One of the cleanest, well maintained pet shops I've ever visited!!! The Aquatic Critter has SO MUCH variety and selection of fish and sea creatures; along with a good amount of reptiles on the second half of the building. All the animals enclosures were clean and in good condition and the place didn't smell awfully like most pet stores often do. I haven't bought anything from here personally, but I did enjoy some window shopping and was very impressed with the quality, variety, and cleanliness of this establishment. read more

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I first visited Aquatic Critter back in 2020 when I brought my niece and her best friend (a child I was tutoring during the COVID lockdown) on a little field trip. Even then, I remember being so impressed by how kind everyone was and how beautiful and healthy all of the specimens looked. Today I returned to pick out a tank for my three-year-old daughter for Christmas, and the experience was just as great as I remembered. Every staff member I interacted with was friendly, patient, and professional. A special shoutout to Jack, who helped me today. He was incredibly patient with all of my questions, and he is extremely knowledgeable about fish care. He took the time to explain everything thoroughly, and I left feeling confident and excited to set up our tank at home. I'll definitely be returning after Christmas with my daughter to pick out her fish once the tank is cycled and ready. Thank you again to Jack and the entire staff -- you all made our day! read more

The staff is very knowledgeable and helpful. Wide variety of supplies and fish, invertebrates and corals. Very clean and well laid out. Ample parking and now I come here weekly! read more

I was struggling to find male Congo tetras anywhere near me, just one at Petco for $7 which I snagged so I knew from stopping several times at AA when in the area that they generally have them. So I drove down. They had an entire wall of tanks empty and when I asked they had had some electrical issue - no problem. So I waited a few weeks and called and they said they had them. I drove back down and they were so chewed up and over double the price of Petco's at $15. I couldn't justify it. So I waited a few weeks and drove back again mid-Monday morning... still chewed up but I figured I'd already wasted so much time and gas, I was going to get them. There were 3 other customers in the store when I went to the register to ask for help - 2 employees were chatting. One immediately came with me to the tank but when we got there and I asked to pick them (out of maybe 12 fish) he replied "maybe, we generally don't let people pick fish and I can't spend all day trying to catch specific ones". Half of my tank is from there and they've NEVER told me that's their "rule." Plus the store was empty and there weren't many to choose from. I simply wanted the best looking ones since they were very chewed up already and I was putting them in a tank with full grown parrots & severums. I get that rule for like neons where there's hundreds in the tank at $2/piece. But for over double the price and being chewed up along with the rudeness I'm done making the drive. The guys at music city aquatics and 10 gallon tanks have been extremely friendly and eager to help! read more

Quality of everything in the Store, nice & very knowledgeable staff, I've been coming here for 15+ years, never disappointed !!!

Great selection! Great prices! Great staff! I have been shopping here for 25 years.

Every time I go to The Aquatic Critter I am impressed. The tanks are always clean, the staff is always friendly and ready to help, and the livestock is always healthy. They have a huge selection of both freshwater and saltwater fish and corals. Their prices are fair and align with the quality of their products. I know nothing about reptiles so I can't comment on that side of the business, but they have a large selection there as well and the enclosures/animals seems well taken care of. read more

Aquatic Critter - Black Storm Clownfish - Aquarium Services Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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Yep this place has it all. Great saltwater and coral selection, a bit pricey, but they have the goooood schtufff.

Aquatic Critter is my go-to fish store. They offer an excellent variety of high-quality and healthy fish. Chance, one of their friendly and knowledgeable staff, is always there to provide expert advice and guidance. The store is always clean and well-maintained, creating a healthy and inviting environment for the fish. I've bought dozens of fish from Aquatic Critter and enjoyed every one of them. Beyond just a store, Aquatic Critter fosters a sense of community among fish enthusiasts. It's a must-visit for anyone passionate about fishkeeping. I deeply appreciate this store and recommend anyone in Nashville to purchase from these well-kept fish stores who treat fish with the utmost respect rather than big-box stores. read more

Aquatic Critter - Dojo Loach - Aquarium Services Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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The best LFS I've ever been to. EXTENSIVE selection of saltwater and tropical fish. The quality of the stock is superb. Everything from the basics you find at most big box pet stores to exotic species unlikely to be found outside of institutional aquariums. Big or nano, they cover the entire range. Beyond specimens for your tank, they've got all the hard goods and accessories other places don't. For example, they have live brine, mounted driftwood and Current full tank lighting say systems. To say the staff is knowledgeable is an understatement. Would be surprised if the majority's the staff held advanced degrees in biology! That said, they're not snobbish and always helpful. They're very giving of their experience and knowledge. Check their website for new stock weekly. If you're coming from outside metro Nashville, call ahead and they'll arrange to hold stuff for you. read more

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Hannah M. (4/1/2023) probably didn't realize they have a separate reptile room with lots of reptiles, as well as amphibians and tarantulas. It's a great place to visit and if you go at the right time, you can watch them do feedings. read more

They should definitely take "reptile" out of their sign name. My family and I got so excited to see some reptiles and maybe get a little sibling for out beardie but we're confused when there was ZERO reptiles. Beautiful, well taken care of fish? Absolutely. But not why we stopped. Haha read more

Staff was Very helpful for setting up our first saltwater tank! Great selection of fish and equipment. More expensive than Amazon but it's a small local business worth supporting read more

The aquatic critter really is the best place in Nashville to shop for your tank; freshwater or saltwater! Right by the zoo, it's the best way to end a zoo day. So much variety and quality tank stock, great tank equipment, and overall helpful and knowledgeable staff. Tonight we had the ABSOLUTE PLEASURE of being helped by Emma. As knowledgeable as she is patient, kind, and funny!! We have been a number of times, and Emma was BY FAR the most positive experience we have had (not as if we have had ANY truly bad experiences ). Emma is an exceptional addition to the Aquatic Critter team!! We will definitely be back! read more

Very clean facility. Friendly and helpful staff. We stopped in to buy a few Koi for our pond. The young man that waited on us was very helpful and knowledgeable. He gave of lots of good information and answered many questions. Their guarantee is very good and appreciated. read more

Huge variety of pets for an ok price. Great variety of fish and staff is very helpful.

Do not buy a snake from this company!!! Was there Sunday to help my grandaughter pick out a snake for her birthday and the man that was assisting us was aggravating and being very mean to one of the snakes. The snake was recoiling and striking as soon as he opened the lid on the snake's enclosure. The employee than proceeded to thump the snake on the top of its head and was making circles around the snake's head with his hand. Basically antagonizing the poor snake. I was so upset we left and we will not be going back!!! read more

This store is fantastic! The employees are so nice and super knowledgeable. Tommy was so helpful with giving us on a lot of information on the type of reptile that would be best for our four year old! He also gave an estimate on how much it would be to get everything we need. I had never been here until today but really enjoyed this store and will be back for sure. The store is very clean with a huge variety. I was so happy my four year old was able to hold a snake for the first time lol! I was so proud of him! Thank you guys for running an awesome store where people can come and learn about beautiful reptiles, fish and insects. read more

Aquatic Critter - Aquarium Services Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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I am grateful for the knowledgeable staff. They have answered so many questions for my family and I. The selection of fish is unmatched around here, fresh water and salt. Large variety of foods and chemicals as well as huge assortment of hardscaping materials. They also have the best aquatic plants, large variety and extremely healthy. I visit this store at least once a week and I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in aquarium hobbies. read more

Aquatic critter is so very helpful in selection and maintenance. I take care of 12 saltwater tanks and they go out of their way to help me manage it all. I highly recommend! read more

The staff here is so helpful and knowledgeable. Jeremy and Robert have both been so kind to me and my 7 yo son, who has a bearded dragon. I highly recommend them and wouldn't go anywhere else. Thank you AC! read more

This place is an awesome place just to visit and see the reptiles and different types of fish that they have. A definite go-to when setting up either fresh or salt water tank. They take extremely good care of their animals. The caimans tank now contains turtles, which are ohhh sooo cute!!! They have boa constrictors, one is an albino and it's beautiful! Check them out! read more

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Best selection and overall very healthy fish. Staff is always kind and attentive. Be sure to go on weekdays to avoid crowds

Great service! Very knowledgeable. Will definitely keep coming back to get our supplies.

I went to get an aquarium whit two friends we drove about 40 mins to go to that specific store , once we got there we started looking to the Merchandise and a staff member got closer to us whit a bad attitude saying they had a policy where no one who smells like cannabis could be in their store following that he told us we needed to leave immediately in front of other costumers I'll never go back there we felt very offended, just want to remind them thc-A is completely legal in the state of Tennessee we didn't even had anything inside the store the guy told us was the smell ... read more

Tofu was the most helpful, kind and knowledgeable worker! Excellent aquatic selection. Do yourself a favor and ask for tofu. He knows his stuff and is so nice!!! read more

They have an excellent variety of fish and reptiles. The reptiles are in another building off to the side.

The best . They helped me year round with my koi pond . Have bought 5 koi from them and they have grown so big . Love this place

If you're serious about your aquariums or reptiles, this is the place to go in the Nashville area. I'm going to focus on the aquarium aspect of this business. They have exceptionally knowledgeable staff and a selection of freshwater and saltwater species that is far beyond the norm. They will have the fish, plants, or invertebrates that you just won't find stocked anywhere else in the Nashville area. If they don't have it in stock, they'll order it for you. The selection of live species fills a lot of niches that chain pet stores can't because chain stores only stock the big sellers. A chain pet store may have one or two kinds of shrimp, but Aquatic Critter has several species in stock to choose from. The plant selection for freshwater is extensive, and if you have the proper setup the plants will thrive. They carry all kinds of aquatic mosses and cover plants, and stock many custom driftwood centerpieces for which you can attach your plants to. The saltwater inventory is also quite extensive with many species to choose from in many sizes, and they have lots of different coral in a wide price range. They sell all of the lighting, filtration systems, and supplies you'll need for a saltwater aquarium. They maintain their aquariums at the highest level, so you can be assured that whatever you purchase will be healthy and will not pose a risk to your existing aquarium. They also sell pre-treated aquarium water for those who may need it. They stock all of the supplies you need to maintain your aquarium at a reasonable price. They will take the time to answer any questions you may have about products that you may not be familiar with. These folks obviously love what they do and it shows. Aquatic Critter has definitely earned five stars for the 16 years I've been doing business with them. read more

Love this place. HUGE with a great selection of fish. It's always busy, but we'll staffed so you can get some assistance if needed. Service is knowledgeable and helpful, but due to their popularity they're not there to chit chat. read more

So I was in the market for an assassin snail and a Betta fish. This was THE place. However if you go with the mindset I'm just here for one fish ... this place even had a reptile zoo next door with freaky snakes and lizards. The staff is super helpful. Even if you don't plan on getting a fish this was a fun place to hang out for the afternoon . They also have an entire side of the store dedicated to salt water tanks very cool. Get there now yelpers! Forget the big box places stop giving your cash to the man. read more

Aquatic Critter - Cool stuff - Aquarium Services Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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How neat is this place? If you're looking for a wide selection of fish, plants, reptiles & spiders, this is the place to go to in Nashville. They've got all the different creepy crawly things. The building is split into two sides. The south part of the building is where you'll find fresh & salt water fish. The north part is smaller & where the snakes & reptiles. If you're not a fan of snakes, don't enter. They commonly have people holding snakes & you don't want to look like a fool when you see it & run screaming out the door. They've got a large exhibit with lizards & another one with turtles. I'm glad they got rid of the alligator/caiman exhibit as it seemed a little small for the size of the animals. This place is super clean. The tanks are always immaculate. The prices might be higher than other pet stores, but you're getting quality pets here. You won't find a green tank or dead fish floating here. The staff is very knowledgable & helpful, but not pushy like they're trying to sell you a fish. They've also got some amazing looking tanks, one of them was very modern and $2,950, a little out of my price range. If you're in the market for anything fish/reptile related, I'd try here first. If you're in the area & looking to kill some time, this is also a great place to do that. Who knows, you might meet your new best friend! read more

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I never knew just how neat a pet store catered specifically to aquatic animal owners could be! I've always been pretty into sea life and fish of all sorts, and Aquatic Critter certainly has it all covered. I don't (currently) have any fish, but if I ever decide to buy a water-dwelling little friend, this is where I'm going. They have an enormous selection of saltwater and freshwater dwelling fish as well as countless snails and what appeared to be sting rays (though they might have been some cousin of the sting ray whose name I am not yet familiar with). Some of their exotic fish are extremely beautiful, and they have puffers, angel fish and every type of tropical fish you can imagine. In addition to the animals themselves, Aquatic Critter also sells every possible contraption you may need to care for your little water-dwelling friends. They have aquariums large and small as well as every sort of food, filter and aquarium decoration you can imagine. The staff clearly knows what they are talking about, and they're mostly very approachable, placid, animal-loving types. Just one thing about Aquatic Critter worried me. Outside, they have several large, open tanks where they keep coy and other neat little fish. As I was leaving the store yesterday, I noticed a small speckled coy gasping for air on the pavement just in front of my truck. I sprang into action, picking him up gingerly and redepositing him in his tank (which was easily eight feet away). I'm glad I was there to help the little guy...I just hope that's not the sort of thing that happens often! read more

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I want to give a huge shout out THANK YOU MATT. I was so nervous about starting my 1st long dream salt water aquarium until I met Matt Foust and Aquatic Critter. This gentleman was so helpful to me every step of the way, even taking calls while off work, lol. Anyway he as well asnhis staff are the absolute best in the business in quality, knowledge, customer service and care!!! Oh also his price by far beat any big pet atore, even other local aquarium stores. Give Matt a call, you wont be sorry you did. Colleen C. read more

I went to the Aquatic Critter after another pet store in Bowling Green, KY referred me to see this one. Just pulling into the parking lot I was impressed at the size of this place it is huge. Once inside the store I was greeted by the staff and the owner of the store. I told them that another pet store referred me to them a I asked if I could even take pics of some of the fish the said take all the pics you want. I ended up buying a T-shirt and a measurement cup. They have just about anything that you could want in the aquarium hobby. I plain on visiting the store again the next time I'm in Nashville. read more

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Favorite fish/reptile shop in nashville! Very helpful staff, huge variety of fresh and saltwater fish. The reptile side is great too. I get my supplies for our ball python there. Highly recommend. read more

This LFS still has good costumer service w/friendly and knowledgeable staff. I'm downgrading this review because the prices have just gotten so outrageous for coral and SW fish especially. They have pre-mixed saltwater, which is primarily what I use them for convenience sake. read more

My husband and I enjoyed walking through this store! We are from out of town and couldn't buy anything but couldn't believe how clean this place was. We also noticed how attentive the staff was with customers! Good job, guys! read more

Aquatic Critter is wonderful! They just did a presentation at my preschool and it was great. Robert was so patient and let all the children see and touch all the animals. He took time to make sure each child got a turn. The children and staff loved it. We also use Aquatic Critter for buying fish, fish tank water and fish food. They employees are always friendly and helpful. Great place, great service! read more

This is a great aquarium store. I really like the tank, and fish selection here. Really good products, and the employees were really nice. I would definitely recommend this. read more