Mike has been seriously involved in the aquarium hobby since his grade school days. Although interested in all aspects of aquarium keeping his chief interests lie in livebearing species and the cichlids of the Americas. A member of most national specialty societies, he has served several, in a number of administrative positions, including the editorship of the American Livebearer Association' journal for eight years and a term on the American Cichlid Association's Board of Trustees. Mike runs a business specializing in aquarium literature, and he and his books can often be seen at fish shows in the Great Lakes region. He also is frequently called on to judge these shows, and is one of the area's most sought after auctioneers.