Built with Intention: How Ladyfish Aquatics Took the Long Route to Success

Chris and Lorieal Kimball of LadyFish Aquatics in Dayton, OH

Lorieal Kimball got her first fish tank when she was nine. She filled it with tiger barbs darting by with their black stripes, neon tetras glowing blue and red, and graceful swordtails flashing orange as they swam past. She loved watching them move, learning their patterns, and feeding them the right mix of flakes and pellets. 

From there, the tanks kept getting bigger — a fifteen gallon tank, then a fifty-five, then a seventy-five. By seventeen, she was keeping discus, a more advanced species with vivid colors and delicate temperaments, and moving into saltwater setups, drawn in by the variety and intensity of the species. The work didn’t bother her. She liked the routine, the detail, and the quiet joy of getting it right. 

As an adult, the deeper she got into the world of aquatics, the murkier the industry looked. Some of the retail practices used to collect the fish Kimball loved were hard to stomach. "These divers use cyanide to sedate the fish and other animals. Then they just scoop them up," she said. "But it damages their livers. You can tell — fish at the bottom of a tank at most pet stores, sitting there, staring at the glass. You tap, and they don’t move." 

Sellers moving stock that wouldn’t survive the week. No care for the creatures themselves, just profit. She saw the problems others ignored and decided to do something about it — Ladyfish Aquatics, a specialty fish store dedicated to ethically sourced, sustainably cared-for aquatic life.  

She knew building something better would take more than just good intentions. Real change meant setting a higher standard—and that was something she’d seen firsthand. Her father was a cobbler and ran his own orthopedic shop for 45 years. She worked alongside him for more than fifteen, becoming a certified pedorthist and learning what it took to build something that lasted. 

"I learned a lot from him about what it means to run a business and do it with excellence," she said. "Even now that he’s gone, people still come up to me and talk about his dedication and his commitment."

That same standard shaped Ladyfish Aquatics. 

"We only buy from breeders or those who use best practices," she said. "If they use cyanide, we walk away. If they cut corners, we won’t touch it. Simple. We’re not doing that," Kimble said. "We want lifetime customers — not one-time buyers." 

Every fish kept in stable water conditions. Every diet planned for long-term health. No shortcuts. 

Her husband, Chris, shares that commitment. 

"This business is not just a money maker. We have a vested interest in it," he said. "We like helping to take care of the environment. We like the therapeutic aspects of fish keeping and how we can pass that along." Before Ladyfish Aquatics opened they were hosting community events to spread awareness about protecting local waterways and keeping ecosystems healthy. 

The shop took four years to build, and the hurdles didn’t stop there. Just having a space wasn’t enough. They needed to make it functional. That’s where ECDI came in. 

"We had our building financed, but we needed help with the build-out," Kimble said. "Catherine and Ella at the Women’s Business Center took great care of us so we could just jump right into the business. They were a true blessing."  

Kimble got a microloan from ECDI for renovations and made the most of it. She kept working full time while managing the build-out, tracked every receipt, and found ways to stretch the budget without cutting corners. 

Later, she qualified for a client appreciation loan to help finish the space — including a mural designed by her daughter and her former art teacher. 

Ladyfish was never meant to be just a place to buy fish. From the start, Kimble and Chris saw it as something more — a space where people could slow down, ask questions, and learn what it really takes to care for aquatic life. “We want people to learn before they buy,” Kimble said. “That’s why we’ll encourage customers to observe fish behaviors, ask questions, and understand what they’re taking home. Too many people impulse-buy fish, and then they don’t know how to care for them. We can help change that.” 

That mindset has shaped every part of the business. Kimble’s paying attention to industry trends, like community tanks where shrimp handle the cleaning while other fish swim above. “It’s a natural balance,” she said. She’s also connecting with healthcare and rehab facilities to make aquariums more accessible as tools for therapy — mental, emotional, and physical. 

Nothing has been rushed. The store took five years to build — one of them just for renovations — and Kimble and Chris have kept it hands-on the whole way, reviewing vendor contracts, choosing suppliers carefully, and holding off on hiring until they find the right people. “It’s not just a job — it’s a passion and a heartfelt hobby,” she said. 

They’re not looking to be the biggest — just the most thoughtful. “We’re not trying to be the Walmart of fish stores,” Chris said. “That’s not what this is about.” 

Kimble’s father ran a neighborhood shoe store people trusted for decades. She’s hoping to do the same — just with fish instead of footwear. “If we’re going to do it,” she said, “we’re going to do it the only way — the right way.”