A visit to Sustainable Aquatics

The words, "Tennessee" and "Coral Reef" are not often heard together, but perhaps they should be. Nestled in an industrial section of Jefferson City, Tennessee, Sustainable Aquatics is growing clownfish -- and its business.

Ultimate Aquariums was invited for a tour of the facility by Sustainable Aquatics CEO John Carberry. His son Matt -- a marine biologist and expert on breeding clownfish and other species gave us a tour. While we (Son, Ben Carlin and I) were there, we also had to buy some fish to bring back to Ultimate Aquariums.

Sustainable Aquatics is the perfect name for this operation. The idea is pretty simple -- reduce pressure on the world's coral reefs by growing some of the most popular species in captivity.

I can tell you as a retailer that clownfish (Nemo's) are the most popular fish in the hobby. Everybody with an aquarium wants at least one clownfish. No need to get into all the various varieties here -- but there are many, and they all do well in aquariums. Luckily, they are among the easiest fish to breed and grow in captivity, (though few do it) and the Carberry's have perfected the art.


Inside a rock-solid industrial building -- "It used to be a bomb shelter," Matt explains as he leads us on a tour, is room after room after room of aquariums. Some have breeding pairs of fish (up to 20 years old), some have fry, some have full grown fish ready for market, and most have fish somewhere in between. It's an amazing sight.

In another building across the parking lot, Carberry showed us another, newer effort at sustainability. Here, juvenile, wild-caught fish are raised in captivity and trained to eat the same foods they will be fed in aquariums. Like the captive bred fish, it means a much higher survivability rate for the fish. And there's more.

"Alot of these fish would be captured and left on the beach to die," explained Matt of the super small yellow tangs, hippo tangs, and other species he's now accepting. "Most wholesalers won't take them because they either won't sell or won't survive."

The Carberry's thinking goes something like this: Young fish are more likely to perish in the wild from natural causes -- so the practice focuses on fish that are not likely to survive in the wild as opposed to established, adult fish. Because of the techniques used in the warehouse, the fish have a higher survival rate than they would in a more typical wholesale environment. Then, because they are held -- often times for months -- while they grow and become stronger, the fish have a much better chance of living, once they make it to a home aquarium. Plus, they are already accustomed to eating prepared foods. Sustainable indeed.

Beyond the science -- and there's a LOT of science including sophisticated filtration, proprietary grow out and feeding systems, and a zen like adherence to protocols which have created a "disease free facility" -- Ben and I noticed that these guys really like fish.

For instance there are aquariums in every office -- just so they can watch -- you know when they are not working on the stock. They even have a man-made lagoon which is full of unique fish including a trumpet fish that sticks it's snout out of the water wanting a treat. (Usually a deformed baby clownfish). "We all love this lagoon. It gives us a place to come watch the other fish in a more natural environment," Said Matt.

On this trip we picked up a large selection of yellow and blue tangs, but also 4 Rainford's gobies, which have been reared on commercial foods, and several other species which typically are given a poor chance at survival in a home tank. It feels good to have a chance to offer some of these species for sale knowing they have a much better chance at survival.

Thanks to Matt for the tour and the effort. He's supplying fish to most of the nation and Puerto Rico, and says demand is growing.

We are pleased to see what Sustainable Aquatics is doing, and to offer their products for sale at Ultimate Aquariums.

Click here to see cool :35 video of the unique way juvenile clownfish school in a tight ball.