Ron Neilson

I kept fish as a child, growing up in Scottsdale Arizona. When I completed High School though, I joined the US Army and spent almost 21 years moving all over the world until my retirement. That didn’t leave too much time for keeping fish, so I started again when I got back to the USA in 1999. I started out with a single aquarium and eventually built an entire house to hold the 400 tanks that I found myself using.

I primarily kept African cichlids from the central lakes and then expanded into keeping
endangered species of Madagascar and West/Central Africa. That expansion continued, as I had a
few tanks available, and I was soon importing fish from South America as well. I have a special
interest in cichlids, piranha and catfish. For some reason I find myself keeping many endangered
species, or just something new.

Thankfully, I sold the business in 2006. I have always preferred to keep and observe fish.
Watching them and learning their habits/activities has always been of special interest. I am currently working for the Department of Defense as a software developer and programmer, and I continue to keep fish.

I was elected to the American Cichlid Association Board of Trustees in 2003 and will
complete my term in December of 2007. I am a Charter Member of the ever-growing Capital Cichlids Association.