Pet products & breeding
Books and taxes for aquarium and tropical fish stores.
A livestock order from the wholesaler, a monthly tank maintenance contract, a custom reef build, and fish that do not survive the trip. Gus sorts all of it, an accountant checks every transaction, and you get one number a month.
- From $197 a month
- An accountant on every transaction
- Cancel whenever
August came in at $10,000. The livestock lost during the heat wave got booked as a real loss, not just missing inventory.
- Square counter payoutRegister sales
- Monthly tank service billingMaintenance contracts
- Segrest livestock orderLivestock order
- RO/DI filter replacementWater systems
- Service van fuelMaintenance route
Why your books are different
An aquarium store's books go wrong in a handful of specific spots.
A generalist sees register deposits and a livestock bill. Your store runs on a wholesaler account, recurring maintenance contracts, and fish and coral that sometimes do not make it. When the books miss that, the true cost of keeping tanks stocked disappears.
-
1
Livestock loss never gets counted
Fish and coral die in shipping, in quarantine, or in the store's own display tanks, and if that loss is not tracked separately, it just looks like inventory quietly vanished instead of a real cost of doing business with live animals.
What we doBooks livestock loss as its own cost, so the real margin on what actually sold is visible. -
2
Maintenance contracts blend with register sales
A recurring monthly contract to service a customer's home or office tank is steady, predictable income, and if it lands in the same bucket as one-time register sales, it is impossible to see how much of the store's income is actually reliable.
What we doKeeps maintenance contract billing separate from register sales, so recurring income is clear. -
3
A custom tank build looks like a normal sale
A large custom reef or acrylic tank installation can involve thousands of dollars in glass, equipment, and livestock ordered over several weeks, and if it is booked like a single register sale, the project's real cost and timeline both get lost.
What we doTracks custom build materials and labor as their own project, so its real cost and margin are visible. -
4
Livestock guarantee replacements go untracked
A 14-day livestock guarantee means replacing a fish that dies shortly after a customer buys it, and if that replacement is not tied back to the original sale, it looks like a second sale instead of the cost it actually is.
What we doTies guarantee replacements back to the original sale, so the true cost of the guarantee is visible. -
5
Holding tank utilities hide in the general bill
Salt mix, RO and DI water, and the electricity to run heaters, chillers, and filtration on the store's own holding tanks are a real cost of keeping livestock alive, and if they blend into the general utility bill, nobody can see what it actually costs to hold stock before it sells.
What we doKeeps holding tank supplies and utilities in their own line, separate from general store costs.
Your categories
The categories Gus keeps for an aquarium store.
Set up once for how the store gets paid and what it spends. You never pick a category. He does, and an accountant checks it.
Money in
- Register salesFish, coral, tanks, and dry goods sold in the store.
- Maintenance contractsRecurring monthly billing for home and office tank service.
- Custom tank installationsOne-time builds for a customer's new reef or freshwater setup.
- Special order depositsDeposits on rare or preordered species.
Money out
- Livestock orderFish and coral from a wholesaler like Segrest Farms.
- Livestock lossFish and coral that die in shipping, quarantine, or in the store.
- Water systemsRO/DI filters, salt mix, and test kit supplies.
- Tank equipmentHeaters, chillers, filtration, and lighting.
- Maintenance routeFuel and supplies for techs servicing customer tanks.
- Shipping and live arrivalOvernight shipping and packaging for incoming livestock.
- Custom build materialsGlass, acrylic, and stands for large installation projects.
What we watch for you
- Livestock loss rate
What died against what was bought, tracked so a bad batch or a bad week gets caught early.
- Contract revenue share
How much of total income comes from recurring maintenance contracts against one-time sales.
- Gross margin
Sales against livestock and supply cost, so pricing keeps up with wholesaler cost changes.
- The set-aside
What you will owe, tracked every month, so tax season is a number you already knew.
Ask Gus
Things aquarium store owners ask Gus.
Text him like you would text anybody. He answers in plain English, and when a question is above his pay grade, an accountant looks and gets back to you.
No, I book that as a real loss. That way your margin on what actually sold stays honest, and you can see if a supplier or a tank is the pattern.
They get their own line. That way you can see how much of your income is the steady, recurring kind versus a good week at the register.
As its own project. I keep the glass, equipment, and livestock for that build together, so you know what it actually cost against what you charged.
The tax side
The tax side of an aquarium store.
Most of what matters here is inventory and equipment. Livestock and dry goods bought to resell are not a deduction until they sell, and tank systems are their own kind of write-off.
What your return has to get right
Your accountant signs it, so it gets done right the first time.
- Inventory and cost of goodsFish, coral, and dry goods bought to resell are not deductible when purchased. They become a cost when they sell, which is why an accurate livestock count matters at tax time.
- Tank systems and equipmentChillers, filtration systems, and large tank setups can often be written off in the year bought. Bonus depreciation is 100 percent for equipment acquired after January 19, 2025.
- Contractor 1099sAnyone not on payroll who you paid $2,000 or more in 2026, like a fill-in maintenance tech, gets a 1099-NEC by January 31. Gus keeps that list all year.
- The pass-through deductionMost owner-operated aquarium stores can take up to 20 percent of business profit off their taxable income. It comes out right when the books are right all year.
Deductions aquarium and tropical fish stores miss
Your bookkeeper knows what to look for in your statements. You never have to.
- RO/DI filter cartridges
- Salt mix and test kits
- Livestock shipping boxes
- Heater and chiller repair
- Service van fuel
- Quarantine tank supplies
- Store signage
- Business liability insurance
- Livestock mortality write-offs
- Maintenance route mileage
- Custom tank stands and hardware
- Trade show and expo booth fees
General information about 2026 federal rules, not advice for your business. Your accountant looks at your actual numbers before anything gets filed.
All year, not just April
An aquarium store year, kept every month.
Tanks need tending every week of the year, but the tax calendar still moves on its own schedule. Your team keeps you ahead of both. Every month in between, your bookkeeper closes the books and speaks up the moment something looks off.
- January
Plan the year
Last year's return gets started, any contractor 1099s go out, and you get a monthly set-aside so April is already handled.
- April
Filed. Done.
Your return is filed and signed. No surprise bill, because the set-aside has been running since January.
- July
Halfway check
Where you stand, what you will owe, and how livestock loss during the summer heat has affected the margin.
- October
Before the holiday orders
Ahead of holiday gift sales and gear purchases, Gus looks at equipment worth buying before year end.
What you get
What you pay depends on what your business needs, and it does not move after that, busy season or slow. No hourly bills, no surprise invoices, no setup fee.
Book a call- Monthly bookkeeping
Every transaction sorted into categories set up for aquarium and tropical fish stores. You never categorize a thing.
- An accountant checks every transaction
Real review, every month, before your books close. Not a spot check.
- Your business tax return, filed
Prepared, reviewed, and signed by that same accountant every year.
- The monthly number
What you made, what you spent, what to set aside for taxes.
- Your own bookkeeper
A real person assigned to your business, in the app whenever you need them. No hold music.
- On your books all year
Every month, not just in April. Your team speaks up whenever something is worth your attention.
- Cancel any time
No contract. No cancellation call. Your books are yours.
Straight answers
Questions aquarium store owners ask first.
How does Gus handle fish and coral that die before they sell?
He books it as a real loss, so it does not just look like inventory disappeared. That keeps your margin on what actually sold accurate and helps you spot a bad batch or a bad tank early.
Can Gus track my tank maintenance contracts separately from the register?
Yes. Recurring maintenance billing gets its own line, so you can see how much of your income is steady and predictable against a good week of walk-in sales.
I'm building a large custom reef tank for a client. How is that different from a normal sale?
Gus tracks the glass, equipment, and livestock for that build as one project, so you can see what it actually cost against what you charged once it wraps up.
I offer a 14-day livestock guarantee. Does replacing a fish count as a new sale?
No. Gus ties the replacement back to the original sale, so the guarantee shows up as its real cost instead of looking like extra revenue.
Do the RO/DI water systems and salt mix count differently than regular store utilities?
Yes. They get their own line, so you can see what it actually costs to keep livestock alive and healthy before it ever sells.
My books have always just been a shoebox of wholesaler invoices. Can Gus start from there?
Yes. Send what you have and Gus will separate the wholesaler invoices from your maintenance contract income. Most store owners see a clear picture within a cycle.
Is a real accountant checking my books?
Yes. You get your own bookkeeper, Gus does the first pass on every transaction, and an accountant checks every one before your month closes. That same accountant prepares, signs, and files your business return. Goatkeeper is not a CPA firm, and we never pretend a person looked when they did not.
What does it cost, and can I cancel?
It starts at $197 a month, depending on what your business needs. No setup fee, no hourly bills, no contract. Cancel any time from the app, and your books go with you.
More in pet products & breeding
We keep books for the business next door too.
- Bird shops & aviaries
- Cat breeders
- Freeze-dried pet treat makers
- Licensed dog breeders
- Pet treat bakeries
- Raw pet food brands & stores
- Reptile shops & breeders
- Custom pet portrait businesses
- Pet apparel brands
- Pet supply boutiques
- Canine fitness & dog swimming pools
- Canine massage & rehab
- Cat groomers
- Dog agility & sport training facilities
- Dog behaviorists
- Invisible & electric dog fence installers
- Off-leash dog parks with bars
- Pet cremation & aftercare
- Pet photographers
- Pet relocation services (international)
- Pet taxi & pet transport
- Protection dog trainers
- Service dog trainers
- Exotic animal vets
- Holistic & integrative vets
- In-home pet euthanasia services
- Low-cost spay/neuter & vaccine clinics
- Veterinary dental specialists
- Veterinary rehab & hydrotherapy
- Board-and-train programs
What makes a bookkeeper worth paying for Every business we keep books for
Book a call
Pick a time. That's the whole signup.
Fifteen minutes with a real person on our team. They look at where your books are, tell you straight what it takes to get caught up, and get you set up on the spot if it fits.
- $197 a month to start
- An accountant on every transaction
- Cancel whenever