Takashi Amano

was a professional Japanese track cyclist, photographer, designer, and aquarist. He founded Aqua Design Amano (ADA), a Japanese company that specializes in the design of aquariums and their production.

Amano was the author of Nature Aquarium World (TFH Publications, 1994), a three-book series on aquascaping, freshwater aquarium plants, and fish. He also published the book Aquarium Plant Paradise (TFH Publications, 1997).

A species of freshwater shrimp, the "Amano shrimp" or "Yamato shrimp" (Caridina multidentata; previously Caridina japonica), was named after him. Amano discovered the species' ability to eat large quantities of algae. Amano ordered several thousand of them from a local distributor. in 2015 at the age of 61.

Aquarist

His plant layouts incorporated Japanese gardening concepts such as Wabi-sabi and Zen rock arrangements. Amano frequently used Glossostigma elatinoides and Riccia fluitans as plant material. His photo books of what he called the "Nature Aquarium", Glass no Naka no Daishizen, published in 1992, followed by Mizu-Shizen eno kaiki, were translated into seven languages.

Amano shrimp

The Amano shrimp (Caridina multidentata) was introduced to the aquatic hobby by Takashi Amano as a method of controlling algae growth in the 1980s. The species was subsequently named after him.

"Forests Underwater" at Lisbon Oceanarium

"Forests Underwater" by Takashi Amano is a tropical freshwater aquarium at the Lisbon Oceanarium that features a diverse underwater landscape. The aquarium is in length and holds of water, and houses more than 10,000 individual fish of 40 different species. The exhibit opened on April 21, 2015, although it was initially intended to be a temporary exhibition lasting two years, "Forests Underwater" remained open for 11 years, closing on September 30, 2026 .

Photography career Starting in 1975, Takashi Amano travelled across tropical rainforests in the Amazon, Borneo, and West Africa. He also visited forests in Japan, creating a series of photos focusing on "untouched nature" using large-format cameras. He used extra-large-films with sizes (up to 8 × 20 inches). His works have been featured internationally at several exhibitions and publications. He was a member of the Japan Professional Photographers Society, the Japan Advertising Photographers' Association, The photos, taken with an 8 × 20-inch large format camera, were exhibited on 4 × 1.5 meter panels.