Looking for hatcheries/breeders within 8 hrs. of Chicago

I have been to 5 or 6 farms in florida. Some were 3 or 4 years ago, some were 10 years ago. 

Get to the FTFFA website.  There is a whole listing on farms. 

All have been really great about entertaining visitors.  All are working farms, none had visitor centers.  What that mean for me was I was  guest and i worked around their schedule.  "what time can I stop by" worked a lot better than " I would like to come at 9am".

In homestead there are farms all over the place.  Cichlids, live bearers, etc.  Drive around and you'll see them from the road.  I did walk up to a few and in general was welcomed for a short visit.

Were old nasty shows.  Think about how much water you spill in yoru fish room and then multiply it by 1,000,000.  Real swampy water. 

try and avoid the summer - its hot and humid.  Even the locals would prefer to be inside.  I usually went over spring break. 

There is nothing like seeing a vat / pond filled with 500 - 5000 of a wildly colored cichlid.

Good luck

After dove but before deer bow season - We have a place down by nashvillie that has some of the best BBQ pig you will ever eat.  Then down to Marco Is, been a while since I have been down to the condo.  Then over to miami/homestead to check out a few of the farms.  Then a trip or 2 on the gulf/ocean and a back water trip.  Going to try and work out a stop at lakeland on the way back.  Nothing set in stone yet, just going to keep it loose and wing it.

Details Dave!!

dial up the road trip and head to south florida - I am working on a trip next fall to check out 3 places so far.  Going to make a 10 day trip out of it and get some fishing in as well

Don't know to many hatcheries, but there are tons on large hobbiest in the Chicago area. I'm sure you already know about the ones in the Michigan area.

Actually if anyone knows of a breeder in Illinois I would really like to know where too.  Tangs specifically.

road trip that Burundi colony over here! 

I have a week's vacation coming up, and me and the wife decided that we'd like to go on a "road trip"....... What I'm looking for is the best cichlid hatchery within 6-8 hrs. of Chicago.....

Tell me about the best hatchery you know of in any of the following States......

Indiana
Illinois
Wisconsin
Minnesota
Iowa
Kentucky
Missouri
Tennessee
Michigan
Ohio
West Virginia

Looking for hatcheries open to the public obviously...... I used to go to "Wet Thumb" in Michigan, but they've eliminated livestock........

Even if you know of private breeders that maintain/sell Rifties (especially Tropheus/Frontosa), post 'em here !!!!!

Thanks, Jim