Heiko Bleher

Heiko Bleher is the most prolific tropical fish collector of all time. He has discovered and described literally thousands of species over his 60+ year career, many of which are some of the most commonly kept and globally beloved in all the aquarium hobby. HIs mother and grandfather paved the way for his profound passion for freshwater natural biotopes with his first Amazonian expedition when he was just 4 years old. Now 78, he continues his relentless schedule racking up over a dozen separate expeditions in 2022, and discovering another 14 brand new species. He is an encyclopedia of tropical fish knowledge, a master of some of the most highly prized aquarium fish such as Altum angels (which he fist discovered) and discus, and aquarium hobby historian, world traveller, renaissance man, and all around intensely interesting character. Opinionated and outspoken on topics he has earned the right to be, Heiko Bleher has created his share of controversy over the years. But his obsession with exploration and discovery, tropical fish, and sharing his experiences with the world makes him true living legend of the aquarium hobby and industry. He has left an indelible mark on the entirety of freshwater aquarium keeping, and if you ask him, he is far from done.

In our conversation Heiko tells his story from his first experience in the Amazon with his mother at age 4, goes deep into multiple facets of the history of tropical fish collection, shares some momentous discovery memories of species like the rummy nose tetra and Amazon sword, recounts several pivotal moments in aquarium history, and much more.