Exotics at Park Ridge Aquarium Reel 'Em In

Speedy the Puffer spotted a human leaning over his aquarium tank. He swam over, looked right at the towering visitor with an almost expressive face, stuck his head out of the water and let out what sounded like a cry of joy.

Speedy was merely spitting out water, but he’s become an attraction with that move. The chubby ocean puffer fish can also do this in your home, given you’re outfitted with the right kind of saltwater tank, for $599. But if you just want to greet him at Living Sea Aquarium, 811 Devon Ave., that’s all right with owner Jan Sergey.

For the past two-plus decades, Sergey and husband  Mike haven’t operated any old kind of a fish-and-aquarium outlet. They are experts at both saltwater and freshwater fish, drawing patrons from three states. And if you want do a marine-themed party with kids, she’s got a special room for you in back and will stage a feeding of her most colorful fish as part of the deal.

The Sergeys started their store in Norridge, but desired more space in moving north to Park Ridge.

“We liked the area, the proximity to the expressway and the L,” Jan Sergey, who lives next door in Des Plaines. “Park Ridge is an awesome community. It’s a community we wanted to be a part of.  It’s been a good, long relationship.

“It’s kind of like its own little downtown area. We have a little bit of everything here.”

Customers come from 3 states

Sergey said she attracts customers from Wisconsin and Indiana in addition to Illinois because smaller towns in the three states usually do not have saltwater-fish stores.

“A lot of people start out in fresh (water) and move to salt (water),” she said.

Fish lovers have their choice of breeds throughout the expansive Living Sea storefront, which has increased in space over the decades. But the top weekly attraction are public feedings of Speedy, a horned shark, a tarpon  and a gaggle of colorful koi at 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Fortunately, the horned shark doesn’t in turn feed on his aquarium mates. Sergey and staff keep it and a cat shark well-fed, so they don’t have the need to chomp on neighbors.

“You can feed the (koi) right out of your hand,” said Sergey. “That’s always the exciting part. They don’t have teeth. You get lots of brave kids who are willing to do that.”

Sergey suggests the cat shark is her most exotic resident.  “You can really imagine in the wild how he’d blend in,” she said.

For accessories, a popular seller is a Nanocube or Nanotank. The tank is small, but it is completely self-contained with filtration and lighting, “everything you need to start up easily,” Sergey said.

“That’s how people get started with saltwater (fish). They’re usually intimidated by it. They’re overwhelmed by what you need to do. It’s not that difficult. You take it out of the box. You put your saltwater in. You start with livestock. You end up developing your own little ecosystem in there. It’s fun to watch.”

The Sergeys are not seven-day-a-week merchants. They take Sundays off as a family. But they have confidence in their staff of 12 to keep both business and aquariums flowing when the bosses are not around.

“You can come in here and ask a million questions,” Sergey said. “We’re never going to get testy or bored with your questions, because you’re learning. We enjoy helping people with this hobby. It’s a fun hobby to be in. The kids get involved in it.”

The owners are not just store-smart fish experts. They have an outdoor koi pond complete with waterfall at home. Inside, they have a 110-gallon tank built into a wall unit.

“It’s our hobby as well,” Sergey said. “Every one of our employees has an aquarium at home. So they are hobbyists as well as sales people. All are speaking from experience.”