Minnesota Aquarium Society

OVERVIEW -

MAS is lucky to have Jeff Michels from AquaticClarity step in as speaker for our Thursday meeting. He'll be presenting an overview on dwarf cichlids from South America. His talk will discuss their tank set ups, diet, water chemistry, breeding behavior, as well as sharing what's new with these fishes. 

BIO - 

Jeff has had fish in his life from day one. He grew up with a dad who kept fish on a small scale, around 10 tanks or so, but that grew to over 50 and then in a few years around 150 tanks as Jeff became older and more involved.

The main focus of the tanks was keeping and breeding cichlids, as well as MANY other fish, and selling them to local fish stores. That fateful start led him down the path of a life revolving around keeping fish. Through high school and college Jeff worked full and part time at one of the largest pet stores in the Milwaukee area overseeing the fish department (400+ tanks and up to 10 employees) for several years.

Through contacts made at the pet store Jeff started a part time aquarium maintenance services, AquaticClarity, which he still maintains today. That maintenance business has now grown to include a full line aquarium products line – basically a store without a storefront.

In addition to running a full time aquarium maintenance service and dry goods sales, Jeff also maintains about 170 aquariums totaling over 4000 gallons in his home. These tanks are used for keeping, breeding, importing, and selling fish. In addition to a complete addiction to the fish world Jeff is also married (10 years this summer) and has two children, with a third on the way.

Rumor has it that plans are afoot to greatly expand the fish room to increase the number of fish being raised and breed and to start importing fish on a much larger scale.