A good first tankPlanted starter tank, 60 litres
Glass tank with a light, filter and heater; fish chosen later
from $189
Clear water, living plants and a tank set up properly
Deep Blue Aquatics sells tanks, filters, food, test kits and live plants, with freshwater fish chosen in person at the shop. Order supplies for delivery or collection, or ask us to set up and plant a tank in your home or office.
60 tanksof fish and plants on show
2 weeksin quarantine before any fish is sold
Freshwaterfish and plants only
- Plants grown in our own tanks
- Legally traded fish only
- Supplies delivered or collected
- Tanks set up by enquiry
Tanks, filters, food and plants
Supplies can be delivered or collected. Live fish and shrimp are sold at the shop only, where each one can be talked through before it goes home with you.
A good first tank
External canister filter
A quiet filter for tanks of 100 to 250 litres
from $139
Freshwater test kit
Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH, about 100 tests of each
$36
Live plant bundle
Six easy plants grown in the shop
$28
Tropical flake food
Balanced flakes for community fish
from $12
Tank setup in your home
We plant and start the tank, then add fish over the following weeks
Price on enquiry
EnquireCheckout adds the delivery fee for supplies, and unopened supplies can come back within 14 days. Plants travel in damp wrap; please never tip spare plants, snails or tank water into ponds, drains or rivers.
Where our fish come from, and where they never go
Every fish and shrimp we sell is legally traded, and wherever a captive bred source exists, that is the one we buy from. A few species only come from responsibly managed wild collection, through licensed suppliers with paperwork. Rules on which species may be kept, sold or moved vary between countries and regions, and the shop works within the ones in force locally.
New arrivals spend two weeks in our quarantine tanks before they go on sale, so we can watch them feed and settle. A fish bought here must never be released into a pond, lake or river, where it can harm local wildlife; if one can no longer be kept, bring it back and we will find it a new home.
- Captive bred wherever a bred source exists
- Two weeks in quarantine before sale
- Unwanted fish taken back and rehomed, never released
Matching the filter and heater to the tank
Rules of thumb we give at the counter for a freshwater tank. Every species has needs of its own, so each fish is talked through before you buy it.
| Tank volume | Filter flow per hour | Heater | A sensible start |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40 litres | 160 to 240 litres | 25 to 50 watts | Shrimp or a small shoal of tiny fish |
| 60 litres | 240 to 360 litres | 50 watts | A few small, peaceful community fish |
| 120 litres | 480 to 720 litres | 100 watts | A community tank with a few bottom dwellers |
| 250 litres | 1,000 to 1,500 litres | 200 watts, or two of 100 | A larger community or a planted show tank |
Heater sizes assume a cool room at about 18 °C; a warmer room needs less.
How a tank setup comes together
For homes, offices and waiting rooms. Expect five or six weeks between our first look at the space and the day the first fish swim in it.
Visit and measure
We look at the space, check the floor can carry the weight, since every litre of water weighs a kilogram, and talk about the fish you hope to keep.
Plan and price
A written plan lists the tank, stand, equipment and plants, priced in full before anything is ordered.
Plant and wait
We install, plant and fill the tank, then let it run without fish for about four weeks while helpful bacteria settle in the filter.
Add fish slowly
Fish go in a few at a time, and the water is tested with you at each visit through the first month.
Care once the tank is running
For keepers who want a second pair of eyes, a hand with the heavy jobs or cover while they travel.
Water testing at the counter
Bring a small jar of tank water and it is tested while you wait, with the numbers explained in plain words.
per test$4
Maintenance visits
Water changes, glass and filter cleaning and plant trimming, monthly or every fortnight.
from$65 a visit
Holiday care
Feeding and a quick check every few days while you are away.
from$25 a visit
Moving a tank
Fish bagged safely, the tank drained, moved and set up again at the new address.
from$120
Inside the shop
Plant tanks, the quarantine room and a setup in an office reception.
Notes from tank keepers (example reviews)
The staff talked us out of the fish we came in for, because they would have outgrown the tank, and helped us pick a shoal that suits it. Two years on, every one is still swimming.
A planted tank for the clinic waiting room, set up over five weeks with no fish until the water was ready. Patients stop to watch it every day.
Brought a jar of water in when the tank turned cloudy. The test took five minutes, and the explanation finally made sense of the numbers.
Questions from new and seasoned keepers
Do you send live fish by post?
No. Fish and shrimp are sold at the shop only, so they travel a short way in an insulated bag and every question can be asked as they are chosen. Plants and supplies can be delivered.
What should happen to a fish that can no longer be kept?
Bring it back to us. We take back healthy fish bought here and find them a new home through the shop. Never release fish, snails or plants into the wild, where they can spread disease and crowd out local species.
How long before fish can go into a new tank?
Usually four to six weeks. The filter needs time to grow the bacteria that make fish waste safe, and the water is tested with you before the first fish go in.
Are your fish wild caught?
Most are captive bred. A small number of species are only available from responsibly managed wild collection, through licensed traders with paperwork, and the label on the tank says which ones those are.
Do you keep marine fish or corals?
No. We keep freshwater fish and plants only, which keeps our tanks, our advice and our quarantine room focused on what we know best.
Can you set up a tank in an office or a waiting room?
Yes. Business setups follow the same plan as a home, and a maintenance visit every fortnight keeps the tank looking cared for in a busy room.
Ask about a tank setup
Tell us about the space and the sort of tank you picture there. Within two working days we write back with a time to visit, and the plan and price arrive in writing before anything is ordered.
- A visit to measure and check the floor
- Plants and fish chosen with you
- Payment settled directly with Deep Blue
Come and stand by the tanks
Watch the display tanks for as long as you like; weekday afternoons are the calmest time to talk through a new setup.
Shop hours
| Monday | Closed |
| Tuesday to Friday | 10:00 to 19:00 |
| Saturday | 09:00 to 18:00 |
| Sunday | 11:00 to 16:00 |
Bring a water sample
Half a small jar of tank water, taken before a water change, is enough for a full test at the counter.