Conceived from a passion to share the ocean’s great beauty, born from the relentless pursuit to conserve its integrity, Biota Aquariums strives to provide fully sustainable aquatic environments that inspire awe to a new generation of marine enthusiasts.
Biota Aquariums is a brand rooted in marine biology through its founders Kevin Gaines and Tom Bowling.
Kevin Gaines
Kevin Gaines is a microbiologist who has been keeping marine fish and invertebrates for over 40 years and breeding them for over 20. He has rich experience in retail aquarium stores and marine wholesalers. He is a former marine life collector, and founded the world’s largest marine ornamental fish and coral farm in Florida. He is a director of the Coral Restoration Foundation, a nonprofit growing coral to restore reefs in Florida Keys and the Caribbean. Kevin is currently based in Florida.
Tom Bowling
Tom Bowling is a marine biologist, commercial diver and aquaculture technician who runs the Biota Marine Life Nursery on the Pacific Island of Palau, one of the world’s largest marine reserves. He has worked in aquaculture, public aquariums and marine science around the world. Tom is passionate about developing sustainable aquaculture to restock and support the marine environment. He has had particular success with fish that are notoriously difficult to breed in captivity including thread-fin snappers, bumphead parrotfish and clown triggers. Some of the fish being bred for Biota Aquariums are from our Palau nursery.
Why did Tom and Kevin develop an aquarium?
Tom and Kevin want to attract a new generation to the marine hobby and inspire them to learn about the ocean and the need to protect it. The marine hobby has been struggling to entice young adults and children for a variety of reasons. While the technology to keep and breed marine species in captivity has developed, the majority of saltwater fish sold for aquariums continue to be taken from the ocean and then exposed to numerous holding systems which contain many different types of bacteria and parasites.
The Biota Aquarium is the first marine aquarium to be offered as a total package, with sustainably aquacultured fish and live rock included. Nothing in a Biota Aquarium is taken from the ocean. Not only that, but the carefully selected fish are acclimated at Biota Aquariums’ marine life center in Florida, meaning you receive healthy, disease-free pets with a ‘safe arrival’ guarantee. Easy to follow instructions guide you through set up to help you create a successful, beautiful aquarium that will be the centrepiece of your home, office or school.
