Francesco Zezza was born in 1956 in Rome, Italy, He has been a motorcycle rider (mostly Honda bikes) from as long as he is able to remember (more than 35 years). He worked as scuba dive instructor for twenty years and still maintains his certification.

Francesco got interest in aquaria when he was a kid and has carried his interest until now, despite some periods of no fish-keeping. Having discovered cichlids he begun keeping Mbuna, then Utaka, Central American, Madagascan and more. Among other fish is worth mentioning a short experience with an Arowana (Ostoglossum Bichirrosum. Besides cichlids, he is interested in Loriicarids and Synodontis. Francesco also fancies succulents plants, orchids and carnivorous plants.

Francesco visited to study and collect cichlids and other fish at Lake Malawi, Mexico, the Peruvian Amazon, and Brazil. From October 2013 he's living in Abidjan (Ivory Coast) gathering information on West African Cichlids.