Bread `N Butter Returns Another Cichlid Corner Fall Show and
Transcription
Bread `N Butter Returns Another Cichlid Corner Fall Show and
September 2011 Volume 40, No. 8 The Official Publication of the Aquarium Club of Lancaster County In this issue: Bread 'N Butter Returns Another Cichlid Corner Fall Show and Auction Schedule Much more! Tank Tales is the official publication of the Aquarium Club of Lancaster County (ACLC). Ten issues of Tank Tales are published annually. Anyone using original material from any issue of Tank Tales must return two (2) copies of the publication in which the article is published to our exchange editor listed below. The views expressed in any material appearing in Tank Tales are those of the authors, and do not necessarily express those of the ACLC. The ACLC meets on the third Saturday of each month (except July and August) at That Fish Place, 237 Centerville Road, Lancaster, PA 17603. Meetings begin at 1:00 PM unless otherwise noted. Meetings usually are comprised of a program featuring a guest speaker, door prizes, a mini fish auction, with a period allowed for mingling and refreshments. The philosophy of the club is such that our activities are interesting to both the novice and advanced hobbyist alike. An effort is made to keep business to a minimum at the general meetings, with the executive board meeting being held monthly as needed on a pre-established date and time. 2011 ACLC Board of Directors President Vice-President Treasurer Secretary Public Relations Director Financial Director Programs Director Kurt Johnston Danny Corman Tim Brady Suze Glesky Chris Cornell Barb Kunkel Joel Antkowiak 717-965-7763 717-564-6888 570-385-0573 717-574-6123 717-671-1163 717-627-3853 717-354-2274 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] 2011 ACLC Committee Chairs Committee Editor Exchange Editor Web Master Social Chair Horticultural Chair BAP Chair Auction Chair Raffle Chair Audit Chair WAAP Chair Bowl Show Chair Membership Chair Chair Joel Antkowiak Joel Antkowiak Kurt Johnston Tara Miller Tara Miller Kurt Johnston Joe Kunkel Barb Kunkel Joel Antkowiak Joel Antkowiak Joel Antkowiak Chris Cornell Phone 717-354-2274 717-354-2274 717-965-7763 610-689-5356 610-689-5356 717-965-7763 717-627-3853 717-627-3853 717-354-2274 717-354-2274 717-354-2274 717-671-1163 E-mail [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Lifetime Members of the ACLC Paul Bricknell F. Wayne Calender Pedro Sanchez David Stephon Cover: A barracuda at the Adventure Aquarium in Camden, New Jersey. Photo by Joel Antkowiak. Fellow Members, We are now in the final stretch of another great year at the ACLC. The last few weeks have been quite interesting around the Susquehanna Valley and I hope that everyone has come through the hurricane and the flooding with minor problems. Our final three meetings are three of the best programs we have had in our recent history. I want to send out a special thanks to Dr. Paul Loiselle for accepting our invitation to speak in June on such short notice and providing us with a great program. A BIG thank you goes out to Kevin Carr of the NJAS for coordinating the June program and the Jersey Shop Hop which was a great road trip. Thank You’s also go to Ray Wetzel and Bob Hicks for inviting us to the Pine Barrens collecting trip in July; Bob Kulesa and I had a great time and Bob got some really cool fish. “You must get involved to have an impact. No one is impressed with the won-lost record of the referee.” ~ American author Napolean Hill We are now into election season for the ACLC. The positions that are up for election at the November meeting are President, Vice-President, Treasurer and Secretary and we are calling for members to run for these positions for 2012. We know that not every current officer will be running in this election. If you are not sure what is involved in any of these positions, check out the club by-laws on our website, or talk to the current and former officers at the September meeting. I have always felt that we have many members who are more than qualified for these positions and we should have at least 2 members nominated for each position. Let’s see if we can do that this year. It is YOUR club and this is the best way to get involved and have a say in the future of the ACLC! “When you do nothing, you feel overwhelmed and powerless. But when you get involved, you feel the sense of hope and accomplishment that comes from knowing you are working to make things better.” ~Albert Einstein See you on the 17th! Kurt From the Editor's Tank I have been holding out printing the list of ACLC'ers who have won 2010 FAAS Publication Awards until I have had a chance to present the awards. That will happen at the September meeting. I hope everyone that contributed to Tank Tales in 2010 will be able to make this meeting. Remember what I said last month - we doubled our take from last year! I am actually working on the September Tank Tales in August, which is a great thing. I am happy to have a several month supply of articles for Tank Tales, with more promised to me. Keep them coming! When I can work on the next issue without time constraints it will hopefully be much better, and I can hopefully get it out a day or two earlier. I have updated the WAAP standings and they can be found elsewhere in this issue. Keep in mind that the deadline for the October issue will be October 6. Keep'em Spawning -RHO BOWL SHOW RETURNS IN SEPTEMBER! Well, the bowl show will return in September. Hopefully there will be much more participation by our members. We are only half way through the bowl show schedule, so there is still plenty of opportunity left for someone to catch Ashley, who is laughing at just about everyone about now. There is no cost, and we have plenty of bowls now. There will be an open class in September, so if you have any fish, there's no excuse for not participating. Here are the current standings: 2011 BOWL SHOW STANDINGS Ashley Antkowiak ..................................................... 35 pts Joel Antkowiak ............................................................ 30 pts Danny Corman ................................................................ 13 pts SPECIAL OCTOBER JOINT MEETING with GWAPA The October meeting of the ACLC will be a joint meeting with the Greater Washington Aquatic Plant Association and will feature two programs, an aquascaping competition and a special raffle, in addition to our auction, bowl show, and article and photo of the month competitions. More details on the programs can be found elsewhere in this issue of Tank Tales. If you like plants and/or livebearers, this will be a great meeting for you! Hey Folks, WE STILL NEED HELP for various positions in the club. NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY! Some of the jobs do not take much, and your help would be appreciated. We have a good club growing here, let's keep it going! It's time to start thinking about the upcoming elections. Elected officers include President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer. According to our new by laws, the other 3 board positions are appointed. We will also be looking for some new people to get involved with some of the existing committees. Please volunteer to help out! NJAS AND ECC FORCED TO CHANGE EVENT VENUES Due to the extreme weather we've had and the flooding associated with hurricane Irene and tropical storm Lee, at least 2 of our sister clubs have been forced to change their fall event venues. Both the North Jersey Aquarium Society and East Coast Cichlids were using the same hall for their events, which got flooded during Irene. If you are planning to attend either of these, be certain to view the updated flyers in this issue for the revised venues and dates. The 2011 ACLC Schedule September 17th Dr. Stephan Tanner Plecos: Let's Breed Them Before They Vanish See details HERE Æ Æ Æ Æ ********************************* October 15th ACLC BOWL SHOW SPECIAL START TIME RETURNS IN SEPTEMBER 12 noon! Featuring The ACLC now has a Bowl Show competition for its members. There will are 2 classes each month. Rules were published in the February issue of Tank Tales. So that you can plan ahead, here is a tentative schedule of bowl show classes: Allen Wood September 17th JOINT MEETING with GWAPA Livebearers & MUCH MORE! See details in this issue! November 19th Mark Soberman Topic TBD December TBD ACLC Annual Christmas Party Small Catfishes (Corydoras, etc.) Open October 15th AOV Anabantoids Jr. Open November 19th Killifish Dwarf Cichlids Open Classes - Any Species Junior Open Class - Any Species, members under 18 years old only! for A special award will be presented at the end of the year to the person that accumulates the most points in the bowl show for the year. Each 1st place won is worth 10 points, each 2nd place is 5 pts, and each 3rd place is 3 pts. Also, 1 pt is awarded for each non-placing entry. Presented by The Aquarium Club of Lancaster County Meeting s held at That Fish Place, 237 Centerville Road, Lancaster PA – 1:00 PM Saturday September 17th 2011 “Plecos: Let’s Breed Them Before They Vanish ” Stephan Tanner Stephan has been an active fish keeper since the mid 1980s. Born in Switzerland, he got his first tropical fish tank when he was 14 years old. Stephan’s interest in biology earned him a master's degree in Behavioral Ecology and Molecular Biology (1995) and finally a Ph.D. in Human Molecular Genetics (1998). During his undergraduate years he also worked in the Spiezer Zoo, a local fish store with quality fish and great customer service. He became a member of the German Barb, Tetra, Loach, and Catfish association in 1992, a crowd of friendly and highly devoted specialists. In 1994, a new editor for the quarterly publication BSSW Report was needed and Stephan held this position until the end of 2006. Stephan occasionally travels to Germany for fish related meetings and to visit friends that he has made throughout the fabulous community. Stephan is a big fan of tetras, barbs, loaches, and catfish. In 2006, he founded Swiss Tropicals LLC, breeding and selling fish as well as Poret foam and B&H Jetlifters THE PUBLIC IS WELCOME For more information about the Aquarium Club of Lancaster County, or directions to a meeting, please visit our website at http://www.aclcpa.org or contact Kurt Johnston - [email protected] or 717-965-7763 6$9( % 722)) 83 &KDLQ6XSHU6WRUH/RFDO3HW6WRUH3ULFHV E L A S K C O T S R E V AQUATIC O &HQWHUYLOOH5G/DQFDVWHU WKDWSHWSODFHFRP kss.. ecck eck che n ch ain iess last. No rai pplie 9/29/2011, while su gh ou thr 9/1 lid Of fers va ns ce and overstock sectio an ar cle e th sit vi s m m .co For a full list of ite at thatpetplace on the aquarium page Save up to 50 % off Save up to 40 % 5 2 off 20 Select Tetra Freeze Dried Treats Save up to % off Select Algae Scrapers & Mag Floats 25 % off Whisper & Select Penguin Cartridges 15 40%off Select Medications Select Fish Foods & Frozen Fish Foods % off Save up to % off Tetra 55 gal. Boxed Kits Select Water Conditioners & Additives 15 % off Select Marineland Tanks 30g, 55g black 55g oak 25 % off Pure Aquatic Phosphate Remover Black Diamond Carbon & Diamond Blend Media 99c SELECT FRESHWATER TROPICAL FISH tras & Barbs including select Te No rain checks. While supplies last. Specials valid with your Pet Rewards Instant Savings Card. Don’t have a card? Sign up today for FREE in our retail store! Sales valid through 9/29/2011, while supplies last. JOINT MEETING! Presented by The Aquarium Club of Lancaster County Meeting s held at That Fish Place, 237 Centerville Road, Lancaster PA – 1:00 PM Saturday October 15th 2011 SPECIAL START TIME: 12:00 NOON “Adapting My Fish Room to Keep Livebearers” To begin our joint meeting, Allen Wood from Pueblo, Colorado, will give this presentation on how he adapted his fish room to keep a large number of livebearer species. Allen is currently the Chairman of the American Livebearer Association. Allen Wood Keeping a large number of fish in a large fish room is a lot of work. Allen will be talking about how he adapted his fish room and fish keeping procedures to minimize the amount of work necessary. He will also be talking about many of the species he keeps and their maintenance requirements. He maintains about 100 species of livebearers in his rather large fish room. At last count he has had over 100 species of livebearers breed in his tanks. Keeping these and other livebearers alive and well in his fish room into the distant future is his goal. "Hardscaping Your Aquascape" Following Mr. Wood's presentation, we will take a break, and then the folks from the Greater Washington Aquatic Plant Association, led by Kris Weinhold, will give a talk on setting up hardscapes for the different aquascaping styles: "Hardscaping your Aquascape". This will get into the three major aquascaping styles of Dutch, Nature and Iwagumi and how to choose materials that are appropriate for each, and then use them to set up your hardscape. Kris Weinhold "Aquascape Workshop / Competition" After this talk we will break into pre-registered small groups and begin our hands-on workshop/competition! Each ACLC group will be joined by a GWAPA member for help and guidance in setting up a hardscape of their choosing in a 10-gallon tank. The teams will be judged by a third-party and the winning tank auctioned off in the club auction! THE PUBLIC IS WELCOME For more information about the Aquarium Club of Lancaster County, or directions to a meeting, please visit our website at http://www.aclcpa.org or contact Kurt Johnston - [email protected] or 717-965-7763 by Kurt Johnston I had been planning to attend the 2011 ALA Convention since I heard it was going to be in Cleveland. With it only being a 5.5 hour drive, it was the first time it was this close to Lancaster since New Jersey in 2005, and I had a family commitment that year. The Greater Akron Aquarium Society was the host club this year and they were calling it a “North Coast Livebearer Weekend”; the logo was a drawing of a fish, aptly named “Moon Guppy”, surfing. Back in the 1970’s, I spent 7 years living on the east side of Cleveland and one thing I never would have dared to do was surf on Lake Erie or on the combustible Cuyahoga River. Someone at the GAAS has quite a sense of humor. I left early on Friday morning and arrived at the Sheraton Cleveland Airport before registration opened. The vendors had started setting up their booths and that gave me an opportunity to have some great conversation with Cory “Baylees Fishees” Fry and Ray “Kingfish” Lucas. I always look forward to having the time to spend with Ray and reminisce about the great times and hobbyists that he has had the pleasure to meet. Cory and I were busy making arrangements to have him send us some of his great plants for the ACLC Spring Auction. The speaker list for the Convention was a great one and Friday started out at 6:30 with Stephan Tanner (our speaker in Sept. 2011) talking about the European hobby and how it differs from the way things are done here in the USA. It is always entertaining to talk to Stephan and he always has some great information. Next was Shala Hankison of Ohio Wesleyan University with a program about her study of Evolution in the Mexican Sailfin Mollies. I was extremely surprised at how interesting this talk was. I usually skip the more scientific talks, but this was one of the best presented programs I have heard. Michi Tobler finished off the night with a great program about the habitats of Mexican livebearers. Some of the studies he was discussing had to do with the livebearers that live in the caves of Mexico and their close relationship with the fish that live just outside of the caves. Adaptation among fish species is a lot more interesting to me now. The hospitality room was open after Michi’s talk, but I skipped it Friday so that I could get up early for the Saturday morning programs. Saturday morning started out at 9 AM with a program on the Limia family by William Kohler. This was followed at 10:30 with a hands-on workshop with 3 stations. Stephan Tanner was showing everbody the great ways to use Poret foam; Bud White and Bob Miller were showing us how to take perfect pictures of our fish; and Greg Sage of Select Aquatics was demonstrating his way of culturing live foods. After lunch, the speaker parade continued. John Lyons of the Wisconsin DNR started the afternoon off with a sad discussion of the current condition of the Goodeids in Mexico. It seems that every year there are a few more species that become harder and harder to find. John was followed by a talk about the habitats of the Goodeids by Juan Miguel Artigas Azas with some great photographs and details of the specific locations that these fish can be found. The banquet was scheduled for 7:00 but before we all sat down for some delicious food, Rit Forcier held a 1 hour wine tasting and Stan D told us everything we ever wanted to know about beer. Stan is from the North Shore of NY and I was fortunate enough to taste brews from all over New York State. The banquet was great and there were many awards to be presented. The final speaker of the weekend was David Reznick from UC-Riverside. He gave us a very informative program about the evolution of the guppy. The hospitality room was open again after dinner and there was an abundance of food, beer, wine and Bill Allen’s guitar serenaded the night away. Sunday was auction day and by 10 AM I could tell this was going to be a long day. The auction started at 11:00 and there were a lot of bags of livebearers. Some great fish were had by all and the auction lasted until 6:00! One of the rarest was a pair of Xiphophorus monticolous from the Xiphophorus Genetic Stock Center that sold for $200! One of the reasons that I love going to the conventions is that I get a chance to meet and talk to people from all over and this years ALA was no exception. One of the people I got a chance to meet was Allen Wood from Pueblo, Colorado. Allen is the Chairman of the ALA and the ACLC speaker in October. I can’t wait for next year. The ALA Convention will be held in Fort Lauderdale from April 26 – 29! This event will be hosted by the Gold Coast Aquarium Society which is the club that our friend Chuck Davis is a member of. This should be a great time, don’t miss it! ACLC C.A.R.E.S.Registrants Updated on September 11, 2011 Species Status Obtained from Date Reg. Date Joel Antkowiak Mar-10 10-Dec-10 Vulnerable /Conservation priority DCAS Meeting miniauction PVAS (MD) Fall Auction Sep-09 10-Dec-10 Betta simplex Vulnerable GPASI Spring Auction Apr-10 10-Dec-10 Skiffia lermae Endangered GPASI Spring Auction Apr-10 10-Dec-10 Xiphophorus couchianus Extinct in the Wild/Conservation Dependent Paul Bricknell (ACLC Meeting mini auction) Mar-11 30-Mar-11 Melanotaenia lacustris Vulnerable/At Risk in Nature CCA Meeting Auction Apr-10 30-Mar-11 Tanichthys micagemmae Vulnerable Dennis Heltzel (KKG Mtg.) & Tara Miller (ACLC Mtg.) Feb-11 30-Mar-11 Ameca splendens Extinct in the Wild/Conservation Dependent 2011 ALA Convention Apr-11 5-Jun-11 Pachypanchax sakaramyi Critically Endangered 2011 AKA Convention May-11 5-Jun-11 Dec-10 19-Dec-10 Xenotoca eiseni Endangered Cryptoheros nanoluteus Mike Steffen Xenotoca eiseni Endangered Joel Antkowiak Jay Stephan Haplochromis sp. "ruby" Critically Endangered/At Risk in Nature Mike's Cichlids Jul-10 15-Jan-11 Lipochromis cf. parvidens "Kyoga" Endangered Old World Exotic Fish May-10 15-Jan-11 Paralibidochromis sp "Red Fin Piebald" At Risk in Nature Mike's Cichlids Jul-10 15-Jan-11 Pundamilia nyererei Near Threatened Mike's Cichlids Jul-10 15-Jan-11 18-Dec-10 C.A.R.E.S (cont) Haplochromis obliquidens Endangered Atlantis Tropical Fish Apr-10 15-Jan-11 Pundamilia pundamilia Vulnerable Old World Exotic Fish Feb-11 18-Jun-11 Psammochromis riponianus Vulnerable CCA mini auction Mar-11 18-Jun-11 Pundamilia igneopinis Endangered Icthyos Enterprises May-11 18-Jun-11 Astatotilapia aeneocolor Vulnerable Old World Exotic Fish Jun-11 18-Jun-11 Astatotilapia latifasciata Critically Endangered/At Risk in Nature Old World Exotic Fish Jun-11 18-Jun-11 Paralibidochromis chromogynos Critically Endangered Old World Exotic Fish Jun-11 18-Jun-11 Xystichromis sp. Kyoga Flameback Critically Endangered Mike’s Cichlids Jul-11 13-Jul-11 Pundamilia sp. Blue Bar Vulnerable Mike’s Cichlids Jul-11 13-Jul-11 Xystichromis sp Day Glow Near Threatened Mike's Cichlids Sep-11 11-Sep-11 Jan-10 15-Jan-11 May-11 27-June-11 Tara Miller Tanichthys micagemma Vulnerable Dennis Heltzel-ACLC member Barbara Kunkel Chapalichthys encaustus Vulnerable ACLC Spring Auction Rit Forcier LS= Longevity Seal: Awarded for every year this species is maintained GS= Green Seal: Completed Species Journal and shared the data through an article in “Tank Tales” BS= Blue Seal: Sharing fry with ACLC member who registers that fry into ACLC CARES RS= Red Seal: Sharing fry with member of another organization who has the fry registered with that organization Breeding Angelfish BAP Report by Michael Steffen AKA Twisted Fisher Breeding fish is my first love in this hobby and even when I’m old and gray I’m sure I will keep at least a tank of guppies to have something breeding around the house! It was the simple birth of a black molly at the age of 10 that hooked me in this hobby that has consumed my life and there has been no looking back ever since. Now granted I’ve come a long way since that black molly and I would even like to consider myself a good breeder. I was honored as the 2010 breeder of the year by all of you and am grateful for that plaque everyday! So on to the amazing angel fish and its breeding. Angels come in three basic groups; x x x Pterophyllum scalare Pterophyllum leopoldi Pterophyllum altum My personal angels are of the P. scalare variety and I only wait for the day I get some altums! - The pair was maintained in a fully cycled 10 gallon tank with a temp of 82 degrees and my water is very hard as per the jungle test strip. It didn’t take them long to spawn the first time, less than a week, and this was when I wore out a fellow member's phone about them, asking more questions than I should have and he answered many more than he should ever have to answer to anyone except his wife! Thank you Chris for teaching me patience! Now the first batch of eggs went fungal in the second day after being laid. This drove me insane and I again was on the phone asking questions. It was recommended I try the hydrogen peroxide method to prevent fungus and I did for the second batch. Luckily angels lay about every 10 days so I didn’t have long to wait for the next batch of eggs to try this method. Like clockwork they laid on the 10th day and I dosed the tank with HP, 1 ml per gallon. I received my angel pair from John Burns, a fellow member of the club and owner of Pop Pop's Fish. I received a sexed pair with the female being a g/m and the male being a g/g. Now I know that fish do not come with numbers on them and they don’t come out and tell you what their letters are so I will touch on this briefly. Angel fish have been genotyped and their genetics are mapped accordingly with a corresponding letter. There is a huge amount of material out there on angels and their phenotypes so I will not delve into it here. I knew that by breeding these two fish together I would get 50% gold marbled and 50% gold fry. There is a few great societies out there that have the entire genetics laid out and even though it was tough for me to wrap my head around I did manage to understand it a bit after many, many hours of reading. Now granted they didn’t raise this batch either but as I was being mentored I was learning to keep my hands outta the tank and let them learn to parent raise their fry. This batch of eggs got to the wriggler stage and I moved them to the top of the sponge filter where they ate them on day 5. I was getting kind of frustrated and decided to give time, time. Now granted that for someone that is driven this is not an easy task. I watched and waited on the 10th day and lo and behold she started laying eggs again and the male followed along behind fertilizing them with vigor. This batch would be raised all the way through free swimming and then onto adulthood by me later. I got video of the free swimmers with the parents and even the free swimmers as they grew and thought that there were a few fry but had no clue just to how many there really were in there! I pulled over 500 fry in the end from this one spawn! That’s a lot of kids. And I thought that twins were bad! I have since sold/given away all of the fry with the exception of 2 that are now reaching adult size and have great marbling on them. The biggest thing that I can stress when dealing with angels is to be patient and give them a chance to learn how to parent raise. You will be grateful for it down the road! As always, until I peek from behind my shell I bid you happy fish keeping - 7+$1.<28 We recently received a large box of donated items from the folks at Aqueon. The box contained various power filters, food items and water conditioning products. We thank you, Aqueon, for your support! ***************************************************************************** Somewhat Useless (unless you like Fugu) Fishy Trivia Compiled by Joel Antkowiak All the sturgeon (the fish from which we get caviar) caught in British waters are the property of the Queen. The largest known fish in the sea is the Whale Shark. It weighs up to 20 tons and grows to a length of over 40 feet. You can see 2 half grown specimens at the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta. In Japan, about one hundred people, on average, die annually from Fugu poisoning. I knew you'd ask that. In Japan, meat from the 'Fugu', or spiny puffer fish, is considered a rare delicacy. However, the liver and intestines contain a powerful neurotoxin and the slightest contamination during preparation can be deadly. Restaurants that serve Fugu must have 'Fugu certified' chefs. Approximately 40% of all fish species inhabit fresh water, yet less than .01% of the earth's water is fresh water. REMEMBER FOLKS- These electronic issues of Tank Tales are loaded with hyerlinks to take you to related websites. Just click and go - click on the Aqueon logo above to see what they offer! Reaping the Harvest 40 YEARS of $&/& by Henry R. Diller, D.D.S. As we approach the 40th anniversary of the Aquarium Club of Lancaster County, we will share some articles from past issues of Tank Tales with the newer members of the club. This article appeared in the October 1987 issue. Having spent most of my life in Lancaster County where farming is a way of life for many, it is quite normal to be interested in growing things, be it plant or animal. The subject of this article relates to my interest in spawning and raising “tropical fish." For the past sixteen years I have stocked a pool in my back yard with fish from my aquariums in the basement. The pool used to be a 5’ x 6’ sandbox for my five children. As they matured their interest waned in this play area. The sandbox was made by forming a large rectangle by joining 2” x 10” boards laid on bare ground covered with plastic. I removed all the sand from the box and then cut thru the plastic flooring and continued digging out the dirt to a depth of about two feet. This hole was lined with plastic sheeting. The plastic was replaced one time during the past sixteen years. I found that year in and year out I could safely keep fish in this 275 gallon pond from June 15th to Sept. 15th. Over the years, I’ve tried stocking it with different species of fish but predominantly with live bearers such as variatus, guppies, and swordtails. I once tried some killies but found they would always commit suicide by jumping out. One year I tried six albino rainbow sharks that were large enough to spawn. The fish grew well and improved their coloration but no young. In subsequent years clown loaches and corydoras failed to spawn. Livebearers were a different story. I’ve had terrific success in raising large, robust and beautiful hi-fin variatus and lyretail swordtails. When showing these fish in shows, I was often put-down by other exhibitors who said, “Yeah, they're beautiful but you raised them in an outdoor pond." They implied it wasn’t fair. My answer to these comments was “What’s wrong with a pond?” Try something. it yourself, you may learn Every year in the spring I was confronted with making a decision, what was I going to put in the pool that year? I had most success with livebearers, so I usually picked out a dozen or so breeders and placed them in the pond around June 15th, and there they remained until Sept. 15th. They were interesting to observe during the summer months but green water, water lilies, water hyacinths, and water irises prevented me from seeing all that was taking place. As Sept. 15th approached I would always project in my thoughts of what the harvest would be from my pond. During the summer I would get glimpses of growth changes and see numerous spawns but could never get a good look at them. Even though it was sad to see summer come to an end, it was exciting to anticipate what the harvest would amount to; would there be any surprises such as hybrids or a new color pattern evolve? I was seldom disappointed. Usually I’d harvest a good number of half grown, robust and colorful fish. When netting out these fish, I am always amazed at the brilliant red, blue, and yellow colors fish display when viewed in natural sunlight. While netting, I have to work fast and still can’t assess what the harvest is. The water is drained from the pond into (4) 30 gallon aquariums in my cellar. This water is like a pea soup offering little visability. So even after I transfer these pond fish into my 30 gallon tanks I’m not sure what I have. During the next several days I strain my eyes to see through the “pea soup” as it gradually clears up and then low and behold in three or four days there they are in all their full glory. Then culling starts. I sort out any fish I want to keep as breeders and those I want to Reaping the Harvest (cont) mature. With some fish you want to see what their mature coloring will be. Those fish which are not exceptional are sold to dealers and hobbyists if mature enough. If not, I keep them for several months until they are saleable. weeks I’ll have daphnia to feed my fish in the basement. This gives me a month or two of live food at no cost. In the spring the daphnia will proliferate again and last until June 15th, the magic date to start all over again. After the pond is emptied I clean out most of the sediment and refill with water. In a few Try an outdoor pond; you’ll enjoy it and be able to “REAP THE HARVEST”. ***************************************************************************** AND SPEAKING OF THE BOD….. IT'S ELECTION TIME! The Board of Directors of the Aquarium Club of Lancaster County will meet on Saturday, October 1, 2011 at a time and place to be determined. An e-mail notice will be sent out, as well as notices on Facebook and our forum. All members are welcome to attend and share their input with the club's decision makers, but remember, only board members may vote on any issues. At our meeting on November 19th, the Aquarium Club of Lancaster County will elect officers for 2011! The club annually elects a President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer. We are also looking for an Election Chairperson to run the election and seek nominations. Please consider running for one of these positions and let the Election Chairperson know your intentions. Refreshments & Food Available Get the Best Fish! 19th Annual New Hampshire Aquarium Society AUCTION (FISH & DRY GOODS) Sunday, September 18, 2011 Newington Town Hall Nimble Hill Rd., Newington, NH Directions on back Auction will begin at 12Noon. Arrive early for viewing. If vendors would like to set a minimum bid on any of their items, a non-refundable $1 charge will be applied per item. Bump-ups are $2. Preregistering of lots is appreciated. Mail preregistration sheets to Bill Janetos, PO Box 32, Rollinsford, NH 03869 by Sept 10 or email to [email protected] . Less waiting for labels!!!! Donations accepted or Sell your extra fish & equipment, 60/40 split. For more information & sheets Call Bill Janetos (603) 749-2667 or E-mail at [email protected] Call Norman Brandt (603) 642-5074 or E-mail at [email protected] Visit NHAS’s Webpage at www.nhaquariumsociety.com MICHIGAN KILLIFISH ASSOCIATION ‘MOTOR CITY REVIEW’ September 24 & 25, 2011 THE LOCATION QUALITY INN Troy 2537 Rochester Ct, Troy MI 48083 (name change from Holiday Inn) All of the rooms have been newly redecorated and the double rooms are just $72 plus tax per night. Call the hotel at 248 689 7500 and mention the MKA by September 1 to get this rate. SPECIAL RATE RESERVE NOW FOR $65 RATE THE SHOW This is an AKA sanctioned show with 14 classes including stud male. Awards will be given for first, second and third in each class along with best of show. There will be NO entry fee or registration fee for any fish entered in the show or auction. Karl Doering will accept mail in entries until September 22. All mail-ins will be auctioned. Mail to Karl at 24584 Raven Eastpointe MI 48021. THE HOSPITALITY Saturday evening the MKA will be your host for a great dinner. Once again it will be free for all participants at the show. Our awards celebration will follow and then ….lots of good killie fellowship. THE SPEAKERS The MKA is proud to have Ken Normandin and Fred Kraus as our featured speakers. Ken has traveled greatly and it will be great to hear his collecting experiences and his tips on raising some species that are not seen very often. Fred is a life long aquarist and as a trained chemist brings a unique perspective to the care and breeding of a variety of killies. THE FISH We are trying to have as many different species as possible available during the weekend. There will be several opportunities to obtain those hard to get killies: x x x x x x BOX SALE All day Saturday- All are welcome—NO fees - 100% to seller RAFFLE Throughout the weekend- wide selection with many chances to win MKA RARE SPECIES COMMITTEE We have secured over 30 pairs for the auction and raffles. SUNDAY AUCTION With the show fish, MKA rare, and everyone’s auction-only fish, the auction should be awesome. There will be a 70/30 split in favor of the seller. The auction will start promptly at 11:00 Sunday Proxy bidding will be available for the auction – Details will be posted on the MKA website. INFORMATION CONTACTS For latest details and pre-registration check our website http://mka.aka.org Mark Hlavaty 248 961 1244 [email protected] Karl Doering 586 774 2245 [email protected] FALL AUCTION SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 25, 2011 GPASI WWW.GPASI.ORG P.O. Box 22452 Pittsburgh, Pa 15222-0452 For more Information call: Wally Cox 412-420-7985 OR Joe Doyle 724-602-7564 [email protected] [email protected] If you are attending our auction as a seller and traveling in from an area outside of Western PA region (any area code other than 412,724,878), we are offering to help defray some of your expenses! When you register your item(s) to be auctioned off, provide proof of residency & you will be issued a food voucher for 1 FREE MEAL, from our kitchen while supplies last. (One food voucher per seller sheet) (NOTICE: The food voucher has no cash value and can not be exchanged for cash and is void after the auction.) North Hampton VFD 5149 North Pioneer Road Gibsonia, PA 15044 PA Turnpike, Exit 39, Butler Valley, Go North-Route 8, First light at East & West Hardies road turn LEFT, Take the first LEFT onto North Pioneer. Fire hall is on RIGHT Auction Rules x x x x Registration will open at 9:30 AM and close at 1 PM. Auction will start promptly at 11 AM. Accounts must be paid in full when you leave the auction. PAYMENT OPTIONS - Cash or Checks only Buyers may set up a Tab with a valid ID for information verification, or may pay with cash at time of purchase. Bids will be in dollar increments. Tables 1 & 2 will be sold first. The selling order for Tables 3 – 10 will be randomly selected during the auction Express Bids: After the first table has been completed, for a $1 fee a buyer or seller may bring an item from any table up for immediate sale during the auction. Donations: please specify if the donation(s) proceeds are to go directly to the club or to the “Marzina Fund” GPASI reserves the right to refuse to sell an obviously sick or deformed fish, or defective equipment Any items not claimed or left behind become property of GPASI. NO PRIVATE SALES. NO RESALE OF PURCHASED AUCTION ITEMS. ALL SALES ARE FINAL. All Items are sold “AS IS”. GPASI does not warrant the condition or authenticity of item sold. Seller Rules x x x x x x x x x Split is 70% to the seller and 30% to GPASI. Bags are to be labeled with an alpha numeric numbering system (ex. ABC-001, ABC- 002) 3 letters are chosen by the seller and the bags are numbered in ascending sequence. All bags ending in 1 go on table 1, all bags ending in 2 go on table 2 etc. You must register before you place your items on the tables. Bags MUST be marked clearly with this information: bag number, your name, phone number, scientific name of fish, common name (if applicable), actual number of fish in bag. Appropriate terminology: PAIR=1 male, 1 female same species MATED PAIR=pair that have spawned TRIO=1 male, 2 females same species REVERSE TRIO= 2 males, 1 female same species. MINUMUM BIDS will be allowed. If the item does not sell it will be set back and NOT come up for sale again during the auction. All fish to be auctioned will be in suitable bags, NO Ziplocs or Baggies. Catfish, Cichlids, and other fish with sharp spines must be double bagged. There will be a $2 re-bagging fee if fish are improperly bagged—play it safe and double bag everything! Sellers are limited to the following: No more than 5 bags of any single species (unless it is a different color strain or fin type then you will be allowed 5 bags of each type), or item type. Please state if dry good equipment is in working order on your label! NO PRIVATE SALES. NO RESALE OF PURCHASED AUCTION ITEMS. ALL SALES ARE FINAL. Seller’s proceed checks will be mailed within two weeks of the auction. 45th ANNUAL TROPICAL FISH SHOW Sponsored by the Earthplace, the Nature Discovery Center Saturday, October 1st, 2011 (Noon to 4:00p p.m.) Sunday, October 2nd, 2011 (10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.) & AUCTION NAS Annual Auction Sunday, October 2nd, 2011 Auction Starts at 12:00 p.m. (noon) At Earthplace, the Nature Discovery Center Westport, Connecticut Special Feature In Conjunction with the NAS Show The Connecticut Betta Club Will Sponsor an International Betta Congress Sanctioned Betta Show For Information & Rules for the IBC show contact Doug at: The Southern New England Killifish Association Presents The Northeast Weekend Friday October 14 to Sunday October 16, 2011 Ramada Plaza Albany 3 Watervliet Ave. Ext. Albany, NY 12206 Room rate of just $80 per http://tinyurl.com/sneka night! for complete convention information including fish Speakers, expected in the auction or Fishroom Techniques e-mail [email protected] Round Table, People new Show, to killie Awards Banquet, keeping are welcome! is open to the public ! !"#$%$&'()!*+- !"#$ %"&'$$$() &$!*$++-++ *((*$++- &+.+/00 12$+3 4 *$++-$0*$++&$ &'$$&$.+/ &$$ +1$5!6+7 &'$$$#7$4 8 #$11+6 7*$++5"4 1"9:/ 50790("&'$$ &.$790("&'$$ &+#&;+ #&;.9(&'$$4 &8$0 *$++7$04 ! "# 7 <7004.6"7 $"+!/=7+6"=+$=+>$22=7$8$= <$7=4.*+*$++- '$ 64 6"+?@@*$++-4 ! !"! "#!$%&''''''' *$++-$ #()!* &'$$ *$++ ($: () !*$++ & /7$"++()7=&$8$ 8"70+?@@*$++-4 Friday, Saturday & Sunday October 21 – 23, 2011 Quality Inn 10 Polito Avenue Lyndhurst, NJ 07071 Come spend the weekend with New Jersey’s largest Tropical Fish Club. The event includes World renowned Speakers, Vendor Expo on Friday and Saturday, as well as a fish show Saturday also, and a giant tropical fish, plant and dry goods auction on Sunday. There will be multiple vendors Friday & Saturday, silent auctions, food and drinks available all three days. Friday Expo& Show 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM *$5.00 Entry fee/Speakers and Expo $15.00 Sat. Expo & Show 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM *$5.00 Entry fee/Speakers and Expo $15.00 Sunday Mega Auction 8:00 AM to ??? $5.00 Bidder Card (Viewing Free) *Entry Fee entitles you to a FREE Bidder Card for Sunday’s Auction!!!! SPECIAL ROOM RATE FROM THE QUALITY INN $79.00 PER NIGHT PLUS TAX! CALL 201-933-9800. Register prior to October 21 and get the Early Bird Special!!!!!!!!!! EARLY BIRD SPECIAL – ALL THREE DAYS INCLUDING SPEAKERS AND BIDDER CARD - $20.00!!!!! Friday & Saturday Speakers DR. PAUL LOISELLE-WEST AFRICAN CICHILDS DAVID BORUCHOWITZ-STOP phOOLING AROUND MO DEVLIN-PHOTOGRAPHY GEORGE FEAR- UNDERWATER FLIM OF VENEZUELA TONY ORSO-NEW IMPORTS IN THE HOBBY MORE SPEAKERS TO FOLLOW!!! VISIT THE RENOWNED EXPERT TABLE AND GET YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED CORRECTLY Auction Info th Pre-Registration by October 15 and receive a 60/40 (seller/NJAS) split After October 15th and before 10:00 AM on October 22, 50/50 split After 10:00, 40/60 split Auction viewing starts at 10:30 AM Auction starts at 12:00 PM For SHOW RULES, full details on EXPO and auction or more information, visit us on the web at www.njas.net or at www.facebook.com/northjerseyaquariumsociety For face to face, call Bobby Larsen at (201) 406-0857, email him at [email protected] The Greater Akron Aquarium Society 2011 Fall Auction When: Sunday, November 6th 2011 Registration begins 10:00 a.m. Auction begins at 11:00 a.m. Where: Tallmadge Community Center 80 Community Drive, Tallmadge, Ohio Route 8 Tallmadge Ave. Northwest Ave. North Ave To Cuy. (Rt. 91) Falls West Ave Brittain Road Tallmadge Circle Tropical Fish, Aquariums, Equipment, Aquatic Plants, and much, much more! Northeast Ave. (Rt. 261 to Kent) ComTallmadge munity Community Drive Center East Ave. How to Find the Tallmadge Community Center I-76 Southwest Ave. Southeast South Ave. Ave. (Rt. 91) (Rt 532) Take Route 8 to the Tallmadge Ave. Exit. Go East on Tallmadge (turns into West Ave. at Brittain Road) Go halfway around Tallmadge Circle to East Ave. Take East Ave. to Community Drive, turn left. Community Center is on the right, next to the library. For More Information: Wayne Toven (330) 256-7836/email [email protected] Bud and Cathy White (330) 848-3856/email [email protected] How does it all work? Once an item is registered, it may not be withdrawn and no minimum bid items will be accepted 70/30 Split (70% proceeds to seller) Please inspect all items as all sales are final, buyer beware. GAAS does not guarantee any item and is not responsible for any loss. All items will be labeled with: 1. Seller’s code (three letters such as initials, followed by a number; example ABC-1, ABC-2 and so on) Check with the registration desk to see if the letter code you want to use has not already been used by someone else. Note that although we will try to track down sellers, illegible or non-labeled items will be sold and considered a donation to the club. 2. The seller’s name and phone number 3. Livestock should also be labeled as to Species (common and scientific names if possible), Quantity and Sex (if known). 4. Equipment should be labeled as to its condition (examples: works, noisy, leaks, new, etc.) A color dot system will be used to assure a fair mix of different seller’s items. GAAS reserves the right to sell multiple items from the same seller as lots or to group items and any items that do not sell for at least $1 will be considered donations to GAAS GAAS may refuse to sell animals that are diseased, deformed, too young to survive, regulated in the State of Ohio or equipment that is hopelessly damaged. Buyers may pay by cash or choose to run a tab and pay by cash or check. There will be, however, a charge for any check returned for NSF. 7523,&$/),6+&/8% 2)%85/,1*721 Giant Auction Fish, Plants, New and Used Equipment, Fish Foods, etc Sunday Nov 6, 2011 12 noon VFW Hall 176 South Winooski Ave Burlington For more information David & Janine Banks 372-8716 [email protected] Brian Candib 864-0746 [email protected] Fran Kinghorn 879-4147 [email protected] David Isham 372-3399 [email protected] www.tfcb.org EastCoastCichlids.org is proud to announce Fall Auction '11! Please come join us ! NEW DATE! Sunday, November 13th NEW LOCATION! Italian American Memorial Association 195 West End Avenue Long Branch, NJ For more information please visit the ECC website: http://www.EastCoastCichlids.org Bread 'N Butter Betta: Siamese Fighting Fish by Joel Antkowiak Bread 'N Butter is a series of articles on those fishes that are commonly referred to as "beginner's fish" and often times are among the first fishes that one keeps in an aquarium. One of the most interesting behaviors that can be observed in the tropical fish hobby is the flaring associated with the sparring of two male Betta splendens, the Siamese fighting fish. When left together, the males of the species will continue to flare at each other, sizing one another up for a piscine battle royale. If left together long enough, one of them surely will meet its demise. But the betta is also well known for the rainbow of colors in which they are available. Red, blue, green, yellow, white, black and just about any combination of these and more. They also come in many color patterns, such as solid colors, a butterfly pattern, where the body color is different from the fin color and extends a short way into the fins; marble, which allows a smidgen of one color mixed over the base color, typically with the head lighter than the body; and the 'Cambodian' betta, which has the body one color, usually lighter colored, and the fins another, but with the body color limited to the In some parts of the world, fighting bettas is considered a sport. Some strains of B. splendens, or betta, such as the plakat, are bred specifically for this pugilistic trait. There are even websites available to help you body of the fish. Last train your betta to Typical red fish store betta. but not least is the fight, and breeders that multi-colored betta, which can have any specialize in champion fighter stock. In the combination of colors with any pattern. United States, we stop short of fighting these beautiful creatures. In trying to put it simply, the color of a betta is based on the color pigmentation in Once bettas were bred to bring out their different types of cells. These different color aggression, fights could last for hours. cells are present in different layers within the Today's bettas have much more of the skin of the fish. There are basically four aggressive tendencies than their wild types of color layers in a betta, each with its ancestors. A contest pitting two wild own type of color cells. In wild bettas these specimens together would only last a few color layers are: minutes before one of them would retreat. This is also true, for the most part, of Iridescent layer (top layer) modern day bettas while they are being Red layer raised together. Young males will spar in a tank where their brothers and sisters are Black layer being raised with them as a group. Once the Yellow layer (bottom layer) males are separated to be raised singly, their pugilistic tendencies become more In our domesticated bettas, the distribution pronounced. of these layers is a bit different from the wildtype: Iridescent layer (top layer): This layer is also known as the blue layer and controls the amount of blue pigments. The iridocytes, or guanophores, which are the blue/green cells in this layer, control the following traits: iridescent colors, spread iridocytes, nonblue. Black layer: The black layer contains melanophores, or black cells, which control the amount of black pigment. They contain the following traits: Cambodian, blond/bright, and melano. Red layer: The red layer contains erythrophores, or red cells, which control the amount of red pigment in this layer. They control the following traits: extended red, reduced red, non-red, and variegated finnage. Yellow layer (bottom layer): The yellow layer contains xanthophores, or yellow cells. So far, no genes have been identified that control the yellow layer of pigmentation. It will be expressed only through the absence of the red, black and iridescent/blue layers of cells. Each of these color layers has its own genetic code which is determined by a series of genes which, when combined, eventually determine the color of the betta. The different genes either increase or decrease the pigment in the different layers. Suffice it to say that betta color genetics is a complicated subject, and there are entire books written on the topic. It doesn't necessarily follow that if you want to breed a certain color of betta, that you should have a Female blue crowntail betta. male and female of that same color or pattern. For instance, to breed black bettas, you must breed a black male to a steel green female that is carrying the melanistic trait. So if you want to breed bettas for a particular color trait, you will need to know the genetic make up of your fishes, and know what to breed together to get the result you desire. This is just the basics on betta coloration, which is all this article is intended to provide. So enough on color. But you have a similar situation with betta finnage. Bettas have been bred to display spectacular finnage in the modern aquarium. The original short Female cambodian betta with crown tail. finned, round tail fish has been bred for much longer fins, or perhaps a double tail. Tails also exhibit the comb and crown effects, where the rays of the caudal, and even the dorsal and anal fins, extend beyond the fin webbing. The myriad of combinations of color, color patterns, and finnage types, along with their simple care requirements have made Betta splendens perhaps the single most widely kept fish in all of the tropical fish hobby. I mention the simple care requirements. Bettas are labyrinth fishes; that is to say, they have an auxiliary breathing organ that allows them to take in air from the atmosphere. Thus, no aeration is required for these little beauties to live. They are also small, with a body size around 2 inches in length. This allows them to be kept in small containers. Although some folks keep them in ivy bowls, a larger container would suit them better. If you are willing to perform a water change every day or two, depending on the size of the container, no filtration is required. And they will eat just about any food that is offered, from flakes and granules to live worms and mosquito larvae. Breeding Betta splendens is not overly difficult. A five gallon tank is sufficient, although I like to use a 10 gallon tank. I have had success using a lid from a plastic butter tub as the base for the male to build his nest. Others use a styrofoam cup cut in half from top to bottom. The lid or cup is then floated in the tank. On the opposite side of the aquarium, I place a small drum bowl into which I place the female betta. I usually have a small clump of java moss in the tank as well. The moss will provide some cover for the female when she is released into the tank. The pair are fed heavily on frozen foods and live black worms. The temperature is set to 80-82 degrees Fahrenheit. The male starts blowing his bubbles and, using the lid as an anchor, places them under the lid to construct his nest. When the male has the nest built, and the female is ready, she is released into the tank with the male. How do you know when the female is ready? She will become very round in the abdominal region. Also, in the area of the pelvic fins, you will notice a small white egg spot. Soon after releasing the female, the male will try to seduce her under the nest. She eventually cooperates. While under the nest, the two fish go into an embrace where it appears that the male is squeezing the eggs out of the female. Upon releasing the female from his embrace, the male then collects the eggs and places them into the nest. This goes on for a couple hours and several hundred eggs are laid. After spawning, the males takes over care of the brood. It is best to remove the female at this time. The eggs will hatch in 2-3 days, with the male diligently caring for the eggs and the fry. When the fry become free swimming, the task of gathering the fry back into the nest becomes too much for the male and it is best to remove him at this time. Many people begin feeding the tiny fry with paramecium or other tiny foods. This is fine if you want to raise as many fish as possible from the brood. If just a few fish are desired, adding a clump of java moss to provide microorganisms for the fry to feed on, and using newly hatched brine shrimp as a first food will usually result in 30 - 50 fish. As they grow, at about 6-8 weeks the males will begin sparring and should be separated into their own container to be raised is show fish are desired. They usually will not do serious damage to each other while being raised together. But once separated, they can not be housed together again. One important point that should be noted: the fry tank should be kept warm and covered at all times for the first month. This allows the labyrinth organ to develop properly. This is the organ that allows anabantoids to breath air. The fry use their gills exclusively until this organ is developed. The Siamese fighting fish is one of the most popular, if not the most popular, of aquarium fishes. The range of colors and many types of finnage, along with its innate desire to fend off others of the species, makes it one of the more interesting fishes as well. NEEDED IMMEDIATELY Membership Chairperson We need someone to be able to get to the meetings at least 30 minutes ahead of the scheduled start time to greet our members and sign them in, distribute name tags, and talk to prospective new members about the club. Contact Kurt Johnston if you can help. SWAP SHOP FOR SALE: 100 gallon tank, 72" x 18" x 18". Does not leak. Tank only. $75. 40 gallon breeder tanks. Drilled at rear upper left corner for central system. 2 currently available at $20 each; more available soon. Tanks are not show quality. Contact Joel Antkowiak at 717-354-2274 or by e-mail at [email protected]. Our list of national sponsors has grown this year. These companies have donated products to our club to help make it a success. These products are used to raise funds for the club so that we can continue to offer top notch speakers and other programs. Please support them. To get information about their products, click the name and you will go directly to their website. Hikari Sales USA Inc. Aquarium Products Mars Fishcare Air, Water, & Ice K and A Imports Boyd Enterprises Ginger Inc. Kent Marine Kordon Sachs Systems Aquaculture Penn Plax Pet Products Python Products Inc. Red Sea Max Seachem Labs Inc. Tropical Science Biolabs Vitakrafft Pet Products Marc Weiss Companies Inc. Danner Ma anufa acturing. Inc. Hawkeye International Drs Foster and Smith Tetra Products Rolf C. Hagen Corp. San Francisco Bay Brand Bow Tie Presss/Fish Channel Cichlid Press Blue Zoo Radio Zoo Med Laboratories Inc. Spectrapure Aquarium Guys Aquadine Nutritional Systems United Pet Group Aquatic Life LLC Kingfish Services.net Sera N. A. Barron's Educational San Francisco Bay Brand Ocean Nutrition Omega Sea Aquarium Life Support Systeems Drs. Foster & Smith E. G. Danner Mfg Aquaculture Technologies Aquatic Life ****************************************************************************************************************************************** WELCOME NEW MEMBERS! Better late than never! Please welcome the following people who have joined us since the beginning of the year: January Clayton Crawford Scott McLaughlin Gary Boyer February Will Waibel March Mike Vogt Corey Simmons Igor Dusanic April Stephen Novakovich Michael Ruhl Kendra Reeder Gary Bartell Kevin Carr May Don Guman Jim Peck Terrance Trasatti Bill Martin My apologies for the belated welcome to our club. And also, welcome to some new members for this month: September Richard Bressler Wendy Bressler Chelsea Bressler Aaron Angiorlis I hope everyone enjoys this club as much as I do! 6*'%+%*.+& %140'4 A LOOK AT PEOPLE AND HAPPENINGS IN THE CICHLID WORLD by Scott McLaughlin New World or Old World- Which Cichlid is Best for You? There is a notion that people buy pets that fit their look or personality. How many times have you seen a dog and when you look up at the owner they look similar? Although science hasn’t proven it, there are some parallels between who “we” are and the pets we select. Over the years I have introduced many people into this wonderful hobby of ours, and most times the very first question I’m asked is “Which cichlid is best for me?” This month we will briefly touch upon the different cichlids available and the myths associated with new world and old world cichlids. To begin our discussion, let's define what new and old world cichlids are. New world cichlids come from the North, Central and South American regions. Some of the more popular breeds include the Jack Dempsey ('Cichlasoma' octofasciatum) green terror (Andinoacara rivulatus) and Oscars (Astronotus ocellatus). These are fish that can reach some great size, be very aggressive and display lots of personality. New world also offers the smaller American “dwarf cichlids” such as the popular blue ram (Mikrogeophagus ramirezi), which are a smaller, colorful and more community oriented cichlid. Lastly, the new world also offers unique cichlids such as discus and angelfish. The old world cichlids mostly hail from the Rift Lakes of Africa, specifically Lake Malawi, Lake Tanganyika and Lake Victoria. Some of the more popular old world cichlids are the African butterfly peacock (Aulonocara jacobreibergi), the electric blue johannii (Melanochromis johannii), and the red zebra (Pseudotropheus estherae). These are mid-sized cichlids (4-8 inches) with lots of color and pizzazz. They are mildly aggressive but through strategicly over populating their aggression can be managed. Like the new world, the old world has dwarf cichlids as well coming out of the West African area. Kribensis (Pelvicachromis pulcher) are by far the most popular dwarf cichlids from this region. Kribensis are nicely colored and very hardy cichlids. A perfect cichlid for beginners. So this gives us a brief introduction to the diversity of cichlids. Now we will break the new and old world cichlids into categories (size, personality, colors) in an effort to help you select which cichlid is best for you. Color: I think the general belief is that African cichlids are the most colorful of all the cichlids. In fact I’ve heard many people say that they were initially interested in saltwater fish, but when they saw how beautiful and colorful the African cichlids are they decided to skip the expenses of keeping a saltwater tank and go freshwater. I certainly agree that African cichlids can bring the color like a big bag of Skittles, but don’t sleep on the new world cichlids. There are many cichlids from this region that can hold their own in the color category. The red terror (Heros festae) and many cichlids from the “Vieja” family can certainly add a blast of color (and a little spice) to your tank. So keep this in mind if color is a major factor in deciding what cichlid is best for you. I would have to give the nod to the African cichlids in the color department as the spark they add to a tank is undeniable. Size: Like the association between African cichlids and color, many hobbyists associate the new world with having the largest cichlids in the industry. However, the truth is there are quite a few African cichlids that can reach some incredible sizes such as the emperor cichlid (Boulengerochromis microlepis), the frontosa (Cyphotilapia frontosa), and venustus (Nimbochromis venustus) to name a few. But with that said, the new world probably offers a larger selection of big cichlids and they are more readily available. Cichlids such as the jaguars, peacock bass and wolf cichlids, to name a few, easily tip the scale at 12 inches and longer. My advice to you is, if you are looking for one or two larger cichlids, to explore the new world cichlids. If you are looking to stock your tanks with a generous number of medium to small cichlids then go with African cichlids. Personality: Looking for cichlids that are going to recognize you or welcome you when you come home? Do you want a cichlid that is going to watch you as much as you are watching them? Then look no further than the new world cichlids. Oscars are the perfect cichlids for those who want a personable pet without the chores of walking, washing or grooming it. Like the many many of the new world cichlids, oscars are highly intelligent and very interactive with their owners. They will run to the top of their tanks when they see you coming, hoping for food but also just happy to see you. With time they can even be taught to eat food directly from your hand. African cichlids are very intelligent as well and can show some personality, but more of their appeal is watching them interact with other cichlids and their own environment. A community of African cichlids is like enjoying an “aquatic ant farm.” So in review, if you are looking for a single cichlid to “name and call your own”, then I would go new world. But if you are looking to recreate an environment like something out of National Geographic, then I would lean towards the old world cichlids or dwarf cichlids of both the new and old worlds. Summary: In the end, whether you pick old or new world, you can’t go wrong. Cichlids are amazing fish and like that sappy love quote goes, “there is a cichlid for everyone.” Many collectors, including myself, have multiple tanks so we can enjoy all the different aspects of both the new and old world cichlids. My advice to you is find a cichlid that catches your eye. Do some research and then get your hands wet. You will never regret it! The Cichlid Corner would like to recognize: Joel Antkowiak For his accomplishments at the 2011 American Cichlid Association convention. He competed in the 2011 ACA fish shows entering his cichlids in 5 different cichlid classes. Joel came in 2nd place with his Bolivian ram, Mikrogeophagus altispinosa (New World Dwarf Cichlids Class 3) and 3rd place with his black belt cichlid, Vieja maculicauda (6"+ Central American Cichlids Class 7). Congrats Joel – Thanks to you the ACLC had a strong presence at the 2011 ACA convention! Picture of “Bucket” who placed 3rd at the 2011 ACA Convention ***************************************************************************** 2-&LWUXV by Scott McLaughlin Breeder’s Award Program Monthly Report – September 2011 Lifetime Achievement Award Report Active Members Point Totals F. Wayne Calender Breeder Wayne Calender.......................... 1553 pts Specialist Breeder Awards Report Being a new award program, no member has qualified for any of the specialist awards. Several members have completed the number of species required for awards but need to complete one or more of the other requirements for an award. Class 1 – Livebearers Grand Master Breeder Paul Bricknell ............................. 1291 pts David Stephon............................. 1120 pts Pedro Sanchez............................. 1050 pts Paul Bricknell Bob Kulesa Michael Schrom Master Breeder (None) Wayne Callender Expert Breeder Bob Kulesa* .................................. 812 pts Advanced Breeder (None) Class 3 – Barbs & Minnows David Stephon 2 Star Breeder Joel Antkowiak* ............................ 310 pts Michael Schrom* .......................... 245 pts Mike Steffen................................... 224 pts Paul Bricknell Pedro Sanchez *Breeder has enough points for next higher class award but needs to complete more classes for award. Bob Kulesa Bev Newcomer Wayne Calender Other Participants Terrance Trasatti ............................ 40 pts Matt Shaffer .................................... 16 pts Ashley Antkowiak ............................ 14 pts Tara Miller...................................... 10 pts Scott McLaughlin .............................. 5 pts David Stephon Class 2 – Catfish 3 Star Breeder (None) 1 Star Breeder Jay Stephan* ................................. 288 pts Pat Kelly*...................................... 165 pts Glenn Davies*............................... 120 pts Daniel Sanchez................................ 90 pts Dave Frehafer................................. 90 pts Scott Shenk ...................................... 70 pts Danny Corman................................ 60 pts Kurt Johnston.................................. 55 pts Wayne Calender Pedro Sanchez Class 4 – Characins David Stephon Class 5 – Killifish Wayne Calender Bob Kulesa Class 7 – New World Cichlids Bob Kulesa Pedro Sanchez David Stephon Bev Newcomer Class 8 – Old World Cichlids Bob Kulesa Class 11 – Other Aquatic Animals Mike Steffen Bob Kulesa Class 12 – U. S. Native Species Wayne Calender ************************************************** 2011 Breeder of the Year Points Joel Antkowiak............................................... 202 points Jay Stephan...................................................... 144 points Danny Corman ..................................................53 points Wayne Calender ............................................... 20 points Tara Miller ............................................................ 5 points Scott McLaughlin ............................................... 5 points OVERALL STANDINGS Participant Total Points Base Bonus Reprints (Articles/Photos) Special Awards Wordsmith Award (500 points) Joel Antkowiak* ...........................840 points Michael Steffen.............................720 points 710 615 130 105 250 230 15 20 160 135 80 30 35 55 50 80 0 0 45 20 0 0 35 35 20 20 10 10 15 0 0 0 0 10 10 0 1/0 2/0 Fishy Photographer Fishy Photographer Author's Award (250 points) Jay Stephan ...................................265 points Scott McLaughlin..........................250 points Writing Breeder Writer's Award (50 points) Bob Kulesa....................................240 points Kurt Johnston ................................135 points Debbie Rubin ..................................80 points Stephanie Cornell............................75 points Robin Antkowiak ............................55 points Michael Vogt ..................................55 points Suze Glesky ....................................50 points 0/1 Other Participants Lonny Langione ..............................35 points Wayne Calender..............................35 points Matt Shaffer ....................................20 points Geoff Graff......................................20 points Terrence Trasatti .............................20 points Chris Cornell...................................20 points Ashley Antkowiak ..........................15 points Bonus Points include points for articles reviewed, reprinted, article and/or photo of the month, and awards from FAAS and NEC. *-Participant has enough points for the next higher award, but needs to complete one or more other requirements. MIGHTY FIN STANDINGS 2010/11 Michael Steffen.............................710 points Joel Antkowiak .............................660 points Scott McLaughlin..........................250 points Jay Stephan ...................................205 points Bob Kulesa....................................160 points Kurt Johnston ................................135 points Robin Antkowiak ............................55 points Michael Vogt ..................................55 points Suze Glesky ....................................40 points Debbie Rubin ..................................40 points Chris Cornell...................................20 points Ashley Antkowiak ..........................15 points Terrence Trasatti .............................10 points Standings as of September 10, 2011 All materials may not have been published yet. WOW! We had 8 FAAS Awards (4x 1st, 1x 2nd, 1x 3rd, and 2x HM) for 2010 - double 2009. Lots of bonus points to go around. I will publish the list of winners in October, but I kinda wanna make a big deal out of it at the September meeting. We have also had 6 more articles reviewed, this time, The Buckette (Sept 2011 issue) by the Bucks County Aquarium Society has two: the twisted one had his article on building a cave for photography reviewed, and yours truly's Bread 'N Butter on freshwater angelfish was as well. My Bread 'N Butter on Goldfish was one of 4 articles reviewed in The Paradise Press from the Long Island Aquarium Society, along with my article on proper bagging, and twisted's 2 filtration related articles from April 2011. Aulonocara jacobfreibergi Eureka Red BAP Report by Jay Stephan Aulonocara jacobfreibergi Eureka Red males are one of the more colorful peacocks from Lake Malawi, in my opinion. Males have blue bodies with orange shoulders, orange on the lower body and lower fins, and orange on their tails. Their dorsal fin is a lighter blue than most of their body, and this lighter blue may appear on the edges of their lower fins and tail as well. Darker blue stripes also appear on their body. Females are cream to brown with darker stripes on their body. They, however, do show some orange on their fins and tails which helps to identify them from similar peacock females. They are a line-bred strain from the Otter Point variety of jacobfreibergi. Males reach 7 inches, females about 6 to 6.5 inches. They prefer temperatures between 78-82F, a pH of 7.8 to 8.6, and moderately hard to hard water. These fish are mildly aggressive and can be mixed with a wide variety of mildly aggressive and peaceful cichlids from all three African lakes. If you keep males of this type with other Aulonocara males with a similar orange color, it is best to have plenty of hiding places and a tank of 75 gallons or larger. Sometimes Aulonocara males of a similar color do not get along in smaller tanks. I bought these fish a few years ago from Old World Exotic (Laif Demaison’s Farm). They have spawned several times and I have sold their fry over the years. As they got bigger, I moved the parents from a 20 gallon high to a 40 gallon breeder tank, with several other types of African cichlids. They tend to spawn several times a year, primary after I do a larger water change to their tank. After spawning, the mother holds the eggs in her mouth until after her mouth turns black. Once her mouth turns black, I move the mother to a 15 gallon tank and she spits her fry the next day. I move the mother to the rear of the tank and begin feeding the fry powdered fry bites and the mother New Life Spectrum Cichlid Formula. In three days, I return the mother to her mate in the 40 gallon breeder tank. Haplochromis sp. Uganda Fire (Lipochromis cf. parvidens) BAP Report by Jay Stephan Males have a black and silver body with red on their lower body, fins and tail. Females are more silver with less red on the body and fins. During spawning, part of the black on the males can turn more silver. This species belongs to the "rock fishes" of Lake Victoria and are considered endangered. These fish are mildly aggressive and can be mixed a wide variety of other African cichlids from all three lakes. Males can reach 6.5” and females tend not to grow beyond 5“. They can handle a pH between 7.2 and 8.6. They have a wide temperature range as well, running between 74 and 78F. I bought these fish from a Florida fish farm last year when they were around 2” in size. I placed them in a 29 gallon tank. Their tank is connected to my drip system. They get regular drip water changes and once a month a larger water change, and stone recharge. PVC pipe cut into smaller sections is provided for a hiding and spawning place. These fish spawned after a large monthly water change. They appear to be a rather easy fish to spawn, a good thing, given the endangered status. They are part of the C.A.R.E.S. program. Mothers hold their eggs in her mouth until the fry hatch in about three to four weeks. When I see that a mother is nearing full term, her mouth will show black and I move her to a 15 gallon tank to release the fry. My 15 gallon tanks have dividers with a large section for the fry and a smaller section for the mother during recovery. After the mother spits all her fry and begins to accept food, I move her to the rear smaller section of the tank. I then feed her well for three days before returning her to her normal tank. Most cichlid mothers tend to guard their young and only will eat them if they are desparate for food. That is why it is important to feed the mothers after all the fry are born. Mothers also are weak from not being able to eat for three or four weeks while holding the fry. They need a few days to gather strength before being returned to tanks with their mate after the fry have been born. As the fry grow they are moved first to 12 gallon tubs and then to my 20 gallon high tanks where they are offered for sale. ZOOTOPIA PETZ LITITZ ORTHODONTICS 7420 Derry St. Harrisburg, PA 17111 PH (717) 558-PETS FAX (413) 691-0935 Mon-Fri 12 to 7:30 Sat 10 to 5; Sun 12 to 5 Michael V. Palasz, DMD, MS 4-A Tollgate Rd. Lititz, PA 17543 717-626-0600 Hours: Mon-Thu 8am - 6pm Fri 8am - 12noon Specializing in Orthodontics for Children and Adults Scott & Nola Sommer ROGER H. STRAUSE, D.D.S. Centerville Family Dental 803 Estelle Drive Lancaster, PA 17601 717-898-9099 PETSMART Dustin Chambers, Manager 2405 Covered Bridge Dr. Suite145 NE corner of Whitmer Rd. & R30 E. Tel.717-393-0820, Fax. 717-394-6384 M-S(10am –5pm;Sun. 10am-6pm JAY A. RIZZO, D.M.D. HIRAM PEOPLES HATCHERY General Dentistry Hempfield Center, Suite 100 930 Red Rose Court Lancaster, PA 17603 717-295-5590 M-T 8AM-6PM, W-TH 8AM-5PM, FRI 8AM-12PM Main Street New Providence, PA 17560 717-786-7346 Hours: M-F 8-4 Sat 8-12 Wholesale: Koi, Goldfish, Pond Supplies PAXTON AQUARIUM & PET SHOP Paxton Square 6033 Allentown Blvd. Harrisburg, PA 17112 Hours: M-F 10am –7pm Sat. 10-6pm; Sun 12 noon-4pm Owner – Charles Lambiasi MARYLAND AQUATIC NURSERIES 3427 N. Furnace Jarrettsville, MD 21084 410-557-7615 Please support our local sponsors by visiting their businesses and purchasing their products and services. They support your club! Underlined sponsors have a website, just click on the sponsor's name above and you will be whisked away to their site. Want to sponsor the ACLC? Contact Dave Frehafer at 717-626-9456 or via e-mail at [email protected]. Your support is greatly appreciated!