Trusted with living systems since 2016.
We’re fortunate to do this work every day. Meet our team that cares deeply for animals, both at work and at home.

Ryan Francess

Founder, Owner & Head Fish Guardian

Ryan is the founder of Island Fish & Scale and has been immersed in the aquarium trade since he was fourteen, when he took his first job at a small pet store in Huntington Village. What began as an after-school job quickly turned into real responsibility: keys to the store, service routes, and the trust that comes from showing up and doing the work. In many ways, Ryan was raised by the trade.

Early on, he adopted a philosophy that still guides everything he does: the animal is the client. That care-first mindset, placing the health of the ecosystem above convenience or quick results, became his north star and continues to shape every system he builds.

Island Fish & Scale grew through word of mouth and long-standing relationships rooted in trust and consistency. Today, Ryan brings the same patience, honesty, and respect for living systems to every aquarium he touches, from first-time tanks to complex reefs. His goal is simple: to build healthy, lasting ecosystems and help people truly understand and enjoy the life they care for.

Calen Hoffman

Senior Technician

Jake Del Rosario

Technician Level II

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Gavin Trzcinski

Technician Level I

Jacob Clock

In-House Technician

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Jason Baker

Kinza Kasher

Head of Operations & Tech

Head In-House Technician

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If you’re passionate about aquariums, animal care, and thoughtful, long-term work, we’d love to hear from you, reach out to learn more about current opportunities and how to apply.

A Little About Us *

A Little About Us *

Island Fish & Scale was built from a simple but deeply held belief: living systems deserve care, patience, and respect.

The story begins long before there was a business. At fourteen, founder Ryan entered the aquarium trade through hands-on work, learning not just how systems function, but what it truly means to care for the life inside them. Early responsibility, long days, and real-world problem-solving shaped an approach rooted in stewardship rather than shortcuts. Fish weren’t products, they were living clients. That perspective never left.

As years passed, experience accumulated across every scale: from small home aquariums to complex reef systems, from routine maintenance to troubleshooting failures others walked away from. Along the way came hard lessons, about resilience, rebuilding, and what it takes to do things the right way even when it’s difficult. Island Fish & Scale emerged not from a polished launch, but through word of mouth and trust. Clients stayed because the care was consistent, honest, and personal.

What sets Island Fish & Scale apart is not just technical knowledge, but intention. Every system is designed with longevity in mind. Every animal is treated as part of a living ecosystem, not a transaction. Education and transparency are as important as equipment and design, because successful aquariums are built through understanding, not guesswork.

Today, Island Fish & Scale serves a wide community, from first-time aquarium owners to longtime reef enthusiasts, offering thoughtful design, maintenance, and guidance rooted in decades of experience. The work is deeply personal, always evolving, and grounded in the same commitment that started it all: to create healthy, lasting ecosystems and help people truly connect with the life they bring into their homes and spaces.

Island Fish & Scale isn’t just about aquariums. It’s about care, trust, and building something alive—meant to last.