Keystone Hatcheries Inc

What Keystone Hatcheries Inc does

Keystone Hatcheries Inc (legal entity Keystone Hatcheries LLC) is a three-generation family-owned fish hatchery and pond supply retailer headquartered in Richmond, Illinois. The company supplies live fish — including health-certified Koi, Goldfish, and gamefish species (Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Walleye, Trout, Catfish, and forage minnows) — alongside an extensive catalog of pond and water garden equipment, water treatments, aeration systems, fish food, and aquatic herbicides. Live fish sales and delivery are restricted to Illinois and Wisconsin due to regulatory and logistics constraints, while pond supplies are shipped nationwide via e-commerce with a $149 free-shipping threshold.

The business operates a multi-channel distribution model combining a physical retail showroom at 11409 Keystone Road with a Shopify-based e-commerce storefront and a coordinated regional delivery service for live fish. Revenue is generated through unit-priced product sales (ranging from $2 comet goldfish to $5,900 commercial aeration systems) and professional consulting services delivered by in-house aquatic biologists, including fish stocking recommendations and electrofishing surveys. The company also sells pre-configured stocking packages scaled to pond acreage and runs seasonal fish sale events with scheduled pickup windows.

Keystone Hatcheries employs between 1 and 10 people, is privately held with no institutional investment, and has no identified parent company, subsidiaries, or capital raises. Its competitive positioning rests on family-heritage brand reputation, in-house biological expertise, and a full-spectrum product range covering new pond construction through ongoing maintenance. The company has no proprietary technology platform and operates as a traditional retail/hatchery business without AI/ML, app, or API capabilities.

Name

Keystone Hatcheries Inc

Legal name

Keystone Hatcheries LLC

Website

https://keystonehatcheries.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Keystone Hatcheries is a three-generation family-owned fish hatchery and pond supply retailer in Richmond, Illinois, selling live Koi, Goldfish, and gamefish to pond and lake owners in Illinois and Wisconsin, plus nationwide e-commerce shipping of pond equipment, aeration systems, water treatments, and aquatic consulting services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fish Hatchery and Pond Management Supplies

NAICS

Finfish Farming and Fish Hatcheries (112511), Aquaculture (1125)

SIC

Agricultural Prod-Livestock & Animal Specialties (200), Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Finfish Hatcheries (Freshwater & Marine) (AFAEAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Ornamental & Aquarium Fish Farming (AFAEAAAJ), Aquaculture Farm Services & Operations Support (net cleaning, diving, grading, harvesting) (AFAEAAAM), Aquarium & Fish Supplies Retail (CRALAHAI), Fish & Aquarium Feed (Ornamental) (AFADAFAL)

Keywords

• Live fish sales
• Pond supplies
• Water garden products
• Fish stocking packages
• Aquatic consulting services

Headquarters

HQ city

Richmond

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Live Fish Sales: Sale of live gamefish, koi, goldfish, and forage fish (minnows) directly to pond and lake owners in Illinois and Wisconsin. Fish are sold individually or by weight, with seasonal availability and pre-order requirements for gamefish and minnows.
2. Pond & Water Garden Supplies: Sale of pond equipment, aeration systems, water treatments, algae control products, fish food, liners, pumps, and accessories through e-commerce and retail. One-time product purchases with some recurring supply needs.
3. Consulting Services: Expert consulting from aquatic biologists on water garden, pond and lake needs, including fish stocking recommendations and electrofishing surveys.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Keystone Hatcheries is a three-generation, family-owned fish hatchery and pond supply retailer that raises and sells health-certified live fish (koi, goldfish, gamefish, and forage minnows) and distributes a broad catalog of pond and water garden products — including fish food pellets, aeration systems, water treatments, pond kits, pumps, liners, filters, and automatic fish feeders. Its e-commerce storefront ships pond supplies nationwide while live fish are sold via retail pickup and coordinated delivery in Illinois and Wisconsin. The company also offers consulting services staffed by aquatic biologists covering fish stocking recommendations, pond design, and water quality management.

Product overview

Keystone Hatcheries Inc operates as a three-generation family fish farm and pond specialty store offering live fish and an extensive portfolio of pond/water garden supplies. The core offerings center on health-certified live fish (Koi, Goldfish, and gamefish species for IL & WI pond/lake stockings) complemented by three major product categories: (1) Fish Food & Pellets including Koi & Goldfish Pellets (Blackwater, Keystone Brand, Tetra, Zeigler lines) and Gamefish Pellets (35%-45% protein HiPro, Pond, and Gamefish formulas); (2) Water Quality products including algaecides (Cutrine Plus, GreenClean, EarthTec), beneficial bacteria (Microbe-Lift, Pond-Vive), and aquatic herbicides; and (3) Equipment & Systems encompassing complete aeration systems (with solar and windmill options), pond kits, water pumps, liners, filtration, and fish feeders. The company also provides consulting services through aquatic biologists and sells pre-configured fish stocking packages scaled to pond acreage.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Live Fish (Koi, Goldfish, Gamefish) Health-certified live fish for pond and lake stocking including Koi (Decorative, Select, Premium grades), Goldfish (Comet), and gamefish species (Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Walleye, Trout, Catfish) plus forage minnows. Available via retail pickup at the Richmond, IL store or coordinated delivery within Illinois and Wisconsin.
• Fish Stocking Packages Pre-configured pond stocking combinations including Rapid Growth Bass & Bluegill, Economy Bass & Bluegill, and Lunker Bass packages, with quantities scaled to pond size from one-quarter to five acres.
• Fish Food & Pellets Specialized fish feeds including Koi & Goldfish Pellets (Blackwater, Keystone Brand, Tetra, Zeigler) and Gamefish Pellets in 35% Pond, 40% Gamefish, and 45% HiPro protein formulas, available in multiple pellet sizes for different fish life stages.
• Water Quality & Treatments Water treatment products including algaecides (Cutrine Plus, GreenClean, EarthTec, Microbe-lift Algaway), water treatments (barley products, pond dyes, phosphate removers, water clarifiers, conditioners), beneficial bacteria (All Season Bacteria, Microbe-Lift, Pond-Vive, Sludge Remover), and aquatic herbicides for weed and algae control.
• Aeration Systems Complete aeration systems for ponds and lakes including complete aeration kits, air compressors (Linear, Rotary Vane, Rocking Piston), cabinets and manifolds, airline and diffusers, fountains, and solar and windmill-powered systems, including custom-designed units for specific water bodies.
• Pond Supplies & Equipment Extensive pond equipment including water pumps (EasyPro Mag Drive, Submersible, External, Matala Horizontal), 45 mil EPDM pond liners and underlayment, underwater lights, and water line and plumbing supplies.
• Kits & Filters Complete pond kits (Mini, Small, Medium, Recreational Swim Ponds), waterfalls and spillways, skimmers and biofilters, water filtration systems (Bead Filters, Pressure Filters, UV Clarifiers), and bubblers and fountains.
• Fish Feeders Automatic fish feeders including Texas Hunter feeders (70 lb and 215 lb capacities) and American Feeder models (75 lb, 180 lb, 250 lb) with solar charger and digital timer accessories.
• Aquatic Consulting Services Water garden, pond and lake consulting services provided by experienced aquatic biologists on staff, including fish stocking recommendations, pond design, water quality management, and electrofishing surveys.

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Pondliner.com: Online retailer focused on pond liners, underlayment, and full pond kit packages competing directly with Keystone's e-commerce pond equipment and liner categories.
• Next Day Koi: Online koi retailer with nationwide overnight shipping of ornamental koi and goldfish—overlaps Keystone's ornamental fish business but extends live-fish shipping beyond Keystone's IL/WI footprint.
• The Pond Guy: Direct competitor combining retail, e-commerce, and live fish sales (koi, goldfish, gamefish) with aeration, treatments, and pond equipment across the U.S. Closely matches Keystone's hybrid live-fish + supplies + consulting model, though at significantly larger scale.
• Kloubec Koi Farms: Koi and goldfish hatchery producing health-certified ornamental fish for hobbyists, with direct-to-consumer shipping and consultation—directly comparable to Keystone's ornamental fish operations and stocking guidance.

Broad incumbents

• Bass Pro Shops: Mass-market outdoor retailer carrying pond/aquatic supplies, fish stocking references, and gamefish-related products; competes for the pond and lake owner customer, though fish are not a core category.
• Laguna / Mars Fishcare (API): Mars-owned aquatic care brand portfolio (Laguna pond, API pond treatments) supplying water treatments, beneficial bacteria, and pond equipment directly competing with Keystone's water treatment and consumables SKUs.
• Aquascape Inc. Large U.S. manufacturer and distributor of ecosystem ponds, water features, and pond supplies including pumps, filtration, lighting, and treatments—broadly overlapping Keystone's dry-goods catalog and stocking equipment categories.
• EasyPro Pond Products: Manufacturer and distributor of aeration systems, pond equipment, and water treatments—a category incumbent whose products Keystone resells, and which sets competitive pricing on aeration kits and pumps.

Regional players

• Spring Creek Water Gardens: Regional pond supply retailer serving hobbyists with koi, supplies, and consultation in the Upper Midwest—mirrors Keystone's regional retail + live fish + supplies model in adjacent geography.

Emerging players

• Kasco Marine: Manufacturer of aerating fountains, surface aerators, and deicers that overlap Keystone's fountain and aeration catalog—supplier/competitor in the aeration category.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/keystonehatcheries
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/keystone-hatcheries-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Keystone Hatcheries Inc