Fish · Reptiles · Aquascaping · Cape Town
Worlds worth keeping.
A little shop for big animal lovers. Come and meet the fish, geckos and plants, and get honest advice from people who keep them too.
Call for products & ordersSay hi
Meet the animals
Scales, fins, tails and tiny shrimp.
A few of the animals we love and know well. Ask us what's in this week, or what would suit your home.
Betta
Goldfish
Figure 8 puffer
Cherry shrimp
Neon tetraLeopard geckoCrested gecko
Fat-tailed gecko
Savannah monitor
Corn snakeWhat we do
Part shop, part workshop.
We source healthy fish and reptiles, stock the gear that keeps them thriving, and design planted aquariums and terrariums that turn a glass box into a living landscape.
Fish & aquatics
Tropical, coldwater and marine livestock, live plants and equipment.
Reptiles
Geckos, monitors, snakes and everything they need.
Plants & hardscape
Aquatic plants, stones and driftwood for planted tanks and aquascapes.
Custom aquascaping
Planted freshwater aquariums designed to your tank, lighting and taste, from nano tanks to large display pieces.
Aquarium maintenance
Scheduled visits for planted freshwater tanks: water changes, glass cleaning, plant trimming and a parameter check.
Terrariums & vivariums
Bioactive enclosures for reptiles and amphibians, built around the animal's needs.
See all our services · Store front coming soon. Call us for products and orders.
T&S Makers
Smart gear for happy fish.
A small range of aquarium accessories designed and 3D-printed in-house in Cape Town, made for the problems hobbyists and breeders actually run into.
Brine shrimp hatchery
Our first product family: a hatchery for raising live baby brine shrimp, in a stand version and the original 2 L version. The inlets use screw-in adapters, so it suits many airline tube sizes.
More to follow
Accessories for fish rooms and breeders are in development, including caves, an airline organiser and spare adapters. Details will be added as each item is tested.
Interested in the hatchery or want to be told when the range launches? Send us an enquiry or call 066 101 5288.
Care guides
Advice from people who keep the animals.
Practical guides on planted tanks, aquascaping, fish and reptile husbandry, written from hands-on experience.
Your First Planted Tank
Everything you need to know to set up a thriving planted aquarium from scratch — substrate, lighting, plants, and…
AquaticsBetta Fish Care Guide
Bettas are beautiful, intelligent, and deeply misunderstood. They don't belong in bowls or vases. Here's how to keep…
AquaticsPuffer Fish Care Guide
Puffers are intelligent, personable, and endlessly entertaining — but they're not community fish. Everything you need…
Why Tails & Scales
Animals first. Always.
Tails & Scales was started by Elle Jordaan, founder and owner, who wanted a specialist shop where knowledge and animal welfare come before everything else.
Expert advice
Guidance from people who keep and breed the animals they sell.
Healthy livestock
Quarantined, well-conditioned animals and plants, never rushed to the shelf.
Lifelong support
We're here after the sale, for questions, supplies and next steps.
Come and see us
Visit us in Protea Valley, Cape Town.
Setting up your first tank, choosing a gecko or planning a custom aquascape? Call us or pop in and we'll take it from there.