About Us

I am Rodrigo Vasquez Del Carpio, Ph.D., owner of La Paz Aquatics. I developed a passion for exotic fish keeping early as a kid. Setting up my first tank, followed by multiple others afterward. I was marveled by the different shapes and kinds of aquarium fish, so many species out there, guppies, mollies, tetras, or angelfish at that moment. At that young age, I could only imagine having all those other species shown in aquarist books and specialized magazines like Tropical Fish Hobbyist (a treasure at that moment). Several years later, my fascination for nature, biology, and research led me to pursue a Bachelor's in Molecular Biology (1999) and later a Ph.D. in Microbiology (2004), having authored numerous scientific publications in peer-reviewed journals. Besides my passion for aquariums, I love traveling to remote places to collect novel fish species for further description and study. 

A picture taken by Daniel Konn-Vatterlein in Madidi, Bolivia, shows me walking on the left side in that fantastic place.  

Due to my desire to offer other hobbyists the opportunity to acquire rare and hard-to-find fish in a boutique style, I founded La Paz Aquatic Imports LLC in 2022. Exotic freshwater fish are our passion, and we strive to get you quality fish that are challenging to find. We have worked hard to establish an extensive and top-notch network of providers, ranging from exporters to importers and breeders. We have an essential relationship with top-notch fish businesses, including Aquarium Glaser GmbH, Santarem Discus Plus, and PlecoCeramics, among others.  

If you need to order a specific fish that is not listed, please get in touch with us, and we will do our best to obtain it for you. At La Paz Aquatics, customer satisfaction is our top priority. We hope you enjoy your shopping experience with us and get your exotic fish.