Shirley Aquatics

Shirley Aquatics, aquarium, pond and reptile specialists since 1939

Shirley Aquatics presents itself as one of the longest-established aquarium and reptile specialists in Europe, trading since 1939. Its range covers the sale of products and live animals both in-store and online, with home delivery.

Fish, plants and invertebrates

The company sells tropical freshwater fish — including angelfish and discus, barbs, bettas and gouramis, catfish, cichlids, livebearers, loaches and sharks, rasboras, danios and minnows, rainbowfish, tetras, as well as shrimps, snails and amphibians — and coldwater fish, with goldfish varieties such as fancy, moor, oranda, ryukin and ranchu. It also offers live aquatic plants, both bunched and in Gold Label pots, along with plant care products and planting substrates.

In the marine section it has marine fish, corals and invertebrates, plus foods specifically for corals and invertebrates, flakes, live food, supplements and seaweed sheets.

For ponds, the range includes koi carp — A Grade mixed koi and varieties such as Goshiki, Kohaku, Ogon, Sanke, Showa and Utsuri — fancy goldfish, comets and shubunkins, sturgeon and other pond fish, together with aquatic plants, water lilies (dwarf, large and small/medium), marginal, floating and oxygenating plants.

Aquarium and pond equipment

The aquarium range includes glass and acrylic tanks, complete kits, models from BiOrb, Cleair and ClearSeal, rimless aquariums, and aquarium, sump and cabinet sets. Featured models include the Caspian 250, 325, 390 and 520 litre sets, the Sargasso 2.0 Classic 730 and 820 litre sets, the Sargasso 2.0 Deep 580, 910 and 1000 litre sets, and the Danube Tall 165 litre acrylic cylinder aquarium.

Technical equipment includes CO2 systems and accessories, air pumps, filtration (external, internal, thermo, UV and sponge filters), heaters and thermometers, water pumps, reverse osmosis units, wave makers, base mats, condensation trays, hoods and sealants. It also sells decoration — ornaments, rocks and wood, sands and gravels, artificial plants — and fluorescent and LED lighting.

For ponds it offers pumps, air pumps, all-in-one UV, pump and filter units, solar pumps and fountain pumps with nozzles; filtration with pressure filters, drum filters, Eazypod and Nexus ranges, skimmers and UV units in various wattages; construction materials such as pipework and fittings, pond paint, liners and underlay, and maintenance equipment such as vacuums, protective nets and top-up systems. The section is completed by fountains and waterfalls, submersible and garden lighting, and heron protection.

Reptiles

The reptile area covers complete terrariums and vivariums, tortoise tables, safety stands and faunariums, plus heat and lighting systems (heat pumps, heat mats, thermometers, thermostats and UV bulbs), hides and decoration, substrates and beddings (bark, corn cob, moss, sand, soil and wood shavings), cleaning and handling equipment, dry, frozen and live foods, supplements, misting and humidification systems, treatments and specialist books.

Animal food and care

The shop stocks food for coldwater and tropical fish, frozen, live and holiday foods, as well as fry food. For ponds it offers general foods, koi-specific foods, treats, flakes, premium foods, sinking foods and wheatgerm foods, plus automatic feeders and feeding accessories.

In the treatments and testing section, it sells water products, bacterial filter starters, algae and sludge treatments, conditioners, fish medications and test kits — test strips, liquid tests, master test kits and electronic testers — for aquarium, pond and marine use.

Brands and shopping services

Among the brands it stocks are BiOrb, Cleair, ClearSeal, OASE and Gold Label. The shop offers free shipping on orders over £50, next-day delivery for orders placed before 2pm, 30-day returns and interest-free payment options. It also states that it will try to match any competitor's price.

The company maintains a knowledge base and a video channel with content on aquariums, koi, marine, ponds, reptiles and tropical fish, and provides customers with a pond liner calculator that estimates the required dimensions from the maximum length, width and depth, with a 30 cm overlap.

Location and contact

Phone: 0121 744 1300 · Email: shop@shirleyaquatics.co.uk · Opening hours: Monday 9am–5pm, Tuesday 9am–5pm, Wednesday 9am–5pm, Thursday 9am–5pm, Friday 9am–5pm, Saturday 9am–5pm, Sunday 10am–4pm