2023 AGAIAC 2nd Place 28-52L Aquatic Garden “Hutan Kalimboan” by Matheus Theo Fenanlampir, Indonesia.
Meet the 2024 Judges
Judge Foreman
André Longarço
AGAIAC Judge Foreman André Longarço of Brazil is the founder of the Aquabase Aquapaisagismo, the pioneer company of Nature Aquarium in Brazil. He currently serves as a judge of several national and international aquascaping contests and speaks internationally about aquascaping and the Wabi Sabi concept.
Dave Chow
Aquatic Garden Judge Dave Chow of Hong Kong was the Grand Prize winner of ADA International Aquatic Plant Layout Contest in 2007, the first ever Hong Kong citizen to receive such an honor. Since 2003, he has participated in aquascaping contests year after year, not just for the prizes, but also for the experience, as well as to spread the concept of aquascape being a piece of living art.
Tereza Lazar
Aquatic Garden Judge Tereza Lazar of Ukraine has loved aquariums since childhood, and has been aquascaping for 10 years. She has participated in and judged both regional and international aquascaping competitions.
Jae-Sun Cho
Aquatic Garden Judge Jaesun Cho of South Korea is the President of the Korea Aquascape Association, and a judge of the Korea International Aquascaping Contest (KIAC). In 2023, he was also a judge of the Aquascaping Spain Contest (AQSC).
Frederic Fuẞ
Aquatic Garden Judge Frederic Fuß of Germany began aquascaping in 2012, having never had an aquarium before. The art of aquascaping totally changed his life, allowing him to work as a professional aquarium designer for 8 years. His aim is to promote aquariums and bring different people together.
Dutch
Vin Kutty
Dutch Aquascape Judge Vin Kutty of the USA wrote a series of articles for The Aquatic Gardener, “Tips & Tricks for the Dutch Aquascape,” which was later turned into a pdf guide, available free on the AGA web site. While Vin’s aquascaping leans toward classic Dutch style, his ongoing plant nutrient experiments and constant influx of new species keep his designs far from predictable.
Bart laurens
Dutch Aquascape Judge Bart Laurens of The Netherlands is a well-known speaker on aquarium and terrarium subjects. He is the recipient of many prestigious awards in the Netherlands as well as abroad. He hopes that more and more Dutch Style aquarium lovers from the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and all over the world will enter the AGA contest each year.
Biotope
Ivan Mikolji
Biotope Judge Ivan Mikolji is a world-renowned river explorer who tirelessly documents the diversity and wonder of the world. He is an Associate Investigator of the La Salle Institute, promoting the importance of preserving freshwater biodiversity around the globe. His most recent book, Flora of the Orinoco, will be available in early 2025.
Tai Strietman
Biotope Judge Tai Strietman of the United Kingdom is a freshwater biologist and writer who has worked in the aquarium trade as an aquarist for ZSL London Zoo and is author of the upcoming book Aquatic Habitats – Aquariums Inspired by Nature. He is a specialist on the fishes and habitats of the Pantanal wetlands in Brazil where he lived and worked for a number of years.
wabi kusa
Jo Ann Fujii
Wabi-Kusa and Riparium Judge JoAnn Fujii of the USA is a trained horticulturist by education and experience who dabbles in plants now as a hobbyist. Her greatest passion is the Chicago Aquatic Plant Society (CAPS) where she serves as Vice President. She is a frequent judge of both the AGAIAC Wabi-Kusa category and the CAPS Wabi-Kusa contest.
Jack McCarley
Paludarium, Wabi-Kusa and Riparium Judge Jack McCarley of the USA is the founder of STUDIO AQUATICA, a product design studio for the aquatic industry. Known for his expertise in Wabi-Kusa and emergent plant husbandry, Jack writes for a variety of publications and lectures nationally.
Bailin Shaw
AGAIAC Chair and Paludarium, Wabi Kusa and Riparium Judge Bailin Shaw of the USA founded the Chicago Aquatic Plant Society in early 2016. He serves as the current president of the Chicago club and also serves as an executive board member for the Aquatic Gardeners Association.
Paludarium
Nick Kinser
Paludarium Judge Nick Kinser of the USA has been an aquascaper and aquarist for nearly 20 years. He has dabbled in most disciplines, from nature style, Dutch and Iwagumi, to blackwater, biotopes and paludariums. His 3rd ever paludarium won 1st place in the 2020 AGAIAC.
Jack McCarley
Paludarium, Wabi-Kusa and Riparium Judge Jack McCarley of the USA is the founder of STUDIO AQUATICA, a product design studio for the aquatic industry. Known for his expertise in Wabi-Kusa and emergent plant husbandry, Jack writes for a variety of publications and lectures nationally.
Bailin Shaw
AGAIAC Chair and Paludarium, Wabi Kusa and Riparium Judge Bailin Shaw of the USA founded the Chicago Aquatic Plant Society in early 2016. He serves as the current president of the Chicago club and also serves as an executive board member for the Aquatic Gardeners Association.
Riparium
Jo Ann Fujii
Wabi-Kusa and Riparium Judge JoAnn Fujii of the USA is a trained horticulturist by education and experience who dabbles in plants now as a hobbyist. Her greatest passion is the Chicago Aquatic Plant Society (CAPS) where she serves as Vice President. She is a frequent judge of both the AGAIAC Wabi-Kusa category and the CAPS Wabi-Kusa contest.
Jack McCarley
Paludarium, Wabi-Kusa and Riparium Judge Jack McCarley of the USA is the founder of STUDIO AQUATICA, a product design studio for the aquatic industry. Known for his expertise in Wabi-Kusa and emergent plant husbandry, Jack writes for a variety of publications and lectures nationally.
Bailin Shaw
AGAIAC Chair and Paludarium, Wabi Kusa and Riparium Judge Bailin Shaw of the USA founded the Chicago Aquatic Plant Society in early 2016. He serves as the current president of the Chicago club and also serves as an executive board member for the Aquatic Gardeners Association.
