President's Message JOSEPH FERDENZI
he October 1995 issue of Aquarium Fish Magazine published "Rating the Loricariids" by Warren Feuer, our Modern Aquarium Editor and one of its superstar writers. "Rating the Loricariids" was originally published in the Feb/March 1994 issue of Modern Aquarium. That made it the third article from Modern Aquarium to be published in a national magazine; the other two were John Moran's "Stick Fish: Breeding Farlowellas," which appeared in the June 1995 issue of Aquarium Fish Magazine (and which was originally published in the June 1994 issue of Modern Aquarium), and my "A Spawning of Herichthys haitiensis," which was featured in the July 1995 edition of Tropical Fish Hobbyist (and which was originally published in the January 1994 issue of Modern Aquarium). Believe me, that is quite an achievement! Series II (1969 to 1974) of Modern Aquarium, a landmark series in club publications, achieved that feat only once, when Freshwater And Marine Aquarium republished Nick and Marcia Repanes' article "Spawning The Albino Corydoras" from the March 1972 issue of Modern Aquarium, in one of its early numbers, February 1978 (Vol. I No. 2). In my last President's Message (September '95), I noted that Modern Aquarium had finished second in the Federation of American Aquarium Societies (FAAS) balloting for Best Publication (for those that publish more than six issues per year). Well, I failed to mention that Aquatica. the excellent publication of the Brooklyn Aquarium Society, finished third. As I previously mentioned, since the publication that finished first was that of the Calgary Aquarium Society, a Canadian club, that meant that Greater City and Brooklyn had the top two U.S. finishers. The significance of that event lies in the fact that both Greater City and Brooklyn are New York City clubs. Indeed, we are the only two general aquarium societies
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located in N.Y.C. Wow! That's the aquaristic equivalent of having the New York Rangers and the New York Knicks winning championships in the same year. What all of this means is that New York City continues to be a "hotbed" of aquarium activity. That is all together fitting since New York City was home to the very first American aquarium society and to many pioneering aquarists. I think it notable, for example, that Paul Hahnel, the legendary fancy guppy breeder of the 1950's, 60's, and early 70's was a resident of Bronx County in N.Y.C. Well, there is more than a bit of historical continuity in the fact that Steve Kwartler, who was our featured speaker last month, is the current President of the International Fancy Guppy Association and a champion guppy breeder who also lives in Bronx County. (Must be that Bronx water!) Speaking of "hotbeds" of activity, GCAS continues to be that. This season (1995-6) alone we have once again exhibited at the annual fair of the Queens County Farm Museum, where our exhibit is seen by thousands, we will have participated in the Arbor Day activities at the Queens Botanical Garden, we will have staged our 74th Anniversary Tropical Fish Show in April '96, and we have donated funds to worthwhile endeavors such as Dr. Paul Loiselle's upcoming expedition to study the freshwater fishes of Madagascar. (Dr. Loiselle is Curator of Freshwater Fishes at the New York Aquarium.) And these are only the highlights. But, please, remember that participation in these events by members, other than those on the Board of Directors, is eagerly sought. These events are not put on by elves who magically appear at night and cobble everything together. It takes the creativity and sweat of actual human beings to pull them off. Please, ask me what you can do to help.