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You can build a pocket-sized aquarium with pocket-tank, a virtual-fish project for the Waveshare ESP32-S3-Touch-AMOLED-1.8. Its fish and water exist on a handheld screen, not in a real tank: a compact model running locally chooses what each fish should do, while a separate reflex layer handles movement and interaction.
What the pocket aquarium is—and what it isn’t
“Pocket-sized aquarium” describes the form factor, not a container for live fish. Pocket-tank is a handheld simulation displayed on a small AMOLED screen. Fish are animated sprites with simulated needs, behavior and relationships; the project is not an aquarium for keeping or caring for animals.
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The project repository describes the model and fish behavior as working without a network or cloud connection. That makes this an embedded AI demonstration: its model runs on the device rather than sending each decision to an online service.
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How the AI fish make decisions
Each fish periodically supplies a compact description of its situation, including its drives, personality, nearby fish and objects, and life stage. The local model chooses a goal and urgency. A separate reflex layer then carries out steering, movement, feeding and tank interactions while the next inference runs.
#1 Best Overall
- 2.4GHz Dual Mode WiFi + Bluetooth Development Board
- Support LWIP protocol, Freertos
- SupportThree Modes: AP, STA, and AP+STA
- Ultra-Low power consumption, Compatible with Arduino IDE
- ESP32 is a safe, reliable, and scalable to a variety of applications
The repository says the reflex layer does not replace the model’s chosen goal with fallback heuristics. The goal set listed by the project is:
seek_foodfollow_friendinspect_reefvisit_bubblesexplorerestdart_play
Decision-making is shaped by simulated values for hunger, energy, stress, curiosity, boredom, boldness, sociability, laziness, trust and life stage. The repository says repeating an activity for about a minute tends to make a fish bored and steer it toward exploring, while hunger remains more important and fish rest at night. It also says the model samples among possible outputs, with close choices appearing as hesitation. These describe the project’s simulation; they are not evidence about the cognition or needs of live fish.
Rank #2
- Dual-Core Performance Up to 240 MHz: Run sensor processing, wireless communication, automation logic and connected-device tasks on a 32-bit dual-core ESP32 platform designed for responsive embedded and IoT projects
- Built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2: Connect to 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi networks or use Bluetooth Classic and BLE for wireless sensors, smart devices, remote controls, home automation and other connected projects
- Flexible Power-Saving Modes: ESP32 power-management features support dynamic clock scaling and low-power operating modes, helping developers reduce energy use in compatible sensing, monitoring and connected-device applications, suitable for battery-powered Internet of Things (IoT) devices.
- USB-C Programming with CP2102: Connect through USB-C for power, sketch uploads and serial monitoring, while GPIO, UART, SPI and I2C interfaces support sensors, displays, motor drivers and other modules (USB-C cable not included)
- Over-the-Air Update Support: Configure OTA functionality through a compatible ESP-32 software framework to update deployed firmware over Wi-Fi without reconnecting the board by USB for every revision
What the project reports about its model
The repository describes a 14.3-million-parameter student transformer distilled from a 26-billion-parameter teacher. It reports the following figures, without stating a publication year for them on the README page reviewed. Treat them as project-reported measurements, not independent benchmarks or guarantees for other ESP32 devices.
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| Measure | Project-reported figure |
|---|---|
| Student model size | 14.3 million parameters |
| Teacher model size | About 26 billion parameters |
| Student model storage | 57 MB in fp32; 7.56 MB in four-bit form |
| Closed-schema vocabulary | 54 tokens |
| Agreement with teacher’s selected goal | 72%; the repository also reports 82% teacher self-agreement |
| Training situations | 51,613 teacher-labeled situations |
| Decision and rendering speed on the real board | About 3.7 seconds per decision at 12 tokens per second; rendering reported at 25–30 frames per second |
The figures and architecture above are reported by the pocket-tank project repository; the README page reviewed does not date the measurements. In particular, the reported frame rate describes rendering and should not be confused with the time needed for a model decision.
Rank #3
- Powerful ESP-32 Board: Unlock the world of Internet of Things (IoT) and advanced electronics with the heart of this kit: the ESP-32 board. It features a powerful dual-core processor, integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2, making it perfect for building connected, smart devices that communicate with your phone or the cloud. It's fully compatible with the Arduino IDE for easy programming.
- Super Starter Kit: This kit contains over 35 different modules and electronic components, including sensors, displays, motors, and input devices. From LEDs and buttons to an OLED screen, servo motor, and keypad, you have everything needed to explore a vast range of projects in one box.
- Step by Step Online Tutorial: Jump right in with our detailed, beginner-friendly tutorial. Access 30+ projects with complete code, clear circuit diagrams, and step-by-step instructions. Learn the fundamentals of electronics, coding, and how to utilize the ESP-32's unique capabilities without any prior experience.
- Hands-on Learning for All Skill Levels: Perfect for students, makers, engineers, and hobbyists. Start with basic circuits and coding, then progress to intermediate and advanced IoT applications. Build practical projects like weather stations, smart home controllers, remote-controlled devices, and interactive gadgets. The skills you learn are the foundation for real-world innovation.
- Quality & Great Support: Elegoo is committed to quality. We provide a clear, detailed tutorial guide, refined code, and a well-organized component kit. All modules are carefully selected for reliability and ease of use. Our dedicated technical support team and active online community are ready to help you succeed in your learning journey.
Hardware needed for the documented handheld build
The documented target is the Waveshare ESP32-S3-Touch-AMOLED-1.8 board. The README identifies an ESP32-S3R8, 16 MB of flash, 8 MB of PSRAM, a 368×448 AMOLED display, capacitive touch, an IMU, a PMIC and an RTC. It says both board revisions are supported and auto-detected.
Use that exact board as your compatibility reference. The repository mentions community ports for other boards, but says they are not built or tested by the main project and may lag behind. It does not establish that a generic ESP32 board is a drop-in substitute.
Rank #4
- 2.4GHz Dual Mode WiFi + Bluetooth Development Board
- Support LWIP protocol, Freertos;ESP32 is a safe, reliable, and scalable to a variety of applications
- SupportThree Modes: AP, STA, and AP+STA
- Ultra-Low power consumption, Compatible with Arduino IDE
- 1PCS 30Pin ESP32 Development Board 2.4GHz WiFi Dual Cores Microcontroller Integrated with Antenna RF Low Noise Amplifiers Filters
Three ways to try pocket-tank
The right route depends on whether you want to explore the simulation, build firmware, or have a portable touchscreen device.
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|---|---|---|
| PC simulator | Runs on a computer using shared project code and the shipped model, according to the repository. | Trying the simulation without assembling or flashing the handheld target. |
| ESP-IDF build and flash | Build and flash firmware for the documented board, including a separate model partition. | Developers comfortable with an ESP-IDF workflow who want the physical device. |
| Browser installer | The repository describes a browser-based installer for Chrome or Edge. | Using the project’s offered installation path without following its build-and-flash route. |
The repository reports release v0.2.0 alpha and describes the installer, firmware, simulator and living-tank features as implemented. Because release status can change, check the project’s current README and release information before starting.
Best Value
- 2.4GHz Dual Mode WiFi + Bluetooth Development Board
- Ultra-Low power consumption, works perfectly with the Arduino IDE
- Support LWIP protocol, Freertos
- SupportThree Modes: AP, STA, and AP+STA
- ESP32 is a safe, reliable, and scalable to a variety of applications
Build and installation considerations
For the documented board build, follow the project’s own setup instructions rather than adapting generic ESP32 guidance: the model uses a separate partition, and the project provides a browser installer as an alternative to building and flashing through ESP-IDF. The repository is the source for the current setup steps: pocket-tank README.
Quick Recap
- For a first look: start with the PC simulator if you do not need a portable touchscreen unit.
- For the handheld: use the Waveshare ESP32-S3-Touch-AMOLED-1.8 target and confirm the board revision and current project instructions.
- For other hardware: treat community ports as experimental rather than supported by the main project.
- For code and reuse: the repository identifies the main project as MIT-licensed, while separately cloned components have their own licenses.
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