About Us

Driven by Life.

Fueled by Passion.

Inspired by Nature.

Tannin Aquatics is just a bit different than what you're used to in the freshwater tropical fish trade, and we think that you'll appreciate that.

My name is Scott Fellman, the owner and "Chief Tint Officer"- of Tannin Aquatics.

I'm a lifelong tropical fish hobbyist, and I suppose that I'm probably best known in the aquarium world as a reef aquarium author, lecturer, and aquatic industry entrepreneur. Prior to launching Tannin, I was co-owner of a popular marine livestock vendor, Unique Corals. Of course, my first love was freshwater, and I can't ever seem to stray from it. 

Tannin's story really began with my lifelong love for all things aquatic, and a vision to provide freshwater tropical fishes with the most natural captive environments possible. Environments with a certain look. A certain feel. A certain vibe. Earthy. Organic. Natural.

Tinted.

The name “Tannin” was selected because it’s the substance derived from leaves and wood that tints the life-giving waters of tropical rivers and streams with a beautiful brown color that I find so alluring. The dark waters, tangled roots and earthy-colored leaves found off the shores of tropical “blackwater” rivers, ponds, and streams provide an irresistible subject for hobbyists to replicate in our aquariums.

Our tagline, "Leaves, Wood, Water, Life" perfectly summarizes our aesthetic, our offerings, our point of view- and our mission.

The passion behind Tannin comes from my passion for water, a lifetime on the beaches of Southern California, and a belief that if we understand the precious aquatic habitats of the world, we are in the best possible position to do our part to preserve them.

I have a deep desire to provide fellow aquatic hobbyists with a carefully curated selection of natural botanical products, along with information, inspiration, and appreciation for creating representations of the beautiful blackwater world that exists where land meets water.                                                        

We’re all about fostering creativity.

We offer cool natural materials to create distinctive aquatic displays. We're big believers of investing the time and committing to the process of real natural aquascaping, biotope replication, and developing dynamic environments for our fishes. We like to think that doing something with our aquariums is more fun than just looking at them. Your aquarium is just like music, art, or poetry...it should be an extension of you, and an embodiment of nature. And a vital, vibrant part of your daily existence.

Our "aquatic botanicals" are intended for use in aquariums, terrariums, vivariums, paludariums, and ripariums, and offer unique aesthetics to help you create memorable blackwater or brackish, "botanical-style" aquatic microcosms- somewhat different than what's "currently popular" in the aquascaping world.

A different aesthetic, and a different approach. A lifestyle.

Based in sunny Los Angeles, California, our joy is to share with our fellow hobbyists the kind of stuff that gets us excited.

Wether it’s an unusual specimen of driftwood, exotic-looking aquatic botanicals, aquatic-themed art, or that crazy leaf, everything that we sell is something that we believe in.

We don't offer every aquarium product under the sun. Just stuff that fits our vision, our vibe, our aesthetic. Stuff that comes from quality, reliable, and responsible sources. Stuff that we know will get YOU excited, too. We didn't "invent" this stuff. We've studied it for years. Romanced it. Curated it. Branded it. Loved it. We're not a bargain-priced, super-high-volume discount vendor. That's not us. We offer quality, premium products at a fair price.

We know that we're not the only place on Planet Earth where you can find some of this stuff. We're likely not the least expensive. However, we think we're the best place for it! We'd love it if you choose us, because you get more than just a bunch of dried seed pods and leaves, or fishes- you get passion, information, and a commitment to the hobby- and the growing global "New Botanical" aquarium community.

Each and every aquatic botanical is hand-selected and packed to order, with care and consideration- the same consideration we'd use if we were adding it to our own aquarium. We're constantly searching for new items that fit our aesthetic and vision to add to our collection, and editing our offerings to remove items that don't conform to our evolving vision. Every item we offer is scrutinized as if it were going into our own aquarium.

And we support all of this good stuff with a level of personal service and information that we know will keep you coming back for more!  We support aquarium clubs and events worldwide, and contribute to charities which support the aquatic environment. It's not just about selling stuff. It's building relationships. And it starts with YOU. Your satisfaction is everything to us, and I promise that we'll do everything possible to give you a great experience when working with us.

Every single time.

I know that passion matters in this hobby. And passion drives everything that we do at Tannin. We hope to be a reliable, friendly, and useful resource for you to turn to when you want to create unique, natural-looking aquatic displays.

As you may have already surmized- we aren’t your "typical" aquatic hobby vendor. We don't ever want to be.

And we're just getting started! Come evolve with us.

To check out more of our stories and what inspires us, check out our daily blog, "The Tint."

Stay excited. Stay passionate. Stay creative.

And most important of all...

Stay Wet!

Scott Fellman, Owner

Tannin Aquatics