Est. in a Kingston fish room · Ontario
The Rare
Fin
A premier destination for elite African cichlids — rare crosses, sought-after hybrids and carefully line-bred stock, raised by hobbyists in Kingston and Battersea.
The approach
Hobbyists first. We only started selling what we were already keeping.
The Rare Fin grew out of a fish room, not a storefront. Years of keeping, growing out and line breeding African cichlids turned into more fry than any reasonable person needs — so we are opening our tanks to other hobbyists.
That means no retail shelves, no bagged-and-gone fish. When you come to view, you are standing in front of the tank the fish was raised in, talking to the person who raised it.
We sell rare crosses, sought-after hybrids and stabilised lines — always display stock, never breeding stock.
Currently in the gallery
Featured Fish
Red Cheeked Johanni
↗Melanochromis johannii
Black velvet and electric blue, with a cheek that burns copper.
Display only · not for breeding
Strawberry Peacock
↗Aulonocara sp. (line-bred)
A peacock that traded blue for coral — soft, saturated, unhurried.
Display only · not for breeding
Dragon Giraffe
↗Nimbochromis venustus (line-bred)
A big, slow-moving predator in gold and dark chocolate.
Display only · not for breeding
Mixed Yellow Lab & Mbuna
↗Labidochromis caeruleus & assorted mbuna
Colour and movement, ready to go into a rock tank.
Display only · not for breeding
All fish shown are display stock and are sold as display fish only. Pricing is based on size and species — call for details.
Why our fish
01
Line breeding, not lucky crosses
We keep our own broodstock, hold back fry, and select across generations for colour, form and temperament. A line only leaves the fish room once it holds its look as it grows.
02
Rare crosses & sought-after lines
Hybrids that take years to stabilise and species that rarely come up locally. What you see in the gallery is what is actually in our tanks right now.
03
Seen before you buy
Every fish is available to view in person at Kingston or Battersea before you commit. We would rather you watch it eat and swim than take our word for it.
15
Live fish guarantee
Fifteen days, alive — or we make it right.
Every fish leaves here with a 15-day live guarantee. Acclimatise the way we walk you through at pickup, keep the water parameters we give you, and if something goes wrong inside those fifteen days, call Mike. We stand behind what we raise.
- 01
Text or call Mike
Tell us what you are looking for, your tank size and what is already in it. We will tell you honestly what suits your setup.
- 02
Arrange a viewing
Pickup is local only — Kingston or Battersea — by appointment. We will confirm the address and a time that works.
- 03
Pay in person
Transactions happen in person only. Cash or e-transfer accepted at pickup. No shipping, no online checkout, no holds on unseen fish.
Talk to Mike
613 331 2847Text is usually fastest. Tell us your tank, your water and what you are after — we will tell you what we have and what it costs.