Tidewell

Week 12

By Kyle (design & code) · Released 2026-07-24

Tidewell is a cozy aquarium idle where your fish grow in value over time. You sell a grown fish for pearls, then spend them on new fish, décor, and breeding. Happier fish grow faster, so you arrange the tank around which families get along. Every morph you discover stays in a field guide across a hundred milestones.

How to play

• Watch your fish grow in value over time. Happier fish grow faster.
• Sell a fully grown fish for pearls. Its species stays in your field guide.
• Spend pearls on new fish, a bigger tank, and décor that families like.
• Breed two fish of the same family to discover new colors, patterns, and morphs.

Desktop: Click a grown fish then Sell, or press X to sell the ripest. Open Shop, Breed, Décor, and Guide from the buttons, and scroll a panel with the mouse wheel. · Mobile: Tap a grown fish then Sell to earn pearls. Use the bottom buttons for Shop, Breed, Décor, and Guide, and drag a panel to scroll.

Why we built this

We started with fish that trickled currency, then rebuilt the economy around growing a fish and selling it. That reads more like running an aquarium. Getting the pace right took the most tuning.

FAQ

• Is Tidewell free to play?

  Yes. It runs in your browser with no download or signup.

• How do I play Tidewell on my phone?

  Open it in your mobile browser and play with taps. The tank, buttons, and panels all work by touch.

• Do I lose fish when I sell them?

  The fish leaves the tank, but its morph stays recorded in your field guide. Selling is how you earn, so letting fish go is part of the loop, and there is no fail state.

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