Our goal with Fishky is to create an easy and engaging platform for fish enthusiasts to manage their collections, access reliable care guides, and connect with a community of like-minded individuals. We want to make fishkeeping simpler, more organized, and more enjoyable for both new and experienced collectors.
Fishky: Gamified Fishkeeping for Better Tank Health
Fishky is an app for fish lovers to easily track and organize their fish collections. It helps users keep tabs on their fish, from care tips to feeding schedules, and connects them with other fish enthusiasts. Whether you're a newbie or an experienced collector, Fishky makes managing your fish collection fun and simple.
The Problem
Fishkeeping (maintaining aquariums with live fish) requires careful tracking of
water conditions, fish compatibility, and regular tank maintenance. Without a
dedicated system, fishkeepers often struggle to stay organized, leading to
unhealthy tanks and added stress.
Data
Research
The reef aquarium market is expanding, driven by rising awareness of aquariums' stress-reducing and creativity-boosting benefits. Interest surged during the COVID-19 pandemic, with pet ownership increasing by 20%, leading to more collectors and hobbyists.
Younger generations, in particular, are showing growing interest in aquariums and collection-based apps, creating an opportunity for a virtual aquarium experience similar to Animal Crossing. Despite this trend, there are currently no dedicated apps for aquarium collectors or hobbyist management.
Existing resources—such as websites and magazines—offer valuable information but lack interactivity. This gap highlights the potential for a fun, engaging, and educational app tailored to both new and experienced aquarium enthusiasts.
Key Insights
Aquarium interest is growing, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to a 20% rise in pet ownership.
Younger generations are driving demand for interactive, collection-based experiences tied to hobbies like aquariums.
No existing apps cater specifically to aquarium collectors for management or virtual collecting.
Current resources lack interactivity, relying on static websites and magazines.
There is an opportunity to create an engaging, gamified, and educational app that combines collection, management, and community for aquarium enthusiasts.
Research Methods
Object Mapping
The reef aquarium market is expanding, driven by rising awareness of aquariums' stress-reducing and creativity-boosting benefits. Interest surged during the COVID-19 pandemic, with pet ownership increasing by 20%, leading to more collectors and hobbyists.
Younger generations, in particular, are showing growing interest in aquariums and collection-based apps, creating an opportunity for a virtual aquarium experience similar to Animal Crossing. Despite this trend, there are currently no dedicated apps for aquarium collectors or hobbyist management.
Existing resources—such as websites and magazines—offer valuable information but lack interactivity. This gap highlights the potential for a fun, engaging, and educational app tailored to both new and experienced aquarium enthusiasts.
MosCoW Analysis
To prioritize features and stay focused on what really matters for the first version of the fishkeeping app, I used the MoSCoW method. This helped me decide what the app Must, Should, Could, and Won’t include in the initial build.
CTA Matrix
Design
Exploration Sketches
Before jumping into wireframes or digital designs, I started with quick exploration sketches to get my ideas out on paper. These helped me experiment with different layouts and interactions without getting too attached to any one direction.
System Sketches
In the early sketches for Fishky, I explored ways to make the app both functional and fun. Key ideas included a fish profile page, a care info rolodex, and a reward system with medals. I also sketched out a small community forum, an achievements tracker, and tank decoration features. To support users, I added concepts for maintenance reminders, fish purchase alerts, and a marketplace. The goal was to create an experience that’s easy for beginners but rich enough for seasoned fishkeepers.
Home Screen Elements
Paper Prototypes
The next step for Fishky is to move into paper-prototype testing, where we can quickly explore interactions and refine the user flow before developing digital wireframes. This low-fidelity approach allows us to gather early feedback, ensuring the app’s engaging. Testing with simple sketches will help us identify usability issues and improve the overall design efficiently.
Conclusion
Next Steps
I’m really excited about how this project is coming together! It started as a case study, but the more I work on it, the more I see its potential to be something bigger. Especially as a fish keeper myself.
I definitely want to explore more high-fidelity designs and do some A/B testing with different interfaces to see what works best. Getting feedback from other UX designers would be super valuable.
A pitch deck isn’t off the table, but for now, I’m more focused on refining the experience and seeing how people interact with it. Whether it stays a case study or turns into something real, I want to push the design further and make it as polished and engaging as possible!
The end… or just the beginning?
You made it this far — might as well say hi!