How Much Do Singaporeans Spend on Aquarium Fish Each Year?

FishyHub Editorial Team

Author

7 October 2026

6 min read

How Much Do Singaporeans Spend on Aquarium Fish Each Year?

FishyHub cannot put a figure on how much Singaporeans spend on aquarium fish each year, but its 2026 marketplace data shows where that money goes. Most orders are for entry-level and mid-range livestock bought in groups, such as guppies, small community fish, shrimp, corydoras, loaches and aquatic plants, while collector fish like arowana are bought rarely. Prices for many of these everyday favourites are trending up, which nudges spending higher for the average tank.

Key Findings

FishyHub marketplace data shows Singapore's most purchased livestock are mostly entry-level and mid-range: guppies, small community fish, shrimp, corydoras, loaches, algae eaters, rasboras, snails and tetras.
FishyHub data shows koi stand out as an upper mid-range fish with very high purchases in Singapore, the main exception to everyday spending being on lower-priced fish.
FishyHub data shows collector-tier fish such as black and crossback arowana, flowerhorn and stingray have limited purchases in Singapore.
FishyHub data shows prices trending up in Singapore for corydoras, guppy, koi, molly, neocaridina shrimp, platy, rasboras, snails and tetras.
FishyHub data shows prices easing in Singapore for barbs, the betta category, the goldfish category, loaches, rainbowfish and swordtails.
FishyHub data shows aquatic plants are among the most purchased items in Singapore and are mostly entry-level, making them a steady, low-cost part of hobby spending.
FishyHub data shows Central Singapore has the most livestock buyers, with the North-East and West also busy.

Why Annual Spending Is Hard to Pin Down

A household's yearly spend on fish depends on whether it keeps one betta, a planted community tank, a koi pond or a prized arowana. FishyHub does not report figures, and it cannot see purchases made at shops, farms or fairs outside the marketplace, so it cannot calculate what Singaporeans spend in total. What it can show is the pattern of purchases on the marketplace: what people buy often, what they buy rarely, and which way prices are moving.

Where Singapore's Fish Spending Goes

Frequent, low-cost purchases

These groups have very high purchases on FishyHub in Singapore and sit in the entry-level or mid-range price tier (listed alphabetically):

Algae eaters
Corydoras
Guppies
Loaches
Neocaridina shrimp
Other tropical fishes
Rasboras
Small community fishes
Snails
Tetras

They have something in common: they are bought in groups and added to over time. A keeper setting up a planted tank buys a school of rasboras or tetras, a group of corydoras and a colony of shrimp, then tops up as fish age or the tank grows. Much of Singapore's fish spending is therefore a steady stream of small orders rather than single large ones.

The koi exception

Koi are upper mid-range in price but still have very high purchases. Landed homes and some condos keep koi ponds, and koi are bought in numbers to stock them. Koi also have a very wide price spread, so spending ranges from modest pond-grade fish to show-grade fish from recognised lines.

Rare, high-value purchases

At the other end, arowana, flowerhorn, stingray, wolf fish and rare bettas sit in the collector tier but are bought in limited numbers. A super red or crossback arowana is often a one-off purchase made for luck and kept for many years. That makes collector fish a large expense for the households that buy them, but a small part of everyday marketplace activity.

How Prices Are Moving, by Tier

Price tier	Prices trending up	Prices easing
Entry-level / budget	Gouramis, Minnows, Neocaridina Shrimp, Platy, Rasboras, Snails, Tetras	Barbs, Loaches, Rainbowfish, Swordtails
Mid-range	Angelfish, Corydoras, Molly, Oscar	Bettas (category), Goldfish (category), Guppies (category), Killifish
Upper mid-range	Discus, Guppy, Halfmoon Plakat Betta, Koi	Silver Arowana, Ryukin, Pleco
Collector / premium	Ranchu	Flowerhorn

The upward moves are concentrated in fish that are bought very often and where demand runs ahead of supply. Tetras, rasboras and neocaridina shrimp all have demand clearly outpacing supply, so sellers can ask a little more. Easing prices tend to appear where listings have grown faster than buyers, such as swordtails and flowerhorn.

Guppies show both directions on FishyHub: prices across the broad Guppies category are easing, while the main guppy listings are trending up. Depending on what they choose, buyers will find both softer and firmer prices.

The Cost of Keeping Fish in Singapore

Livestock is only part of what keepers spend. Singapore's climate shapes the rest:

No heater for most tropicals. Room temperature in most homes suits tropical fish, which saves on equipment and electricity compared with cooler countries.
Cooling for some fish. Goldfish, axolotls, some shrimp and reef tanks prefer cooler water, so a fan or chiller may be needed in the hottest months.
Plants and consumables. Aquatic plants are among the most purchased items on FishyHub in Singapore and are mostly entry-level, but they add up for an aquascaper who trims and replants.
Delivery across the island. Short distances keep livestock delivery simple, and buyers in quieter regions such as the North and East can order from sellers across Singapore.

Ways to Spend Less

Choose groups where supply runs ahead of demand, such as most named bettas, damselfish and corals, for more choice and room to compare.
Buy everyday fish before demand peaks, as tetras, rasboras and shrimp are trending up.
Pick a cooling-free setup: tropical community fish in a shaded spot avoid the cost of a chiller.
Let a tank mature before stocking to avoid replacing lost fish.

Methodology

This page is based on FishyHub marketplace activity in Singapore over the period from October 2024 to October 2026. We looked at orders, active listings and listed prices, how prices are moving, demand relative to supply, and buyer regions. All findings are reported as tiers and directions (for example "very high purchases", "prices trending up"), not as figures.

FishyHub cannot measure what Singaporeans spend on aquarium fish in total or per household, and it does not see purchases at shops, farms or events outside the marketplace, or spending on equipment and food. Regional data covers livestock buyers in general. Notes on running costs are general hobby guidance.

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