About
Zookeeper Exotics has anchored Austin's north side for more than 30 years, and while it's best known as an exotic-animal destination — reptiles, birds, tarantulas, scorpions, and tortoises fill a shop floor that regulars compare to a walk-through museum — it's also a genuinely useful stop for freshwater fish keepers and vivarium hobbyists. Recent visitors call out the axolotls in the livestock room alongside the birds, snakes, and lizards, and the store keeps a steady supply of freshwater fish, live aquarium plants, springtails, and isopods for sale in Austin, TX. For anyone building a planted or bioactive setup, this is one of the better near-me options in town.
One reviewer came in for an isopod enclosure and was surprised to find a real variety of isopods available in Austin — including hard-to-source dairy cow isopods — plus quality soil, moss, and live plants, all at prices that beat online outlets. Springtails and aquarium plants earn repeat praise for being well-priced, and the feeder selection of live insects and frozen rodents in a range of sizes is widely considered among the best in town. The staff is the throughline in review after review.
Jillian gets named constantly for her deep animal knowledge and patience, especially with kids, and teammates like Brendan draw the same warmth; the crew takes a consultative approach, steering you toward what your tank or enclosure actually needs rather than just ringing up a sale. Owner Daniel and a long-tenured team have kept multi-generational customers returning for decades. It isn't a flashy aquarium showroom — it's a working exotic pet shop and an unexpectedly handy local fish store with a no-nonsense layout — but for freshwater fish, live plants, axolotls, and bioactive supplies you can inspect in person, Zookeeper Exotics remains one of Austin, TX's most distinctive stops.
What they offer
Fish & livestock for sale at Zookeeper Exotics in Austin, TX
Zookeeper Exotics stocks invertebrates, axolotls, aquarium plants and freshwater fish for sale in Austin, TX. As a fish store serving Austin, TX, it also offers fish boarding and aquarium consultations.
- Livestock & products
- Services
- Fish BoardingConsultation
- Specializes in
Highlights
What makes them special
- Austin north-side institution for over 30 years, run like a walk-through animal museum
- Freshwater fish, live aquarium plants, springtails, and isopods for sale in Austin, TX
- Axolotls in the livestock room alongside reptiles, birds, and tarantulas
- Variety of isopods including hard-to-source dairy cow isopods, plus soil, moss, and plants for bioactive setups
- Consultative, animal-first staff — Jillian frequently praised by name
From keepers
Customer reviews
“Great selection.”
— Jun Will5.0Edited 2 days ago“Great staff! Very clean cages.”
— Heather Johnson (Slick)5.06 days ago“BEST EXPERIENCE GOING IN HERE THE ANIMALS ARE DEFINITELY EXOTIC !! THE STAFF HERE ARE COOL THEMSELVES AND VERY FRIENDLY AND ANSWERS ANY QUESTIONS U HAVE ABOUT EVERYTHING, AWSOME SET UP 🔥 definitely coming back and getting exotic pets from here !!”
— Joura Rodriguez5.0a week ago“They might as well let the animals roam around the store - the floor is about the same condition as the cages, at least they would have enough space.”
— Sebastian Hall1.02 weeks ago“Dirty place, poor pets don’t have enough room. This place needs to be closed down. DO NOT COME HERE!”
— Ritta Vo1.02 weeks ago“The staff is very helpful and they genuinely care about animals. This is the only reptile shop I go to!”
— Shanan Salinas5.02 weeks ago“If you're shopping for enclosures or supplies for animals this place has it all and at way better prices than online outlets.”
— Drew Amadon5.03 weeks ago“i got my crested gecko Gregory here! i’ve been coming here for years and the staff is always very helpful! i’ll be coming back soon to get a bearded dragon as well☺️”
— Stevie Marie5.03 weeks ago“great time here whether it’s just looking around or needing assistance with animals/animal care!”
— Gracie Olsin5.03 weeks ago“Pretty cool exotic pet store, everything was neatly labeled so you know exactly what the item is and how much it costs. My family and I enjoyed walking around and viewing everything such as birds, snakes, lizards and axolotls!”
— Nikki Dixon5.04 weeks ago
Reference
Frequently asked questions
Note — Store information and services may change. Always call (512) 453-8800 to confirm current availability, hours, and services before visiting Zookeeper Exotics.