About
The Aquatic Den has been a Cleveland, Tennessee fixture for over two decades, and the loyalty of its customers tells the story. Owner Eric and his small but dedicated team run a shop that serves as the go-to destination for freshwater and saltwater fish keepers, reptile enthusiasts, and pond hobbyists in the Cleveland area—or as locals affectionately call it, CleVegas. The store recently moved to a new location that customers describe as feeling much larger, with clean, well-maintained tanks and eye-catching storefront graphics.
Inside, you'll find a solid variety of tropical fish, including species that reviewers say they don't typically see at other stores, alongside saltwater setups, pond fish, and a full complement of aquarium supplies—filters, pumps, driftwood, aquarium decor, and fish food. The reptile side of the shop is equally well-stocked, with snakes, tarantulas, scorpions, frogs, feeder crickets, and live feeder rats at prices that undercut the big-box pet stores. What sets The Aquatic Den apart from the corporate chains is the personal touch.
Eric is known for his honesty and deep knowledge, offering tank setup advice and tips to customers at every experience level. The staff will let kids feed the turtles, hold snakes, and pet the animals—making it a genuinely memorable family outing. Multiple long-time customers mention ordering specific fish through the shop when something isn't in stock, a flexibility that keeps hobbyists coming back.
The atmosphere is casual and community-driven. Don't be surprised to see an employee with a snake draped around her neck while helping you pick out tetras. Tanks are generally clean and fish appear healthy, and the shop carries everything needed to set up and maintain freshwater, saltwater, or reptile environments.
For Cleveland fish keepers and reptile hobbyists, this small business has earned its reputation as the only shop worth visiting.
What they offer
Livestock, services, water
- Livestock & products
- TetrasDry GoodsAquarium EquipmentFish Food
- Services
- Consultation
- Specializes in
Highlights
What makes them special
- Family-friendly atmosphere where kids can hold snakes, pet animals, and feed fish and turtles
- Over 20 years serving the Cleveland, Tennessee aquarium and reptile community
- Freshwater, saltwater, and pond fish alongside a full reptile selection
- Affordable feeder insects and live feeder rats for reptile owners
- Special orders available for specific fish species not currently in stock
From keepers
Customer reviews
“We had such a great experience at Aquatic Den today! The woman working there was so kind and patient with our toddler—she let her feed the fish and turtles and even let us pet a snake and a hairless rat. It made the visit so fun and memorable. We bought a few fish and will definitely be back. Highly recommend, especially for families!”
— Kasadi Wooten5.06 days ago“The store is location is pretty simple to find and the outside looks like fun to enter, however the store is a little underwhelming. There was not a big selection of fish to chose from and it was just one of those off days that was not comfortable to buy. It did have a musky smell, not the fishy smell, but a musky smell that was u comfortable to stand in. Im not sure I would go back.”
— Bridgette Morel2.03 weeks ago“Our family has been coming to this store for 20 years! We love the knowledge and the care that is taken of the various fish (salt and freshwater), snakes and other critters. They are a small store with only a few employees but they still try to take care of each customer as they can get to them! My husband has been caring for fish since he was a teenager and once we found Aquatic Den - this is where he prefers to get fish from. You can also ORDER something specific if they don't have it, but CAN get it! give them some love and go visit! You can also hold a SNAKE if you want!”
— Cindi Knappen5.0a month ago“Every time I go to this store I have an amazing experience. Ive gotten 2 tarantulas, a scorpion, a frog ( eeeek) am still very happy I got a frog. They have had everything ive needed to set up every environment, the staff are so full of knowledge and very very helpful. My opinion, they are way better than petco AND petsmart. There are so many things I can say about this amazing place, you should definitely go by there and experience it for your self.”
— Alex5.0a month ago“My first time here, I'm an experienced tropical fish owner. The lady who helped me get fish was kind of all over the place. I thought she was going to have a heart attack when I mentioned I have well water (much better than tap for aquatics...). I was really specific about the color of tetras I wanted. One kind was red and the other mostly black. It was almost impossible to see after she captured them what she got due to the lighting, but I didn't think I needed to worry. They are not the right colors unfortunately. She also caught each fish by her bare hand... Surely they have nets so residue from her hands doesn't get into the tanks? The fish all look healthy, but I noticed several filters that were insanely nasty and the bio wheels weren't even spinning. I did not see anything that seemed unhealthy, though. If you are afraid of snakes, I wouldn't go. One of the employees had one around her neck while helping customers. Overall, I don't know that I would recommend this store, although it's better than any corporate store... maybe. The owner who checked us out seemed nice, I wish he had been the one to help get our fish. The lady questioned our choice of fish food and said it was not likely the right nutrition for our fish but thankfully the owner was there and told her it was right. I felt like I was treated as if I was dumb, and I've kept tropical fish for more than 20 years 🤣 That's my honest review. I hope it helps if you're looking for fish.”
— Amy2.0a month ago“Staff are awsome and knowledgeable. Love it here”
— Amanda Gilliland5.0a month ago“Gorgeous store with beautiful healthy tanks. They had several species I don't usually see available in stores. The 2 ladies were super nice and helpful.”
— Bekki Maze5.02 months ago“Very friendly and helpful”
— Emiko Miyagi5.02 months ago“The customer service was top-notch! We appreciated the recommendation and ideas for a pump for our tank, and would definitely recommend to anyone looking for aquarium supplies or critters!”
— Shannon Watson5.03 months ago“Ppl there are great. There's a lady there awesome. I forget her name . She is amazingly sweet. And very informational and really sweet with kidd”
— Diana Partridge5.03 months ago
Reference
Frequently asked questions
Note — Store information and services may change. Always call (423) 478-5522 to confirm current availability, hours, and services before visiting The Aquatic Den.