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Matt Pedersen
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Matt Pedersen is an interactive software developer and part-time fly fishing guide originally from Chicago, IL and current living in Duluth, MN, USA. Additionally, Matt has experience as a professional orchid breeder and certified fly rod builder. Matt has been a marine aquarist for 23 years, and an aquarist for 28+. After spending time on every side of the aquarium industry (retail, commercial and private maintenance & installation, wholesale, hatchery), he currently considers himself a "professional hobbyist". Most recently, Matt has currently spawned 22 species of marine fish, successfully raising 8 of them to date including one worldwide first (the Harlequin Filefish, Oxymonacanthus longirostris), as well as attempted another 6 invertebrate species to date. Most all of this was accomplished with less than 100 gallons of total working capacity, and all in closed culture. In 2010, Matt Pedersen was selected as the breeder of choice to work with the now famous "PNG Lightning Maroon Clownfish" from the SEASMART program, and chronicles the efforts to propagate this one-of-a-kind fish online at The Lightning Project. Matt Pedersen is credited with starting MOFIB (Marine Ornamental Fish & Invertebrate Breeder's Association) and writing for multiple publications including Coral, Koralle, Practical Fish Keeping, Reef Hobbyist Magazine and Reef Builders. Matt has spoken at numerous aquarium clubs and events from coast to coast. He currently sits on the MBI (Marine Breeding Initiative) Council, a project dedicated to bringing the concept of a unified Marine Breeder's Award Program to hobbyist organizations across the country and around the globe. In 2009, Matt was awarded "Aquarist of the Year" honors by both IMAC West and MASNA in recognition of his accomplishments and contributions to the marine aquarium hobby. Last updated October, 2010.

Will 2010 mark the marine hobby’s shift to captive breeding?

We may look back at 2010 as the year the marine aquarium hobby truly realized the importance of captive breeding and started doing something about it.  I’ve just returned from speaking at Reef Ed, the annual educational event put on…

Lighting Maroon Clownfish – Pairing Videos!

This one is all for Jake and his rare fish fetish.  By no means high quality video here…this was shot with my waterproof & shockproof Olympus Digital Camera.  But for anyone who’s been through for a loop by Jake &…

Ornamental marine fish culture getting shot in the fin with research funding

The ornamental marine fish culture, while very valuable to us aquarists, is typically viewed as unimportant to the world.   The primary concern of the world is NOT putting fish in people’s aquariums, but instead, putting fish into people’s stomachs.  When…