Team E.C.C.O. & the Aquarium & Shark Lab by Team ECCO

Positive experience: While small, this aquarium had a neat collection of fish and other animals. We happened to visit during feeding time, which was enjoyable to watch. The staff was very knowledgeable. It seemed a little expensive to come in, but I get that keeping this stuff up costs something, so I'll cut some slack.

Fantastic experience: Awesome time. Loved the feeding and explanation of all the fish, sharks, and more! Good way to spend your afternoon. Kiddos love it

Fantastic experience: This is a must visit if you even have a mild interest in aquariums. The founder was there and spent time with my kids putting creatures in their hands and teaching us all about them. We were able to watch feedings for sharks and reptiles. Look in every single tank and you'll find the most interesting little guys. My husband fell in love with the turtles and tortoise, which we also got to pet. Definitely stop in!

Fantastic experience: Great experience, they had a large variety of wildlife, got to touch some in the wade pool and they did a feeding around 1pm, great show and super friendly and knowledgeable staff

Fantastic experience: Highly, highly recommend! We took our children ages 9 through 15 and the children and adults alike loved it. We’ve been to the Tennessee aquarium in Chattanooga multiple times and this is a very different sort of experience. Very small and intimate. I think my kids might actually have enjoyed it more than the big aquarium. They got to touch a dozen different animals. The staff members are incredible and clearly love what they do and love answering questions. Plus the whole family got in for less than one ticket to the big aquarium. We will definitely be back.

Fantastic experience: Wonderful experience! Every single person was so kind and eager to share their knowledge.

Fantastic experience: A fantastic little gem on main street! An impressive array of animals are on display, with energetic young men and women with biology/environmental slants standing ready to attend to any queries.

Fantastic experience: Mrs. Brenda J Ramer is the coolest person on earth she can teach you anything if you ask her and she has dedicated a lifetime for the fish the rays the eels the reptiles the sharks and the venomous fish in the aquarium! We all thank her for the hard work and dedication to make this small aquarium into an awesome aquarium! So please give some praises not for me but for her!

Negative experience: This place is a perfect example of having a wonderful idea but being the wrong people to be behind it. Charlotte suffered for no other reason than the owner’s ego and want of clout. True professionals were ignored and an innocent stingray paid the price for it. This place has a wonderful dream however if it wants to survive someone who actually cares about the animals well-being should be in charge, not a clout chasing narcissist with no credentials. This place is truly wonderful and deserves to be all it can be. That means new ownership and real compassion towards the animals in their care. JUSTICE FOR CHARLOTTE!!

Negative experience: They lied about the "pregnant" stingray and did not give the poor animal the medical attention and care it needed until it was too late. Luckily there are other people giving reviews similar to mine so that people don't come here and give these barbarians money.

Fantastic experience: Love what they are doing to help provide some normalcy during this time! They were not charging admission this afternoon, encouraging families to come in and enjoy some reprieve from all the hard times right now. Staff took so much time sharing knowledge with our kids, answering questions, and even giving some treats away. Will definitely be going back!

Negative experience: They had many people warning them Charlotte was not pregnant before she died. I can personally bring out my own screenshots as evidence. Many people trained in marine life were aware of this and urged ECCO to get her further testing months before she passed. They refused or blocked us. We were offering free help. They used a dying animal for TikTok clout with the full awareness she was dying. Do NOT support animal abusers.

Fantastic experience: We enjoy spending time here. My grandson loves all the fish and getting a chance to touch the reptiles. The staff are always patient and willing to answer endless questions

Negative experience: Falsely claimed firstly that a shark had impregnated a ray. Then after experts refuted that possibility they changed the narrative to a parthenogenic pregnancy. Refused the offer of expert medical involvement. All for social media clout. Despicable behaviour! NOW it’s been confirmed she has a reproductive disease (a suggestion offered by hundreds earlier in the piece) and have confirmed she is “no longer pregnant” She never was pregnant! They even falsified the so called ultrasounds they posted with the sonogram screen clearly displaying 2019! This facility should not reopen until all owners/managers are replaced! The site and staff should also be properly accredited. What a debacle and completely unethical that the care of an animal was sacrificed in the name of social media following! The aquarium is still closed (14-8-24) and I sincerely hope it stays that way until new owners and full accreditation can be achieved.

Fantastic experience: I hope you're able to reopen for those who respect what you have done for such an in-land city. If mistakes were made, it's part of a learning process and there are many that still appreciate and support the fact you've provided a learning opportunity as well as brought beauty to many that are unable to travel to see it. Anyone who judges and throws stones needs to make sure their glass house is spotlessly clean. We always have the best time every visit! My husband and I enjoy it almost as much as our son does, so I'm not sure why there has been negativity other than people should relax - ESPECIALLY since you've been given an opportunity to see many things a lot wouldn't ever be able to! While this is a "storefront" venue, it's amazingly large once you enter and all the interns and volunteers are super friendly as well as helpful, willing to answer any questions and offer interesting facts. Everyone we encountered today was beyond friendly and are the reason we frequently make the drive to visit! We brought my son here for his first birthday and a handful of times since, knowing that when he asks for The Aquarium, this is where he wants to go!!! Every creature that is here is extremely well cared for and Ms. BJ is obviously extremely passionate about what she does as well as deeply cares about those that live there as well as the ones who visit . HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND visiting and enjoying all the specialness within this amazing place!!!! Thank-you to all for the beauty you bring to Hendersonville!!!

Negative experience: 1 star for being dishonest with the public about Charlotte the stingrays condition. Charlotte is in dire need of care and her life is at risk, they "messed up" and are not willing to admit it, all at this poor rays expense.

Negative experience: Not providing their sweet animals with the vet care they need.

Fantastic experience: Can't say enough wonderful things about this unexpected gem found on a main street in the middle of the mountains!!! Would absolutely recommend visiting. An amazing group of people spreading their love for these animals through education and research. A must stop in Hendersonville!

Fantastic experience: I was hesitant to go due to it being so small but I'm so glad I did. The staff was knowledgeable and kind. We got to learn many interesting facts. We also got to pet a geico and turtles

Negative experience: As of the most important waiting outside in the windy cold weather I think u should have a better waiting area

Negative experience: They appeared to have a crocodile gecko, leopard gecko, and a crested gecko housed together. in general, housing geckos of the same species is frowned upon, for different species, that still applies, especially since they all have different needs. Crested geckos need 80-90% humidity at night, and a dry out period during the day that gets do drier than 40% during this time. Crested geckos need temps between 70ish to 75, leopard geckos are from an entirely different climate. They need a cool and warm side, wrm side with temps around 80-85, which are way way to high for crested geckos. leopards also need a basking area that is in the 90's. They need low humidity, no higher than 30%. I don't know much about crocodile geckos to speak on there care or needs, but looking at just the humidity and temp needs, there's no way to safely meet them in the same enclosure.

Fantastic experience: Absolutely worth the cost of admission. A very passionate team. Charlotte is of course perfect.

Fantastic experience: Hail stesus, I love this place Great for children, inexpensive and it will not take you all day to walk through but will still entertain you for a while. I love Charolette the stingray

Fantastic experience: This lab is Amazing!! The staff are very nice, helpful and engaging. We visited to see the famous pregnant stingray Charlotte & she was really cute. It’s amazing to witness her journey. We enjoyed the other displays; the axolotl salamander, baby box turtles, bearded dragon & tortoise. We are already planning our next visit!

Fantastic experience: I wish more locals knew of this place & hope now with the famous sting ray that it gets support a lot more because it's so cheap and simple with great experiences for kids and flies in our own backyard!

Fantastic experience: We had my son’s birthday party here and I would highly recommend it. They close it to the public and you have the whole space. The staff was very knowledgeable and we did some of the live animal Interactions which was super fun and the kids were very interested.

Fantastic experience: This is a gem of a place with beautiful aquariums, and a lot of interesting animals besides the fish to study.

Fantastic experience: We stopped by on a Saturday, and the adults and kids had a great time. They feed the animals at 1:30, so plan to be there during that time. All the staff members were very kind and answered all our questions. This place is more than just an aquarium - check out their website for all their offerings.

Negative experience: I am giving two stars bc 7$ is pushing it for a small room of fish tanks, some turtles and a bearded dragon you can touch. There's not much there, and I didn't see one shark. If there's only 20 mins left there's no discount, that also applies if you have to use the bathroom--they don't have one so you have to go somewhere else, but no worries the place is so small you can take it in pretty quick. Probably better for small children. I would say this is less like an aquarium and more like a fish store without prices. I'm on a mission to visit ALL Aquariums but this one hardly qualifies.

Fantastic experience: Single best museum, aquarium, “hands on” experience I have ever taken my kids (5 and 9) to in any city anywhere. Small but SO engaging, answering questions, touching/feeling, etc. Really great and do not miss with young curious kids.

Fantastic experience: Though small, this place is fascinating. Be sure to be there at 1:30 for the various feedings, including baby sharks! They also let you touch various reptiles. They have a variety of fish and other reptiles.

Positive experience: Love how the staff will answer the questions to the best of their ability.

Positive experience: Not at all what we were expecting, but for the price, and the fact that my 10 year old had a blast flitting back and forth amongst the tanks, I'm really pleased by the entertainment and the value.

Fantastic experience: Consists of only one room but great little aquarium. Several helpers that could explain what an animal was and give interesting facts. Special stations like the touch tank were fun for my grandson.

Fantastic experience: I will let the photos speak for themselves

Fantastic experience: Great people and wonderful learning experience for the kids!

Fantastic experience: Fun Aquarium with knowledgeable staff, lots of different fish and any

Fantastic experience: A great place to visit. Everyone was so helpful & informative!

Fantastic experience: the most magical, wonderful, sea creatures who are lovingly cared for by the most knowledgeable, fun, and interesting folks! the entire experience was delightful. :-) best field trip EVER! i highly recommend. And in Hendersonville, of all places!

Fantastic experience: I am a student who wanted to learn about Marine Biology for a job assignment in class, this was the only aquarium I could find that was even a little close to me. What I got, however, was an experience I could only describe as excellent. While this place is a bit on the small side, the staff are welcoming, warm, and are clearly passionate about what they do. This place definitely deserves more attention than it gets and would recommend anyone looking for a short, but memorable experience to go here.

Negative experience: The staff is very knowledgeable and very friendly. They will answer any question you have about the animals they have. If I own this place I would ask for donations instead of an entry fee. You are in and out unless you ask questions it's very small.

Fantastic experience: I will admit that I was a bit skeptical about this place at first. But like they say, "don't judge a book by its cover." This place was absolutely phenomenal. The staff are all very very educated and well versed on the animals there in the aquarium. The owner is also very educated, friendly and very involved with continuing education for herself and her staff. This truly is a hidden gem!!!

Fantastic experience: Loved, loved, loved this place! From the African tortoises they were feeding outside to the many types of turtles and mini sharks and urchins the 2 lovely little ladies who let us pet them! Grant , our self appointed guide, gave us a wealth of information and. was so passionate about what he was doing there. Would highly recommend you stop there. They also had someone carving a pumpkin underwater in a tank!! Go there!

Fantastic experience: Small local aquarium. Great shark feeding demonstration. All the staff are very knowledgeable and helpful. We enjoyed ourselves.

Fantastic experience: This was such a great place to visit! It is smaller than your average tourist aquarium, but none the less interesting! Tue shark/ray feeding was fun and informative. I got to hold and touch sea stars and urchins. I also got to pet and watch the feeding of tortoises and geckos. Everyone was so nice and answered my many questions. Lol I have to say, that Clyde the Crested gecko was my favorite! Would go back and would recommend!

Fantastic experience: This is the most precious place! It is small but incredibly worth the visit. We had the best time learning about sea animals and watching the tank feeds. Our three children really had the best time!

Fantastic experience: Small but very nice for younger kids. The feeding shows were very educational

Negative experience: We brought our two kids (8 and 11) to see the exhibits. Our 8 year old tapped on one of the tanks gently and my husband walked over to stop her. I understand it’s disruptive to the fish, but before we could even intervene, the owner/manager flew into an absolute rage and started screaming at her. It was a terrible experience and ruined our afternoon. I’d discourage anyone from bringing their kids to this place.

Negative experience: The cost of admission is wildly over-priced for an aggregate total of about 11 minutes of activity and engagement for the kids. Wouldn’t do it it again.

Fantastic experience: Had such cool fish and creatures, loved learning about their shark that has dwarfism…seriously some special specimens here. Everyone working/volunteering was incredible helpful and knowledgeable. It was like a personal tour, loved it.

Fantastic experience: Such a great place! It is small but absolutely worth it. Get there at opening to see the feedings. They went around and fed all the larger tanks, they told us what type of tank, what animals were in there, what they were eating and facts about what animals were in those tanks. I love that they even named the animals, like pumpkin the pufferfish The staff was so knowledgeable and friendly. We came from Greenville, SC to visit and will definitely be back

Fantastic experience: We loved it! It was a super cool experience for the kids and very informative! Lots of different things to see.

Fantastic experience: Love this place! It inspired me to get my own aquarium, which I haven't had in over a decade, and share the experience with my son. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable.

Fantastic experience: This aquarium was awesome! As many reviewers have noted, the space is not large. It's in downtown Hendersonville, right on Main St. You are not going to be seeing 20 foot sharks or giant fish or anything like that. However, you will see a wide variety of fish, rays, lobsters, crabs, salamanders, urchins, etc. and yes, several small sharks. They also have tortoises, lizards, and several kinds of water turtles. Most importantly, if you arrive around 1:00pm (12:30 on Saturday), you will get to see the staff feed all of the animals. They go around to each tank and feed each creature by hand. They also take some of the lizards and tortoises out of their habitats while they're feeding them, and they have a touch tank where you can feel horseshoe crabs, urchins, and starfish. The highlight of the trip was when one of the staff actually put on a snorkel and dived into the large tank to feed the sharks and rays. The sharks and rays came right up to the diver as she fed them. All of the staff, who range in age from middle school to college, are extremely knowledgeable and will answer any questions you have. Fun for all ages, especially if you get to see the animal feedings! You will not be disappointed! One final note: Street parking was very tight downtown. There is a municipal parking lot a few blocks away on N King St, but there aren't very many signs pointing to it. We drove in circles a couple of times before we found it.

Fantastic experience: Who would of thought there would be such a awesome aquarium hidden in the mountains! Lots of cool Turtles and Fish to see and a great staff ready to answer questions. My kids loved it. There is a touch and feel tank that you can hold a number of aquatic animals. Make sure to see the shark tank feeding.

Fantastic experience: This is a fun place to take a little one and let them just look around. The staff are really friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. We loved our visit.

Fantastic experience: This place was wonderful and very welcoming. My nephew loves turtles/tortoises and was thoroughly entertained by everything the Aquarium had to offer!

Fantastic experience: I would have never expected to find a little aquarium in Hendersonville!! Why this place is a smaller aquarium, it doesn't lack in animals, experts to answer questions, or experiences like touching tortoises, watching a shark feeding, or touching various shells n such. This was an awesome experience and needs more attention from people.

Fantastic experience: Fairly cheap but small. Kids loved the hands on items. There was lot of helpful workers that helped teach about the fish and turtles.

Fantastic experience: Fantastic place for a field trip! My preschool had the best time. It was an engaging, educational, hands on learning experience that was fantastic. Ms. Brenda, the owner, is so knowledgeable and great with the kids. She kept their attention and we had a smooth flowing itinerary already created for us. Thank you so much! I would highly recommend!

Fantastic experience: Such a cool place to see some beautiful animals and gain knowledge. The crew was very informative and welcoming! Highly recommend.

Negative experience: Sad excuse for an aquarium. Was definitely not worth the price.

Fantastic experience: Entry is cheap, we stayed for the shark feeding and it was very interesting, staff was very nice and informative if you had questions.

Fantastic experience: My Husbund and I took our 2 grandsons, 5 and 6 year old boys here. I thought the experience was great. I talked to the owner, and she has teen and college student volunteer helpers. All were so knowledgeable, answering my questions. More importantly They were great with the kids! Patiently answering all of their questions, and the hands on experience was also wonderful. They touched large tortoises, star fish, toads, sea urchins. Also got to see 3 week old box turtles, very cool. Everyone was so friendly.

Fantastic experience: They have a great variety for their size, however the best part was the 12 year old volunteer (we didn’t catch his name). He was so knowledgeable and was able to answer all of our questions with such confidence and extra detail. He did a great job!

Fantastic experience: Enjoyed the shark feeding event at the Apple Festival.

Fantastic experience: Cute little aquarium. Live feeding at about 1-115. Loved watching the owner feed the sharks and share information about each one.

Fantastic experience: This place was pleasantly surprising. It may not look it from the storefront, but inside they have multiple fish aquariums and a larger shark aquarium. The sharks are pretty small, but the staff is friendly and knowledgeable. There are plenty of interactive exhibits for the kids. If you show up at the right time you can watch them feed the sharks and learn about some of the fish in the tank. After, kids can take pictures with the diver.

Positive experience: We loved it! Went as a family of four 1 yr old and 5 yr old kids both enjoyed it Took about 30 min We had our own little tour guide volunteer (had to be only like 12) he was great made the experience even better Clean and to the point Very affordable

Fantastic experience: Friendly and knowledgeable staff.. Got to watch feeding time event, to include the tortoises. To me well worth the entry fee!!

Negative experience: Not even worth six dollars. It’s a very small aquarium and the animals are very clearly stressed and not properly taken care of.

Positive experience: Not bad considering its small size. The worst thing is the parking: there is none. It was my first trip to old downtown Hendersonville and we spent 45 minutes (not exaggerating) driving in circles waiting for a nearby parking space to open up. We were about to give up when a space opened at the last second. They may be smaller than a pet store, but you will see exotic animals that you do not find it typical pet stores. The staff is knowledgeable and more than eager to volunteer information about the species you will encounter in their displays.

Fantastic experience: Very small but very cute. The lil boy (I'm bad at names‍♀️) was so helpful and knowledgeable, he new all about the fish. He was the highlight of the experience. He aloud us to hold some of the water life briefly (my kids favorite part).

Fantastic experience: Such an awesome place! Drove over an hour to visit this place and it didn't disappoint at all.

Fantastic experience: Great staff and educational outreach!

Fantastic experience: Nice little aquarium downtown! The interns and workers are super knowledgeable and make it an even better experience for the little ones or those interested

Fantastic experience: What an awesome place!! I live in Hendersonville, I’m just sad that I’m just now experiencing this great aquarium! My son is four and absolutely loved it! Everyone there is super knowledgeable and was happy to answer any questions.

Fantastic experience: This place is so fun. The staff is friendly, passionate, helpful and knowledgeable. The whole family loved our visit. They have a few sharks which were awesome. They have many reptiles and fish. Each exhibit gave information about the animals and their natural habitat. The owner is passionate about conservation and education. We were so glad they were still open during this uncertain time.

Positive experience: To: Owner From: Carol Masters, Rocky Mount, NC Dear Sir, My husband and I have had Lionhead Orandas for 6-7 years, we relocated to Rocky Mount, NC about 3 years ago, lost our last Oranda about 6 months ago. We had each of them about 3-5 years. Losing them was as bad as losing any other loved pet, family member. With all that said, just to give you our background, do you have Lionhead Orandas, can you get them, medium to large? If not, could you point me in the right direction please? My fallback is Petsmart and that is SOOOOOO NOT going to happen. Thank you for your time and advice. Sincerely

Fantastic experience: Christy made this an amazing experience for my husband and I. We love nature and she had answers to ALL my questions she's very impressive. She even showed us animals and sea creatures that we overlooked very good and educated young lady.

Fantastic experience: This place was great for being in the mountains, these people leaving bad reviews, get a life. I have read studies that people who leave bad reviews for no reason other but to feel they have power have the lowest IQ.

Fantastic experience: Inexpensive and hands on. Not a big place but worth going.

Fantastic experience: We brought our son for his 1st birthday and again right after his 2nd. He loves all things aquatic and would stay all day if we let him - if we lived closer, I'm sure we'd be there every week!!! All staff and volunteers are so kind and patient, and Ms. BJ is very informative and willing to answer any questions - you can tell how much she loves all the life there and what she does. HIGHLY recommended and we will DEFINITELY be back very soon!!!

Fantastic experience: Couldn't imagine a cooler place to visit downtown than the ocean in the mountains. Go visit the whole staff there and learn about everything they do! While the aquarium and shark lab are awesome, they do even more for our community. Thanks for what you do guys!

Fantastic experience: Great quick experience. I was so excited to see an aquarium downtown in a small town, miles from the sea. As someone with a passion for conservation, I love that people are taking time to stop in and learn about the wonders of the ocean and the ways that we can help preserve it. The staff was friendly, there was a pretty good biodiversity considering the small size, and the large tank is pretty neat for such a small space. The animals seemed to be well cared for, the tanks were clean, and there was a lot of information displayed to take in. For anyone complaining about the size, this aquarium was only $5 for me to enter, which is a tiny fraction of what most aquariums cost. Worth a stop, especially if you have children.

Positive experience: Adorable, small and incredibly friendly staff. Spent about half an hour here and our two toddlers loved it.

Fantastic experience: My family had a great time! Awesome team of knowledgeable staff and volunteers and a very hands-on experience that will definitely keep us coming back

Negative experience: The aquariums were nice(: but I was severely disappointed in the reptile care. As someone who is studying herpetology the Leopard Gecko enclosure broke my heart. A gecko of any species should never be housed together. They are territorial animals who do not have the brain wiring to form bonds. Not only that but they were housed with a Crested Gecko. A species requiring 60-80% humidity as opposed to the Leopard Geckos 20-30%. The lack of under tank heating was also an issue. Leos do not bask and benefit the most from belly heat. The workers were very nice and seem very excited to learn more which i think would be beneficial to both them and the animals. I’d personally recommend a 24x18x18 exoterra vertical tank with coconut fiber bedding and foliage for the crested gecko. For the Leopards they would thrive in two separate 20 gallon long enclosures with coconut fiber/tile substrate, three hides(one being moist to aide shedding) and an under tank heater connected to a thermostat. Other than the poor gecko husbandry the aquarium was very cute. I hope you can take this and research on your own to see what would fit best for your little guys!

Fantastic experience: The average pet store is much bigger than this place, but I truly enjoyed my visit. The fish tanks and other animal habitats are well maintained. I applaud the management, staff and volunteers.

Fantastic experience: Great place to have fun. Informative staff that does a great job of answering questions. Kid and adult friendly highly recommend.

Fantastic experience: For a cute, boutique aquarium in the mountains, they have more than I expected to find. Team ECCO strives to share knowledge and research around bamboo sharks as well as fostering education in people of all ages! My daughter and I love staying up to date on all events and new things changing here, even though we live near Asheville.. she always wants to go to the aquarium in Hendersonville!

Positive experience: Staff is friendly and knowledgeable. Took my children hoping to have a good time. They really wanted to see sharks. They were pretty underwhelmed to say the least. The turtles were the best part.

Negative experience: Quant little place but basically just fish tanks one tank bigger then 20gal. around a room. People working knew very little about the fish they had. One shark in the whole place and it's very small. Took kids maybe 20 mins to see and touch everything.

Fantastic experience: Very friendly and the encourage the kids to touch

Negative experience: We took a trip from Greenville to come up here. Since it had pretty good reviews we thought it might be worth our time. They advertise pretty extensively about their sharks so thought our kids would love that. We paid our $21 (two adults, two kids) and walked in. I was kind of wondering where the exhibit was, thinking we were in the atrium or something. Well that was it. It was almost like walking through the fish aisle at your pet store. The sharks are in one tank on the floor and are about 12"-18" in length and about 3" wide. These nurse sharks just sit at the bottom of the tank. So we spent about 15 minutes there and went over to the kids museum down the street. It was the quickest I ever lost $20. I do understand they need money to pay for their store, but they need to be upfront with you on what this really is...

Fantastic experience: Wonderful marine education and research center with passionate staff and volunteers!

Fantastic experience: The people that had this aquarium are so knowledgeable. What they are doing and what they are teaching people really is beyond reproach. We learned so much today and all of the people we talk to our volunteers. What a great place. Definitely worth the cost to go in and to support this worthy cause.

Negative experience: Not worth $5. Very disappointing. No activities for children and nothing exciting to see. Don't go.

Positive experience: It is okay. I wish there was more things though.

Fantastic experience: The staff is knowledgeable, the sea life is interesting. Definitely worth a visit.