Modern Aquarium by Dan Radebaugh

modern

APT JARIT JM ON THE COVER Among the fish Bernard Harrigan recommends be kept in a planted aquarium are Corydoras catfish, such as the Corydoras adolfoi on our front cover. Read more about planted aquaria in Bernie's "Six Keys to an Aqua-Green Thumb" in this issue. Photo by Susan Priest

GREATER CITY AQUARIUM SOCIETY Board Members President . . . . . . . . . . . Joseph Ferdenzi Vice-President V . . . . . . Mark Soberman Treasurer , . . . . . . . , JackTraub Corres. Secretary . . . . . . . Warren Feuer Recording Secretary . . . . Edward Vukich Members At Large Steve Chen Pete D'Orio Carlotti DeJager Claudia Dickinson Jason Kerner Ben Haus GregWuest Emma Haus Committee Chairs Breeder Award Warren Feuer and Mark Soberman Early Arrivals Pete D'Orio F.A.A.S. Delegate . . . . . Alexander Priest Members/Programs . Claudia Dickinson N.E.C. Delegate . . . . Claudia Dickinson

MODERN AQUARIUM Editor in Chief Alexander A. Priest Associate Editors . . . . Susan Priest and Claudia Dickinson Copy Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dora Dong Photo/Layout Editor Jason Kerner Advertising Mgr Mark Soberman Executive Editor Joseph Ferdenzi

Series III

Vol. XI, No. 1

January. 2004

FEATURES Editor's Babblenest President's Message Hints 1-12 Six Keys to an Aqua-Green Thumb Hints 13-18 Greater City's Awards Presentations Past and Current Award Winners Hints 19-29 Modern Aquarium 100 Issues: A Guest Editorial Hints 30-39 Through The Lens Hints 40-48 In Memoriam: Joe Bugeia Hints 49-60 2003 GCAS Author Awards Last Month's Bowl Show Winners Follow the Yellow Brick Road Hints 61-73 2003 Modern Aquarium Subject Index Hints 74-86 Memoirs of a Proofreader Photos From Our Last Meeting Hints 87-100 Top Ten Lifetime GCAS Breeders Glow Little GloFishâ&#x201E;˘ G.C.A.S. Happenings Fin Fun (Puzzle Page)

2 3 4 5 7 8 10 11 13 14 16 17 18 19 22 23 24 25 29 30 32 34 35 37 39 40

Articles submitted for consideration in MODERN AQUARIUM must be received no later than the 10th day of the month, three months prior to the month of publication. Copyright 2004 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 during July and August. Meetings are the first Wednesday of the month and begin at 8:00 P.M. Meetings are held at the Queens Botanical Gardens. For more information, contact: Joe Ferdenzi (718)767-2691. You can also leave us a message at our Internet Home Page at: http: / / o u r w o r l d . CompuServe . com/homepages /greatercity

• Second, this magazine is not about winning awards, even though we have won more of them in these last ten years than any other aquarium society publication in the United States. • Third, this magazine is not about making (or preserving) history, although we've certainly done that, and will continue to do so. • Fourth, this magazine is not about the Editorial Staff, past or present, nor is it about the GCAS Board of Governors, even though without their help and support, it would cease to exist. • Finally, this magazine is not about impressing judges, other societies, or famous luminaries in the aquarium hobby world, although we've certainly done that, as well.

by ALEXANDER A. PRIEST finished reading the past 4 months of the Modern Aquarium from your society. I would personally say THANK YOU for doing an outstanding job on putting this publication together. I read over 50 a month and have enjoyed yours the best — so clear, clean, and well put together — content well thought outf professionally done. You both are to be commended on an OUTSTANDING JOB. I wanted to tell you both this information at the recent NEC Workshop where you both proudly displayed your cover of the publication on your t-shirts. What more can I say, but you both are super people. Thanks for helping the hobby. Ray Kingfish Lucas E-mail to Al & Sue Priest - 4/12/2000 anuary 1994 to January 2004 — ten years, and 100 issues — a very respectable run for an amateur hobby club publication. And what a run it has been (and continues to be)! We thought our early issues looked great, but they pale in comparison to what we're producing now. (To be honest, I never liked the look of photos glued on the front cover, a practice we finally abandoned last year.) In this issue you'll read a guest editorial and a President's Message. They will give credit (and rightfully so) to those who staffed this publication in the past, and those who are doing it now. But, as someone who was there from the start, let me give you my views of this magazine. • First, this magazine (and Joe Ferdenzi always insisted we call it a "magazine," as opposed to a "newsletter") is not about doing something new or different, although we have done things that no one else has, or is now doing, in the hobby.

This magazine has always been for, and about, YOU — the GCAS member. Without the fantastic support our members have given us by writing original articles, this magazine could not continue in its present form. This is why, for this 100th issue, I wanted to involve, and have represented, as many members as possible. I wanted an issue that at least had the potential to educate and inform every aquarist, regardless of his or her specialty. I hope that I have succeeded. If so, I have to thank Joe Ferdenzi for his support and encouragement. (Joe very neatly avoided any mention of his role in this month's President's Message. To set the record straight, Joe was the driving force in getting the team together that, as he puts it, "resurrected" this magazine.) I must also thank Claudia Dickinson for an absolutely brilliant idea that tripled the number of contributors to this special issue, and that generated enough additional aquarium hobby hints, tips, and tricks to allow me to print 100 of them in this, our 100th issue. But, if this issue has not been useful, helpful, educational, and/or entertaining, then the fault is mine alone. (And, for those who feel this way, don't worry, next month we'll be back to our usual format.) In either case, once you have had a chance to read it, I'd like to hear the opinions of you, our membership, about this issue. Finally, as we begin our next 100 issues, I'm happy to welcome a new advertiser: www.SpawnedintheUSA.com.

January 2004

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)

President's Message by JOSEPH FERDENZI his 100th issue of Modern Aquarium Series III represents quite a milestone. I thought it was an achievement when we surpassed the run of our famous predecessor, Series II, which ran for 61 issues (a span from 1968 to 1974, see "Modern Aquarium Redux" in the March 2000 issue of MA for the complete story). With any luck, we should double that run in a few years. It has been a privilege to be associated with an outstanding club publication like Modern Aquarium. When we began in the winter of 1994, I was concerned that we might not do our predecessor honor unless we assembled a team dedicated to nothing less than equaling or surpassing the quality and longevity of Modern Aquarium Series II. You see, from my historical studies, I knew that Series II of Modern Aquarium had been one of the shining stars of the aquarium hobby. If we were to once again resurrect that magazine, it had to be one that would be as glorious and stand the test of time. Well, I believe all my concerns have evaporated, and my expectations have been exceeded. In the beginning, Modern Aquarium benefitted from the talents of GCAS members such as Warren Feuer, Al Priest, Stephan Zander, Mark Soberman, and Bernie Harrigan. The first issues of Modern Aquarium were stunning, but they only got better. After Warren stepped down as Editor, Al took over. When Stephan relinquished his duties as Art Director, Jason Kerner stepped in. Gradually, Al's wife, Sue, got increasingly involved. Their combined efforts, and the contributions of many articles from our members

enabled Modern Aquarium to rise to the top. It has repeatedly been judged the best club publication by the North East Council of Aquarium Societies ("NEC"), as well as by the even more competitive Federation of American Aquarium Societies ("FAAS"). FAAS has a separate category for club publications published six times or less a year, but Modern Aquarium competes in the "big league" of magazines published more than six times a year. The five people with the longest association with the magazine are Al and Sue Priest, Jason Kerner, Mark Soberman, and myself. I do not think that anyone would disagree with me if I say that, among this pantheon of outstanding contributors, past and present, no one stands out more than Al Priest. Al is one of the most dedicated, conscientious, and talented people I know. Al is the person who makes sure that Modern Aquarium contains quality articles and is issued on time every month. Yes, as I have noted, he has valuable helpers. However, make no mistake about my opinion on the matter: Al is the key to the success of Modern Aquarium. Al is a member that most other societies would "kill" to have as the editor of their magazine. He is the "glue" that holds Modern Aquarium at the top. If and when Al decides to step down from his position at Modern Aquarium, any successor would have awfully big shoes to fill. I consider myself very fortunate to have had the chance to work with Al on Modern Aquarium all of these years. He has inspired me, and I hope to continue our collaboration for many more years. So, please, enjoy this special 100th edition of Modern Aquarium. A lot of thought and talent went into it. But, I trust that every time you pick up your monthly issue, that you appreciate and enjoy it as much as this one because a tremendous effort goes into every issue, for the benefit of you, our valued members and friends. Have a Happy New Year.

elcome to the 100th issue of Modern Aquarium, Series III! Throughout this issue you will find 100 aquarium hobby-related hints, tips, and "tricks" collected from our members and friends (including some past speakers at GCAS meetings). Some of the hints may save you time, some may save you money, and we hope most will also help your fish. It can accurately be said that this issue has more contributors than any other issue of Modern Aquarium â&#x20AC;&#x201D; ever. It may possibly have the most contributors in a single issue in the annals of the aquarium hobby. Those who contributed hints to this issue were: Raymond Albanese, William Amely, Fred Bellise, Tom Bohme, Roger Brewster, Pete D'Orio, Les Deutsch, Claudia Dickinson, Al DiSpigna, Dora Dong, Rod Du Casse, Evelyn Eagan, Joe Ferdenzi, Michael Foran , Peter Foster, Artie Friedman, Jeff George, Steven Giacobello, Al Grusell, Bernard Harrigan, Denver Lettman, John Malinowski, Charlotte Neilson, Ron Neilson, Jerry O'Farrell, Elliot Oshins, Jim Peterson, Al Priest, Susan Priest, Jannette Ramirez, Mark Rubanow, Charley Sabatino, Mark Soberman, Bob Strazzulla, Anton Vukich, Edward Vukich, and Rusty Wessel. I want to thank them all for being a part of this historic issue. Al Priest, Editor

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)

January 2004

Food/Jdrtrttton

An empty baby wipes container is good for storing frozen foods. Four ounce flat packs fit nicely inside, and the container fits in most freezer door shelves. This keeps fish food separate from people food, and out of sight ................... Charley Sabatino

Feed herbivorous fish like loricariids the bottoms of fresh broccoli. It is very nutritious and lasts much longer in the tank than lettuce or zucchini. Just cut it in half longitudinally and secure with a weight or veggie clip. Considering the published benefits of eating broccoli, this will benefit both you and your fish. ................................... ................... Charley Sabatino

^J /

In addition to vegetable matter, plecos will benefit from having driftwood in their tanks. .................................................... Raymond Albanese Black worms may be cultured by placing a five gallon bucket of water with its bottom \ covered with three inches of pea sized gravel. Place some black worms inside to start the culture along with some crushed pasta. The worms may be harvested by stirring up the gravel and using a brine shrimp net to capture them ........ Raymond Albanese

5 ^^^

Before feeding crickets to large fish or frogs, have the crickets "gut load" by feeding them high protein fish food and then dusting them with vitamins sold for that purpose. Gut loading should also be done before feeding goldfish or guppies to your fish. In this way, the feeders will provide a more balanced diet for your animals. .................................................... Raymond Albanese To grind flake or pellet food for fry use a pepper mill. Simply fill the hopper with the food and grind away. Used pepper mills can be found cheaply at garage sales. Be sure to wash them thoroughly, unless your fish are from Mexico! ........ Michael Foran Mount a two foot or three foot piece of three inch PVC pipe and stack varieties of dry food containers inside the pipe. Feed fish by taking the bottom can each day, and putting it back on top when done. This rotates the food, ensuring that the fish get a varied diet and that your foods are used more or less equally .................... Al Grusell

Lettuce is a great food for young fry. It breaks down into microscopic food. .......................................................... Fred Bellise Sprinkle yeast lightly over the surface of a microworm culture

do not stir. Claudia Dickinson

Canned salt-free peas and salt-free green beans are indispensable in getting your Loracariid fry through those crucial first two weeks ............ Claudia Dickinson

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I 1 O - +*t

After years of refrigerating and washing tubifex worms in an effort to keep them alive for a few weeks, I accidentally discovered that they can be kept at room temperature in a shallow tray. They form a ball when placed in V* inch to l/2 inch water. The "ball" should never be disturbed. Just pour off water each day and replace it. To feed fish, just pull a small portion off of the ball, and rinse this before using. They can be kept for three weeks with no problem ............................... John Malinowski When feeding fish fry with baby brine shrimp, use a hypodermic syringe with a 10 inch P^ce of stiff plastic tubing, and squirt the brine shrimp into the tank where the babies reside .................................................... Elliot Oshins (Continued on Page 7)

January 2004

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)

-GIREEN THUMB by BERNARD HARRIGAN

ost people would love to have a thriving planted aquarium. It has a more balanced ecosystem, the fish are less stressed, and it has a more natural look. I'm going to give you the keys to having such a tank.

First Key: Laying Down a Good Foundation The main jobs of plant roots are to absorb nutrients and to anchor the plant into place. You have to provide what the plant needs in order for this to happen. Laterite is a heavy clay. It creates a rich substrate for the roots. Lay down 3" to 4" of laterite, and then put an inch of gravel on top. The gravel will hold the clay in place. If you want to add plants to an already established tank, but still give them the benefits of laterite, you don't have to rip your tank apart to do it. Use a low earthenware pot. Put the laterite in the bottom. Plant your plant into the pot, and then add more clay. Top it off with some * gravel. Excavate the area where you want ^ to place it. Slowly lower the pot into place, making sure nothing is disturbed in the pot. Refill the area ^ with gravel, making Crown above the gravel, sure the pot is hidden out The diagonal lines Second Key: Lighting it Right Lighting for a fish-only aquarium is a matter of personal taste. However, if there are plants in your tank, lighting becomes far more important. Use a fluorescent fixture that holds two bulbs. Choose triphospher tubes 6,500째-9,500째 K, and two to four watts per gallon. Have it on a timer set for 10 to 12 hours a day.

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)

Third Key: Allowing Your Plants to Breathe Like most living organisms, plants breathe. To understand how, you need to understand photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is the process by which plants make carbohydrates. They do this by combining carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O) in the presence of chlorophyll and light, thereby releasing oxygen as a byproduct. To increase carbon dioxide levels, CO2 injectors are sold, albeit at a premium. They infuse the water with carbon dioxide from a cartridge. A cheaper and simpler way of increasing the CO2 in your tanks is not to let any of it escape. Use a canister filter, and have the return hose enter the tank below the water's surface. The aerobic bacteria in the canister filter will release CO2 as they break down proteins. The filter's turnover rate should be three times the volume of the tank per hour. A 30 gallon aquarium should have a 90 gallons per hour ("GPH") filter. Since plants only produce oxygen during the day, and use the oxygen at night, once the lights go out, the oxygen level in the tank will drop drastically. To compensate for that, have an airstone on a timer that roots open and spread turns on when the lights represent the laterite. go out. Fourth Key: Chemicals and Chemistry A careful aquarist would not put a fish into an aquarium without knowing the environmental requirements of that fish. The same care should be given to plants. Some plants like soft, acidic water. Others thrive in hard, alkaline water. Don't expect a plant to survive in the wrong water conditions.

January 2004

The harder the water, the more CO2 a plant will need. Test your tap water. If you need to make it softer and more acidic, you can add distilled or reverse osmosis water until the water parameters are the way you want them to be. The more of either of these two waters you add, the less nutrients there will be for the plants. In some cases, you might need to add some fertilizer. Don't use plant food made for terrestrial plants. These fertilizers are mainly nitrogen compounds, and could cause an ammonia spike, which will kill your fish. Even some aquatic fertilizers contain nitrogen compounds. Read the label. If a plant food contains ammonia, or "nitro- anything," stay away from it. The plants will get enough of that from the fish waste in the tank. What aquatic plants do need is iron, in combination with micronutrients. If you're unsure, talk to your pet store owner, and other knowledgeable hobbyists. Never, never overdo it; too much of a good thing can kill. Parasites can come into your tank from either fish or plants. If you suspect that a plant, either one you just bought, or one already in your tank, is suffering from a parasitic infestation, you can treat the plant with an alum dip. Alum is a mineral salt which you can purchase at the drugstore. Mix it with water, and put your plants in for a few minutes. The parasites will be gone.

Fifth Key: Plants the Plants Correctly Planting an aquatic plant isn't much different than planting a house plant. Some common mistakes are: • bending, folding, or crushing the roots; • placing the crown of the plant too far in or out of the gravel; and • using lead ties to keep your plants from floating. Try to keep the roots spread out. Don't clump them together. The roots can get damaged if you just push them in with your finger. Don't bury the crown. The bottom of the crown should be sitting on top of the gravel. The crown shouldn't be too high up, either. You shouldn't see any of the roots. If you're starting with a new aquarium, fill the tank one-third of the way up. Put your plants in, and add laterite, arranging the plants as you go along. Gently lift the plant up, making sure it is at the right height. Carefully add your gravel. Fill the tank up, and finish your set-up. Sixth key: Picking the Right Fish Most herbivores, earth movers, and large cichlids should not be kept in a planted aquarium. Angelfish, discus, dwarf cichlids, danios, corys, gouramis, hatchetfish, and tetras have an almost symbiotic relationship with plants. They all give their best showing when matched with plants. Isn't that what aquarium keeping is all about?

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January 2004

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)

When storing blackworms, put an icepack in a cooler with them in the refrigerator, to keep them that much colder Anton Vukich Feed a varied diet. No one wants to eat the same thing every day. .. Mark Soberman If you buy flake food in bulk, keep it the freezer to stay fresh

Mark Soberman

HMS/Tips/TricfrS:

Filtration/Aeration 16

11)

I came into an Eheim power filter (model number 2260), which is the size of a five gallon bucket. I hooked it up to my 230 gallon tank and it worked fine. Then came the day I had to clean it. Well, I had to pull the syphon and the spray bar out of the water to change it. What a pain in the butt! There must be an easier way. So, I went to the pet shops looking for the quick release valves, or double tap connectors as they are also known, to fit the one inch hose, and was scared away by the price of $60.00 and up. So I went to Home Depot and bought two PVC one inch ball valves, four reducers to 3/4 inch, and four hose clamps. Using PVC glue, I attached two of the 3/4 inch reducers to either end of the ball valve. I then cut the hose in two spots, three inches apart, and attached the valve to one end of the hose and clamped it. On the other end, I put the three inch piece of hose and the other ball valve, with the hose going to the syphon in the tank. I clamped them all up and turned on the filter. It worked great. Now when I have to change it, I turn off the filter, close the ball valves, disconnect one of the clamps on the three inch piece of hose, and pull apart. The final cost was less than $20.00 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; not too bad Jerry O'Farrell Boosting the filter power of Fluval 404s: I have two Fluval 404 filters on my 150 gallon cichlid tank. And I wondered if I could boost the filtering capacity of them. Then one day I saw a Hot Magnum filter with a biowheel attachment and wondered if I could get a biowheel to work on my filters. So I went out and purchased a Penguin Pro Sixty biowheel setup. I brought it home and put it together, disregarding the powerhead that comes with it. Looking at the Fluval 404,1 realized that the rubber L bracket for the spray bar would fit over the hose that is used for the power head. So I inserted the hose into the bracket and held it in place with some rubber bands on the bracket. Guess what? It worked like a charm. Now I have mechanical and biological filtration in one filter. The fish are happy because I have boosted the aeration and gotten rid of ammonia, nitrates, and nitrites on contact with the biowheel. Each Biowheel Pro-Sixty comes with two biowheels, so now I have four biowheels and two Fluvial 404s on my 150 gallon tank Jerry O'Farrell As every aquarist knows, sooner or later you have to go out and buy a gang valve. You know the kind â&#x20AC;&#x201D; with 1,2, 3, or 4 valves. They come with little black caps on the end, in case you want to add more valves. Well, a lot of times I lose those caps and cannot use the gang valve any more because there is nothing to block the air from escaping out the back. To solve this problem, I take a one inch piece of air line tubing, melt the end with a match and squeeze it closed with a pair of pliers. If there is too much back pressure, just use three of the valves and use the fourth to relieve the pressure. Jerry O'Farrell (Continued on Page 10)

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)

January 2004

dinner*

GCAS JOSEPH FERDENZI ROLL OF HONOR

Gene Baiocco Joe Bugeia Mary Ann Bugeia Dan Carson

Charles Elzer Joe Ferdenzi Warren Feuer Herb Fogal

Paul Hahnel Ben Haus Emma Haus Jack Oliva

Herman Rabenau Marcia Repanes Nick Repanes Don Sanford

Mark Soberman

DON SANFORD BREEDER OF THE YEAR (Since 1981)

1981-82; 1982-83 1983-84; 1984-85 1985-86 1986-87 1987-88 1988-89 1989-90 1990-91 1991-92 . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1992-93 1993-94 1994-95 1995-96 1996-97 1997-98 1998-99; '99-'00 2000-01 2001-02

Ginny & Charlie Eckstein Rich Sorensen Yezid Guttierez Joe Ferdenzi Patricia Piccione Joe Ferdenzi Francis Lee Eddie Szablewicz Dominic Isla

Steve Sagona Joe Ferdenzi Steve Sagona TomMiglio Mark Soberman Jeff George Tom Miglio Mark Soberman Alexander Priest

GENE BAIOCCO AQUARIST OF THE YEAR (Since 1990-91)

1990-91 1991-92 1992-93 1993-94 1994-95 1995-96 . . . . . .

Diane & Harold Gottlieb Doug Curtin & Don Curtin Mark Soberman Warren Feuer Steve Sagona Alexander & Susan Priest

1996-97 1997-98 1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 . . . . . . .

WALTER HUBEL BOWL SHOW CHAMPIONS (Since 1983-84) 1989-90 .. Eddie Szablewicz 1983-84 Tom Lawless 1990-91 .. Eddie Szablewicz 1984-85 Tom Lawless 1991-92 Steve Sagona 1985-86 Joe Ferdenzi 1992-93 Steve Sagona 1986-87 Joe Ferdenzi 1993-94 Steve Sagona 1987-88 (tie). Mark Soberman 1994-95 Carlotti DeJager and Mary Ann & Joe Bugeia 1995-96 Mary Eve Brill 1988-89 Jason Ryan

Joe Ferdenzi Claudia Dickinson Vincent & Rosie Sileo PeteD'Orio Bernard Harrigan Jason Kerner 1996-97 1997-98 1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02

Steve Sagona Steve Sagona TomMiglio TomMiglio Pat Coushaine BillAmely

VICTOR BECKER MEMORIAL AWARD For most outstanding species bred (1st awarded 1994-95)

1994-95 1995-96 1996-97 1997-98 1998-99 1999-00

Thomas Bohme (Serrasalmus nattereri) John Moran (Synodontis multipunctatus) Carlotti DeJager (Betta simplex) & Mark Soberman (Corydoras duplicareus) Greg Wuest (Nothobranchius foerschi) & Joe Ferdenzi (Corydoras adolfoi) TomMiglio (Rasbora heteramorphd) Charley Sabatino (Spathodus erythrodon)

PINO BARBARISI HORTICULTURAL AWARD

1993-94 Don Curtin & Doug Curtin 1994-95 . . . . . . Steve Gruebel GCAS PRESIDENTS (Post 1945 1946-49 Elliott Whiteway (4) 1950-51 Robert Greene (2) 1952-53 Robert Maybeck (2) 1954-55 Leonard Meyer (2) 1956-57 SamEstro(2) 1958 Leonard Meyer (2+1) 1959-64 Gene Baiocco (6) 1965 Andrew Fazio (1) 1966-68 Charles Elzer (2)

1995-96 Vincent & Rosie Sileo 1996-97 . . . . . . Joe Ferdenzi

number in parenthesis = consecutive terms) 1968-70 Walter Hubel (2) 1981-84 Brian Kelly (3) 1970-72 Dave Williams (2) 1984-86 Jack Oliva (2) 1972-73 Dan Carson (1) 1986-97 Joe Ferdenzi (11) 1973-75 Herb Fogal (2) 1997-99 Vincent Sileo (2) 1975-76 Richard Hoey(l) 1999-00 Jeff George (1) 1976-77 TedTura(l) 2000-04 Joe Ferdenzi (11+4) 1977-78 Gene Baiocco (6+1) 1978-79 Louis Kromm(l) 1979-81 Don Sanford (2)

January 2004

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)

Greater City Aquarium Society

- 2002-2003 To be awarded January 7, 2004

JOSEPH FERDENZI ROLL OF HONOR ALEXANDER & SUSAN PRIEST

GENE BAIOCCO AOUARIST OF THE YEAR AWARD CARLOTTI DE JAGER

DON SANFORD BREEDER OF THE YEAR AWARD ANTON VUKICH

WALTER HUBEL BOWL SHOW CHAMPION EVELYN EAGAN

SPECIAL APPRECIATION AWARD PAT COUSHAINE

BREEDERS AWARDS MASTER BREEDER (300 points) ADVANCED BREEDER (100 points)

CARLOTTI DE JAGER ANTON VUKICH

AUTHOR AWARDS (Total points listed last, numbers in brackets are points awarded prior to 2003) Only authors making contributions printed during 2003 and whose AAP levels changed are listed below.

Ray Albanese Claudia Dickinson Dora Dong Joseph Ferdenzi Bernard Harrigan i^r Jerry O'Farrell Susan Priest Charley Sabatino Stephen Sica

[235] 385 [875] 1,060 [25] 65 [595] 750 [275] 350 [40] 155 [440] 685 [20] 80 [45] 100

Columnist Master Laureate Correspondent Senior Laureate Columnist Essayist Laureate Correspondent Writer

ifcr Jerry O'Farrell is also Author of the Year for 2003! (Note: Al and Sue Priest, Joe Ferdenzi, and Claudia Dickinson each had more total AAP points in 2003, but are ineligible for "Author of the Year" due to their Modern Aquarium staff positions.) Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)

January 2004

Recently I ran into a problem and needed an airstone real quick, but I could not find one. To solve the problem I took a piece of airline tubing, melted the end, and sealed it with a pair of pliers. Then I took a pin and heated it and began punching holes into the sealed end. To hold it down, I took a small piece of rock and put a rubber band around it. The result was a temporary airstone. Jerry OTarrell

19 I \

O A ^ Clogged airstones can be a pain. To relieve this pain, soak them for 24 hours in vinegar and they will unclog enough to use again Jerry OTarrell Cleaning airstones — vinegar is often recommended for unclogging airstones. I have ^*^S^ found that bleach works better. Place your airstone in a container only slightly larger than the stone (for average-sized cylindrical airstones, the small plastic container that 35mm film comes in will work well). Then, fill the container with bleach and place the lid on airtight. Soak the stone for a few days, and then remove it, exposing it to the air. When you can no longer smell the bleach, the stone is ready for reuse... Joe Ferdenzi

Pipe cleaners — These are more commonly found in craft stores and can serve a variety of purposes. They are great for cleaning air valve outlets, and airline tubing. Also, if you need to allow excess air to escape (to prevent too much back pressure on your airpump), place a short length (about two inches) inside airline tubing of the same length, and attach it to your escape valve. It acts as a great "muffler" of the escaping air noise, and also prevents dirt from entering your air system. Joe Ferdenzi

22 I

Always soak new airstones in hot water before first use. This will open up all of the airways, resulting in a fine, even distribution of air bubbles Claudia Dickinson Soak the ends of new airline tubing in hot water to make them pliable and easy to insert on air valves Claudia Dickinson

Routine Maintenance

\u need to syphon water into a bucket to do water changes, and you want to get the dirt J on the bottom of the tank; but the hose, being flexible limits, control. Well, if you take / an old broom stick and cut it about 2 feet, depending on the depth of your tank, and then rubber band it to the hose leaving about 1 inch of hose below the stick, you will wind up with pinpoint control of the hose Jerry OTarrell

(26)

When making water changes, for added precision, use the same thermometer to check out the temperature of the water to be added as that used to determine the tank water temperature Raymond Albanese

(27 }

Get into a maintenance habit — preferably weekly — habits are easier to do. Postponement adds to the amount of work, and makes the job more time consuming. Roger Brewster If your tank is near a window, drain your water right out the window for water changes. It's better for the environment Edward Vukich If you look at an aquarium, and it occurs to you that it should be "topped off," what it really needs is a water change Susan Priest (Continued on Page 13)

January 2004

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)

Modern Aquarium - 100 issues A guest editorial

would like to start by thanking the Editorial staff of Modern Aquarium for providing space for this guest editorial. Congratulations to all for reaching a laudable milestone - 100 issues! Back when MA had its humble beginnings, 100 issues seemed a distant pipedream. I should know, I was there. It was my honor and pleasure to serve as MA's first editor. From its inception in the fall of 1993, through the first issue in January of 1994 and until June of 1998, my name appeared under the Editor's Desk column in each issue, as well as on the mast head. The early days were incredible. There was a frenzy of activity, much of which was centered around the design and definition of the magazine. Like any endeavor, each participant had their own ideas and experiences to bring to the table. There were five of us: Joe Ferdenzi, President of GCAS and Executive Editor, Alexander Priest, computer fanatic and Assistant Editor, Stephan Zander, Attorney-at-Law and Art Director (whose previous profession had been in the magazine industry and who was gifted with an incredible eye for design and detail), Mark Soberman salesman and hobbyist extra ordinaire, the new magazine's Advertising Manager, and yours truly, a jack of all trades, master of none, who had been the last editor of the Network, GCAS' humble club publication. I started as a contributing author and came to a meeting one month, was handed a box and told I was now the Editor. We started meeting in the Fall of 1993 at Joe's behest to see if we could resurrect Modern Aquarium, GCAS' publication that had been in existence twice before (hence the "Series III" that appears in each issue). Joe felt that with the cast that had been assembled, MA was once again ready to come to life. We spent most of that season working in "stealth mode," revealing as little as possible, acting like giddy school children with a secret. Somehow, even from the start we knew we had a sensation on our hands. Steph's design direction was amazing. He created a clean, Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)

sleek look for the new magazine that was unlike anything being produced by the aquarium clubs in the hobby then (or for that matter, now). We decided on a stark, white cover, with the title of the magazine, the month and issue number and a color photograph. The first issue, in January 1994, had a female Cichlasoma haitiensis in full brood dress, coal black against a terra cotta clay pot. That first issue contained 12 pages, including several hand-drawn illustrations that Stephan had custom created for a particular article. The buzz at the meeting when MA was introduced to the club made it all worthwhile. The workload for each issue was incredible. I myself stayed up late night after night worrying over the details. Al and Steph spent countless hours working on the magazine and meeting to work out details. But, nothing could prepare us for the reaction of Greater City and the other aquarium societies as the magazine began to circulate. Modern Aquarium was a sensation from the start, taking quite a few of our sister clubs aback after their assumptions that GCAS was some simple, local New York club. GCAS members lined up at each meeting to get their copy of the magazine. I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge Bernie Harrigan's incredible contribution to the magazine. Bernie owned a printing business in Brooklyn, and selflessly and incredibly generously provided us with the services of his shop at a minimal cost. Bernie insisted he was charging us his cost for his services, but I am sure that Modern Aquarium was produced by Bernie each month at a considerable loss to his business. Unfortunately, Bernie is no longer living in the New York City area, but he remains a regular contributor to Modern Aquarium. He was a cherished and key part of the success of the magazine in its early years. On a personal note, Bernie and I spent quite a bit of time together working on the production of the magazine and became close friends. After a rocky start, we settled into a rhythm of sorts. Like any new endeavor, the editorial staff had to face challenges on fronts such as cost issues, design and direction differences among the team and some political sniping aimed at discrediting Modern Aquarium. Gee, I felt like I was back at work with all the pressure and in-fighting. Through it all, we kept the ship afloat and produced issue after issue. It was soon to get easier though, as we began to receive numerable hobby publication awards and kudos from our fellow societies as the magazine was reviewed. Obtaining sufficient material in the form of articles for each issue was always a problem. We would meet each month (often 2 or 3 times!) to review the stock of articles we had and figure out the

January 2004

content of each issue. Each article in the magazine was proofread time and again. When necessary, we worked with the authors to fine-tune their writing, not always with the desired result or response, but we did our best. My personal rewards were tremendous. The recognition and respect I got was so overwhelming that it kept me going. I had two of my articles published in Aquarium Fish Magazine, and was profiled in the Daily News. And, to boot, I actually learned how to write. One of my functions at my current job is to write memos and documents, including some for the Senior Management of my company. I get many compliments on my writing, and I have been told I have a real gift. In my heart I know that, although I may have had the potential, working on Modern Aquarium made me the writer I am today. The years passed, the awards kept rolling in, the platitudes and plaques piled up. I got tremendous satisfaction from watching Al bloom as Assistant Editor, to the point where he basically ran the entire show. Our meetings became more like a monthly gathering of friends, eagerly awaiting a look at Sue Priest's latest Jell-O速 flavor (you definitely had to be there!). Stephan Zander resigned from the magazine, and we were exceptionally fortunate enough to have Jason Kerner step in and take his place. Not a step was missed, and Al and Jason have added their computer savvy into the mix. As the 20th century began to wind down, so did my enthusiasm and drive. Unfortunately, I

was going through some pretty serious health problems, and I would like to think that also led to my malaise. There really weren't any more challenges for me with the magazine, and Al and Jason were doing almost all of the work. I would go to editorial meetings and basically sit there and do nothing. I had also started a new job that was extremely challenging and time demanding. It was time for me to go. I hung on until the last issue of the 1997 - 1998 season (June 1998) and then published my final editor's column. I stayed on the editorial staff for a short while as Technical Editor, but that was really more an honorarium than anything else. It was over for me. I am happy to report that the magazine has thrived in my absence. Al Priest has done a spectacular job of running the magazine with everyone's help. There have been new additions to the editorial staff and many new contributors. The issues have more and more pages each month. The magazine seems to be on auto pilot (although I know how much work is involved in creating it). So, fellow readers, as you peruse this 100th issue, make sure you take time to appreciate what it represents and don't forget to congratulate the editorial staff. And, of course, contribute. I can't say how rewarding it is to write for Modern Aquarium. Just writing this brings back a flood of wonderful memories and great moments shared with dear friends. Warren Feuer

NASSAU DISCUS > QUALITY DISCUS > MANY VARIETIES (call) > ALREADY QUARANTINED > ALREADY CONDITIONED > SOLD DIRECT TO HOBBYISTS ONLY (appointment required)

Mark Rubanow 205 8th Street, Hicksville, NY 11801 (516) 939-0267 or (516) 646-8699 (beeper) morgansfin@aol. com 12

January 2004

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)

Use superfine steel wool to clean the inside of the glass. It doesn't scratch. Rusty Wessel To keep discus, do your water changes when your wife goes shopping. Rod Du Casse

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No secrets, just do the right thing: buy a book; do one half water change every week; don't overfeed; don't overcrowd; feed a variety of foods; use proper filtration, lighting, etc Al DiSpigna One of the most difficult things in breeding fish is keeping the fry alive. You know you have to do water changes, but you also need to be careful not to suck up any fry in the process. I use a turkey baster to remove the most obvious debris, and squirt each basterful into a white cup to check for fry. After the worst of the debris is removed, I take a large airstone attached to a length of airline and insert the airstone into the fry tank. Then, I suck on the other end of the airstone until water flows out, and use the airline like a syphon. This removes polluted water, but no fry can be sucked out. Al Priest A two gallon watering can with a removable sprinkler head serves multiple functions. With the sprinkler head on, you can perform such tasks as: a) gently distributing water over the surface of small fry tanks when refilling during a water change. b) evenly and gently distributing water over your earthworm culture to alleviate spot "pooling." With the sprinkler head off, you can perform such tasks as: c) replenishing water in a tank that is situated in a tight corner of the fishroom d) replenishing water in a wet/dry sump with a sliding lid Claudia Dickinson To keep your bettas healthy, use one eighth of a teaspoon of Amquel and one eighth of of NovaAqua with one teaspoon of kosher salt to one gallon of water. ... .. . Rvelvn Kapan

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Discus â&#x20AC;&#x201D; when doing water changes, do not use carbon. Also, stay away from live Mark Rubinow foods and freeze dried foods

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Ponds

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To calculate the size of the liner needed, add twice the depth of the pond to the desired length plus the desired overlap. Overlap should be at least two feet - one foot on each side. Calculate the width in a similar manner. For a desired pond size of 8 by 12 feet with a depth of 3 feet and an overlap of 2 feet on each side, the liner must be 18 by 22 feet Raymond Albanese The capacity of the pond can be calculated by finding the volume of the pond (in cubic feet) and multiplying by 7.48. The volume may be calculated by multiplying the length times the width times the depth (in feet). For an 8 by 12 pond with a depth of 3 feet, the volume is 2,154 gallons Raymond Albanese

pond fish with wheat germ based foods (low protein) in the fall and spring. Higher 39 I\dprotein foods may be used in the summer. Fish should not be fed once the water temperature falls below 50 degrees F (Continued on Page 16) Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)

January 2004

Raymond Albanese

Photos and captions of our December 2003 meeting

Modern Aquarium Associate Editor and Editor in Chief, Sue and Al Priest, radiate the GCAS Holiday Spirit!

Our incomparable GCAS Dora Dong smiles brightly, President Joe Ferdenzi, alongside Frosty the Snowman performing one of his infinite and his helpers! missions, brings the perfect blend of warmth, care and direction to our meetings.

"Fish Wits" host Jeff George has panelists Artie Friedman, Warren Feuer and Al DiSpignia in close concentration with his aquatic queries.

Brooklyn Aquarium Society President Al DiSpigna enacts a *STAR* performance as he takes the "Fish Wits" Grande Championship!

Jeff George and Steven Giacobello relax after Jeffs stellar performance as host of the ever-popular game show, "Fish Wits." January 2004

After all of the talents, time and effort he put into the evening's "Fish Wits" program, who more perfect than Jeff George to be our GCAS Door Prize winner! Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)

by Claudia Dickinson

Pete D'Orio's wonderful nature remains undaunted as his shoulder is well on the mend. Welcome back Pete!!! That Frosty the Snowman just keeps popping up, wishing the Modern Aquarium congratulations on its 100th Issue, as well as wishing everyone a Happy Holiday!

Roger Brewster is ready to be our next star GCAS panelist, upon the return of "Fish Wits!"

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Peter Foster joins in the laughter and fun that an evening of "Fish Wits" brings to everyone!

"Through the Lens" goes through the lens and wishes a beautiful New Year to our Editor in Chief Al Priest!

The author steps on the other side of the lens with her dear friend and fishing buddy Tom Bohme, to wish all of you most special people a New Year filled with peace, love and happiness!!!

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)

January 2004

40; (41

Use a liner made of at least 45 mils thick EPDM or butyl rubber. PVC ages poorly in the ultraviolet rays of the sun Raymond Albanese In the winter, use a bubbler - either a weighted airline, or one with an airstone - to maintain a hole in the ice should the pond freeze over. This will permit gas exchange at the water surface Raymond Albanese Do water changes as you would do in your aquariums - at least 10% per week. Use the nitrate rich waste water to irrigate gardens or potted plants Raymond Albanese

Breeding If your cichlids spawn in a community tank, and you want the parents to raise the babies, I recommend you use a syphon hose and remove two-thirds of the spawn. Raise them in a nursery tank. It will be easier for the parents to raise one-third of the spawn, to protect their young in the community setup. The parents will be much more successful in raising the smaller amount of fry vs. the entire spawn. Many times, the huge number of fry cause either the parents to eat the young or other fish in the community tank to predate on the young. I feel that the parents get frustrated trying to protect huge numbers of fry. Generally, you don't need a thousand babies in the first place â&#x20AC;&#x201D; it makes good sense to cut back and let the parents do it naturally. Rusty Wessel

\e Formalin, one drop per gallon, to keep eggs from fungusing. Use this instead often drops of methylene blue, as it is cheaper and works better Jim Peterson

I45

In encouraging African Cichlids to breed, put lights on a timer starting at eight hours of light, and increase by 30 minutes a day until you get to twelve hours. Les Deutsch

Hints/Tips/TricfcS:

Plants

House plants can be used as natural biological filters by placing them so their roots are in the tank water but their leaves are not. One way to do this is placing their roots in a power filter Raymond Albanese To almost always determine if a plant is a true aquatic plant, place the plant on a flat surface. If it lies there limp, chances are good that it is a true aquarium plant. If the plant stem stands straight up and supports the leaves, it is probably a terrestrial plant being falsely sold as an aquarium plant Raymond Albanese

Increasing the photo period beyond ten or twelve hours is not as effective for improving the growth rate, and potential flowering of tropical and neo-tropical plants as it would be to increase the intensity of the light. A longer photo period of 14 to 16 hours per day will benefit temperate zone plants by improving growth, and possibly stimulating flowering Raymond Albanese (Continued on Page 18)

January 2004

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)

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Joe Bugeia by JOSEPH FERDENZI

t is with deep sadness that our Society mourns the passing of Joe Bugeia, one of our most esteemed members. Indeed, Joe is an inductee of our prestigious Roll of Honor, which is a permanent honor, reflected in every January issue of Modern Aquarium, and reserved for those who have made outstanding contributions to the vitality of our Society. Joe died on November 18th, in the company of family, and, by all accounts, he died peacefully. Joe's life began on May 20, 1921, in Zejtun, Malta. He and his family emigrated to the United States, where Joe had the distinction of serving his adopted country in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. While honorably serving in the army, Joe advanced his traditional love of the mandolin by forming a mandolin orchestra, a passion which he pursued until his fingers would no longer obey his commands. The other, more significant event that occurred in his army days was meeting his future bride, a bright and beautiful Nebraska (where Joe was stationed) farmgirl named Mary Ann. They wed in February of 1946. Eventually, the young couple moved to New York, and began raising a family. Two of

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1921-2003 their children, first Terry and then Mary, became avid aquarists. Terry joined the GCAS and became the driving force behind the reintroduction of a Society newsletter ("Network"). This got mom and dad involved in Greater City. After Terry moved to Suffolk County, Mary Ann and Joe continued their involvement with the GCAS. Joe and Mary Ann were an inseparable team. They served for over ten years on the Board of Governors, and were the hospitality committee during all of that time. Anyone who knows what this entails would be amazed that they were able to perform this feat for over a decade! In addition, if a GCAS event needed volunteers, you could always count on the two of them. It is little wonder, therefore, that both of them were elected to the Roll of Honor. Of course, Joe continued to participate in other activities. For one, he was a Life Member of his local chapter of the Veterans of Foreign Wars — an honor in which he rightfully took great pride. For another, he continued to play the mandolin in a local orchestra. In fact, Joe also composed the "official" GCAS song. Joe was also a member of the Big Apple Guppy Club. In addition to daughters Terry and Mary, Joe is survived by sons Richard and Michael, six grandchildren (including Terry's son, Derek, who was often seen at aquarium society gatherings), three great-grandchildren, brother Salvatore, sisters Stella and Frances, and, of course, his beloved -rr,,* £Sf^f^^^' \j£,> Mary Ann. Joe was a great family man, a man of honor, and someone who made us better by his f/ presence. May he rest in eternal peace. »-

The Greater City Song - by Joe Bugeia Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)

January 2004

If an algae bloom is encountered, cut back on the amount of nutrients in the tank by \g less. This will induce thefishto produce less ammonia which, when eventually / converted to nitrates, nourishes algae. Performing a water change should also decrease the nitrate level in a tank Raymond Albanese

Disinfecting plants â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Plants sometimes carry unwanted "pests" such as snails or snail eggs. Use one half teaspoon of alum (a generic astringent in the form of a white powder, available in most drugstores) per gallon of water. Allow the plants to soak overnight, then rinse them under tapwater, and the plants are ready to be planted.. . Joe Ferdenzi Artificial plants have their place in a aquaria keeping, especially for those busy people that have limited time for their modern aquariums Bob Strazzulla

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If you have too much duckweed or salvinia, give it to anyone keeping goldfish. The goldfish love eating it Pete D'Orio

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Lighting To increase the amount of light output, put reflective Mylar tape on the inside of a reflector .......................................... Raymond Albanese Set your individual aquarium light timers in your fishroom on varying time schedules to turn on in the morning, progressing from a difference in minutes, up to an hour for completion. This will give the fishroom a gentle, natural wake-up, simulating dawn, as the room gradually lightens, and avoiding sudden startling of the fish, which can lead to injury. In the evening, work the light schedule gradually in the opposite manner to put your fish into a peaceful rest .............................. Claudia Dickinson

541

Buy fluorescent light fixtures at Home Depot. You can get a 48 inch double bulb strip for less than $15 ..................... ... .................... Tom Bohme

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When setting up a new tank, place ajar inside a saucer on top of the gravel before adding \. This will prevent the water from disturbing the gravel. Fill the t j halfway point, allowing the added water to fill the jar. Add the desired plants and decorations before filling the remainder of the tank Raymond Albanese j '

Keep trophem in groups of 12 or more fish with no rockwork to prevent aggression and bloat Ron Neilson Use flowerpots as lightweight, durable, easy-to-stack cave structures instead of rocks. Jeff George I found that my fishes were very aggressive, so I plan to add more hiding places in the form of rock and slates, and some large Anubius plants Denver Lettman

For fish that fight with their own reflection on the back of their tank, I line the whole back of the tank with tall plastic plants, and use suction cups to clip and hold the tops of the plants close against the tank back. You can also use foam sponges to hold and weigh down the bottom part of the plant. (I use false plants because I have Oscars!) Jannette Ramirez (Continued on Page 24)

January 2004

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)

The GCAS Author ^warcf ^Program Overview The GCAS AAP awards points for contributions to Modern Aquarium. Persons acquiring a specified number of points will receive additional recognition in the form of a certificate for having reached designated Accomplishment Levels. (See "Accomplishment Levels.") The person earning the most AAP points in a calendar year is "Author Of The Year" for that calendar year. Modern Aquarium staff members (other than Editorial Assistants) are ineligible for "Author Of The Year" awards. Each person making a qualifying contribution to Modern Aquarium receives points and chances for a Prize Drawing at the Annual Holiday Party. Modern Aquarium* staff members (other than Editorial Assistants) are not eligible. Eligibility Any member of Greater City may participate in the GCAS AAP. However, Modern Aquarium staff members (except for Editorial Assistants) are ineligible for chances in the AAP Prize Drawing, or for "Author Of The Year." Points Five points will be awarded for an original article of 500 words or less (until December 31, 2003, each fishkeeping related trick, hint, or tip submitted earned five points). Ten points will be awarded for an original article of 501 words and over. Five points will be awarded for an original photograph, drawing, or illustration submitted with, and as part of, an original article. If more than two photographs, drawings, or illustrations are submitted with a related article, only two will be given points (this is in addition to the points awarded the article, based on its size). This means photos or illustrations accompanying articles are limited to 10 points, regardless of the number of photos; and the accompanying article receives points based on its size. Ten points will be awarded for an original color photograph that is used on the front cover. Photographs must be the work of the member submitting them and must not previously have been published, or submitted for publication, in any commercial or amateur publication. Two or more related photographs or illustrations, not part of an article, submitted with captions and occupying one or more pages will be counted as two photos (10 points) and as an article over 500 words (10 points), for a total of 20 points. (For example, a photo spread with captions.) Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)

Five points will be awarded for an original puzzle which is used on the "Fin Fun" page of Modern Aquarium. Modern Aquarium staff members (except for Editorial Assistants) are ineligible for points for "Fin Fun" puzzles. For the purposes of the GCAS AAP, an "original article," drawing, puzzle, or photograph is the sole property and creation of the author, and was never printed in any other publication. If submitted to another publication, it must first have been submitted to Modern Aquarium. Points are awarded only once for an article, drawing, puzzle, or photograph. No points are awarded for subsequent reprints, regardless of whether the original article was awarded points in the AAP previously. However, if an article previously published in Modern Aquarium is significantly revised by its author (as a result of new information or developments), and if such revision is first submitted to Modern Aquarium, it will be treated as a new article. Points are awarded in the year the article is printed. Fishkeeping tips are awarded points in the year received. If the same tip is submitted more than once, only the first tip counts. Acceptance of an article, and/or awarding of points is no guarantee any article will be published. An article deemed unacceptable by the Editorial Staff of Modern Aquarium for reasons of appropriateness of topic, suitability, or possible violations of copyright or libel laws, will be ineligible for participation in the GCAS AAP. Decisions of the Staff are final. Points credited to an author may not be carried over or credited to subsequent calendar years for the purposes of raffle prize chances or "Author Of The Year" designation, regardless of the calendar year in which an article is actually published. Bonus Points If, in the year following its publication in Modern Aquarium, an article is given a 1st, 2nd or 3rd place award by the North East Council of Aquarium Societies ("NEC") or by the Federation of American Aquarium Societies ("FAAS"), an additional 10 points will be awarded if the author is a GCAS member in the year the NEC or FAAS award is announced. This applies only to articles (not to drawings, columns, cartoons or photos). These bonus points are credited in the year that the award was announced (not the year the award is for).

January 2004

Prize Drawing For every five AAP points earned in a calendar year, the recipient author is given one chance in an "Authors/Contributors Only" Raffle at the end of the year. Staff Members of Modern Aquarium (other than Editorial Assistants) are not eligible for this drawing. (However, their family members are eligible, as are family members of any GCAS member.) Author of the Year The person with the most points in a calendar year receives a certificate as "Author Of The Year" for that year. Staff members of Modern Aquarium (except Editorial Assistants or family members), are excluded from this category.

Accomplishment Levels For the accomplishment levels specified below, all points achieved in all years of operation of the AAP are totaled together: Author 25 to 45 pts Correspondent 50 to 95 pts Writer 100 to 145 pts Essayist 150 to 195 pts Journalist 200 to 295 pts Columnist 300 to 495 pts Laureate 500 to 745 pts Senior Laureate 750 to 995 pts Master Laureate 1000 to 1495 pts Grand Master Laureate 1500 to 1995 pts Modern Aquarium Editor Emeritus 2000+ pts

Author Award Program Report A Status Report - Points Awarded January to December 2003 Number of Articles

Art Work

Awards

Total Points

Prize

500 words or less

over 500 words

Bonus1 Points

Year Total January to December

Raffle2 Chances

150

N/A

Fred Bellise

11 ~ ~~2

Steve Berman

Tom Bohme

Author

Photo/ Drawing (up to two per article)

Ray Albanese Bill Amely

Roger Brewster

Doug Curtin

Carlotti De Jager

185

N/A

155

N/A

Les Deutsch Claudia Dickinson

Al DiSpigna

Dora Dong

Pete D'Orio

Rod Du Casse

Evelyn Eagan

Anita Ferdenzi

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Francesca Ferdenzi

Joseph Ferdenzi

Michael Foran

Peter Foster

January 2004

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)

Art Work Photo/ Drawing (up to two per article)

Author

Number of Articles over 500 words

500 words or less

Awards

Total Points

Prize

Bonus1 Points

Year Total January to December

Raffle2 Chances

Artie Friedman

Jeff George

Steve Giacobello

Joseph Graff agnino

Steve Gruebel

Al Grusell

10 J|

5 75

1 15

1 1

Bernard Harrigan

Denver Lettman

John Malinowski

125

Jerry O'Farrell

Elliot Oshins

Jim Peterson

Margaret Peterson Alexander Priest

175

N/A

Susan Priest

245

N/A

Jannette Ramirez

[

Mark Rubanow

Charley Sabatino

Donna Sosna Sica Stephen Sica

Danielle Soberman

Ilyssa Soberman

Robin Soberman

Anton Vukich

i II i II

Edward Vukich

Undergravel Reporter

100

N/A

J For NEC

awards presented this year (both the FAAS 2001 and 2002 Publication Awards were announced during 2003, as well as the NEC 2002 Publication Awards). 2Editorial Board members are ineligible for the Raffle (as well as for designation of "Author Of The Year"). 3Editorials and President's Messages are excluded.

Here is total of the AAP points for all GCAS members as of December 2003. If you have questions, or feel that there are errors, please contact Al Priest. Ray Albanese BillAmely Fred Bellise Steve Berman Tom Bohme Roger Brewster Donald Curtin Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)

385 5 10 10 5 10 10

DougCurtin Carlotti De Jager Les Deutsch Claudia Dickinson Al DiSpigna Dora Dong Pete O'Orio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

January 2004

90 20 5 1060 5 65 ... 5 21

RodDuCasse Evelyn Eagan Anita Ferdenzi Francesca Ferdenzi Joseph Ferdenzi Michael Foran Artie Friedman Warren Feuer Peter Foster Jeff George HorstGerber Steve Giacobello Joseph Graffagnino Steve Gruebel AlGrusell Bernard Harrigan Jason Kerner Denver Lettman John Malinowski Tom Miglio

5 5 15 5 750 25 5 200 10 115 20 5 90 10 10 350 100 5 5 25

Jerry OTarrell Elliot Oshins Jim Peterson Margaret Peterson Alexander Priest Susan Priest Jannette Ramirez Leonard Ramroop Mark Rubanow Charley Sabatino Donna Sosna Sica Stephen Sica Vincent Sileo Danielle Soberman Ilyssa Soberman Robin Soberman Mark Soberman Undergravel Reporter Anton Vukich Edward Vukich Greg Wuest

155 5 5 10 740 685 5 10 5 80 10 100 50 5 5 10 60 540 5 15 25

Eaet iR3onthf015owl Show Winners photos by CLAUDIA DICKINSON

Second Place: Ed Vukich First Place: Bill Amely Third Place: Evelyn Eagan

January 2004

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)

Follow the Yellow Brick Road! By: Claudia Dickinson "We 're off to see the Wizard, the Wonderful Wizard of Oz!" "Because, Because, Because, Because... Because of the Wonderful Things He Does!"

hat a Grande Celebration it is - the 100th issue of the Modern Aquarium Series III! Ten years ~ a GCAS treasure of volumes, brimming with the fabulous adventures, stories, trials and triumphs of all of you, as well as those of our cherished friends and guests. The Modern Aquarium has been and continues to be a magical universe where we have been given the license to let ourselves go, living our dreams and fishy ventures and getting lost in our own worlds, as we put our pens to paper to tell our tales. As we Follow the Yellow Brick Road, enjoying each others company and sharing the ideas and experiences of our aquatic endeavors, the sparkling golden cobblestones lead to many varied adventures, some expected and others quite extraordinary. What fun to return to our lives in the "real world," while continuing to muse and reflect, forming words and phrases that we can run and jot down on a pad, later to be picked up, sorted through and put into a legible form. And then we come to the Emerald City of Oz! And here our breath is taken away, for what a beautiful land it is! Each page is filled with interesting and informative articles that bring a plethora of wisdom on any matter of subjects, ranging from basic fish and plant maintenance, to spawning rare species and successfully raising their fry. A beginner is certain to learn without intimidation, and a more experienced hobbyist will surely find that there is more to be discovered. Naturally, we could not have made it this far without the guidance of the lovely and talented

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)

Modern Aquarium Associate Editor, Sue Priest. With a wave of her sparkling wand, Modern Aquarium's "Good Witch of the East," Sue, lends her inspirational encouragement to all who search for those journalistic Ruby Slippers "Somewhere over the Rainbow,*' and to write away about our fish, friends, experiences and travels. Approaching the gates of the Emerald City, we step back in awe of the colorful, glittering beauty! Then the voice booms from within "Enter!" Stepping over the threshold we are enthralled, as it is here that Modern Aquarium's "Wizard of Oz" Editor-in-Chief, Al Priest, quietly spends countless hours, putting his incomparable talents, time and efforts to work, placing it all together and making the magic that the publication is all about. Al makes the smoke and the sizzle, he makes the lights and the glamour and he brings all of our writing endeavors, which include innumerable of his own contributions, to reality. What great fortune for the GCAS to have Al's immense dedication, as his final creation, the Modern Aquarium, that he pieces together in such an unequivocal fashion, goes beyond compare. And now, as we continue to Follow the Yellow Brick Road, and work with our fish, we can dream about just exactly who it is that plays the part of the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, the Lion, Dorothy and then there is Toto

January 2004

General 61)

Protect heaters from aggressive fish, such as cichlids, with PVC pipe covering the glass envelope Raymond Albanese

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If a heater is desired in a tank with low water level, put the heater in a one gallon glass jar filled with tank water. Add this set-up to the tank Raymond Albanese

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Use two heaters in a large tank, one set a few degrees lower than the other, rather than one large heater. For example, if 200 watts are desired, use two 100 watt heaters. This will improve heater efficiency, and decrease the problems that might be caused by a malfunctioning heater Raymond Albanese

64)

A Ground Fault Interrupter should be installed on your electrical circuits in your fish room. This will prevent injury or death caused by an electrical shock due to a faulty ground. Two types are available - one that replaces a standard duplex outlet and the other that is part of the circuit breaker. I prefer the outlet type because it accessible right in your fish room Raymond Albanese In order to get the ammonia cycle under control in a new tank, cycle the tank for two weeks using feeder goldfish in freshwater tanks and black mollies in saltwater tanks. Feed heavily. These are inexpensive fish and goldfish especially produce a lot of waste. As an alternate, add a few drops of ammonia and test ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels daily until the levels are safe for fish Raymond Albanese

(66] (67)

To calculate tank capacity, measure the inside dimensions of the tank. Calculate the volume in cubic inches by multiplying the length times the width times the depth (all in inches). Then divide by 231 to find the capacity of the tank in gallons. Raymond Albanese Never start a fish related conversation on the telephone when doing water changes. Inevitably you will be describing something occurring in another tank to the person on the other end of the phone and forget about the tank being filled. (Until the water starts to hit the floor!) Michael Foran

(68)

The success of any organization is its membership. The "100th issue" of Modern Aquarium is a tribute to all members of GCAS. O.K., here's my tip â&#x20AC;&#x201D; don't sit back and relax â&#x20AC;&#x201D; get involved in your society! You may even have fun! Michael Foran

Cp>

Always have a "backup plan." Battery operated pumps save lives in a power failure. Roger Brewster

(70)

Ninety-nine cent stores are your friend

Dora Dong

If you see something you like in a catalog, don't buy it yet. There are plenty of aquarium sites on the Internet that review products. Forums are especially helpful. Find out the pros and cons of a product before buying Dora Dong If you are an impulse shopper, don't go to a fish store before the aquarium society meeting. What you want may be found cheaper, or in better condition. .. Dora Dong For Tanganyikan shell dwellers, place shells upside down on a clear plastic cup to get the fish to come out of the shell Ron Neilson (Continued on Page 29) 24

January 2004

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)

2003 Modern Aquarium Article Index ANABANTOIDS "The Littlest Croaker" (Sparkling Gourami) by Alexander Priest "We Need A Little Summer" (Backyard Aquarium with Paradisefish) by Al Priest "Mega-Maculata, the Magical Fish" (Betta unimaculatd) by Carlotti De Jager "The Definitive Betta Breeding Article" (Betta splendens) by Bernard Harrigan

1/03 4/03 5/03 10/03

AQUASCAPING "The Perfect Aquarium" by Joseph Ferdenzi

10/03

BOOK REVIEWS "WET LEAVES" Column The Simple Guide to Freshwater Aquariums - reviewed by Susan Priest 2/03 Stocking Your Garden Pond - reviewed by Susan Priest 4/03 The Toy Fish . . . - reviewed by Susan Priest 6/03 The Cichlid Fishes - reviewed by Susan Priest 9/03 Rainbowflshes in Nature and in the Aquarium - reviewed by Susan Priest.... 10/03 Bristlenoses - Catfish With Character - reviewed by Susan Priest 11/03 Damselflshes of the World - reviewed by Susan Priest 12/03

Other Book Reviews Tropical Fish as a Hobby - reviewed by Dora Dong The Coral Reef Aquarium - reviewed by Dora Dong

5/03 12/03

"Plecos are a Girl's Best Friend" by Donna Sosna Sica "Hoplosternum thoracatum - 'Brown Hoplo'" by Joseph Graffagnino

5/03 10/03

CATFISH

CICHLIDS "Breeding the Rainbow Cichlid" by Jerry O'Farrell "Paracyprichromis nigripinnis - 'Blue Neon'" by Joseph Graffagnino

9/03 11/03

GCAS Society Issues 2001-2002 GCAS Awards Author Award Program Report "GCAS Holds New Year's Bash" by Susan Priest "A Letter to the Ladies" by Susan Priest "The First Lady of Fish" by Anita Ferdenzi "Lateral Lines" by Susan Priest "A Special Kind of Dad" by Danielle Soberman "My Dad the Fishman" by Ilyssa Soberman "Married With Fish" by Robin Soberman "Expert Night at the GCAS" by Francesca Ferdenzi "Name That Babe" (Identify baby photos) "Lateral Lines" by Susan Priest "In Memoriam: Ray Albanese" by Joseph Ferdenzi and GCAS Board members "What To Do? What to Do?" by Jerry O'Farrell "Greater City Displays 'Aquatic Livestock' at Queens County Fair" by Susan Priest... "A Most Special Individual" (about Joseph Ferdenzi) by Claudia Dickinson "2002-2003 Breeders Award Program" "Author Award Program - A Brief Outline" "A Holiday Wish" by Claudia Dickinson "Lateral Lines" by Susan Priest

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)

January 2004

1/03 1/03 2/03 5/03 5/03 5/03 5/03 5/03 5/03 5/03 5/03 6/03 9/03 9/03 10/03 10/03 11/03 11/03 12/03 12/03

GENERAL INTEREST AND MISCELLANEOUS "A Fishroom Grows in Queens" by Charley Sabatino "Why Did My Fish Die?" by Joseph Ferdenzi "So You Want A Bigger Tank?" by Jerry O'Farrell "Tropical Far Rockaway, NY" by Stephen Sica "I Love My Man's Hobby" by Beverley Morfitt "A Kaleidoscope of Fish" original artwork by Karen Randall "Married...to a Fish Hobbyist" by Margaret Peterson "Going Once, Going Twice, SOLD" by Jerry O'Farrell "25 Things I Didn't Always Know..." by Susan Priest "A Cameo Primer: Perspectives on 70 Common Tropical Fish" by Steve Gruebel

1/03 2/03 3/03 3/03 5/03 5/03 5/03 6/03 10/03 11/03

HEALTH /NUTRITION "A Cause and Cure For Popeye Disease" by Joseph Ferdenzi

12/03

HOW TO/"DO IT YOURSELF" "In Search Of A Big Stand" by Jerry O'Farrell "How To Write an Award-Winning Article" by Bernard Harrigan "Seven Steps to Cleaning Your Freshwater Aquarium" by Bernard Harrigan

4/03 6/03 11/03

InterFish Net (Technology Series) "Saltwater Hobby Websites" by Alexander Priest

12/03

JUNIORS (Authors under age 18) "A Special Kind of Dad" by Danielle Soberman (age 10) "My Dad the Fishman" by Ilyssa Soberman (age 13)

5/03 5/03

LIVEBEARERS "Mom of the Year: Singapore Cobra Guppy" by Doug Curtin

9/03

MARINE/REEF "Cichlid Lovers, Move Up To The Next Level: Damselfish" by Bernard Harrigan "Misadventures in Nano-Reefing" by Dora Dong "Saltwater Hobby Websites" by Alexander Priest

12/03 12/03 12/03

NEC and FAAS NEWS/EVENTS "NEC News" NEC Delegate's Report by Claudia Dickinson 2001 FAAS Publication Awards "FAASinations" (FAAS Delegate's Report) by Alexander Priest "NEC News" (NEC Delegate's Report) by Claudia Dickinson 2002 NEC Awards 2002 FAAS Publication Awards

2/03 2/03 3/03 3/03 5/03 6/03

OPINION AND/OR HUMOR "UNDERGRAVEL REPORTER" Column "Cheers and Jeers" ("good guys" vs. "bad" in the hobby) "Classic, Vintage, or Just Old? ("dust collectors?") "I've Never Been Able To..." (problems unsolved) "But, It's Not The Same" (fishkeeping vs. the real world) "Fish Junk" (using fish stuff around the house) "Memories, Money, and Me" (hobby memorabilia) "A Proposal: An Aquatic Orphan Registry" ("orphan" equipment & fish) "Sounds of the Hobby" (sounds associated with fishkeeping) "His, Hers, Ours, and Theirs" (people stuff vs. fish stuff) "Homeland Security" (fishkeeping as a lethal weapon) 26

January 2004

1/03 2/03 3/03 4/03 5/03 6/03 9/03 10/03 11/03 12/03

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)

OTHER HUMOR/OPINION "Fish Club Etiquette" by Bernard Harrigan "The Perfect Fish" by Susan Priest "What To Do? What to Do?" by Jerry O'Farrell "Who Would Join an Aquarium Club Without Having a Fish Tank?" by Steve Herman "Op Ed: 'It Ain't Nothing "' (anonymous)

4/03 5/03 9/03 10/03 10/03

PRODUCT REVIEWS "SeaClear Acrylic Aquarium & All-Glass Stand" by Stephen Sica

9/03

PHOTOSPREADS "LOOKING THROUGH THE LENS" - Claudia Dickinson "A Flash From The Past" "Looking Through The Lens" (February meeting) "Looking Through The Lens" (March meeting) Photos of the January Meeting by Alexander Priest Photos of the February Meeting by Alexander Priest Photos of the May Meeting Photos of the June Meeting Photos of the September Meeting Photos of the October Meeting Photos of the November meeting

1/03 3/03 4/03 2/02 3/03 6/03 9/03 10/03 11/03 12/03

PLANTS "Oxygen Levels In A Non-traditional Planted Tank" by Charley Sabatino

4/03

PONDS "Martin T. Goldfish" by Raymond Albanese

4/03

PUZZLE: "FIN FUN" Page "Scrambled Eggs" (unscramble names of egglaying fishes) "Two out of Three" (what are your fish thinking of?) "The 4 S' Word (spelling challenge) "Afternoon Delight" (fish with names that sound like they can live in a garden) "Femme" Fun — "The First Shall Be Last" (crossword of 'Leading Lady' names) "Author, Author" (unscramble names of authors of aquarium literature) "Is It A Guppy?" (identify names of guppy varieties) "Killifish Switcheroo" (old vs. current scientific names of killifish) "Scrambled and Unlisted" (unscrambling common names offish) "Finding Nemo" (common and scientific names of damselflshes) REPRINTED ARTICLES

1/03 2/03 3/03 4/03 5/03 6/03 9/03 10/03 11/03 12/03

selected by Alexander Priest

Second Sight — Reprints from other society publications "Digital Cameras and Aquatic Photography" by Luis Morales 3/03 "Fishcraft: Bringing Home the Discus" reprinted from Fishkeeping Answers . . 5/03 "African Riverine Cichlids" reprinted from Pisces Press 9/03 "Hatching Rainbowfish Eggs" from Journal of the Rainbowfish Study Group. 10/03 "Contradictory Bold Statements About the Marine Aquarium" reprinted from Aquatica 12/03

Treasure Chest — Reprints from Modern Aquarium "The Making of a Fish Wife" (March 1969) by Mary Carson

5/03

Other Reprints "Coup's Aquarium is Coming to Town!!" from Bartlett Society Newsletter . . . 6/03 Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)

January 2004

SPAWNING "The Littlest Croaker" (Sparkling Gourami) by Alexander Priest "Mother's Day" (Spawning strategies) by Susan Priest "Mega-Maculata, the Magical Fish" (Betta unimaculatd) by Carlotti De Jager "Double Shot of My Baby's Love" (Betta splendens) by Raymond Albanese "Breeding the Rainbow Cichlid" by Jerry O'Farrell "Mom of the Year: Singapore Cobra Guppy" by Doug Curtin "Hoplosternum thoracatum - 'Brown Hoplo"' by Joseph Graffagnino "The Definitive Betta Breeding Article" (Betta splendens) by Bernard Harrigan "Paracyprichromis nigripinnis - 'Blue Neon"' by Joseph Graffagnino

1/03 5/03 5/03 6/03 9/03 9/03 10/03 10/03 11/03

SPEAKER PROFILES Biography Biography Biography Biography Biography

of Luis Morales by Claudia Dickinson of Lee Finley of Ginny Eckstein (from the Marineland website) of GaryLange of Jeff George by Claudia Dickinson

3/03 6/03 9/03 10/03 12/03

TRAVELING AQUARIST "Diving With A Dolphin" by Stephen Sica 2/03 "Tanganyikan Tour" by Pam Chin 5/03 "Non-Stop Fun at the NJAS 50th" by Susan Priest 11/03 "The Norwalk Show" by Joseph Ferdenzi 11/03 "New and Old" (travel to a store and North Jersey A.S. auction) by Jerry O'Farrell.... 11/03

COVER PHOTOGRAPHS Trichopsis pumila - Sparkling Gourami - photo by Alexander Priest Botia macrocanthus - Clown Loach - photo by Susan Priest Snowy Grouper - photo by Randi Eisen Macropodus opercularis - Paradisefish - photo by Alexander Priest Pterophylum scalare - female Angelfish - photo by Susan Priest Haplochromis spilonotus - photo by Jerry O'Farrell Herotilapia multispinosa - Rainbow Cichlid - photo by Jerry O'Farrell Aphyosemion striatum - photo by Susan Priest Ancistris sp. - Bristlenose Catfish - photo by Susan Priest Chrysiptera taupou - female Fiji Damselfish - Photo By Susan Priest

1/03 2/03 3/03 4/03 5/03 6/03 9/03 10/03 11/03 12/03

North East Council 29th Annual Convention March 19-21,2004 Marriott in Farmington, CT This year, the scheduled speakers include: Ivan Dibble from England — Livebearers Scott Michael from Nebraska — Saltwater Fish Robert Di Marco from Canada — Raising Nemo Mike Hellweg from Missouri — TEA Jaap-Jan DeGreef from Florida — Collecting Wild Fish Gary Elson from Canada — TEA Lee Finley from Rhode Island — Catfish Wayne Leibel from Pennsylvania — Banquet MC 28

January 2004

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)

This one could be expensive; occasionally buy your spouse a nice gift, so you can get more fish! Spouse support is a must. ÂŠ Charlotte Neilson A one gallon plastic milk jug is a great emergency breeding or quarantine container. Make the opening slightly larger, but leave the handle intact Edward Vukich I n fl\d pantyhose make a great media bag. Try to avoid the runs

Edward Vukich

^\f you are putting a bare-bottomed tank (that is, without substrate) onto a "marbleized" nn\r top, put some kind of solid-colored material, such as a board or a placemat ' ' I underneath it. If you don't, when you go to clean it, you won't be able to tell the debris %^*^ from the design, and you will continually be trying to syphon up the "stripes" on the counter top Susan Priest Take a look at the small spaces between your close-together tanks. "Guestimate" how far apart they are (one inch, one-half inch, etc.). Then, get a paintbrush of about the same width, and use it to "sweep" out the particles offish food which have fallen down there, instead of making it into the tanks Susan Priest If you dedicate a sponge or household "scrubber" for aquarium use, cut the corner so that it has a different shape; and this way you will not make a mistake and accidentally use it with soap, detergent, or household chemicals Susan Priest Use white toothpaste (not the "gel" kind) to remove surface scratches on an acrylic aquarium Bernard Harrigan When photographing fish, use a camcorder light (the kind that are either chargeable, or that use household current, but not those that take their power from the camera) instead of a flash. This way, you can position the light so that glare is eliminated or reduced, something that is very difficult to do when using flash Al Priest

82 J

Use inexpensive plastic hooks (the kind with sticky tape already affixed to the back) and permanently stick them to the wall of your fishroom. You can hang fish nets, scissors, airline tubing, flashlights, and many other supplies on the hooks. The nets can dry out between use, and the other supplies stay dry and out of the way until you use them. .,...,,., Al Priest

filter pads or sponges are no longer useable in the filter, don 83 /\nthrowcoarse-textured them away. Rinse them thoroughly and use them as scrubbers to clean tanks, ^Âť-

ornaments, and other aquarium equipment

Al Priest

\e silicone aquarium sealant to glue rocks of about equal height to the bottom of small Q A I plastic box filters. This prevents the filter from floating, especially if it contains only ^^" J filter floss, sponges, or other light-weight material, and also provides for water circulation under the filter, helping to reduce any accumulation of detritus there. Al Priest Use plastic suction cup hooks (the kind with plastic suction cup and plastic, not metal, hooks) to hold down box filters. Simply invert the hook (so that it looks like a "candy cane") with the end of the hook resting on the top of the filter, and the suction cup on the glass Al Priest The glass tops sold for tanks are a little too small for some tanks (the older Odell brand tanks, for example). So, I buy a pack of plastic report folders (the kind with clear plastic covers, and a colored plastic "binder" that slips on and off to hold the pages) in a stationery store. I remove the plastic binder strips, cut them to size, and clip them on the sides of the glass top. (Don't throw away the plastic covers. They can be cut to size and taped over openings in the tank lid to prevent losses caused by fish jumping.) Al Priest (Continued on Page 34) Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)

January 2004

Memoirs of a Proofreader by SUSAN PRIEST

ould it be a fish article, a poem, or maybe a list of the 100 worst typographical errors of the past ten years? It took me quite a while before I knew for sure what I wanted to write for this, the 100th issue of Modern Aquarium. I, too, have been involved since the very beginning. I have often had a "fly-on-thewall" vantage point, as well as a "behind-thescenes" view, and I know a few stories which are better left untold. What I DO want to talk about are those aspects of Modern Aquarium that have made a lasting impression on me; the highlights, if you will. My first inclination was to pull out all 100 issues, oooing and aahing as I thumbed my way through each one, and jotting down notes as I went along. Then I realized that I shouldn't need to remind myself of what I consider to be "most memorable," so I just let things float to the surface on their own, and here is what I came up with.

Magic Nothing puts you in touch with the pulse points of an author more than reading each word, space, punctuation mark, and ink blot out loud to someone else. I have spent countless hours doing just this! Joe Ferdenzi submits all of his work (of which there has been much) in a hand-written format. I read and Al types. Sometimes something strikes me as very funny (even if it really isn't), and I get an attack of the giggles, which slows our progress a bit. Sometimes something appears to be incorrect when it isn't (or vice versa). Sometimes I see words which aren't there, or don't see words which are. Just when I'm sure that the whole thing doesn't make any sense at all, I am through reading and the typed-up version is coming out of the printer. Through the mystery of computer magic, it has become interesting, informative, cohesive, and, well, memorable! "It Doesn't Look Like a Rice Paddy" I can still remember how hard I worked on my first "serious" fish article. It was published in October of 1994. Warren Feuer was the Editor at that time, and I wanted to impress him, as well as make a valuable contribution to the magazine as a whole. With some help from Al, it was multidimensional visually as well as literally. No one was more surprised than I was when it won a major award in the North East Council of Aquarium Society's publication competition, especially since 30

I didn't even realize that it had been entered! Warren told me "you should be proud," and I was. "Catfish Chronicles" This is a column which was written by Charley Sabatino from October of 1995 through October of 1997. It offered solid information, in combination with expert advice based on extensive experience. Yeah â&#x20AC;&#x201D; so do a lot of other authors/articles! The reason this one stands out in my mind is that it was written in such a personable manner. Some favorite phrases still pop into my head from time to time, such as "care for your fish, don't just keep them," or my favorite, "it's a hobby, isn't it?" At the end of each article he always wished us "luck and success." Who could ask for more? "Treasure Chest" During OCAS' Diamond Jubilee (75th) season in 1997, Modern Aquarium ran a series of re-prints. We called it the "Modern Aquarium Treasure Chest." We chose several articles from Series II on a variety of different subjects which were near and dear to the hearts of our membership of the 1960s and 1970s. We also included one article from Series I, which was originally published in January of 1958, and was written by Gian Padovani, who was then the Editor. For each article we chose, there were several equally worthy candidates which we had to pass over. They were all jewels. "Around the World" The team wanted to do something special for the five-year anniversary of Series III (December 1998), by taking the concept of a "theme issue" higher than we ever had before. We called upon our readership to write about a fish, with the article placing a special emphasis on the geographical location where the fish resides in nature. There was a little bit of overlapping of continents, but we worked that out. Ergoâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the "Around The World" issue was born. Each article received identical formatting, which included a map and an informational text box. It stood out as our best effort for a very long time. One of the strongest features of this issue was the cover, which consisted of a collage of colorful postage stamps from all over the globe, each bearing the likeness of a tropical fish. It was beautiful!

January 2004

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)

Original artwork

The evolution of an editor/aquarist

Every single piece of original artwork which has ever been printed in Modern Aquarium is my favorite! "Impossible," you say? (How many favorite fish do you have? I thought so!) For me, they have enhanced each page, article and issue more than all of the photos combined. Why? Because each artist made sure we saw what they had, even if they hadn't seen it with their eyes; they spoke to us with the language of their hearts. "Wet Leaves" What a treat it was for me to discover that I could combine my newly-adopted hobby with my long-time love of books. I started writing book reviews as "filler material." I'm not sure when it became a column, but little by little it took on a life of its own. The things which people were saying to me about it let me know that it was actually filling a niche. I started out by trying to help fill pages. I guess I have succeeded in that goal, because I have reviewed almost 60 books over the last ten years. "Leading Ladies" By far the most rewarding experience of my association with Modern Aquarium has been the May 2003 issue, more commonly known as the "Leading Ladies" issue. Most of you are tired of hearing about it by now, but just in case there are a few of you who don't know what I'm talking about, well, I'll try to be brief. This was "the first issue of any aquarium magazine anywhere, in amateur as well as professional arenas, which was conceived to be, and is, made up entirely of contributions from women." So far, no one has come forward to challenge this claim. It is the largest (at 42 pages!), most colorful issue we have ever put out. From Anita Ferdenzi, the "First Lady of Fish," to our first and only crossword puzzle "The First Shall Be Last," on the "Femme" Fun page, it was full of "firsts." Up until this issue, it also stood out as having had the most individual contributors. (Records are meant to be broken!)

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)

When Al first joined the staff of Modern Aquarium (in the middle of 1993), he brought to the job over ten years of prior experience in editing (of a computer users group newsletter), and a scant two and a half years as an aquarist. For him, Modern Aquarium became a "classroom" where he has fine-tuned his editorial skills, as well as a "crash course" in all facets of the aquarium hobby. It has been great a joy to watch his knowledge grow and his skills evolve; he takes deep satisfaction in being an aquarist/editor. It is impossible to separate the two, or to say which he likes better. His is a never-ending story of attention-to-detail, along with an ever-expanding overview; a true study in contrasts. His dedication, perfectionism, and sense-of-mission (as well as his membership in the coffee-drinkers hall of fame) are among his trademarks. I realize that most of what I am saying about Al is quite short on actual facts, and rather long on impressions and generalities; qualitative rather than quantitative. This is because everything having to do with him always comes down to my feelings for him â&#x20AC;&#x201D; something not easily put into words! The spell-checker says that "perfectionism" is not a word. Anyone who knows Al would disagree. Zzzzzzz I hope that this accounting of the memoirs of someone who names proof-reading among her "hobbies" hasn't put you to sleep! As you can see, I actually did thumb through the issues so that I could accurately recount the months and years, and arrange things in a loosely chronological order. From the various locations and incarnations of the editor's meetings (now-a-days they consist mostly of E-mails and phone calls), to the sighs of relief (and glasses of wine), when we have finally "turned in our homework" each month, the memories are too numerous for me to count. These were simply a small sampling; "the best of the best!" I want to close by saying thanks to you, our loyal readers, and most especially to all of our distinguished authors (yes, every one of you has distinguished yourself), for your interest and support. I hope that all of us will have many more years together to enjoy the phenomenon that is Modern Aquarium.

January 2004

87J

When breeding surface bubblenesting fish, such as many anabantoids, instead of the usually recommended Styrofoam cup, I save plastic fish food containers, remove the label, and cut them in half lengthwise. They float, and can be scrubbed clean, if necessary. They come in a variety of colors, which somewhat simulate plant debris, and thus may help serve as a natural spawning trigger Al Priest When shipping anabantoids, by mail, if you put them into gas-permeable bags, do NOT fill the bags all the way to the top with water. Anabantoids still require air above the surface of the water, so leave two thirds of air space in the bag, just as you would for a standard plastic bag. If you are shipping anabantoids in boxes with heat packs, do not use gas-permeable bags, or put such bags into a standard (non-permeable) bag, with the heat pack outside the non-permeable bag. Heat packs work by a chemical reaction that uses up the surrounding oxygen. If there is nothing between the heat pack and the shipping bag, and if the shipping bag is gas-permeable, then all the oxygen will be sucked from the bag by the heat pack, thereby suffocating your fish Al Priest

I QQ .

%^^

Net repair — Do you have a favorite net with a hole in it that you don't want to throw away? Place a piece of plastic wrap under the hole while lying flat on a table surface, a dab of silicone on the wrap showing through the hole. Place another piece of plastic wrap over the silicone. Then, using your finger or a small roller, press the silicone so that it becomes a kind of flat "pancake" covering the hole and extending over the edges. Let it dry for 24 hours. Then simply peel away the pieces of plastic wrap, and your net will be almost as good as new ........................... Joe Ferdenzi

New handles for glass canopies — most glass covers come with a plastic handle that \s over the edge of the front piece of the cover. If this breaks, what do you do? \, you can try to repair them with some sort of glue, but here is an alternative: I silicone and marbles. Most "marbles" (the toy balls used in games) are actually glass, I and come in a wide array of colors. They make attractive "handles." Place a dab of / silicone on the center of the front cover, about one half inch from the front edge. Then, choose a marble and place it on top of the silicone, using a slight twist (this gives you an even spread of silicone). After 24 hours, your new handle is ready. Silicone works very well in bonding glass to glass, so these handles are quite durable Joe Ferdenzi

91 92 ****^«««<^

Gravel scooper — A perfect device for removing gravel from an aquarium can be made from a one gallon bleach bottle. Cut off one half inch of the entire circumference of the bottom. Then cut an upside-down "U" shaped piece from the bottom towards two inches from the handle on a diagonal. The plastic is pliable, fits snugly along the bottom, and won't scratch the glass. Joe Ferdenzi Replace heaters every few years to prevent malfunctions

Fred Bellise

93)

Try to keep less than 200 (11/2 inches) Africans in a 20 gallon Long. Artie Friedman To make netting fish in the tank easier, try feeding them directly from the net on occasion. This way, they will learn to associate the net with food, and may even swim into the net! Peter Foster

I keep used aquarium water from water changes in buckets to water houseplants in the winter, and garden plants the rest of the year. The water is excellent fertilizer, and as an added bonus, I have found fry several times that would have otherwise more than likely been eaten if they had been left in the tank Peter Foster Go out of your way to get a new child involved with fish. By volunteering to mentor a child, we can help keep our hobby from disappearing Steven Giacobello

January 2004

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)

*~-^ y I j

jf you musj- mOve a delicate fish (such as a Discus) with a net for showing or other purposes, coat your net with a bit of StressCoat first Claudia Dickinson Share your experiences in the hobby with your fellow aquarists, and take enjoyment in showing your family and friends your aquariums, as you watch them marvel at their beauty William Amely Simple is always best

Mark Soberman

Don't throw out those plastic tables that come inside the pizza box. They can be siliconed to the bottom of sponge filters to prevent babies from getting caught underneath me sponge filter Mark Soberman

The End to QKtftM Tom Miglio Joe Ferdenzi Steve Sagona Mark Soberman John Stora .

865 Points 815 Points 655 Points 565 Points . 540 Points

Jose Aranda John lannone Francis Lee The Ecksteins Rich Sorensen

505 485 465 455 420

Points Points Points Points Points

The Exotic Fish Society of Hartford

Annual Tropical Fish Auction Sunday, February 29, 2004 Masonic Temple 24 East Center St. Manchester, CT 1:00 p.m. sharp To pre-register for the auction: by e-mail: send your registration to wmercer@rcn.com snail mail: Mr. Wayne Mercer, 25 Charter Road, Ellington, CT 06029. For more information contact: Wayne Mercer (860) 870-5805 or Dave Hardenbrook (860) 657-3315 or visit our site at http://users.rcn.com/wmercer/ Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)

January 2004

wa rd I ey I

I I

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BIRDS, REPTILES SMALL ANIMALS TROPICAL & MARINE FISH

Hiit.

HUGE SELECTION OF LIVE ROCK & ALWAYS IN STOCK MARINE FISH &

THE PET BARlf jFRANKLIN SQUARE'S COMPLETE PET CENf ER 212 FRANKLIN AVE FRANKLIN SQUARE, NY 11010 Come see our large Aquarium Plant display and receive I ONE FREE cultivated plant, just for stopping by! EXOTIC FRESHWATER FISH AFRICAN CICHLIDS IMPORTED GOLDFISH AND KOI

January 2004

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)

Glow Little GloFish™ A series by "The Under gravel Reporter" : In . spi|e of :' pppw:li.r ; : contrary.., tlh is : column "NOT :-opin 10ns

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alifornians buy an estimated 25 million ornamental fish each year. This is one eighth of the 200 million fish sold in this country annually. But, there is one fish that they won't be able to buy next year, even though it will be available to the rest of the nation. No, it's not some vicious flesh-eating monster that attacks children and small pets, destroying the environment, along with all native species it comes into contact with. It's called (for commercial purposes, at least) the "GloFish™." This is a zebrafish (Brachydanio rerio) scientists developed that changes colors in the presence of certain water pollutants. Through genetic manipulation (injecting fluorescent genes from certain jellyfish into zebrafish eggs), scientists have created varieties of the usually black and silver fish, that radiate green or red fluorescent color. The Federal Food and Drug Administration has no regulations to restrict the sale of these genetically altered fish, because tropical aquarium fish are not used for food purposes, and do not pose a threat to the food supply. California is currently the only state that bans genetically engineered species. The California Fish and Game Commission has decided not to exempt the zebrafish from the law, even though escaped GloFish would not pose a threat to native fish, or to introduced sports fish. (California's regulations were originally intended to prevent genetically modified farmed fish, such as salmon, from getting loose and harming the state's wild populations.) The December 4, 2003 issue of USA Today cites an Associated Press release in which California Fish and Game Commissioner Sam Schuchat is quoted as saying, "For me it's a question of values, it's not a question of science. I think selling genetically modified fish as pets is wrong." In other words, "Don't confuse me with the facts, I know when something's wrong!"

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)

While I'm not crazy about the idea of "GloFish," I question the wisdom of a state to regulate "ornamental" fish, especially species that do not pose an environmental threat, even if they are accidentally (or, Heaven forbid, intentionally) released into native waters. By all accounts, GloFish are less tolerant of cold than natural zebrafish, meaning that they are not likely to survive in the wild, even in a warm state such as California. For a state official to say, "selling genetically modified fish as pets is wrong," is a personal aesthetic, or moral, judgment — not a scientific one. Such opinions should not have the force of law without sound scientific justification. (Personally, I see more than enough fluorescent red and green from Labor Day to New Years, but if having a Christmas tree-like display in your fish tank all year floats your boat, who am I, or some commissioner, to say you shouldn't?) Now that California has banned GloFish, what's next? While GloFish may be the first fish scientists "created" by injecting genes from one species into the eggs of another species, aquarists have been manipulating the genetics of fish for a long, long time. The Chinese dynasty of Nan Song (1127-1279) saw the development of white, and red and white, goldfish (followed later by many other varieties, such as doubletails, red caps, bubble-eyes, etc.). Is California going to ban goldfish next? (Imagine Beverly Hills ponds with lake trout!) Just about all common swordtails (Xiphophorus helleri) sold today are the result of crossbreeding with other livebearers (usually platies). Are X. helleri (other than "wild" green strains) also to be banned in California? Parrot Cichlids and Flowerhorn Cichlids are both fish that do not naturally occur in nature, as they are a result of crossbreeding induced by aquarists. Regardless of your opinion of these fish, to be consistent, California would have to ban them, along with just about every male Betta splendens and guppy (other than "feeders") sold in the state. This is because, without a form of "genetic manipulation" (in this case, selective breeding), there would be no so-called "fancy" guppy or Betta. Of course, the true effect of this ban is to bring even more attention to (and create a greater demand among hobbyists for) GloFish. (Not that these fish need any more press coverage, having made the cover of the January 2004 issue of Tropical Fish Hobbyist magazine.) The ban on GloFish in California only extends to the sale of these fish in the state. So, a California resident could drive to a neighboring state, and buy a GloFish. But, of course, no one in California has an automobile — yeah, right.

January 2004

!0 PET S10P TROPICAL FISH AQUARIUM Specializing in Tropical Fish and Aquarium Supplies Large Selection of Aquatic Plants Knowledgeable Staff Same Location Since 1947. 718) 849-6678

11 5-23 Jamaica Avenue Richmond Hill, NY 11418

Marine Biologist On Staff Custom Tank Builders for the NY Aquarium Manufacturers of Aquarium & Filter Systems Custom Cabinetry & Lighting Largest Selection of Marine & Freshwater Livestock in NY New York's Largest Custom Aquarium Showroom See Working Systems on Display 2015 Flatbush Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11234 (718)258-0653

Open Saturdays and Sundays Amex, Discover, MasterCard, Visa 2 miles off exit 11N of the Belt Parkway www.WorldCiassAquarium.com

January 2004

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)

G.C.A.S. HAPPENINGS Bowl Show Winners last meeting: 1st: Bill Amely (Turquoise Half-Moon Male Betta) . Vluili

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Unofficial 2003-2004 Bowl Show totals to date: Bill Amely: llpts. Carlotti De Jager: 1 Ipts. Rich Levy: 6pts. Evelyn Eagan: 5pts. Edward. Vukich: 3pts.

Welcome back, and thanks, to the two members who renewed their GCAS memberships: Jeff George and John Mafinowski

Last Month's Door Prize Winner: Jeff George won the book: African Cichlids of Lake Tanganyika

Here are meeting tinies and locations of some aquarium societies in the Metropolitan New York area: GREATER CITY AQIMRIUM SOCIETY

Brooklyn Aquarium Society

Next meeting: February 4, 2004 "Meet The Experts" — Ask questions of the leading breeders/experts in the GCAS!

Next Meeting: January 9, 2QQ4 Tim Hovanec: "System vs. System Which Marine System is Best For You?"

8pm:

7:3 Opm Education Hall at the NY Apiarium Surf Avenue at West 8th St.; Brooklyn, NY

Queens Botanical Garden 43-50 Main St.; Flushing, NY

Contact: Mr. Joseph Ferdenzi Telephone: (718) 767-2691 e-mail: GreaterCity@compiiserve.com http://www.greatercity.org

Call: BAS Events Hotline (718) 837-4455 http://www.brooklynaquariumsociety.org

East Coast Guppy Association

Big Apple Guppy Club

Meets: 8:00 P.M. - 1st Thursday of each month at the Queens Botanical Garden Contact: GeneBaudier Telephone: (631)345-6399

Meets: 8:00 P.M. - 3rd Thursday of each month at the Queens Botanical Garden Contact: Donald Curtin Telephone: (718)631-0538

Long Island Aquarium Society

Nassau County Aquarium Society

Meets: 8:00 P.M. - 3rd Friday of each month (except July and August) at: The Holtsville Park and Zoo 249 Buckley Road; Holtsville, NY

Meets: 8:00 P.M. - 2nd Tuesday of each month at the American Legion Post 1066 66 Veterans Blvd.; Massapequa, NY Next Meeting: January 13th: Rit Forcier "Livebearing Fish For The Aquarium" Contact: Mike Foran (516)798-6766 http://ncas.fws 1 .com/index.html

Contact: Vinny Kreyling (516)938-4066 http://liasonline.or2 North Jersey Aquarium Society

Norwalk Aquarium Society

Meets: 8:00 PM - 3rd Thursday of the month at the Meadowlands Environmental Center; 1 Dekorte Park Plaza - Lyndhurst, NJ

Meets: 8:00 P.M. - 3rd Thursday of each month at: Earthplace - the Nature Discovery Center; Westport, CT

Contact: NJAS Hotline at (732) 332-1392 http://www.njas.net/ ore-mail: tcoletti@obius.jnj.com

Contact: Mrs. Anne Stone Broadmeyer Telephone: (203) 834-2253 http ://norwalkas. org/html/

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)

January 2004

Fin Fun Do You Know modern AQUARIUM ? After 100 issues, Modern Aquarium Series III has certainly earned its place in any history of the Greater City Aquarium Society. How many of the questions below, based on past issues and features, can you answer correctly? (Hint: Some of the answers can be found by careful reading of this issue.) 1) Of the following, which is the only column to have appeared in every one of our 100 issues to date? D_Undergravel Reporter D_Editors Desk/Babblenest D_Fin Fun/Puzzle D_Events/Happenings 2) What was the name of the series, edited by Jason Kerner, that featured old aquarium product ads? D_Blasts From The Past D_Algae and Old Lace D_Antiquarium D_Remember When? 3) In September 1996, Modern Aquarium had a theme issue, with an Apple Snail on the cover. What was the "theme" of that issue? D_Freshwater invertebrates D_Parasites and Diseases D_Planted tanks D_Lazy Man 4) Several issues of Modern Aquarium featured postage stamps on the front cover. The September 2000 issue featured postage stamps from which country? D_Sri Lanka D_Madagascar D_United States D_Sultanate of Brunei 5) The cover of the December 1998 issue featured postage stamps from which country? D_Several different nations D_The United Nations D_Canada D_Belize 6) Which Modern Aquarium column has been reprinted most by other aquarium society publications? D_Wet Leaves D_Catfish Chronicles D_Fun Fish DjnterfishNet 7) The May 2003 issue had the following articles: "A Special Kind of Dad," "My Dad the Fishman," and "Married With Fish." They were all written by family members of what GCAS member? D_Joseph Ferdenzi D_Mark Soberman D_A1 Priest D_Warren Feuer 8) One of the most beloved features of Modern Aquarium is "Looking Through The Lens With The GCAS." Who is the photographer/author of this popular column? D_Anita Ferdenzi D_Susan Priest D_Dora Dong D_Claudia Dickinson

FINDING

Solution to last month's puzzle

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Tomato Anemoneflsh - Amphiprionfrenatus, Red and Black Anemoneflsh - Amphiprion melanopus, False Clown Anemoneflsh - Amphiprion ocellaris, "NEMO" - Amphiprion percula, Australian Anemoneflsh - Amphiprion rubrocinctus, Chinese Demoiselle - Neopomacentrus bankieri, Ambon Damselfish - Pomacentrus amboinensis, Neon Damselfish - Pomacentrus coelestis Spinecheek Anemoneflsh - Premmas biaculeatus Fiji Damselfish - Chrysiptera taupou

January 2004

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)