. Best of all their betas are in actual tanks with filters etc and look happy and well cared for. Id way rather have a smaller selection if it means the fish are healthy and treated right!! It always makes me sick seeing them in those little cups other places. I’ve seen others complain about parking but there’s a small pay lot around the back. I love that this is a local shop and more than ok to pay a bit more on some items to support a place that treats the fish properly.. but I found the prices for what I was getting just fine. :) thanks, Aprils! We’ll be back.

Absolutely above and beyond service! I placed an order for a few various things and everything was great; but I had sent an email to ask if they sell a very specific piece (nozzle) for my 9gal fluval flex and Darrin replied saying he would take it from one of their other tanks and just add it to my order free of charge, and even gave me some tips for a specific set-up. Can't recommend them enough.

Always healthy & interesting fish on deck. Also awesome knowledgeable staff members, another fun time visiting Aprils for something new :)

The store is extremely clean, they have healthy live stock and a great selection. Staff are friendly and knowledgeable. The online order system is fast and effective and let's me shop when I have time. I would not hesitate to recommend them. So far we have purchased fish, live plants and rimless aquariums.

Made an online order near Toronto and shipping was quick (5 days). Everything came in great shape, bottled Easy green, root tabs, and some Bucephalandra. Will order again for sure. Edit.. I did make a second order realizing I missed something on the first, the second order came in perfect condition plants and products but missing one item. I'd leave a 6 star review if I could with the level of service I had to resolve the issue.

Update: Thanks for your response, explanation and kind words. You'll see me back again, maybe I'll call ahead next time to see how busy it is. Word to future customers: Please support this place by researching what you need ahead of time and not hanging around when there's a huge line outside in the rain. Everyone will be happy. ------------------- Great place for fish - clean healthy and good stock. Suggestion is it would be more fair to everyone if there was a shopping time limit at least.

Very happy to call April’s Aquarium my go to local fish store! A great selection of aquatic dietary needs, water conditioners, maintenance equipment, aquascaping necessities and most importantly an abundant selection of livestock. The quality of fish has been excellent and all have acclimated well and are thriving in my aquarium. The staff are very knowledgeable and accommodating especially during the current pandemic which is very much appreciated! If your a beginner or longtime aquatic hobbyist April’s Aquarium will provide you with all your aquarium needs.

Cannot say enough amazing things about April's Aquarium. Great inventory and staff! They were very knowledgable and helpful. Will definitely be back!

amazing store! I've been buying fish from April for over 20 years, always healthy fish and shrimp, great prices! I recommend all my friends to her! It's been updated for more nano fish , nano tanks and other aquascaping tools. Awesome local fish store. The new layout is amazing

Very knowledgeable staff

Very knowledgeable staff. A++++

We recently acquired a betta fish for my son, all was well and then she stopped eating. I reached out to April's Aquarium via Facebook and not only did they respond promptly but kindly guided me through a checklist and suggestions on how to make our betta happy. Then following through the next day by checking in on us. This is what customer service is ! As well as animal care and compassion. If I could give 12 stars I would!

I really enjoyed my visit here even though this is really only for nano aquariums and aqua scapers but the staff were very knowledgeable and helpful even though they didn't stock the type of fish I wanted. Great selection of plecos bettas, and dwarf cichlids

Staff very knowledgeable and friendly.

I'm soo happy to support a smaller Aquarium store that isn't in it for the money. but to keep hobby alive Darrin the owner has been the best to work with.. he has a great mind set in this type of hobby and ill continue to visit the store and recommend it to my friends . The employees there know alot about the hobby and are willing to help out keep up the great work guys?

Lots of variety of fresh water fish and shrimps.

Jacob was super helpful Eventhough I told him from the start I was just doing research. Will definitely be going back when ready to purchase

Great attentive service and good information (even when busy, in a pandemic).

Best in the area :)

Very nice store with a wide selection of tropical fish. I bought some Guppies, and it's literally twice and the price of the PetSmart, that being said it seems like a well maintained store taking best care for the fish with knowledgeable staff

To their online ad post on Craigslist. When I asked for pic they said “it’s hard to take a pic” “They’re in the storage” “Come here and see it” 🤦‍♂️ “pics are on the ad”(contradictory) which was 1pic only and for a cube tank only not the “classic tank” They refused to take a pic of a their product advertising and insisted to come to the store many times.so professional. #Unreliable service.

I love this place, I visit them every week. They are patient, passionate, and experienced. They provide the best customer service ever.

Get aquarium store, lots of stuff geared towards nano fish keeping. Well worth the trip to check it out

This place is amazing! The customer service here is great. All the employees are so nice and extremely helpful (especially Jacob and Jared) and the fish are beautiful. Their tanks and plant are all well kept as well. Definitely my favorite freshwater fish store.

They have a good selection of everything you could need and the staff are happy to help. I will be going back to them

amazing service and knowledge, it shows that everyone who works here is passionate about this amazing hobby! I've had plenty of help setting up my new planted tank. thanks guys!!

It is easily one of the best aquarium shop in BC. They have a wide selection of fish and plants available comparing to the other pet store. They also have a good aquascaping materials starting from the substrate to rocks. The staffs are friendly and knowledgeable. The prices are fair. If your nearby pet store doesn’t have a specific plants or aquascaping material that you’re looking for, chances are April’s will have it!

The best aquarium store in BC. Knowledgeable and friendly staff provide the best customer service with a great selection of tropical fish. Would highly recommend for anyone just starting out as well as those looking to build on a collection.

Not bad place. Selection is ok

Knowledgeable staff and fair market prices. This is my new shop!

The people who work there are always very knowledgeable and honest! They don't tell you something just to sell you something! I really love that they have updated their website and that you can send them messages through messenger! The owner is great and when I was there this past Friday, the two boys who helped me were awesome!

Amazing customer service. Staff are passionate and take the time to answer any questions you have. You never feel pressure. We drive all the way from Port Coquitlam just to shop at April’s. Highly recommended for all skill levels.

Expert friendly advice

This is our favorite aquarium store! The people are friendly and helpful, and the selection of fish, plants, and equipment is great! I would highly recommend April’s.

Excellent service and friendly staff. I had some questions about the compatibility of certain plants with goldfish, and they knew a lot about the fish and the products they were selling (unlike PetSmart 😛). The store had a relatively clean layout and the product pricing was competitive. I would like to say that the store lacks parking, but people generally don't spend too much time in the store so it's not much of an issue when it's not busy.

My first time here. Fantastic store. Highly recommended. Great advice and price

Fantastic! My new local fish store. Don't bother with PetSmart, Petland and Mr. Pets.. just go here. Good quality fish/stock and knowledgeable employees who actually know what they're talking about. It's very small, which isn't a problem. Pay parking at the back of the store (no machine, can only pay online), so find parking on the street because it's a $90 fine :l

I just visited here to get my first aquarium and the staff were SO kind and helpful. I had a million questions and they were very patient and happy to answer. You can tell they really know what they are doing. I will be coming back here for all my future fish needs!