February - London Aquaria Society

Volume 59, Issue 2
February 10, 2015
London Aquaria Society
www.londonaquariasociety.com
Fish cancer gene linked to
pigment pattern that
attracts mates
Swordtails can inherit melanoma
that drives sexual selection
in sexual selection.
Ohio University scientists
André Fernandez and Molly
Morris studied three populations of female swordtails, tiny
Our guest speaker
for February will be
Bill Gibbons, talking
about what the
hobby has meant to
him and his experiences.
researchers placed a female
swordtail in the middle of a tank
with two partitions. They positioned a male with the faux pattern from which melanomas
freshwater fish native to North form on one side, and a male
Aug. 18, 2008
and Central America, and found without the pattern on the
www.ohio.edu/research/
that two of them preferred other. After releasing the female
c o m m u n i c a t i o n s /
males whose tails were painted from an opaque tube into the
fish_cancer_gene.cfm
ATHENS, Ohio —
Though skin cancer is deadly to
male fish, it also has one perk:
The black melanoma splotches
arise from attractive natural
markings that lure female mates.
A new study published in the
Proceedings of the National
Academy of Sciences this week
shows that the melanoma gene
can be conserved in swordtail
fish because of its beneficial role
to resemble the skin cancer
spots. The researchers also examined specimens of swordtail
fish with real melanomas, which
confirmed that the cancer gene
is switched on only in the tissue
with the dark pigment. The
study marks the first time scientists have found a cancer gene
linked to a pigment pattern that
functions to increase mating success in animals.
In the current study, the
tank’s center chamber, the scientists observed how much time
she spent looking at each male
during an eight-minute period.
The project builds on previous
studies in the Morris lab, which
used the same tests to show that
female swordtails are strongly
attracted to males with dark vertical bars.
To avoid any bias the female might have for a particular
side of the tank, Fernandez then
switched the males. Two days
later, he conducted the trials
again, this time changing which
male received the painted skin
cancer spot. The female consistently chose the male with the
dark pigmented marking in two
of the three populations, he said.
Photo courtesy of: Andre’ Fernandaz
cont’d on page 8
President
Ron Bishop….…….........519-457-7907
[email protected]
Vice-President
Nancy Egelton………….519-666-2775
[email protected]
Treasurer/C.A.R.E.S. Rep.
Annette Bishop…....…....519-457-7907
[email protected]
Member at Large
Derek Tucker…………......519-639-1183
[email protected]
Jennifer McNaughton…..519-719-8546
[email protected]
Nancy Egelton……....…..519-666-2778
[email protected]
Secretary / Correspondence
Sharon MacDonald……..519-453-0094
sharonmacdonald62@gmailcom
Membership Chair
Nancy Drummond……...519-644-2753
[email protected]
Library
James & Margaret Kelly…519-681-0717
B.A.P./H.A.P.
Stephen Gregson….…..…519-649-5019
[email protected]
Newsletter Editor
Lorraine Gregson….........519-649-5019
[email protected]
Monthly Jar Show
Sarah Lee……...…...…....519-686-3473
[email protected]
Advertising
Bob Steele……...…..…...519-473-5648
[email protected]
Auction Chair
Jennifer McNaughton…..519-719-8546
[email protected]
C.A.O.A.C. Representative
Annette Bishop….….......519-457-7907
[email protected]
Website
Eric Geissinger……....…...519-672-9168
[email protected]
London Aquaria Society
February 10, 2015: Our guest London
speaker
for February
will be Bill
Aquaria
Society
Gibbons.
Unsung Hero’s of the
London Aquaria Society
Over the years there have been so many Members who
have given up their time to help run our club, never asking for
anything in return. This year, I hope to mention some of
those Members to tell them how much we appreciate what
they do for us.
Last, but certainly not least is Steve McDonald. Steve
has been with the club for at least 20 years that I know of. He
works very hard when it comes to taking care of the clubs
needs such as, getting the room ready for each monthly meeting, with many of the Members helping him to put things right
at the end. He helps to set up for our yearly auction & show
and works in the kitchen for these Auctions.
Steve, on behalf of the London Aquaria Society, we
would like to thank you for all the work you have done for
Thanks Steve
this club.
Table of Contents
Unsung Heros of the London Aquaria Society…….…………..2
President’s Message……………….………………………..…….3
Texas Parks & Wildlife………………..……………………….…3
Apistogramma……….…………………………………….….….4
Fish Cancer Gene…………………….………………………..….7
Durham Region Aquarium Society Annual Social Dinner...…..8
Aquarium Filters..…………………………………….…………..9
Sailfin Pleco……………….……………………………..……….11
Monthly Fish Show Awards…….………………………..…….12
Pond Mystery……………………….……………………..…….12
Monthly Fish Categories……….………………………...……..13
Pond Mystery…………………….……………………………...13
Peacock Eels……….……………………………………..……...14
CAOAC Report…………………………….……………………15
Page 2
President’s Message
Our guest speaker for February will be Bill Gibbons, talking about what the hobby has meant
to him and his experiences. Bill has a presentation with lots of past memories good and bad and his
love for big fish. This will be a great talk from Bill as he has a lot of knowledge in the tropical fish
hobby.
I hope everybody enjoyed the get to know you talk we had at our last meeting, it was nice to
share the good and the bad of the hobby and sharing our personal experiences. A big welcome to the
new members that were present.
March will be a night to learn about fixing a leaky tank. If all goes as planned, this should be a
very interesting evening because our own John Swick will be doing a presentation for us.
The fish show for February will be in Anabantids (Bettas, Gouramis, Paradise Fish) and the
Open Class and the Open Class for
Plants. We also have the Bowl Beautiful, so
come out and try your luck. It’s always fun
to participate. The auction will be there as
usual.
Happy Valentines Day and be nice
to your honey.
Ron Bishop
President
London Aquaria Society
Texas Parks and Wildlife
Inland Fisheries District 3C
What happens when well
meaning
"sucker
their
citizens
release
the
fish" (Plecostomus) from
aquarium
into
the
wild?...they grow and multiply!
Picture from Lake Dunlap, TX.
Thanks Laurel & Bob
London Aquaria Society
Page 3
APISTOGRAMMA
NAME GAME
Submitted by: Doug Capel, London Aquaria Society,
January 2015
I have always been amused when I listen to
other fish nuts like me discuss the various fish they
keep. Invariably the pronunciation of the names gets
terribly mangled in a slightly different way by no
matter who is talking. I am not educated in the
classics of Latin or Greek, so I guess I am no better
than anyone else. Getting past the pronunciation issue, I have taken great interest in the etymology
of the names. My current passion is for the various Apistogrammas, and the following is a focus on
the names of the more common members of the Apistogrammas group:
The list hereunder shows the various scientific names, which are always shown in the format
of scientific nomenclature. The Latin-derived scientific names are capitalized except for the specific
and subspecific names. The generic, specific, and subspecific names are underlined or italicized.
Generally Latin or Greek are the languages used in scientific naming. Even where a species is named
after, say, an English person, that person's name is likely to be "Latinized" by adding a suffix "-i" (if it's
named after a male), or "-ae" (if it's named after a female). So, a species named after Paul would be
called pauli or, if it was named after Elizabeth it would be elizabethae. In order to be officially
registered, a newly discovered species must first be given a scientific species-name. This must differ
from all previously allocated names and will be valid throughout the world, irrespective of national
language. To be complete, the scientific name includes the authority or person who described the
species, followed by the date.
The first consideration in this article is a definition of the Genus name Apistogramma:
Originally the genus was called Heterogramma, but it was discovered that this name was already
taken for a genus of beetles, and given that it was already taken, could not be used. In 1913 Regan
discovered the prior use and suggested an alternate name Apistogramma. From the Greek, Apisto
means irregular or broken, and gramma means line. This describes the key delineating feature of the
genus, the interrupted lateral line. An examination of this genus is appropriate as it is one of the
fastest growing as many species have been discovered and described in relatively recent years.
The table set out hereafter attempts to show the meaning and/or origin of the names:
A. agassizi
Steindachner, 1875 after Dr. Louis Agassiz.
A. atuhualpa
Romer, 1997. Named after last king of the Incas, murdered by Pizzaro in 1533.
A. baenschi
Kullander, 1998 named for Hans A Baensch, publisher of the Cichlid Atlas.
London Aquaria Society
Page 4
APISTOGRAMMA
NAME GAME
cont’d from page 4
A. bitaeniata
Pellegrin, 1936, Latin for two bands.
A. borelli
Regan, 1906 after Dr. A. Borelli.
A. brevis
Kullander, 1980. Meaning brief or short. Collected by Gosse & Belgian King Leopold.
A. cacatoides
Hodeman, 1951. From the Greek meaning like a cockatoo parrot.
A. caetei
Kullander, 1980. Collected by Haseman at the Rio Catete.
A. commbrae
Regan, 1906. Named (and misspelled) for the city Corumba.
A. cruzi
Kullander, 1986, in honour of his collector Jose Cruz Rodriguez
A. diplotaenia
Kullander, 1981. Meaning double stripe.
A. elizabethae
Kullander, 1986, after Louis Agassiz’s second wife Elizabeth.
A. eunotus
Kullander, 1981. From the Greek for strong back. This is a deep bodied Apisto.
A. geisleri
Meinken, 1971, after the biologist Rolf Geisler.
A. gephrya
Kullander, 1980. From the Greek for bridge. Collected by Gosse & King Leopold.
A. gibbiceps
A. gossei
A. guttata
A. hippolytae
A. hoignei
A. hongsloi
A. inconspicua
A. iniridae
This species is midway between the agassizi and pertensis groups.
Meinken, 1969. Latin for hump head. The original specimen (holotype) had a
squashed head. The name is a description of a damaged fish.
Kullander, 1982, after Dr. Jean-Pierre Gosse.
Antonio, Kullander & Lasso, 1989. Latin for flecked. The fish has a speckled
body.
Kullander, 1982, after the Greek mythological Queen of the Amazon.
Meinken, 1965, after the collector Hoigne.
Kullander, 1979, after the collector Thorburn Hongslo.
Kullander, 1982. Latin for inconspicuous. A dull drab fish. Collected by Gosse.
Kullander, 1982, after the Rio Inrida that flows through Columbia and Venezuela. Collected by T. Hongslo.
A. juruensis Kullander, 1986. Named after
the Rio Jurua at the Peru/Brazil border.
A. linkei
Koslowski, 1985. Named after
the collector Horst Linke.
A. luelingi Kullander, 1976, after the collector Dr. Karl Heinz Luling (no e).
A. macmasteri
Kullander, 1979, after
the collector Mark McMaster. Note the
spelling error.
London Aquaria Society
Page 5
APISTOGRAMMA
NAME GAME
cont’d from page 5
A. maciliensis
A. meinkeni
A. mendezi
A. moae
A. nijsseni
A. norberti
A. panduro
A. pauscisquamus
A. payaminionis
A. personata
A. pertensis
A. piauiensis
Haseman, 1911. Named after the plantation owner B.A. Maciel. Misspelling is
known but is binding.
Kullander, 1980, after the biologist Dr. H. C. Meinken.
Romer, 1994, for the Brazilian environmentalist Chico Mendes who was murdered in 1988.
Kullander, 1986. Named after the Rio Moa in western Brazil. Collected by Gosse
& King Leopold of Belgium.
Kullander, 1979, for the Dutch ichthyologist Dr. Hans Nijssen.
Staeck, 1991, after Norbert Wisheu, the discoverer.
Romer, 1997, after Peruvian fish exporter Jesus Panduro.
Kullander & Staeck, 1899. Meaning few scales. This species has fewer scales
around the caudal peduncle than other Apistos.
Kullander, 1986, after the Rio Payamino in Ecuador.
Kullander, 1980. Means masked, referring to the masklike band between the
eyes.
Haseman, 1911. Meaning to belong to. It is believed this refers to an affiliation
with A. taeniatus.
Kullander, 1980. Named in reference to the collection site, the Brazilian state of
A. taeniata
Piaui.
Kullander, 1980. In honour of Charles Regan, a pioneer ichthyologist.
Kullander, 1980. Collected by Dr. Herbert Axelrod. Name refers to streaked
markings.
Koslowski, 1985, for Dr. Wolfgang Staeck.
Regan, 1908. In honour of Steindachner who described the first species of the
genus Apistogramma.
Haseman, 1911. From the Latin for banded.
A. trifasciata
Eigenman, 1903, means three stripes. Collected by Dr. A Borelli.
A. uapesi
Kullander, 1980, named after the Rio Uapes. Collected by Gosse & King Leopold
of Belgium
A. urteagi
Kullander, 1980, after his expedition leader Jorge Urteaga Cavero.
A. viejita
Kullander, 1979. From the Spanish for little old one.
A. regani
A. reticulosa
A. staecki
A. steindachneri
London Aquaria Society
Page 6
APISTOGRAMMA
NAME GAME
cont’d from page 6
So, has all this got you confused? Just imaging winning the lottery and dropping everything to
go on an exploration trip to the Amazon to find a heretofore undescribed Apistogramma. My dream
has been to discover a new fish. Based on the above, the following are the minimum requirements
for the ultimate ichthyological ego trip – to have a fish named for you.
Get a PhD in ichthyology.
Ask Sven Kullander to be your child’s godfather. Get your second wife Elizabeth’s concurrence.
Members of your exploration team should avoid getting murdered. Conquistadors are to be
avoided.
Write Uwe Romer and tell him how much you just loved his Cichlid Atlas.
Discover an Apisto with more or less than 2 bands, all the Latin names for 2 are used up.
Take up Belgian citizenship and win the 6-49 (in that order).
Have your fish exporter sign a non-competition agreement.
Lastly, do your exploring on a river that already has a fish named after it.
Apistogramma capeli has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?
Bibliography:
South American Dwarf Cichlids
by Hans J. Mayland & Dieter Bork – 1997
Mergus Cichlid Atlas
by Dr. Uwe Romer - 2000
Thanks Doug
Fish cancer gene linked to pigment
pattern that attracts mates
cont’d from front page
But the research suggests that the swordtail fish population also keeps the prevalence of the
cancer gene in check. A third population of females in the study rejected the males painted with the
pattern that can form melanomas. The scientists suspect that’s because the third group had a higher
ratio of both males and females with the gene for skin cancer, which increases the likelihood of too
many offspring inheriting the gene and dying off.
London Aquaria Society
Page 7
Fish cancer gene linked to pigment
pattern that attracts mates
cont’d from page 7
Swordtail fish usually live for 1.5 to 2 years in the wild and sexually mature at 4.5 months. The
ones with the skin cancer gene can develop melanomas at about 7 months and die a few months
later.
“Melanoma formation cuts the reproductive life cycle in half,” Fernandez said. “It has a huge
cost for males.” But during the few months when the male is sexually mature and healthy, he also
can produce a lot of offspring, he noted.
The swordtail melanoma has been studied since the 1920s, and scientists previously believed
that fish developed the cancer only in captivity. But in the recent study, 10 percent of the swordtails
collected from the third population in Mexico also exhibited the disease, said Fernandez, who joins
the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center this fall as a postdoctoral fellow. He hopes to
conduct further studies on the habitat, such as whether stronger exposure to the sun’s UV rays might
be driving more instances of skin cancer in the wild.
The study was funded by a National Institutes of Health Research Service Award predoctoral
fellowship to Fernandez and a National Science Foundation grant to Morris. Morris is a member of
Ohio University’s Ohio Center for Ecology and Evolutionary Studies.
Contact: André Fernandez, (616) 901-4639, [email protected]; Molly Morris, (740) 707-3431,
[email protected].
Media Contacts: Andrea Gibson, (740) 597-2166, [email protected].
London Aquaria Society
Page 8
Aquarium Filter Selection Guide
Drs. Foster & Smith Educational Staff
www.liveaquaria.com/PIC/article.cfm?aid=15
Today's aquarium filters offer a wide variety of options to keep your aquarium water
clean and healthy. When choosing filtration,
base your decision on the size of your aquarium, as well as number of fish you hope to keep. To achieve the absolute best water conditions, you
may need to use more than one type of filter.
Air-driven Internal Filters: These small, inexpensive box-like or foam filters are ideal for rearing fry,
hospital aquariums, and small aquariums with very small fish. They are strong enough to maintain
good water conditions, yet gentle enough to keep small aquarium inhabitants free from harm. Most
of these devices provide mechanical, chemical, and biological filtration. These filters are placed inside
the aquarium and allow you to locate your aquarium very close to adjacent walls to save space.
Undergravel Filters: As their name suggests, these filters
are placed underneath a layer of aquarium gravel. These
filters move water through the gravel to create conditions favorable for biological filtration. Once the beneficial bacteria colonize the gravel, they begin to efficiently
break down waste materials. Undergravel filters are relatively inexpensive and rely on either an air pump or
powerhead to function. Undergravel filters are primarily
biological filters. However, many models feature a replaceable cartridge placed at the end of the rigid
tubing to provide supplementary chemical (activated carbon) or mechanical (filter floss) filtration.
These filters are available for small or large aquariums but are best suited for aquariums with a light
fish load.
Internal Power Filters: Imagine a power filter you can completely
place underwater. These handy filters have the space-saving feature
of air-driven internal filters and the power and versatility of standard power filters. These filters provide excellent filtration and water movement since they are generally placed near the bottom of
the aquarium. Waste products are removed before they have a
chance to settle on the bottom of the aquarium. They are made for
smaller aquariums, generally under 20-gallons.
London Aquaria Society
Page 9
Aquarium Filter Selection Guide
cont’d from page 9
Power Filters: Power filters are probably the most widely used aquarium
filters - and for good reason. They are very easy to use and provide excellent biological, chemical, and mechanical filtration. They are designed to
hang off the back of your aquarium and are the perfect filter for most
popular aquarium sizes housing a variety of tropical fishes. Replaceable
filter cartridges make maintenance simple and convenient. Newer models
feature either a biological filter pad or BIO-wheel to provide extra pollution removing power.
Canister Filters: Canister filters provide superior mechanical, chemical,
and biological filtration for larger aquariums or aquariums with a lot of
fish. The body or "canister" portion of the filter is significantly larger than
most power filters - imagine how much media canister filters are able to
hold! Depending on the model, canister filters will have one to three (or
more) large media baskets to hold different filter media types. Each media type is layered on top of each other to maintain excellent water
quality. Compared to power filters, canister filters require slightly more
effort to set up and maintain. However, you will be amazed by their
filtering power. These multipurpose filters are ideal for African and
South American Cichlid aquariums, saltwater aquariums, as well as freshwater planted aquariums.
Wet/Dry Filters: Wet/dry filters provide the ultimate in biological filtration. They are great for saltwater fish-only
aquariums or any large aquarium setup that demands efficient biological filtration. These filters are called wet/dry filters because the biological filter media is exposed to both
aquarium water (wet) and a significant amount of air (dry).
This design creates the ideal environment for large numbers
of beneficial bacteria to actively process waste materials. In
general, these aquarium filters require the most effort to set
up since they need to be installed or plumbed to the aquarium in a rather elaborate manner. However, for the creative
and avid aquarium hobbyist, setting up a wet/dry filter provides the ideal opportunity to construct a
custom, one-of-a-kind filtration system. Most models are designed for placement under an aquarium
and require an overflow box on the back. Most wet/dry filters include a sump/reservoir that holds
auxiliary equipment along with the required water return pump.
London Aquaria Society
Page 10
Sailfin Pleco
(Glyptoperichthys gibbiceps)
Leopard Pleco, Gibby, L083, L165
http://www.theaquariumwiki.com/Glyptoperichthys_gibbiceps
Additional scientific names
Pterygoplichthys gibbiceps, Ancistrus gibbiceps, Liposarcus altipinnis
Origin: These impressive fish come from the Orinco and Amazon River basins in Brazil, Ecuador,
Peru, and Venezuela. They are found in sluggish, slow river waters and move to flooded areas during
the wet season. They love to burrow into muddy banks to make their homes.
Sexing: These fish can be sexed by viewing their genital papilla on their belly, only really apparent in
mature fish, the males will small thick stump that protrudes from the fish's undercarriage, the females
are less obvious and lies flat to the body.
Tank compatibility: Larger individuals are territorial towards other Plecos. A tough fish that can live
with semi-aggressive and moderately aggressive tank mates. One best kept to a tank due to tendency
towards being territorial and being quite messy fish. Best not kept with very aggressive fin-nippers due
to it's tall dorsal fin.
Diet: Will take most vegetarian foods including algae wafers and blanched vegetables, will eat soft
brown algae in the tank. When mature will also take prawns and similar.
Feeding regime: Feed once or twice a day, may be more active towards feeding when the tank lights
are off.
Environment Specifics: Requires exceptional filtration, although not fussy with water quality, this fish
produces a high amount of waste. Appreciates wood in the tank and places offered as hiding spots.
Planting is not ideal as although this fish won't generally eat the plants, they will uproot them.
Behaviour:
Territorial once mature. Will
out compete other catfish for food.
Identification: A large and attractive Pleco
with a large dorsal which does appear saillike when raised, giving this fish its common
name. The body colouration is a light
brown to black in base colour with dark
brown to black spots going into the fins
also. The fins occasionally have a reddish
brown edging to them. Albino variations
have been seen.
London Aquaria Society
Page 11
BEST IN SHOW
Name
Bob Steele
Bob Steele
Month
January
January
Name
Fish Name
Gift Certificate Sponsor
open
Pygmaeus Corydora (Corydoras pygmaeus)
non-fish Blue Lobster/Crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus)
Month
Pet Paradise
Southwestern Pet
Adult Fish Competition
Ribbon
Leanne Shore
January Guppys Blonde, double sword Guppy, male (Poecilia reticulata)
Red
10 10
Nancy Egelton
January Guppys Green Guppy, male (Poecilia reticulata)
Blue
7
7
Nancy Egelton
January Guppys Guppy, female (Poecilia reticulata)
White 4
11
Nancy Egelton
January Guppys Red Grass Guppy, male (Poecilia reticulata)
1
12
Leanne Shore
January Guppys Japan blue wild-type Guppy, male (Poecilia reticulata)
1
11
Leanne Shore
January Guppys Pingu pink Guppy, male (Poecilia reticulata)
1
12
Blake Gowenlock
January Guppys Moscow Guppy (Poecilia reticulata)
1
3
Bob Steele
January Guppys Red-tailed Guppy, male (Poecilia reticulata)
1 53
Bob Steele
January open
Bob Steele
January non-fish Blue Lobster/Crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus)
Name
Leanne Shore
Blake Gowenlock
Pygmaeus Corydora (Corydoras pygmaeus)
Plant Name
January
open moss ball (Aegagropila linnaei)
November open Cryptocoryne sp.
Pond Mystery
November open Java Moss (Taxiphyllum barbieri)
Month
James Kelly
Submitted
by:Cromb
Annette Bishop,
London
Aquaria
Society,
Linda
& Fred
November
open
Duck
Weed January 2015
Article from: Coffee News, www.ourcoffeenews.com
Red
10
63
Red
10 73
Ribbon
Red
10
10
Blue
White
An idyllic tree-lined pond in northern Bosnia, that was a scenic spot for local people has disappeared. One day it was there and the next day it was gone, replaced by a giant crate of 50 metres (164
feet) wide and 30 metres (98 feet) deep. Although its
cause has not been verified, it is likely that changes in the
soil, or possibly a dry water table could be reasons for the
water disappearing - literally overnight. Now trees cling
to the edge of this sinkhole near the village of
Sanica where local folks ponder the situation
and children try to find a new pond in which
to fish.
London Aquaria Society
Thanks Annette
Page 12
Month
Plant
Aquatic
Category Animals
Fish Categories
Class
September
open
open fish Loaches, Suckers & Catfish (e.g. Corydoras, Brochis, Plecos )
October
open
open fish Cyprinids (e.g. Goldfish, Koi, Barbs, Danios, Sharks, Rasboras,
White Clouds….)
November
open
open fish Cichlids-substrate spawning (e.g. Angels, Kribs, Rams….
- mouth-brooding (e.g., Aulonocara…)
December
none
January
open
open fish Guppies, (Fancy, Trinadadian...)
February
open
open fish Anabantids (e.g. Bettas, Gouramis, Paradise
March
open
open fish Mollies, Platies, Swordtails
April
open
open fish Characoids (Tetras, Hatchetfish, Silver Dollars...)
May
open
open fish My Favourite Fish (any type of fish)
June
none
none
none
My Favourite Fish
Family
Novice
Egg-layer
None - Due to Christmas Party
Non-Fish
Bowl Beautiful
Novelty Tank
Novice Livebearer
Pairs
None due to Awards Night
-
Funny Quips from Dad
Nature is truly breath-taking! I've sent this to most of my older friends. The
younger ones probably have never seen a falcon and wouldn't recognize it.
This may be us someday so keep this one!
When asked by a young patrol officer, "Do you know you
were speeding?" This 83-year-old woman gave the young officer
an ear to ear smile and stated:- "Yes, but .... I had to get there before I forgot where I was going." The officer put his ticket book
away and bid her good day. Makes perfectly good sense to me!!
Almost every day,
Stephen’s Dad sends
me e-mails about
funny things he’s
seen on the net.
Thanks for the
laughs Dad
London Aquaria Society
Page 13
Peacock Eels
http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/mix/peacockeels.php
The Peacock eel is also known as the Siamese Spiny Eel, and its scientific name is Macrognathus
siamensis. It belongs to the Family Mastacembelidae, the Spiny eel family. Just like many other eels,
the Peacock eel has an elongated body. Wild specimens often grow up to 30 centimeters long (12
inches), but in captivity the will often stay around 15 centimeters (6 inches). The Peacock eel has a
dark brown back and light brown flanks, while they belly is much lighter. You can see a fine yellow
line that runs from the snout and all the way to the caudal fin. At the dorsal and caudal fins the Peacock eel is decorated with five eye-spots. The colors and patterns will vary between geographically
separated populations.
The native environment for the Peacock eel is slow flowing and densely grown rivers and
streams in India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Sumatra and Malaysia. It is a bottom living creature that likes to
bury itself in silt, sand or fine gravel, and only display a small part of its head. It prefers to forage for
food at dusk. Wild Peacock eel will eat worms, crustaceans and larvae and keeping them on a similar
diet of live food in the aquarium is recommended. Live brine shrimp, blood worms, mosquito larvae
and cyclops are all good suggestions.
A small Peacock eel needs to be housed in an aquarium that is at least 61 centimeters long (24
inches) and has a volume of 75 liters (20 gallons). If your Peacock eel grows larger, you must move it
to a bigger aquarium. The water conditions in the aquarium should resemble those found in slow
flowing Southeast Asian rivers. You can add some salt to the water. The ideal pH is 7.0 and the ideal
dH is 10, but the Peacock eel will tolerate a pH between 6 and 8 and a dH in the 6 to 25 range. This
fish like warm waters so make sure that the temperature stays between 23 and 28° C (73 and 82° F).
The Peacock eel is commonly kept in community aquariums since it is a quite peaceful fish.
Avoid keeping it with small fishes, since they will be considered food. Similarly sized and peaceful fish
that appreciates the same water conditions as the Peacock eel are much better companions.
When the Peacock eel has been introduced to a new home, it is usually very shy and prefers to
stay hidden most of the time. If you provide it with an aquarium environment that makes it feel safe,
it can become very friendly over time. As mentioned above, the Peacock eel inhabits densely grown
waters, and keeping this fish in an aquarium
with plenty of plants is therefore recommended. Your Peacock eel will also appreciate
PVC pipes that it can hide inside, and sheltered
spots created by rocks, roots and wood.
As of 2006, there are no recorded instances of Peacock eel reproduction in aquariums. Distinguishing between male and female
Peacock eels can be a bit difficult, but the maA number of peacock eels hiding in the same spot.
ture female will have a plumper body.
Copyright www.jjphoto.dk
London Aquaria Society
Page 14
CAOAC Report
Sunday, January 18, 2015
COMMITTEES
AHD: No report.
ARCHIVIST: Paul will continue as archivist and Barry will ask if we can get
slides etc., from him to have them done digitally.
AWARDS: Newsletter submissions have been received. Achievement award applications must be received by February 8, 2015.
BINDER/GUIDELINES: The program list has been updated and so has the list of past awards recipients.
BREEDERS: Kitchener has made submissions and Terry Clements has received a first for a goby cichlid.
FAAS: No report/ no meeting.
FISH RESCUE: Ontario anglers and hunters have contacted Tom about redoing their fish rescue pamphlets. Tom still has several large fish that may need homes so if anyone is interested, please contact
him. (plecos and cichlids such as oscars and red devils)
FUTURES: No committee chair at this time.
JUDGES: Brian is currently updating his active judges list and he is looking into setting up a meeting
at the end of March. There are many things to address.
MEMBERSHIP: 3 clubs have dropped out of CAOAC, due to the clubs folding. Albert is still waiting
for at least 3 other clubs to get back to him regarding membership and /or insurance. Albert will be
sending our welcome packages to all clubs when he sends out the insurance information.
NEWSLETTER: Ann has done the same as the binder.
OPEN SHOW: Information is being compiled for awards which will be ordered in the spring.
PROGRAMS: No report.
STEERING:
elections.
Barry will not be available for the AGM but will have the slate prepared prior to the
WAYS & MEANS: Ed donated soup for us again this month and Ron donated crackers and home
made jellies. We started the meeting with $70.95, spent -$2.80, had +$8.01 donated, made +$32.00
from the raffle and made +$17.00 from the 50/50. We will start next month with $125.15.
WEBMASTER: Please see the website for the dates of upcoming events.
REMINDER: THE NEXT CAOAC MEETING WILL BE HELD ON FEBRUARY 8, 2015
London Aquaria Society
Page 15
CAOAC Meeting
Sunday, January 18, 2015
CLUB REPORTS
BETTA: they have a new Facebook page.
CALGARY: 76 members March 8 is their auction. Ann-Marie Towell did a
talk in January on planted tanks, she is anticipating that they will have a
talk about breeding fish in February. Ann-Marie will also be attending the Chicago Aquatic Experience Expo in March.
CHATHAM-KENT: no meeting held in January, next meeting is Sat Feb 14/15 speaker is TBA on their
website.
DURHAM: 79 members. January had CAROL and Jim Taylor talking about the invasive lion fish in
the Carribean. February has Jessica Bullock doing a talk about dwarf cichlids The auction will be held
in the Ajax Community Centre on April 12. On Feb 21 their annual dinner speaker will be Larry Johnson doing a talk on swimming with cichlids. The venue has changed. It will be held at the Mandarin
restaurant in Pickering. They will be involved with a pet expo in the spring and will get in touch with
us with details as soon as they are available.
HAMILTON: January Jessica Bullock did her talk on dwarf cichlids. In February Peter Desousa will
be doing a talk on killifish. Elections were held and there is no change in the executive. Their spring
show and auction will be held on Saturday, March 21/15. The LAS is sponsoring family livebearer
class. They are contemplating having a dinner speaker in November at a cost of 35.00 per ticket.
They have a new caterer because the one they had retired. Antoine Lamblois is the possible speaker.
Antoine speaks about West African cichlids.
KITCHENER: January Al Ridley did a talk, they had a mini show , they awarded their author of the
year. They are getting new people out due to Facebook.
LONDON: Our January meeting was supposed to have Tom Lam from Shrimp Fever, but unfortunately he was unable to attend. Instead everyone talked about how they got into the hobby, who
their mentors were, etc. There was some lively discussion. Even some of the newer members got involved.
Our 50/50 draw was won by one of our junior members, Tyler Zinn. Tyler won 27.50. We had a
very good sized auction, just over 60 items.
Our February meeting will have Bill Gibbons doing a talk.
Our spring auction will be held on Sunday, May 3, 2015.
OTTAWA: no report
PEEL: no report
SARNIA: no report
London Aquaria Society
Page 16
CAOAC Meeting
Sunday, January 18, 2015
CLUB REPORTS
CONVENTION 2015
Ken has made a proposal to raise money for the convention by charging for vendor tables and having people sponsor speakers, which would be $250.00 per talk.
The menu has been decided on and speakers have been organized.
The IBC has finalized their show classes and the list will be printed in our newsletter. They will have
3 judges and everyone will need to pre-register for the IBC show.
LAS is sponsoring the family livebearer class in the CAOAC portion of the show.
Rainbow Fish
Photograph courtesy G.R. Allen, WWF
Published June 27, 2011
New Guinea has some of the most beautiful freshwater fish found anywhere, including tiny and vibrantly
colored rainbow fish, according to WWF. Seven new
species of rainbow fish, including Chilatherina alleni
(pictured) were found in New Guinea during the ten-year
period.
"New 'Rainbow Glow' Jellyfish Found.")
Ergasilus
(gill maggots)
www.fish-disease.net/diseases/gill_maggots.php
Symptoms: Infected fish can be seen with
small maggots attached to the gills, gill plates, and inside the mouth. Severe
infestations can cause severe gill damage, emaciation, anemia, and even
death.
Cause: The crustacean Ergasilus.
Treatment: Treat the entire aquarium or pond with organophosphorus insecticides such as metriphonate. Medicate the aquarium (0.25 to 0.4 mg/L) for 7-10 days. Some fish, such as piranhas, are sensitive to this medication so treat them separately using potassium permanganate with 30 minute baths
for 7-10 days. It is important to improve your aquarium or pond's water quality, being careful not to
overfeed.
London Aquaria Society
Page 17
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The London Aquaria Society is a non-profit
organization, established in June 1956. Its
main objective is to promote interest in breeding and raising tropical fish and to provide a
means through which hobbyists may exchange
ideas, gain information and display their fish,
sharing them in the public in the London Area.
Advertising Rates
Business Card……………….……$25.00
1/4 page…………………….…….$40.00
1/2 page…………….…………….$75.00
Full Page…………………..……..$125.00
Rates apply for a year coverage totaling 10
issues of our Newsletter. Articles in this publication
may be reprinted provided full credit is given to the
Author, the London Aquaria Society and 2 copies of
the published bulletin or magazine in which the article appears, is to be mailed to:
London Aquaria Society
P.O. Box 45010, RPO Fairmont
London, Ontario N5W 1A3
London Aquaria Society
Page 18
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London Aquaria Society
Page 19
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London Aquaria Society
Page 20