Rich Armandi, President
Birthday : December, 1970
Hometown : Philadelphia, PA
1st Aquarium : 1985: 30-gallon freshwater community
Current Aquarium : In addition to the over 125 customer aquariums I am responsible for, I keep a 230-gallon reef tank at our headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware.
Favorite Aspect of my Work : I have always been called by the oceans. I would watch every Jacques Cousteau TV special when I was growing up and, like most Philadelphia kids, my family vacations to the Jersey Shore were a highlight. I would snorkel in the surf all day long to collect shells. When I was in college in Las Vegas, Nevada, I learned how to SCUBA dive. I took trips to southern California and explored Pacific Kelp forests, then to Catalina Island to swim with the inhabitants like Blue Sharks and Garibaldi Fish. I was hooked and knew I wanted to dedicate my life to the ocean and its creatures. But, I didn’t know how. My business has allowed me to follow my dreams and work with these animals on a daily basis. It has been said that we only protect what we love. My job is to promote awareness of the beautiful oceans through the creations of aquariums. Maybe a child who sees one of my aquariums will be inspired to devote his or her life to the aquatic sciences and maybe that child will be instrumental in saving our delicate oceans for the next generations to enjoy.
Andy Hionides, Service Manager
Birthday : May, 1992
Education: Penn State 2016 Graduate with Bachelor of Science
Hometown : Springfield, PA
Current Aquarium : 125Gal mixed reef
Favorite Aspect of my work : I enjoy the biological aspects of aquatic life. I love watching coral, fish, and organisms grow and develop. One of my favorite parts of this job is watching an aquarium mature and sustain itself while populating microscopic and macroscopic marine life. All the colors and geometry that make up these animals is fascinating to me; especially when they are cared for under a growing company.
Other Hobbies : Singer/songwriter, guitar, music enthusiast
Paul Dimling
Birthday: December, 1993
Education: B.S. in Marine Biology at UNC Wilmington
Hometown: Reistertown, MD
1st Aquarium: A betta bowl
Current Aquarium: 60-gallon Mixed Reef & 4-gallon planted tank
Favorite Aspect of my Work: Aquariums have been my passion since I was 10 years old. I started in the hobby with just a betta bowl and have kept about every type of aquarium since then. I love being able to share my enthusiasm with our customers and getting them as excited for aquariums as I am. I enjoy creating the display each customer has in mind for their personal tanks.
Other Hobbies: Beyond aquariums, I enjoy lifting weights, building PCs, and finding new music to listen to.
Daniel Heredia, Office Administrator
Birthday: June, 1989
Education: B.S.B.A. in Management at University of Nevada Las Vegas
Hometown: Brawley, CA
1st Aquarium: 5-gallon African Dwarf Frog tank
Current Aquarium: 10 & 15-gallon freshwater tropical aquarium
Favorite Aspect of my Work: Learning and reading about new fish is always exciting. I enjoy teaching and answering questions to help newcomers grow into experienced hobbyists. I love encouraging proper aquarium care as a way to appreciate and respect the environment.
Other Hobbies: Coin-op arcade games, record collecting, Pokémon Go
Peter Delaney, Aquarium Technician
Birthday: February, 1989
Hometown: New Hyde Park, NY
Education: B.S. in Environmental Biology at ESF
1st Aquarium: 20-gallon African Clawed Frog
Current Aquarium: 75-gallon Suriname Toad tank
Favorite Aspect of my Work: I love helping people bring a little life into their homes. Exposing ourselves to nature daily is fundamental to our well-being, and whether that’s a big reef tank or a simple fresh water, it’s a joy to provide that for people. If you can’t always get out to nature, bring nature inside with you!
Other Hobbies: Fatherhood, caring for my 17 y/o African Grey, painting tabletop miniatures, and cooking Indian food
Frank Bolles, Aquarium Technician
Birthday: October, 1996
Hometown: Greenwood, DE
1st Aquarium: 20-gallon freshwater community
Current Aquarium: 7- 40 gallon, 1- 25 gallon, 1-3 gallon rimless aquariums all custom built by myself
Favorite Aspect of my Work: Is the amount of freedom there is to create a great looking tank for my customers, and the fish that live inside their tank. Being able to do something I love makes everyday a good one and allows me to share my passion with those around me. Another favorite is getting to be hands on with species of fish I have never seen or have the opportunity to own.
Other Hobbies: Breeding and raising fish, custom knife making, Airbrush fishing lures, and fishing.