Vinny Kutty was born in Madurai, India in 1968. he grew up in three countries - India, Nigeria and the U.S. In 1986, Vinny enrolled at Purdue University and in 1990, joined University of Florida to get his M.S. in Food Chemistry. he now lives in Glendale, California, working as a Flavor Chemist. Besides being an aquarist, Vinny enjoys travel, adventure, nature, reading, and film. Vinny has been fortunate to travel to various cichlid habitats on a yearly basis - last year, it was the Rio Jatapu and Uatuma in the Amazon. August 1998 will be time for Rio Momon in Peru.

Vinny interest focus on neotropical cichlids, and in this regard he keeps mainly cichlids of the genera Crenicichla and Apistogramma, although he also keeps other Cichlasomines and Heroines.

Vinny is a prolific author, his articles and pictures on Central and South American cichlids have appeared in ACARA, Journal of the South American Cichlid Study Group, Aquarium Fish Magazine, Cichlid News and Buntbarsche Bulletin.

Vinny as well maintains the home page Mostly Cichlids where he presents his great pictures of South American cichlids as well as quality information on them.