Editorial Interzoo 2026: the video reportage from Nuremberg

Interzoo 2026 in Nuremberg has come to an end and, as always, we took a little time to sort through videos, photos, notes, meetings, products and impressions. Because a trade fair like Interzoo cannot be described only by listing the companies that were there: it needs to be digested, understood, compared with previous editions and, above all, told from the point of view of those who, like us, have been following it since 2006. Without missing a single edition.

This year we arrived in Nuremberg with a rather ambitious mission: to visit around 48 aquarium-related booths in just three days, collect video and photo material, meet companies and friends, report on the most interesting new products and, at the same time, understand the real state of the industry. It was not easy, let us say that straight away. But, as always, it was extremely stimulating.

Interzoo remains, without any doubt, the most important trade fair in the world for everything related to the pet industry and pet equipment. For our sector, the aquarium hobby, it continues to be a very interesting litmus test: who is there, who is missing, who is investing, who is presenting something new, who is consolidating its range and who, instead, seems to be taking a break.

Our video reportage from Interzoo 2026

As tradition dictates, let us start with the video. We collected our tour of the most interesting aquarium booths at Interzoo 2026 into one large reportage. In some cases we described the products directly ourselves; in others we let company representatives speak, later translating the English explanations into Italian to make everything more accessible for the DaniReef audience.

The result is a long, rich video, full of content and insights. It is not just a simple summary, but a real walk through the fair with us: starting from the Italian booths, moving through the major international companies, diving into technical details and ending with our final thoughts on an edition that, at least from the aquarium point of view, felt important but also a little more subdued than in the past.

This video is the starting point of our Interzoo 2026 coverage: a broad overview of what we saw in Nuremberg, followed on DaniReef by more focused reports, photo galleries and technical articles.

In this article you will therefore find not only the full video, but also our reasoned reading of the fair: the official numbers, the comparison with previous editions, the companies that impressed us the most, the most beautiful aquariums and the main directions we saw emerging from the aquarium sector.

Interzoo 2026: an important but more subdued edition

Let us start from the general feeling, the one we brought home after walking through the halls and that we confirmed by reviewing all the material we collected. For the first time since 2006, which is when we started following Interzoo regularly, this edition felt slightly more subdued from the aquarium point of view.

Do not get us wrong: Interzoo is still Interzoo. It remains huge, impeccably organized, full of companies, meetings and opportunities. However, in our specific sector, we perceived fewer truly major new products, fewer historic companies with major booths and, in general, greater caution. Many companies did not bring completely new products, but preferred to work on improvement, refinement and consolidation of their existing ranges.

This is not necessarily a bad thing. On the contrary, in some cases it is the sign of mature companies that, instead of chasing novelty at all costs, choose to improve what already works. We saw this clearly at Sicce, with important updates to already well-known products and the extension of the warranty of some pumps up to 10 years. We saw it at Tunze, with products redesigned with a premium and reliability-oriented approach. We also saw it in companies such as Teco, which presented a very interesting technical solution for aquarium chillers.

At the same time, however, perhaps that continuous sense of wonder that some previous editions had given us was missing. Fewer spectacular marine aquariums, fewer huge displays, fewer animals on show, fewer big reef names present in person. The feeling is that Interzoo is increasingly becoming a pure B2B trade fair, where products, commercial contacts and company strategy matter more than spectacle for the visitor.

The numbers and the context

Before going into the details of our aquarium-focused reading of the fair, it is right to start from the official numbers released by the organizers. According to WZF – Pet Industry Services, organizer of the event, Interzoo 2026 was the largest and most international Interzoo ever in terms of global participation: around 2,400 exhibitors from about 70 countries presented products and services for dogs, cats, fish, small mammals, terrariums and other companion animals. Professional visitors were around 39,000, coming from more than 130 countries.

Very important numbers, therefore, especially in terms of international reach and visitor presence. At the same time, however, we cannot ignore a figure that we had already highlighted in our preview article: compared to the previous edition, the total number of exhibitors dropped significantly. In 2024 the announced exhibitors were 3,266, while in 2026 the final figure settled at around 2,400. We are therefore talking about roughly 866 fewer exhibitors, a significant drop, even within a fair that remains enormous and an absolute global reference point.

The same reasoning applies to the aquarium sector. Even before leaving, we had identified around 245 companies in the aquarium industry, slightly down from the 266 of the previous edition. Aquarium-related companies therefore represented around 10% of the total: an interesting share, even growing in relative weight compared to the fair as a whole, but within a general context that was more contracted than two years ago.

This is why, in our opinion, we need to hold together two apparently different but equally true readings: Interzoo 2026 was a huge, international and central trade fair for the pet industry; at the same time, from the aquarium point of view, it felt more cautious, less spectacular and with fewer major new products than some previous editions.

For us, however, the most interesting point is not only numerical. The real question is: who was really there, and with what kind of presence? From this point of view we saw some important confirmations, several welcome returns, but also some significant absences. Some historic aquarium companies were not present, others were there in reduced form, and others were represented by distributors or commercial partners.

Our initial list included around 48 booths to visit. In three days we tried to cover as many as possible, starting with the booths we considered most relevant for the DaniReef audience. We visited almost all the brands on the list: some were presenting entire new product lines, others appeared with small display corners within collective booths or distributors. For this reason, coverage of each brand will vary between dedicated videos, photo galleries and shorter targeted focuses. Some companies that were not on our initial list were discovered directly during our walk through the fair. We could not do everything, and we apologize to the companies we were unable to meet or with whom we could not match schedules. But the material we collected was enormous.

The Italian companies at Interzoo 2026

As always, one of the first things we look at during Interzoo is the Italian presence. Because, regardless of the size of the domestic market, Italy still carries significant weight in technical aquarium keeping, both freshwater and marine. This year we found historic companies and familiar faces again, but also some particularly welcome returns.

At Sicce we saw an increasingly mature product line: not so much completely revolutionary new products, but concrete improvements to filters, pumps, magnets, accessories and warranties. From Teco came one of the most interesting technical solutions of the fair, with the titanium heat exchanger separated from the cooling unit and placed directly in the sump or tank. Equo returned to Interzoo with new products and with a presence that made us particularly happy, while Greenvet, Croci/Amtra, Ferplast/Hydor, Newa, PRO.D.AC and Aquarialand confirmed the Italian presence at the fair.

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The beautiful thing, for us, was meeting so many friends again. Interzoo is not only products, catalogs and booths: it is also relationships. It is the opportunity to look people in the eye, talk about the market, understand where companies are going and build those relationships that then allow us to tell you about products and news with greater depth.

The technical news that caught our attention

Despite an edition that was less explosive than others, interesting new products were certainly not missing. In fact, some of them definitely deserve a dedicated article, because they introduce practical solutions or changes in approach that could have interesting consequences for the market.

Sicce: improving already excellent products

At Sicce, the main theme was consolidation. We saw the evolution of Aqua Filtra with the new Bio Booster, biodegradable elements with bacterial and carbon sources that progressively dissolve in the aquarium. An approach that conceptually recalls biopellets, but in a smaller, more controlled and manageable form.

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The updates to the Shark filter line were also interesting, with stronger magnets and improved attachments, and above all the message linked to pumps, where Sicce wanted to emphasize build quality by offering, on some models, a warranty of up to 10 years. In a market where new products are often chased constantly, seeing a company invest in robustness and reliability is an important message.

Teco and the titanium heat exchanger in the sump

The new product from Teco is one of those ideas that will probably spark discussion, and that is exactly why it is interesting. The concept is to separate the cooling unit from the titanium heat exchanger, placing the latter directly in the sump or tank. In this way, there is no need for a dedicated pump to push water through the chiller, and efficiency can increase because heat exchange takes place directly in contact with the aquarium water.

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The solution, already known in some markets such as the United States, is now arriving in Europe on the most important models. Aesthetically it may take some getting used to, because the heat exchanger becomes a visible element or, in any case, something to be positioned in the sump, but from a technical point of view the logic is very interesting. We will definitely talk about it in a dedicated article.

AquaForest: an ever more complete ecosystem

The AquaForest booth was one of the richest in content. We saw an all-in-one skimmer with a closed system, CO2 scrubber, carbon filter, anti-overflow sensor, dual Venturi and electronic pump control. A product designed not only to skim, but also to work on CO2 and pH management, two increasingly central aspects in coral growth.

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The new nano tank of around 90 liters was also very interesting, designed as a complete system to start a marine aquarium, with rocks, starter kit, rear filtration and integrated accessories. AquaForest also presented reference solutions to check test reliability, a dedicated pond line, a freshwater-specific ICP service and an AI-based support system built on its own models and experience. A very broad expansion, clearly showing the company’s desire to become an increasingly complete ecosystem.

Lighting, aquariums and complete systems

One of the most evident trends at Interzoo 2026 was the search for systems that are simpler, more integrated and more immediate for the end user. This applies to lighting, complete aquariums, marine systems and freshwater systems alike.

AquaLEDs impressed us with a very technical and rational proposal: a passive, silent, fully submersible light bar, controllable via web app and made in Germany. The philosophy is interesting: no fans, great attention to humidity, modularity and the possibility of starting with one bar and then adding others according to the aquarium’s needs.

Aquatlantis, on the other hand, brought a very wide line of aquariums for aquascaping, including the new Clarity range, longer Shallow tanks, cubes with rounded corners and solutions also dedicated to terrariums and stores. A very complete presence, confirming how the Portuguese company continues to work on design, integrated systems and retail solutions.

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Waterbox showed not only its aquariums, as we expected, but also an important expansion into accessories: the new Lumora light, skimmers, filters, additives and consumables. A clear signal: Waterbox no longer wants to be perceived only as an aquarium company, but as a more complete platform for aquarists.

Modern Reef, Tunze and the most technical solutions

Among the most interesting booths from a technical point of view, we cannot fail to mention Modern Reef and Tunze. The first brought several new products, some of them truly particular: Shield, designed to protect corals, Sentinel, to be used in the presence of pests, Reef Biome as a bacterial source without carbon sources, Metal Detox and Reef Terraformers, a product designed to improve the biological substrate and rock colonization.

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Tunze, instead, presented an extremely premium approach on several fronts: a new dosing pump with electronics derived from the Orca platform, a revised and improved Osmolator, a return pump without metal parts and based on the experience of the Stream 3, new skimmer pumps and even a rotating system for corals and plants, designed to continuously change the way light and flow reach organisms.

Not everything will please everyone, and some solutions will certainly spark discussion. But this is precisely the beauty of a trade fair: seeing new ideas, different approaches and products that try to move beyond routine.

The most beautiful aquariums at Interzoo 2026

If we have to talk about displayed aquariums, our judgment is quite clear: there were fewer of them than in the past. This trend has been continuing for several editions and now seems structural. Interzoo is becoming less and less a fair where companies feel the need to impress with large set-up aquariums, and increasingly a fair where products, business and contacts matter.

That said, some tanks truly deserved attention. The most beautiful marine aquarium, in our opinion, was once again the one by Dinar Darum Lestari, just as two years ago. A spectacular, rich, living tank, capable of capturing the eye. The only pity is that it was located in a rather peripheral hall compared to the aquarium heart of the fair; the risk is that many visitors missed it. We, based on the experience of two years ago, went straight to look for it, and the choice was more than rewarded.

In freshwater, we saw very beautiful things from Dennerle/Tropica, with clean, natural and highly impactful aquascapes, and a very scenic circular tank by Sera, simple but extremely effective. The Tropica booth, as always, was a lesson in plant elegance: plants, layouts and new terrarium solutions confirmed how the Danish company continues to be an absolute reference point in the aquarium plant world. The true revelation of this edition, at least for us, was Yokuchi, which amazed everyone with literally spectacular aquascapes.

Quick visits and other companies

Not all booths had new products important enough to justify a long deep dive, but many still deserve to be mentioned. At Aquarium Münster we saw a new line of tests with reagents in sachets, designed to simplify dosing and reduce errors. In the same context, we also found the Dr. Bassleer line again, with new foods and updated formulations, which we recently talked about in Italian on DaniReef (Aquarium Münster takes over Dr. Bassleer foods).

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Blau intrigued us with an anti-reflective glass aquarium, very interesting especially for those who photograph aquariums. It is not a revolution for everyone, but for those who live through images it can significantly change the experience in front of a tank. Deltec did not bring major new products, but showed the extension of the automatic cleaning system to smaller skimmers as well. Nyos confirmed the Opus line and the products already seen in recent editions, while Red Sea showed new electronic products and the Reefer/Max system in always very refined configurations.

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From Sera, Tetra, Royal Nature, Schego, Neptunian Cube, Waterbox, Yokuchi and many other companies, we collected images, videos and insights that we will use in future articles or social content. Interzoo is also made of this: not only major new products, but many small pieces that tell us where the market is heading.

We do not want to turn this article into a list of absentees, because a fair should be judged above all by those who choose to be there. However, it is clear that, compared to some previous editions, several names capable of giving weight and spectacle to the aquarium sector were missing. This contributed to our feeling of a less scenic Interzoo, while still remaining extremely important from a commercial point of view.

Interzoo is also about people

The most beautiful part of Interzoo, however, always remains the human side. This year more than ever, we felt that the fair was important above all for the meetings. We saw friends, companies, distributors, professionals and enthusiasts again, people with whom relationships have been built over the years that go far beyond the simple exchange of business cards.

We attended evenings and informal moments organized by companies such as Abyzz, Fauna Marin, Deltec and AquaForest. These are precious opportunities, because it is often there that you truly understand how the sector is moving: not in front of a spec sheet, but by talking with people, listening to projects, ideas, concerns and visions for the future.

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A special thank you goes to everyone who welcomed us at their booths, gave us their time, explained their products and allowed us to bring home useful material for our readers. And a special thanks also goes to Maurizio, who supported me during these very intense days by shooting many of the videos you have seen and will see in the next articles.

What we bring home from Interzoo 2026

We bring home an important fair, but not an overwhelming one. A fair that confirms the central role of Interzoo, but at the same time tells of a more cautious aquarium sector, perhaps more mature, perhaps less inclined toward special effects. Fewer large booths, fewer dream tanks, fewer historic names compared with some previous editions. But also many solid companies, many refined products, many interesting ideas and many valuable relationships.

We also bring home the confirmation that the market is changing. The aquarium hobby seems increasingly divided between two directions: on one side, more complete, simple and accessible systems; on the other, increasingly sophisticated technical products for expert users. In the middle, an industry trying to understand how to speak to new aquarists without losing the most passionate and knowledgeable ones.

Was it worth going to Nuremberg? Absolutely yes. Even a subdued Interzoo is still Interzoo. And for those who want to understand where our hobby is heading, walking through those halls remains an irreplaceable experience.

All DaniReef English coverage from Interzoo 2026

This editorial is part of our English coverage from Interzoo 2026. On DaniReef you will find reports, videos, photo galleries and technical focuses dedicated to the most interesting companies, aquariums and products we saw in Nuremberg.

To keep this article clean and easy to read, we have collected all our English Interzoo 2026 coverage in a dedicated archive: all DaniReef English articles about Interzoo 2026.

Useful references and links

For those who want to explore directly from the official fair website or retrieve our preview article with the booth list, here are the main links:

• Official Interzoo website: Interzoo
• Interzoo exhibitor list: Find Exhibitors
• Our guide before the fair: Interzoo 2026: dates, attending companies and booths to visit

For us, who entered Interzoo for the first time in 2006, this fair remains a fixed point. Products have changed, companies have changed, the way of communicating has changed and perhaps our way of looking at the sector has changed too. But returning to Nuremberg still means measuring the pulse of the global aquarium hobby. And even when that pulse seems less accelerated than usual, it is always worth listening to it closely.

And you? What impressed you the most in our video reportage from Interzoo 2026? The technical news, the displayed aquariums, the Italian companies, or our overall judgment on an important but slightly more subdued fair than in the past? Let us know in the comments below, or on our social channels Telegram, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. And if you need help, we are waiting for you in our forum too.