Reply was reasonably prompt. Called to substitute for fish I'd ordered but did not have in stock. While talking, Eddie suggested changing part of my order from four phenochilus to two because of their adult size. He suggested substitutions and I trusted him. The two fish he substituted are nototaenia which grow much larger than phenochilus! By the way, the phenochilus were shipped in a bag with five mbuna and looked all but dead when they arrived(upside down). One fish was DOA and all were suffering from parasite infestation. I think I'll be able to pull them through but I can tell you that the situation would likely have been disasterous for a less experienced person. Now all I have to do is find a home for the soon to be huge buccochromis Eddie must have had a surplus of. UPDATE: Out of 27 fish, 15 survived.

I don't usually write reviews on a one time basis, therefore I have waited to write this one. Living in Kentucky I'm fortunate that Eddie lives 20 miles from where I live. Wanting to restart an old hobby. Afte cycling my tank, my first contact was advice on starting a Malawi tank and was invited to visit Eddie's to view his fish (and pick his brain). On this visit I purchased a dozen Mbuna's, all of which were kept in a healthy, clean environment and well cared for. Eddie questioned me about my tank, cycling etc and what to be aware of after introducing the fish. Having lost not one fish, I called Eddie and asked about introducing more and went to view what was on offer, again I left with another dozen of handpicked fish. I find with Eddie no question is too trivial and he has a wealth of knowledge which he is willing to share. My first visit was 2 months ago and have not lost a single fish. The one thing that does surprise me however is the pricing, I have not seen one dealer that can offer the combination of pristine fish and having to answer the some of the most basic questions put forward with the willingness to offer more than requested. As time goes on, I for one can rest assured that whatever tank I want to start up Eddie will be my first port of call.

Eddie was very helpful with all my questions about putting together the right mix for my aquarium. I was worried at first because I live in California but all the fish I ordered made it alive and all are healthy. His service is first class and his fish are a quality that you dont see often in fish stores. I am so glad I found his web site and would buy from again for sure.

Eddie was very helpful. I choose 2 day shipping and both nights were lows in the 30's. All 16 of my fish made it with no problem, and they are only 1-1.5''
I woul without a doubt use BG cichlids again!

found a real good red peacock that I've been looking 4 4 about a mounth

Initially I had reservations about ordering fish online in general.

These were quickly dismissed when I spoke with owner & operator Eddie Martin.

The level of customer service, fish knowledge and professionalism was beyond my personal expectations.

Originally when the box came I saw the FedEx driver tossed it literally at my door step from the top of stairs to our doorstep through our peephole in the door.

The FedEx driver apologized when I caught him doing this when I answered the door.

I called up Eddie right away and told him of this, needless to say we both weren't very pleased with that FedEx driver's conduct.

Eddie told me to monitor the fish and contact him if there were any issues.

4 days had passed and only 10 of my fish remained.

Eddie shipped me new fish to replace the ones that died due to poor package handling from a unprofessional FedEx driver.

I ordered 3 peacock mixes and they are awesome!!

They are all happy and swimming along in my fish tank.

Thank You Eddie!!

I ordered thru this website due to the reviews I read. this review is thru my experience only (I believe). maybe most of these folks got really well. OK here's what happened and what I got. I ordered about 6 (mainly) Malawi Cichlid's and all of them arrive in good condition. Only one casualty a pleco maybe it moved too much and punctured the bag so it leaked, it went DOA. So I get a credit on my next order.

Here's the condition of the fish. I'd say about half of the fish aree in great if not, excellent condition (fins are great, the colors showing off after awhile when I put it inside the tank). About 3 fishes are really not that good condition, lets say fins are 70% good and the other one looks like have a fin rot so I have to isolate it. I'll give it another shot on the next order hopefully the quality of the fish would be as the same the ones you can see on the local store, hand picked and 100%. Oh the fish were packed well it's just that you can tell that something was leaking when the pleco's bag broke due to the wetness I felt on the bottom of the box. overall it was ok, hopefully the quality of the fish delivered would be excellent for the rest of you who orders next.

I've dealt with Eddie several times over the years. All has gone well each and every time.

I placed an order with Eddie this past Sunday, and had my fish by Tuesday at noon. I ordered 12 small mbuna from him mainly based on comments on this site. I would have preferred to get some slightly larger, but decided to go with a company that was well liked and trusted. When I received my fish, one of the rusty cichlids was dead. However, when I counted Eddie had actually sent me 7 instead of 6 each as I had ordered. He even called to follow up the day I received my package to make sure everything was ok. I certainly will do business with Eddie again. Thanks for the great experience.

Ordered from Eddie for a second time. The prices are good as usual. There were some small problems with the order, but Eddie corrected them very quickly. I recommend using him and will buy from him again.

What a fantastic experience! Eddie was so helpful in helping me decide how to stock my tank and super friendly.
My fish arrived a little chilled (but it IS winter and 18 degrees out) but after a brief warming they were happy and healthy.
The prestige mix is beautiful and my peacock mix is sure to be stunning. The Cherry Red is especially beautiful! I can’t wait to watch them grow.
They are happily exploring their new home and haven’t stopped playing in the currents yet!
Eddie has even emailed to check up on us. I will definatly be back and will definatly suggest him to all my cichlid keeping friends.

UPDATE:
Two weeks have passed, and I havent lost one single fish. They are all happy, healthy and showing great color for being so little still. I couldnt be more thrilled.
ThankS Eddie!

I am new to this hobby, and wanted a few more fish to finish my tank. Eddie had a great selection, and was very easy to deal with. Compared to the prices I have paid for other fish I feel like I got a real steal on my fish. Even with the shipping the price was VERY FAIR. I live in Cleveland, and as you know it is Winter, and all of the fish were fine. He will be my first call when I do my next tank.

I just had a great experience with Bluegrass Cichlids. The fish were professionally packed and arrived alive and well. They have now been in the tank for 15 days and I just noticed one of the fish holding fry. I have had saltwater in the past and realize I was missing out by not trying these colorful freshwater mbuna. Eddie was very helpful with subjections to a new cichlid person and advised on shipping and receiving. He recommended food and salt in the aquarium. Nice to know I can use some of my left over saltwater salt for these guys. I would highly recommend Bluegrass Cichlids to any new cichlid hobbyist. I’m sure that I will soon be setting up another tank. Eddie is right this more than a hobby it’s an addiction

I am surprised to see people writing negative reviews of Eddie's fish. I have been buying fish from Eddie since prior to Bluegrass Cichlids existing. I buy all my food from him and almost every fish I own. I have NEVER once had a situation that Eddie failed to resolve in a fair manner. If you want friendly service and great quality then you have found your guy in Eddie Martin. Some day I want to go on one of the collecting trips he runs. I have wild caught fish he imported and fish from his farm and I love them all!!! 6 stars out of 5!

I have been buying fish from Eddie for several years. The quality and selection is amazing. The last purchase was best ever; all the fish are healthy and happy in there new home. I bought an assortment of Malawi fish using the recommendations from this site and Eddie’s advice. I am also very impressed with the food from Red Zebra Aquatics. The small fish love the “Grow Baby Grow” and it is the perfect size for them. I have been using the “Rainbow zebra” for some peacocks and haps I bought last year. Their color is unbelievable. I switch from NLS with no regrets or turning back. Eddie always has plenty of inventory, whether it is from his own farm or from another supplier, it is always first rate! Where else can you buy fish in quantity and quality from a source that is so close to the actual fish farm or breeders? Eddie actually collected much of the Central American breeding stock for his farm himself. I can’t wait to get another tank and try some of the CA fish he has collected! I know that Bluegrass Cichlids already has a lot of great reviews already but I felt that I had to let people know what a find this supplier really is. Do not hesitate is asking or contacting them for help or advice. Eddie is very busy but when can talk with you he will have ideas and inventory selections beyond even his comprehensive site. By the way I love the new logo!!