US Trends

what happened to tanked

Short answer:
Tanked was canceled by Animal Planet in 2018–2019 after 15 seasons, officially due to declining ratings and the show “naturally” ending, but the announcement came right after a domestic violence incident involving stars Wayde and Heather King, which many fans think sped things up.

What Happened to Tanked?

Quick Scoop

  • The Las Vegas–based reality show Tanked ran on Animal Planet from 2011 for 15 seasons.
  • It followed Acrylic Tank Manufacturing (ATM), building huge custom aquariums for celebrities and businesses.
  • Animal Planet confirmed the series was canceled after the Season 15 finale in December 2018.
  • Network reps said the show came to a “natural end” and pointed to ratings fatigue rather than scandal.
  • The cancellation announcement dropped just days after Heather King was arrested following a domestic dispute with Wayde King, which sparked huge online discussion.
  • After TV cancellation, the stars said they would keep doing tank content online via YouTube (e.g., “Lifestyles of the Fish and Famous”).

Why Was Tanked Canceled?

Animal Planet’s public line was that Tanked had simply run its course after a long 15‑season run. They described it as a show that reached a “natural end,” with decisions made months before the final announcement.

Behind that, several factors likely played a role:

  1. Ratings decline
    • Reports note the show’s ratings had been “in the tank,” suggesting viewership had dropped over time.
 * For a niche format, 15 seasons is unusually long, so fatigue was a real issue.
  1. Format and hobbyist backlash
    • Parts of the aquarium community criticized the show for unrealistic stocking, questionable animal handling, and tanks that were very hard to maintain.
 * Hobbyist reactions on social media at the time were described as “relief,” with many saying cancellation felt overdue.
  1. Network strategy
    • Animal Planet has periodically shifted away from older reality formats toward new wildlife and family‑style content, making legacy shows easier to cut.

The Domestic Violence Incident

A lot of people searching “what happened to Tanked ” are really asking about the off‑screen drama.

  • In early 2019, police responded to a domestic dispute between Wayde and Heather King in Las Vegas.
  • Heather was arrested on domestic violence–related allegations, including claims she slapped and kicked Wayde; she denied parts of his account.
  • Nine days after that arrest, Animal Planet publicly confirmed the show’s cancellation.

The network and production sources insisted the cancellation decision had already been made months earlier and was not because of the incident. Still, the timing led many fans and forum posters to speculate that:

  • The incident may have accelerated the announcement.
  • Continuing a “family‑centric” show while the couple’s problems were in headlines would have been awkward.

So officially: ratings and natural end. Unofficially: the scandal likely made ending (or at least announcing the end) more urgent in the eyes of the network.

Is Tanked Gone for Good?

On traditional TV, yes: Animal Planet does not have Tanked in active production.

But the people and the brand tried to live on:

  • Stars like Wayde King and Brett Raymer claimed that after TV, they were “just getting started” online.
  • They promoted YouTube content such as “Lifestyles of the Fish and Famous,” aiming to keep the pranks, builds, and behind‑the‑scenes atmosphere going digitally.
  • ATM as a business still had name recognition from the show, and coverage framed the cancellation as “canceled, but not sunk.”

For fans, that means:

  • No new official Animal Planet episodes.
  • Possible appearances, project videos, or spin‑off content on YouTube and social platforms from the former stars.

Mini Multi‑View: How Fans Talk About It Online

On forums and comment sections, you’ll see a few recurring viewpoints:

  1. “It was time” camp
    • They point to falling ratings and a sense that storylines and pranks were repetitive by later seasons.
 * Aquarium hobbyists especially disliked unrealistic stocking and maintenance.
  1. “The scandal killed it” camp
    • They focus on the domestic violence arrest and the very close timing of the cancellation news.
 * Even with the network’s denial, they suspect the incident made the show too messy PR‑wise to continue.
  1. “Bring it back / reboot” camp
    • These fans mainly miss the builds, celebrity tanks, and the buddy comedy dynamic.
 * Some are happy to follow any new online projects instead of a traditional TV revival.

A typical forum‑style reaction might look like:

“15 seasons is a crazy run for a show about fish tanks. I’m sure ratings were down, but that arrest story definitely didn’t help the timing of that ‘natural end’ announcement.”

Simple HTML Table of Key Facts

html

<table>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>Aspect</th>
      <th>Details</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>Show name</td>
      <td><i>Tanked</i>, Animal Planet reality series about custom aquariums</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Location / company</td>
      <td>Acrylic Tank Manufacturing (ATM), Las Vegas–based</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Original run</td>
      <td>Premiered August 2011, ran 15 seasons, final season aired 2018</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Official cancellation</td>
      <td>Animal Planet confirmed cancellation after Season 15, citing a “natural end” and long run</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Key reasons mentioned</td>
      <td>Ratings decline, show fatigue, network direction changes</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Controversy</td>
      <td>2019 domestic dispute and Heather King’s arrest; network says cancellation decision predated incident</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Fan speculation</td>
      <td>Many believe the incident sped up or cemented the public cancellation announcement</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>After TV</td>
      <td>Stars promoted YouTube and online content (e.g., “Lifestyles of the Fish and Famous”)</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

TL;DR:
If you’re wondering “what happened to Tanked ,” it was officially canceled after 15 seasons due to a “natural end” and ratings issues, but the domestic violence case around Wayde and Heather King—and the timing of the announcement—turned a quiet wind‑down into a big, messy story that’s still heavily discussed online.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.