Every US state has its own aquatic species list. Some are tightly regulated (Hawaii, California, Florida) and some defer almost entirely to federal Lacey Act enforcement. Michigan Department of Natural Resources regulates. Aquarium ornamentals are largely unrestricted.
The species below are banned for import, sale, or interstate shipment under the federal Lacey Act. State-level enforcement may be additional, but the federal ban is the floor:
The species below are prohibited from possession, sale, or import in Michigan without exception. Most are also banned at the federal level via the Lacey Act, which means the state ban is in addition to federal enforcement. Fast Aquatics blocks these species from checkout when shipping to a Michigan address.
The species below are not banned outright but require a state permit, aquaculture license, or specific use case (e.g. triploid-only, indoor-only, retail-only). Hobbyists in Michigan should confirm with the state agency before ordering any of these.
The vast majority of aquarium ornamentals are legal in Michigan without permit:
When a buyer enters a Michigan shipping address, our state-restriction engine automatically blocks any item from the cart that is banned in Michigan. The buyer sees an inline note ("This species cannot ship to Michigan") instead of a confusing rejection at payment. Where a permit is required for a conditional species, we route the buyer to the relevant state agency rather than completing the sale.
Vendors selling on Fast Aquatics do not need to memorize 50 states of regulations - the system enforces them automatically. This is one of the reasons Fast Aquatics exists: 50-state shipping is a paperwork problem more than a logistics problem, and we have done the paperwork once so vendors do not have to do it 1,000 times.
The state agency above is the authoritative source for Michigan-specific rules. Federal Lacey Act species are listed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. When in doubt about a species you do not see explicitly listed, contact the state agency directly - rules change and our list is updated periodically but is not a substitute for current state guidance.
Whatever specific topic brought you here, four fundamentals govern long-term aquarium success: water quality, parameter stability, biological filtration, and species-appropriate husbandry. Skip any one and the others struggle to compensate.
Water quality: ammonia + nitrite at zero, nitrate under 30 ppm freshwater + 10 ppm reef. Test weekly with API or Salifert kits. Use our water parameter checker to score your readings against your tank type.
Parameter stability: stable wrong parameters beat fluctuating ideal parameters. Most fish tolerate a wide pH range if it's stable. Sudden swings of 0.4+ pH or 5+°F kill fish faster than chronic suboptimal values. Use temperature controllers (Inkbird) + automated dosing for consistency.
Biological filtration: the bacterial colony on your filter media + rock + substrate is the engine. Never replace all media at once. Use our filter turnover calculator to size correctly.
Species-appropriate husbandry: research adult size, territoriality, diet, and tankmate compatibility before purchase. Use our tank stocking calculator + compatibility guides.
How long does an aquarium take to set up? 4-6 weeks for full cycling + first stocking. Use our cycle ETA calculator + how long does cycling take.
What's the best aquarium for beginners? 20-gallon long. Big enough for parameter stability, small enough for budget + space. See beginner picks.
How often should I do water changes? 25-30% weekly. See water change frequency Q&A + water change calculator.
Why does my fish keep dying? 5 leading causes: uncycled tank, wrong species pairings, no quarantine, undersized tank, neglected water-change schedule. See full diagnosis.
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