The Reef Aquarium Shop — Attraction in Indianapolis

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...

Was beyond excited to see this store. No doubt the cleanest aquarium store I’ve ever seen. We drove two and half hours because we were told they were the very best. Wrong. Not only were they incredibly rude, they treated me like I was an idiot and I had to ask several several times for a simple bag of fish. Only to find out they were bagged twice and the guy ringing me up didn’t even know they were there after making me wait a half hour for some simple feeder fish!!!! Fast forward. We get home. They’ve prepared the fish so that they’d have enough oxygen to make it. I immediately submerged the bag and opened the top and wrapped the top of the bag around the tank so they can accumulate and have fresh air. Not even an hour later almost all my fish dead. And they’re not even the ones I specifically asked for!!! So my friend convinced me to call and complain since she’s going this weekend. The man on the phone laughed and told me I couldn’t even acculmate guppies right and that it was my fault and to bring the dead bodies in. That he has 500 from a shipment ok so it’s my fault. After I told him I arrived before the shipment he called me a liar and told me I was wrong when I literally got there before the truck. I’ll never go back. I’ll recommend no one ever goes there honestly. Their tanks are beautiful. But their people? Nasty. They’re over priced and they feel upity about it. Very sad. Had come wanting to love it and be a life member. 👎🏻

Edit: so now after being called a liar and having false information posted. I’m pretty sure I’m gonna post my review everywhere I can. I’m not the only one who’s had this issue. I standerdly told that man it wasn’t the only sole food in their diet but I did feed a largely protein diet because that’s what they’ve always had and never disclosed what size of tank the guppies were going in. Having over twenty years of expiernce with fish ,who I should add my own parents ran a fish shop, I’m pretty sure I know better than a ten. I told that man I had several tanks but I had four aggressive species (dragon goby, jewel cichlids-male and female-, a small turtle , and lastly a growing snakehead) and I needed breeders. Not even 24 hours later all of the fish are dead. And when I called a room of people heard what that man had to say. That the fish came in yesterday and it was my fault and that I was stupid. Guppies are literally the easiest fish to have survive. And I got the fish I asked for? No. I didn’t. I asked heavy on females as stated and I should add I bought both bags cause I felt bad they were double bagged. Out of 24 guppies do you know how many were obviously male? 18. 🤔 hmm 18/24. Doesn’t add up? Correct. Oh I wasn’t told I couldn’t get replacements on the phone either. I was told to bring every single guppy back to prove they died and then they’d see about getting some new ones. And then that man hung up. GREAT NEWS I had a room full of people to hear that nice little conversation so literally five more people who will never make a purchase here, 4 of which are way higher hobbyist than me. Sorry I’m not driving another five hours to be disappointed again. Even the owners response to my review is pretty borderline aggressive. I won’t come back. And I’ve convinced my longtime friend who was a regular customer to never come back either. 🤷🏼‍♀️ Sucks as I was asked to scout out some new fish for a tank she was wanting to buy here. Sorry I keep adding stuff but I feel it should be pointed out that I’m beyond obviously very very pregnant (7 1/2 months) so this was a very big trip for me. I wanted to love this place. I really did. I’ve never been in a fish store I didn’t fall in love with. I begged for months to come here. Asked my mom for extra money just to buy both bags to make it easier on the store and frankly I needed them. If it wasn’t for the treatment I received. I probably would’ve...

Edited: the response from the owner was reassuring and I am glad to see that some sort of action to correct the problem is being taken.

Thank you for the response Kevin, I do appreciate that you take the time to communicate with disgruntled customers and try to correct things

I'm really conflicted on how to review the store.

I have been to the store twice, as of today. The first time I went up to the store (I'm from out of town) the staff was friendly and helpful and the prices were reasonable. I left with a couple of frags and some food that I can't get back home and was completely satisfied with my experience. If I was reviewing the store based on that experience alone I would give the store 5 out of 5 stars hands down.

Today, however, I had a much different experience. I drove an hour and a half to indy for the sole purpose of visiting the store. Today they were having their warehouse sale, selling old goods at extremely cheap prices out of their warehouse. I found a few things I needed and was quite happy with my purchases. The gentlemen in the warehouse were friendly and helpful. I then drove the half block from their warehouse over to their actual store and encountered the exact opposite.

I had been planning on purchasing a frag or two while I was up from out of town, but to my dismay the frags were much more expensive than the last time I had visited, and on top of that many of them looked unhealthy and many were completely unremarkable. At this point I was a little disappointed but not that upset considering I had gotten great deals at their warehouse sale.

I then went up to two of the staff members who were talking to each other and politely asked if the increase in price was due to winter weather making shipping more expensive. The staff member responded as if I had just insulted her mother, seeming to be incredibly offended by the question. She, in an incredibly rude and unprofessional tone commented that the frags they had were only the finest premium frags, and their prices were solely dictated by quality. She then continued on about this in an incredibly condescending manner. During this exchange, the other staff member stood there listening and saying nothing.

I had had enough and left the store without making a purchase, entirely because of her response.

The frags that were available, as previously stated, did not seem to be anything rare, and in many cases were entirely unattractive. The last time I had visited the store I had purchased two beautiful frags at the prices of 15$ and 20$. This time, however, with the exception of five to ten microscopic frags of various ugly leathers that appeared to be on their way out, as well as 2 beautiful ricordea (that I would have loved to buy had i not had this experience), no frags were priced below $30. I can excuse high prices, that doesn't bother me nearly as much. I'd much rather spend more to buy local than from petco. What I cannot excuse was the way I was treated by the staff.

I don't know if I will be back any time soon. It's incredibly disappointing because I had fallen in love with the store the first time I was In, but this experience completely...