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Ross Socolof, 1995
Cichlid Room Companion
Authors

Ross Socolof

United States
last updated on 30-Jun-1998

By Harry Spetch.

Ross Socolof is an ex-New Yorker turned fish farmer and all around tropical fish hobbyist. He served in the United States Army in World War II and was wounded. Following the war he returned to New York and entered the grocery business following in his family's footsteps. He worked hard, but was disinterested in the grocery business. Unexpectedly, he had the opportunity to buy a retail tropical fish store that was going out of business. With this fish store, Ross found his "niche in life" and never looked back as he moved into the wholesale tropical fish business and then into the fish farming phase of the industry.

Along the way, in the next 40 years, Ross met and competed agains most of the "giants" of the modern tropical fish industry from Albert Greenberg to Fred Cochu. Being honest and competent, Ross succeeded in making friends of most of these people. Recently he wrote an autobiography of his life titled, "Confessions of a Tropical Fish Addict". It is well written and accurately chronicles his life as well as the history of the tropical fish industry in the United States from post World War II until about 1980. Ross has led a wonderful life, traveling extensively and meeting people all over the world. He has constantly studied natural history as he earned his living collecting and rearing tropical fish.

He continues his love of tropical fish and, especially Central American Cichlids. He is never bored or without a book as he corresponds with his many friends world wide. Ross remains a very busy "tropical fish addict" to this day.

The FTFFA members honored him at their last annual show with glowing speeches and awarded him a life membership for being such an outstanding member. In addition, he is a wonderful human being.

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