A Knaresborough man has turned his passion into a career by opening an aquarium store in Harrogate.

Wave Aquariums will join the many independent retailers on Commercial Street when it welcomes its first customers tomorrow.

It specialises in saltwater coral reefs and marine life, such as venomous lionfish, clownfish, anemones and bamboo sharks.

Store manager Jonny Rhodes, who has kept fish tanks since he was 14, returned from 10 years in London as a website designer to pursue the venture.

He and dad Ken, who owns the business, and mum Irene have been transforming the unit that was previously a nail salon next to Harrogate Town's club shop.



Besides tanks, accessories and equipment, it will also sell coral reefs and have a large e-commerce offering on its website.

Mr Rhodes, who studied marine biology at university at Cambridge, said:

He said there was a gap in the market for marine aquariums between Leeds and York.

Harrogate Aquatic, at Moorland Nurseries on Forest Moor Road in Knaresborough specialises in tropical fish and the two businesses would complement each other, he added.

Wave Aquariums is one of 80 official retailers of Red Sea Fish products in the UK and also stocks products by other aquatic companies, including Reef Factory, Ecotech Marine and D&D Aquarium Solution.

Besides catering for specialists, Mr Rhodes said he hoped the shop would appeal to children and passers-by and was keen to offer advice to anyone interested in keeping fish or corals.

Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones will officially open the store on Saturday afternoon at 2pm.

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