Aquabuddy
An app to educate people about fishkeeping at the palm of their hand
Tools Used
Project Overview
Design a mobile app that educates and assists users in the fishkeeping hobby.
Timeline: 2024- November 2025
Aquabuddy is a mobile app designed to make the aquarium hobby more accessible, responsible, and enjoyable for beginners. As a pet store employee, I often see how many new fish keepers are misled by disorganized or conflicting advice, which leads to confusion, poor care, and fish loss. This project recognizes that beginners need clearer, more reliable guidance than quick retail interactions or inconsistent online recommendations. Aquabuddy aims to transform the fishkeeping hobby into a simple, intuitive mobile experience that supports learning and promotes responsible fishkeeping.
The Problem
A lot of information surrounding fishkeeping can be overwhelming to a total beginner.
People are not properly educated on the many aspects of the fishkeeping hobby.
Social media can lead fishkeepers in the wrong direction, causing fish loss, poor maintenance habits, misinformation, and unnecessary expenses.
Misidentified fish species can lead to improper care and incompatibility.
Many existing aquarium apps lock essential features behind paywalls. This puts reliable fishkeeping information out of reach for those who need it most.
Research insights
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Individuals struggle most with recognizing fish species, plant varieties, and early symptoms of tank problems. To reduce the dependency on guesswork and unpredictable web sources, I explored AI-powered image recognition as a core feature. AI Scan enables users to scan a fish or plant instantly obtain species information, care , and compatibility recommendations.
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Research showed the beginners prefer basic, clean interface when learning new hobbies. Aquabuddy uses a flat, minimalist UI to reduce cognitive strain for quicker understanding. Every screen uses progressive disclosure, providing information in small, manageable chunks to prevent users from becoming overwhelmed while still learning basic aquarium care.
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Accessibility was a major focus of my research. Many fishkeepers are older adults or individuals with visual impairments, so the interface follows WCAG 2.2 contrast guidelines, offers color-blind safe palettes, and uses dyslexia-friendly spacing and text hierarchy.
Roboto was chosen for its readability on small screens, open counters, and support for scalable text sizes. These design decisions ensure Aquabuddy remains usable for everyone, regardless of age, ability, or visual condition.