One of Germany’s largest aquarium trade fairs
The Aqua Expo XXL in Hamm has become a well established event in the calendars of many aquarists over recent years — and this year once again made it clear why. With approximately 7,300 visitors from across Germany and abroad, as well as several championship competitions, it ranks among the largest aquarium and aquatics trade fairs in the country.
As expected, the freshwater section occupied by far the largest area. However, one of the most exciting aspects this year was the expanded marine aquarium section. Covering around 600 m², numerous exhibitors from the marine aquarium industry showcased their products and expertise, including well-known manufacturers, innovative start-ups, and coral aquaculture specialists. We at GREEN CORALS were also part of the event: Stephan, Sandra, and our long-time friend and booth partner Carsten from AQ4Aquaristik..
A special thank you also goes to Walter and the team from Aqua Perfekt / Meerwasser Böttcher, who played a key role in organizing this marine aquaristics section. And of course to Michael Schönefeld, the founder and organizer of Aqua Expo XXL, as well as the exhibition team at the Zentralhallen Hamm. A tremendous amount of passion for the aquarium hobby went into this event — and it was evident throughout the entire exhibition.
Many thanks for the great support!
Setup is complete, and we’re looking forward to welcoming the visitors :-)
Our booth
At our booth, we showcased a wide range of captive-bred corals, fish, snails, and more:
SPS Stony Corals
Acropora, Montipora, Seriatopora, Pocillopora, Stylophora, Porites, Psammocora
LPS Stony Corals
Fimbriaphyllia, Galaxea, Alveopora, Goniopora, Micromussa, Acanthastrea, Pavona, Favites, Platygyra, Duncanopsammia, Turbinaria, Lobophyllia, Caulastraea, Oulophyllia, Echinophyllia, Echinopora, Mycedium, Pachyseris, Merulina, Hydnophora, Physogyra, Cyphastrea, Leptastrea, Pectinia, Blastomussa
Soft and Gorgonian Corals
Sarcophyton, Sclerophytum, Lobophytum, Capnella, Briareum, Pinnigorgia, Plexaurella, Isis, Tubipora, Xenia, Heliopora
Other Cnidarians
Zoanthus, Palythoa, Terrazoanthus, Entacmaea
Captive-Bred Fish
As the only exhibitor, we had provided the required documentation to obtain official authorization to offer captive-bred fish from the genera Amphiprion, Pseudochromis, and Elacatinus. This attracted a lot of attention from the visitors.
Invertebrates, Algae, and Mangroves
Our marine livestock selection was complemented by various macroalgae, including Caulerpa, Chaetomorpha, and Cladophora, as well as a range of invertebrates:
Various captive-bred snail species, the sea cucumber Holothuria hilla, hermit crabs, and brittle stars.
Carsten also presented a variety of starter kits and information on Triops, fairy shrimp, and clam shrimp from the extensive product range of AQ4Aquaristik. AQ4Aquaristik is regarded as one of Germany’s leading specialists in branchiopod crustaceans (Branchiopoda).
Our coral selection:
Some captive-bred fish:
GREEN CORALS photo merchandise on display.
In addition, we brought a selection of photo merchandise from GREEN CORALS Photo Art featuring stunning marine-themed designs, including canvas prints, plush blankets and cushions in various sizes, rulers, magnets, mugs, postcards, coasters, stickers, and mouse pads.
All designs were based on underwater photographs taken by marine biologist Stephan Moldzio, who also provided information about his Reef Check courses and marine biology workshops. Informational posters on the topics of “Coral Bleaching and Reef Degradation” and the “Reef Monitoring Program in the Red Sea with Red Sea Diving Safari” were also on display.
Pleasant atmosphere and highly motivated exhibitors.
What we noticed right away during the set-up was the consistently positive, welcoming and friendly atmosphere throughout the exhibition. The exhibitors were highly motivated and they clearly enjoyed presenting their products, animals, and plants. They were also very open to exchanging ideas with others and meeting new people. At the same time, the visitors showed great interest. There were plenty of questions, discussions, and expert conversations taking place throughout the event.
This combination is exactly what makes a successful trade fair: knowledge exchange, inspiration, new connections, and, of course, good business opportunities.
A paradise for freshwater aquarists.
In addition to the significantly expanded marine aquarium section, the Aqua Expo XXL is an absolute highlight for freshwater aquarists.
The large hall was filled with exhibitors, display aquariums, and competitions. Special program highlights included, among others:
- European Discus Championship
- German International Shrimp Contest
- German Betta Contest
- ENAC (European Nature Aquarium Championship)
Work was carried out at the highest level here—both in the presentation of the animals and in the aquascape design of the aquariums.
Associations and organizations on site
In addition to the commercial exhibitors, numerous associations, clubs, and working groups were also represented, including:
- VDA
- Deutsche Cichliden-Gesellschaft e.V.
- Deutsche Medaka-Gesellschaft
- Deutsche Killifisch-Gemeinschaft
These booths offered a great opportunity to learn more about club activities, breeding projects, and the exchange among aquarists.
The Aqua Expo XXL in Hamm was once again a very successful event this year.
In our conclusion, we were really pleased to see the positive development of the marine aquarium section, which we would be happy to see continue growing in the future. The trade fair was fun, we sold many corals, fish, and photo products, and made a number of interesting new contacts. We also met old acquaintances again, from Braunschweig to Wilhelmshaven and as far as southern Germany.
Everything was excellently organized, from the venue at Zentralhallen Hamm, to the setup concept, free parking, and the overall infrastructure.
Michael’s been doing this for 14 years, right? :-)
We would have liked more time to take a closer look at the freshwater hall, with all its exhibitors and championships. With all this positive momentum, next year’s event is likely to become even larger and more diverse. We are looking forward to it!
The German version of the article can be found here.
