My Fish Doctor blends craft and care to create unforgettable aquariums
Photos by Jamie Plain
At My Fish Doctor, every tank tells a story, and the fish are always the main characters. From vibrant saltwater species to custom aquascapes for restaurants and nursing homes, owner Jimmy Forsythe has spent the last 25 years turning aquariums into living, breathing works of art. What began with rescuing goldfish from a snowstorm has grown into a multi-state operation that puts aquatic life at the center of every design.
Forsythe didn’t always plan on becoming an aquarium expert. In 2000, when the General Electric plant in Owensboro shut down, he found himself looking for a new path. He bought a small aquarium service business from a friend, inheriting five clients and a handful of tanks. Two days later, a tornado tore through town and destroyed the locations of two clients.
“We rescued the fish out of the snow,” he said. “That’s how it started.”
Instead of giving up, Forsythe leaned in. He rebuilt the client base, learned everything he could about both freshwater and saltwater ecosystems, and slowly expanded his services. Today, My Fish Doctor services hundreds of tanks a month across 12 states, offering everything from aquarium design and installation to routine maintenance and emergency rescues.
And while the fish may be small, the scale of the operation is anything but.
The team travels weekly, leaving Owensboro on Mondays and returning by Thursday, stopping in cities like Bowling Green, Atlanta, and Daytona Beach. Their roster includes major national clients like Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen — with more than 50 tanks maintained by Forsythe’s crew — along with mom-and-pop shops, dentist offices, and hobbyists with just one beloved tank at home.
“We just finished an 800-gallon tank in Knoxville. That’s double the size of the one at the Cheddar’s in Owensboro,” Forsythe said. “But sometimes we’re visiting someone with a small 10-gallon tank who just needs a little help.”
Each aquarium is customized to fit both the space and the personality of the fish inside.
Though Forsythe doesn’t manufacture the glass tanks himself, nearly everything else is done in-house, from custom cabinetry and paintwork to plumbing and filtration. And now, with a new headquarters at 1425 Triplet Street, the team has even more room to operate.
The larger space includes dedicated zones for woodworking, repairs, painting, and even a mechanic bay to service the company’s fleet of vans. The additional outdoor space offers room for parking and storage, all of which adds efficiency to a business that thrives on precision.
“It’s a no-brainer,” Forsythe said of the move from their longtime Daviess Street location. “We’ve got so much more room now. We can do everything here.”
While most of the company’s income comes from service contracts, the storefront remains open for limited retail hours, catering to regional customers who travel from Evansville, Madisonville, and beyond for rare fish, live coral, and pre-mixed saltwater.
“Retail doesn’t really make us money. It might even lose us money, but it’s something we enjoy doing,” Forsythe said. “We like being able to give back to the local community.”
And sometimes, that community gives back in unexpected ways. Back when he first started, he was servicing a tank at a nursing home. As he was cleaning, he looked up and noticed that every seat near him was full and some residents who were in wheelchairs had rolled into the room to watch, and it opened up a conversation about the fish.
“That was an eye-opener,” Forsythe said. “I realized I wasn’t an eyesore, I was entertainment. They all told me what they’d named the fish. It added a new dimension to my job.”
It’s those kinds of moments that have made the job more than just maintenance. With a blend of technical skill, artistic vision, and genuine affection for aquatic life, Forsythe has turned a side hustle into a one-of-a-kind operation with a growing national footprint.
“I always thought we’d grow, but I didn’t expect it to spread this far,” he said. “Now people in 12 states are calling us the best they can find.”
And through it all, Forsythe remains focused on what matters most — creating beautiful, balanced homes for the fish that make every tank come alive. OL
