What Happened To The Tv Show Tanked

I once watched a guy pour an entire bathtub of water, fish, sand, and plants into his living room. Not because he was having a plumbing emergency, but because Reality TV told him it was a good idea. That show was Tanked, and honestly? It was glorious while it lasted.

If you remember it, you probably had the same conflicted feeling I did — slightly obsessed, slightly horrified, and completely entertained. (You know the vibe.)

The Shark Tank of Aquarium Magic

Tanked debuted on Animal Planet in 2011, and it was a pretty simple premise: two guys — Wayde King and Brett Raymer — owned a company called Acrylic Tank Manufacturing (ATM) out of Las Vegas, and each episode they built a ridiculously humongous custom aquarium for celebrity clients.

We're talking tanks shaped like bathtubs, beer bottles, and even a full-size car cockpit. Yes, really. The show leaned hard into that "anything is possible" energy, and viewers ate it up like brine shrimp.

It ran for a solid 15 seasons, which is honestly impressive for any reality show — let alone one about fish tanks. (Some shows about actual drama can't even make it past season two, right?)

So What Went Wrong?

Here's where things get a little murky — pun absolutely intended. The show was basically cancelled after season 15, and Animal Planet quietly ended the series in 2020.

No big farewell episode. No dramatic finale where Wayde and Brett tear up on camera. Just gone, like an empty tank waiting to be drained.

Fish Aquarium Tv Show 60 Photos - Moonagedaydream.film

Part of that timing had to do with the pandemic, sure. But longtime viewers will tell you the show had been losing its magic for a while before that.

The Repetitive Equation

By around season 10 or 11, the formula started feeling... well, formulaic. Client walks in, pitch meeting happens, the guys crack jokes, the tank gets built, everyone smiles, credits roll.

Don't get me — I loved that formula for years. But even the most enthusiastic aquarium nerd gets tired of the same storyline after a while.

It's like eating your favorite pizza every single day. You still love it, but you need a break.

The Personal Drama Behind the Scenes

Then there was the elephant in the room — or rather, the acrylic tank in the room. Wayde King, the lead star, was involved in a domestic violence arrest in 2021.

Atm Tanked Tv Show 60 Photos - Moonagedaydream.film

That incident happened after the show had already ended, but it definitely tarnished the legacy. (Tough to root for someone when serious real-world stuff surfaces, you know?)

On top of that, Brett Raymer, the co-star, went on to launch his own venture and distanced himself from the ATM drama entirely. The smart man's move, if you ask me.

Where Are They Now?

Wayde King was reportedly laid off or released by the ATM company, and Brett seems to be vibing on his own path — less tanks, more business-focused content.

As for a revival? Animal Planet hasn't officially announced anything, which means don't hold your breath. The network has pivoted toward different programming styles in recent years.

What Happened To Animal Planet's Tanked: Cancelation & The Stars

Interestingly, demand for custom aquariums grew during the pandemic (because what else were people doing, right?), so ATM as a business presumably kept plugging along even without TV cameras in the way.

The Legacy — And Why It Still Matters

Here's the thing: Tanked gave a whole generation of people a fun, accessible way to get interested in aquatics. Some viewers became actual fish keepers because of that show.

It proved that niche content could still thrive on mainstream television, and it reminded us that reality TV doesn't always need drama to be entertaining.

Will something like it ever air again? Maybe. But for now, the tank sits at 0 gallons, drying out in the memory of everyone who watched it. (What a sad sentence. And yet... here we are.)

So yeah — that bathtub aquarium I mentioned earlier? It was in season 3. And yes, I still remember it clearly. Tanked left a mark, even if it didn't get a proper goodbye.