Clean Glass
Wipe inside and outside front glass the day of shoot.
Stubborn algae spots ruin photos.
Lighting
Bright tank lights (at least 2x normal).
Turn off room lights — reflections ruin shots.
Black or plain background behind tank isolates subjects.
Camera Settings
Smartphone Pro mode: ISO 400-1600, shutter 1/250, white balance 5500K.
DSLR: aperture f/5.6, ISO 400, shutter 1/320.
Composition
Shoot level with the fish — not from above or below.
Focus on eye, not body.
Wait for calm fish behavior, not feeding frenzy.
Editing
Slight contrast and saturation boost.
Crop to rule of thirds.
Do not oversaturate — natural colors sell better than cartoon hues.