20 Years, One Tank at a Time: A Reflection from Australia’s First Online Aquarium Customer; A tale from Tim Hughes.

Some hobbies stay with you for a season. Others stay with you for a lifetime.

For me, fishkeeping has been part of my life for 31 years and counting. From my first tank to the many setups I’ve managed over the decades, aquariums have always been more than just glass boxes full of water and fish, they’ve been my place of calm.

Today, my tanks are home to a wide range of species: rainbowfish, tetras, silver sharks, silver dollars, rasboras, guppies, and more. Over the years, I’ve also had the pleasure of keeping some impressive larger fish: Flowerhorns, Oscars, barramundi, sleepy cod, and eeltail catfish. Each species brought its own challenges and rewards, but they all deepened my love for the hobby.

If there’s one thing fishkeeping has consistently given me, it’s peace. After a long or stressful day at work, there’s nothing quite like sitting in front of a tank and watching fish glide through the water. The sound fades, the stress melts away, and my mind clears. That feeling is the number one reason I’ve always kept fish, and why I always will.

A Simple Rule That Changed Everything

People often ask me what advice I’d give to someone starting out in the aquarium hobby. My answer has never changed. It’s all in the filtration.

Over decades of experience, I’ve learned that good filtration is the key to success. When I buy a new tank, I make sure the filter can turn the entire volume four to five times per hour, and most of my tanks sit comfortably at the higher end of that range. Strong filtration has prevented countless issues and played a huge role in keeping my fish healthy and thriving.

It’s advice I’ve shared with friends and family many times, and it’s advice that’s never let me down.

Dreaming Bigger Waters

While I’ve kept a wide variety of freshwater fish, from peaceful schooling species to bold, characterfilled large fish, my dream setup has always been marine fish. I haven’t ventured into saltwater yet, but it’s still very much on the bucket list. Maybe one day.

Becoming Part of History (Without Knowing It)

Back in 2006, I placed an order online for something simple: guppies. At the time, I had no idea I was doing anything groundbreaking. I certainly didn’t know I was becoming the very first customer of Australia’s first online aquarium store.

Buying fish online back then felt risky. I remember the worries clearly - When would they arrive? What if I wasn’t home? How would live fish even turn up in the post?

It was a brandnew experience, and like many aquarists at the time, I was cautious.

But the experience surprised me, in a good way. The fish arrived safely, the quality was solid, and while I did have one or two fish arrive deceased, they were replaced without any hassle. The service was excellent, and that reassurance went a long way in building trust in something that was completely new to the hobby.

What started as curiosity quickly turned into confidence.

Watching an Industry Grow

Over the years since that first order, I’ve purchased many more fish and plants online, and the quality has remained terrific. What began as an experimental idea has evolved into a reliable, professional service that has quietly reshaped the aquarium industry in Australia.

It wasn’t until I was contacted directly that I learned I had been Livefish’s first customer. To find out the company was celebrating 20 years was genuinely exciting. Time flies, especially when you’re enjoying a hobby you love.

That milestone is something to be incredibly proud of, particularly in an industry that can be challenging and everchanging.

Online vs InStore: A Changing Landscape

These days, I buy fish both online and from local pet stores, depending on what I need. However, as I’ve recently moved, I’ve noticed something important, local aquarium stores are becoming less common. What was once a simple drive is now sometimes impossible.

That’s where online stores have become more than just convenient, they’ve become essential.

For hobbyists in regional areas, people with limited mobility, or anyone timepoor, online aquarium stores aren’t replacing the hobby — they’re keeping it alive.

Gratitude, Looking Forward

Fishkeeping has given me decades of enjoyment, learning, and calm. Knowing I played a small part in the history of online aquariums in Australia is something I never expected, but something I’m proud of.

To Livefish: thank you for supplying fish and plants for the past 20 years, for standing behind your service, and for helping keep this hobby accessible to so many people across the country.

Congratulations on your 20year anniversary. Here’s hoping you’re still around supplying fish - to me and many others - for the next 20 years.

Because some things, like fishkeeping, are meant to last a lifetime