How to Start an Aquarium Maintenance Business

Many people enjoy having fish, as they’re a relaxing and peaceful pet. People don’t always, however, have the time or inclination to properly look after a fish tank. An aquarium maintenance business cleans and maintains aquariums, usually serving both businesses and individuals. These businesses let people have beautiful, healthy aquariums without personally cleaning them.

Ready to turn your business idea into a reality? Tailor Brands is our top recommendation because it guides you through every step of the formation process with hands-on support — from paperwork and compliance to devising a detailed plan to help you achieve your business goals.

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Start an aquarium maintenance business by following these 10 steps:

  1. Plan your Aquarium Maintenance Business
  2. Form your Aquarium Maintenance Business into a Legal Entity
  3. Register your Aquarium Maintenance Business for Taxes
  4. Open a Business Bank Account & Credit Card
  5. Set up Accounting for your Aquarium Maintenance Business
  6. Get the Necessary Permits & Licenses for your Aquarium Maintenance Business
  7. Get Aquarium Maintenance Business Insurance
  8. Define your Aquarium Maintenance Business Brand
  9. Create your Aquarium Maintenance Business Website
  10. Set up your Business Phone System

We have put together this simple guide to starting your aquarium maintenance business. These steps will ensure that your new business is well planned out, registered properly, and legally compliant.

Exploring your options? Check out other small business ideas.

STEP 1: Plan your business

A clear plan is essential for success as an entrepreneur. It will help you map out the specifics of your business and discover some unknowns. A few important topics to consider are:

Luckily we have done a lot of this research for you.

What will you name your business?

Choosing the right name is important and challenging. If you don’t already have a name in mind, visit our How to Name a Business guide or get help brainstorming a name with our Aquarium Maintenance Business Name Generator

If you operate a sole proprietorship, you might want to operate under a business name other than your own name. Visit our DBA guide to learn more.

When registering a business name, we recommend researching your business name by checking:

  • Your state’s business records
  • Federal and state trademark records
  • Social media platforms
  • Web domain availability

It’s very important to secure your domain name before someone else does.

What are the costs involved in opening an aquarium maintenance business?

The startup costs for an aquarium maintenance business are minimal.

The largest expenses are a vehicle for getting to clients’ sites and an office/storage space, but many business owners keep these costs low by using a room in their home and their personal vehicle. A business owner can invest in an outfitted vehicle and office space after their business is established, but in the beginning these things likely won’t be necessary.

Other startup expenses include insurance premiums, advertising fees, and equipment and supplies. Advanced Aquarium Concepts has an in-depth list of supplies that business owners may want. The list includes, among other things:

  • 5-gallon buckets
  • towels (of various sizes)
  • algae pads (with and without handles)
  • razors and an X-acto knife
  • specimen containers
  • water changers
  • other supplies

What are the ongoing expenses for an aquarium maintenance business?

The ongoing expenses for an aquarium business are relatively low. They include vehicle maintenance costs, fuel, insurance premiums, advertising fees and supply costs. Supply costs are minimal in the industry, as just a small amount of a supply can usually treat a lot of water.

Who is the target market?

An aquarium maintenance business’ ideal client is a pet store that sells fish. Pet stores not only have multiple aquariums that need to be cleaned, but they’re also where people go to purchase fish and fish tanks. These stores can be a source of both ongoing work and other potential clients.

How does an aquarium maintenance business make money?

An aquarium business makes money by charging clients for aquarium maintenance and cleaning services. While fees are usually based on the service provided, they may be calculated from a desired hourly rate. For instance, a business owner that wants to earn $60 per hour might charge $45 for a service that they expect will take 45 minutes to do.

How much can you charge customers?

Many aquarium maintenance businesses charge about $1 per gallon for service calls. Some businesses, however, charge significantly less, but choose to only service larger aquariums. For example, Clear Aquarium charges as little as $0.55 per gallon, but they won’t service aquariums under 100 gallons.
In addition to regular service charges, most businesses also charge for emergency calls. These calls are usually priced by the hour. Clear Aquarium assess a $50 per hour fee for emergency calls during business hours and $75 per hour during off hours.

How much profit can an aquarium maintenance business make?

With a full list of clients, an aquarium maintenance business can make a significant revenue. A business owner who charged $50 per hour would earn around $1,000 – $1,500 per week working full-time hours, not counting travel and transition time. Even after expenses are subtracted, this is still a respectable income.

How can you make your business more profitable?

An aquarium maintenance business can increase its revenue by also offering tank installations, and selling fish and other supplies.

Want a more guided approach? Access TRUiC’s free Small Business Startup Guide – a step-by-step course for turning your business idea into reality. Get started today!

STEP 2: Form a legal entity

One crucial aspect that cannot be overlooked when starting your aquarium maintenance business is the importance of establishing a solid business foundation. While sole proprietorships and partnerships are the most common entity types for small businesses, they’re a far less stable and advantageous option than LLCs.

This is because unincorporated business structures (i.e., sole proprietorships and partnerships) expose you as an owner to personal liability for your business’s debts and legal actions, while LLCs protect you by keeping your personal assets separate from your business’s liabilities.

In practice, this means that if your aquarium maintenance business were to face a lawsuit or incur any debts, your savings, home, and other personal assets could not be used to cover these costs. On top of this, forming your business as an LLC also helps it to appear more legitimate and trustworthy.

Ready to Turn Your Business Idea Into a Reality?

Tailor Brands is our top recommendation because it guides you through every step of the formation process with hands-on support — from paperwork and compliance to devising a detailed plan to help you achieve your business goals.

FORM YOUR LLC

Note: If you’re interested in more information before getting started, we recommend having a look at our state-specific How to Start an LLC guide (DIY) or our in-depth Best LLC Services review (for those opting for a professional service).

STEP 3: Register for taxes

You will need to register for a variety of state and federal taxes before you can open for business.

In order to register for taxes you will need to apply for an EIN. It’s really easy and free!

You can acquire your EIN through the IRS website. If you would like to learn more about EINs, read our article, What is an EIN?

There are specific state taxes that might apply to your business. Learn more about state sales tax and franchise taxes in our state sales tax guides.

STEP 4: Open a business bank account & credit card

Using dedicated business banking and credit accounts is essential for personal asset protection.

When your personal and business accounts are mixed, your personal assets (your home, car, and other valuables) are at risk in the event your business is sued. In business law, this is referred to as piercing your corporate veil.

Open a business bank account

Besides being a requirement when applying for business loans, opening a business bank account:

  • Separates your personal assets from your company’s assets, which is necessary for personal asset protection.
  • Makes accounting and tax filing easier.

Recommended: Read our Best Banks for Small Business review to find the best national bank or credit union.

Get a business credit card

Getting a business credit card helps you:

Recommended: Apply for an easy approval business credit card from BILL and build your business credit quickly.

STEP 5: Set up business accounting

Recording your various expenses and sources of income is critical to understanding the financial performance of your business. Keeping accurate and detailed accounts also greatly simplifies your annual tax filing.

Make LLC accounting easy with our LLC Expenses Cheat Sheet.

STEP 6: Obtain necessary permits and licenses

Failure to acquire necessary permits and licenses can result in hefty fines, or even cause your business to be shut down.

State & Local Business Licensing Requirements

Certain state permits and licenses may be needed to operate an aquarium maintenance business. Learn more about licensing requirements in your state by visiting SBA’s reference to state licenses and permits.

Most businesses are required to collect sales tax on the goods or services they provide. To learn more about how sales tax will affect your business, read our article, Sales Tax for Small Businesses.

Services Contract

In businesses where services are provided on an extended basis, a services contract is often put in place outlining terms and conditions of service.

Aquarium maintenance businesses should require clients to sign a services agreement before engaging in a long-term cleaning project. This agreement should clarify client expectations and minimize risk of legal disputes by setting out payment terms and conditions and service level expectations. Here is an example of one such services agreement.

STEP 7: Get business insurance

Just as with licenses and permits, your business needs insurance in order to operate safely and lawfully. Business Insurance protects your company’s financial wellbeing in the event of a covered loss.

There are several types of insurance policies created for different types of businesses with different risks. If you’re unsure of the types of risks that your business may face, begin with General Liability Insurance. This is the most common coverage that small businesses need, so it’s a great place to start for your business.

Another notable insurance policy that many businesses need is Workers’ Compensation Insurance. If your business will have employees, it’s a good chance that your state will require you to carry Workers’ Compensation Coverage.

Find out what types of insurance your Aquarium Maintenance Business needs and how much it will cost you by reading our guide Business Insurance for Aquarium Maintenance Business.

STEP 8: Define your brand

Your brand is what your company stands for, as well as how your business is perceived by the public. A strong brand will help your business stand out from competitors.

If you already have a logo, you can also add it to a QR code with our Free QR Code Generator. Choose from 13 QR code types to create a code for your business cards and publications, or to help spread awareness for your new website.

How to promote & market an aquarium maintenance business

One of the best places to put up advertisements is in pet stores. Business owners may even want to purchase a small office space within a pet store where they can store their supplies. Those who don’t want to pay for an office or storage space can ask what a store would charge to put up a couple of posters or leave brochures in the store.

Providing complimentary service for store employees may also help business owners find new clients. While this can take some time, employees will be able to personally attest to a business owner’s expertise and level of service.

How to keep customers coming back

Business owners can differentiate their aquarium maintenance businesses from others in their area by providing excellent service at an affordable price. This doesn’t mean business owners need to set their rates extremely low, but that they should always make recommendations that are in their clients’ best interests—even if that means earning a little less on a single service. As long as clients are always getting quality service and products they actually need, the cost of aquarium maintenance shouldn’t become too high.

STEP 9: Create your business website

After defining your brand and creating your logo the next step is to create a website for your business.

While creating a website is an essential step, some may fear that it’s out of their reach because they don’t have any website-building experience. While this may have been a reasonable fear back in 2015, web technology has seen huge advancements in the past few years that makes the lives of small business owners much simpler.

Here are the main reasons why you shouldn’t delay building your website:

  • All legitimate businesses have websites – full stop. The size or industry of your business does not matter when it comes to getting your business online.
  • Social media accounts like Facebook pages or LinkedIn business profiles are not a replacement for a business website that you own.
  • Website builder tools like the GoDaddy Website Builder have made creating a basic website extremely simple. You don’t need to hire a web developer or designer to create a website that you can be proud of.

Recommended: Get started today using our recommended website builder or check out our review of the Best Website Builders.

Other popular website builders are: WordPressWIXWeeblySquarespace, and Shopify.

STEP 10: Set up your business phone system

Getting a phone set up for your business is one of the best ways to help keep your personal life and business life separate and private. That’s not the only benefit; it also helps you make your business more automated, gives your business legitimacy, and makes it easier for potential customers to find and contact you.

There are many services available to entrepreneurs who want to set up a business phone system. We’ve reviewed the top companies and rated them based on price, features, and ease of use. Check out our review of the Best Business Phone Systems 2024 to find the best phone service for your small business.

Recommended Business Phone Service: Phone.com

Phone.com is our top choice for small business phone numbers because of all the features it offers for small businesses and it’s fair pricing.

Is this Business Right For You?

Anyone who is passionate about fish and aquatic life may be well-suited for running an aquarium maintenance business. It’s helpful to be both self-motivated and a people person, as business owners often work alone but frequently interact with clients.

This is a type of business that can be started part-time, while working another job full-time. Until a business is established, a business owner can schedule their service calls for evenings and weekends—or whenever they aren’t working elsewhere.

Want to know if you are cut out to be an entrepreneur?

Take our Entrepreneurship Quiz to find out!

Entrepreneurship Quiz

What happens during a typical day at an aquarium maintenance business?

An aquarium maintenance business owner spends much of their day driving to clients’ sites and cleaning their aquariums. Cleaning an aquarium can involve:

  • testing water for proper chemical balances
  • checking and changing filters
  • wiping algae off of the aquarium glass
  • assessing the health of fish
  • addressing any other issues that arise
  • other tasks related to keeping the aquarium clean and healthy

At the end of a service, business owners typically review what was done with the aquarium owner and make any recommendations that are appropriate.

When not actively servicing aquariums, business owners spend time cleaning their equipment, maintaining their own stock of fish and plants, ordering supplies, billing clients and seeking new clients.

What are some skills and experiences that will help you build a successful aquarium maintenance business?

An aquarium business owner should be extremely familiar with freshwater and saltwater aquariums, and the fish, plants, and other creatures that inhabit them. If business owners don’t have in-depth knowledge, clients may assume they’re paying a lot of money for someone who has a few buckets and brushes.

Business owners who don’t already possess this knowledge have a variety of resources available to them. The Ornamental Aquatic Trade Association offers a certificate and an advanced diploma, and ACS Distance Education has a 100-hour Aquarium Management program. Just a few of the many books written on aquarium maintenance include Freshwater Aquariums for DummiesSaltwater Aquariums for Dummies, the Aquariums series (which covers freshwater, saltwater and reef aquariums), Aquarium Plants and Aquarium Corals.

In addition to taking a course and reading about aquariums, it’s also a good idea for new business owners to get some hands-on experience. Working for another aquarium maintenance business gives business owners a chance to learn about aquariums and the industry.

What is the growth potential for an aquarium maintenance business?

Most aquarium maintenance businesses service a single region. They’re generally located in cities, where there are more businesses and people who may want aquariums. Fish Geeks and Aquarium Design and Maintenance are two examples of businesses that service a single area.

Take the Next Step

Find a business mentor

One of the greatest resources an entrepreneur can have is quality mentorship. As you start planning your business, connect with a free business resource near you to get the help you need.

Having a support network in place to turn to during tough times is a major factor of success for new business owners.

Learn from other business owners

Want to learn more about starting a business from entrepreneurs themselves? Visit Startup Savant’s startup founder series to gain entrepreneurial insights, lessons, and advice from founders themselves.

Resources to Help Women in Business

There are many resources out there specifically for women entrepreneurs. We’ve gathered necessary and useful information to help you succeed both professionally and personally:

  • Funding
  • Events
  • Guides
  • Support

If you’re a woman looking for some guidance in entrepreneurship, check out this great new series Women in Business created by the women of our partner Startup Savant.

What are some insider tips for jump starting an aquarium maintenance business?

While business owners may care for fish and other aquatic creatures, it’s people that pay for their service. How business owners interact with their clients is extremely important.

When seeing a new client’s aquarium for the first time, business owners should find something to compliment. Business owners can complement clients on the cleanliness of their aquarium, the health of their fish, a well-conceived set-up, or any other thing they think of. Complimenting clients puts them at ease and helps them feel accomplished, and it will also help them receive whatever constructive feedback you may want to offer them in terms of how they are caring for their aquatic pets.

How and when to build a team

Most aquarium maintenance businesses can be run as a one-person operation. If a business gets more clients than a single person is able to service, an employee may need to be hired. Additionally, very large tanks may sometimes require two people to clean, but it is unlikely that newer businesses will service tanks like this.

Useful Links

Industry Opportunities

Real World Examples

Further Reading