What Anthias does

Anthias is a French B2B wholesale acclimatization center specializing in ornamental freshwater and saltwater fish, reptiles, live insects, and frozen feeds for the professional pet retail trade. Founded in 1991 and headquartered in a 2,500 m² facility in Les Chères near Lyon, the company maintains approximately 3,000 aquariums and 600,000 liters of water capacity, including a dedicated 150 m² marine acclimatization greenhouse equipped with ozone treatment, microfiltration, and fluidized sand bed filtration. Its customer base of approximately 600 professional accounts consists of independent pet shops and aquarium stores across France, accessed exclusively by holders of a French business registration number (SIRET).

The company's catalog spans freshwater and marine species, reptiles, feeder insects, and frozen feeds, supplemented by the proprietary NANOTOWER®2 in-store display system introduced in 2018. Anthias pioneered barcode-based traceability for live aquatic inventory in 1997 and was the first operator in the French ornamental wholesale sector to offer professional online ordering in 2005; it also operates a photo-picking service that visually confirms orders prior to shipment. Sourcing is anchored by direct partnerships with French Koi breeders, an Israeli Biosecure-certified marine fish partner, and an Asian Betta breeder, while logistics use recyclable Eco PSE packaging for live-animal transport.

The business model is pure wholesale distribution with no retail or consumer-facing channel: revenue is generated by selling acclimatized live animals, feed, and branded display hardware to French professional accounts at scale, with national delivery and a credit-based professional ordering workflow. No subscription, licensing, or services revenue stream is disclosed. The company is privately held with no parent, subsidiary, or external funding round identified in the input, and financial metrics (revenue, headcount trends post-2014, margin profile) are not publicly available.

Name

Anthias

Legal name

Anthias

Website

https://anthias.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Anthias is a French B2B wholesale distributor and acclimatization center for ornamental fish and reptiles, serving approximately 600 professional pet retailers and aquarium stores across France. Founded in 1991, it operates from a 2,500 m² facility in Les Chères and offers the proprietary NANOTOWER®2 display system.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wholesale Ornamental Fish and Reptile Distribution

NAICS

Fish and Seafood Merchant Wholesalers (42446), Fish and Seafood Merchant Wholesalers (424460)

SIC

Wholesale-Misc Durable Goods (5090)

akta.pro primary industry

Pet Supplies & Consumables Distribution (Litter, Pads, Waste, Grooming) (CRAOAKAB)

Keywords

• Ornamental fish wholesale
• Live reptile supply
• Fish acclimatization services
• Aquatic pet distribution
• Freshwater and saltwater fish

Headquarters

HQ city

Les Chères

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Wholesale ornamental fish distribution: B2B wholesale distribution of ornamental fish (freshwater and saltwater), reptiles, and related products to professional pet retailers and aquarium shops across France.
2. Live insects and frozen food: Sale of live insects (crickets, locusts, mealworms, fruit flies) for reptile feeding, and frozen food blister packs for fish and reptiles.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Anthias is a French wholesale distributor and acclimatization center that supplies ornamental freshwater fish, saltwater marine species, reptiles, live insects, and frozen feeds exclusively to professional pet retailers and aquarium stores across France. It operates a 2,500 m² facility with 3,000 aquariums and full barcode-based traceability, complemented by proprietary offerings such as the NANOTOWER®2 display system, photo-based specimen picking, and a B2B online ordering platform.

Product overview

Anthias is a French wholesale distributor and acclimatation center for ornamental fish and reptiles, operating since 1991. The company distributes a diverse portfolio across freshwater fish (livebearers, bettas, discus, koi, nano animals), saltwater marine species, live insects, and frozen feeds. The product range is supported by proprietary infrastructure including the NANOTOWER®2 battery display system, photo-based picking services, and online ordering. Facilities span 2500 m² with 3000 aquariums. Services include turn-key offers, fish tank labels, and customized management for professional pet retailers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• NANOTOWER®2 A specialized battery display system for selling Betta splendens and nano fish and freshwater invertebrates, created and distributed by Anthias as a turn-key retail merchandising solution for professional pet shops.
• Saltwater Fish (Univers Eau de Mer) Wholesale marine fish and invertebrates including Amphiprion sp., Pseudochromis sp., and Paracanthurus hepatus, acclimatized in a 150 m² marine greenhouse with ozone, microfiltration, and fluidized sand bed filtration. Sold exclusively to professional customers.
• Freshwater Fish (Univers Eau Douce) Wholesale range of freshwater ornamental fish including livebearers (guppies, platies, xiphos, mollies), bettas, discus, goldfish, koi, and nano animals, supported by a 150 m² saltwater greenhouse, dedicated cold-water rooms, and biosecure koi supplied via international breeder partnerships.
• Food (Alimentation) Complete feed range comprising live insects (crickets, locusts, mealworms, fruit flies) essential for reptile maintenance, and frozen food blister packs for freshwater, saltwater fish, and reptiles.
• Photo Picking (Picking sur Photo) Photo-based specimen selection service allowing professional customers to choose unique specimens such as betta males and large koi carp from photographs before purchase.
• Online Ordering Platform Professional B2B online ordering system on anthias.fr that enables registered customers with a SIRET number to browse current stock, place orders, and access exclusive offers and customized management.

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• OFI (Ornamental Fish International)minorOthersProfessional organization membership supporting the ornamental fish industry and promoting responsible practices.
• OFFRAminorOthersProfessional organization membership for ornamental fish and reptiles industry.
• Wild Touch AssociationminorOthersEnvironmental association supported by Anthias for wildlife protection initiatives.
• French Koi Breeder (South of France)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorld-renowned French breeder partner who has won 15 prizes at Belgian ZNA Koi Show competing against the best international breeders. Producer of high-quality koi raised in southern France.
• Israeli Biosecure Koi BreederscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBiosecure koi producers from Israel providing high-quality koi with certified biosecurity standards.
• Asian Betta BreederscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSelected best Asian breeding operations for fighting fish (Betta splendens), offering the greatest variety of forms and varieties from classic to prize-winning specimens.
• Israeli Characin BreedersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHigh-quality hatcheries in Israel producing goldfish, yellow goldfish, shubunkins, and sarasa comets.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Eheim GmbH & Co. KG: Premium German manufacturer of aquarium filtration and equipment sold through European pet retail distribution. Comparable as a B2B supplier to professional aquarium stores, though focused on hardware rather than live animals.
• Tetra (Spectrum Brands): Global mass-market aquarium brand (fish food, equipment, water care) under Spectrum Brands. Comparable in the broader European aquarium distribution channel, though vastly larger in scale and focused on consumables rather than live ornamental fish.
• JBL GmbH & Co. KG: Large German manufacturer and distributor of aquarium supplies, fish food, and water treatment products serving European pet retailers. Comparable in the B2B aquatics distribution channel, though broader in product scope and less specialized in live ornamental fish.
• Sera GmbH: German aquatics brand manufacturing fish food, water conditioners, and aquarium products distributed across European pet retail. Overlaps with Anthias in the B2B aquatics supply chain feeding professional retailers, though Sera is more product-focused than live-animal-focused.

Direct peers

• Reptilignes: French wholesale distributor of reptiles, amphibians, and related husbandry supplies serving French pet retailers. Directly comparable to Anthias' reptile business line as a France-based B2B supplier of live exotic animals and dry goods.
• Tropical Marine Centre: UK-based wholesale distributor of ornamental marine fish, invertebrates, and aquatics supplies to professional retailers. Directly comparable to Anthias as a specialized B2B acclimatization and distribution specialist in the European ornamental fish market.

Emerging players

• Aquaforest Poland: Polish manufacturer and supplier of marine aquarium products, including supplements, salts, and media, increasingly serving the European B2B marine aquatics channel. Comparable as a growing specialist in marine aquarium distribution, though focused on products rather than live marine animals.

Regional players

• Animalis: One of France's largest pet retail chains, operating superstores across the country. Comparable as a major French pet retail channel that sources from B2B wholesalers like Anthias, though operates at the retail rather than wholesale level.
• Zoomalia: France-based online retailer of pet supplies including aquarium and reptile products. Comparable in the French pet distribution channel, though primarily a B2C retailer rather than the B2B wholesaler model Anthias operates.

Others

• Pets at Home (UK): Major UK pet retail chain with in-store aquatics and reptile sections. Thematically connected as a downstream retail customer type for ornamental fish and reptile wholesalers, though not a direct competitor in the French wholesale market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCNkt-yUqEbu-5AKmw2zRWrw
• Facebookfacebook.com/anthias.aquariologie
• LinkedInfr.linkedin.com/company/anthias-aquariologie
• Instagraminstagram.com/societeanthias

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Anthias