Fishtank (web series)

Hosts

• Sam Hyde (2023–2025) – Co-creator and primary host. Hyde frequently appears on camera (often in character) to explain challenges and interact with the contestants. He hosted Seasons 1 through 4 and was billed under his chaotic persona "Jason Goldstriker."
• Bam Margera (2026–present) – In Season 5 (2026) the show announced a new host rotation; Bam Margera (former professional skateboarder and star of MTV's Jackass) assumed hosting duties for the latest season.^[11]

Production

The series is produced by Hyde and Neptune under their production entity Fishnet Inc.^[5] In conjunction with this independent production, "Fishtank" collaborates with technical partners for streaming. Beyond Hyde and Neptune, the show's visible production team has included Benjamin Taylor,^[12] a main production member and co-creator present throughout the series; Vance Latta, a season-one contestant who later joined the crew and has since worked in production roles including camera operation and in-house security; Cameron ("Mints"), who initially worked as a moderator on the platform before taking on a larger on-site operational role in season 4; and Matt ("Maejok"), who joined the crew around Bloodgames and has been associated with the show's live technical infrastructure, including cameras, audio, and servers.

Recurring freeloaders

Among the show's most prominent supporting personalities are "freeloaders" (non-contesting participants introduced to disrupt or reshape the house dynamic) who appear across seasons, generally due to being fan favorites adept at causing chaos in the house.

• Chris LaFon (better known as AirsoftFatty) – A recurring freeloader and occasional comic foil who appeared in season 1, season 2, Bloodgames, and season 3. A YouTuber from Michigan, LaFon became one of the series' most recognizable returning guest figures; his appearances generally emphasized endurance of awkward situations, improvised character work, and physical comedy reliant on his obesity, and in season 3 he briefly entered under the Famous House conceit before remaining as a freeloader and joining the final three fish in the Las Vegas RV arc.
• Frank Hassle (born Cameron Williams) – A fan-favorite freeloader who appeared in seasons 1, 2, and 3, often under aliases such as "Chad King", "Johnson", and "Wild Randy". Among the show's best-known antagonistic guest presences,^[13] Hassle was repeatedly used to intensify conflict inside the house through harassment, destruction of property, and confrontational needling of contestants.
• Alex Stein – A friend of the producers who appeared as a freeloader in seasons 1, 2, 3, 5, and Bloodgames. A Dallas-based comedian and online personality, Stein was typically introduced as an outside agitator whose role blended stunt casting with the show's broader taste for provocation; in different appearances he entered under alternate personas.

Season 1 (spring 2023)

The inaugural season ran from April 18 to May 30, 2023. It featured eight contestants from across North America living under the original Fishtank format.^[2] Josie Martinez won and received a cash prize of $35,000. During the program, additional characters, called "freeloaders", were introduced into the house. They could not compete for the prize money, but could interact with the fish, and received $1,000 if they tormented one into leaving the house. Most freeloaders were either fans of the show who wished to become contestants or well-known figures in niche online communities. Some were former contestants who returned with a new role after leaving the house.

Season 2 (winter 2023–24)

The second season aired from December 18, 2023, to January 28, 2024. It had ten contestants and took place in a new house with a 1970s theme and the fish in period clothing. Unlike the first season, most contestants had some awareness of the show's premise.

At the outset, production told each contestant that they were a "plant" and the sole participant who already knew about "Fishtank", and that the other contestants were unfamiliar with both the program and Sam Hyde. This conceit quickly collapsed as the cast realized that several of them were aware of the show. The season was presented as an increasingly grueling and psychologically demanding competition, with production gradually pushing the house toward the so-called "hell house" phase as conditions deteriorated and the property was progressively damaged.

A further storyline involved the fictional "Initiative Group", a made-up cult devised by production and introduced through the attic segments. The conceit was originally meant to continue through the full season, with any eventual winner needing to join the group at some stage, but the storyline was largely abandoned after about two weeks. TJ was the only contestant to be formally incorporated into the Initiative Group narrative before it was phased out, making it a distinctive part of his arc during the season. TJ won the $50,000 cash prize.

Season 2.5 / Bloodgames (summer 2024)

Between the second and third seasons, Fishtank aired Fishtank All-Stars Vampire Bloodgames, an interstitial spin-off commonly called Season 2.5 by fans and promotional material. The event premiered on June 25, 2024, and ran for about two weeks. Bloodgames was an outdoor live-action role-playing and survival variant featuring personalities from earlier seasons. Unlike the main seasons, there was no single grand prize winner; instead, players aimed to "survive" the game's narrative and challenges.

Season 3 (fall 2024, "Famous House")

The third season ran from October to December 2024. The house was upgraded to a large upscale residence and there were 12 contestants. The season began under the false premise that the participants had been cast as "Famous Stars" in a separate project titled "Famous House", presented to the audience as an over-the-top parody of scripted reality television shows such as Big Brother, but played straight to the contestants, who were selected due to their unfamiliarity with the original show. "Famous House" gradually transformed to "Fishtank", increasing the elements of absurdity and depravity ("boiling the frog") until the "rug pull" moment on day 14.

On November 24, after the show's true nature was revealed to the fish, 12 new contestants were introduced, believing they were participating in "Famous House". This created a situation similar to the one the original cast initially had, except that the remaining original fish (Burt, Binx, Payton, and Simbal) knew the truth and acted as plants, playing along with the new cast.

Late in the season, production left the principal house and shifted the remaining action to a recreational vehicle. The closing stretch was a road-trip-style continuation of the show, culminating in a trip to Las Vegas, where the season ended. Albert "Burt" Appouh was declared the winner but did not receive the advertised $50,000 grand prize, as it had been lost in a roulette bet during the Las Vegas finale.

Season 4 (summer 2025)

The fourth season began on June 13, 2025, but was cut short on June 30. According to the producers, all three potential filming locations raised zoning and safety objections, forcing production to halt.

No winner was declared. Instead, the remaining six contestants were awarded $8,000 each. This was the first season not followed by any edited episodes release, and marked Hyde's final appearance as host. Reaction to the cancellation was mixed, with viewers expressing frustration and confusion over the sudden end.

Season 5 (2026)

The fifth season ran from March 15 to April 14, 2026. It took place in the Atlanta area, had ten contestants, and reduced the season length to 30 days. It was hosted mainly by professional skateboarder and entertainer Bam Margera. A guest-host rotation included Margera, Neptune, and former contestant Letty.

In contrast to the relatively spare house mechanics of earlier seasons, production added a more elaborate internal game system, including an in-house economy in which contestants performed daily jobs for cash that could be spent in a market room, along with amenity rooms that unlocked over time. On Day 25, season 3 fish Burt arrived as a freeloader and introduced the fish to "goo production", which required them to manufacture slime in a designated "goo room" in preparation for the finale.

The final competitors, James Drake and the Twins, faced off in a gauntlet of 39 challenges over 24 hours, which came down to a goo-wrestling tiebreaker won by Drake, who was awarded the $50,000 grand prize. As runners-up, the Twins were awarded $20,000.

Season 1

Season 2

Season 3