Aquarium & Reptile Depot is owned by brothers Jeff and Jason Liang. The pair held a week-long special customer appreciation event during their anniversary week offering discounted prices and $10,000 worth of raffle prizes to show customers their appreciation in supporting 13 years of being in business in Citrus Heights. Photo courtesy of Citrus Heights Chamber of Commerce

CITRUS HEIGHTS, CA (MPG) – Aquarium and Reptile Depot at 8201 Auburn Blvd. in Citrus Heights celebrated 13 years in business with a celebratory ribbon cutting ceremony hosted by the Citrus Heights Chamber of Commerce on Feb. 23.

Aquarium & Reptile Depot is owned by brothers Jason and Jeff Liang. The pair held a week-long special customer appreciation event during their anniversary week offering discounted prices and $10,000 worth of raffle prizes to show customers their appreciation in supporting 13 years of being in business in Citrus Heights.

Younger enthusiasts looked to see “Nemo” or “Dory” from the popular Disney movies as they walked inside their store. Both species of fish, Dory, a regal blue Tang, and Nemo, a clownfish, are regular store inventory.

Business growth during the past year has not been without its physical challenges, said Jason Liang.

Outside the store’s front entrance, which features banners recognizing community awards won, reinforced perimeter steel fencing has been installed for security.

Ongoing construction of the Auburn Boulevard Phase 2 project by the City of Citrus Heights reduced traffic to a single lane in each direction in front of the store along Auburn Boulevard while utilities were placed underground and new curbing and gutter was poured.

The owners’ parents, Jack and Amy Liang, also own Just Tea It, a 1,500-square-foot contemporary boba and tea shop at 8516 Auburn Blvd., just near the Roseville city line where pedestals have been poured and a steel gateway arch will be erected this spring. An adjacent parking lot has served as a staging area for heavy equipment which has been used in the project and just recently, the entrance to their business was repaved.

“(The ongoing construction) has been tough for (business), but they are hanging in there,” Liang said.

“I think all our customers have been patient with the course of construction along Auburn Boulevard, and we’re looking forward to see the project finished,” he said. “(Auburn Boulevard) will soon be fully transformed and I hope that once the project is finished this summer, more customers will be able to find us.”

About 12 to 18 shipments of fresh exotic fish and reptiles shipped from overseas are received at the Depot each week, all of which are subject to fluctuating federal tariffs.

The Depot serves the greater Sacramento area with what it considers to be the highest quality selection of aquatic species, reptiles and amphibians possible.

“We listen to our customers specific inventory requests and gauge the market as to what’s available, and what we can import. I think we’ve done a good job at managing our costs, and not passing them on to our customers,” he said.

This specialized pet store is a haven for enthusiasts, offering a vibrant selection of tropical fish, reptiles and all the essential supplies needed to create a thriving habitat.

“We’re still looking to physically expand in the near future,” Liang said.

The interior is chock full of fish tanks of almost every kind of exotic fish you can think of. Hundreds of aquarium tanks fill the front sales floor with an array of vibrant saltwater or freshwater fish which are all gently bathed in modern lighting.

The specialized pet store is a haven for enthusiasts, offering a vibrant selection of tropical fish, reptiles, and all the essential supplies needed to create a thriving habitat. Photo by Thomas J. Sullivan

Floor space is optimized with merchandise teasing the eyes in every direction. Fish who look back from the sanctuary of their tanks don’t seem to mind the company of shoppers looking to explore their watery world.

Aquarium Depot understands the unique needs of both beginners and seasoned hobbyists, offering a wide array of options from common, "bread and butter" fish to rarer specimens.

In another portion of the store, reptiles and invertebrates lay in their desert-like or bioactive tropical enclosures.

Customers are generally from the area but also come from Lake Tahoe, Reno, San Francisco and San Jose, according to the owners. The business was recognized with a 2024 “Best of Citrus Heights” award by Citrus Heights Chamber of Commerce. 

The brothers are helped by a full staff who are highly specialized in the hobby. Each department has a dedicated service line so that each customer is provided with one-on-one support by recognized specialists.

“We have a great staff who take the time to help our customers and listen to what they might want or need,” he said.

Aquarium and Reptile Depot is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays. Customers can check the store’s website for the latest inventory at aquarium-depot.com.