From Banker to Breeder

The Making of India Gills & Best4Pets

By Amar Salvi, Editor - The Weekend Aquarist

Estimated read time: 5-6 minutes

When you walk into the sprawling warehouse that houses India Gills, it is easy to think the story began there - rows upon rows of tanks, quarantine facilities and a tightly coordinated operation. But the real beginning of this journey lies far away, in the disciplined corridors of banking, the rugged mountains of Himachal, and the restless heart of a man who traded spreadsheets for streams.

This is the story of Nikhil Sood - ex-banker, adventurer, fish breeder and entrepreneur - and the force behind Best4Pets.in, one of India's most trusted live-fish delivery platforms. His journey from finance to fish was not a straight line. It began with childhood memories, moved through aquarium keeping and breeding, survived an unexpected setback, and eventually grew into a business built around fish, discipline, transparency and customer trust.

A Childhood of Movement, A Heart that Found Home in Bangalore

Nikhil grew up across India, following his father, a Colonel in the Indian Army. While his roots stretched between cities, Bangalore eventually became home. There, after nearly three decades, he built friendships, discovered the aquarium hobby and eventually returned to fishkeeping with renewed interest. His first aquarium came from his father, after numerous stories of how fish fascinated him and his family. By the time he was a student in the UK, Nikhil was already breeding wild bettas in his hostel room - long before wild bettas became fashionable in India. The hobby gradually became something deeper: a desire to understand fish, master their behaviour and create environments where they could thrive.

The Leap: From Finance to Fish

When Nikhil returned to India, starting a business was not the plan. But entrepreneurship has a way of slipping into one's life quietly. He founded India Gills, initially offering custom ponds and aquariums. But something deeper was stirring. At the same time, weekend trips through the Western Ghats with his German friend Benjamin Harink and a small group of equally passionate hobbyists became a regular part of his life. Then came another turning point: a chance to explore fish in the wild.

The First Setback: A Farm Without Water

Nikhil's first breeding farm did not go according to plan. He had a fish breeding farm - and then it ran out of water. Yet that setback did not stop the journey. His interest in wild fish continued through expeditions, collections and an increasing curiosity about India's aquatic biodiversity. The early trips became part of the foundation for what India Gills would eventually become.

Adventure, Discovery, and the Dario That Started It All

On another field trip, Nikhil discovered a new fish new to science. Dario urops, the first Dario species described from South India, became the first of fifteen new species that Nikhil discovered on fishing trips he guided and planned. The names of several of these species now carry connections to the people and journeys around him, including Benjamin Harink, Ashwin Kumar and Siddharth Pokharna. There is even a fish named after Nikhil. The fish was discovered by him from close to the Kudremukh Forest, and the contribution was recognised through its name and the work of the scientists who helped describe species previously unknown to science. These years of discovery and documentation - catching fish, releasing them, photographing them, learning from scientists and forest guards and hobbyists - helped build the foundation for everything he would eventually create.

The Bangalore Brotherhood

Aquarists across India speak in awe of the Karnataka camaraderie that shaped Nikhil's years in the hobby. His friendships grew through aquarium visits, field trips and shared experiences. The group included hobbyists who travelled, collected and experimented together, creating a network that became an important part of his journey. These relationships would later influence the ethos of India Gills: transparency, consistency and obsessive attention to detail.

India Gills: The Warehouse of Discipline & Compassion

Inside Nikhil's facility, every detail speaks of intent. The operation includes tanks placed on racks, colour-coded quarantine markers, medicine charts in multiple languages, strict "Not for Sale" signs, bulletproof packing protocols and fail-safe procedures for every shipment. The facility also uses tranquilizers when needed and continues R&D on packing methods. What emerges is an operation designed around the movement, handling and care of fish - with systems intended to make that process dependable.

The Pandemic Pivot: Birth of Best4Pets

When COVID hit, wholesale froze. Nikhil and his brother, like millions of others, were unsure of the future. Then came a simple suggestion: "Why don't you start selling fish online?" The idea seemed wild - but they tried.

There was no website traffic, no market research and no certainty that Indians would buy fish online. Couriers did not allow liquid shipments. There were obstacles at every turn. But they kept experimenting. Soon, they were shipping fish to remote corners of India - towns Nikhil had never heard of.

The DOA Policy That Won Customer Trust

While most online sellers insisted on unboxing videos, Nikhil kept it simple.

"If a fish arrives dead, send us a photo. That's it."

A credit is issued immediately.

No arguments. No conditions. No guilt-tripping the customer.

The approach became part of the trust that Best4Pets enjoys today.

The Advisory and Collaborative Approach to Sustainability & Better Rules

Nikhil is also actively involved in policy formulation activities with the Government of India, advising various Government Institutes and sharing elite panels on how to make the hobby and the trade sustainable. He has also been involved in providing samples and information freely and openly for researchers and PhD students across the country. Additionally, India Gills has been providing Native Indian fish that are ethically and responsibly sourced for developing captive breeding of these species by Central Government Institutes like CIFA (Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture).

The India Gills Philosophy

"Make your hobby sustainable."

Nikhil passionately encourages hobbyists to breed fish - not only to learn, but to sustain their tanks, keep costs low and stay invested in the hobby. His message to beginners includes doing thorough research, learning from groups and forums, seeking experienced hobbyists, not rushing and prioritising health over variety.

Where the Journey Stands Today

Nikhil now runs:

India Gills - a large, meticulously managed wholesale and holding facility.

Best4Pets.in - a leading online platform delivering fish across India.

He continues to explore streams, document new species, guide young hobbyists and push the boundaries of live-fish logistics in India. His story is proof that a hobby can become a calling, a calling can become a profession, and a profession can become a movement.

Read the full story

The complete feature follows Nikhil Sood's journey from banking and childhood fishkeeping to breeding farms, wild-fish exploration, India Gills and the creation of Best4Pets. Discover the experiences, setbacks, discoveries, systems and philosophy behind the journey that turned a lifelong fascination with fish into a growing enterprise. Read the complete story in the November 2025 issue of The Weekend Aquarist.

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