Cool Business: AquaVista
Sometimes it’s the simple touches that transform a room. You don’t need mahogony counter tops or thirteenth century art to show off what a classy person you are. All you need is some pet fish.
Here’s a company who took something simple–a fish tank–and turned it into art. AquaVista, Inc. was founded by Scott Yen in 2006. Yen loved his pet fish, but hated the aquariums. He thought they were ugly. Challenged by a friend to come up with a solution, Yen created his product: Wall mounted aquariums for tropical fish.
The tanks hang like framed pictures. They come fully assembled, and feature interchangeable frame types, so you’re won’t always be stuck with the same frame.
Now, AquaVista is also making Panoramic Wall Aquariums. “Each Aquavista Panoramic Wall Aquarium is equipped with all necessary elements for a healthy fresh water tropical aquarium,” the press release explains, “including: dual filtration, heater, air pump, lighting and an automatic feeder that will feed your fish. Like all Aquavista Wall Aquariums, each Panoramic also comes with a side-mounted, programmable LCD touchscreen panel that allows owners to program date and time and all essential functions such as: water temperature, filtration, illumination, air pump, and feeding cycle. The aquarium is also pre-wired for an optional carbon dioxide generator, allowing hobbyists to turn their wall into a stunning underwater ecosystem with live fish and plants without hassle.”
It’s almost like an all-in-one. Except, an all-in-one would include the tropical fish and the water. Even empty, I think one of these babies would look pretty slick over a couch, bed, or desk. Of course, art doesn’t come cheap. The Panoramic Wall Aquariums sell starting at $995. They offer smaller, cheaper aquariums as well. But, if you’re looking to spend under $100, might I suggest the AquaClock? Yep- it’s a working clock that a little fishy can swim around in.
Stories like AquaVista are at the heart of Why Didn’t I Think of That? As Bob and Greg point out in the story above, Yen exemplifies one of our business axioms: Take “Tried and True,” and Make it New. There will always be a demand for framed art. And the fish tank market isn’t exactly in danger of collapsing anytime soon. So Yen combined the two into a unique, elegant, and downright cool product. And 1.5 million dollars in sales later, the rest of us are thinking:
Why didn’t I think of that?
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