Murfreesboro man directs lifelong love for animals into local fish and reptile shop.

The past decade, especially during the past five years, a worldwide explosion in the fresh and salt water fish hobbyist arena has developed. Unfortunately, the ’Boro has been behind the curve.

A trip to Nashville was necessary for high quality and varied selection of fish and reptiles the big corporate chain stores simply do not and probably will never carry. You want a ragged betta or a half-dead goldfish? Head to the chains. Prefer a healthy, vibrant cobalt blue zebra African Cichlid or a beautiful and graceful Neolamprologus brichardi? Maybe even a red-tipped silver arowana? Then check out The Jungle, the premier local aquatic and reptilian establishment.

The store is filled with row after glorious row of sparkling aquariums, every single one coordinating a color scheme of rocks and backgrounds, plants and fish. These simple glass boxes of water are transformed into the beautiful aquatic ecosystems their small inhabitants deserve. Not that the fish care, but I like to think they do.

Also, you will notice folks speaking loudly and laughing often. Listen a bit closer and you will realize the topics revolve around who recently got a new species of fish. You will recognize these people know each other and know one another’s aquatic inhabitants better than they know each other’s kids. Friends are made and sustained at this place. Dorkdom? Maybe. Fun? Absolutely.

A large wood and plexi-glass display case at The Jungle’s front window houses two enormous reticulated pythons that lazily await their monthly feeding, which always draws a crowd of ecstatic kids and even more parents.

Both snakes are close to a very intimidating 20 feet long, and are easily a foot wide and weigh around 250 lbs. In the wild, these are the stranglers and killers of boar and antelope, and in captivity, if extremely unlucky, you. For dinner they each have a full sized rabbit, and not the cute little white ones. I think I heard Merlon Olsen and most of the producers of Animal Planet shows giggling at all of us when we saw nature-in-captivity feeding time. Regardless, due to the smiles and oohs and aahs, it is difficult to tell whether the children or adults are having the better time at the feedings.

Eric Fann, who holds a masters degree in natural science and kept and loved reptiles and fish since he was a little kid, opened The Jungle in January 2005.

He previously worked at the Cumberland Science Museum in Nashville for five years and then at the Nashville Zoo at Grassmere for another eight, with, you guessed it, fish and reptiles. Then he made the move and taught fifth-grade Science classes for five years at Stewartsboro. His former students and their parents coming into The Jungle is a common occurrence.

When asked what one of the biggest surprises of starting and owning The Jungle has been, Eric grinned from the side of his mouth and rolled his eyes, saying as many local small business owners would, “Stress! I’m the person responsible for the budget, paying the bills, orders, everything! You’ve got to be the jack of all trades to keep the business alive.”

Despite the pressure, he loves it.
“I absolutely love getting in fish orders once a week?the rush of excitement of being a kid in a candy store with all the new fish!” he said.

Eric explains The Jungle will offer customers the highest quality fresh water fish, including South American and African Cichlids, tetras, sword tails and mollies as well as salt water species like the colorful Tang, the cute and cuddly puffer fish and everyone’s favorite “Nemo” Fish, the adorable clownfish.

Finally, I asked Eric for some advice on an upstart business, and his eyes twinkled. “Pick something you love first and worry about the money second, because it’s gonna be your whole life.” He looked around slowly and thoughtfully through his shop, and then a widened smile appeared across his face. “And heck, I’ve wanted to own a store like this since I was ten years old. I guess I could say I’m living some version of my childhood dream. That’s pretty cool.”

For more information, call (615) 494-5070 or visit The Jungle at 3325 Memorial Blvd.