An automated staining system and a reagent container designed for use with the automated staining apparatus. The reagent container includes a reagent containment section capable of containing a volume of a reagent. The reagent containment section includes an upper wall and a base wall that are spaced apart along an axis. The base wall includes a well having a nadir that is aligned axially with an access opening in the upper wall so that a reagent probe entering the opening parallel to said axis will travel toward the nadir. In another aspect of the invention, the reagent container may include a two-dimensional data element containing reagent information. The staining apparatus may include one removable drawer for holding reagent containers and another removable drawer holding slides.