Children color a fish on paper, it gets scanned, and it swims across a big screen. That idea, made famous by teamLab's Sketch Aquarium, is now available in several forms: free web toys, family apps, professional event software and full-service rentals. This page compares them honestly, including where Fishy is not the best fit.
We make Fishy. Competitor details below come from each company's own website, checked in November 2026. Prices change, so follow the links to confirm.
Quick comparison
| Option | What you need | Listed price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fishy | Printed Fishy page, phone, any screen with a browser; free account | Free (6 fish, personal); $5/month or $45/year (30 fish, personal); $100/month or $1,080/year per aquarium (commercial) | Families who want a lasting aquarium; clinics, restaurants, schools and other venues |
| Paper Reef | Any drawing on white paper or drawn on the phone; phone browser and a screen | Free | Quick, free fun with any kind of drawing |
| Cherish Days Aquarium | Printed sheet, phone, TV, laptop or tablet; no sign-up | Free up to 5 fish; Aquarium Plus A$9.99 once per aquarium (up to 40 fish) | Families who prefer a one-time payment |
| teamLab Sketch Aquarium | A visit to an exhibition or museum that hosts it | Venue admission | A day out on a giant projected wall |
| Event software, kits and rentals | Computer, scanner or capture station, large display, often an operator | e.g. $269/month software (hardware extra); AED 2,500 per 4-hour rental | Branded activations, museums, permanent exhibits |
Fishy
Fishy is a web app at app.swimfishy.com. Kids color a printed Fishy page, the phone photographs it, and the fish swims on the phone and in a shared aquarium you open on a TV or computer. Other phones can join by scanning the QR code on the aquarium screen, and the aquarium owner can remove fish to make room.
Strengths: a saved aquarium tied to your account, simple plans for home use, and a clear commercial license for venues, with up to 30 fish per aquarium. Limits: drawings must be on a printed Fishy page with its QR codes (the app's Print menu has 11 fish outlines, and this site has classic and seasonal coloring pages), and you need a free account.
Paper Reef
Paper Reef runs in a phone browser with no app and no account. You can draw a fish, a car or anything else on white paper, or draw directly on the phone. Its main tank is shared with everyone on the internet, and its site says every picture is checked before it swims; for a family, party or classroom it suggests opening a free private tank with its own code. According to its how-it-works section, a drawing swims for two minutes for free, with a "Swim again" button for another go.
Choose Paper Reef if you want something free and instant and you are happy with drawings that swim for a short time.
Cherish Days Aquarium
Cherish Days Aquarium is a browser aquarium with no sign-up and no ads. It offers 13 fish coloring sheets, and the free version holds up to 5 fish. The one-time Aquarium Plus upgrade (A$9.99, per aquarium) raises that to 40 fish and adds decorations and custom backgrounds. Its fish can be fed and grow over time, the artist's name appears above each fish, and deleting fish requires a parent PIN.
Choose Cherish Days if you want more coloring sheets and prefer a single small payment for home use.
teamLab Sketch Aquarium
Sketch Aquarium is an interactive installation by the art collective teamLab, first created in 2013. Visitors color a sea creature on paper provided at the venue, scan it, and watch it swim into a massive aquarium, where touching a fish makes it swim away and touching a food bag feeds the fish. It appears in teamLab exhibitions and has been shown at partner venues such as The New Children's Museum in San Diego, as a wall-sized projection.
Choose teamLab if you want the full museum-scale experience. It is something you visit rather than run on your own screen, which is where home and venue apps come in.
Event software, exhibit kits and rentals
- Activation King Digital Aquarium is event software for activation businesses. Its Pro plan lists at $269 per month with two concurrent seats, and equipment (computer, scanner, display) is bought separately. According to its product page, an operator approves each drawing, with optional AI styling.
- SketchTank by Workinman is a permanent exhibit kit with a mini PC, document scanner and monitor for a scanning station. The projector or TV is not included. Its page listed the kit at $16,990, marked down from $19,990.
- PartyRent.ae in Dubai rents an AI aquarium for AED 2,500 for four hours, including a 55" TV, scanning system, coloring materials and an attendant.
- Harikalar in Turkey rents a customizable interactive aquarium with an operating team included and quotes each event individually.
Choose a rental or kit if you need staff on site, custom branding, a permanent museum exhibit or a giant projection. If you want the same color-scan-swim moment on a screen you already own, Fishy costs a fraction of that. See Fishy for parties and events.
Which one should you choose?
- A one-off at home, free: Paper Reef, or Fishy's free plan for up to 6 fish.
- A family aquarium that lasts: Fishy personal ($45 per year) or Cherish Days Aquarium Plus.
- A clinic, dental office, restaurant, hotel or classroom: Fishy enterprise. See waiting rooms, dentists and classrooms.
- A branded activation with staff: an event rental or event software.
Try Fishy free or compare plans on the pricing page.
Frequently asked questions
What is a sketch aquarium?
A sketch aquarium is an activity where children color a sea creature on paper, the drawing is scanned, and it swims in an animated aquarium on a large screen. teamLab's Sketch Aquarium installation made the idea famous, and several apps now bring it to home and venue screens.
Can I do a sketch aquarium at home?
Yes. Browser-based tools such as Fishy, Paper Reef and Cherish Days Aquarium use a phone to scan the drawing and a TV or laptop to show the aquarium. No scanner or projector is required.
What is the cheapest option?
Paper Reef says watching, adding drawings and opening a private tank are free. Cherish Days is free for up to 5 fish, with a one-time A$9.99 upgrade per aquarium. Fishy is free for up to 6 fish for personal use, or $5 per month for 30 fish.
Which option is licensed for businesses?
Fishy has a dedicated enterprise plan for commercial venues at $100 per aquarium per month or $1,080 per year. Event software and rentals such as Activation King, SketchTank and rental companies are also built for business use, at higher prices that often include hardware or staff.
How often are these prices checked?
The competitor details on this page were taken from each company's own website in November 2026. Prices and features change, so confirm on their sites before you buy.