Local StoriesMay 31, 2024

Meet Max Gandara

Local Stories

Today, we’d like to introduce you to Max Gandara. Max was introduced to us by the brilliant and talented Roger Ma.

Hi Max, we’re so thrilled to have you sharing your story with us today. Maybe we can kick things off by having you introduce yourself to our readers? We’d love to have you go into your story and how you got to where you are today.
Born and raised in San Diego CA, I have been keeping and breeding exotic animals for 18 years. Starting off with Tarantulas at the age of 17 I began to understand the value of breeding captive species for the hobby. Many species are losing numbers due to climate change and habitat loss. Through captive breeding hobbyists have the ability to study and develop new methods of supporting our interests with minimal impact to wild species. The inspiring beauty and aggression of Tarantulas has provided a deeper meaning to the saying “beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” Five years later I caught the bug for a new type of exotic animal, the Poison Arrow Frog. These tiny amphibians are incredibly vibrant and and outgoing. The terrarium set up consist of a living ecosystem that is truly unmatched in the amphibian hobby. Adorned with incredibly plants such as bromeliads which Arrow frog breed in. It wasn’t until 5 years later I had the opportunity to keep tropical fish. A friend of mine moved out of state and asked if I could take his aquarium. I was incredibly interested in this opportunity as I had not kept tropical fish other than the aquarium my father had when I was 8. I was immersed into the world of tropical fish and again I got the bug, so much so that i pursued a career in the industry. It was here that I found my new love for Flowerhorn Hybrid Cichlids. The unique breeding methods to create these fish is complex and compelling world of wonder. I found my home with PetZone Tropical in 2017 and have since spent my time spreading awareness and writing article for the amazing fish I love, the Flowerhorn. Its a honor and a pleasure to be apart of such a wonderful team, they continue to inspire me to be the best I can for the hobby. I now help run the United Flowerhorn Association, a worldwide association promoting the hobby and hosting competitions.

Let’s talk about your work and career – what else should we know?
My role as a team member of PetZone involves the care, maintenance and understanding of the diverse species that we carry. This includes complete awareness of the water parameters and the climate of their environments. I enjoy spreading awareness through our medias and magazine articles that we participate in. Aside from the exotic animals my role as a team member also involves customer service and proper business practices. It’s integral to our company that we operate in a manner that is educational, supportive and lucrative as this can be a challenging business at times. We put much time and care into our shipping operations and have over a decade of success through our proven methods. With a careful eye we assess the initial arrival of livestock by using different approaches such as fasting for shipping and treating with medications before listing livestock for sale, this we can can provide the healthiest and most vibrant fish to our customers. I feel that my ability to work as a team member and passion for our industry sets me apart from the crowd.

So, as we mentioned to our audience earlier, you were introduced to us by Roger Ma and Pet Zone Tropical Fish and we really admire them and what they’ve built. For folks who might not be as familiar, can you tell them a bit about your experience with Pet Zone Tropical Fish .
Firstly, I would like to mention the incredible amount of love and respect I have for Roger Ma and his family. Rogers approach to life and business continues to inspire me daily. His ability to adapt to the challenges our business presents with a forthright and positive mental attitude has proven that a strong family foundation, hard work and passion is the way to live a full life. Originally I was a patron of Rogers family business and was working with a different tropical fish company who’s focus was imports. After understanding how the business works and observing how PetZone operated I was compelled to become a part of their team. They welcomed me with open arms and have been supportive of me since day 1. Working around such passion driven people inspires me to be the best I can for our business and the millions of people who share our hobby. Together Roger and I have traveled the nation with the United Flowerhorn Association hosting and judging Flowerhorn competitions. As a person who is heavily involved in the Flowerhorn community it has been a pleasure to spread the understanding of the standards of quality with these unique fish. As they are hybrids each fish carries different genetic traits. The genetic traits of the individual fish create a standard of quality that separates them from any other variety of Cichlid. It also makes for fewer quality fish in each batch and only certain traits are considered desirable. With this understanding we are highly capable judges in a renowned organization across the country.