A project close to home
Some projects start with a client brief. This one started in a fish room. Cichlid Nation is our own project, founded by Fred Pesce, a Long Island fishkeeper who just loves this hobby. His last name even means fish in Italian, so maybe it was always going to happen.
Today we are proud to say it is live at cichlidnation.com: the home for cichlid keepers.
Why build it
Anyone who keeps cichlids knows the feeling. You bring home a beautiful fish, and then the questions start. How big does it get? What can live with it? Which filter can keep up? The answers are out there, but they are scattered across forums, videos and product pages that do not always agree.
The idea behind Cichlid Nation is simple: give cichlid people one free home to learn, share their tanks and celebrate the creators who make the hobby fun. From big, personable Oscars and South American favorites to Malawi mbuna and Central American bruisers, it is a place to find the right gear, learn how to keep fish well and show off a tank.
What our team built
We designed and built every part of the site, and we treated it the way a keeper treats a new tank: slowly, carefully and with the fish first.
- Start Here. A step by step plan for a first healthy cichlid tank: set up the tank, cycle it fish free, stock slowly and keep up with water changes.
- A species hub. Food, tank mates and the best setup for each fish, with filters for Lake Malawi, Lake Tanganyika, South American, Central American and more, plus oddballs and breeding.
- Care guides. Deep pages like the Oscar guide, which covers tank size, food, tank mates and the personality that makes them “the dog of the aquarium world.”
- Gear we recommend. Short lists of what actually works in cichlid tanks, from filters and heaters to food, rock and sand.
- The Fish ER. When a fish looks sick, keepers can tap where they see the problem and get the likely cause and what to do now.
- Tank profiles. Every member gets a free page for their tank, with photos, tank size, the full stock list and the gear they use, all shareable with one link.
- A local fish store finder. A map of more than 300 independent fish stores across the U.S., so keepers can buy from people who keep fish themselves.
And there is Ozzy, the Oscar who greets visitors, answers questions and keeps the whole place feeling friendly.
The details that matter
A site like this lives or dies on whether people can find what they need, fast. So we kept the homepage focused on one big search bar and two clear paths: Find your fish, or Not sure where to start? Every page reads easily on a phone, because that is where most keepers are when they have a question, standing right next to the tank.
We also used real fish photos throughout and matched each section to its topic, so the site feels like the hobby it serves.
Built with love
We build websites for businesses every day, and we bring the same care to every one. But there is something special about building a home for a community you are part of. Every guide, every gear pick and every little Ozzy moment was made by people who love these fish.
If you keep cichlids, come say hello. Find your fish, create a free tank profile and tell us what you want to see next.
See the Cichlid Nation portfolio item
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