Modern Aquarium October 2009

October 2009volume XVInumber 8

Friday, Saturday & Sunday October 23-25, 2009

Lyndhurst Elks Club, 251 Park Avenue, Lyndhurst, NJ 07071 See www.njas.net for directions and auction rules

Come spend the weekend with New Jersey’s largest Tropical Fish Club. Weekend includes a fish show on Saturday only, & a huge tropical fish, plant & dry goods auction on Sunday

only. Vendors, Silent Auction, Food & Drinks available both days.

*** Free admission *** Open to the Public ***

For more information, visit us on the web at www.njas.net or call our hotline 732-541-1392, or call: Kevin Carr (201-724-9460)

FISH SHOW:

Friday, October 236:00 – 9:00p.m. . . . . . . . . . . Entry Registration

Saturday, October 249:00 – 11:00 a.m. . . . . . . . . . Entry Registration10:00 a.m. . . . . .Doors open for public viewing6:00 p.m. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Judging 9:00 p.m. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Winners announced

Sunday, October 252:00 p.m. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Show fish removed

Show Entry Fee: $2.50 per entry

Cash prizes & trophies will be awarded!1st prize = $25.002nd prize = $10.003rd prize = $ 5.00

FISH AUCTION:

Sunday, October 259:00 – 11:00 a.m. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lot Registration10:00 a.m. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Public Viewing of Lots11:30 a.m. . . . . . . . . . .Presentation of Show Awards12:00 p.m. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Auction Starts

Bidder Cards $2.00 for NJAS & NEC members; $5.00 for non members

Visit www.njas.net for auction rules and registration forms

NJAS Learning Corner Hands-on demonstrations of basic fish

keeping & keeping plants Continuous video presentation viewing of

informative programs Access to NJAS expert breeders for Q&A

ON THE COVER

Our cover photo this month features a male Poecilia velifera (the Yucatan, or sailfin molly), a longtime favorite in the aquarium hobby. For more information, see Sue Priest’s article, “My First Favorites,” on page 8. Photo by Alexander A. Priest

GREATER CITY AQUARIUM SOCIETY

Board MeMBers

President Dan RadebaughVice-President Mark SobermanTreasurer Jack TraubCorresponding Secretary Warren Feuer Recording Secretary Edward Vukich

MeMBers at Large

Claudia Dickinson Pete D’OrioArtie Friedman Al GrusellBen Haus Emma HausLeonard Ramroop

CoMMittee Chairs

A.C.A. Delegate Claudia DickinsonBowl Show Leonard RamroopBreeder Award Warren Feuer Mark SobermanEarly Arrivals Al GrusellF.A.A.S. Delegate Alexander PriestMembers/Programs Claudia DickinsonN.E.C. Delegate Claudia DickinsonTechnology Coordinator Warren Feuer

MODERN AQUARIUM

Editor in Chief Dan RadebaughCopy Editors Sharon Barnett Susan Priest Alexander A. PriestExchange Editors Stephen Sica Donna Sosna SicaAdvertising Mgr. Mark Soberman

In This IssueFrom the Editor

2G.C.A.S. 2009 Program Schedule

3 President’s Message

4Butkiss, the 41-Year-Old Pacu

5My Favorite Aquarium Plant

7Ludwigia repensby Stephen Sica

My First Favorites 8by Susan Priest

MA Classics 11Soft Water for Breeding Fish

by P. Hartman

On the Road 13The Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery & Aquarium

by Dan Radebaugh

Our Generous Members 14

My Adorable Goldfish Pond 15by Jannette Ramirez

The 2008 FAAS Publication Awards 17

The Undergravel Reporter 22

G.C.A.S. Happenings 23

Fin Fun (Puzzle Page) 24

Series III Vol. XVI, No. 8 October, 2009

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)2 October 2009

From theEditor by Dan Radebaugh

We have a couple of member favorites in this issue. Steve Sica tells us about his current favorite aquarium plant, while Sue Priest reveals her first favorite fish, and Jannette Ramirez describes an adorable goldfish pond.

The Undergravel Reporter tells us about another popular aquarium plant. He won’t say whether it’s his favorite, but he does tell us about a possible new, non-aquarium use for it. Meanwhile, I chip in another “On the Road” installment, and we have the second in our “MA Classics” series, this one telling us about an inexpensive, low-tech way to obtain soft water for some of our favorite fussy fish. We end the issue with a special Fin Fun puzzle for those of you whose favorite fish come from Lake Tanganyika!

Also in this issue, you will find the listing of winners of the 2008 FAAS Publication Awards. For our readers, I’ll point out in advance that each author in this issue of Modern Aquarium (of course excluding MA Classics) won at least one award in this competition, and we had a strong showing in the “Author of the Year” category.

Congratulations to all our authors! Thank you for your contributions! Keep up the great work!

Remember, if you have an article, photo, or drawing that you’d like to submit for inclusion in Modern Aquarium, it’s easy to do! You may fax it to me at (877) 299-0522, email it to [email protected], or just hand it to me at a meeting. However you get it to me, I’ll be delighted to receive it!

Well, here we are in October. Kids are back in school, the subways and buses are crowded, baseball is ending, and

football is beginning. Coincidences do sometimes play a role in putting a magazine like this together, and the other day Joe Ferdenzi forwarded me an article from a Web site about a fish whose owner named it (though with a slight spelling change) after Dick Butkus, the great former Chicago Bears linebacker. OK, so maybe the football season thing is a bit of a stretch. Still, the added attraction for me is that the fish resides at Cameo Pet Shop, which most of us know well. Cameo has been a long-time advertiser and supporter of Greater City, so I just had to get the article in, even at the “last minute.”

We received lots of positive comments about last month’s cover photo of Neolamprologus similis, taken by new GCAS member Jules Birnbaum’s granddaughter, Alexandra Horton. Well, with all that fuss, we just had to have her back for an encore, so down below this you’ll see a picture of (rather than by) Alexandra as she relaxes with her issue of Modern Aquarium.

Articles submitted for consideration in Modern Aquarium (ISSN 2150-0940) must be received no later than the 10th day of the month prior to the month of publication. Please fax to (877) 299-0522, or email to [email protected]. Copyright 2009 by the Greater City Aquarium Society Inc., a not-for-profit New York State corporation. All rights reserved. Not-for-profit aquarium societies are hereby granted permission to reproduce articles and illustrations from this publication, unless the article indicates that the copyrights have been retained by the author, and provided reprints indicate source and two copies of the publication are sent to the Exchange Editor of this magazine. Any other reproduction or commercial use of the material in this publication is prohibited without express written prior permission.The Greater City Aquarium Society meets every month, except January and February. Members receive notice of meetings in the mail. For more information, contact: Dan Radebaugh (718) 458-8437. Find out more, or leave us a message, at our Internet Home Page at: http://www.greatercity.org or http://www.greatercity.com

Our cover photographer last month, talented 13-year old Alexandra Horton, admiring her copy of Modern Aquarium.

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY) October 2009 3

GCASPrograms2009

It is our great fortune to have another admirable cast of speakers who have so graciously accepted our invitation to join us throughout the coming season, bringing us their extensive knowledge and experiences. You certainly won’t wish to miss a moment of our prominent

guests, not to mention the friends, fish, warmth, and camaraderie that accompanies each meeting. I know I can barely wait to see you here!

Claudia

November Joseph FerdenziHistory of the GCAS

December Holiday Party!

January Winter Break

February Winter Break


When Marsha and I were in Tampa a few months ago we visited the Lowry Park Zoo. Unfortunately, the boat ride up the Hillsborough River wasn’t running that day, so our visit lacked much in the way of fish focus. There was just one small bridge over a stream running through the black bear enclosure that had a fish-feeding station, where a huge mob of turtles and fish (I couldn’t really tell, but they looked a lot like tilapia) waited expectantly for the manna to fall.

What was different here was that in their Manatee hospital and recuperation pool they were keeping what looked like a collection of cast-offs from unwise aquarists. There were a few arawanas, a couple of peacock bass, a red-tail catfish, and a lot of big pacus. I didn’t take the time to hunt down anyone and ask if this was a deliberately planned program, but I certainly intend to find out, and to praise them for “thinking out of the box” (assuming that’s what they’re doing).

On a more immediate note, I’d like to thank Warren Feuer for picking up the ball so quickly to fill our unexpected speaker vacancy this evening. I’m looking forward to Warren’s presentation.

The Society has the need to fill a couple of positions of responsibility. If you’d like more information, or to be considered for nomination, please see or call me, or any member of the Board (check the Contents page of Modern Aquarium for the list of Board members).

Happy Fishkeeping!

President’sMessage

by Dan Radebaugh

The first thing that springs to mind this month is occasioned by the article on the opposite page. First of all, it reminds us

of some of the reasons we’ve had such a good relationship with Cameo Pet Shop for so many years. Not only have they been steadfast friends and supporters of GCAS, but, as this article illustrates, they act responsibly toward the creatures that we fishkeepers cherish. Not every pet shop in town would take back a large fish like this, and keep feeding it for forty years.

While it’s gratifying that this case had a happy outcome, not all such cases do, and the result has become a real problem for the hobby. The frequency of bad endings to stories like this points up the joint responsibility―of both the fishkeeper and the shop owner―of ensuring that the prospective fishkeeper can actually take care of the fish he (or she) is planning to buy. The fishkeeper should have at least some idea of the nature of the fish he/she plans to buy. What does it eat? How large will it grow? Does it like company, or does it “want to be alone?” The shopkeeper should be sure his customer has the answers to these basic questions before the purchase is consummated.

I realize that from a sales point of view (just keep the register jingling), this seems counter-productive. They should tell customers not to buy their fish? Well, yes! I would argue that an informed customer is a better customer. Take the classic scenario: New customer (or new customer’s kid, spouse, or acquaintance) buys an Oscar/goldfish/pacu/catfish, and a goldfish bowl or other unsuitably small home for the species in question. Nothing is said, the sale is made, and in a couple of weeks or months the fish dies, and the customer figures that this fishkeeping stuff is just not working out. So now, instead of having that customer return for years of fish food, supplies, more fish, more tanks, et cetera, all he’s made is a couple of bucks on an “introductory special” tank, and maybe five dollars worth of fish. This is good business?


ButtkissThe 41-Year-Old Pacu

Cameo Petshop, well known to many of you as a long-time supporter of Greater City Aquarium Society, recently gained some celebrity on Pawnation.com by way of this story about Butkiss, a black pacu. From: http://www.pawnation.com/2009/10/01/buttkiss-the-41-year-old-pacu/

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Buttkiss, a 20 lb. black Pacu (related to the Piranha), has been living in the same Queens pet shop since the

Summer of Love. That’s right, he was born in 1967, and 41 years later he’s still going strong. Why is this so special? The average life expectancy of a Pacu is 2 to 20 years -- so pet shop owner Steve Gruebel must be the reigning king of Pacu care!

In 1968, Buttkiss was sold to a man named Kurt Emerick. At the time, the fish was only about two inches long but soon grew to be much bigger and became very aggressive. Emerick wasn’t so psyched when the Pacu started knocking things over in his fish tank, so he returned him to the pet shop, where Gruebel named him after linebacker Dick Butkus. (Gruebel likes to spell it Buttkiss.)

Gruebel has been working at the Cameo Pet Shop in Queens, New York for 47 years. He now owns the shop that originally belonged

to his wife’s father, and Buttkiss has been there pretty much since the beginning. “He’s my mascot,” Gruebel tells Paw Nation.

Buttkiss even does tricks. He comes to Gruebel’s hand because he knows that’s where the grub comes from. (Okay, so maybe it’s not the most impressive trick, but the fish is elderly! Cut him a break!) When asked if Butkiss bites, Gruebel laughs, “Well, I stick my hand in there all the time to clean the cage [sic] and he just goes and lays in the corner.”

Asked if Gruebel has done anything special to keep Buttkiss around so long, Gruebel says, “No, just feed him 20 goldfish every day, every other day depending.” So why has Buttkiss lived so long? Gruebel shrugs, “I don’t know.” And the mysteries of longevity continue...

Photo: Gothamist


The G.C.A.S.

Proudly extends a most Warm Welcometo

Our Guest Speaker

Warren FeuerSpeaking on

Shelldwellers of Lake Tanganyika


Whenever I peruse books and magazines, I always admire the exotic-looking plants. Of course, with my limited skills and modest

budget, there is no way that I could ever cultivate one of these beautiful plants, much less keep it healthy or possibly even alive for very long. My primary rules of thumb when it comes to an aquatic plant are: it should look good, it should be inexpensively priced, and it should be easy to keep alive and healthy. An added bonus would be leaves of red color.

One day recently, I was inspecting a local pet shop when I spotted an inexpensive red plant labeled simply “Ludwigia.” My initial instinct was to research it in my plant books, but I was fearful that everyone else who saw the plant would instantly be attracted to it and purchase every last one before I was in the neighborhood again. This was foolish, but sometimes I just can’t help myself! So I purchased two plants and transferred them to a twenty gallon long so they would receive plenty of light from twin T-5 bulbs. To avoid algae I keep the light on for only four plus hours each day. But as you know, any red plant slowly loses its color when it doesn’t receive sufficient light. Anyway, I took several photos of the plants for this article, and researched several sources on the internet for some information about it, and so far they seem to be holding up.

Some common names that refer to this plant are red leaf ludwigia, red repens, and water primrose. The plant is native to tropical regions of North and Central America, and, less frequently, South America. Some aqua-botanists feel that it is a good plant for beginners, because it adapts to almost any environment and is easy to maintain. It has a fast growth rate, and reaches a height between 12 to 20 inches, with a width of two or three inches, depending upon leaf growth. It is suitable as a mid-to-background plant, and is most effective when planted in large groups. For lighting, it requires from two to five watts per gallon, so it should do well in medium to high lighting. Optimal growth

temperature is between 75 to 79 degrees F, but it can grow in much lower temperatures. It is recommended that the water’s pH range be from 5.5 to 7.5 (I have not tested the pH in any of my tanks for years).

Opinions range from a very easy to grow stem plant to very difficult! Most sources agree that when it has enough light―at least three watts per gallon―the plant is stunning, with striking dark red leaves and stalk. The lower leaves tend to fall off with insufficient lighting, so if this happens to your plant either upgrade the lighting or keep it on longer. I later put a second pair of plants in the front of an eight gallon aquarium

illuminated by two compact fluorescent bulbs of 18 watts each. The light is on for only three hours each day, and the lower leaves fell off the plant within one month. The remaining plants in this tank are easy growers, so I refuse to keep the lights on longer for fear of growing algae.

Ludwigia repens reproduces when fully mature. You can break off

the top and plant it in the substrate. The remaining stem will grow several side shoots. In nature, or in the hands of a competent aquarist, a mature plant will develop small, vibrant yellow flowers above the water’s surface. Seeds will develop and drop to the substrate to begin to grow into a new plant. Some growers insist that CO2 and iron-rich fertilizers will benefit the plant. This seems to makes sense.

No matter what the size of your aquarium, a well-placed group of Ludwigia repens will be really eye-catching. I’m sure your fish will like it too!

MY FAVORITE AQUARIUM PLANT

Ludwigia Repensby Stephen Sica

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)8 October 2009Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY) October 2009 5

by Susan Priest

Mollys weren’t my first fish, but they weremy first favorite fish! Very early in mycareer as a fishkeeper, I fell under the

spell of these beauties. It was one of those rareinstances of “love at first fin.” I’m not sure whichspecies of molly was responsible for this romance.It was either Poecilia latipinna or Poecilia velifera.When translated into English, Poecelia latipinnameans “speckled wide fin.” You may know thisfish as the sailfin molly. The Poecilia. velifera iscommonly known as the Yucatan molly (namedfor the location where it resides in nature, whichis Yucatan, Mexico). Due to its large dorsal fin,the P. velifera is often called a “sailfin” as well.

I am writing this article so that if you, too,should become spellbound by these beautiful fish,you will be prepared with the basic informationneeded to provide them with a suitable aquariumenvironment. It presumes that you will be startingout with a thorough understanding of the nitrogencycle.

Throughout this article I have chosen to spellthe common names of Poecilia latipinna andPoecilia velifera as “molly,” and not “mollie.”Both spellings are used in equal measure by peoplewriting about these fish. This was not a randomchoice on my part. I decided to spell molly as it isdone so in the definitive reference work, theBaensch Aquarium Atlas.

Proximity

Beginning aquarists will probably encounterwhat I did at the time. When they are shopping fortropical fish, they will most likely find mollies nextto (and maybe even in the same tank with) otherlivebearers such as guppies, platys, and swordtails.Consequently, they may assume (as I did) that fishon display together will happily co-exist in thesame aquarium.

Close proximity of a variety of differentspecies of fishes in a store does not mean that theyall have the same needs and preferences. All thisreally means is that the store does not have enoughtank space to spread them out, and enough time toprint out some basic directions for their care. It isa lucky fish which gets taken home very quicklyby a knowledgeable aquarist, or by one who iswilling to do their homework.

Native Americans

As used by aquarists in this country, the term“native fish” refers to a fish which is native toNorth America. P. latipinna, being native to thecoastal as well as estuarial waters ranging westfrom North Carolina to Northeastern Mexico, fallinto this category. If you have ever said toyourself “I would like to keep some native fish,”you may have already done so!

Think High

When you are caring for mollys, you need tothink high. A high degree of hardness (dGH of 11-30), and a high level of pH (7.5 to 8.5) are basicrequirements. I accomplish both of these byincorporating a layer of dolomite inside their boxfilter. Also, a higher temperature than most ofyour aquariums (78E-82EF) is optimal for thesefish.

Think Green

When meal time comes around, your mollieswill need something green on their plate. Fry andjuveniles need about two-thirds protein (small livefoods are best), and one-third greens. The larger amolly gets, the higher the percentage of greens itwill require. Many chroniclers recommend feedingthem things like spinach or peas. Mollies will notconsume the full portion of these foods, therebyfouling the tank with “leftovers.” Their waterbeing at a higher than usual temperaturecompounds this problem.

Your best bet is to feed them commerciallyprepared fish foods with a high vegetable content(read your labels). Tank-bred mollies will take tothem with no problem. Spirulina flakes are anoptimum choice. They can be crushed as small asnecessary for the fry, and fed straight from thecontainer to the adults. As with all fish, be carefulnot to overfeed.

Sodium Chloride

A controversial topic among aquarists whokeep mollies is whether or not to add salt to theiraquariums. Having read many opinions on thissubject, I feel confident in extracting a generalconsensus. Basically, the most frequentlyrecommended practice is to add a small amount ofmarine salt to a dedicated molly tank. Marine salt

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY) October 2009 96 October 2009 Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)

Poecilia velifera Photo by Al Priest

is preferable to table salt because it containsingredients which will help establish the correctdGH and pH. Please make note of the worddedicated. If other species of freshwater fish arein the same tank with your mollies, then do not addsalt.

Once having established this, the question ofhow much marine salt to add is also a hotlydebated topic. In nature, mollies can be found inpure freshwater, pure seawater, and in every levelof brackish water in between. That being said, theaddition of any amount of marine salt up to, but notmore than, one tablespoon per 10 liters of water(approximately 2½ga l lons ) wi l l bebeneficial. In myopinion, an abundanceof caution would dictatestaying below what isconsidered to be themaximum amount ofsalt. When doing waterchanges, make your besteffort to keep thea m o u n t o f s a l tconsistent. Rememberthat salt does notevaporate. If you aretopping off the tankwithout doing a waterchange, do not add saltto the water.

In addition tocontributing to optimal water chemistry, marinesalt also helps inhibit fungal and parasitic diseasesto which mollies are susceptible.

Investments

How much you want to experiment with liveplants in your molly tank depends on your budget.Salt in the water will have a negative effect onmost freshwater aquatic plants, as will a high pH.Also, mollies will very often snack on plants (yes,this does include algae!). Unhealthy plants canonly contribute to an unstable environment. If youhave a budget that will support it, you canexperiment with lots of different plants, and maybeyou will be rewarded by finding a couple that willdo well. Various species of Anubias may be hardyenough. Don’t forget to consider the investment oftime you will need to make if you have tofrequently remove/replace plants, and do extrawater changes.

They are not to everyone’s taste, but you mayfind that investing in a few artificial plants willgive you a satisfactory ambience. Beneficialbacteria will colonize the extra surface area theyprovide, and the mollies will be just as content

with the shelter of their leaves. Plus, once youpurchase them, you can give your wallet a rest!

The “H” Word

What do the following phrases mean to you:“cross-breeding,” “artificially selected varieties,”“aquarium cultivated variety,” “color variants,”“crossing for specific phenotypic features?” Thereare countless ways to say it, but they all spellhybrid. A hybrid is “an offspring of two animalsor plants of different races, breeds, varieties,species or genera.” Hybridization is virtually

always a product ofhumanity’s interferencewith nature’s chosenpath.

For a hundredyears, give or take a fewdecades (the Poecilialatipinna, originallycal led Mollynesialatipinna, was firstdescribed in 1821),people have beentampering with thegenetics of mollies.Why? Well, the wordarrogance comes tomind, but the only fairanswer to this questionis that each person whohas done so has had

their own reasons. As for me, it would never entermy mind to presume that nature could be improvedupon.

Whatever the motives of the aquarists of thepast, the result of their hybridizing is that very fewcommercially available mollies have much incommon with those which still exhibit nature’s“phenotype.” In particular, mankind has surely“selected” for every possible color variant. Myfirst mollies, which I purchased some seventeenyears ago, were a bold orange with bright yellowmarkings.

I would like to refer you to the photoaccompanying this article. This pair of wild-caught P. velifera (female above), resemble asclosely as possible the “green” mollies originallycultivated by nature. By now even wild-caughtfish of every species have surely been “geneticallypolluted” by generations of people having releasedhybrids into our natural waterways.

10 October 2009 Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY) October 2009 7

Inner Beauty

The outward appearance of mollies wasn’t theonly thing I liked about them. They arelivebearers. This fascinated me. It still does. If Idiligently observe the gravid female(s) at just thecorrect time on just the correct day, I can be giftedwith the sight of molly fry exiting the inner worldwhich they have been occupying, and entering thislarger, more challenging, and infinitely moreinteresting environment. In most cases I discoverthe newborns after they have arrived, and are in thefirst stages of exploring their strange new world.

By the time they are six months of age,mollies are ready to spawn. As is the case withmany livebearers, the females will store sperm,producing more than one brood from a singleinsemination. A new brood can occur every sixtyto seventy days, and the larger the female, thelarger the brood will be. If you want your molliesto grow large (they can reach a standard length offour inches), then thin them to a low populationdensity. Please notice that I did not say cull them.Share healthy fry with your fellow aquarists.

Success

What does success mean to you? Mostaquarists equate success with the presence of fry intheir tanks. “I successfully bred my such-and-suchfish,” or “I was unsuccessful in trying to breed myso-and-so fish.” It seems like an awful lot ofpressure to put on yourself, especially since it’s thefish that do the breeding, not us!

But, when it comes to raising the fry, this iswhere we aquarists can contribute to, and claimsomewhat of a share in, the success. Fry are trickybusiness, and their needs are complicated. Here iswhere experience counts most. Have you got whatit takes?

It goes without saying that a livebearer whichgives birth to its fry in a community tank will notbe establishing a family, as the other occupantswill quickly gobble them up. If you are willing todedicate a couple of tanks to them, success atraising a new generation is much more likely.

Adult mollies do have cannibalistictendencies, and if you want to perpetuate thespecies, you might want to have a second tankprepared for either the parents or the fry.(Actually, I think it is easier to let the breedingtank become the grow-out tank by removing theparents.) It should have the same water chemistryas the breeding tank. As I said earlier, you cannever be exactly sure when the need will arise, soyou should have this tank prepared in advance ofa birthing event. Also, It would be a good idea tohouse one or two mollies in the second tank inorder to maintain the nitrogen cycle.

Threat or threatened?

Mollies have been widely distributedthroughout the western U.S., most notably inCalifornia, Arizona, and New Mexico. Eventhough (adult) mollies are almost exclusivelyherbivorous, they have been introduced to variousenvirons for the purpose of mosquito control.Mollies have been proven to be poor mosquitocontrol agents. However, the decline ofpopulations of the desert pupfish (Cyprinodonmacularis) in California is attributed to theirintroduction. The desert pupfish is a criticallyendangered fish. Mollies themselves are notendangered.

Poecilia sphenops

Another species of molly which is popularamong hobbyists is Poecilia sphenops. Commonnames for this fish include the pointed-mouthmolly and the short-finned molly. It is native toMexico and Colombia. The color morph of thisspecies most frequently encountered in the hobbyis the black molly, which is a hybrid, and whoselife span is shorter than non-hybrid (that is, non-black) P. sphenops. Nature’s choice of colorationfor this fish more closely resembles that of the wildP. latipinna.

Standout

The font which I chose for the title of thisarticle is called “standout.” What makes one fishstand out above the rest? This is a very personalthing, and is subject to change over time. I havehad quite a few favorites since I first fell formollies, but they still stand out in my mind’s eyeas one of nature’s most beautiful achievements.

References:http://www.bio.txstate.edu/~tbonner/txfishes/poecilia%20latipinna.htm (as of 7/13/2009)

http://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/FactSheet.asp?speciesID=858 (as of 7/13/2009)

Baensch, Hans A., and Riehl, Dr. Rudiger,Aquarium Atlas, Vols 1 and 2, Baensch, 1991and1993.

Webster’s Universal Encyclopedic Dictionary,Merriam-Webster, 2002.


MA ClAssiCs

In this second installment of our new series showcasing articles from past issues of Modern Aquarium, we feature a piece from the February, 1970 issue. You’ll notice (in addition to the wonderfully sly, low-tech method of obtaining soft water) that this article, in contrast to our current practice, was reprinted from another publication.



ON THE ROAD The Cold Spring Harbor

Fish Hatchery and Aquariumby Dan Radebaugh

Having passed by the Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery & Aquarium a few times in recent months, Marsha and I decided to make a day

trip of it, and check out what is advertised to be the largest living collection of New York reptiles, fish, and amphibians.

Located at 1660 Route 25A in Cold Spring Harbor, NY, the Hatchery marked its 125th anniversary in 2008. Originally operated as a trout rearing facility, it has more recently evolved as well into an environmental education center, with an active educational outreach program, though it continues to raise brook and rainbow trout for stocking of private ponds. In addition to the Aquarium, Hatchery, and Educational programs, there is also a “catch and keep” area where you can catch your dinner if you like.

The best way to reach the Hatchery is by car, though Marsha and I took the LIRR to Cold Spring Harbor, and a taxi from the train station to the facility. A pretty easy trip, all things considered. After paying our admission fee, we were advised by a helpful young lady as to the best sequence to follow through the facility, which includes two “aquarium” buildings, as well as a number of ponds, and an indoor rearing facility (which we could not enter).

There are two sources of water for the ponds (and I gather for the larger tanks in the Ross Aquarium Building). Trout require cool, clean water, and their water supply is an artesian well that feeds water year-round at a constant 52° F. There is also a “warm water pond” containing an eclectic group of fishes, such as gar, catfish, carp, sunfish, perch, bowfin, and suckers.

The water source for this is the nearby St. John’s Pond, which may freeze in the winter, or have water temps of around 85° F in summer. Right next to this warm water pond is a turtle pond, with several species sharing the water and the basking logs.

Following the young lady’s suggestion, we began our tour with the ponds for young trout (hatched last December), then passed by the Robert Koenig Memorial Pond, containing water lilies and brown trout (though we couldn’t see any trout because of the green water), and then on to the Walter L. Ross II Aquarium Building. This last building contains the larger display tanks, and houses over 30 different species of freshwater fishes native to New York State. (Perhaps this number would seem more impressive if I were addressing this article to a different audience.)

This is where the trip began to break down for me. First the practically opaque green water in the memorial pond, and now the “display tanks.” The lighting in these tanks could be very simply described―dim and dimmer. To the barely adequate lighting was added a second visual obstruction. The 52° water, combined with the heat and humidity of the open room, produced a heavy layer of condensation on the glass of the tanks, so that seeing the fish was not easy, and photographing them was nearly impossible. I totally soaked my pocket handkerchief in a vain attempt to gain a clear view. This was a shame, because there really were some nice fish to look at, and―visibility aside―in attractively designed presentations.

A couple of burbots (Lota lota), the only freshwater member of the cod family (gadiformes).

Bowfin (Amia Calva). Some condensation on the glass partially obscures his (?) head. A very ancient fish; the last of its genus.


Another rather frustrating element here was the lack of adequate species identification aids. I mean―line drawings? We’re supposed to distinguish among several similar sunfish species in almost no light with line drawings? Color photos have been around for many years now. Why not use them? For that matter, so has aquarium lighting.

So now, frustrated and grouchy, and with a sopping wet handkerchief, we went back across the street to continue our tour. The first thing we came to were a couple of (concrete) ponds with somewhat larger trout―this group being about a year older than the 9-month-olds we saw in the first ponds. There were pellet stations by these ponds so that visitors could feed the fish, and enjoy their “piranhas in a feeding frenzy” routine as the pellets hit the water.

Walking clockwise around the enclosure, we next came to the warm water pond, that housed some really large longnose gars, koi, common carp, catfish, and presumably others, though again green water was a problem, so if the fish didn’t come to the surface for some pellets you mostly couldn’t see them.

Back-to-back with the warm water pond is the turtle pond. Here at last we could actually see the animals, and our handout with color pictures gave us a means of identifying what we were looking at. This was a good display. They should seek to emulate this clarity in their fish exhibits. This also ended the outdoor part of the tour, except for the trout-fishing area, which we looked at, but did not participate in.

That left the Fairchild Exhibit Building, featuring some of New York’s smaller native freshwater fish, as well as some snakes, and the “New York Amphibia” exhibit, the largest living collection of native amphibians in the Northeast.

The exhibits in this building consisted of smaller tanks that were better lit, and the species were better identified. I found the madtoms (various species of smaller North American catfish) to be of particular interest, as I’ve been considering keeping some for years, but hadn’t actually seen any till this trip.

Turtle sunning itself on a log in the outdoor turtle pond.

Photos by Marsha Radebaugh.

If I seem less than totally positive about this trip, I think it’s because there seems to be a certain lack of focus here. While their Web site implies a certain grandiosity, this is a fairly small facility, and calls to mind visiting a working family farm that is trying to double as a museum. It’s kid-friendly, and the science here seems to be in good hands, as does the educational outreach program. However, the “Aquarium” part of the facility seems to be a complete afterthought, and is just not very well presented, or particularly educational. There are few amenities; nowhere to get anything to eat other than a candy bar or a drink from one of the vending machines, so if you’re making a day of it you’ll need to bring along sandwiches or something.

Being able to see some of the native species up close, such as the bowfin, piqued my interest (and fishkeeper greed), making it worth the trip for me. I applaud the good work that they’re doing in the educational area. Probably they have nice programs lined up for school group visits. However, casual visitors are very much on their own, so unless you’re nearby and have a car, I can’t enthusiastically recommend it as a destination for “fish people.”

Our Generous MembersEach month a blue sheet is located on our auction table where those members who donate items to the auction can indicate their donations if they wish to do so. Due to the immense generosity of those who donate, we have no shortage of items to be auctioned. A warm thank you to the following members and others who so generously contributed, making last month’s auction the bountiful success that it was:

Bill AmelySharon BarnettJules BirnbaumRod Du CasseHarry Faustmann

Horst GerberJason KernerRich LevyJack TraubEd Vukich


My Adorable Goldfish Pondby Jannette Ramirez

Once upon a time, there was a tropical fish hobbyist girl who longed to have a pond of her very own. Every day she prayed for the

opportunity to have such a wonderful place, where she could raise and care for some pond dwelling fishes. The problem with this dream was that she lived in an apartment in Queens, and this prevented her from fulfilling her desire to have her very own pond of fishes. Would she ever get her wish? This she wondered often.

The day finally came when the tropical fish hobbyist girl met her Prince Charming, who like a genie in a bottle, fulfilled her every wish and desire! He loved her so very much that anything she yearned for he obtained. Her wishes, never lavish, were likewise a joy for him to fulfill.

As the tropical fish hobbyist girl and her prince got to know each other, their love for each other flourished and blossomed, as she dreamt one day her pond’s aquatic plants would also flourish and blossom. During this time, they discovered that they both had a love and respect for nature and for the many animals that exist on land and in water.

This wonderful Prince owned two homes, his main dwelling in New York and another in Vermont, where they enjoyed many pleasant outings that included trail walks, horseback riding, boating, and visiting zoos and other nature-related recreational destinations. Such memorable experiences would be remembered and cherished always!

In all the excitement of the weekend getaways with her Prince and sharing their love of animals, nature, and each other, the fish hobbyist girl had been too caught up to remember and ponder about her wish to have a pond.

Then one day her wonderful Prince mentioned that he had always wanted to have his own pond with plants and fishes! Pleasantly surprised and delighted by this news, her buried wish awakened once again, they settled under the old willow tree, where she and her Prince animatedly began to go over the details of the adorable goldfish pond that would soon be.

Such beauty to one’s eyes to behold, this pond they dreamt of! When to begin excavating? Perhaps in the Spring, just before the hot days are upon us. We shall need to excavate at least 2 feet in depth, with 4 feet in the middle, so that our fish can hide from predators, which can number from just one to many on any given day.

Some day after its completion we shall be able to experience tranquility, relaxation, and peace at our perfect garden pond, listening to the soothing sound of water falling through the rocks. We can sit with a favorite book and admire our adorable creation up close. Near this pond shall sit a wooden or iron bench made for the two of us. The smile that will light up our faces as the sounds of water and the sights of our fishes beckon our ears and eyes, our joy magnified even further by the sight of a beautiful lake in the background landscape!

Each rock, pebble, and stone, meticulously placed, all in uniform colors, will highlight our pond. Plants! Oh yes, they shall be in abundance, including lilies, so as to attract frogs. Predators beware, as we shall be keeping our radar on while away so we shall see everything that might pose a hazard or threat to our joyous pond. A fountain shall re-circulate water, adding oxygen for our little outdoor pets. Days shall seem endless, with the sun shining above our heads, bringing warmth, light, and love upon our creation. Tall trees will provide the perfect combination of shade


and sunshine upon the pond. There will be no rainfall or cloud of gray; the days will be warm, with sunshine in abundance once our pond has been created.

I wonder what the fish think, and wish that they could speak, but their smiles speak a thousand words.

The tropical fish hobbyist girl sighed deeply and looked over at her Prince as he finished his description of this adorable goldfish pond! Imagining all of the cherished moments that will be shared between them as they enjoy their very own Garden of Eden, they sit upon their bench holding hands. They are so deeply in love with its beauty, and with each other!


18 October 2009 Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY) October 2009 33

Best Spawning Article, 500-1,000 words1) Anthony Tu Spawning Cyphotilapia gibberosa "Samazi Blue" PCCA2) Ted Judy Nanochromis transvestitus? The Clown Dwarf Cichlid MAS3) Richard and Brandon

KongFirst Time Breeding and the Sciaenochromis fryeri(Electric Blue)

PCCA

Best Spawning Article, more than 1,000 words1) Alexander A. Priest A New Star in the Galaxy: The Celestial Pearl Danio,

Celestichthys margaritatusGCAS

2) Dan Radebaugh The Banded Severum (Heros efasciatus) GCAS

3) Derek P.S. Tustin What I (Accidentally) Did this Summer (A Kinda BAP

Report but Not Really)DRAS

HM) Harry Faustmann Breeding a South American Killifish LIAS

Best Article on a Genus of Fish1) Dan Spielman They're Not Just Convicts Anymore PCCA2) Derek P.S. Tustin Eyeballs on Oddballs? Freshwater Jellies DRAS3) Mike Garibaldi Petrochromis, My Way GCCA

Best Article on a Species of Fish1) Frank Fallon The Case of the Hanging Cichlids GCAS2) Alexander A. Priest Are You Truly My Honey? The Honey Gourami, Colisa

chunaGCAS

3) Dan Radebaugh The Banded Severum (Heros efasciatus) GCASHM) Eric Rogne The Signifier Rainbow MAS

Best Marine Article1) Stephen Sica The Bahamian Lionfish GCAS2) Stephen Sica French Angelfish of Aruba and Bonaire GCAS

Best Continuous FAAS Column1) Pat Smith FAAS Report LIAS2) Pat Smith FAAS Report NCAS

Best Article on Aquascaping/Design1) Derek P.S. Tustin Cyptic Emersion? Part One of Ten) DRAS2) Derek P.S. Tustin My Green Wet Thumb? Going Topless DRAS3) Sharon Barnett Takashi Amano I am not, but I love my Jungles! GCAS

Best Article on Plant Maintenance/Cultivation/Reproduction1) Derek P.S. Tustin My Green Wet Thumb? Summer Flowers DRAS2) Stephen Sica My Favorite Aquarium Plant: Rotala rotundifolia GCAS3) Derek P.S. Tustin My Green Wet Thumb? Silly Salvinia DRAS


34 October 2009 Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)

Best Show Article1) Pam Chin ACA 2008 Recap PCCA2) Claudia Dickinson The Pirates of the NEC: The Event That We Have All

Been Waiting For!GCAS

3) Margaret Peterson "Behind the Scenes" in View . . . From the Other Side ofthe Glass

LIAS

3) Pat Smith Weekend Workshops NCAS

Best How To or Do It Yourself Article1) Derek P.S. Tustin My Green Wet Thumb: Floating Gardens DRAS2) Kevin Plazak African Cichlids for a Tiny Tank PCCA3) Tara Miller Spreading Roots: Tools and Tricks from Tara's Fishroom ACLC

Best General Article on Society Management1) Joseph Ferdenzi A Greater City Memoir GCAS2) Derek P.S. Tustin Audience Etiquette? Something "Non-Fishy" to Ponder DRAS3) Jon Schweikert Don't Forget to Sign Up! LIAS

HM) Ken Smith Introduction to the Board NCAS

Best Article on Health/Nutrition1) Alexander A. Priest My Microworm Recipe GCAS2) Joseph Ferdenzi The Chlorine Storm GCAS3) Pat Smith Raising Adult Brine Shrimp LIAS

Best Collecting Article1) Tom Mason Visiting Caňòo Palma - A Trip to a Mini-Paradise DRAS2) Dan Radebaugh Catfish Hunter or As Long as You're Going to Florida.. GCAS3) Margaret Peterson View . . . From the Other Side of the Tank: Seining in the

Great South BayLIAS

Best Traveling Aquarist Article1)

[J-III]Sam Borstein John G. Shedd Aquarium High School Lake Ecology

MentorshipGCCA

1) Dan Radebaugh Catfish Hunter or As Long as You're Going to Florida.. GCAS2) Susan Priest My Trip to Madagascar GCAS3) Stephen Sica Of Sharks and Democrats GCAS

Best Humorous Article1) Michael Foran If you Build it, They will Come NCAS2) Undergravel Reporter Fish-Flush Foolish GCAS3) Margaret Peterson The View . . . From the Other Side of the Tank (3/08) LIAS

20 October 2009 Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY) October 2009 35

Best Original Art Work1) Pat Smith White Cloud (Drawing) NCAS

Best Cartoon1) Bernard Harrigan Caption: "My best friend, my wife, AND my cichlids?!"GCAS2) Bob Kulesa The Topical Fish Tank ACLC3) Bernard Harrigan Caption: "Deep in the rivers of Asia, the Archerfish are

on the hunt"GCAS

Best Continuing Column, Single Author1) Rick Borstein Cichlid Ramblings GCCA2) Pam Chin Ask Pam PCCA3) Susan Priest Fishkeepers Anonymous GCAS

Best Article, All Other Categories1) Dennis Heltzel Aquarium Filtration ACLC2) Jannette Ramirez The Fishkeeper Who Was Kept By Her Fish! GCAS3) Richard Kong More Than Just a Hobby PCCA

HM) Claudia Dickinson The GCAS Presents Greg Steeves GCAS

Author of the Year1) Derek P.S. Tustin Tank Talk DRAS

2) (Tie) Alexander A. Priest Modern Aquarium GCAS2) (Tie) Pam Chin Cichlidae Communiqué PCCA

4) Stephen Sica Modern Aquarium GCAS

Legend: SocietiesAAA - Asociación de Acuaristas de Aguadilla (El Ojo de Agua)ACLC - Aquarium Club of Lancaster County (Tank Tales)DRAS - Durham Region Aquarium Society (Tank Talk)GCAS - Greater City Aquarium Society (Modern Aquarium)GCCA - Greater Chicago Cichlid Association (Cichlid Chatter)LIAS - Long Island Aquarium Society (Paradise Press)MAS - Milwaukee Aquarium Society (Splash)NCAS - Nassau County Aquarium Society (Pisces Press)PCCA - Pacific Coast Cichlid Association (Cichlid Blues and Cichlidae Communiqué)

Legend: Other abbreviations[J-III] - Junior. Level III HM - Honorable Mention


22 October 2009 Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY) October 2009 17

In spite of popular demand to thecontrary, this humor and informationcolumn continues. As usual, it doesNOT necessarily represent theopinions of the Editor, or of theGreater City Aquarium Society.

Duckweed photo: public domain

One Man’sWeed,

Another’s FeedA series by “The Undergravel Reporter”

The journal of the Aquatic Gardner’sAssociation, The Aquatic Gardner, reportedin its latest edition that three plant biologists

at Rutgers University in New Jersey have convincedthe federal government to focus attention on“duckweed’s tremendous potential for cleaning uppollution, combating global warming and feedingthe world.”1 Yes, duckweed, that same blankety-blank small green plant that, once it finds its wayinto one of your tanks, never leaves.

The article states that “These plants producebiomass faster than any other flowering plant, serveas high-protein feed fordomestic animals andshow clear potential asan alternative for biofuelproduction.”

Scientists fromNorth Carolina StateUniversity found thatgrowing duckweed onhog wastewater not onlyhelped to dispose of thehog waste, but alsoproduced five to sixtimes more starch peracre than corn.2

Currently, most U.S. ethanol is produced fromcorn, which requires large amounts of toxicpesticides and dead zone-feeding, fuel-intensivefertilizers. The use of corn to produce ethanol hasalso been blamed for an increase in the price of cornas food. When all costs are considered, corn-based

ethanol may not be much “cleaner” than gasoline.Duckweed consumes nitrogen, phosphorous,

calcium, and iron. It can be used to clean any typeof wastewater. It can be a cheap way of producinga biofuel that does not adversely impact the supplyand cost of food, and an environmentally friendlyway to recover polluted bodies of water.

In an article3 titled “Tiny Flower Turns PigPoop into Fuel,” wired.com reports that “Able tothrive on nutrients in animal waste, duckweedproduces far more starch per acre than corn, sayresearchers. It could be an alternative tocorn-based ethanol biofuel, which is disfavored byenvironmentalists because of waste generated infarming it.” Waste produced from the billions offarm animals raised every year in America hasfouled watersheds, especially in the South, and fedoxygen-gobbling algae blooms responsible forrapidly-spreading coastal dead zones.

Production of ethanol by using corn relies onenzymes, yeast, and sugar. Ethanol producers addpenicillin and virginiamycin, an antibiotic, to killbacteria. This raises two concerns. The first isthat it might promote the growth of bacteria thatare resistant to antibiotics. The second concern isthat the antibiotics could find their way to humansthrough the food chain. Using duckweed toproduce ethanol raises neither concern.

I remember one very accomplished aquaristtelling me he uses a pair of tweezers to pluck outeach and every fragment of duckweed he sees in

his tanks. Just aboutevery Greater Cityauction features a bagof duckweed, usuallyselling for one (butsometimes as much astwo) dollars, andusually purchased bysomeone for thepurpose of feeding it tog o l d f i s h . W e l l ,apparently duckweedisn’t just goldfish foodany more. The plant somany aquarists hate

may prove more useful than we ever imagined.And, no, I haven’t run across any mention of

smoking this weed, but who knows what thoseRutgers professors will come up with next?

References1“Rutgers Researchers Focus on Duckweed” by Joseph Blumberg, Aquatic Gardner, July-Sept 20092http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1702767/superplant_produces_ethanol_eliminates.html3http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/04/doubleduckweed/


GCAS Happenings October

Here are meeting times and locations of some aquarium societies in the Metropolitan New York area:

GREATER CITY AqUARIUM SOCIETYNext Meeting: November 4, 2009Speaker: Joseph FerdenziEvent: History of the GCASMeets the first Wednesday of the month (except January &

February) at 7:30pm: Queens Botanical Garden 43-50 Main Street - Flushing, NYContact: Dan Radebaugh (347) 866-1107E-mail: [email protected]: http://www.greatercity.org

BIG APPlE GUPPY ClUBMeets: Last Tuesday each month (except Jan, Feb, July,

and August) at 7:30-10:00pm. Alley Pond Environmental Ctr.: 228-06 Northern Blvd. Contact: Donald Curtin (718) 631-0538

BROOklYN AqUARIUM SOCIETYNext Meeting: October 9, 2009Speaker: None Event: Giant AuctionMeets the 2nd Friday of the month (except July and August)

at 7:30pm: NY Aquarium - Education Hall, Brooklyn, NYCall: BAS Events Hotline: (718) 837-4455Website: http://www.brooklynaquariumsociety.org

lONG ISlAND AqUARIUM SOCIETYNext Meeting: October 16, 2009Speaker: David Boruchowitz Topic: Adventures With CichlidsMeets: 3rd Fridays (except July and August) 8:00pm. Greenhouse Meeting Room, Holtsville Ecology Center,

Buckley Road, Holtsville, NY Email: Margaret Peterson - [email protected]: http://liasonline.org/

EAST COAST GUPPY ASSOCIATIONMeets: 1st Tuesday of each month at at 8:00 pm. Alley Pond Environmental Ctr.: 228-06 Northern Blvd. Contact: Gene Baudier (631) 345-6399

NASSAU COUNTY AqUARIUM SOCIETYNext Meeting: October 13, 2009Speaker: Sal SilvestriTopic: ApistogrammasMeets: 2nd Tuesday of the month (except July and August)

at 7:30 PM Molloy College - Kellenberg Hall ~1000 Hempstead Ave -

Rockville Centre, NYContact: Mike Foran (516) 798-6766Website: http://www.ncasweb.org

NORTH JERSEY AqUARIUM SOCIETYNext Meeting: October 23-25, 2009Speaker: N/A Event: Fall ShowMeets: see inside Front Cover Lyndhurst Elks Club - 251 Park Ave - Lyndhurst, NJContact: NJAS Hotline at (732) 332-1392e-mail: [email protected]: http://www.njas.net/

NORWAlk AqUARIUM SOCIETYNext Meeting: October 15, 2009Speaker & Topic: tBdMeets: 8:00 P.M. - 3rd Thursday of each month at:

Earthplace - the Nature Discovery Center - Westport, CTContact: John Chapkovich (203) 734-7833Call our toll free number (866) 219-4NASE-mail: [email protected]: http://norwalkas.org/

Last Month’s Bowl Show Winners:1 Mario Bengcion ruBy red cichlid

2 Sue PrieSt red FeMale Betta

3 Vincent BaBino Killie

unoFFicial 2009 Bowl Show totalS to date:Mario Bengcion 19 roBert haMje 17 richard waizMan 9 ed VuKich 3

SuSan PrieSt 3 richard leVy 1

A wArm welcome bAck to renewing gcAS memberS Artie FriedmAn And nicholAS PAndolFi!

A SPeciAl welcome to new member JuleS birnbAum!


24 October 2009 Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)

Fin FunIt Came from THE Lake

THE Lake is, of course, Lake Tanganyika. In keeping with the theme of this month’s speaker, can youmatch the common name with the corresponding scientific name of the following cichlids found in LakeTanganyika? Answers next month.

Scientific Name Common Name

Neolamprologus tretocephalus Striped Clown Goby

Paracyprichromis nigripinnis Convict Julie

Altolamprologus compressiceps Five-Bar Cichlid

Neolamprologus leleupi Sardine Cichlid

Tropheus moorii Sixbar Grouper

Eretmodus cyanostictus Bloyet's Haplo

Epinephelus sexfasciatus Blunthead Cichlid

Cyprichromis leptosoma Lemon Cichlid

Astatotilapia bloyeti Compressed Cichlid

Neolamprologus tetracanthus Blue Neon

Julidochromis regani Fourspine Cichlidsource: http://www.fishbase.org/

Solution to last month’s puzzle: Everything Old is New Again!Scientific Name New World Old WorldAncistrus aguaboensis XAmphilius atesuensis XFarlowella acus XPareutropius buffei XGogo ornatus XBrochis splendens XOtocinclus affinis XPhractura ansorgii XHoplosternum littorale XPseudacanthicus spinosus XPhyllonemus typus XPeckoltia brevis X

source: http://www.planetcatfish.com/

DANBURY AREA AQUARIUM SOCIETY

Serving the Hudson Valley Area, Westchester, Fairfield, and Litchfield

Counties

23nd AUCTION - Fall 2009!

TO BE HELD AT THE: Carmel Firehouse

94 Gleneida Ave (Corner of Route 52 & Vink Drive)

Carmel, NY 10512

, 1 red dot, 50/50 split, *60/40 for 6 or more lots, and preprinted lot #

labels (no description, please label your bags)

*Acceptable lots will be determined by the auction committee

Vendors: Ken’s Fish (TBD)

Cuisine provided by Culinary Institute Graduate Rod Rigby

REGISTRATION.................................8:30 AM TO 11:00 AM

VIEWING OF GOODS........................10:00 AM TO 11:00 AM

AUCTION..................................................11:30 AM TO 5 PM

RAFFLE..........................................................................50 / 50

Documents

Modern Aquarium October 2009