About Ivan Mikolji

Introduction to Mikolji

Ivan Mikolji is a world-renowned river explorer who tirelessly documents the diversity and wonder of the world we live in. He is an Associate Investigator of the La Salle Institute, promoting the importance of preserving freshwater biodiversity around the globe. His work inspires a deep love and respect for the conservation of nature, stating “You cannot preserve something that you don’t know exists.”

He recently had the honor of having a newly described species of cichlid named after him, Astronotus mikoljii.

His most recent book, Fishes of theOrinoco in the Wild, has won three Indie Book Awards.  PFK magazine described it as #2 in their list of “Best Fish Books EVER!”

He is currently working on his next book, Flora of the Orinoco.

“With more than a hundred expeditions and innumerable publications in different countries, he has demonstrated the authenticity and originality of his artistic passion for photography and painting. The philosophy that moves his creative will is the urgency to preserve the aquatic ecosystems of the planet, and as a first step he considers it necessary to make known the richness and beauty of these biomes. That is why he maintains: “you cannot preserve something that you don’t know exists.” And to that work he has dedicated a great part of his life.“

Eduardo Planchart Licea
Phd Latin American Art History UNAM

Species Newly Described

• Astronotus mikoljii

 Acknowledgments to Mikolji

• Diploma of recognition from the Sociedad Amigos de Valencia, 2023
• Venezuelan National Photography Award Ciane, 2022
• Named Associated Investigator of the Ichthyological section of the Museum of Natural History of Fundación La Salle de Ciencias Naturales, 2021
• Honorary lapel pin from the Upel University, Barquisimeto, Venezuela, 2019
• Fototeca de Barquisimeto, Venezuela, 2018

Awards

• Ciane National Photography Award – Premio Nacional de Fotografía Ciane, Venezuela 2022
• Next Generation Indie Book Awards – Winner in the Science/Nature/Environment Category 2022
• Next Generation Indie Book Awards – Winner in the Animals/Pets category, 2022
• Next Generation Indie Book Awards – Grand Prize Honorable Mention Overall, 2022
• Documentary Film:  First place in the annual contest of Fecoven, Caracas, Venezuela 2008, reporting mention, jury vote.
• Documentary Film:  Second Place in the annual contest of Fecoven, Caracas, Venezuela 2008, reporting mention, public vote via Internet.

Explorations and species of flora and fauna discovered by Mikolji

• He discovered a new orchid species of the genus Cranichis, and took the first photos and video.
• He discovered a new species of catfish of the genus Trichomycterus, and took the first photos and video.
• First live photos and video of Cleistes abdita orchid.
• First live photos and video of Serrasalmus nalseni piranha, used to redescribe the species.
• First live photos and video of Pristobrycon careospinus piranha.
• First live photos and video of Apistogramma pedunculata fish, used to describe the species.
• First live photos and video of Apistogramma nororientalis fish.
• First live photos and video of Aequidens chimantanus fish.
• First in habitat photos and video of Moenkhausia pittieri fish.

Mikolji Solo Exhibitions

• Fishes of the Orinoco in the Wild, Fundación La Salle de Ciencias Naturales. Caracas, Venezuela 2021 / 2022
• Aquatic Reflections and Shimmers, Gabinete del Dibujo y de la Estampa, Carabobo, Venezuela. 2022
• Fishes of the Orinoco in the Wild, Consulate General of Colombia in Miami, USA 2021
• Fishes of the Orinoco in the Wild, Hernán Gamboa Gallery. Miami, USA 2021
• Venezuelan Orchids, Fundación La Salle de Ciencias Naturales. Caracas, Venezuela 2020
• A Tribute to Humboldt by Mikolji, Fototeca de Barquisimeto Foundation. Barquisimeto, Venezuela 2019
• A Tribute to Humboldt by Mikolji, Upel University, Barquisimeto, Venezuela 2019
• A Tribute to Humboldt by Mikolji, La Salle Foundation of Natural Sciences. Caracas, Venezuela 2019
• A Tribute to Humboldt by Mikolji, Humboldt Cultural Association. Caracas, Venezuela 2019
• Orchids of Venezuela, Fototeca de Barquisimeto Foundation. Barquisimeto, Venezuela 2019
• Aquatic Reflections, Rafael Monasterios Gallery, UCLA University, Barquisimeto, Venezuela 2019
• H2O, Espacio 5 Gallery. Valencia, Venezuela 2019.
• H2O, Espacio 5 Gallery. Caracas, Venezuela 2018.
• Photographs and Aquatic Paintings, School of Plastic Arts Martin Tovar and Tovar. Barquisimeto, Venezuela 2018.
• Orchids of Venezuela, Rosa Bela Hotel & Convention Center. Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela 2018.
• Aquatic Landscapes, Fototeca de Barquisimeto Foundation. Barquisimeto, Venezuela 2018.
• Between Science and Art, Orinokia Mall Exhibition Hall. Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela 2018.
• Between Science and Art, La Salle Foundation of Natural Sciences Exhibition Hall, Guayana, Venezuela 2018.
• From Landscapes to Abstraction, Exhibition Hall of the Eladio Alemán Sucre Cultural Center. Valencia, Venezuela 2018.

Learn more about Mikolji’s exhibitions here .

Group Exhibitions

• I Remember Water, Global Network of Water Museums. Venice, Italy 2022
• Art For All Exhibition, Hernan Gamboa Gallery, Miami, USA 2022
• Abstraction, The City of Miami Beach Open House Program. Miami Beach, USA 2021
• Grupo Uno, 35 Years Later, Municipal Theater of Valencia. Valencia, Venezuela 2021
• Elements The Exhibition of Hispafest The Hispanic American Art and Culture Festival in Partnership with Miami International Fine Art, MIFA Gallery, Miami, FL, USA, Feb 2021.
• Beyond The Aquarium, Expo Acuario Queretaro. Queretaro, Mexico 2019
• We are on a side of Peace of Venezuela, Valencia, Venezuela 2016-2020.
• Artblend Gallery, Fort Lauderdale, USA. 2016.
• 1st Meeting of Croatian Artists of Venezuela, Foro XXI, Torre Letonia, Caracas, Venezuela. Mayo 2010.
• Marine Biodiversity Collective photographic exhibition, 2010. “Alonso Gamero” Library, Faculty of Sciences, Central University of Venezuela. 2010
• Marine Biodiversity Photographic exhibition, 2010. Central Library of the Central University of Venezuela, 2010.
• Athenaeum of Valencia, Venezuela 2005.
• Jacobo Borges Museum, Caracas, Venezuela, 2005.

Competition Jury

• Judge at the Ciane Awards, Venezuela 2023
• Judge at the Aquatic Gardeners Association Biotope Competition, USA 2022
• Judge at the first Brazilian Biotope Aquarium Contest, 2022
• Judge at the Romanian National Biotope Competition 2019 – 2022
• Judge at the Malta National Biotope Competition 2019 – 2022
• Judge at the Ascenso Festival, photography category, Caracas, Venezuela 2022
• Judge at the Mérida Imagina photography biennale, Merida, Venezuela 2022
• Judge at the Fish Flag Contest, part of the Wildlife Forever Fish Art Contest, World Fish Migration Day 2022
• Judge at the International Biotope Competition, China 2018 – 2022
• Judge in the International Biotope Aquarium Design Contest, Russia 2013 – 2022
• Judge at the Aquatica Aquascaping Contest in Malta 2021 – 2022
• Judge at the Lost Fishes Art Challenge for Shoal.org 2021
• Judge at the EAEC, European Aquatic & Emersed Contest, 2021
• Judge at the Biotope Aquarium contest in Argentina 2020 – 2021
• Judge at the Humboldt Cultural Association photography contest, Caracas, Venezuela 2019
• Judge at the first National Biotope Contest of Mexico 2018
• Judge of the Degree photo essays, School of Photography ENFOCARTE, University of Carabobo, Venezuela, November 22, 2017
• Judge in the Biotope Aquarium Competition of the Nordic Cycling Association, Scandinavia 2017
• Judge at the Croatian Aquatic Competition CAC, Croatia 2014

Books published by Mikolji

• Peces de los Llanos de Venezuela. Un ensayo sobre su historia natural. Machado-Allison, A., R.  De La Fuente e I. Mikolji, 2021.   UCV, Venezuela.  406 pp.
• Biodiversidad de la Reserva Natural Bojonawi, Vichada, Colombia: río Orinoco y planicie de inundación. Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt, Colombia. 556 pp.
• Fishes of the Orinoco in the Wild. Mikolji, I. 2020.  TJ International Publishing House, London, UK. 392 pp.  Award Winning.
• Catálogo Ilustrado de los Peces del Parque Nacional “Aguaro-Guariquito”. Machado-Allison, A., R.  De La Fuente e I. Mikolji, 2018.  Fudeci, Venezuela. 530 pp. 

Learn more about Mikolji’s books here.

Published Photographs

• 2 photos + front cover published in the German Cichlid Society (DCG) 5 magazine, Germany 2023
• 2 photos + front and interior cover published in the XXI. Peces del fondo del río Orinoco y afluentes principales (Colombia-Venezuela): diversidad y aspectos bioecológicos. Colombia 2023
• 1 photo published in Lista de las plantas acuaticas del Escudo Guayanes: Colombia y Venezuela by Anabel Rial y Judith Rosales, 2023
• 3 photos published in the poster: afiche de Peces introducidos de Colombia of the Instituto Humboldt, el Ministerio de Ambiente y la Universidad Nacional de Colombia, 2022 
• 2 photos published in La caza y pesca de subsistencia en el norte de Suramérica. Parte I: Colombia, Venezuela y Guyana book. Colombia 2022
• 6 photos published in the Alto Orinoco. Una retrospectiva tricentenaria book. Venezuela, 2022
• 86 photos published in Various stamps world wide by Stamperija, Lithuania 2020 – 2021
• 4 photos published in Aqua Life Magazine, Japan April 2021
• 6 photos published in the L’Aquarium à la Maison magazine,  France April 2021
• 13 photos published in the Fish – A literary celebration of scale and fin magazine No.1, UK 2021
• 81 photos published in the Peces de los Llanos de Venezuela. Un ensayo sobre su historia natural book. Venezuela, 2021
• 1 photo published in The World’s Forgotten Fishes of the WWF – World Wide Fund For Nature, Switzerland 2021
• 27 photos + front and back covers published in the Biodiversidad de la Reserva Natural Bojonawi, Vichada, Colombia: río Orinoco y planicie de inundación book. Colombia, Venezuela. Colombia 2020
• 216 photos published in the Fishes of the Orinoco in the Wild book, UK 2020
• 8 images published in the scientific magazine Memoria de la Fundación La Salle de Ciencias Naturales, Venezuela,  2021
• 11 photos published in the magazine Ciklid Bladet. No. 1 /2021, Sweden 2021
• 4 photographs published in the Practical Fishkeeping Magazine. UK, June 2020
• 12 photos + front cover published German Cichlid Society (DCG) 11, Germany 2020
• 13 photos + front cover published German Cichlid Society (DCG) 3, Germany 2020
• 12 photos + front cover published in the magazine Ciklid Bladet. No. 4 /2019, Sweden 2019
• 10 photos published in the magazine Ciklid Bladet. No. 2 /2019, Sweden 2019
• 10 photographs published in the Practical Fishkeeping Magazine, United Kingdom, July 2019.
• 1 photograph published on the front cover of the Associazione Italiana Ciclidofili Magazine, Italy, March 2019
• 23 photos published in the book Guía de campo de los Bagres del Caño La Piedra, Río Arauca, 2019
• 10 photos published in the magazine Ciklid Bladet. No. 2 /, Sweden 2019
• 6 photographs published in the book Molluscs Dulceacuícolas de Colombia, 2019
• 30 photographs published in the Revista Explora, Venezuela, Volume 03 of 2019
• 19 photos published in the Construarte magazine. Volume 15 No. 125, Venezuela 2018
• 136 photographs published in the book Catalogo Ilustrado de los Peces del Parque Nacional “Aguaro-Guariquito” 2018
• 9 photographs published in Hotbook Magazine, Mexico, Volume 30 August 2018.
• 7 photos including cover, published in Challwani Magazine. Issue 06, Chile, 2018
• 6 photographs published in the Challwani Magazine. Issue 05, Chile, 2018
• 1 photograph published in the Practical Fishkeeping Magazine. Issue 03, United Kingdom, March 2018.
• 11 photographs including cover in the book Biodiversidad de la sierra de La Macarena, Meta, Colombia. Parte I. Ríos Guayabero medio, bajo Losada y bajo Duda. Colombia 2018
• 31 photographs published in the Revista Explora, Venezuela, Volume 03 of 2018.
• 9 photographs published in the Revista Explora, Venezuela, Volume 01 of 2018.
• 27 photographs published in the book La Vida Secreta del Bosque, Venezuela 2018.
• 4 photographs published in the Practical Fishkeeping Magazine. Issue 13, United Kingdom, December 2017.
• 3 photographs published in the newspaper El Tiempo, Colombia August 11, 2017.
• 1 photograph, cover, published in the PhD thesis of Loreta Cornacchia in the NIOZ, The Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, 2017.
• 43 photographs including front cover, inside cover and back cover published in the book Fauna de Caño Cristales, Sierra de La Macarena, Meta, Colombia 2017.
• 6 photographs including cover, published in the book Field Guide to the Fishes of the Amazon, Orinoco, and Guianas, USA 2017.
• 1 photograph published in the book Ríos de morichal de la Orinoquia venezuela, Venezuela 2016.
• 1 photograph, interior cover, published in the book Morichales, cananguchales and other floodplains of South America, Colombia, Part II 2016.
• 1 photograph, full page, published in the Aquapac product catalog, United Kingdom 2016.
• 1 photograph, cover, published in the book Biodiversidad del Rio Bita, Vichada, Colombia 2016.
• 2 photographs published in the Red Book of freshwater crabs in Colombia. 2015
• 6 photographs published in the Revista Río Verde, Venezuela, Volume 016 of 2015.
• 1 photograph, cover, published in the magazine Anarita, Universidad del Zulia, number 26, Maracaibo, Venezuela 2014.
• 1 photograph in the book Estrella Fluvial Inirida, Colombia 2014.
• 21 photographs including cover and interior cover published in the book Humedales de la Orinoquia Colombia Venezuela, Colombia 2014.
• 4 photographs including cover and back cover published in the book Humedales interior de Colombia 2014.
• 2 photographs published in Revista Río Verde, Venezuela, Volume 014 of 2014.
• 2 photographs, one being a double page published in the Practical Fishkeeping Magazine. Issue 06, United Kingdom, May 2013.
• 1 photograph published in the magazine PiranhaMania, Volume 5, 2013
• 6 photographs including 2 on the cover published in the book Guide to Migratory Species of Biodiversity in Colombia – Peces, Colombia 2013
• 10 photographs including the cover, published in the magazine Ciklid Bladet. No. 1 /, Sweden 2012.
• 3 photos and mention about his work, published in the magazine Ciklid Bladet. No. 2 /, Sweden 2012.
• 2 photographs published in the Practical Fishkeeping Magazine. Issue 9, August, United Kingdom 2012.
• 2 photographs and mention of his work published in the magazine Datz 06 /, Germany 2012.
• 47 photographs published in the magazine: TFH (Tropical Fish Hobbyist), USA 2008 – 2011.
• 12 photographs used by National Geographic TV. USA 2011.
• 33 photographs published in the book (including cover and back cover): “Revision of the genus Apistogramma Regan 1913 (Perciformes, Cichlidae) in the Orinoco river basin. Humboldt Institute, Colombia 2011.
• 1 photograph published in the Designation of neotype and redescription of Serrasalmus nalseni Fernández-Yépez, 1969, Venezuela 2009.
• 8 photographs published in the book: Piranhas, by Barron’s, USA 2008.
• 2 photographs published in the newspaper El Nacional, Venezuela 2008.

See more of Mikolji’s photography here.

Published Journal Articles

• Invasive Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus), dominates Southeastern Caribbean Sea island estuary – Research Gate, December 2021
• Notes on the color pattern and ecological aspects of Pristobrycon careospinus Fink and Machado-Allison, 1992 (Serrasalmidae), Research Gate, June 2021
• Los peces de los llanos de Venezuela. Un ensayo sobre su historia natural, Research Gate, April 2021
• Peces de la Reserva Natural Bojonawi (Escudo guayanés), Río Orinoco y planicie inundable, vichada, Colombia, Research Gate, April 2021
• The Bone Hunter. Fish – A literary celebration of scale and fin magazine No.1, UK 2021 
• Last of the Neons. Practical Fishkeeping Magazine. United Kingdom, June 2020
• Opera of the Phantoms. Practical Fishkeeping Magazine, United Kingdom, July 2019.
• Wild Aquarium. Ciklid Bladet Journal. Nº 2/, Sweeden 2019
• Designation of a neotype a redescription of Serrasalmus nalseni 2009, Research Gate, February 2019
• Acuario Salvaje. Revista Challwani, Chile, 5 / 2018
• Plunging Headfirst into the Morichales. Practical Fishkeeping Magazine, United Kingdom, Spring 2018.
• The Scarecory. Practical Fishkeeping Magazine, United Kingdom, February 2017.
• En búsqueda de una posible nueva especie de “pez de la lluvia” en el Río Guáquira Revista Memorias y Cuentos Año III – Número 3 – 2017
• Oscar Cichlid Astronotus sp Venezuela aff ocellatus in the wild. AQUAmag Magazine N°30, France, 2016.
• Piranha Land. Practical Fishkeeping Magazine, United Kingdom, Spring 2015.
• Dwarf Cichlid Apistogramma hongsloi in the wild. Practical Fishkeeping Magazine, United Kingdom, March 2015.
• Green Dartfish Ammocryptocharax elegans in the wild. Practical Fishkeeping Magazine, United Kingdom, May 2015.
• Close Encounters of the Cichla Kind. Practical Fishkeeping Magazine, United Kingdom, October 2015.
• The Link Between Science and Art. Artblend Magazine – Vol. 3, USA, Winter 2015.
• Cleared and Stained Diaphonized Fish. Practical Fishkeeping Magazine, United Kingdom, January 2015.
• Amazon Leaf Fish Monocirrhus polyacanthus in the wild. Practical Fishkeeping Magazine, United Kingdom, May 2014.
• Oscar Cichlid Astronotus aff ocellatus in the wild. Practical Fishkeeping Magazine, United Kingdom, July 2014.
• Three Spotted Eartheaters Satanoperca daemon in the wild. Practical Fishkeeping Magazine, United Kingdom, September 2014.
• Red Line Lizard Tetra Iguanodectes sp in the wild. Practical Fishkeeping Magazine, United Kingdom, October 2014.
• Ram Cichlids in the Wild. TFH (Tropical Fish Hobbyist), USA, June 2011.
• First Ever Photos of Diamond tetras in Their Natural Habitat. TFH (Tropical Fish Hobbyist), USA, January 2010.
• The Half Red Hemigrammus: A new Species. TFH (Tropical Fish Hobbyist), USA, March 2010.
• Cardinal Tetras in Their Natural Habitat. TFH (Tropical Fish Hobbyist), USA, February 2009.
• Designación de neotipo y redescripción de Serrasalmus nalseni Fernández-Yépez, 1969, Venezuela 2009. Memoria de la Fundación La Salle de Ciencias Naturales 2009.
• First Live Pictures of a Pristobrycon careospinus. TFH (Tropical Fish Hobbyist), USA, November 2008.
• Swimming With Cichlids. TFH (Tropical Fish Hobbyist), USA, July 2008.

Learn more about Mikolji’s articles here.

Videography specialized in international aquatic and subaquatic habitats, flora, and fauna

• Crazy Journey Japan, 2019
• Netflix, 2017 – 72 Dangerous Animals: Latin America
• Nat Geo Wild, Australia 2013. – World’s Weirdest:  Animal Taboo – extreme animal behaviors.
• National Geographic Explorer, USA First Aired May 3, 2011. – National Geographic Explorer – Season 7 – Episode 3 – Megapiranha.
• Discovery Science. Canada, 2009 – Footage for their show, Daily Planet.
• Sci-Fi Network and Discovery Channel – Frantic Films – Canada – 2008 – Piranha footage for their show Guinea Pig – Ryan Stock and his partner AmberLynn Walker do things in their everyday lives most people would never consider doing on even the most outrageous dare

Documentaries produced and edited about the Venezuelan aquatic fauna

• Exploring the Atures Rapids: October, 2021
• Presented at: NECA Spooktacular, New England Cichlid Association (NECA), DoubleTree by Hilton (Bristol, CT) Saturday, October 30th 2021

• Casupo, an eco-positive experience: January 15, 2010.
  Presented at:
  Auditorium of the Olympic Village, Edo. Carabobo, Venezuela, before officials of environmental institutions, teachers attached to the Ministry of Education of the Government of Carabobo, librarians, high school, and university students. January 26, 2011.
• Freshwater Fish and Aquatic Fauna of Venezuela Part 1: Preservation: February 12, 2008.
  Featured in:
  National Science Museum, Venezuela on April 17, 2008.
  Institute of Biomedicine, Caracas, Venezuela, April 22, 2008.
  Institute of Geography, Central University of Venezuela, May 15, 2008.
  V Festival Ascent 2008, Environment Category, Celarg, Caracas, Venezuela, June 12, 2008.
  II Venezuelan Congress of Biological Diversity, May 24, 2011.
• Freshwater Natural Aquarium Documentary: 02 June, 2008.
  Presented at:
  The Gold Coast Aquarium Society of South Florida, USA on July 2, 2008.
  Tenth Colombian Ichthyology Symposium and Second Colombo Venezuelan Meeting of Ictiologists and First South American Meeting of Ictiologists. Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia, May 2009.
  Presidency of the Venezuelan Institute of Scientific Investigations (IVIC), Venezuela, 2010.
  Congress of the Organization of Cichlids of Scandinavia. Gothenburg, Sweden, April 2012.
• Morichal Largo River: January 31, 2007.
• Piranha 1: January 31, 2007.
• Wolf Fish: January 31, 2007.

Interviews to Mikolji

• Erwin Pérez, USA 2021
• The Secret History Living in your Aquarium, Alexander Williamson, USA 2021
• World Atlas, Oishimaya Sen Nag, India 2021
• Voz de América, USA 2021
• L’Aquarium à la Maison magazine,  France April 2021
• Nanchi Farfant Art Report, USA 2021
• La Arquitectura de las ideas, Moises Agreda y Cesar Figueroa, Venezuela 2021
• Diafragma 5.6 Radio, Venezuela 2021
• Lothian Fishkeeper Channel, Scotland 2020
• The Aquarium Guys podcast, USA 2020
• Aquariumania Podcast Episode 81, USA 2020
  
• Aquariumania Podcast Episode 80, USA 2020
• Carlos Eduardo López, Photo Library of Barquisimeto, Venezuela 2019
• Diafragma 5.6 Radio, Venezuela 2019
• Vanguardia Acuaristica, Mexico 2019
• Chars Fishers, Mexico 2019
• Sofy Marine, Mexico 2019
• Ucv Noticias, Venezuela 2019
• Isabella Marinelli C., Construarte Magazine, Valencia, Venezuela 2018
• Camila de la Fuente, Hotbook Magazine, Mexico, 2018
• Neven Vorkapić for Akvarij.NET, Republic of Croatia 2018
• Crestametalica, Venezuela 2018
• El Chispazo, Venezuela 2018
• Markéta Rejlková, Akvarium Magazine, Czechoslovakia 2010

Learn more about Mikolji’s press here.