Desktop Fishes

About

Desktop Fishes is a single player casual simulation game. It was developed by Daniel Santalla and was released on November 13, 2025. It received positive reviews from players.

Desktop Fishes transforms your desktop into a relaxing aquarium where fish swim over your screen, bringing a playful ambiance to your day. Hatch eggs, watch your fish grow, dress them up with fun accessories, and breed to discover over 10,000 genetic combinations. Designed for idle play, the fish thrive even while you're busy with other tasks.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

81%

Audience ScoreBased on 43 reviews

gameplay3 negative mentions

The game is very cute and visually appealing, with a variety of fish and engaging pixel art.
It's a relaxing idle game that can run in the background while you work or play other games, making it a great distraction.
The skill tree and breeding mechanics add depth to the gameplay, allowing for customization and unique fish combinations.

The game lacks substantial content and progression, leading to a repetitive experience that can be completed quickly.
Performance issues arise with large fish counts, causing lag and limiting the enjoyment of the game.
The mechanics for managing fish, such as the use of poison to remove them, are confusing and detract from the overall experience.

gameplay
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
The gameplay is criticized for being minimal and overly focused on cosmetics, with mechanics like poison and crossbreeding deemed unreliable and clunky. While the visual appeal of the fish is appreciated, the overall experience lacks depth and engaging gameplay elements.
- “The crossbreeding mechanic can be interesting, but it's not reliable to get certain fish to eat the food since others can just act first.”
- “Not much gameplay, but I love seeing the fish swimming on my screen.”
- “Bare bones game with a big focus on cosmetics with no actual gameplay.”
- “I guess that's why poison exists, but I still think it's an awful mechanic that should be replaced with nets.”
- “And for the record, I am aware of the fishbowl mechanic, but it's clunky to use and adding/removing certain fish is just an eye-spy game.”
graphics
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The graphics are noted to be superior to those of Idlequarium, but the overall experience is marred by a lack of content and repetitive gameplay, leading to a less enjoyable experience.
- “The graphics are reminiscent of idlequarium, but with better visuals and less content, making the experience feel repetitive and not enjoyable.”
- “The visual quality is underwhelming, lacking the detail and polish expected from a modern game.”
- “The art style feels outdated, and the overall graphics do not live up to current gaming standards.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
100%
The game's optimization has been criticized for its repetitive skill tree and the excessive time required for achievements, which seem disproportionate to the game's content length of around 40 hours. Additionally, players report lag issues, particularly with high fish counts, even when using the performance mode.
- “The game doesn't seem particularly well optimized for large fish counts, even with the new performance mode.”
- “The skill tree has the same few options just repeated with higher percentages. Achievements expect you to keep running this game for 1000 hours when the game content is done at around 40 hours, and it gets laggy even with the performance mode.”
- “The main issue is that the game doesn't seem particularly well optimized for large fish counts, even with the new performance mode.”
story
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The story aspect is often highlighted for its engaging backstory, which sets the stage for the game's narrative and enriches the overall experience. Players appreciate the depth and context it provides, enhancing their connection to the game world.
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect enjoyable, particularly when it involves engaging activities like farming seaweed, which can be made more entertaining with helpful overlays.