Beginner's Guide: First Steps & Setup
PC FISH: Taskbar Aquarium is a cozy idle game that turns your desktop into a living pixel aquarium. Developed by Korean studio NANOO and released on Steam in August 2026, it combines fish raising, collection, and Steam Community Market trading into a relaxing desktop companion experience. This guide covers everything you need for your first session.
Quick Facts: Free to play on Steam · 450+ fish species · 5 rarity tiers · Desktop companion mode · Steam Market trading supported
Table of Contents
1. Installation & System Requirements
PC FISH: Taskbar Aquarium is available for free on Steam. Search for "PC FISH" in the Steam store or visit the store page directly and click "Play Game." The download is small (around 200MB), so it installs in under a minute on most connections.
Minimum Requirements
Windows
- OS: Windows 10 64-bit
- CPU: Dual Core 2.0GHz
- RAM: 1GB
- GPU: Integrated graphics
- DirectX: Version 11
- Storage: 200MB
macOS
- OS: macOS 12 Monterey
- CPU: Intel i5 / Apple M1
- RAM: 1GB
- GPU: Metal compatible
- Storage: 200MB
Tip: The game is extremely lightweight. It runs smoothly even on older laptops and uses minimal CPU when in desktop companion mode.
2. First Launch & Desktop Companion
When you first launch PC FISH, you'll see the main aquarium view. The game's signature feature is its desktop companion mode, which shrinks the aquarium into a small window that sits on your taskbar or screen corner while you work, browse, or play other games.
Desktop companion mode keeps your aquarium visible while you use other apps.
To toggle companion mode, look for the minimize/compact button in the game window. The companion window can be dragged to any screen corner and will stay on top of other windows by default. You can also adjust its size in settings.
3. Getting Your First Fish
New players start with a basic aquarium and a small amount of in-game currency. Your first fish will likely be a Common tier species. Here's how to get started:
- 1
Open the Raise menu
The main screen has three core buttons: Raise, Collect, and Trade. Start with Raise to acquire and care for fish.
- 2
Acquire a starter fish
Use your starting currency to purchase a Common fish from the in-game shop. Common fish are cheap and breed quickly.
- 3
Place it in your aquarium
Your new fish will swim in the main tank. Watch it explore and earn idle currency over time.
- 4
Feed and maintain
Regular feeding keeps fish happy and productive. Happy fish earn more currency and have better breeding outcomes.
4. Understanding the Interface
The PC FISH interface is clean and pixel-art styled. Here are the key elements you'll interact with:
Raise
Acquire fish, feed them, manage their care, and monitor their stats including star rating and variant progress.
Collect
View your fish encyclopedia, track variant completion percentages, and see which species you still need to find.
Trade
Export fish to your Steam Inventory, import fish, and access the Steam Community Market for buying and selling.
Aquarium Panel
Shows your aquarium level, EXP progress, fish capacity, and decoration slots. Upgrade to unlock more space.
Fish detail panel shows rarity, star rating, breeding count and variant completion.
5. Earning Currency & Progression
PC FISH uses an idle progression system. Your aquarium earns currency passively while the game runs — even in desktop companion mode. Higher rarity fish and more populated tanks generate more income. Here's how to maximize early earnings:
- Keep fish fed: Well-fed fish produce currency at their maximum rate.
- Fill your tank: More fish = more passive income. Upgrade aquarium capacity as soon as affordable.
- Breed for higher rarity: Rare and above fish generate significantly more currency than Common ones.
- Sell duplicates on Steam Market: Extra fish can be exported and sold for real Steam wallet funds.
6. Common Beginner Mistakes
Mistake 1: Neglecting to feed fish. Hungry fish stop producing currency and may have reduced breeding success.
Mistake 2: Selling your first rare fish immediately. Keep at least one of each species for collection progress and breeding stock.
Mistake 3: Ignoring the companion mode. Running the game minimized still earns idle currency — let it run in the background while you do other things.
Mistake 4: Breeding randomly without a plan. Check our breeding guide for targeted combos that produce rare offspring.
7. What to Do Next
Once you're comfortable with the basics, here are your next steps: