Best Cichlids Podcasts (2024)

1
EP182: Doing It Different Aquariums & Ponds w/ Lucas Bretz 1:09:37

8h ago1:09:37

1:09:37

Today, we have YouTube sensation Lucas Bretz from LRB Aquatics on the show. Lucas is doing aquariums differently and with great success. He discusses the importance of embracing natural processes in aquarium maintenance and shares his unique approach to natural, no-filter aquarium maintenance. In this episode, they talk about: Importance of buildin…

1
EP181: Personal Branding for Contractors w/ Isaac Mashman 1:22:50

2h ago1:22:50

1:22:50

Personal branding is a powerful way for contractors to grow their business and attract more clients. In this episode, personal branding expert Isaac Mashman talks about personal branding, and how it can help you with your business. He discusses how personal branding is more than just logos, shares tips and strategies for personal branding, and how …

1
EP180: Behind The Curtain of Oase Living Water w/ CEO Thorsten Muck 44:07

3d ago44:07

44:07

Eric sits down with Thorsten Muck, the CEO of Oase Living Water. The two talk about Thorsten’s journey to Oase, the challenges and successes he’s experienced in his seven years as CEO, merging with other companies, and how COVID-19 affected them. Thorsten also shares insights into his life running a global business and talks about the tendency of w…

1
EP179: The Power of Assumptions with Yelenich & Matyas 58:20

6d ago58:20

58:20

We all make assumptions every day without even realizing it. And sometimes, most of the assumptions we make have a bad connotation. So, while assumptions can get you in trouble, Eric discusses the flip side of it—the power of assumptions. He sits down with Slayer and Tyson to talk about how assumptions can be good too and explores the power of assu…

1
EP178: Undergravel Suction Grid Technology w/ Jason Steele & Mark Yori 41:46

9d ago41:46

41:46

At first, Jason was skeptical of underground suction grid technology. He thought it’s not going to work. It’s going to clog up. It’s going to be a maintenance nightmare. But after testing it in his pond for five years, he found it worked well. Eric is at the water garden expo and sits down with Jason Steele and Mark Yori to discuss undergravel suct…

1
EP177: Fighting Fitz’s Fish Ponds w/ Brian Fitzsimmons 27:56

27d ago27:56

27:56

Today’s guest, Brian Fitzsimmons from Fitz’s Fish Ponds, has built a successful business of building ponds and breeding and selling koi fish, but these days, he is focusing his energy on something else. He is going to take on Eric as part of the finsNfury charity boxing match on August 17th for Brian Barczyk’s Legacy Aquarium. Tune in to find out B…

1
EP176: Quitting the 5 AM Club w/ Johnny Buck 1:11:14

25d ago1:11:14

1:11:14

Do you believe there is a need to wake up at 5 AM every day to be successful? Today’s guest, Johnny Buck, found this isn’t sustainable long term. As an entrepreneur, athlete, and coach, he was burning the candle at both ends just to keep up. In this episode, he shares his decision to quit the 5 AM Club and take a more flexible approach to mornings …

1
EP175: Cichlid Breeding Chronicles with Living Legend John Niemans 1:25:38

1M ago1:25:38

1:25:38

Eric sits down with Cichlid legend John Niemans to discuss his encyclopedic knowledge of cichlids. They discuss John’s experiences over 30+ years of keeping and breeding cichlids, lessons he’s learned along the way, breeding and fishkeeping tips for different cichlid groups like Africans, New World cichlids, Asians, and more. If you’re passionate a…

1
EP174: Aging and Exiting The Pond Industry w/ The Pond Monster, Mark Gibson & Mike Miller 1:11:37

1M ago1:11:37

1:11:37

As pond professionals get older, it’s natural to start thinking about retirement. But leaving behind a career you’ve poured your heart into for decades is no easy task. Eric sat down with three industry veterans—The Pond Monster, Mark Gibson, and Mike Miller—to get their insights on aging in the industry and how to make an exit. In this episode, th…

1
EP173: Fins & Fury w/ The King of DIY Joey Mullen 1:34:03

2M ago1:34:03

1:34:03

Joey Mullen, the undisputed King of DIY, is here to make the aquarium hobby a lot more exciting with the upcoming charity boxing event – Fins N Fury. Joey details about the boxing match, a charity event for raising funds for late Brian Barczyk’s Legacy Aquarium. He also opens up about his long YouTube career and gives some gold nuggets about YouTub…

1
Junk or genius? How functional is the human genome? Part 2 15:56

2M ago15:56

15:56

https://youtu.be/-jpoxCZgZKQ Is the human genome highly functional or mostly junk? This is a question that is not only being asked in the creation-evolution debate; it is a question raging in the ivory tower as well. The ‘old guard’ is much more likely to resist any claim that large swaths of the genome are useful. The ‘young punks’ in science is m…

1
EP172: Inside The Coast Tropical Fish Club with Ross Freeman 1:36:16

2M ago1:36:16

1:36:16

Do you know there’s a Fish Club local to around you? Today’s guest, Ross Freeman, is the President of the Coast Tropical Fish Club located in California. He has been a member of the club for over 15 years and has held various volunteer roles during that time. Ross gives an inside look at what goes on during a typical meeting of the club, the upcomi…

1
EP171: Atlantic Water Gardens & Oase Merger w/ Jeff Weemhoff 58:32

2M ago58:32

58:32

Eric sits down with Jeff Weemhoff to discuss the fascinating story behind the merger of Atlantic Water Gardens and Oase. Jeff helped grow Atlantic into a $12 million+ business as its founder and president. In 2018, Atlantic merged with global water feature leader Oase to form Atlantic Oase. During the discussion, Jeff provides a behind-the-scenes l…

1
EP170: Pond Professional Alliance Debut w/ Craig McBride & Ana Arntson 45:59

2M ago45:59

45:59

Craig McBride and Ana Arntson sat down with Eric to discuss the debut of a new community for pond builders — the Pond Professional Alliance (PPA). Via PPA, they aim to bring together people from all walks of the water feature world through an unbiased platform free from manufacturer influence. They share that over 200 people have already joined the…

1
DNA – highly functional or mostly junk? Part 1 27:40

2M ago27:40

27:40

Is the human genome highly functional or mostly junk? This is a question that is not only being asked in the creation-evolution debate; it is a question raging in the ivory tower as well. The ‘old guard’ is much more likely to resist any claim that large swaths of the genome are useful. The ‘young punks’ in science is more willing to accept the obv…

1
EP169: Pond Builder of The Stars with Steve Sandalis 1:27:32

2M ago1:27:32

1:27:32

Today’s guest, Steve Sandalis, has been crafting water features and landscapes for the stars of Hollywood for over 20 years. From Jeff Probst to Tom Brady, Steve has transformed countless celebrity backyards into works of natural art. Listen in as Steve discusses some of his most high-profile projects over the years and opens up about the challenge…

1
EP168: Graybeard Pond Building Advice w/ Demi Fortuna 1:17:49

3M ago1:17:49

1:17:49

In this episode, renowned pond builder and industry veteran Demi Fortuna shares his Graybeard experience and hard-earned wisdom gained from four decades of working in the pond industry. Demi is the founder of August Moon Designs and director of product information at Atlantic-OASE. From early challenges installing ponds with limited resources to pi…

1
EP167: Mastering Your Mindset: The Key To Unlocking Your True Potential w/ Shane Boyd 1:24:53

3M ago1:24:53

1:24:53

Are you struggling to grow your business because of limiting beliefs and negative self-talk? Today’s guest, Shane Boyd, discusses the connection between mindset and results and how even small changes in your mindset can dramatically grow your business results. Shane is a marketing and mindset coach who has helped countless entrepreneurs overcome li…

1
EP166: Introducing The All American Koi Show w/ Shawn McHenry & Hector Mardueno 1:41:16

3M ago1:41:16

1:41:16

Eric sits down with Hector Mardueno and Shawn McHenry – the organizers of the highly anticipated All American Koi Show coming to Las Vegas in 2024. Shawn and Hector spill all the deets on what makes this show a game-changer. From the vendors and judges to educational programs, they reveal it all and tell how this event will take the Koi industry to…

1
EP165: Call The Damn Leads w/ Drewbie Wilson 1:01:02

3M ago1:01:02

1:01:02

Have you ever gotten leads for your business and then wondered why they weren't turning into sales? Sales consultant Drewbie Wilson wants to tell you that the problem may not be with your leads – it's that you're just not calling them. Drewbie shares some great tips and strategies that will help you turn your leads into paying customers. In this ep…

1
The Incredible Shrinking Human Genome 13:59

3M ago13:59

13:59

No, the size of the genome has not changed, but the number of genes we thought it contains certainly has. After lots of double checking, there are fewer known protein coding genes today (~19,000) than there were when the human genome was first published, and even that count (~23,000) was shockingly small, according to the predictions of the world’s…

1
EP164: The Legacy of Anthony Archer-Wills with Guests AAW & Kelly Billing 1:23:39

3M ago1:23:39

1:23:39

Today, we have the pond legend Anthony Archer-Wills and aquatic plant expert Kelly Billing in the house! Anthony shared how he discovered his passion for ponds as a child and how it developed into his career. Anthony and Kelly also shared valuable insights on pioneering techniques in water features, aquatic plant care, how pond design and construct…

1
EP163: Grow Your Service-Based Business by 40% in 12 Months w/ Laura Reale 1:04:23

3M ago1:04:23

1:04:23

Today’s guest, Laura Reale, grew her service-based business by 40% in just 12 months. Want to know her secret? Tune in as she shares the framework, secrets, tips, and tricks that she used to make that happen for her business. Laura runs two businesses: AquaReale—a pond construction, service, and maintenance company—and Pondtent—a marketing company …

1
EP162: Koi Show Chronicles w/ Shawn McHenry & Anthony Quintero 1:52:41

3M ago1:52:41

1:52:41

Koi shows have come a long way since their origins in Japan. Seasoned Koi experts Anthony Quintero and Shawn McHenry join Eric to explore the historical beginnings of Koi shows and how they’ve evolved over the years. From their over two decades of experience in the industry, they discuss their memorable moments, trends, and innovations in Koi shows…

1
EP161: Speak With Authority & Confidence w/ Philip Session 1:04:00

3M ago1:04:00

1:04:00

Public speaking can be intimidating, but having strong communication skills is essential for contractors to grow their businesses! Public speaking coach Philip Sessions shares strategies for contractors to speak with authority and confidence when speaking to prospects, clients, and industry groups. In this episode, they talk about: Philip’s fear of…

1
EP160: Water Garden Expo: Past, Present, and Future w/ Randy Stewart 1:00:02

3M ago1:00:02

1:00:02

Eric is joined by Randy Stewart, the Vision Manager for Pondliner.com and the driving force behind the highly popular Water Garden Expo. Randy shared the history of the Water Garden Expo, gave an exciting preview of the upcoming 2024 Expo — why you should attend, what you can expect, who is going to speak at the event, — and the future of the Water…

1
EP159: 10 Symptoms You Probably Suck At Sales! 19:40

3M ago19:40

19:40

Are you a contractor who excels at sales? Or are you the contractor who sucks at sales? How can you identify which category you fall into? Just like on American Idol, there are contestants who truly think they could sing well, but in reality, they are terrible singers. In the same way, there are contractors who may think they are a pro at sales whe…

1
EP158: Emotional Intelligence for Contractors w/ Benny Fisher 1:15:59

4M ago1:15:59

1:15:59

Emotional intelligence (EQ) is one of the most important skills for contractors — it allows you to better understand clients, defuse tense situations, and provide excellent service. Today’s guest, Benny Fisher, is the founder and visionary of The Big Fish Contracting Company, Co-Founder of The Arena Mastermind, Business Growth Leader for Contractor…

1
EP157: The Pond Digger Team vs. 75 HARD 2:35:45

4M ago2:35:45

2:35:45

The Pond Digger team is taking on the 75 HARD challenge. Eric motivates them by sharing his own experience with the challenge and inspiring them to join in. In this episode, each team member shares their motivation for taking on 75 Hard — some want to get in shape for future goals like firefighting academy, while others want to be healthier role mo…

1
James 3 vs the anticreationists 31:19

4M ago31:19

31:19

A slew of videos has recently come out arguing for and against the work of Dr Jeffrey Tomkins, who claims humans and chimps are only about 85% similar. His detractors have made some massive blunders and I attempt to document them here. This is not to gloat, however. I understand that all humans are bigoted, biased, myopic, jealous, envious, etc., i…

1
EP156: Pond Trade Magazine w/ Lora Lee Gelles 1:11:47

4M ago1:11:47

1:11:47

Today’s guest is Lora Lee Gelles, owner and editor of Pond Trade Magazine. Laura discusses the history of the magazine, how she took it over in 2013 without even having a pond herself at that time, some controversial articles Pond Trade Magazine has published over the years that caused controversy in the pond industry, and more. In this episode, th…

1
EP155: Digital Marketing for Contractors w/ Adam McChesney 56:58

4M ago56:58

56:58

Are you struggling to generate leads and sales for your contracting business? Today’s guest, Adam McChesney, shares the best digital marketing strategies that can help boost your business. Adam is a serial entrepreneur, a digital marketing and personal branding expert, CEO at Builders of Authority and Hite Digital, and host of Entrebrewer podcast. …

1
EP154: Koi Grow Out Contest Secrets with Shawn McHenry 1:33:17

4M ago1:33:17

1:33:17

There are secrets to winning koi grow out contests, and Koi expert Shawn McHenry of Mystic Koi is here to share some of these secrets. Eric and Shawn discuss koi grow out contests, how these contests work, and how to select, grow, and prepare fish to their best potential for competition. In this episode, they talk about: The history of koi grow out…

1
Recombine-o-mania 26:25

4M ago26:25

26:25

Chromosomal recombination is an essential part of the life cycle of all sexually reproducing organisms. Yet, the system is complex, involving hundreds to thousands of proteins and RNAs. It also involves DNA repair pathways, which are themselves incredibly complex. The newest available information on recombination tells us it is mutagenic, meaning t…

1
Let’s talk about ancient DNA 23:44

5M ago23:44

23:44

My new video made quite a splash! Apparently, lots of Christians are asking questions about the DNA we can now pull from very old skeletons. How do they do it? What are the data telling us? How is it even there, if the bones are as old as claimed? Without revealing too many details about what is in the main presentation, here I am just talking abou…

1
African cichlids – ‘fast species’ are very, very biblical 25:06

5M ago25:06

25:06

African cichlids are a diverse group of fishes that have frequently been used as evidence for evolution. Yet, now that the genomes of several hundred species have been published, the true history of this group has been revealed. All parties must now acknowledge that the many species arose quickly, from a common stock. In many ways, African cichlids…

1
EP153: West Coast Cichlid Supplies with Brandon Blombquist 1:00:59

5M ago1:00:59

1:00:59

Today, Eric dives into the colorful world of cichlids with guest Brandon Blombquist. Brandon is the owner of West Coast Cichlid Supplies, a cichlid breeding and sales business in Southern California. Brandon shares how he turned his longtime hobby for cichlid into a thriving business. In this episode, they talk about: Story of how Eric and Brandon …

1
Darwin’s Finches: the little birds that destroy evolution 28:10

6M ago28:10

28:10

Darwin’s finches have long been considered an icon of evolution. A recent analysis included 40 years of morphological measurements and genealogy tracing among four finch species on a small island in the Galapagos chain. This was coupled to 30 years of DNA sampling, including the recent sequencing of nearly 4,000 finch genomes from the same small is…

1
EP152: Aquatic Snakes in the Aquarium w/ Myke Clarkson 1:17:00

6M ago1:17:00

1:17:00

If you’re looking for something unique to add to your aquarium, how about adding an aquatic snake? Many aquatic snake species can thrive in aquariums with compatible fish species. Today’s guest is Myke Clarkson, a reptile expert who’s making efforts to make aquatic snakes become accessible display animals. Myke also works with Herpetological Conser…

1
EP151: Is The Pond Digger Returning To YouTube!? W/ Joe Betancourt 1:23:55

6M ago1:23:55

1:23:55

After a four-year hiatus from YouTube, The Pond Digger is finally making a comeback. Eric sits down with the person who is helping him to return to YouTube – independent filmmaker Joe Betancourt. They discuss their creative plans together for YouTube, how their collaboration came to be and where it's headed. In this episode, we talk about: Why did …

1
EP150: I Hope You Die Before I Do! W/ Kathy Jo 40:14

6M ago40:14

40:14

Today Eric takes us on a trip down memory lane with his longtime friend and colleague Kathy Jo. The two discuss the origin story of this episode’s title and share the value of actively working at creating meaningful memories with friends and family that will stand the test of time. In this episode, we talk about: Why did Kathy said “I hope you die …

1
Evolutionists predict super bottleneck (it would have killed us) 13:49

6M ago13:49

13:49

A new paper claims that the pre-human population went through an extremely small and extremely long population bottleneck. Starting about one million years ago, the population was reduced to at most 1,280 “breeding individuals” and this lasted for over 100,000 years. To get there, they examined thousands of human genomes and assumed that all mutati…

1
Human vs Chimp Part 3: a deep dive into how statistics are being misused 1:37:44

6M ago1:37:44

1:37:44

The opponents of biblical creation have made some glaring errors in their criticisms of prior work on human-chimpanzee genetic differences. Specifically, several of their claims are in conflict with both theory and experiment. I document these here in detail. They have also shown a rudimentary understanding of how scientific data needs to be ‘weigh…

1
EP149: Dirt In The Aquarium w/ Dustin's Fish Tanks 1:16:32

6M ago1:16:32

1:16:32

Today’s guest, Dustin Wunderlich, is a strong proponent of using dirt in aquariums to achieve explosive plant growth. In this episode, Dustin shares the origins of this unconventional approach of using nutrient-rich dirt in aquariums and why it works so well for getting lush plants. In this episode, we talk about: Dustin’s journey with aquatics and…

1
EP148: Artistic Stone Foundations w/ Graham Waleryszak 1:29:44

7M ago1:29:44

1:29:44

Stonework is not just a practical feature in ponds. It gives a decorative touch and makes the pond a more attractive part of your garden. Today's guest, Graham Waleryszak, is a stone artist known for his unique approach to stonework that blends function and creativity. He discusses how stonework can also serve as a visual work of art beyond being f…

1
EP147: Defying Your Reality 23:05

7M ago23:05

23:05

Contractors who defy their realities transform their business by expanding what they think they can achieve! Today's episode is a recording of a coaching call that Eric did to give you a glimpse of what it's like inside the Contractor Power Circle. Eric discusses the importance of defying your reality and how we can redefine the boundaries of what …

1
EP146: Communicating With Your Company Brand w/ Bill Harper 55:06

7M ago55:06

55:06

Effective communication is the key to building a solid brand! Today’s guest on the show is branding expert Bill Harper. Bill discusses the importance of defining your brand and communicating it clearly to your clients to run a successful business. In this episode, we talk about: Bill’s journey of becoming a branding expert The importance of brandin…

1
EP145: Perfect Pond Polishing Pond Pro Tip 45:48

7M ago45:48

45:48

Having a clean pond brings an extra touch of elegance to events like parties, weddings, or other special occasions. But you can get a little extra pop and just a little bit of extra polish to make it picture-perfect. Today, Eric shares pond polishing tips to make the water clarity of ponds pop like never before. He also does a Q&A session and answe…

1
EP144: Defining the Modern Contractor w/ Johnny V 1:16:27

7M ago1:16:27

1:16:27

We're 20 years behind in the contracting industry, and the old way of doing things has been outdated. Today’s guest — Johnny Vescio, founder of Kolaabo Inc. — wants to create a modern vibe in the contracting world. He discusses the need for modernization in the contracting industry and what it means to be a modern contractor. In this episode, we ta…

1
Human vs Chimp part 2 32:47

7M ago32:47

32:47

This is the second installment in a now multi-part series on human and chimpanzee genetic differences. I had a lot of pushback from my last episode, including negative reviews posted by Gutsick Gibbon, Creation Myths, and Dapper Dinosaur. Unperturbed, I push on. Here, I lay out some of the arguments in more detail and discuss many of the problems p…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Cichlids Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Quick Reference Guide