Gary Coffman brings more than four decades of experience handling tropical fish to Austin Aqua-Dome. The fish sold in Coffman’s South Austin shop originate from areas throughout the world, the owner said. Most saltwater fish are caught in the wild, and many freshwater fish are raised in farms, he said. “People have been keeping aquariums since the Romans, so it’s always been a hobby and a learning experience,” Coffman said. “The more we learn about the husbandry of these fish the better we’re able to keep them alive and potentially breed them.” Keeping and rearing fish becomes increasingly important to the survival of fish, Coffman said, as wild habitats shrink and fish species become endangered. Collecting fish could have long-term benefits to protecting fish populations, he said. Austin Aqua-Dome sells a variety of freshwater and saltwater fish as well as various corals. Coffman does not sell any aquatic life that is not capable of living in a home aquarium—such as octopus—or are legally not allowed to do so, including piranhas and stingrays. He said it is also illegal to sell pet turtles with a shell length less than 4 inches, he said. Austin Aqua-Dome staff educates each buyer on what guidelines to follow for his or her new pet, Coffman said. Taking care of fish, each with its own personality, can be an easy task, he said. “It’s not a difficult hobby, no matter what you do. As long as you meet the animal’s needs,” Coffman said. “That varies from animal to animal. For a lot of them it’s a habitat, it’s good water quality and good nutrition. Some species require different equipment to keep them healthy, but none of it is really complicated.” The Austin Aqua-Dome team also provides custom-built aquariums. Although the startup cost for a beta fish can be $25, a large and diverse aquarium can cost as much as $18,000, Coffman said. “When you’re dealing with live animals you don’t want to go cheap at the expense of success. That doesn’t mean you have to spend $18,000 to have a nice little aquarium,” he said. Staff is used to creating custom fish tanks after retrofitting tanks to fit inside the uniquely shaped business, which was built in 1986, Coffman said. “A round building is not easy to merchandise, so we pretty much had to build everything to fit in here,” Coffman said. “This building is a bit modification-proof.”