Terry D. Bartelme

As a child, Terry grew up on the waterfront where he spent countless hours in and around the water. It was there that his love of aquatic life and respect for nature blossomed. His mother introduced him to aquarium keeping at the age of eight with a 10-gallon tropical fish tank. He set up his first saltwater tank back in the "stone age" of marine aquarium keeping in 1973.

Terry soon learned that the hobby was sorely wanting for lack of accurate information concerning the care and maintenance of these animals. This was particularly true in the aspects of disease treatment and general fish health management. As an avid reader, his insatiable desire for knowledge and love for his hobby inspires him to learn everything that he can regarding the care of his aquatic friends. Terry's motto for aquarium keeping is to always put "knowledge first." He resides in Gig Harbor, Washington, and is the father of three boys. His interests include a passion for learning, sports, music, reading, movies and spending quality time with his sons.

Terry is a moderator in the Saltwaterfish.com disease treatment forum and a regular participant on several other Internet message boards including Reef Central. He has written more than one-hundred articles on marine aquarium keeping that have been published in a number of aquarium related magazines, both in print and online. Terry has been a guest speaker for aquarium clubs, and he has appeared on the Animal Talk Network radio program. His special interests are in fish health management issues including stress control, nutrition, disease treatments and prevention.