JURY

Mert Aykuta (Turkey)

Aquarist for 17 years. Professional biotope aquarium designer for last 6 years. Expert in creating North African biotopes aquaria. Currently maintains African great lakes (Tanganyika, Malawi) biotopes. One of the founders and administrator of the Facebook group Biotope Aquarium Design Turkey. Winner of Biotope Aquarium Design Contest 2016. 2nd place in International Biotope Aquarium Contest by Heiko Bleher 2016 in Milan.

Petra Bašić (Croatia)

Aquarist for decade with years of biotope research experience. One of the organizers of biggest aquarium and terrarium exhibition in South East Europe AkTer Fest in Zagreb. Biotope and aquascape judge in CAC 2014. Currently managing director in Aquatic Design, company specializing in biotope and aquascape aquarium design. Also, a consultant for biotope aquarium design in the region. Moderator and editorial board member at regional aquaristic forum. Winner of Biotope Aquarium Design Contest 2014 and 2013. Member of the jury of Biotope Aquarium Design Contest 2015 and 2016.

Heiko Blessin (Germany)

Famous aquarist and traveller with over 40 years of experience. Member of annual research expeditions around the world. He visited more than 60 countries, where took pictures of animals and their biotopes, as well as measured water parameters, lighting, etc. His experience is widely used for products research and development in JBL GmbH & Co.KG. Member of the jury of Biotope Aquarium Design Contest 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016.

Jeremy Gay (Great Britain)

Author of three books, the former Practical Fishkeeping and Pet Product Marketing magazine editor, and a former aquatic store manager, where he won 11 industry awards. He collected fish in Sri Lanka and the Amazon, visited fish farms around the world, and judged competitions and fish shows. He judged the ADA IAPLC in 2012 and 2013 and gave seminars at AQUA 2013. He is currently the Business Development manager for Evolution Aqua. Member of the jury of Biotope Aquarium Design Contest 2014, 2015 and 2016.

Piotr Kierzkowski (Poland)

Biologist, worked at the Zoological Institute of the University of Wroclaw. Aquarist and diver. Author of films about nature biotopes. Co-founder of an Internet project Definite Aquascape TV. Member of the jury of Biotope Aquarium Design Contest 2013, 2015 and 2016.

Alexey Malyshev (Russia)

Traveller and explorer of nature biotopes of Russia and other countries. Author of online publications about aquatic life of rivers and lakes in Russia. Winner of JBL Biotope Aquarium Design Contest 2012. Silver prize winner of JBL Biotope Aquarium Design Contest 2011. Member of the jury of Biotope Aquarium Design Contest 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016. Creator and administrator of the Facebook group Biotopefish.

Ivan Mikolji (Venezuela)

Researcher of wildlife found in Venezuela. Specializes in taking photos and videos of rare species. Author of documentaries about tropical fish in their nature biotopes. Founder and president of the Foundation of Fish of Venezuela. He now also protects continental freshwater bodies, including all kinds of aquatic flora and fauna. Member of the jury of Biotope Aquarium Design Contest 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016.

Michael Salter (Canada)

Aquarist for over 25 years. Actively interested in biotopes for the last 15 years, especially in biotopes of West Africa. Currently he maintains several West and Central African biotopes. He filmed freshwater aquatic habitats in Thailand. Creator and administrator of the Facebook group Mormyrid Keepers. Member of the jury of Biotope Aquarium Design Contest 2014, 2015 and 2016.

Marten Luter Salossa (Indonesia)

Creator and coordinator of Facebook group Save Ayamaru Lakes (SAL), director of YouTube channel Tamalin.TV. Joined aquatic expeditions with fish legend Heiko Bleher and Chris Lukhaup in West Papua. Author of an article in AMAZONAS magazine titled “The Forgotten Treasures of The Ayamaru Lakes”. First man who ever made video of the famous rainbowfish Melanotaenia boesemani in the wild habitat. Collected and located several species of crustaceans, aquatic plants and fishes for the research in Vogelkop Peninsula – West Papua. One of the main speakers and lecturers at the annual congress of IRG (International Association of Rainbowfishes) in the Netherlands 2017. Activist for environmental protection and preservation in West Papua, Indonesia.

Yuriy Yancher (Ukraine)

Professional aquarist and aquadesigner. Author of a unique Internet project on the history of aquarium GlassBox-History.com, as well as the community in Facebook GlassBoxHistory – aquarium evolution. For 11 years he had worked at the Aquarium of the Dnepropetrovsk University, where a significant part of the exhibition is devoted to the fauna of the local water bodies. He decorated exposition aquaria by geographic regions. Author of articles and reports on the history of aquaristic and aquaria. He travels a lot around the world to visit public aquaria. Member of the jury of Biotope Aquarium Design Contest 2016.