Rich Bierbower

Rich’s interest in fish has its roots in early childhood when his parents helped him set up my very first ten-gallon aquarium.  He kept a few platys, mollies, and some corys in this tank.  This was the extent of his involvement in the hobby and all he knew about keeping tropical fish until his parents took him to see his very first fish room, which was owned by Jeff Blaisdale.   His interest in angelfish was born through the many visits to Jeff’s house to see his fish and to pick up new fish for their family tanks.

Unfortunately, his interest in fish subsided during his high school years, but he rediscovered his interest in tropical fish during  college.  He set up a tank in his apartment, filled it with platys, and rekindled his interest in fish.  Upon completing graduate school with a M. Ed. in secondary science and mathematics education, He began teaching eighth grade physical science.  His brother Ray and he set up a fish room together.  Eventually their jobs required them to set up their own, separate fish rooms.  Currently, he teaches high school biology and conservation biology and has aquariums in his classroom to expose his students to the tropical fish hobby.

He started his current fish hatchery business, Bierbower Aquatics, with his wife, Laura, approximately fifteen years ago. Today they maintain 75+ aquariums that are primarily devoted to raising high quality orange koi and marble angelfish, Bulgarian seal point angelfish, Goodeids, Platys, and fancy varieties of dwarf bristle nose plecostomus.  Their goal is to raise and sell fish that are healthy, genetically strong, and true to standards.   Additionally, they have successfully raised more than 40 other species of tropical fish from a variety of families including various livebearers, South American cichlids, African cichlids, and Corydoras catfish.  The majority of their fish are sold online and shipped throughout the country.