State of the Aquarium Hobby in Singapore 2026: FishyHub Annual Report
Singapore's aquarium hobby in 2026, as seen on FishyHub, is freshwater-led, plant-heavy and busy. Aquatic plants, guppies, shrimp, tetras, rasboras, corydoras, loaches and koi are among the most purchased categories, and for many everyday species demand clearly outpaces supply. Show bettas, flowerhorns and red arowanas have plenty of listings but more measured buying, while marine fish remain a smaller segment that is rising.
Key Findings
- FishyHub data shows freshwater livestock holds the larger share of listings in Singapore, with marine livestock a smaller but rising segment.
- FishyHub marketplace activity shows aquatic plants, guppies, shrimp, tetras, rasboras, corydoras, loaches, algae eaters, snails and koi among the most purchased categories in Singapore.
- FishyHub data shows demand clearly outpaces supply in Singapore for aquatic plants, guppies, Neocaridina shrimp, tetras, rasboras, danios and snails.
- FishyHub data shows supply runs ahead of demand in Singapore for most betta varieties, flowerhorns and super red arowanas, which favours buyers.
- FishyHub data shows prices trending up in Singapore for discus, angelfish, Neocaridina shrimp, tetras, rasboras, corydoras, koi and ranchu, and easing for flowerhorns, silver arowanas and floating plants.
- FishyHub data shows marine fish, clownfish, damselfish, anemones and marine invertebrates are rising in Singapore.
- FishyHub data shows Central Singapore has the most livestock buyers and sellers on the marketplace, with the North-East and West also busy.
Singapore's Hobby at a Glance
| Group | Purchases | Demand vs supply | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aquatic plants (foreground, midground, background) | Very high | Demand clearly outpaces supply | Mixed: foreground rising, background cooling |
| Guppies | Very high | Demand clearly outpaces supply | Rising |
| Freshwater shrimp | Very high | Demand clearly outpaces supply | Steady |
| Small community fish | Very high | Demand clearly outpaces supply | Steady |
| Plecos, corys & bottom dwellers | High | Demand ahead of supply | Steady |
| Goldfish | High | Demand ahead of supply | Rising |
| Cichlids incl. discus and angelfish | High | Balanced | Steady, discus and angelfish rising |
| Bettas | Moderate | Balanced, most varieties supply-led | Rising |
| Monster fish | Moderate | Balanced | Cooling |
| Arowana | Limited | Balanced | Steady |
| Marine fish | Moderate | Balanced | Rising |
The picture is of a hobby where the everyday tank, a planted community setup with small fish, shrimp and a clean-up crew, drives most of the buying, while the showpiece fish Singapore is famous for are well stocked and easy to find.
Planted Tanks Drive Everyday Buying
Aquatic plants are a cornerstone of the Singapore market on FishyHub. Foreground, midground and background plants all have very high supply and very high purchases, and demand still clearly outpaces supply. Epiphytes such as ferns, mosses and Anubias are rising, and so are tissue-culture plants and foreground carpeting plants.
Why plants? A nature-style planted tank fits neatly into an HDB flat or condo, looks good in a living room and is forgiving in a warm climate. Plants also need replacing and trimming, so planted-tank keepers come back to buy more often than keepers of a single showpiece fish. Tissue-culture pots, grown pest-free in the lab, have made carpeting plants easier for newcomers, and their prices are easing as more sellers list them.
Small Fish, Big Demand
The small community fish that live among those plants are where demand runs hottest. Tetras and rasboras have very high purchases, demand that clearly outpaces supply and prices trending up. Danios, hatchetfish and minnows also show demand clearly ahead of listings. Guppies, a long-standing Singapore favourite, have very high purchases, very high buyer interest and rising activity.
Shrimp tell a similar story. Neocaridina shrimp, the colourful cherry-type shrimp, have very high supply and very high purchases, demand that clearly outpaces supply and prices trending up. Caridina shrimp, the more delicate crystal and bee types, are rising while their prices ease.
Tetras and Neocaridina shrimp are worth a closer look. Both are cooling in momentum, meaning new listings and orders are growing more slowly than the year before, yet demand still exceeds supply and prices are climbing. That is the profile of a mature staple: the market is large and settled, and sellers simply cannot keep up with steady buying.
The clean-up crew completes the tank. Corydoras, loaches, algae eaters and snails all have very high purchases, with corydoras prices trending up.
Bettas, Flowerhorns and Arowanas: Plenty of Choice
Singapore is closely linked to the breeding farms of the region, and it shows. Halfmoon, halfmoon plakat and mixed betta listings have very high supply, and across most betta varieties supply runs ahead of demand. The betta category as a whole is rising, with show forms such as halfmoon plakats, double tails and giants all gaining momentum.
Flowerhorns are rising too, yet supply is ahead of demand and prices are easing. Super red arowanas have limited supply but even more limited interest, so supply leads there as well, while silver arowanas are rising with easing prices. For buyers, these collector groups are currently a good place to shop carefully rather than compete.
Prices: Up for Staples, Easing for Showpieces
FishyHub tracks the direction of listed prices in Singapore:
- Trending up: angelfish, corydoras, discus, epiphytes, guppies by strain, koi, marine invertebrates, Neocaridina shrimp, oscars, platies, ranchu, rasboras, snails and tetras.
- Stable: background, foreground and midground plants, channa, halfmoon bettas, marine fish, small community fish as a category, and turtles.
- Easing: the betta and goldfish categories as a whole, Caridina shrimp, flowerhorns, floating plants, rainbowfish, silver arowanas and tissue-culture plants.
The pattern is clear: where many buyers want the same affordable fish, prices firm up; where many sellers list showpiece fish, prices soften.
Marine: Small but Rising
Marine livestock is the smaller share of Singapore listings, and corals, anemones and many marine fish have moderate or limited supply. But marine fish, clownfish, damselfish, triggerfish, anemones and marine invertebrates are all rising, and marine invertebrate prices are trending up. A tropical climate makes reef tanks harder to cool, so many Singapore reefers start with hardy clownfish and damselfish before moving to corals, which matches what the marketplace shows.
Where Singapore's Fishkeepers Are
FishyHub buyer and seller data for livestock shows Central Singapore with the most buyers and sellers. The North-East and West both have many buyers and many sellers. The East has fewer buyers and the fewest sellers, and the North has the fewest buyers and fewer sellers. Because merchants deliver across the island, location matters less for choice than for collection, and buyers in quieter regions still reach sellers island-wide.
What Singapore Shoppers Search and Watch
Search terms on FishyHub, combining Singapore and US shoppers, are very high for bettas, guppies, channa, arowana, flowerhorns, koi, shrimp, tetras, plecos and tanks, and high for specific channa species such as andrao and auranti, toman, wild bettas and pea puffers. Channa is a good example of local enthusiasm: it has very high supply, very high buyer interest and collector-tier prices in Singapore.
FishyHub Feed videos sit in the very high tier for "Other Animals", showing that turtles, crabs and unusual pets draw an audience alongside fish.
Why Singapore's Hobby Looks This Way
- Climate. Year-round warmth means most tropical fish need no heater, which lowers the cost of starting out.
- Living space. Compact homes favour nano and planted tanks over very large systems.
- Local breeding. Singapore's ornamental fish farms and home breeders keep guppies, bettas and shrimp plentiful.
- Culture. Arowanas, koi and goldfish carry long-standing associations with luck and prosperity, which sustains interest in collector fish.
Outlook for the Year Ahead
Expect planted tanks, small schooling fish and shrimp to keep driving everyday buying, with supply the main constraint. Marine fish and invertebrates look set to keep growing from a small base. Show bettas and collector fish should remain a buyer's market unless listings slow.
Methodology
This report is based on FishyHub marketplace activity in Singapore over the period from October 2024 to October 2026. We looked at active listings, listed prices and price movement, orders, wishlists, likes and "my tank" saves, demand relative to supply, new listings and orders over time, the freshwater and marine share of listings, buyer and seller regions, search terms and Feed video categories. All findings are reported as tiers and directions, not as figures.
FishyHub cannot measure how many Singaporeans keep fish or how much the hobby spends; this report describes what the marketplace shows. Regional data covers livestock buyers and sellers in general. Search terms combine the Singapore and US markets. Sales by fish farms direct, retail shops and other channels are not covered.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is fishkeeping in Singapore in 2026?
FishyHub cannot count hobbyists, but its Singapore marketplace shows very high purchases of plants, small fish, guppies and shrimp, and rising activity in bettas, goldfish and marine fish.
What aquarium fish are in demand in Singapore?
On FishyHub, demand clearly outpaces supply for guppies, tetras, rasboras, danios and Neocaridina shrimp, as well as for aquatic plants and snails.
Are aquarium fish prices going up in Singapore?
For staples such as tetras, rasboras, corydoras, Neocaridina shrimp and discus, yes. Prices for flowerhorns, silver arowanas and the betta category as a whole are easing.
Is saltwater fishkeeping growing in Singapore?
Yes. Marine fish, clownfish, damselfish, anemones and marine invertebrates are all rising on FishyHub, though marine remains the smaller share of listings.
How to Cite This Page
Source: FishyHub, "State of the Aquarium Hobby in Singapore 2026: FishyHub Annual Report" (2026), https://fishyhub.com/sg/blogs/blog-detail/state-of-the-aquarium-hobby-in-singapore-2026-fishyhub-annual-report
