Aquarium Advantage Russell King opened Aquarium Advantage in 2008.[/caption]

After working 18 years in corporate finance, Russell King was laid off and found himself looking for his next career path.

Having been around fish since age 4, King said he loved marine life but never thought of owning an aquarium store. That is, until he stood in front of an available lease space in Frisco.

“I thought, ‘That would make an excellent aquarium shop,’” he said. “That’s kind of how it all spawned, and it took off from there.”

King opened Aquarium Advantage in 2008, and the store has been in its current location since 2011. Aquarium Advantage offers aquarium installation, maintenance and products, including freshwater and saltwater fish. The business was first founded on aquarium installation services.

When it comes to deciding which fish and products to offer in his store, King said he generally stocks what customers request. Some of the most interesting fish he said he has stocked include a purple tang and gem tang, which are generally found in the Red Sea and Indian Ocean, respectively.

With a variety of exotic breeds in his store, King said he makes sure customers know how to take care of the fish before taking them home.

Aquarium Advantage The store offers a
variety of freshwater and saltwater fish breeds.[/caption]

“A lot of the [pitfalls] within the industry itself are that people will sell you anything with complete disregard to the creatures,” King said. “That is where my store is different from all the other ones. You are going to be questioned before you’re allowed to buy, particularly with the saltwater fish.”

King said he and his team personalize the experience for each customer, recommending the best fish and products based on the customer’s goals.

“There’s a lot of things about having an aquarium that people don’t understand and don’t get, anything from the science part of it to the mixing of the fish, sizes of the fish to go in the tanks,” King said. “There are a lot of areas that are not well-explained to customers. That’s what we do; we educate you.”

King plans to move the store within the next few months, but he said he is staying in Frisco. He said he never tires of doing his job.

“This is a passion, so it comes very natural and easy,” he said. “It’s never a day of work for me.”

Aquarium Advantage 2693 Preston Road, Frisco 972-712-2222 www.aquariumadvantage.com