IAPLC 2026 TOP 300: 10 Notable Aquascapers to Follow

02 October 2026

The IAPLC 2026 TOP 300 nominees include a compelling mix of former champions and accomplished competitors. One detail makes this year's announcement especially exciting: all four of the top finishers from IAPLC 2025 are nominated again—Josh Sim, Gang Zhao, Katsuki Tanaka and Hidekazu Tsukiji.

IAPLC 2026 TOP 300: 10 Notable Aquascapers to Follow

Behind these names are years of creative work, memorable competition results and communities eager to see their next layouts. To put that experience in context, AquaLibs has cross-checked ADA's official nominee list against the public AquaRank leaderboard and individual competition profiles.

Here are 10 notable aquascapers to follow as the community looks ahead to the October 10 reveal.

The shortlist at a glance

The names below appear in the official IAPLC 2026 nominee list and are presented in ascending order of their current AquaRank all-time position.

Aquascaper	Country	AquaRank all-time position	Selected past IAPLC achievement
Josh Sim	Malaysia	#1	Grand Prize, 2017, 2019 and 2025
Takayuki Fukada	Japan	#2	Grand Prize, 2015 and 2016
Long Tran Hoang	Vietnam	#3	Grand Prize, 2011
Luis Carlos Galarraga	Brazil	#4	Grand Prize, 2024
Hironori Handa	Japan	#7	Grand Prize, 2018
Masashi Ono	Japan	#9	Second place, 2002, 2004 and 2006
Katsuki Tanaka	Japan	#10	Third place, 2025
Siak Wee Yeo	Malaysia	#13	Grand Prize, 2020
Hidekazu Tsukiji	Japan	#15	Fourth place, 2025
Gang Zhao	People's Republic of China	#16	Second place, 2023 and 2025

AquaRank positions were checked on October 2, 2026. AquaRank is AquaLibs' independent career ranking based on published competition records. These positions are separate from the still-unannounced IAPLC 2026 results. Read the AquaRank scoring methodology for details.

Josh Sim: the reigning IAPLC champion

Malaysia's Josh Sim enters the 2026 nominee list after winning the IAPLC 2025 Grand Prize. His AquaRank record also includes IAPLC victories in 2017 and 2019, alongside wins at IIAC and CIAC.

That combination of recent success and an established competition career makes him a natural starting point for this year's watchlist. His nomination sets up an intriguing question: what will the reigning champion bring to the next reveal?

Explore Josh Sim's AquaRank profile.

Takayuki Fukada: a two-time Grand Prize winner

Japan's Takayuki Fukada won consecutive IAPLC Grand Prizes in 2015 and 2016. His archived results also include second-place finishes in 2013 and 2019, and third place in 2018.

His appearance among the 2026 nominees gives longtime followers another reason to anticipate the announcement. It connects this year's competition with a career that has already delivered several of IAPLC's highest placements.

Explore Takayuki Fukada's AquaRank profile.

Long Tran Hoang: a celebrated Vietnamese champion

For Vietnam's aquascaping community, Long Tran Hoang is a particularly meaningful name. His record includes the IAPLC 2011 Grand Prize, third place in 2012 and second place in 2014.

More recently, he placed 26th at IAPLC 2025 and fourth at KIAC 2025. His 2026 nomination offers another opportunity for Vietnamese enthusiasts to follow an established champion alongside the country's wider group of nominees.

Explore Long Tran Hoang's AquaRank profile.

Luis Carlos Galarraga: Brazil's 2024 Grand Prize winner

Luis Carlos Galarraga won the IAPLC 2024 Grand Prize and followed it with 19th place in 2025. His AquaRank profile also records AGA Best of Show achievements in 2018 and 2020.

For readers interested in careers spanning more than one competition, his archive provides a rewarding starting point. His nomination brings a recent Brazilian IAPLC champion into the 2026 conversation.

Explore Luis Carlos Galarraga's AquaRank profile.

Hironori Handa: experience across two decades

Japan's Hironori Handa claimed the IAPLC 2018 Grand Prize. His recorded history reaches back to 2004, when he placed fifth; he achieved the same position in 2007.

Those results give his 2026 nomination a valuable historical perspective. Following his profile is a chance to revisit an aquascaping career with high placements across different periods of the contest.

Explore Hironori Handa's AquaRank profile.

Masashi Ono: a connection to IAPLC's earliest years

Masashi Ono has recorded results dating to IAPLC 2001. He finished second in 2002, 2004 and 2006, establishing a substantial record during the contest's early years.

His place among the 2026 nominees connects the current field with that earlier chapter of competitive aquascaping. For newer hobbyists, his profile offers an introduction to a competitor whose history extends well beyond the latest results cycle.

Explore Masashi Ono's AquaRank profile.

Katsuki Tanaka: back after third place in 2025

Listed as Katsuki Tanaka in ADA's 2026 announcement and Tanaka Katsuki on AquaRank, the Japanese aquascaper placed third at IAPLC 2025, following seventh place in 2024.

Those consecutive Top 7 finishes make his recent record especially relevant to this watchlist. Readers can explore the published layouts in his profile while waiting to discover what his 2026 entry will reveal.

Explore Katsuki Tanaka's AquaRank profile.

Siak Wee Yeo: another Malaysian Grand Prize winner

Malaysia's Siak Wee Yeo won the IAPLC 2020 Grand Prize, following fifth place in 2019. His competition history also includes an AGA 2010 Best of Show achievement and second place at CIAC 2019.

Together with Josh Sim, his nomination gives followers of Malaysian aquascaping two former IAPLC champions to revisit before the new layouts become public.

Explore Siak Wee Yeo's AquaRank profile.

Hidekazu Tsukiji: a recent Top 7 finisher

Hidekazu Tsukiji placed fourth at IAPLC 2025. His earlier achievements include third place in 2014 and 11th place in both 2011 and 2017.

His latest result gives readers a clear reason to follow his 2026 nomination. The forthcoming reveal will add a new chapter to a record that combines earlier high placements with a strong finish last year.

Explore Hidekazu Tsukiji's AquaRank profile.

Gang Zhao: repeated finishes near the top

China's Gang Zhao finished second at IAPLC 2025, matching his position in 2023. He also placed third in 2022, giving him three Top 3 finishes across those editions.

His wider record includes first place in the AGA 2022 Aquatic Garden, >320L category. His repeated IAPLC placements make him one of the most compelling recent competitors on this shortlist.

Explore Gang Zhao's AquaRank profile.

When will the IAPLC 2026 layouts and rankings be revealed?

ADA has scheduled the IAPLC 2026 World Ranking TOP 100 layout photographs and rankings reveal for Saturday, October 10, 2026, at 1:00 PM JST on its official ADA VIEW YouTube channel. That is 11:00 AM in Vietnam and Thailand.

The complete ranking list will be published on the official IAPLC website after the livestream. Until the final announcement, the nomination list identifies entrants and countries only; their 2026 layouts and individual positions remain undisclosed.

Past achievements provide context for the anticipation. The new works will tell their own stories when the results arrive.

Discover the careers behind the names

The nomination announcement is also an invitation to explore the people behind competitive aquascaping. Visit AquaRank and the AquaRank World Top 300 to browse published results, competition histories and available archived layouts.

For more context on this year's field, read our coverage of Vietnam's IAPLC 2026 nominees and the TOP 300 breakdown by country.

Which of these aquascapers are you most looking forward to seeing on October 10? Share this shortlist with your aquascaping community and celebrate the creators whose work has inspired you.

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