Days Out NI
Aquatics Shop · Free to browse Castlereagh, Belfast

Exotic Aquatics Belfast

A big aquatics shop packed with tanks of tropical, marine and coldwater fish — free to walk in and look, and a great little rainy-day stop with the kids.

5 photos
Open most daysRoughly 10am–5pm · check the day
Free to browseIt's a shop — no ticket
Castlereagh, BelfastPrince Regent Road, BT5
Get directionsOfficial website
30–60 minsHow long
All agesBest for
IndoorWarm & dry
On siteParking
FreeTo look

Not a paid aquarium — a proper aquatics shop with rows and rows of tanks, from little tropical fish to a colourful marine and coral display. Free to walk in and look, and a great rainy-day stop to see the fish with the kids.

  • What you'll see — banks of tanks along the walls: tropical and coldwater fish, a marine and coral section that's the showstopper for colour, plus cichlids, oddballs and shrimp. There's usually plenty of movement and colour at kid's-eye level.
  • Cost — free to browse. It's a shop, not an attraction, so there's no entry fee — you just walk in and look at the fish. Only spend if you actually want something.
  • How long — a short stop, most families give it 20 to 40 minutes. It's a lovely add-on to a bigger day out rather than a day in itself.
  • Good for a wet day — it's all indoors, warm and dry, and the tanks are genuinely calming to wander round when the weather's turned.
  • It's a working shop, so be considerate. Staff are serving customers and looking after live fish — keep little hands off the glass, no tapping the tanks, and it's their space to browse, not a free-run play area.
  • Check the day before a special trip. Shop hours can change and it looks to close on Tuesdays — so if you're going out of your way just to see the fish, ring 028 9079 0006 or check the website first.
Plan your visit

A short, free stop — best as part of a bigger day

Think of Exotic Aquatics as a fun little detour rather than a destination in itself. It's a shop, so browsing the tanks is free and you can be in and out in half an hour. Listed hours are around 10am to 5pm on weekdays and Saturdays, with a shorter Sunday afternoon, and it appears to close on Tuesdays — but shop hours do move, so a quick call to 028 9079 0006 saves a wasted trip if you're travelling just for the fish. The marine and coral tanks are the ones that get the "wow" out of the kids, so leave those till last. If you want to make a morning or afternoon of it, pair it with somewhere bigger nearby — that's where it really earns its place.

All indoors — warm & dry Free to look — it's a shop Parking at the trade centre Helpful, knowledgeable staff
Worth knowing:

This is a genuine retail aquatics shop, not a ticketed aquarium — so treat it as a friendly, free 20–40 minute look at the fish, not a full attraction. Check current opening hours on the website or by phone before a special trip, as they can change.

Before you set off

Good to have with you

  • 📱Something to check the dayHours can change and it looks to shut on Tuesdays, so a quick call ahead saves a wasted trip if you're going just for the fish.
  • 🐟A "we're just looking" chatA fun heads-up for little ones that it's a shop where we look kindly at the fish — no tapping the glass, and hands to yourself near the tanks.
  • 🗺️A plan for the rest of the dayIt's a short stop, so line up somewhere bigger nearby to make a proper outing of it.
  • ☔Nothing much elseIt's warm and dry indoors, so this one's a brilliant fallback when the rain has scuppered the outdoor plan.
Good to know

Everything before you go

Cost
Free to browse — it's a retail aquatics shop, not a ticketed attraction, so there's no entry fee. You only pay if you buy something.
Hours
Listed as roughly 10am to 5pm on weekdays and Saturday, with a shorter Sunday afternoon (about 1pm–5pm), and it appears to close on Tuesdays. Different directories list slightly different times, so confirm the current hours on the website or by phone before travelling.
What you'll see
Rows of tanks with tropical, coldwater and marine fish, a colourful marine and coral section, plus cichlids, oddballs and shrimp. Everything is live stock in a working shop.
How long
A short stop — most families spend 20 to 40 minutes. Best paired with a bigger day out nearby.
Best for
All ages — little ones love the colour and movement of the tanks, and it's an easy, calm, indoor stop.
Indoor / outdoor
Entirely indoors, warm and dry — a good rainy-day fallback.
Dogs
As a shop with live fish, assume no pet dogs inside — check with staff; assistance dogs should be fine.
Toilets
Don't assume public toilets — it's a shop, so plan facilities around the rest of your day.
Parking
Parking at the Prince Regent Trade Centre where the shop sits.
Etiquette
It's a working shop looking after live animals — no tapping on the glass, keep little hands off the tanks, and be mindful that staff are serving paying customers.
Contact
028 9079 0006 · exoticaquaticsbelfast.myshopify.com
Questions

Before you go

Is it free to go in?
Yes — it's a shop, so there's no entry ticket. You can walk in and look at the fish for free, and only spend if you want to buy something.
Is it actually worth a visit with kids?
As a short, free stop, yes — especially on a wet day. It's not a paid aquarium with walkways and touch pools, it's rows of retail tanks, but there's real colour and movement, and the marine and coral section is genuinely eye-catching. Treat it as a 20–40 minute add-on, not a full day out.
How long should we allow?
Half an hour or so is plenty. It's a lovely little detour to fold into a bigger day rather than somewhere to spend hours.
Is it a good rainy-day option?
It is — it's all indoors, warm and dry, and wandering the tanks is a calm, colourful way to fill a gap when the outdoor plan gets rained off.
Do we need to book?
No booking — it's a shop, so you just turn up in opening hours. Do check the current hours first though, as they can change and it looks to close on Tuesdays.
Any manners to know?
It's a working shop with live fish, so no tapping the glass, keep little hands off the tanks, and remember staff are there to serve paying customers — a bit of consideration keeps everyone welcome.
Getting there

Prince Regent Road, Castlereagh, Belfast, BT5 6QR — in the Prince Regent Trade Centre on the east side of the city, with parking on site. Handy to fold into an east-Belfast day out.

Directions on Google MapsOfficial website

Check hours: 028 9079 0006

See it on our map
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The story

A shop that doubles as a free look at the fish

Exotic Aquatics sits in the Prince Regent Trade Centre in Castlereagh, on the east side of Belfast — a proper specialist fish shop rather than a visitor attraction. Walk in and you're met with rows of tanks running along the walls: shoals of little tropical fish, coldwater species, cichlids and the odd curiosity, and a marine section where the colour really steps up a gear.

The shop is set up for fishkeepers — it stocks the tanks, equipment, foods and everything else the hobby needs, and the team run design, installation and maintenance for tanks big and small. But because it's all live stock on open display, it doubles as a free, colourful few minutes for anyone who just wants to look. On a wet day, or as a quick detour on a bigger east-Belfast outing, it's an easy, cheerful stop for children who love watching fish.

Their own line is that they want to share their love of fishkeeping with everyone, from complete beginners to old hands — so the staff are used to questions and happy to point out what's what. Keep it to a considerate browse — no tapping the glass, and remember it's their working shop — and you've got a lovely little add-on to the day that costs nothing at all.