Chillquarium is a one man idle aquarium from Ben Reber, released 6 September 2023 and usually priced under six dollars. You buy booster packs of fish, drop them in a tank, and they grow on a wall clock whether the game is running or not. Grown fish either get sold for a lump sum or kept so they pay daily ticket money forever. There are 156 species across six packs, and each one can roll Painted, Golden or Rainbow colour variants behind long odds. Steam sits near 93 percent positive across more than 5,000 reviews, which tells you this is a screensaver you occasionally click rather than a game with a fail state.
Your choice of equipment defines your damage output and playstyle. This guide ranks every major option, explains what makes each one strong, and tells you which builds they pair best with.
Equipment Rankings
| Equipment | Tier | Best For | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freshwater Friends pack | S | First hour of play and later bulk opening when you are hunting Golden and Rainbow variants on a budget | The 10 dollar starter pack and the only one you can afford in the first minutes. |
| Rivers and Ponds pack | A | The stretch between your first 100 slot tank and saving for saltwater | The second freshwater pack at 1,000 dollars per open. |
| Reef Fellas pack | A | Kicking off the saltwater economy once tank capacity is already in place | The first saltwater pack at 200,000 dollars. |
| Marine Dwellers pack | B | Building the income base that funds the Giants pack | A 50 million dollar saltwater pack whose fish carry a much higher base daily income. |
| Giants pack | B | Endgame players with a compounding daily income who want the final collection entries | The 15 billion dollar top tier pack and the effective end of the money curve. |
S-Tier: Freshwater Friends pack
The 10 dollar starter pack and the only one you can afford in the first minutes. Everything in it lives in the base freshwater tank, and its fish are the cheapest source of pity counter progress in the game.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | S |
| Best For | First hour of play and later bulk opening when you are hunting Golden and Rainbow variants on a budget |
| Key Mechanic | Real time fish growth |
| Recommended Build | Common |
How to get it: Available from mid-game onward. See our walkthrough for the exact progression point.
Best builds using Freshwater Friends pack: Pairs naturally with Common thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
A-Tier: Rivers and Ponds pack
The second freshwater pack at 1,000 dollars per open. Still freshwater tank compatible, so it is the natural upgrade before you own any saltwater capacity.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | The stretch between your first 100 slot tank and saving for saltwater |
| Key Mechanic | Booster pack odds |
| Recommended Build | Rare |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Rivers and Ponds pack: Pairs naturally with Rare thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
A-Tier: Reef Fellas pack
The first saltwater pack at 200,000 dollars. Nothing from it can be stored until a saltwater tank is bought, which catches out players who buy the pack first.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Kicking off the saltwater economy once tank capacity is already in place |
| Key Mechanic | Painted, Golden and Rainbow variants |
| Recommended Build | Epic |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Reef Fellas pack: Pairs naturally with Epic thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
B-Tier: Marine Dwellers pack
A 50 million dollar saltwater pack whose fish carry a much higher base daily income. This is where a ticket income tank stops being pocket change.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Building the income base that funds the Giants pack |
| Key Mechanic | Ticket income versus selling |
| Recommended Build | Legendary |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Marine Dwellers pack: Pairs naturally with Legendary thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
B-Tier: Giants pack
The 15 billion dollar top tier pack and the effective end of the money curve. Its fish are the largest in the game and take the longest to reach adult size.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Endgame players with a compounding daily income who want the final collection entries |
| Key Mechanic | Tank capacity upgrades |
| Recommended Build | Mythic |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Giants pack: Pairs naturally with Mythic thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
Equipment Progression Path
The order you should acquire equipment as you progress:
- Starting gear → Enough to clear Starter Freshwater Tank
- Rivers and Ponds pack → Your first real upgrade, available early
- Reef Fellas pack → Mid-game upgrade with good scaling
- Freshwater Friends pack → Best-in-slot, aim for this by late game
- Upgrade to max → The power spike from max upgrades is enormous
Equipment Tips
- Always upgrade your primary equipment before diversifying. One strong option beats three mediocre ones.
- Match your equipment to your build's stat priorities for maximum scaling.
- Buy both freshwater tank upgrades before your first Rivers and Ponds pack. 300 dollars total buys 50 extra slots, and slots are the bottleneck for the whole early game.
- Check our tier list for how equipment rankings affect overall build effectiveness.
More Chillquarium Guides
- Chillquarium Chillquarium Overview
- Chillquarium Best Builds
- Chillquarium Tier List
- Chillquarium Walkthrough
- Chillquarium Beginner's Guide
- Chillquarium Tips & Tricks
- Chillquarium Combat Guide
- Chillquarium Boss Guide
- Chillquarium Maps & Locations
- Chillquarium Crafting Guide
- Chillquarium Classes & Characters
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