About
Age of Aquariums is a sprawling, one-of-a-kind aquarium store in Cookeville, TN that locals describe as three stores in one — a massive warehouse where rows of fish tanks share floor space with vintage records, electronics, games, and flea-market finds. The aquatic side is the real draw: regulars call it the best variety of fish in Cookeville, and the selection runs deep on freshwater livestock. Cichlids are a standout — one hobbyist drove in from Crossville to take home 17 of them and reported every fish thriving weeks later.
Alongside the cichlids for sale in Cookeville, TN you'll find axolotls, frogs, turtles, and even a saltwater tank with marine fish, plus hundreds of affordable driftwood pieces, live plants, rocks, decor, and a large wall of filters and gear. Pond keepers come here too, for pond fish and the pumps, parts, and supplies to run them. The space rewards slow browsing — longtime visitors swear there's something to find in every corner, and many mention friendly, knowledgeable staff happy to offer advice when you're stocking a new tank.
It's the kind of place enthusiasts from Knoxville and beyond make a special trip to dig through, corner to corner. One fair, grounded note for anyone planning a visit: reviews here are sharply divided. Plenty of customers report healthy fish at good prices, while others flag tanks that look used or could be cleaner and raise concerns about animal conditions.
Cleanliness and husbandry come up often enough that it's genuinely worth inspecting any livestock in person before you buy — which is exactly how this big, walk-in shop is meant to be experienced. The store recently settled into its newest Cookeville location, and for freshwater fishkeepers hunting a wide, affordable selection available in Cookeville, TN, Age of Aquariums remains a destination worth exploring tank by tank.
What they offer
Fish & livestock for sale at Age of Aquariums in Cookeville, TN
Age of Aquariums stocks cichlids, axolotls, aquarium plants and freshwater, saltwater & pond fish for sale in Cookeville, TN. As an aquarium store serving Cookeville, TN, it also carries dry goods and aquarium equipment.
- Livestock & products
- Services
- Online Store
- Specializes in
Highlights
What makes them special
- Deep freshwater selection led by cichlids — one customer drove from Crossville for 17 healthy cichlids
- Axolotls, frogs, and turtles stocked right alongside the fish
- Hundreds of affordable driftwood pieces, plus plants, rocks, decor, and a big filter selection
- Pond fish and pond pumps, parts, and supplies available
- Massive warehouse-style hybrid store — fish tanks mixed with vintage records, games, and flea-market finds
From keepers
Customer reviews
“If your looking for fish aquariums and in between. Then this place has got it. The staff is always nice and helpful. Thanx Ya'll.”
— Nick Coleman5.0a month ago“Most tanks for sale looked used. Aquariums were sub par on cleanliness in my opinion. Not sure I would purchase live fish there. I've messed with Aquatics all my life and am about to start a Reef tank and venture into Salt Water. Stopped in to check them out while in town. Impressive setup to an extent, but could be better maintained for fish health. Of course I'm picky when it comes to that.”
— David Gates3.0a month ago“We purchased a pump and parts for a fish pond. The young man working tried to show us how to put it together. However, no way could we get it to work. He said we could rerun it. When my wife went to exchange for a complete set. The older man was there and when he exchanged it we should have received $20 back. He said that should be ok and would not return the money. He just lost our business and we’ve been going the a long time.”
— Paul Brewer1.0a month ago“I placed an order online over 2 weeks ago, called them, they said they'd have it shipped the next day, never heard a word from them since. I do not recommend ordering anything from them online. Absolute waste of money!”
— Max1.0a month ago“We’ve had great success buying our fish from them. I’m amused by the negative reviews, the absolute majority of them are coming from young to middle aged white women that seem to be mostly clueless. Example one women who gave this business one star gave Big Lots five stars. Come on Big Lots five stars? Pretty certain these are the same people I’ve seen at the “No Kings Protests”.”
— Rick Pike5.0a month ago“It was all right. Drove all the way from Knoxville. Not a lot of room to walk but other than that it seem like a lot freshwater fish some filters a large selection of filters the rocks there's also a game store connected to it but just not a lot of room to walk....”
— Danielle Newsom3.02 months ago“Best fish store in Tennessee!”
— jason4vu5.02 months ago“Good selection of fish and good advice when needed!”
— Clare Rice5.03 months ago“I come here occasionally. Out of all the reviews I see for this place I question how it has such a high rating of 4.2 than anything else. This place has a lot of knowledge that they need to learn about. About animals the conditions of the reptiles, especially are horrible. I own a couple reptiles myself and take proper care of them. Not to mention the fact that all the tanks that they have are not even properly clean. There is one giant saltwater tank that is below a couple of the reptiles, which has a ton of algae and stuff inside of it! Which is healthy if it’s a normal amount, however this is not been taken care of and probably over three months! There was one tank with a fully grown adult bearded dragon inside of it, and it barely has enough room to move around. These animals are really poor conditions… ESPECIALLY THE CHINCHILLAS! Those cute, fluffy animals deserve way better care than what they are in right now. With cages that barely fit them normally and as other reviews, say the birdcages that they are in with feces, dropping on top from them and moldy water bottles. I do know this place did recently move in but at the rate that it’s going, it’s gonna take a long time for them to take care of all the fish properly. Or any of the animals for that matter. And the owners response to all this backlash is that the customers don’t know what they’re talking about. (Update: 03/14/26) fluffy creatures and reptiles alike have been removed. Furthermore, for the saltwater aquarium fish I always wondered why they look like they were dying every time they were added in. Upon getting one today. Testing the salinity I have come to find out one tank had a Salinity of 1.042!!! (For context: ideal salinity should be around 1.026)”
— Joshua Hastie1.0Edited 3 months ago“Just found this place. They have the best variety of fish in cookeville, tn. They sell everything aquatic from fish to frogs, turtles, axelots. They have hundreds of driftwood and they're affordable.”
— Jeff Lackey4.0a month ago
Reference
Frequently asked questions
Note — Store information and services may change. Always call (931) 651-1411 to confirm current availability, hours, and services before visiting Age of Aquariums.