the official publication of the bermuda fry

April/May 2011
FREE
FALSE SILVER TETRA
ISSUE 163
THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE BERMUDA FRY-ANGLE AQUARIUM SOCIETY
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3
resident’s
P O D I U M
We held our Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Friday 18th March at the Bermuda
Aquarium. The AGM allowed us to review the past year and prepare for the coming
year.
We reviewed and approved amendments to the Breeders Award Programme and those changes will be
published on the club website soon. Nyon earned enough total points (75) to get his ‘Breeder Award’
and also gained the most points in the year to be awarded ‘Breeder of the Year.’ With the requirement for
accompanying articles all but removed, it should be easier than ever for members to earn BAP points. David
Patterson has done an excellent job getting the programme back on track and he’ll be happy to visit your
homes to confirm fish spawns. Give him a call the next time you have a spawn to register!
The AGM always gives us an opportunity to recognize and thank key members for their participation during
the year, when we award the member of the Year trophy. Last year’s winner, Peter Marsh, was nominated
again for the many ways he keeps the club running (Editor, Webmaster, Secretary and an all around
committed member). Jeff Sousa also got a nomination this year for graciously taking on hosting duties for our
visiting speakers. When the votes were counted, I won by a nose and graciously received the Member of the
Year trophy for organizing club events. There are other members who help to keep the club running and we
appreciate everything that they do for the club.
Most of the elected officers were returned to the same positions. The only new office holder is David
Patterson who now takes on the Membership Coordinator role in addition to running the BAP.
There will be no meeting in April so the next gathering will be on Saturday 14th May at my home. The following
day, Sunday 15th, we will hold the Annual Home Show. We are expanding the Home Show this year to
encourage wider participation and to double your chances of winning a trophy. We will now have two classes
– one for Natural Aquariums and one for Designer Aquariums. So, even if you don’t have a live planted
‘Natural Aquarium’ you can enter your ‘Designer’ tank and show it off. There’ll be a trophy for the winner of
each class. We also encourage all members to come out for the afternoon, even if you won’t be entering a
tank. As an observer, you get to travel to the homes of participating members and see their aquariums. It’s
usually a fun day out!
We haven’t given up on having a plant auction – but the application process for an import permit is taking
much longer than in previous years. Importing aquatic plants is getting harder – and it was already difficult! I’m
hoping that we can get something in place for June.
So, start preening and pruning and get your best tanks ready for the show!
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NEXT MEETING:
Saturday May 14th, 2011 – 8pm
At the Craig Morfitt’s Home
Annual Home Show
Sunday May 15th, 2011
THE TEN BEST
REASONS TO JOIN!
1.
Expand your knowledge about
tropical fish keeping.
2. Meet & share experiences with
other hobbyists.
3. Auctions!
4. Annual Tropical Fish Show
5. Visiting speakers on a variety of
aquarium related topics.
6. Receive a monthly issue of Fish
Tales the Society’s newsletter, in
the mail.
7. Special events throughout the
year.
8. Join the Breeder’s Award
Program and compete for the
Breeder of the Year award.
9. Access to the Society’s Library.
10. Presentations by other members
on many interesting topics.
We’re on the Web!
www.fryangle.com
IN THIS ISSUE
Year in Review .................................................... 5
Member of the Year ............................................... 6
BAP in Review .................................................... 7
Going the Distance with Paratheraps synspilus .......... 8
Species Profile: Metriaclima estherae ...................... 11
Member Profile .................................................. 13
BAP Standings .................................................... 14
Member Profile
A couple of Month’s ago members were sent a form
for the members profile, to be completed and sent to
[email protected]. This will be an asset to members,
letting them know what fish are being bred and kept on
the island.
If you require the form again please let me know (pmarsh@
emoo.com). It only take s a couple
of minutes to fill out
Bermuda Fry-Angle Society
If you are inerested in joining the Bermuda Fry-Angle Society, just come along to our next meeting to see
what we are about. Meetings are held on the third Friday of every month at the Lecture Rooms, behind
the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum & Zoo, or contact Howard Paynter Sr., Membership Coordinator
at 292-3828(w) or email: [email protected]. He will be happy to provide any further information or
just sign you up. Application forms are also available at Noah’s Ark (just ask at cashier’s desk.) You can
also download an application form from our website: www.fryangle.com
Membership fees are $20 for the year, and payable to Bermuda Fry-Angle Aquarium Society.
BermudaFry-angleaquariumsociety
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A Year in Review
By Craig Morfitt, BFAAS
We started out the 2010-2011 year with a meeting
on Saturday 24th April that featured two speakers –
Spencer Jack and John Sabo from Canada. They
also donated a sizeable number of fish for auction
that they brought with them from Florida fish farms.
John volunteered to be the auctioneer and turned
up in a skin-tight Elvis costume! Our auctions are
renowned for pulling in large bids but this one was
different. With a large number of bags available and
only a handful of bidders, prices stayed fairly low,
with several bags going for the opening bid price. We
even had two bags that failed to reach the minimum
bid but we were able to sell them the next day via
e-mail to members who didn’t attend the meeting.
We had agreed to donate the proceeds of this
auction to the Stuart M. Grant Cichlid Conservation
Fund which is responsible for the placement of antinetting devices around the Maleri Islands in Lake
Malawi. Despite the low bidding, we still committed
to donate $1,000 to the fund.
On the following day, Sunday 25th April, we held the
Annual Home Show with Spencer and John doing
the judging. There were only four entrants in the show
– Robert Wheatley, Claire Wheatley, David Patterson
and Peter Marsh – but the quality of the displays was
very good. Robert emerged as the winner for his
beautiful planted aquarium.
In May, we said goodbye to a good friend and
valuable member. Klaus Gebhardt and his lovely wife
Joy left Bermuda to enjoy retirement after spending
two periods of residence in Bermuda. Klaus and Joy
had generously hosted many speakers at their home
over the years and were a huge loss to the club when
they left. Rather than holding a meeting in May, we
had a club dinner at the Little Venice restaurant so
that we could say farewell to Klaus and Joy. A small
group of members also contributed to a farewell gift
for Klaus – a cartoon depicting him and his aquarium
drawn by cartoonist Peter Woolcock.
Our June meeting featured a visiting speaker, as my
friend Warren Feuer travelled from New York to speak
on shell-dwellers from Lake Tanganyika. Attendance
at the meeting was sparse, despite having a speaker
and a fish auction. Following the low turnout and
bidding for the April meeting, this began to cause
some concern and was one of the factors that
caused us to develop a members survey. We wanted
to check-in with members to determine what they
wanted from the club and to see whether we could
do things better.
We did not hold a meeting in July, as several
members traveled to Milwaukee, Wisconsin for the
American Cichlid Association (ACA) Convention. ACA
members seemed happy to have a sizeable Bermuda
contingent at the convention again – particularly
when we served free Dark & Stormys throughout the
Babes Auction! The Babes appreciated our presence
too, as several high bids seemed to be fuelled by
too much rum, with one person frequently bidding
against himself!
The membership survey was conducted during July
and eleven members participated. I don’t think the
survey raised many surprises. It showed that visiting
speakers and fish auctions were still important issues
for the members. There was huge support for the
newsletter, but only half of those who responded
would be satisfied with an online version rather than a
printed copy. The survey did show that there was no
ideal day of the week for meetings, with preferences
being expressed for a variety of days. Fridays and
Saturdays seemed to get the most votes so we’ll try
to mix up meeting days rather than always having
them on Fridays.
We intended to hold a ‘Beer and Brats’ meeting
in August but many members indicated that they
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had other commitments, so it was cancelled. We
rescheduled and held the ‘Beer and Brats’ meeting
on 24th September.
I was traveling through Europe in October, so no
meeting was held. Our next gathering was for the
Annual Tropical Fish Show in November. Jeff Sousa
stepped forward to fill the void that was created by
the departure of Klaus, offering to host the judge/
speaker, Dave Smith from Louisville, Kentucky. We
are lucky to have members like Jeff, as we wouldn’t
be able to bring in many speakers if we had to pay
for hotel rooms. Dave did a good job with the judging
and also donated fish that we auctioned at the
awards night.
We had a total of 69 entries in the show. Of those,
over half were cichlids (36 entries). Participation by
juniors was up over previous years, with 19 entries
being entered by those under 16 years of age. I was
really pleased to see the increased level of juniors
participation and hope we can continue to improve in
this area.
Once again, Wendy and Stephen Corrado did very
well in the show, cleaning up seven of the fifteen
trophies that were up for grabs from the 19 fish that
they entered between them. But youngster Andre
Lambe showed that it wasn’t necessary to enter lots
of fish to land a big prize. Andre only entered a single
fish, a Green Terror that won him two trophies – Best
Cichlid by a Junior and Best in Show by a Junior.
Howard Paynter’s Geophagus brasiliensis came very
close to winning Best in Show for two successive
years – the fish was in the running but lost out by a
whisker to Wendy’s beautiful Vieja bifasciatus. Whilst
they didn’t win any trophies, it was good to see the
enthusiasm displayed by Toronte and Torleair Caines.
With our younger members in mind, we planned a
December event for a Saturday evening and an hour
earlier (7.00pm). It was to have been a social event
with a barbeque and the chance to see Nyon’s fish
room. We were also going to give away cichlid fry for
the Grow-Out Competition. As often proves to be the
case in December, most members had conflicting
appointments and were unable to commit to the
meeting. As a result, we cancelled the meeting.
We got 2011 off with a bang by bringing a speaker
all the way from Europe. Anton Lamboj is one of the
foremost authorities in the world on West African
cichlids so it was great to be able to bring him over
Member of the Year
RichaRdJ.caRd MeMoRial TRophy
From the inception of the Club, Craig was an indispensable and focal member. Over the
years, Craig’s significance to the Club has not diminished in any way. Craig is the glue that
holds the Club together and the thread by which we hang in the balance of existence. As
the serving President for the majority of the life of the Club Craig organizes the
monthly meeting and solicits the interest of overseas authorities with varied
notable knowledge and expertise within aspects of the aquarium hobby who
might want to come to Bermuda. Through Craig’s hard and diligent work
behind the scenes, members have been exposed to renowned experts and
very sort after speakers who not only expand our knowledge of the cichlidae
family but also bring with them rare and newly introduced fish in the hobby
that many of us would never have the means to obtain. With the varied
interests of the Club members when it comes to the types of fish and
aquarium aquascapes they keep, Craig constantly seeks to cater to the
needs of the Club members which he has been able to accomplish over the
years thus sustaining the Club. Year after year we (club members) show up
to meeting and enjoy the fruit of Craig’s labors. This year is no exception! It
is for these reasons that Craig was nominated and rightfully acknowledged
as Member of the Year. Congratulation Craig and continue the great work you do on
behalf of the Club, your efforts do not go unnoticed!
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from Austria. We scheduled two different meetings
during Anton’s visit. The first meeting was on Friday
21st January at the Bermuda Aquarium. The meeting
featured a presentation by Anton that gave an
overview of the various cichlids from West Africa.
Anton had also donated a very nice selection of fish
for auction and our members responded with some
strong bidding. We also had a number of Anton’s
books for sale that he graciously autographed. It was
nice to see our auctions back in full swing!
We followed up with another meeting the following
night, at Nyon’s home. Anton gave a presentation
on collecting fish in West Africa that complimented
the presentation from the previous night. We enjoyed
pizza, snacks and beers whilst getting to spend
some social time with Anton. Members also got to
see Nyon’s fish room.
Anton’s visit was made possible by Jeff who played
host for a week. Thanks Jeff!
We had hoped to hold a plant auction for the
February meeting. An order was placed but the
application process was delayed so the meeting was
cancelled. It was then hoped that the application
process could be completed in time to have the
plants here in time for the AGM, so that we could
have a plant auction at the same meeting. That
was not to be. The Plant Lab now appears to be
scrutinizing aquatic plant orders more closely. The
lab has reported that some aquatic plants have
invaded local habitats and may not be allowed in
further imports. Further, any plant that produces
seed may only be imported as seeds. It remains to
be seen which species will be allowed in and when
we might actually get the order.
I had intended to schedule the Home Show for
about two months after the February plant auction,
but the delayed order now throws that schedule out.
Currently, we have no speakers planned for 2011.
Plans will be made once we know whether (and
when) anyone can host the speakers.
by David Patterson, BAP Chairman
BAP
2010
in Review
This is my first year as the BAP Chairman and I am glad to take on the
responsibilities. With the help of club members I am proud to say the
BAP records are now up to date after many years. Changes to the
BAP rules have allowed 2010 to be a successful year for the Breeder
Award Program. Considering that the last registered spawn was in
’08, I’m pleased to report 13 registered spawns and the addition of
2 new members, Scott Dunstan and myself.
Out of the 13 spawns only 8 survived and 4 of them were added to the BAP fish list. The Parachromis
Dovii (Dow’s Cichlid), Australohero’s n. sp Red Ceibal (Centurian Cichlid), Pseudotropeus Demasoni and
Apistogramma Commbrae.
With 74 points this year and a total of 130 points, just 20 points shy to an Advanced Breeder Award, Nyon
has the honor of becoming this year’s Breeder of the Year award winner. He has also obtained his Breeders
Award trophy for exceeding 75 points. Congratulations Nyon!
2011 is already looking positive and we should have no problem exceeding 2010, 13 registered spawns.
So let’s dim the lights, set the mood and GET THOSE FISH SPAWNING!
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Reprinted from Greater City Aquarium Society’s Newsletter “Modern Aquarium”
Going the Distance
with
Paratheraps synspilus
by Dan Radebaugh
young green terror I was keeping in his (intended)
I don’t remember why I decided I wanted a synspilum.
new tank. Locking lips with the green terror (at least
I don’t think it was the name. It may have just been
twice his size), he seemed quite determined to “go
from seeing a picture and thinking, “Me want!” As
the distance,” so I netted him out, and made room
I recall, there was happenstance involved. I was
for him in a ten-gallon, where he stayed for several
perusing some of the forums I frequented at the time,
weeks, recovering his health and finnage. Since then,
looking for used tanks for sale locally. I found one, and
using some judgment with regard to his tankmates
when I contacted the seller, he asked me if I’d like a
has been de rigueur.
young synspilum for
a few extra dollars.
Until recently, most
I said, “Sure!” He
of his life with me
warned me that he
has been in solitary
had bought it to be
confinement, at
a show fish, but it
least as far as
had run afoul of a
other cichlids are
red terror and been
concerned. He has
seriously beaten up,
twice defeated tank
and he had some fear
dividers and killed
that it might not even
his neighbor (the first
survive, much less
was the green terror,
ever be suitable to
when I tried housing
show. He suggested
the two of them in a
we put off the
75 with a divider; the
exchange for about
second was a female
a week, so that he
synspilum whose
could be sure it would
company he mostly
Male on left, female on right
remain alive. Ever the
liked-maybe a little
agreeable customer,
too much.
I concurred, and a week or so later he drove by
The third victim was another-younger-female. By this
with the 55-gallon tank & stand, and a plastic bag
time I was doing better at constructing dividers, but
containing one young (maybe 2 inch) male synspilum
she somehow allowed herself to be cornered on the
without a single fin left on its body other than the
wrong side of the fence. Her sister (both obtained
dorsal. Even after the extra wait, I had serious doubts
from an online acquaintance in Tennessee) has been
that it would survive.
wiser. I’ve found with several of the Central American
Well, I found out pretty quickly that wounded or not,
cichlids, that lacking sufficient space, the males, even
he was still a warrior, as he immediately attacked a
at a young age, will harass the females quite literally
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9
Good fences make good neighbors
to death. No single, vicious attack, just constant
harrying. In a large enough tank, the female can avoid
being cornered, but without enough room to run, the
outcome is likely to be bad.
These two actually bonded when, as an experiment,
I put them in the 210 gallon tank. Sure enough,
the additional space took away a lot of the conflict
between the two, and she, seeing him assert himself
with the other fish, was impressed (Oh! You’re so
big and strong!). Even the 210 experiment had to be
interrupted for awhile, as he and my datnoid just, well,
clashed. The datnoid wanted to be the undisputed
ruler of the tank, the synspilum disagreed, and they
just wouldn’t let it go. Neither could quite prevail, but
one or the other would eventually tire and become
vulnerable, so back to the 75 he (and she) went.
Some months later I had occasion to try this again,
having moved some of my other tenants around. This
is part of keeping cichlids; they sometimes just decide
they don’t like so-and-so anymore, so changes have
to be made. Sometimes adding a hideout will do the
trick, but not always-or even often. This time there
was no belligerance at all expressed on the part of
either the synspilums or the datnoid (whew!), but now
my pair of Herichthys carpintis was also living in this
tank, and the two males occasionally decided that
this town wasn’t big enough for the both of them.
As with the datnoid, sometimes one would gain the
upper hand, and sometimes the other, necessitating
an intervention. So, back to the 75 and the divider,
where they again resided for a time.
For about the past year, the two had gone through all
the motions of preparing to spawn, but have never
quite consummated it. Finally, one day I came home
and Marsha said, “We have synspilum eggs!” I don’t
know what finally pushed them over the edge. I had
done a water change the night before, and with
the outside temperature in the 90s, their non-airconditioned room probably got pretty warm. Whatever
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the key, there she was, on “his” side of the divider,
hovering over an egg-covered piece of driftwood,
with him supervising from near by. Alas, the eggs
developed fungus, and were eaten.
As of this writing, the pair is back in the 210, taking
turns acting interested, but never seeming to be in
the mood at the same time. One new and surprising
development-if she’s “in the mood” and he isn’t, she
may turn the tables and impatiently chase him. Usually
though, he’s still the aggressor.
So what is P. synspilus like to keep, and is this male’s
psycho killer attitude normal? Well, a little background
is in order.
The “red-headed cichlid,” the “fire-head,” and the
“quetzal cichlid” are a few of the common names
for this fish (though I personally have never heard
them referred to as anything except synspilum).
More formally, they are also known as Cichlasoma
synspilum, exCichlasoma synspilum, Vieja synspila,
and, more currently, Paratheraps synspilus, as well
as other designators1. Sometimes you’ll see a double
“L,” used, as in Vieja synspillum. They’re native to
southern Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize. There are a
few other members of the Vieja genus (from the same
general part of the world) that look somewhat similar:
V. bifasciatus, V. fenestratus, V. guttulatum, and V.
maculicauda are a few examples, but to my eye none
of these shows such brilliant, electric coloration.
These fish are true omnivores. While they will eat small
fish if they happen upon them, their meaty tastes
seem to be satisfied by insects, small crustaceans,
and gastropods. Of all my current cichlids, these and
the uarus seem most to enjoy fruits and vegetables.
Beyond their staple diet of assorted pellets, as treats
they welcome a variety of choices: live mealworms,
freeze-dried krill, surplus snails, the occasional bug, as
well as tomato or cucumber slices, orange sections,
corn, peas, broccoli, etc. They will eagerly intercept
algae wafers intended for your bottom feeders, so be
sure a few get through to their intended consumers.
As to water, P. synspilus seems to be fairly flexible,
with an advertised pH range of 6.4 to 8, and
temperatures from the mid-70s to mid-80s2. Some of
their native range includes brackish water3. The main
concern with water is to be sure you have enough,
as these fish do grow. Maximum size for males
is between 14 and 17 inches, with females being
somewhat smaller.
Behavior can vary substantially depending on tank
size and tankmates. In smaller tanks (under a hundred
gallons) they tend to be very shy and want hiding
places, and will go to some lengths to provide one for
themselves. Mine have dug hideouts under a piece
of driftwood, where they’ve had to lie on their sides
between the bottom of the tank and the driftwood,
until I provided a more comfortable cave. Early on,
once I had finally assembled a divider that the male
couldn’t batter down, he was still somehow getting
to the other side, and we couldn’t figure out how he
was doing it, as he was careful to never make the
crossing while we were watching. We finally tricked
him into thinking we weren’t looking, and saw how
he maneuvered his body through the opening that I
thought was too small for him. Once moved into a
6-foot tank the shy behavior and desire for hideouts
instantly went away.
So what about the psycho killer thing? Well, I have
a theory. It’s based on a couple of observations,
plus some admittedly weakly-founded speculation.
At under three inches and badly beaten up, this
male was nevertheless intensely colored and highly
aggressive, whereas the two females I later purchased
were, at a larger size, still very faintly colored, and
it took them both several months to color up. The
male’s original owner had purchased him specifically
for show purposes. There are breeders, particularly
in the Far East, who are reputed to use a lot of
hormones to achieve quick growth and intense color.
I speculate that this fish could have originated with
such a breeder, and his hyperaggressiveness and early
intense color were possibly some fishy equivalent of
what in humans is sometimes called ‘roid rage. As I
say, it’s speculation. I don’t know enough about how
the hormones used for color enhancement affect fish
behavior, nor do I know where this fish originated.
Still...
Since becoming an adult, this male has mellowed
considerably. He is of course still no pushover, and
the female still needs either a divider or a large tank
in order to safely cohabit with him, but in a large
community tank he’s now a fairly solid, if assertive,
citizen, though if they do spawn in the large
(community) tank, I’ll be very watchful about the wellbeing of the other residents.
I’d also speculate that some of his occasional
harassment of the female is out of boredom. The other
evening, a guest walked near one end of the fish tank,
and the male immediately abandoned annoying the
female to go see what this stranger was up to. Cichlids
are, by reputation and my own observation, intelligent,
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11
curious fish, and I often wonder if I shouldn’t do more
to provide them with needed mental stimulation.
Like many other pets, in the absence of interaction
with their owners they will come up with their own
diversions, and not all of those will be positive. On the
more amusing side, one of the unusual games this fish
has invented for himself involves a concrete block and
swimming upside-down.
Referring to the concrete block in the picture on the
opposite page, he’ll swim from left to right (from our
view) just over the top of the block and next to the
front glass. When he clears the block he’ll point his
nose down, do a vertical U-turn and swim upsidedown back past the block but at center level, clear it,
and then return to normal orientation.
We haven’t been able to photograph this yet; when we
approach the tank with the camera he loses interest
in his game and pays attention to us. While a bit
frustrating, this does point up the fact that our fish, in
addition to providing us with interesting viewing, are
themselves often quite interested in viewing us. Simply
coming up to the tank, settling down and paying some
real (but relaxed) attention to them is a great way to
give them some stimulation, and at the same time
give ourselves some insights into their behavior and
welfare.
All in all, P. Synspilus is a very nice fish to keep if
you have sufficient tank space. Personable, ownerresponsive, easy to feed, and very colorful, P.
Synspilus really stands out in a tank. It is a large fish,
so keeping up with your water changes is important.
Though a moderately tough customer with other fish,
P. Synspilus is quite gentle with humans. A couple of
my other fish require me to remain aware of where
they are in relation to my hands and arms while I do
tank maintenance; that has never been an issue with
these fish.
Now if I can just get a successful spawn from them...
Photos by Marsha Radebaugh
http://fishbase.org/Summary/Species5ummary.
php?ID=12322
1
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.
php?id= 105
2
http ://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/results.
php?genus=2 17
3
Reprinted from Hill Country Cichlid Club’s
Newsletter “The Lateral Line”
Species Profile:
Metriaclima estherae
by Rohnda Pagan
The Metriaclima estherae is a beautiful cichlid that is
moderately aggressive. It is endemic to Lake Malawi
in Eastern Africa. Named after the late exporter
Stuart Grant’s wife Esther, it has a life span of 10
years.
The most colorful of these fish are found near Minos
Reef. In the wild the male appears to be blue or a
whitish-pink while the female is colored deep orange
or even red. It is typically found that in captivity the
male tend to be orange while the fe- males are not
as vibrant, looking lighter then the male. The male is
usually a little larger then the female as well. These
fish can reach up to 5 inches (12.5 cm) in length.
Metriaclima estherae is a maternal mouth brooder
(females carry their eggs in an appendage of the
mouth called the buccal cavity) as are all Lake
Malawi mbuna cichlids. Gestation time for this
brood is usually 21 days give or take a few days
depending on temperature. A brood of 20-35 is an
average size and mom will take care of her brood
for another two weeks once she re- leases them. If
you are planning on breeding or keeping these fish,
1 male is recommended for 3-5 females. Mothers
should be removed from the community tank when
brooding is noticed. It is good practice to remove
only after you are sure she has been holding for at
least 4 days to ensure she will not prematurely spit
her larvae. Mom should be left with her young for at
least the first week so that she may eat before being
returned to the community tank where she is likely to
spawn again. She may eat while car- rying if she is
experienced, holding several previous broods. She
will need time to eat and regain strength after three
weeks of not eating. During the process of holding
her young, mom will most likely not eat.
These cichlids are omnivores. In our aquari- ums,
they will eat just about anything. They love algae as
well as a good flake food or pel- let. It is strongly
recommended to feed these cichlids a green
BermudaFry-angleaquariumsociety
found near
ppears to12be
male
It
he
ghter
a
ateral Line
During the process of holding her young,
mom will most likely not eat.
Fishtales
A 25-33 percent water change
should be done weekly. Keep filters
clear of debris and change HOB
(hang on back) filter media at least
once every 4-6 weeks. Keep a 4
inch square of the old filter media
(not rinsed out) to place with the
new filter media to en- sure safe
biosphere. This is good practice for
all aquarium species.
Page 13
Most other moderately aggressive
Malawian cichlid can be placed
in the aquarium
with Metriaclima
cichlids
you choose
for
estherae that are of equal size.
se fish or giving them high protein sources
Whatever African
h as beef heart or live food on a regular bayour tank should be eating the same food,
Whatever African cichlids you
Their intestines are very long and curvy
have the same aggression
level,
choose for
your and
tank require
should be
vegetable 1-2 times a Photo
week. This
can consist
of
by
Evan
Bowers
eating
the
same
food,
have
the
same
aggression
digestion
can
slow
down
considerably.
In
the
same
water
values.
Some
cichlids
that do
Lake
zucchini slices, romaine lettuce or even squished
level, and require the same water values. Some
fish
is referred
totoasstay
theaway
"bloat"
or
Be careful
from greens
lowwell with the Metriaclima estherae are Pseuime world
for fresh
thisitpeas.
These cichlids are omnivores. In our cichlids
aquari-that do well with the Metriaclima estherae
in nutrients such as iceberg lettuce or celery. M.
alawi
bloat".
This
disease
is
one
of
the
most
dotropheus
kenyi,
Melanochromis
johanni,
are Pseudotropheus
kenyi, Melanochromis
e a few estherae alsoums,
needthey
their daily
proteinanything. They
willamounts
eat justofabout
johanni,
Labidochromis
caeruleus
(yellow
mmon
African
can Two to Labidochromis caeruleus (yellow lab), Pseuwill come
from acichlids
good flakeand
or pellet.
brood issues
ofwhich
20- with
love
algae
as
well
as
a good
flake food
orPseudotropheus
pellab),
crabro (bumble bee),
feedings
a day is
recommended.
should dotropheus crabro (bumble bee), Melanoatal.
isthree
not
contagious
however
moreOne
than
take It
care
of
Melanochromis
cyaneorhabdos
(Mainganos),
recommended
take speciallet.
careItin is
notstrongly
over feeding
these fish or to feed these
Aulonocara
species
(Peacocks),
Scianochromis
fish
can
get
sick
from
it
at
a
time
in
the
chromis
cyaneorhabdos
(Mainganos),
Aulonoce she regiving them cichlids
high protein
such as beef1-2
heart
a sources
green vegetable
times aahli
week.
(Blue Ahli), Pseudotropheus socolofi, and the
or or
live food on a regular ba- sis. Their
mebreeding
aquarium.
This
zucchini slices, romaine
intestines are
very can
long consist
and curvyof
and
mendeddigestion
for
can
slow
down
considerably.
lettuce
or even squished
fresh peas. Be careful
aquarium
should
be itofis adequate
size
In the
fish world
referred to as
the
moved from
toAstay
away
from
greens low in nutrients such
“bloat”
or “Malawi
bloat”.
This
disease
these little
beauts.
Thirty
gallon
is noticed.
is one of theas
most
common
issues
iceberg
lettuce or celery. M. estherae also
arium iswith
the minimal
recommended
cichlids
and can be fatal.
fter you areAfrican need
their
daily
amounts of protein which will
is not contagious
however
more
for 3-5ItMetriaclima
estherae.
The
st 4 daysthan
to one fishcome
get
sick from
it at flake
a
from
a good
or pellet. Two to
peraturetime
should
becan
between
75F
and
in the same aquarium.
t her larvae.
threethe
feedings
. For infantile juvies,
temp a day is recommended. One
The aquarium should be of adequate
for at least
should
takedegrees.
special care in not over feeding
uld be between
78F
and
82f
size for these
little
beauts.
A Thirty
gallon
aquarium
is the minimal
monia and
nitrites
should
always be
recommended size for 3-5 Metriaclima
ppm (parts
per The
million)
and nitrates
estherae.
temperature
should be
between
75F
and
80F.
For
infantile
uld always be at their lowest, usually
Pseudotropheus sp. “ice blue” (Red Top Ice Blue).
juvies, the temp should be between 78F and 82f
Photo
Evan
und 10-15.
The
value
of
pH
should
These
are allby
great
fishBowers
to start your aquarium out
degrees. Ammonia and nitrites should always be at 0
with,
they
all
can
hold
their
own aggression wise, and
ppm
(parts
per
million)
and
nitrates
should
always
be
n the rage of 7.6-8.6.
cara species (Peacocks), Scianochromis ahli
they all basically eat the same thing. These Malawian
at their lowest, usually around 10-15. The value of pH
cichlids,
with Metriaclima
estherae,
willthe
should be in the rage of 7.6-8.6.
(Blue
Ahli), coupled
Pseudotropheus
socolofi,
and
re should be lots of hiding areas in the
display a myriad of coloration rivaling any salt water
sp. "ice blue" (Red Top Ice
There should be lots of hiding areas in the aquariumPseudotropheus
reef!
arium whether
it be caves, plants, rocks or
whether it be caves, plants, rocks or even pvc piping.
Blue). These are all great fish to start your
n pvc piping. A 25-33 percent water change
BermudaFry-angleaquariumsociety
aquarium out with, they all can hold their own
uld be done weekly. Keep filters clear of
Fishtales
13
ME M B E R PR O F I L E
name:Scott Dunstan
age
40
howmanyyearshaveyouBeenkeepingtropicalFish?
Since I was a kid
howlonghaveyouBeenamemBeroFtheFry-anglesociety?
2 years? Maybe 3
howmanyaquariumsareyoucurrentlyrunningandwhatsizesarethey?
I’m running 10 tanks at the moment, Sizes are 75 gallon, 29 gallon, 40 gallon 33 gallon, 29 gallon,
20 gallon, 20 gallon, 10 gallon, 30 gallon (outside), 125 gallon (outside)
whattype(s)oFFishareyoukeeping?
Apistogramma Combrae / Panda Apistos / platties / geophagus / discus / various community fish
and also some cherry shrimp and algae eating shrimp
whatareyourFavouriteFish(typeorspecies)andwhy?
I really like the apistogramma’s. I also picked up some West African’s Benitochromis Finleyi which I
really like, for a small cichlid they have a light of fight
haveyouhadsuccessingettingyourFishtoBreed?
If so, what species have you had spawn? Yes I have had both the Panda Apistos and Combrae breed
and I have also had several spawns of discus which I really enjoy. Ive had tons of platties breed and
I also had the geophagus spawn but unfortunately something happened in the outside pond I had
them in and I lost all but 1 fish… it was a sad day
areyoumaintainingalive-plantedaquarium?
iFso,whatequipmentareyouusingandwhattypeoFplantsdoyoucurrentlyhave?
All of my tanks have live plants in them but my 75 has the most equipment in it. I run 4 54 watt bulbs
on a timing system for 10 – 12 hours a day, CO2 system with external reactor and electronic bubble
counter (best thing ever!!!) I have a slight plant addiction right now, I currently have:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Crypts (a few different types)
anubias (a few different types)
Amazon swords
Argentinian swords
Round leaf sword (not sure of the name)
Numberous stem plants
Some bulbs, aponegeton / lilly (tiger lilly)
vallisneria
Java fern, java moss
I enjoy having different types of plants in fact I recently purchased a tank to start grown plants in
pots so that I can keep more than just what’s in my tanks…
doyoumaintainanoutdoorpond?
If so, what size is it and what type of fish are in it? I have 1 outdoor pond which is a 30 gallon flower
pot I sealed and currently have some lilly’s and a few gold fish in it. The pond is mainly for the
Continued on next page
purple lilly’s I have in them.
BermudaFry-angleaquariumsociety
14
Fishtales
doyouhaveanyFavouriteaquariumBooks?iFso,whatarethey?
I really like South American Dwarf Cichlids (Aqualog Book Vol 1.) and I also really enjoy a book I just
picked up at the last fish auction The Cichlid Fishes of Western Africa as there is a ton of great fish in
both books. Makes me want to get more tanks!
whatFry-angleaquariumsocietyactivitiesdoyouenjoythemost?
I have only been to one AGM so hard to say but I do enjoy talking to other members about there fish
and learning about new fish. David Patterson and Robert Wheatley were also a huge help when I
started doing my planted a few years ago.
haveyouparticipatedinanyoverseasactivitiesrelatedtotheFishhoBBy(conventions,collectingtrips,visitstoFish
Farms,etc).
iFso,couldyoutellusaBoutthem?
No but I would like to some day.
whatwouldyousaytosomeonewhokeepsFishinBermudaButisn’tamemBeroFtheFry-angleaquariumsociety?
The club is a great way to meet people with similar interests and learn more about the hobby. I
honestly think I enjoy the hobby more now that I’m a member as you learn so much more about the
fish you keep as well as new fish from visiting speakers.
BAP Standings
Jeremy Lodge (Senior Breeder) ..............486
Scott Dunstan ...........................................33
Craig Morfitt (Advanced Breeder) ...........229
Justin Wall.................................................28
Chris Roy (Advanced Breeder) ...............210
Toronte Caines ..........................................18
Nyon Steede (Breeder Award) ................130
Eric Hirschberg .........................................18
David Terceira(Breeder Award) ...............119
David Patterson ........................................15
Stephen Decouto(Breeder Award) ..........114
Simon Onabouale .....................................13
Jeffrey Porter (Breeder Award)..................78
Carol Terceira ............................................13
Paul Archer ...............................................35
Klaus Gerbhardt ........................................10
Wendy Corrado .........................................30
To register your spans please contact:
David Patterson at 704-4448 or email: [email protected]
Need more information on Your Fish or Plants?
Well check out our library, we have some great books for you to
borrow and its free to members.
Call Carol at 236-1533 Mon-Fri between 9:30 & 6pm
A complete list is available on our web site: www.fryangle.com
BermudaFry-angleaquariumsociety
BERMUDA FRY-ANGLE AQUARIUM SOCIETY
Executive Committee
President
Vice President
Treasurer
Secretary
Elected Officers
Librarian
BAP Chairperson
Newsletter Editor
Webmaster
Membership Coordinator
Craig Morfitt
Nyon Steede
Nyon Steede
Peter Marsh
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Carol Terceira
David Patterson
Peter Marsh
Peter Marsh
David Patterson
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Society Membership
Membership to the Bermuda Fry-Angle Aquarium Society is open to
any resident of Bermuda who has an interest in tropical fish. The annual
membership fee is $20. The Society’s financial year runs from April 1st
to March 31st.
Meetings are held on the third Friday of every month. Meeting place is
the Lecture Rooms, behind the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum & Zoo.
Occasionally meetings are held elsewhere. Check the “meeting” column
in this newsletter for details of upcoming meetings.
If you would like further information please contact:
David Patterson at 704-4448
or email: [email protected]
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IDEAS!
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welcomed!
We welcome contributions
to Fish Tales, including
articles, comments, book
or equipment reviews,
letters, crosswords,
puzzles etc.…
Any contributions should
be sent to
PETER MARSH
P.O. BOX HM 744
HAMILTON HM CX
or
Email:
Reprint Policy
[email protected]
Unless otherwise stated, articles appearing in Fish Tales have been
written by local (Bermuda) authors. These articles may be reprinted.
Should another aquarium society decide to reprint an article we ask that
they provide us with two copies of the publication containing the re-print
(one copy for the author, one copy for our Society). We will abide by the
same conditions when re-printing articles from other publications.
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PRESIDENT, CRAIG MORFITT
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LOCALLY PRINTED MATERIAL
NEXT MEETING:
Saturday May 14th, 2011 – 8pm
At the Craig Morfitt’s Home
Annual Home Show
Sunday May 15th, 2011