Your First Tank
When you boot up Omniquarium for the first time, you'll start with a small 10-gallon tank and three starter fish. Don't panic — the tutorial walks you through the basics, but there's a lot the game doesn't tell you.
The Ecosystem Balance
Every fish in Omniquarium has three hidden stats: Stress, Hunger, and Territory. If any of these tip into the red, your fish will start declining in health. Keep tanks below their population cap (shown by the gauge in the top-right) and feed daily.
Unlocking Rare Species
Rare species unlock through a combination of:
- Reaching tank rating milestones
- Completing visitor challenges
- Trading with the traveling merchant (appears every 7 in-game days)
Tips for New Players
- Don't overfeed. Excess food decays and tanks your water quality stat.
- Match biomes. Tropical fish placed in a cold-water tank will stress within hours.
- Invest in the filter early. The tier-2 filter unlocks at $500 and cuts maintenance time in half.