Commercial Aquarium Maintenance
Restaurants and hotels pay monthly to keep fish alive. Forever.
Bottom line
Strong cash-flow candidate with manageable operations.
Commercial aquarium maintenance companies design, install, and service saltwater and freshwater aquariums for restaurants, hotels, dental offices, lobbies, and high-end residences. Once installed, clients pay $200–$1,500/month per tank for cleaning, water testing, livestock replacement, and repairs — indefinitely. It's a recurring-revenue service route with virtually zero client churn once the tank becomes part of the décor.
Avg Revenue
$220K
Profit Margin
42%
Acquisition Multiple
2x - 3x
Startup Cost
$10K - $50K
How It Works
Operators land commercial contracts with restaurants, hotels, or medical offices, then install custom aquariums (often reselling the tank at markup). Monthly service agreements cover water changes, algae removal, filter maintenance, water chemistry testing, and fish replacement. A single technician can manage 20–30 accounts per week. Revenue per account: $250–$800/month. New installs generate $5K–$25K upfront plus the recurring tail.
Revenue Range
BizBite underwriting snapshot
Watch / verify
Commercial Aquarium Maintenance has enough high-level data for a first look, but BizBite has not assigned a category-specific operating model yet. Treat the score as preliminary.
Category-level fit before lender-specific diligence.
Weak source data caps the final score.
Why it may work
- +Attractive 42% estimated margin profile
- +SBA dataset shows 67 recent comparable loans
Be careful
- !Source link status has not been verified yet
- !No last-checked date yet
- !No category operating model yet
- !No category model yet
Real Acquisitions in This Category
SBA 7(a) change-of-ownership loans · NAICS 561790 · Other Services to Buildings and Dwellings
Deal Size Distribution
Deal Flow Over Time
Financing Profile
Recent Comparable Deals
| Closed | State | Loan | Implied deal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2026 | TX | $350K | $412K |
| Mar 2026 | NJ | $1.2M | $1.4M |
| Feb 2026 | LA | $402K | $473K |
| Feb 2026 | FL | $55K | $65K |
| Feb 2026 | FL | $615K | $723K |
| Feb 2026 | FL | $50K | $59K |
| Jan 2026 | TX | $270K | $318K |
| Jan 2026 | KS | $171K | $201K |
| Jan 2026 | FL | $650K | $765K |
| Jan 2026 | KS | $211K | $248K |
Source: SBA 7(a) FOIA dataset, filtered to acquisitions (loans where business age is "Change of Ownership"). Implied deal size assumes an 85% loan-to-purchase ratio, a common SBA change-of-ownership structure. Charge-off rate shown only when 10+ loans have resolved (paid in full or charged off). Interest rates reflect last 24 months only. Actual deal values vary with equity injections, seller financing, and working capital terms.
Pros
- +Recurring monthly revenue — accounts rarely cancel once a tank is embedded in the space
- +Virtually no competition: few operators, low awareness, high skill barrier deters copycats
- +Owners often work 3–4 days/week once a route is established
- +High-end clients (restaurants, hotels, doctors) pay reliably and upgrade tanks over time
Cons
- -Livestock losses are client-facing and emotional — dead fish erode trust fast
- -Saltwater expertise takes 6–12 months to develop; mistakes are expensive
- -Geographic constraint: you can only service tanks within a few hours of your base
Best For
Aquarium hobbyists or biology-minded operators who want a recurring-revenue route business with no digital competition
Operating Costs
Primary costs: fish/livestock (10–15% of revenue), chemicals and supplies (8%), transportation, and part-time labor for growth. No storefront needed — pure route-based model.
SBA Financing Estimator
Adjust the deal — see if it cash flows after debt service
Estimates only. Excludes owner compensation, capex, working capital draws, and taxes. Margin assumes average occupancy and volume. Actual SBA terms vary by lender and borrower profile.
Where to Buy
Occasional listings for established aquarium service routes with commercial accounts
Business structure and startup guidance for aquarium maintenance operators
Acquisition Score
Scores margin (30), entry multiple (25), SBA market depth (20), category risk (15), and deal momentum (10). Higher = better acquisition candidate.
Quick Facts
- Category
- service
- Difficulty
- 3/5
- Buy price
- $440K–$660K
Buyer's Toolkit
Essential tools to get started
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Largest business-for-sale marketplace in the US
SBA loans and business acquisition financing — get funded fast
ROBS financing — use retirement funds to buy a business tax-free
Bookkeeping for small business owners — hands-off financials
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