Comparison

Fish Buddies vs Fish Tank Simulator

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Fish Buddies

An interactive underwater experience for babies and toddlers on Apple Watch. Gentle touch controls make fish swim and bubbles rise in a calming, visually stimulating environment. Designed for early interaction with minimal overstimulation.

Highlights
  • Touch-responsive animated fish
  • Rising bubble animations
  • Ambient underwater lighting
  • Gentle sound effects
  • Digital Crown volume control
  • Ad-free and menu-free experience
Features
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Fishy Friends is a gentle, touch-responsive underwater experience designed for babies and toddlers to enjoy on Apple Watch. Tap and hold to make your fishy pal swim toward your finger. Watch as bubbles rise and the ocean shimmers in a calming sea of motion. Fishy Friends is intuitive, engaging, and built with care to promote early interaction with minimal overstimulation. Features: Adorable animated fish that follows your touch Realistic bubbles and ambient underwater lighting Gentle sound effects with Digital Crown volume control Fully contained experience — no ads, no menus Designed for babies and toddlers to safely explore on Apple Watch Fishy Friends is perfect for short moments of calm, entertainment during stroller time, or baby’s first digital play.

About

Fish Tank Simulator

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WELCOME TO YOUR LIVING AQUARIUM Transform your Apple Watch into a mesmerizing underwater world where life never stops. Simulator isn't just a game—it's a living, breathing ecosystem that thrives on your wrist, evolving whether you're watching or away. BREED & RAISE YOUR FISH FAMILY Start with three iconic fish and watch as your aquarium transforms into a bustling colony: • Natural breeding system - Healthy, well-fed females become alpha leaders • Baby fish are born after 2 minutes and grow into adults over time • 8 unique species including Clownfish, Blue Tang, Pufferfish, and Seahorse • Each fish has distinct traits: peaceful, social, fragile, or night-active • Witness the miracle of life as babies grow 1% every 10 seconds DYNAMIC MOOD SYSTEM Your fish aren't just pixels—they have feelings! Watch their moods change based on: • Hunger levels and feeding times • Tank cleanliness and health • Time of day • Social dynamics and leadership hierarchy • Real-time emotional states: Happy, Hungry, Sick, or Neutral SOCIAL HIERARCHY & LEADERSHIP Experience natural fish behavior with an intelligent social system: • Male fish compete to become the pack leader based on level, health, and happiness • Alpha females emerge from well-fed, healthy candidates • Leadership changes dynamically as your fish grow and evolve • Strategic feeding and care influence who rises to the top MULTI-TANK EMPIRE Expand your aquatic kingdom: • Start with one tank, unlock more as you succeed • Fill each tank with 6 adult fish to unlock the next • Manage multiple ecosystems simultaneously • Each tank has its own breeding cycles and social hierarchy • Strategic resource allocation across colonies IDLE PROGRESSION THAT MATTERS Life continues even when you're not playing: • Sophisticated offline simulation tracks hours, days, or weeks away • Return to find grown babies, established hierarchies, and accumulated resources • Realistic time decay - neglect has consequences • Balance care and exploration for optimal growth UNIQUE FISH SPECIES Collect and breed 8 beautifully animated species: • Clownfish - Peaceful & social • Blue Tang - Social but fragile • Yellow Tang - Peaceful reef dwellers • Pufferfish - Slow eaters with unique traits • Royal Gramma - Vibrant purple beauties • Seahorse - Delicate and mysterious • Moorish Idol - Elegant social swimmers • Starfish - Night-active bottom dwellers DEEP RESOURCE MANAGEMENT Master the economy of aquarium life: • Food & Medicine - Essential supplies with strategic costs • Coins - Earn through care, spend on growth • Feed fish: +1 coin | Heal fish: +2 coins • Clean tank: +5 coins | Level up: +10 coins per level • Shop system for supplies and expansion • In-App Purchases for coin packs (optional, never required!) REAL-TIME CHALLENGES Keep your ecosystem balanced: • Monitor hunger • Maintain tank cleanliness • Prevent disease through proper care • Avoid overfeeding • Emergency feeds prevent starvation • Strategic healing saves lives SMART NOTIFICATIONS Stay connected to your aquarium: • Baby born alerts - Never miss a birth! • Adult celebrations - Fish reaching maturity • Cleanliness warnings - Tank maintenance reminders • Haptic feedback for important events • Customize notification preferences PERFECT FOR APPLE WATCH Designed specifically for your wrist: • Glanceable stats show tank status instantly • Quick actions: Feed All, Clean Tank, Heal Sick • Smooth swimming animations bring fish to life • Swipe between tanks with ease • Detailed fish profiles with full stats • Digital Crown support for navigation PLAY YOUR WAY • Casual: Check in daily, feed your fish, enjoy the zen • Strategic: Optimize breeding cycles, maximize XP gains, build an empire • Completionist: Perfect your colony management and social hierarchies FREE TO PLAY Start with three fish and all core features completely free. Optional coin packs available for faster progression, but everything can be earned through gameplay.

Screenshots

Fish Buddies3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Fish Buddies at none against Fish Tank Simulator's 4. Fish Tank Simulator's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 18.4). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Fish Tank Simulator sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Fish Buddies asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard2 real differences · 6 level
Fish Buddies versus Fish Tank Simulator: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFish BuddiesFish Tank Simulator
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings2 — better—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, Apple WatchiPhone, iPod, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS18.413.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size1 MB3 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDamion StevensonZeki Unal

In-app purchases

None

Fish Buddies

No in-app purchases

4 purchases

Fish Tank Simulator

One-time4
  • Small Coin Pack$0.99
  • Medium Coin Pack$4.99
  • Large Coin Pack$9.99
Show 1 more
  • Mega Coin Pack$19.99

Questions

Is Fish Buddies free?
Fish Buddies is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Fish Tank Simulator free?
Fish Tank Simulator is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Fish Buddies or Fish Tank Simulator have ads?
Neither Fish Buddies nor Fish Tank Simulator shows ads.

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