On November 16, the 4-day 29th China International Pet Show (CIPS 2025) successfully concluded at Area B of the China Import and Export Fair Complex in Guangzhou.

Co-founded in 2024 by CIPS and its cooperative media partner Fengzhi Yangyu and his team, the Cichlid Derivatives Show aims to showcase live cichlid fish and related products. It is committed to boosting the development of China’s cichlid industry through international exchanges and cooperation.

The official WeChat account Fengzhi Yangyu Cichlid Promotion Station is primarily dedicated to the promotion and publicity of cichlids across China. It commits itself to advancing the development of cichlids in the aquarium market, as well as the purification and selective breeding of cichlids domestically.

Mr. Chen Yanjin, founder of the Fengzhi Yangyu, currently serves as the chief editor of the official WeChat account Fengzhi Yangyu Cichlid Promotion Station, president of the CEA Cichlid Club, and is also the author of the book Malawi Lake Rock-dwelling Cichlids.

Fengzhi Yangyu — Those People, Those Years

There is a group of people who have been striving relentlessly, all for the vision that "The world looks to China for cichlid excellence".

The CIPS Cichlid and Derivatives Show held in November marked its second edition already. Over the past two years of trials and growth, the cichlid community has been evolving for the better. This progress is inseparable from the joint efforts of merchants and hobbyists, as well as the strong support provided by the CIPS platform for promoting China’s cichlid industry.

Many people perceive keeping live fish as merely a pastime, yet live fish and culture have always been an integrated whole. Only when the mindset of "keeping fish as a hobby" is rooted in culture can this pastime become more tangible and meaningful. Turning the aquarium hobby into a lifestyle concept, and fishkeeping into a culture, has long been the aspiration of numerous enthusiasts.

Innovating the way we enjoy the hobby does not mean abandoning traditional fishkeeping concepts. Instead, it means integrating the aquarium hobby into our daily lives, transforming it into a trendy culture and a source of joy. From related products and cultural and creative items to online exchanges and offline gatherings—all these are stages in the gradual formation of aquarium culture. Only with cultural carriers can this "hobby" truly hold significance. Fishkeeping is by no means a distraction from meaningful pursuits; rather, it is a microcosm of China’s thousands of years of cultural heritage, a continuation of ancient fishkeeping methods, and a reflection of people’s lifestyle.

Admittedly, the cultural atmosphere surrounding cichlids may still be relatively thin, and cichlids may remain a niche category. However, the inheritance and development of aquarium culture are never confined to a single community—they grow subtly across the entire aquarium sector. A concept, a fishkeeping method, a care routine; the "Three Essentials", the practice of "small and frequent feedings"—aren’t these all time-honored experiences and innovative ways to enjoy the hobby? It is our hope that in the future, China’s aquarium culture will thrive, with its cultural connotations becoming more concrete and vivid.

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to CIPS for its strong support of this exhibition, as well as to the sponsors including Juliu Aquarium, Guozhi Aquarium, Baiyinmei, Beisen, Minjiang (in no particular order). Our thanks also go to all on-site staff, fishkeeping enthusiasts, and hobbyists.

May the cichlid industry flourish and thrive!

See you at CIPS 2026 next year!

Fengzhi Yangyu.