Modern Aquarium March 2007 by Dan Radebaugh

ON THE COVER “Brunei Beauty,” “Peacock Betta,” and even “King of the Bettas” have all been used to describe Betta macrostoma, an endangered paternal mouthbrooding species of Betta whose care and maintenance is a challenge an advanced aquarist might wish to undertake after reading “Macro-Mouthbrooder” in this issue. Photo by Al Priest GREATER CITY AQUARIUM SOCIETY Board Members President . . . . . . . . . . . Joseph Ferdenzi Vice-President . . . . . . . Mark Soberman Treasurer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jack Traub Corres. Secretary . . . . . Warren Feuer & Sharon Barnett Recording Secretary . . . . Edward Vukich Members At Large Pete D'Orio Jason Kerner Carlotti De Jager Ben Haus Leonard Ramroop Emma Haus Artie Friedman Committee Chairs Breeder Award . . . . . Warren Feuer and Mark Soberman Early Arrivals . . . . . . . . . . . . . Al Grusell 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 Editors . . . . . . . . . . Sharon Barnett Dan Radebaugh Exchange Editors . . . Stephen Sica and Donna Sosna Sica Photo/Layout Editor . . . . . Jason Kerner Advertising Mgr. . . . . . . Mark Soberman Executive Editor . . . . . . Joseph Ferdenzi

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 2007 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 January and February. Meetings are the first Wednesday of the month and begin at 7:30 P.M. Meetings are at the Queens Botanical Gardens. For more information, contact: Joe Ferdenzi (516)484-0944. You can also leave us a message at our Internet Home Page at: http://www.greatercity.org or http://www.greatercity.com

by ALEXANDER A. PRIEST

f you look at our front cover or the Contents page, you will notice that this is the first issue of Volume 14 of this current Series of Modern Aquarium. While not quite as impressive as the fact that Greater City will be celebrating its 85th year of continuous existence this year, it is still impressive for a society publication to have been published continuously for 14 years. (By the way, this current Series of Modern Aquarium has long surpassed the continuous publishing records of its two predecessors, Series I and II.) Last season, I asked for ideas for changes to our magazine, and for an 85th anniversary logo to be printed on the back of Modern Aquarium during this anniversary year. It should come as no surprise that the logo design selected for this was created by our multiple award winning artist/cartoonist, and Federation of American Aquarium Societies Author of the Year writer (as well as GCAS Author of the Year), Bernard Harrigan. For having his back cover logo design selected, Bernard will have his 2007 GCAS membership dues paid for him. Based on input I received, it seems that most of our members are pretty happy with Modern Aquarium as it is now. So, the changes I will be implementing will not be drastic, but there will be changes. Some of the changes I will specifically mention when they occur during the course of this year. Other changes will not be announced, and I’m interested to see who (if anyone!) notices them. The first change (other than the back page logo) that I am announcing should be obvious to regular readers of this column. Again, thanks to Bernard Harrigan, I have a new logo heading “The Editor’s Babblenest” column.

I intend to bring back some regular features and columns from the past — some of which our newer members have never seen before. For one thing, I will resume a regular column reporting on the Federation of American Aquarium Societies (“FAAS”). The first “FAASinations” column this year is in this issue. I will also be bringing back an Internet column. When “Interfish Net” was originally run (back in 2002), the Internet was less a part of our hobby than it is today. There is a great deal of good information to be obtained on the Internet, but there is also a great deal of misinformation. I hope to be able to steer you to websites that can be trusted, and give you tips on searching that you may not know about. We will still feature our regular authors and columnists (by the way, welcome back Elliot, we missed you!), and hopefully add new ones. Last year, we announced the FAAS awards for our 2005 issues, and Greater City won a considerable number of those awards. In this issue, we have an index of our 2006 issues. Did you realize that less than a dozen members contributed in either year (and mostly the same ones in each year)? Last year, we had no articles on killifish, catfish, guppies, or goldfish. We had only two articles on livebearers, three cichlid articles (all by one person), one characin article (by the author of the cichlid articles), and one anabantoid article (by me). It makes me wonder what GCAS members keep in their fish tanks! Some editors appeal for articles every month. I don’t want to be one of them. I am, however, appealing now for articles from anyone who either has never written for Modern Aquarium, or who has not done so for a while. Do you remember Modern Aquarium’s December 2005 cover? Did you ever think one of our covers would be on a postage stamp? Look below:

O.K. so anyone can have an original non-copyrighted photo made into a stamp, but it is still cool to see one of our covers used as postage, thanks to Claudia Dickinson.

March 2007

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

President’s Message by JOSEPH FERDENZI

s we begin our 2007 season, I wish you a warm welcome back. I am sure that you will enjoy this 85th year of the Greater City Aquarium Society. Our line-up of guest speakers and programs is sure to be stupendous. They have been every year that Claudia Dickinson has been at the helm. Claudia spares no time or effort in discovering and contacting the best and most diverse assemblage of speakers around. Her charm ensures that they will accept our invitation, and her thoughtfulness and warmth guarantee that each speaker will have nothing but pleasant memories of their visit to Greater City. Every month, each member is sure to be thrilled to receive a copy of our award-winning magazine, Modern Aquarium. The job that Al and Sue Priest do on this magazine is fabulous. True, they have help (just look at the list on the masthead), but it would also be true that they are the backbone of the magazine. Not only is Modern Aquarium literate and stylishv but it is replete with original material. Every Editor of a club publication will tell you that the bane of their job is getting original material from their members. Well, it is certainly not easy for Al and Sue, but they are amazingly creative at coming up with ideas for articles and for finding new authors. I’ve been working with them for years, and they are nothing short of astounding. Jack Traub, our Treasurer, has brought professionalism and innovation to his role as guardian of our fiscal well-being. His reports are

the best I’ve seen in my 24 years with the club. If that were not enough, Jack has admirably seen to it that our treasury is wisely utilized, and our expenses minimized. So far, I have mentioned four outstanding members of our club. Trust me, there are many more. When it comes to dedicated and talented members, Greater City is second to none. I don’t think I could even begin to tell you what an honor and privilege it has been for me to be the President of this wonderful society. I have learned so much and made so many friends that the value is incalculable. When I was elected President in 1986, I was only 32 years old. I had a lot more energy back then. But, after serving 22 years on the Board of Governors, 18 of them as President, I don’t see how much more I can serve beyond another year or two. With the help of all of you, we’ve accomplished much in those years. On a personal level, there are only two more goals for me to achieve in my tenure as President. The first will, hopefully, come to fruition this November when the four major aquarium societies of New York City and Long Island combine for the first time to put on an all-weekend convention. This event will take place on the weekend of November 9-11, 2007 at a hotel in Riverhead, Long Island, in conjunction with the Atlantis Marine World. This event represents a major change on the local aquarium scene. More details will follow, but, for now, I want you to place this weekend aside for your participation. That is what we truly need. Without it, we cannot succeed. The second goal I have will be something which I hope will occur in December. For now, it will be my secret. Suffice it to say that it is something I’m very much looking forward to. After that, I think I will fade into retirement.

Coming soon! - Mark your calendars! The biggest fish event in the New York Area!

November 9-11, 2007 Best Western Hotel Riverhead, NY [Suffolk County] Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)

March 2007

by CHARLEY SABATINO beadgc@nyc.rr.com

Four (or more) for the Foreground: Eleocharis parvula — an Amano Favorite The purpose of this ongoing series is to expose you to the vast array of plants available in the hobby, their origin, characteristics and structure, growing requirements, common names and synonyms, availability, and cost. I will try to sprinkle in any personal experience I have had with these plants and will also try to answer any of your questions—so feel free to email me.

his month we will continue our discussion of foreground plants with Eleocharis parvula—also known as “Dwarf Hairgrass.”

Origin and Structure: Eleocharis parvula, and the rest of the genus Eleocharis, can be found in tropical areas throughout the world. It has pointed blade-like leaves that are 1.5-2.5 inches long. It reproduces through runners, and looks like grass—it even has the same shade of green as grass. This “grass-like” appearance is why it is so popular in the hobby. E. parvula is one of the staples of the Amano-style landscape. It can give the foreground of the tank an impression of an underwater lawn, something quite spectacular to see. Furthermore, it can look equally as good in a small or a large tank, which makes it very versatile. Growing Requirements: All of the members of the genus Eleocharis are considered to be marsh plants. However, the literature states that they can adapt to submerged conditions under strong light. I have found this to be true, and I have had good luck with it in the 2.5-3 watts-per-gallon range.

If you see this plant with little onion-like buds on the leaf tips, it is best to pass it by. When E. parvula is in this flowering stage (I think) it does not seem to adapt to aquarium life very well. Fortunately, this is seasonal and can easily be avoided. Besides needing strong light, E. parvula can tolerate a pH range of from 5.5 to7.5, and requires medium to hard water. Common Names and Synonyms: The only common name I have seen for this plant is “Dwarf Hairgrass.” Availability and Cost: E. parvula is sometimes available in local fish stores, but not very often. It is all over the Internet, and can be obtained from hobbyists as well as from commercial sources. It is generally sold in a group of plants or a “mat.” Expect to pay from $5.00 to $15.00 for it, depending on size. I hope this article has helped you to appreciate this gem of a plant, and has inspired you to try to cultivate it. Lots of Luck!!!!

March 2007

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

Macro-Mouthbrooder by ALEXANDER A. PRIEST

would guess that every fishkeeper has a “dream fish” that he or she would like to have. Even aquarists that specialize in one (or maybe two) species, usually have a “wish list” for a particular color, body shape or pattern, or fin type. For many hobbyists who specialize in anabantoids, and especially those who have a special interest in the so-called “wild bettas” (a term I do not really like, but that seems to have gotten general acceptance to mean all species of the genus Betta except for the species splendens), that “dream fish” is the Betta macrostoma. The Betta macrostoma is the stuff of hobby legends. Six to eight years ago, one pair could command a price of $1,000 or more, and that was before the cost of shipping (usually from Thailand or Malaysia to a licensed shipper in the U.S., and from the shipper to you). Even now, as I write this article, the aquatic auction website Aquabid has a posting for a pair of wild caught B. macrostoma at a price of $175, not including the cost of shipping them from Thailand to a U.S. shipper, or the shipper’s fee for sending them on to you. If only one person bids on this pair and gets them for the original asking price of $175, that person could easily pay between $250 and $300 for the pair. While that is much less than a few years ago, it is a fairly high amount to pay for fish one could not examine personally before purchase, and that are notoriously difficult to keep and breed. If you do not consider yourself to be at least an “advanced” aquarist, I recommend against getting this fish. For those of you fortunate enough to acquire this species, who feel up to the task of keeping what can be a very challenging fish, and who can devote extra time to this effort, I hope this article will dispel some of the myths and misinformation (which I found in abundance) about this fish, and will help you to succeed in keeping it. I’ll start by giving you some facts about this species, then progress to my own experiences. First of all, Betta macrostoma is an anabantoid, or a “labyrinth,” fish. That means this species (as all members of the genus Betta) has a “labyrinth organ” in its head that allows the fish to take in oxygen directly from the air, instead of relying on its gills to extract oxygen from the water. The labyrinth organ helps the inhaled oxygen to be absorbed into the fish’s bloodstream. Because of this, it is quite possible for mactostoma to “drown” in a bag completely filled with water, or in an aquarium where there is no airspace between the water surface and the tank lid. Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)

Second, this is a paternal mouthbrooder. This means the male carries fertilized eggs in his mouth (technically his buccal pouch) until the eggs hatch. Once hatched, the male releases the fry into the water and (based on my experience with other Betta mouthbrooders) usually just ignores them afterwards. I say “usually” because, as you will learn, I happened to acquire the Hannibal Lecter (i.e., psychotic cannibal) of this species, which presented me with a unique set of challenges. Third, while those who keep “tankbusters” might not consider B. macrostoma to be a large fish, among members of the genus Betta, it is one of the largest. I’ve read reports of wild caught males reaching five inches in length1, although 3.5 inches is generally the maximum adult length in the aquarium. Fourth, it is a notoriously difficult fish to keep, and even harder to breed in captivity. Information on the proper way to keep this species varies considerably, with more misinformation than correct information available. According to articles in the June and July 1982 issues of Tropical Fish Hobbyist, Dr. Herbert Axelrod once collected B. macrostoma in the hope of breeding them. All of the fish he collected died in Japan and Florida (where the fish had been taken in what turned out to be unsuccessful breeding attempts). One website2 had this to say: “Care: Extremely difficult. Only specialists should try to keep the fish. Requires painfully pure and very soft water (90% RO), with a strong current, filtration over active peat. Large tanks are also advised, the fish can swim extremely fast, and have been known to kill themselves by swimming against the tank glass. Tanks should be covered extremely well, as Betta macrostoma is an excellent jumper, and is susceptible to cold air. Lot's of hideouts, especially floating plants, and very frequent large waterchanges. An UV filter is strongly recommended.” Regarding the above, I can tell you that Betta macrostoma can survive, and even spawn, in 100% New York City tapwater (soft, neutral pH) with blackwater extract (which provides essentially the same benefits as peat) and driftwood (which further helps acidify the water). I do agree that the fish is a jumper. I keep a very tightly sealed glass lid on their tank, and have often heard them hitting the glass top. Whenever I need to do tank maintenance extensive enough to require the removal of the tank lid, I have a “spotter” standing

March 2007

by to keep an eye on the fish. Unlike the quoted recommendation of frequent large water changes, I do small partial water changes at least every other day. (This fish does require very clean water, but I have also found that it does not do well with rapid and large changes in its environment.) Following is an excerpt (edited by me to suit a “family” publication) of an exchange of messages from the Internet “IBCSMP” Yahoo Group. One member of that group wrote: “Last fall I picked up a pair of macrostroma. The male was active and eating everything for 10 days and dropped dead. The female continued to be active and eating everything for another day but was dead in the morning.” The reply (and note that this is from the person in charge of the International Betta Congress Species Maintenance Program, Gerald Griffin) was: “macrostoma is one of those pain in the *ss fish that do cr*p like that....My experience with them was about the same.” This is not the first account I have read, or been told about, of “sudden unexplained death syndrome” in Betta macrostoma — yet another reason why paying $250 to $300 for a fish, sight unseen, to be transported over hundreds, perhaps thousands, of miles is not the smartest investment you could make. Another website3 cautions: “This species has very strict water requirements and is a challenge to keep alive.” Betta macrostoma was first found in the Malaysian state of Sarawak in the northern part of the island of Borneo, and scientifically described on the basis of a single preserved specimen4. Later, it was found in the Sultanate of Brunei, also located on the island of Borneo. A recent expedition to Loagan Bunut National Park in Sarawak found them there, as well5.

Borneo

The natural habitat of this fish includes rivers, waterfalls, swamps, and other isolated water bodies, so a moving water stream is advisable when keeping them in the home aquarium. The species name macrostoma literally means “large mouth,” and when these fish open their mouths fully, head on they resemble a floating hollow tube. “Large” mouth is an understatement! Males are far more colorful, being reddish in color with spots on the dorsal fin, and occasionally at the base of the caudal fin, and with dark patches around the mouth and eyes. These spots somewhat resemble the patterns of peacock feathers, giving rise to the common names of “Peacock Betta” and “Spotfin Betta” (although, it is more commonly known as the “Brunei Beauty”). Females are generally a plain grey. Juveniles (and sometimes adults when they are stressed or frightened) have horizontal stripes. While they reportedly can tolerate a pH of from 6.5 to 7.5, they come from an acidic native environment, so I keep my B. macrostoma at the lower pH range. They also come from relatively cool water, so I keep them at between 72( to 76(F. New York City tap water, as I mentioned, is naturally very soft, so much so that usually I get a zero general hardness reading from most test kits. Male B. macrostoma are very territorial. It is important to provide them with caves and hiding places. For a long while, I was actually unable to keep my male and female in the same 20 gallon Long tank, without the male attacking the female. A clear tank divider fashioned for me by one of our GCAS members was used for quite a while, until it appeared that the male’s interest in the female was other than to rip her throat out. I fed my adult B. macrostoma live blackworms, and occasionally live adult brine shrimp, to condition them for spawning. I saw my male B. macrostoma “holding” eggs in his buccal pouch nearly a dozen times. Each time I would find, a few days later, the male eating normally, with no swollen pouch, and no fry in evidence. While I never actually witnessed cannibalization of the fertilized eggs, I can only infer that this is what happened. So, when I actually discovered live fry, I immediately expelled both adults to another tank (I can’t discount the possibility of the female having eaten eggs or fry from previous spawnings), and kept the fry in the original tank. So far, I have found my aquarium-raised B. macrostoma fry to be relatively undemanding. They will eat dry pellets, frozen mysis shrimp, and small blackworms. In feeding blackworms to fry, I do not chop or cut the worms. First, as far as I’m concerned, recently killed food is not the same as live food. Second, even if rinsed, some blood and fluids from the worms will leach into the water,

March 2007

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

Betta macrostoma is listed as thereby polluting it. Dead food (even if recently “Vulnerable” on the Red List of the IUCN killed) does not move the same as live food, and so (International Union for Conservation of Nature is less likely to trigger an “attack” response from and Natural Resources), and is listed as an fish. “At-Risk” fish by the C.A.R.E.S Preservation I keep my worms in a plastic shoe box in the refrigerator. I rinse the worms thoroughly in Program. In fact, this fish (locally known as Ikan the box, so that most of the dead ones that float to Pelaga Brunei) had once been thought to be the surface have been discarded. Then I tilt the extinct, until it was “rediscovered” in 1981 in one box from side to side. Some of the smaller worms of the waterfalls in Brunei. will separate out, and I use my index finger to pick Adult male B. macrostoma are very up the ones that are attractive. They have clearly moving. Those even been called “the are put in a small king of bettas”5. But, as I container with water hope I have demonstrated from the fry tank. When in this article, they are not I think I have enough, I for the beginner, the empty the container into casual fishkeeper, or an the fry tank. After an aquarist interested only in hour, I syphon out any getting quick Breeders uneaten worms. Award Program points. In this way, I They are an endangered know that worms which species (according to the are too large for the fry Red List of the IUCN), are not being fed, that all readily prone to disease, the worms which are require constant attention being fed were alive, and to water quality, and are that there are no dead extremely prone to worms remaining to jumping. Betta macrostoma fry exhibiting the pollute the tank. I have found that horizontal “juvenile” stripe pattern Obviously, this takes a the more hiding places bit of time. But remember, I did warn you that you have, the less prone these fish are to jumping caring for these fish would require extra effort. out when startled. Instead, they seem to prefer to As my fry are maturing I do notice some “dive for cover” into whatever cave or cranny they defense of “territories” in the tank, especially by can readily find. Since a cave or cave-like those fry I can clearly see are males. The tank has structure is most frequently used by brooding many caves and hiding places, and I hope to keep males, you can see the importance of having many the fry together as long as possible, to see if I can caves in a B. macrostoma tank. get some natural “pairing off.” If you are up to the challenge, and are As I mentioned earlier, B. macrostoma is willing to put forth the extra effort, you can be a paternal mouthbrooder. What this entails is that rewarded by having “the king of bettas,” this the male embraces the female to expel her “Brunei Beauty,” living in your fishroom. unfertilized eggs. The female picks up the eggs in her mouth and adds the male’s milt (sperm). Then 1 Bleher, Heiko, “Return of the Brunei Beauty,” Tropical the female “tosses” the now-fertilized eggs to the Fish Hobbyist, May 1987. male, who holds them until they hatch. While I did not get to witness my fish spawning, someone 2 http: //aquaworld.netfirms.com/Labyrinthfish/ recently posted a Betta macrostoma spawning on Betta/Betta_macrostoma.htm the Internet at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziwX9rax_Ic 3 http://www.aq uariumlife.net/profiles/ What you don’t see in that video is the labyrinth-fish/brunei-beauty/100105.asp very start of the spawning, when the male squeezes 4 Pinter, Helmut, Labyrinth Fish, Barrons, 1986. eggs from the female, and the female puts them in her mouth. This video picks up with the female 5 Kamihata, Shigezo, “Searching for Betta Macrostoma already having eggs in her mouth, and shows her in Borneo,” Tropical Fish Hobbyist, January 2006. getting the milt from the male, then tossing the eggs to the male.

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

March 2007

A Visit to the Couch by ELLIOT OSHINS

he room was very quiet. There was a slight patter of rain and sleet hitting the windows. It was very cold outside, but the room had a warm and cozy feeling. The hum of a pump moving water through a filter could be heard as the air bubbles flowed to the top of the tank, breaking the surface of the water. A school of Koi Angels, Rainbowfish, and Platys swam among the swordplants and the Java Fern, forming a collage of vibrant colors. It had a mesmerizing effect on me. The spell was interrupted by the voice of Joan, the doctor’s assistant, letting me know that the doctor was ready to see me. I was told I had OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) which is the reason for my visits to the doctor. The doctor has been a great help to me. I stopped smoking, and I’m buying fewer ties as I have about 400 in my closet. My name is Seymour Banks. I was born in Oakland, New Jersey. I am 45 years old, and I have been living in the East Village for the past ten years. I spend my working hours at a small ad agency, Katz & Drucker, as a copywriter. Five years ago I spent a small fortune on tango lessons. I ended up buying a bolero jacket, tight black pants, and shoes with Cuban heels. My partner at the dance studio was a young Asian woman named Kathy Kim. She was 26 years old, a lawyer, and a great dancer. I was lucky to end up with her as she helped me a lot in my dance steps and moves. She even taught me how to play Blackjack and craps on a visit to Atlantic City. The music started to play. My left hand was placed around her waist, and my right hand was holding hers. I looked straight ahead, my head held high, my back very straight. We danced a tango and we moved with the music. It took me back to when I was 16 years old and I went to a teenage dance at the Y. The girl I danced with is long gone from my memory, but not her scent which was very pleasant. It was like the fragrance of morning dew. It felt as if I was dancing with all the innocence of the world. The ecstasy I felt was transformed by the young girl seeking to expand her feelings of young love and romance. The music played on and we danced the tango to perfection. It was like we were one and I felt a high from the music and movement. Kathy is still in my dreams, but that’s a story for another day. After trying to become a dancer, I became intrigued with tropical fish. It started out with a 8

Betta in a small glass bowl. I now have 12 tanks, and I live in a small walk-up studio apartment. This is my session with Martha Klein, my psychiatrist, on March 6, 2005, at 2:00 p.m. in the afternoon. Good afternoon, doctor. Great weather we’re having. I feel fine, except I left my umbrella in the cab. It doesn’t pay to buy expensive umbrellas. I’ve given a lot of thought to our last session. I do have too many fish tanks, and I go bananas when I am at the club and they start to have the auction. When I see the different types of fish, I feel as if the fish are talking to me saying, “Take me home. Take me home, please!” I say to myself, “I have enough fish but I don’t have enough willpower not to buy more.” Then my hand is up there bidding, but I try not to bid. There must be a little man (or a little fish) inside my head telling me, “Bid, bid.” There is a woman by the name of Jeanne that cannot be outbid. When her hand goes up, forget it. If I have OCD, she invented it. With all my tanks, and playing poker with friends, and going to foreign movies, there is not enough time in the week to do all the things I have to do. Doctor, you are always right. I did make a big mistake by getting rid of my couch to help make more room for a large show tank. Although, with help from my friend Ed designing the tank, it looks great. The good news is I did remove the six goldfish I had in my bathtub. I don’t have to tell you it’s great to take showers again. My buddy at work calls me Sardine Sy. I got interested in fish when I was just six years old. My father had two goldfish that were kept in our livingroom, and a tank of guppies in our diningroom. I would help my father feed the fish. I was very close with my dad. Maybe that’s why I got into the hobby of tropical fish. Doctor, you still ask me why, at age 45, I have never married or lived with a woman? Maybe I’m afraid of the responsibility, or just never fell in love. Maybe I’m still in love with Kathy. I do go out with some very nice women. I love to cook, so I will invite them over for one of my special dinners. I have never had a complaint yet. Doctor, I keep my fish food and worms in my refrigerator. Women see that and look at me kind of strange. Maybe when it comes down to it, I am a little crazy.

March 2007

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

Doctor, there are times when I’m very lonely. Maybe that’s one of the reasons I look for different hobbies. I took your advice and I’ve gone to the Y, as they have some very interesting lectures and dances. Maybe I talk too much about fish. I was explaining to a date about mouthbrooders, and how the female will carry the eggs in her mouth after they have been fertilized by the male. After a few days, her buccal cavity will start to swell where the eggs are starting to grow. To save the fry you can strip the fish. Hold the female over a small pail with water from the same tank. Put slight pressure on the side of the mouth and the fish will spit out the fry. If you strip a fish too early and you get eggs, put them in a small net breeder with an airstone underneath. In time they will hatch into babies. I have no trouble stripping a small fish, but a fish 5" or larger I would have some trouble with. I have been told there’s a fellow that belongs to a club in Queens who is very good at stripping large fish. I don’t know him, but I hear he’s a legend in his own right. They call him “The Maven.” Talking about fish could be boring to other people. The women I go out with would rather hear about the shows or movies I am taking them to, or wedding bells. By the look on your

face, doctor, you know I’m only kidding. My sense of humor is going downhill. Well, I see by your grandfather clock that my session is over. I will see you at our next appointment. As I was leaving the doctor’s office, the snow started to come down heavily. Crossing Greene St., I noticed a hobby shop in the middle of the block. Well, I might as well get out of the snow and keep warm. It was a very nice store that sold model airplanes of WW II vintage, model trains of all gauges and ship models. There were no fish or tanks. They had what I would call “grownup toys.” No matter what age, we all enjoy our toys. Maybe I’m using the wrong words. We are living in a world in which every day there is something new on the market, like the digital camera, laptop computers, cell phones, iPods, etc. We live in a world of great discovery and wonder. What’s in store for us next? The store was fascinating, and after about 20 minutes I noticed a sign near the cash register that said that they accepted all major credit cards. I approached a salesperson and asked him to explain about the different gauges in the model trains. I also asked if they deliver. Here I go again. Let the fun begin! I hope the doctor is not taking a long summer vacation.

Rules for April’s “Silent Auction” / Fleamarket Next month, Greater City has its annual “Silent Auction”/fleamarket. Here is a brief summary of the rules: L The seller sets an opening price for each item. L Bidders write down their bids in increments of at least $1.00 That is, your bid must be at least one dollar more than the previous bid, and you may only bid in even dollar amounts (such as $1.00, $2.00, $5.00, etc.) Bids of dollars and cents such as $1.50, $2.75 will be invalidated. L A bidder may not cross out his/her own bid to enter a lower bid. L The highest bidder at the end of the auction wins the item. L Proceeds are split 50/50 between the seller and Greater City. (Of course, the seller may also donate 100% of the proceeds to Greater City!) L Items not claimed by winning bids (or if there were no bids, by their owners) at the end of the auction become the property of Greater City. L Bids entered after the auction has been declared closed will be invalidated. The decision of the Auction Chairperson or President on whether this has happened is final.

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

March 2007

by BERNARD HARRIGAN

he benefits of keeping plants in a freshwater aquarium have been known since the 1800s. Plants absorb ammonia and CO2 from the water, and add oxygen. They provide a source of food for some fish, and hiding places for both fry and fish being bullied. The plants compete with nuisance algae for both light and nutrients, thereby keeping their growth in check, and they can make your aquarium beautiful. All of the same benefits that you get by keeping freshwater plants in your aquarium can be achieved by keeping marine plants in your saltwater tank. When marine plants are mentioned, the first thing most people think of is seaweed. The name “seaweed” is actually a misnomer. They are nothing like the “weeds” which you have growing in your backyard. They have no true root system or vascular system as more highly evolved plant species do, nor does seaweed pollinate as, let’s say, ragweed does. Seaweed is not one, but a group of plants listed under macroalgae. Unlike microalgae, macroalgae is visually similar to terrestrial plants, and can be quite beautiful. They are part of the most primitive forms of plants on earth. In the aquarium trade, there are numerous species of macroalgae to choose from. These species can be broken down into two groups, calcareous and non-calcareous. Calcareous means it has calcium infused into its body structure, and non-calcareous means it doesn’t. In the non-calcareous category, the most notable is the genus Caulerpa. Caulerpa is easy to grow, grows quickly, is readily eaten by herbivores, and there are almost 80 different species available. Two of the most popular varieties in the hobby are the Feathery Caulerpa, with its fern-like leaves, and Grape Caulerpa, with its clusters of bubble-like leaves looking like a grapevine. There are a number of different species which are sold under these two common names. Some are red, some are green, but they all grow aggressively and need frequent pruning, or they could easily overrun your tank. Caulerpa has a tendency to die off in what is referred to as a “meltdown.” This shouldn’t be confused with “crypt meltdown,” which is the dying off of a freshwater plant from the genus Cryptocoryne. When Caulerpa melts down this is actually part of its reproduction cycle. On a daily basis Caulerpa rhizoids spread out, taking over more and more ground. A Caulerpa’s size could 10

double within a week. (Did I mention that they grow aggressively?) This is a type of asexual reproduction. Caulerpa can also undergo sexual reproduction seen as a different type of meltdown. The plant dies, and releases two forms of reproductive cells called gametes. They, in turn, join to form a zygote. From the zygote new Caulerpa develop. When this happens in the ocean, it doesn’t cause the havoc which it does in the closed system of an aquarium. When Caulerpa melts down, the water will be cloudy and have an oily feel to it. This die-off and release, if not caught in time, can easily overwhelm any filtration system. I’ve seen protein skimmers overflow repeatedly, and whole tanks wiped out. The only way I know of handling a meltdown is by removing as much dead Caulerpa as possible by hand, continually emptying the protein skimmer’s waste cup, and doing water changes. The best prevention I know of is vigorous pruning. Other genera of non-calcareous macroalgae of interest to hobbyists are Halymenic with its Red Antler Algae, among other species, and Chlorodesmis which includes Mermaid’s Hair Algae. Don’t confuse Mermaid’s Hair Algae with Hair Algae, the bane of every aquarist. Mermaid’s Hair Algae is bright green with a more grass-like appearance. This makes it very desirable for aquascaping. Calcareous macroalgae uses calcium within its supporting structure, as we use calcium in our bones. For these macroalgae to flourish, the carbonate hardness of the water should be between 7-9( dKH. Add calcium as needed, either a calcium additive (i.e., Kalkwasser), or the use of a calcium reactor. Calcium in its supporting structure gives this group of algae a vast array of forms and shapes. I find them to be the most interesting and beautiful among the macroalgaes. Just listen to some of the colorful common names, and I’m sure you’ll agree. The genus Halimeda includes the Money Plant. It has segments along the lines of Christmas Cactus (a terrestrial plant), only the segments are more coin-like, hence the name. The genus Penicillus contains the Mermaid’s Shaving Brush. This shallow-water plant has a thick stalk with a clump of hair-like stubble at the end. The genus Rhipocephalus includes the Pinecone Algae. To me, it more resembles Ambulia, but with the

March 2007

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

fronds cup-like, a darker green, and bunched up together on top of a thicker stalk. Then there’s the genus Udoter which includes the Mermaid’s Fan. Mermaid’s Fan, as the name implies, has a fan-like appearance that some have described as more reminiscent of the leaf of a Ginkgo Biloba tree. Just like plants in a freshwater aquarium, plants in a marine aquarium can be blended into its ecosystem in a number of ways. You can have a full-blown planted tank in which macroalgae is the dominant organism. Fish and invertebrates are secondary. You can have a few algae plants, with the most dominant organisms being animals. This works well in a reef tank. Corals and other invertebrates, along with a few fish, and a clump or two of macroalgae would be a typical mix. Sometimes algae is used as a barrier between aggressive corals. Certain corals can sting, injure, and even kill their neighbors. Macroalgae can act as a demilitarized zone in the midst of a coral war. You can also set up a separate tank containing macroalgae that’s connected to the main tank through plumbing. Typically, this other tank (either an “algae filter” or a refugium) is run on an opposite photo-period from the main tank. This has the added benefit of helping to stabilize the water chemistry over a 24 hour period. The only thing an algae filter is meant to grow is algae. That algae is harvested on a continuous basis, removing with it nitrogen

compounds, phosphates, and other pollutants which the algae has absorbed. The word refugium comes from the word refuge: to shelter or protect from danger or distress. A refugium is a safe haven for organisms that would have gotten preyed upon beyond sustainable levels. This includes tiny creatures like copepods, amphipods and other crustaceans, and worms, along with macroalgae. These small animals make their way back into the main tank through the plumbing system, and become food for fish, corals, and other tank inhabitants. The macroalgae should be pruned, replanting some of it in the main tank, as herbivores such as Tangs and Blennies will relish it. Macroalgae needs strong bright lighting. Exactly how strong and how bright depends on the species. A good rule of thumb is five watts per gallon of 4,000-8,000 Kelvin full-spectrum daylight lamps. Compact fluorescents, VHO fluorescents, TSs, and metal halides are all good choices. Macroalgae are beneficial, diverse, and beautiful. I wouldn’t be surprised to see full-blown marine planted tanks aquascaped artistically and judged in shows. This article has only touched on what these plants have to offer the hobbyist. Now it’s up to you to make use of it.

A planted marine aquarium Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)

March 2007

by “The Gypsy Mermaid” (A.K.A. SHARON BARNETT)

Breeding Difficulties With Some Victorian Cichlid Species

lthough some Victorian cichlid species, like Pundamillia igneopinnis and Haplochromis sp. ‘large mouth’ Lake Edward, breed like the proverbial rabbits, others can be maddeningly difficult to spawn. The first pair of Paralabidochromis chilotes which I obtained were kept in a 70 gallon tank, filled with calcareous (carbonate) rock. Most probably, they were suppressed by the Haplochromis sp. ‘blue bar’ Hippo Point—a particularly pugnacious mbipi (mbipi is the Victorian equivalent of the Malawi mbuna). That 70 gallon tank contained Cyphotilapia frontosa, O.B. Peacocks (c ommerc ial ly p ro d uc ed A u l o no ca r a / Pseudotropheus hybrids), large Malawian haplochromines, and various Synodontis sp. catfish. The ‘blue bar’ were placed in that tank because the breeder from whom I obtained them indicated that the males tended to be extremely rough on the females, and I hoped that the large number of rocks, combined with the much larger tankmates, would prevent the males from concentrating too much on killing the females. This experiment has proven successful, and I have even had fry from several spawns survive in this tank with no assistance from me. The breeder further indicated that he usually only got small spawns of about eight to ten fry. Another breeder observed that his male devoured about half of the eggs during spawning and posited that this was the reason for the original breeder's small spawns. By contrast, on the few occasions when I pulled holding females from this tank, I have obtained spawns of 20 to 40 fry. 12

Returning to the P. chilotes, I lost my male during the blackout in 2003 (along with a great many other fish), and searched around until I found a group of juveniles to raise. After they had grown out sufficiently, I placed them, along with the remaining female, in a 33 gallon Long tank filled with calcareous rock. Their tankmates were Pundamilia igneopinnis, Haplochromis sp. ‘red-tail sheller,’ Altolamprologus calvus, and Neolamprologus multifasciatus. Since I still got no spawns from them, I finally moved them to a species tank (a rocky 30 gallon Long), and obtained 2 successful spawns almost immediately. One contained about 20 fry, and the other only eight. There was a third spawning for which I was unprepared. All of my maternity tanks were full with either holding females or fry. I pressed a 22 gallon Rubbermaid® tub into service as a makeshift maternity tank. I added a box filter and a couple of large pieces of limestone. Unfortunately, at the end of about 3 weeks, the female was still holding the eggs in her mouth. Most Victorian mouthbrooders hold for about 21 days, unlike Malawians which generally hold for about 28 days. She was stripped of a mouthful of eggs which were all white (as opposed to yellow). I don't know whether the eggs were sterile/unfertilized, or if the tub which was sitting on the basement floor became too cold and therefore killed the eggs. The female, who seemed none the worse for wear, was returned to her home tank. Although breeding some Victorian species can produce obstacles, sometimes the fish develop

March 2007

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

behaviors to improve the chances for successful spawning. I have observed that some Victorian females spawning under hostile conditions—like a densely populated mbuna tank, will extrude multiple eggs at once, thereby shortening the spawning ritual and maximizing the spawn yield in the event of interruption. I have observed this behavior in the females of the Victorian species Haplochromis sp. ‘half crimson’, and also in the species which is frequently sold in the hobby as Haplochromis ishmaeli (often confused with Labrochromis ishmaeli). The fish in question is very similar to Haplochromis sp. 44 ‘red tail,’ which is also known as Haplochromis obliquidens. Lithochromis rufus, a very beautiful and intensely red Victorian species, has proven difficult for me to keep and to spawn, largely due to a comedy of errors on my part. I split the first two groups that I obtained between two tanks, one being a 30 gallon which held some small Tanganyikan cichlids and some vicious Haplochromis nubilus. The other was a 33 gallon with Labidochromis caeruleus, Iodotropheus sprengarae, Pseudotropheus sp. acei ‘ngara,’ and Astatotilapia latifasciata. The H. nubilus murdered all but one pair of the L. rufus that were housed with them. Only two male L. rufus survived from the 33 gallon tank. After a long search, I obtained another juvenile trio and placed them, along with the survivors, in a 50 gallon breeder tank, along with my A. latifasciata, which also had stubbornly refused to spawn. In the 50 gallon breeder, the A. latifasciata still refused to breed, apparently suppressed by the L. rufus, which did spawn. The two females held, but I was too lazy to break down the tank to catch them (largely because this tank is awkwardly placed beneath a 70 gallon).

Two fry survived amongst the rocks, and perhaps would be alive today were it not for my next stupid mistake. I won an online auction for a quintet of Neolamprologus marunguensis. Not knowing where to put them, I placed them in my nice, stable A. latifasciata/L. rufus community. The juvenile L. rufus disappeared first, then two of the females disappeared. After that, the males began a dance of death, until only one remained. At this time, I removed the remaining pair to a 20 gallon long, adding a pair of Labidochromis sp. ‘blue and white Tanzanian’ to distract the male from killing the female. Well, the labs spawned, but no luck with the L. rufus. It was around this time that I discovered that most everyone who had this species had lost them, and I was unlikely to find replacements. I removed the labs in case they were suppressing the L. rufus and replaced them with small rainbowfish as target/dither fish. Regrettably, some Victorian species become disinterested in spawning when they are just a few years old, and I think that might be the case here. Sadly, before I could come up with a last ditch effort to induce them to spawn, the female died. So I am left with a spectacular male, but not much hope of ever finding him a mate. I read a lot of conflicting accounts of what to do in order to induce the A. latifasciata to breed, finally settling on a colony with three males and ten females. They began to spawn after the L. rufus were removed from their tank. By this time, they were about four inches long, excluding their tails. Perversely, their offspring routinely spawn in their grow-out tanks which are populated with other juvenile cichlids, some of which are quite aggressive, and all of which are larger than the 1.5 - 2 inch A. latifasciata. I am aware, of course, that they are only doing it to annoy me.

American Cichlid Association Convention hosted by the Sacramento Aquarium Society (SAS)

Thursday, July 19 - Sunday, July 22, 2007 Registration is now available online. By ACA policy, all registrants for the convention must be a current member of either the American Cichlid Association (ACA) or the Sacramento Aquarium Society (SAS) at the time of the convention. Go to: http://www.cichlid.org/ACA2007Convention.html The 2007 Convention will be at the: Hilton, Sacramento Arden West 2200 Harvard Street Sacramento, CA Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)

March 2007

by SUSAN PRIEST

? ? ANONYMOUS ? ?

I then started mixing the colors of the fish to see elcome back! With winter break behind what color combinations would come out. us and spring tapping on our windowsills, I know that we are all ready Tell us about your education as a fishkeeper. to enjoy the 85th season of the GCAS. If you are a new reader to this column, let me briefly describe My interest in fish was of the “trial and the premise. Each of error” variety, but I our authors answers was getting frustrated Suggested Questions as many or as few due to my losing 7 Please introduce yourself. questions from our several fish over 7 Tell us about your favorite aquarium. list of suggested stupid reasons. I then 7 What was your very first fish? choices as applies to started reading 7 Tell us about your education as a fishkeeper. them, or they write a magazines and books 7 Is there someone you think of as a mentor? short narrative “story” on what to do and how Tell us about him or her. about themselves and to do it. Reading and 7 Describe your “Fantasy Fish Tank.” their fishkeeping applying what I’ve 7 If you were a fish, which one would you be? activities. The idea is learned really paid off. 7 Who is your “Hobby Hero?” to keep the rest of us The “lessons learned” 7 What fish which you have never kept would guessing as to their was applied and it you like to acquire? identity until the worked out very well. 7 Describe your biggest fishkeeping “blooper!” followin g mo nth 7 Describe your most memorable fishkeeping when their name will experience. be revealed. Is there someone you 7 What advice would you give to a I couldn’t be think of as a mentor? beginning fishkeeper? happier to present to I have several 7 What are your fishkeeping goals? you o ur first fish mentors. These - OR write a narrative story anonymous fishkeeper i ndi v i d u a l s h av e of 2007. Let me point helped me in many out that this person is ways with advice, tips, the first (so far) to answer each and every question and past experience. I hope I’m not forgetting on the list! anyone but I must mention Chuck Davis, Ginny Eckstein, Joe Ferdenzi, Tom Miglio, Al Dispigna, Anonymous Fishkeeper / March 2007: Larry Jinks, Jack Borgese, and Rosario Lacorte. Please introduce yourself. I have been in the hobby for over 30 years. I like everything in the aquarium hobby, especially raising and spawning fish. I am only into freshwater fish, not marine.

Describe your “Fantasy Fish Tank.” I don’t have a fantasy fish tank. With 25 aquariums, I have all of my fantasy fish tanks in service.

Tell us about your favorite aquarium. My favorite aquarium is my 180-gallon tank. It is 7 feet long, by 2 feet wide, by 20 inches high. I got it over 25 years ago as a used aquarium from a hobbyist in Long Island.

If you were a fish, which one would you be? I do not have a desire to be a fish, because I may end up being flushed or as sushi. My favorite fish, if I had to pick just one, would be the Synodontis angelicus, a very beautiful and majestic fish.

What was your very first fish? My first fishes were swordtails and platys. I was amazed at the livebearers birthing method.

Who is your “Hobby Hero?” There are so many, but at the top of the list would be Rosario Lacorte. He always has a

March 2007

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

friendly smile, gives great advice on breeding and fishkeeping, and is willing to share his knowledge that has been obtained over 50 years in the hobby with novice and expert alike. What fish which you have never kept would you like to acquire? Arapaima giga, the largest exclusively freshwater fish in the world. This species can attain a length of over 13 feet, a truly a majestic creature. Of course, I would need a much larger tank than I have now. Describe your biggest fishkeeping “blooper.” I was breeding Oscars and I had over one hundred fry and I ran out of spare aquariums. Where can I put them? I looked around and noticed that I had a tank full of feeder goldfish. I regularly feed them to my Oscars and other large South American cichlids. I said “great, I can hold them in there until I have an available ‘grow out’ tank.” I said that Oscars eat goldfish and the goldfish should know that so they will stay away from the Oscar fry. I placed them in and when I returned the next day all the Oscar fry were eaten by the goldfish. I guess it was their way of getting even! Describe your most memorable fishkeeping experience. Spawning the Synodontis multipunctatus. Using cichlid hosts to hold the catfish fry with the cichlids was the most amazing experience I ever had. At one point I had 8 catfish fry with over 150 cichlid fry and the catfish were eating away on the cichlids. The catfish always went for the yolk sac as it is the most nutritious part of the fry. At one point they were eating their own siblings. When first born they are eating machines. They have basically no eyes so whatever they can feel with their mouth they will eat. I used to strip mouthbrooders just so I could freeze the eggs to feed to the S. multipunctatus fry. If I fed them eggs or newly hatched cichlids for the first 10 days, they would all survive. What advice would you give to a beginning fishkeeper? Never overcrowd your tank. Always and religiously perform water changes. Feed your fish high quality foods, and always vary that food (flakes, pellets, frozen, live) so they don’t get spoiled on any one type of food. What are your fishkeeping goals? When you become proficient in keeping and raising fish, create a long-term goal, be it having successfully kept 100 different varieties of fish, or collecting every type of fish within a

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

particular species, or even breeding a certain number, or a difficult-to-breed group of fish. Keep accurate records, such as a diary of your fish, events, and trials and tribulations. Write down what works and what doesn’t. Learn from your mistakes and experiment with new methods. Whenever you reach that hard-to-achieve goal, create another goal that’s different but just as hard to reach. Keep going. Remember, you will have stumbling blocks and you may want to quit, but don’t, because when you do reach that goal, you have achieved a very significant point in your hobby, and you did it all by yourself. That’s something to be proud of!

lose inspection reveals that our anonymous fishkeeper for December of 2006 (the last issue we published) would seem to have answered all the questions, but he combined them under other headings. For example, amid the answer to “please introduce yourself” he told us that guppies were his very first fish.

Donna and Stephen Sica Anyway, here are a few things he didn’t tell us. Stephen and his wife, Donna, are GCAS’s most intrepid travelers, having authored many articles describing their scuba diving adventures (the most recent, “Diving in a Fishbowl,” appeared in the September 2006 issue of Modern Aquarium). Equally notable is “Fish Bytes,” which is a column describing the exchange issues of publications from other aquarium societies. (The most up-to-date episode can be found on the following two pages.) Should I tell you that Stephen works for the IRS? No, maybe it’s best if I don’t! Stephen and Donna, along with their smiling faces, regularly attend GCAS meetings. They are often accompanied by their nephew, Christopher. You will know Donna by the book under her arm. Stephen will be hoping she is so absorbed by her reading that she won’t notice the auction has started, and that he is doing a bit of bidding.

March 2007

An occasional column for society exchanges, guest appearances, articles and items of general interest. We try not to bite off more than we can swallow. If you wish to offer comments, suggestions or any information that you would like to see in this column, the authors encourage you to contact us through Greater City, or at a monthly meeting.

by Stephen Sica with Donna Sosna Sica

ne evening while I was lying on the couch paging through a pile of publications from our fellow tropical fish societies, I yearned for a life without fish while paging through a seemingly endless stack of journals for some material for the next column. “Donna!” I hollered. There was no reply. “I guess I’ll have to do it myself,” my lazy inner-self thought. “Maybe I should watch some reruns?” “Now what was I thinking about? Oh yeah, fish, but what about them?” A few hours later, after mostly watching World Series Game 4 from a reclining position, this column, as you can plainly see, was still a blank page. But I felt refreshed and I didn’t write too much nonsense or make any errors. “Oh well, it’s time to go to bed,” I thought. So I did. The next day I was still wishing that I had gone to the Charles Dickens school of journalism. (My wife claims that I have when she edits these columns.) Finally I decided to direct my powers of concentration, such as they are, on all things fishy, such as this allegedly helpful tip from the June Tankquilizer of the Tropical Fish Society of Rhode Island: if you are looking for a barrel to store water, the Star Pickling Plant in Swansea sells their used pickle barrels to the public for less than $10. Just be sure to wash them out with baking soda. OK! Now everyone with nothing to do, let’s head out and get some foul smelling barrels! Where’s Swansea anyway? Here’s another tip that you probably already know: used aquarium water is great for your houseplants. My mother always told me not to waste resources so now that I have my bucket full of water, let me get my Christmas tree out of the closet. Fortunately, the same issue had an article on breeding several Goodeid species of the genus Girardinichthys that were only recently described in 2003. The author, Richard Pierce, 16

purchased these new fish at the 2006 American Livebearers Association annual convention. They are not yet available to the hobby. These fish enjoy water no warmer than 74 degrees Fahrenheit. Sounds like a good project for an ambitious fishkeeper and the C.A.R.E.S. Preservation Program. Since Warren Feuer gave his excellent lecture on shelldwelling cichlids I keep seeing his name in club journals announcing appearances on the lecture circuit. The Long Island Aquarium Society’s Paradise Press even had a photo of him. For his next presentation I hope he gets all expenses paid to Honolulu…or how about Bermuda in the summer! Here’s another one I missed, Joe Ferdenzi graced page two of the May Paradise Press as he gave a terrific presentation on killifish. He also took over their auction and I quote, “lit a fire under our audience” with his “speed auction” style. Rumor has it that no tongue twister has ever stumped Joe. Say it is so Joe! Red shrimp were auctioned at GCAS’s November meeting…I wish someone would give a club talk or write an article about raising or at least keeping shrimp. Maybe the donor of those shrimp has some expertise. I once had a few but couldn’t keep them alive very long…last April’s Paradise Press contains Harry Faustmann’s very brief article on Grindal worms under his “Home Grown With Harry” byline, and in June he wrote about vinegar eels. I read that the Belle Isle Aquarium was recently closed by the City of Detroit. It was Michigan’s only, as well as one of the oldest public aquariums in the United States. Friends of the Belle Isle Aquarium organized to try to reopen it as an independent establishment with assistance from Detroit’s Parks Department. We all know that fish are endangered, but now public aquariums too…I

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

just heard an point or two to that information spot on the caveat. After those radio that by the year sponges are nice and 2047 or so no one will soft, immerse them in a be eating fish because bucket of warm water the earth’s oceans will with a triple dose of be fished out. What Declor and seed them about farm-raised fish? with a biolo gical Another good topic: starter…and all of these the history of fish are just a few key steps farming…and very i n c l e a n i n g loosely on the subject of sponges…Rick must farming, several years When it comes to a big fish, Donna doesn’t shy away re ally lov e th o se ago I purchased Java if it will lead her to a story. She recently swam into sponges…and I don’t fern in a pet shop that this nosy Caribbean reef shark for some tasty gossip even give mine a were about ten inches in for her next column. tumble. length. They made nice The Aqua-land background plants. Does anyone know where they Fish Tales ran an article by Rit Forcier entitled grow them that tall? Has anyone grown them that “Aquarium Capacity.” I mention this because he tall? While on this topic, the July North Jersey measured both the inside and outside of several Aquarium Society Reporter reprinted Bob tanks. I knew that they held less capacity than the advertised size but was surprised to learn that a 5.5 Berdoulay’s “The Java Fern.” Bob, a member of gallon tank holds 5.3 gallons, a 10 holds 9.2, a 15 the Diamond State (Delaware) Aquarium Society, holds 13.4, a 20 Long holds 16.6, a 25 holds 22.6, says they usually grow to six inches but “may a 29 holds 25.7, a 30 holds 27.66, a 110 holds stretch to more than a foot.” I’d like to see that 110.6, and a 135 holds 129.7. Most manufacturers again. rate the capacity by the outside measurements. I heard that a good website for marine fish And finally some good news. We all hear is www.michiganreefers.com. I have the urge but about animal species going extinct, such as a future shall refrain from remarking on that site name…the fish dinner for those of us who enjoy fish on the Greater Chicago Cichlid Association’s Cichlid table, as well as in the tank. But a new catfish Chatter claims that www.GCAS.org is “a great species, Lacantunia enigmatica, was discovered in website and they also have a forum for Q & A.” the Lacantun River in the state of Chiapas, Mexico. Has anyone checked it out lately? For catfish It is estimated that there are 1,500 catfish species lovers you may want to try www.planetcatfish.com. yet to be discovered…did you know that one out of Cichlid Chatter’s webmaster, Rick Borstein, claims every four freshwater fishes and one out of every that a good way to clean sponge filters is in the ten fishes is a catfish? washing machine with warm water, extra rinse cycle and the regular cycle. Rick states that a critical step is to wait until your wife leaves the house! Donna would add another exclamation

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

March 2007

Photos and captions

GCAS first couple Anita and Joe Ferdenzi radiate the true beauty of love for each other, one that touches all who surround them. Emma and Ben Haus certainly know how to throw a party! Their wonderful efforts are so appreciated by all!

Brad Dickinson, President Joe Ferdenzi, and Horst Gerber ring in the Holidays with friendship and good cheer!

The editorial team of Sue and Al Priest, whose true labor of love brings us the gift of this incomparable magazine.

Horst Gerber, Jeff Bollbach, and Michael Foran revel in the Holiday spirit! Edward Vukich, Elliot Oshins, Artie Friedman, and Ron Kasman celebrate in true GCAS holiday style!

March 2007

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

by Claudia Dickinson

Olympia DiSpigna, and Mike and Natalie Boscia celebrate the season with prizes and beaming smiles!

Jack Traub beams as his ticket numbers match those of one of the Door Prize drawings! We can barely wait to hear the underwater adventures and "Fish Bytes" that Donna and Stephen Sica will have in store for us after the winter break!

President Joe Ferdenzi conducts the famed Congo line as John Malinowski looks forward to discovering what the GCAS Holiday gift box holds for him! There is something for everyone at the Holiday party ~ most especially the deep warmth of special friendship.

Rod Du Casse goes home with the GCAS Holiday Hound Dog!

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

March 2007

Everyone is a Winner at the GCAS! by CLAUDIA DICKINSON December brought with it our annual Holiday Party and Awards night, a time to celebrate our good fortune in the friendships of each other, and to recognize those who have attained outstanding achievements throughout the year. With so many stellar achievers in the GCAS, a page can hold only a small fraction of those who received awards, but this single page alone bursts with the caliber of accomplishment, as well as the pride that is felt for each of you, for everyone is a winner at the GCAS!

Warren Feuer earns the Don Sanford Breeder of the Year Award. Edward Vukich earns the Walter Hubel Bowl Show Champion Trophy.

Edward Vukich earns the title of Advanced Breeder for 100 points.

Dick Moore earns the title of Breeder for 50 points.

Joseph Graffagnino earns the title of Grand Master Breeder for 500 points.

Anton Vukich is honored with the Gene Baiocco Aquarist of the Year Award.

March 2007

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

The G.C.A.S. Proudly extends a most Warm Welcome to Our Guest Speaker

ARIE GILBERT Speaking on

"The Planted Aquarium"

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

March 2007

UNDERSTANDING SEAHORSE DISEASES AND TREATMENTS PART 1 of 3 by BERNARD HARRIGAN

ears ago while I was feeding my seahorses their breakfast of defrosted Mysis Shrimp, I noticed that one of them didn’t come out to eat. Searching the tank, I found him hiding behind some live rock. Using the handle of my algae scraper, I gently tapped him to the front so I could take a better look at him. I dropped a couple of shrimp near him. He snickered one down as he slowly descended to the bottom. I knew something was wrong, but I was late for work and had to leave. When I got home that night, I checked out the tank. The same seahorse was lying low behind the rocks. The rest of the seahorses were staring at me, wondering what was holding up their dinner. To my seahorses, I imagine that I’m nothing more than an aquatic waiter, but I see myself as a whole lot more. I’m their caretaker, their caregiver, and their guardian. I was going to find out what was wrong with one of my wards. I tapped him out again, and poured in some live brine shrimp which I picked up on my way home. The others snapped them up quickly, pursuing them with vigor. Live food seems to take their natural feeding instinct and rev it up a notch or two, like blood in the water does for sharks. This did not happen to the lethargic seahorse. He’d weakly slurp down any shrimp that would swim by. There was no pursuit, no hunting, no chasing or tracking that the other seahorses exhibited. I scanned him carefully while he was idle on the bottom. There were no sores or signs of infection on his skin. His eyes looked normal. His fins were a little frayed, but nothing alarming. He wasn’t pregnant. If anything, he looked thinner than the rest. I was puzzled, so I read everything I could get my hands on dealing with seahorse disease, and

fish disease in general. Sadly, I didn’t find much that was helpful. I didn’t like the fuzzy pictures of diseased fish, or the blurry pictures of pathogens under a microscope. I really hated how the information was organized, but mostly I didn’t like my seahorse being ill and not being able to come up with some answers. Dismayed, I used the best advice I could gather and crossed my fingers. I set up a hospital tank, treating the water with a copper-based medication. I did a freshwater dip on the sick seahorse, and placed him in it. I even installed a U.V. sterilizer on the main tank. Sadly, he died a little over a week later. That memory was prominent in my mind as I wrote this article. I have tried to break down the following information to make it as user-friendly as possible. The Directory of Symptoms is broken down so that each symptom lists the diseases connected to it, and not the other way around. If you notice three symptoms that your sick seahorse has, each one of these symptoms will tell you what diseases are associated with it. You can then see one or two diseases that could be the culprit. Then, you start looking at what other symptoms each disease has. Understand that all symptoms don’t necessarily show up in every case, but I find that this system make s diagnosis easier. I’ve even assembled diseases into groups. Most diseases in the groups have crossover symptoms and crossover cures. Each group has been given a Roman numeral, and is broken down with the Causing Agent, Symptom, Treatment, and Comments at the end to cover information I feel is important. I hope it’s useful to you, not just in seahorse keeping, but in aquatic husbandry in general.

March 2007

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

Directory of Symptoms !

Body appears swollen: Most noticeable in the mid-section, or as patches on the skin.B.D., I.P., P.D.

Breathing rapidly: The fish has obvious difficulty with breathing. - E.P., P.D.

Eating difficulties: The seahorse has trouble eating, or a loss of appetite. - B.D., E.P., I.P.

Eyes bulging (Exophthalmos): One or both eyes protrude from the socket. Commonly called â&#x20AC;&#x153;Popeye,â&#x20AC;? it was once thought to be a disease in itself instead of a symptom of a number of ailments. - B.D., I.P.

Frayed fins: The fins look ragged or torn. - E.P.

Jaw locked: The mouth appears to be stuck either open or closed. - P.D.

Parasites are visible: You can see cottony growths, flukes, lice, or worms. - E.P., I.P.

Pouch appears swollen: Males are bloated beyond the plumpness you will normally see with pregnancy. - B.D.

Scratching itself (Flashing): The fish scrapes itself against items in the tank as it swims. - E.P.

Skin develops bubbles: Bubbles protrude through the thinnest skin, most noticeable around the eyes, head, neck, and tail. - B.D.

Skin changes color in areas: There could be ashy-like patches (Turbidity), grey velvet, or pink. - E.P., P.D.

Skin has open sores: Sometimes the sores will be bloody. - E.P., P.D.

Skin is peeling: The skin is shedding as if after a sunburn. - E.P., P. D.

Skin is slimy : The seahorse is producing excess mucus. - E.P., P.D.

Skin has spots or bumpy growths: Spots colored white, gold, brown, red, or black depending on the specific disease, or cauliflower-like growths, whitish or pink in color. E.P.

Swimming difficulties: The fish has trouble maintaining its balance, or swims wildly. B.D., I.P.

Weight loss: The eyes look sunken-in and the abdominal area is pinched. - B.P., I.P., P.D.

Legend I - B.D. - Buoyancy Diseases II - E.P. - External Parasites III - I.P. - Internal Parasites IV - P.D. - Putrescentic Diseases

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

March 2007

Stay away from copper-based medications when treating seahorses. Copper is very noxious to them, and when combined with antibiotics, or even malachite green, it can be lethal. Besides, there are better treatements on the market that aren’t as dangerous to your fish.

Different groups of antibiotics are either Gram-Positive, Gram-Negative, or Full-Spectrum (also called Wide-Spectrum). H.C. Gram, a biologist from the late 1800s, came up with a way to stain bacteria that helps classify, diagnose, and treat bacterial diseases. Later known as the Gram Staining Technique, a dye of crystal violet is first applied to the bacteria, followed by a solution of iodine. They will all be stained blue at this point. The bacteria is then washed with alcohol as a destaining agent. The Gram-Positive bacteria will remain blue. A safranin dye is then used to color up the Gram-Negative bacteria. The different reactions are due to the different structuring in their cell walls. Gram-Positive bacteria has a dual-layered wall. In Gram-Negative bacteria, the cell walls are thinner. To make up for its thinner walls, Gram-Negative bacteria produces a toxic chemical, Lipid A, in its membrane. The membrane and cell wall are two different parts of the cell. This toxin, along with certain proteins, destroy intruding substances trying to get through. Lipid A also causes most of the symptoms you get when dealing with a Gram-Negative bacterial disease. Even with all these layers of defenses, bacteria are porous. They need to be, in order to survive. Different antibiotics can permeate different defenses that the bacteria have developed. But, understand that bacteria are forever evolving, and coming up with new defenses and immunities to medications. That’s why you should always complete the full treatment regimen when dealing with antibiotics, even if the fish (or you for that matter) appears healthy. The bacteria will become immune to the antibiotic if it is not completely wiped out of the host’s system.

THE AMUSING AQUARIUM

March 2007

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

FAASinations—News From: The Federation of American Aquarium Societies by ALEXANDER A. PRIEST

he Federation of American Aquarium Societies (“FAAS”) has a new President. The former FAAS President, Jerry Montgomery, apparently resigned. The Vice President, Roger Halleen, apparently decided not to step up. I say “apparently,” because all of this took place without input from, or information provided to, the FAAS delegates (and that includes me, the Chairman of the Delegates Council). The last Federation Report (which bills itself as “The Official Publication of the Federation of American Aquarium Societies”) clearly showed Jerry Montgomery as President. Then, the delegates get an e-mail from “Rick Borstein — FAAS President” extending the deadline for submission of entries for the 2006 Publications Awards from January 31, 2007 to March 31. (It should also be noted that this e-mail was sent on January 31, and that the deadline, as of the date of this writing, remains “January 31, 2007” on the FAAS website.) The following are excerpts of a message posted by Rick Borstein on the FAAS website (Rick is also the FAAS webmaster): Firstly, we are suspending all member dues for the 2007 year. We need to prove to you that FAAS is relevant and worthwhile. Secondly, we are actively seeking to get every fish club in North America into our database.” * * * The FAAS Board of Directors believes our organization should focus on the following three areas: A place where best practices can be shared A place to find resources and programming A place to get new aquarium clubs started * * * FAAS is primarily an organization that serves the operating members— e.g. Board Members— of aquarium societies. Given our limited resources, we should not duplicate or supplant programs that should already be in place at the local society level. For this reason, we are considering dropping the following programs: Breeders Award Program Horticulture Award Program Show Sanctioning Program Medallion Program

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

We believe that local societies should run the above programs and provide recognition to their members. We intend to keep the following programs: Publication Award Program Legislation Review FAAS is not an ordinary resource for the aquarium hobbyist. This distinction is important. FAAS is about running a fish club, not about your fish per se. There are a great many resources available to hobbyists already. We do not want to duplicate effort or content that already exists on the web or is readily available elsewhere. Note that FAAS medallions are no longer being given to member societies, and none are available for purchase (I asked). That means that when whatever medallions Greater City may still have are used up (the medallion is used on our “Aquarist of the Year” plaque), we will have to come up with a new format for that award. I feel that FAAS is reverting to the days of making decisions based mostly on the whim and caprice of the Board members, without making at least an effort to obtain member society input, and implementing changes without adequate and timely notice. I doubt that acting in this manner is going to attract new, and retain existing, members. As I write this column, I still have not received the award certificates from FAAS for Greater City authors who won awards in the 2005 Publication Awards. Again, this is no way to win friends and influence people. I’ve corresponded with Rick Borstein, and spoken to him on the phone. He really appears to want to do a good job, and to turn FAAS into a useful resource. But in my opinion, he needs to do a better job of letting societies know what is happening: when, where, how, and why, and maybe even ask the societies for their input. And that’s my opinion, as your GCAS FAAS Delegate, and Chair of the FAAS Delegates Council.

March 2007

AMUSING AQUARIUM (Cartoon Column) by Bernard Harrigan “County Fair Annual Fish Shoot” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . “Rabbit Eggs” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . “Bubblenest Breath” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . “Comet Goldfish” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . “Boxfish Design for Automobile” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . “Hershey’s Chocolate Gourami” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . “The Liberty Molly” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . “Fish Optometrist” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . “American Flag Fish” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . “Domino Damselfish” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

03/06 04/06 05/06 06/06 07/06 08/06 09/06 10/06 11/06 12/06

ANABANTOIDS Badis ruber - A Small Fish With A Big Attitude by Alexander Priest . . . . . . . . . . . . . 05/06

AQUATIC NEWS a column of current events by Bernard Harrigan Aquatic News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10/06 Aquatic News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11/06

BARBS No Pits, No Stems: Barbus titteya - “Cherry Barb” by Susan Priest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11/06

BOOK REVIEWS “WET LEAVES” Column - by Susan Priest The Pond Doctor by Helen Nash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mini Encyclopedia of Aquarium Plants by Peter Hiscock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Everything Tropical Fish Book by Carlo DeVito & Gregory Skomal . Fishes Dangerous To Man, Fishes That Travel, Fishes That Hide, and Fishes and Their Young by Alan Mark Fletcher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Manual of Tankbusters by Gina Sandford . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

04/06 06/06 09/06 10/06 12/06

CHARACINS A Neon is a Neon is a Neon...Not! by Bernard Harrigan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 04/06

CICHLIDS The Littlest Shelldwellers (Neolamprologus mulitfasciatus) by Bernard Harrigan . . . . 03/06 Melanochromis auratus “Molded by Malawi” by Bernard Harrigan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 05/06 Oscar, Oscar, Oscar by Bernard Harrigan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 08/06

DATNIOIDS Tigerfish! (Datnioides pulcher) by Dan Radebaugh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 08/06

GCAS Society Issues Fishkeepers Anonymous column by Susan Priest Anonymous Fishkeeper: Sharon Barnett . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anonymous Fishkeeper: Jerry O’Farrell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anonymous Fishkeeper: Joseph Ferdenzi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anonymous Fishkeeper: Bill Luckett . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

March 2007

03/06 04/06 05/06 06/06

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

Fishkeepers Anonymous column by Susan Priest (continued) Anonymous Fishkeeper: Jannette Ramirez . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anonymous Fishkeeper: Bernard Harrigan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anonymous Fishkeeper: Dan Radebaugh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anonymous Fishkeeper: Susan Priest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anonymous Fishkeeper: Bill Amely . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anonymous Fishkeeper: Stephen Sica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

07/06 08/06 09/06 10/06 11/06 12/06

Exchanges and General Interest Fish Bytes by Stephen and Donna Sosna Sica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 05/06 Fish Bytes by Stephen and Donna Sosna Sica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 08/06 Fish Bytes by Stephen and Donna Sosna Sica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10/06 April’s Silent Auction Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2005 Modern Aquarium Article Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . GCAS Past Award Winners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . GCAS Current (2005-2006 Season) Award Winners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Breeders Award Program Report for 2006 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The GCAS Author Award Program Report for 2006 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The FAAS Publication Awards Report for 2005 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

03/06 03/06 12/06 12/06 12/06 12/06 12/06

GENERAL INTEREST and Miscellaneous Fishy Surprises by Sharon Barnett . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Adventures in Fish Shipping - Part 1 by Sharon Barnett . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Adventures in Fish Shipping - Part 2 by Sharon Barnett . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Four Rules For Successful And Enjoyable Aquariums by Joseph Ferdenzi . . . . . . . . Oddball Tank by Horst Gerber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fish and Plants For A Successful and Enjoyable Aquarium by Joseph Ferdenzi . . .

04/06 06/06 08/06 09/06 11/06 12/06

HEALTH / NUTRITION HITH Disease - Symptoms, Causes, and Cures by Claudia Dickinson . . . . . . . . . . . . Seahorse Health: Three Steps to Help a Sick Seahorse by Bernard Harrigan . . . . . . . Seahorse Sustenance by Bernard Harrigan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Debilitating Buoyancy Can Be Deadly by Bernard Harrigan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

05/06 05/06 07/06 08/06

LIVEBEARERS Gambusia affinis - The Mosquito Fish by Joseph Ferdenzi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 04/06 Who You Callin’ “Four-Eyes?” by Bernard Harrigan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10/06

MARINE/REEF The Seahorse Chronicles by Bernard Harrigan The Q Word . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The ABCs of Acclimation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Seahorse Health: Three Steps to Help a Sick Seahorse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . An Interview With Neil Garrick-Madment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Seahorse Sustenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Debilitating Buoyancy Can Be Deadly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Seahorse Profile: The Dwarf Seahorse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Versatile Refugium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Seahorses Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Seahorse Profile: The Lined Seahorse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A Swimming Dragon (Phycodurus equus) by Bernard Harrigan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

03/06 04/06 05/06 06/06 07/06 08/06 09/06 10/06 11/06 12/06 07/06

NANDIDS A Most Extreme Leaf (Monocirrhus polyacanthus) by Alexander Priest . . . . . . . . . . . 03/06 Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)

March 2007

NATIVE AMERICAN FISH Gambusia affinis - The Mosquito Fish by Joseph Ferdenzi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 04/06 Natives, Anyone? by Dan Radebaugh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 04/06 Swamp Thing - The Okefenokee Pygmy Sunfish (Elassoma okefenokee) by Alexander Priest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 04/06

NEC and FAAS News/Events A Golden Anniversary Celebration by Claudia Dickinson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 03/06 The FAAS Publication Awards Report for 2005 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12/06

OPINION AND/OR HUMOR “Mermaid Tales” a column by Sharon Barnett, the Gypsy Mermaid The Asian Upside-down Catfish Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The buttikofferi and the Electric Catfish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Feeding My Seamonster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Interesting Behaviors I Have Observed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Strange Things Are Happening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

07/06 09/06 10/06 11/06 12/06

“UNDERGRAVEL REPORTER” a column by The Undergravel Reporter I Asked For Wine WITH My Fish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Crossbreeding For Fun And Profit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stoned Fish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Environment And The Creepy Crawlies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . You Like Tomato And I Like To-mah-to . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sex And The Female Fish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . You Only THINK You Have A “Fishroom” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fantasy, Flatulence, and Fish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Name That Fish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Guppies Are Not All That Different . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

03/06 04/06 05/06 06/06 07/06 08/06 09/06 10/06 11/06 12/06

OTHER HUMOR/OPINION Let’s Cross The Bridge by Elliot Oshins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 07/06 The Official Fishmonger Notebook by Horst Gerber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12/06

PHOTOSPREADS “LOOKING THROUGH THE LENS” by Claudia Dickinson Through The Lens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Through The Lens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Through The Lens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Through The Lens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Through The Lens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Through The Lens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Through The Lens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Photos From Our Last Meeting by Alexander Priest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

03/06 04/06 06/06 07/06 08/06 11/06 12/06 09/07

PLANTS Spotlight on Plants a column by Charley Sabatino Rotala macrandra: “The King of Reds” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bolbitis heteroclita: a Low-Light Plant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cryptocoryne cordata var. blassii— Hidden Treasure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Barclaya longifolia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Reds For the Common Fishkeeper “Red Tiger Lotus” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Four (or More) For The Foreground: The Crypt That Thinks It’s an Anubias . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

March 2007

07/06 08/06 09/06 10/06 11/06 12/06

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

PLANTS (Continued) The Madagascar Lace Plant - A Case Study in Cultivation by Joseph Ferdenzi . . . . 06/06 Java Fern (Microsorium pteropus), the “Super Plant” by Bernard Harrigan . . . . . . . 06/06 How To Train and Propagate Java Fern by Bernard Harrigan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 06/06

Puzzle: “FIN FUN” Page Nature Scramble (fish with common names from nature) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Natives, Everyone! (name the native home of listed fish) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cichlid Safari (match rift lake cichlids to their home lake) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Plant Aptitude Test (multiple choice questions on aquatic plant keeping) . . . . . . . . . . It Takes All Sorts (sort fishes into saltwater or freshwater categories) . . . . . . . . . . . . . Horizontal or Vertical? (identify the direction of the stripes on various fish) . . . . . . . . Not For Beginners Only (multiple choice questions about fishkeeping) . . . . . . . . . . . . A Four-Drawn Conclusion (scientific and common names of “four” named fish) . . . . Spelling “B” (spell the scientific names of these barbs) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wow! (answer questions taken from articles by our Author of the Year) . . . . . . . . . . . .

03/06 04/06 05/06 06/06 07/06 08/06 09/06 10/06 11/06 12/06

SPAWNING A Most Extreme Leaf (Monocirrhus polyacanthus) by Alexander Priest . . . . . . . . . . . The Littlest Shelldwellers (Neolamprologus mulitfasciatus) by Bernard Harrigan . . . . Swamp Thing - The Okefenokee Pygmy Sunfish (Elassoma okefenokee) by Alexander Priest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Badis ruber - A Small Fish With A Big Attitude by Alexander Priest . . . . . . . . . . . . . Melanochromis auratus “Molded by Malawi” by Bernard Harrigan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A Swimming Dragon (Phycodurus equus) by Bernard Harrigan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Who You Callin’ “Four-Eyes?” by Bernard Harrigan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No Pits, No Stems: Barbus titteya - “Cherry Barb” by Susan Priest . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

03/06 03/06 04/06 05/06 05/06 07/06 10/06 11/06

SPEAKER PROFILES by Claudia Dickinson Profile of Warren Feuer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Profiles of Ed Vukich, Carlotti De Jager, & Mark Soberman . . . . . . . . . . . Profiles of Sharon Barnett, Steve Giacobello, Karen Ottendorfer, Al & Sue Priest, and Dick Moore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Profile of Al DiSpigna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Profile of Alan Mark Fletcher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Profile of Mo Devlin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Profile of Patrick Donston - from his store’s website . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

03/06 05/06 06/06 07/06 09/06 10/06 11/06

TRAVELING AQUARIST A Quick and Fun Method to Spice Up Your Aquatic Life by Claudia Dickinson . . . . 04/06 Diving in a Fish Bowl by Stephen Sica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 09/06

COVER PHOTOGRAPHS Amazon Leaf Fish (Monocirrhus polyacantus) photo by Alexander Priest . . . . . . . . . North American Native Fishes photo by Dan Radebaugh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Badis ruber photo by Alexander Priest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Aponogeton boivinianus photo by Joseph Ferdenzi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Leafy Seadragon (Phycodurus equus) photo courtesy of Jeffrey N. Jeffords . . . . . . . . Siamese Tigerfish (Datnioides pulcher) photo by Dan Radebaugh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A Sand Tiger Shark photo courtesy of Stephen Sica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anableps anableps photo by Alexander Priest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cherry Barb (Barbus titteya) photo by Alexander Priest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Harlequin Rasbora (Rasbora heteromorpha) photo by Alexander Priest . . . . . . . . . . .

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

March 2007

03/06 04/06 05/06 06/06 07/06 08/06 09/06 10/06 11/06 12/06

March 2007

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

News from the NEC BY CLAUDIA DICKINSON

ome celebrate with fellow members and friends of the Northeast Council of Aquarium Societies at the 32nd Annual Convention on March 16th through 18th! So close to home at the Hartford Marriott, noted for its accommodating, personal attention and delicious cuisine, in beautiful Farmington, Connecticut, this is an event that you surely must attend! “Wearin’ O’ the Green” is the theme, and don our green we will, throughout the weekend, as well as at the Saturday night Banquet, when the best dressed will be presented with a special award! The speaker line-up is fabulous, with celebrated author, professor, and dear friend, Anton Lamboj returning from Austria to speak on “Rheophilic African Cichlids,” as well as offering a second presentation depicting rare and unusual species of groups of fishes originating from all parts of the world. The celebrated Ingo Seidel travels from Germany to give two programs on Loricarids, collector Jeff Cardwell highlights his recent trip to Uruguay, and Discus Hans presents his methods of keeping beautiful and healthy discus. Guest of the GCAS, fellow traveler, and dear friend, Scott Dowd, of the New England Aquarium Society updates us on the progress of Project Piaba. Bob Larsen of the North Jersey Aquarium Society shares his immense knowledge of fancy guppies gained through years of experience with the fish in his 120 tanks. Noted aquarist and photographer, Tony Terceira, speaks on “Gems of the Aquarium Hobby,” and Jeff Senske, of aquarium aquascaping fame, brings his motto of “Vision, Creation, and Longevity” to life in his presentation, which will be followed by an aquascaping demonstration. Dr. Frank Marini, the first to breed and raise Banggai cardinal fish, travels from Houston to present “Marine Fish Only Aquariums,” and Charley Grimes’s aquatic humour will entertain us at the Saturday night Banquet. With such a Grande list of presenters, what more could we ask for? Well, we need plenty of time to socialize, of course! What better a place to do that than in the Vendor Room! In fact, it will be difficult to pull us away from the Vendor Room, as our dear friend Lee Finley will have a huge booth set up with his vast array of new and rare, out-of-print books for us to puruse, discovering ample treasures to bring home! Tony and Rose Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)

Orso will have their amazing selection of fish for sale with imports just in from Cameroon, Australia, the Congo, Peru, Brazil, Thailand, and Europe. Discus Hans will have his bounty of gorgeous discus for sale; Ryan McAndrews, Editor of Tropical Fish Monthly, will be there with his fabulous magazine; Eastern Aquatics will have fresh blackworms, offering free samples!; the lovely artwork of Ed and Kris Champigny will be available, as well as their exquisite selection of koi and fancy goldfish; Ken’s Premium Food will be for sale at Ken’s Fish, along with many other foods, supplies, and a new ceramic hollow rock, which they are quite enthused over; PetStar LLC will offer beautiful aquatic plants, supplies, and a unique selection of driftwood for sale; and the online site of www.FranksAquarium.com will offer an overview of their freshwater shrimp, nano fish, Gouramis, danios and brackishwater fish. You will also want to be certain to stop by the Aquatic Gardner’s Association booth to see what is new, and to join if you are not already a member! Please bring along your best photos and enter the NEC Photo Contest! What an opportunity to show off those perfect images and win a prize for your favorite photograph. A nice matting, a title, possibly a frame, and you’re all set for a good chance to be a winner! The rare fish silent auction will going on in the Vendor Room throughout the weekend. Proceeds from this year’s auction will support Project Amazonas, a conservation effort detailed in the December 2005 issue of Modern Aquarium, headed by my dear friend, Devon Graham. Please bring in your rare fish, and bid often on those that you would like to take home in support of this worthy event! NEC Conservation Chair David Banks will be happy to help you with donations and questions at dbanks@together.net. Sunday brings the huge fish and plant auction, which you will surely want to be prepared for. Bring several large coolers ~ and be certain to have plenty of spare tanks at home! Should you have any questions or need more information, please contact your most efficient and welcoming NEC Chair, Janine Banks, at dbanks@together.net. As always, please know that I am here and happy to help you as well! We look forward to seeing you very shortly in Connecticut at this fabulous event!

March 2007

NEC William T. Innes Award The Northeast Council announces the first William T. Innes Award! This is a most inventive and exciting competition, recognizing those who participate in NEC shows throughout each calendar year. The point system is based on entries per show, placings of third, second, first, Reserve of Show, and Best of Show. The first William T. Innes Show, held at next year’s annual NEC Convention, will be by invitation only for the top 20 in accumulated points earned throughout the year. Cash prizes totaling $1,000, along with a William T. Innes Award, will be presented to the winners. We have some excellent shows coming up this year and look forward to seeing a GCAS winner of the first William T. Innes Award!

GCAS NEC Delegate The NEC holds a meeting quarterly at the Hartford Marriott in Farmington, Connecticut, at which one or more delegates from each NEC member society convenes. Ideas are shared on the successes of running our local clubs, and new methods are gleaned regarding generating interest in the hobby. Attending these meetings is truly enjoyable! If one or more of you would like to attend the NEC meetings, how wonderful it would be for the GCAS to have you represent us! You may wish to share the meeting information in these pages, or, if you prefer, I am happy to do the writing. I look forward to hearing from you!

NEC Calendar of Events Now, with a full slate coming up, let’s take a look at the NEC Calendar of Events: March 11th: Jersey Shore Aquarium Society Auction. March 16th ~ 18th: NEC Annual Convention!!! May 18th ~ 20th: Aqua Land Aquarium Society Show & Auction. October 6th ~ 7th: Norwalk Aquarium Society 41st Annual Show and Auction. October 21st: Danbury Aquarium Society Auction October 26th ~ 28th: North Jersey Aquarium Society: “Mega” Tropical Fish Weekend! November 9th ~ 11th: AFISH: The biggest fish event in the New York area! Until the Next News... Enjoy your NEC Events! Claudia

March 2007

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

It’s Not All That Hard Being Green A series by “The Undergravel Reporter” In spite of popular demand to the contrary, this humor and information column continues. As usual, it does NOT necessarily represent the opinions of the Editor, or of the Greater City Aquarium Society.

According to a February 14, 2007 report on the website of Colorado's channel 9 news: Colorado's Water Quality Control Division says to its knowledge, Denver's Downtown Aquarium has not yet fixed a massive leak in a water tank.

The state sent the aquarium a letter requiring a written response to a number of violations it said the aquarium committed, including discharging wastewater without a permit, and failing to notify the water quality division about a leaky pipeline. Two responses were due in ten days, but in that time, the aquarium only responded to one.

"We want them to be more expeditious in he Downtown Aquarium in Denver, Colorado resolving the leak," said Division Director (previously known as the Ocean Journey Steve Gunderson. Aquarium) recently sprang a leak. As aquarists, we know how They may be disagreeing serious that can be, and how with some of our authority hard it may be, at times, to in this, and we'll have to pinpoint the exact location of get that sorted out. the leak. But when the leak (as in this case) was of 3,000 The Division is sending its gallons of water a day, you engineers to the aquarium might think someone would later in the week to conduct an inspection of have noticed it, without the leak. having to be told. It seems that the Aquarium managers tell Colorado Department of 9NEW S they didn't Public Health and “LeakFrog” respond to all of the Environment was upset violations because they because they were not told of this leak immediately. weren't given a complete description of the According to an article in the Denver Post, Mark Colorado Water Quality Control Act. Salley of the Department is reported to have said, “Certainly, they could have and should have So, aquarium water is “wastewater” in reported this to us sooner. We’re pleased to know Colorado, you need a permit to “discharge” it, and about it now, but wish it would have been quite a you’re expected to comply with regulations that long time ago when they first learned about the you have not seen? John Denver was right!: problem.” Well, Mr. Salley (and all you other It’s a Colorado Rocky Mountain high aquarists out there), I have a solution: buy a “LeakFrog” or two — I have. These small green I’ve seen it rainin’ fire in the sky round “things” (they have flat bottoms) are battery Friends around the campfire and everybody’s powered water leak detectors. The package states, high “LeakFrog sits patiently day and night ready to sound its alarm at the first sign of a leak.” “Instant Rocky Mountain high (high Colorado) Rocky warning for leaks.” “Alarm sounds for days.” Mountain high (high Colorado) “Floats in standing water.” “Prevents water Rocky Mountain high (high Colorado) Rocky damage.” So, if you (or the Colorado Department Mountain high do de do of Public Health and Environment) happen to miss noticing 3,000 gallons of water being where no (Words by John Denver, music by John Denver water should be, this cousin to Kermit the Frog will and Mike Taylor) sound the alert. Problem solved.

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

March 2007

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March 2007

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

Last Month’s Bowl Show Results: No Bowl Show (Holiday Party) Congratulations to Last year’s Bowl Show Champion: Ed Vukich This month starts a new season Here are meeting times and locations of some aquarium societies in the Metropolitan New York area: GREATER CITY AQUARIUM SOCIETY Next meeting: April 4, 2007 Annual Silent Auction / Fleamarket No speaker; no bowl show See rules on page 9 of this issue.

Meets: 1st Wednesday of the month at 7:30 pm (except January and February) at: Queens Botanical Garden 43-50 Main St. - Flushing, NY Contact: Joseph Ferdenzi (516) 484-0944 E-mail: GreaterCity@compuserve.com Website: http://www.greatercity.org

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

Next Meeting: March 16, 2007 Speaker: Chart Guthrie Topic: “Local Freshwater Fish” Meets: 3rd Fridays (except July and August) at Holtsville Park and Zoo at 8:00pm. 249 Buckley Road - Holtsville, NY Website: http://liasonline.org/ Email: Arie Gilbert - president@liasonline.org

Brooklyn Aquarium Society Next meeting: March 9, 2007 Speaker: Doug Millard of Pet Shanty Topic: “Micro Fish In A Macro World” Meets the 2nd Friday of the month (except July and August) at 7:30pm: NY Aquarium - Education Hall Surf Ave. at West 8th St., Brooklyn, NY Call: BAS Events Hotline: (718) 837-4455 http://www.brooklynaquariumsociety.org

Meets: Last Tuesday each month (except Jan. & Feb.) at Alley Pond Environmental Ctr.: 228-06 Northern Blvd. at 7:30-10:00pm. Contact: Donald Curtin (718) 631-0538

Next meeting: March 13, 2007 Speaker: Bob Larson Topic: “Raising and Breeding Guppies” Meets: 2nd Tuesday of each month at the American Legion Post 1066 - 66 Veterans Blvd. - Massapequa, NY at 8:00pm. Contact: Mike Foran (516) 798-6766 Website: http://www.ncasweb.org

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

Next Meeting: March 15, 2007 Speaker: Steve Edie Topic: “Re-introduction to Tanganyikan Cichlids”

Contact: John Chapkovich (203) 734-7833 Meadowlands Environmental Center - One Dekorte Plaza - Lyndhurst, NJ

E-mail: jchapkovich@snet.net Call our toll free number (866) 219-4NAS

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

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

Website: http://norwalkas.org/

March 2007

Fin Fun They’re back! All of your favorite authors and columns have returned from winter break to inform and entertain you. These multiple-choice questions may send you back to re-read an article or two. All of the answers can be found within this issue. 1) How long do most Victorian mouthbrooders hold their fry? a) 1 day b) 2 days c) 12 days d) 21days 2) Eleocharis parvula is: a) a fish b) a plant c) a snail d) a coral 3) The December 2005 cover of Modern Aquarium has been reproduced: a) on a T-shirt b) on the cover of National Geographic c) on a postage stamp d) in the New York Times 4) The Belle Isle Aquarium is: a) located in San Francisco, CA c) an underwater aquarium in Lake Michigan

b) a fish farm d) closed

5) Arapaima giga is: a) the largest exclusively freshwater fish in the world b) the smallest marine snail in the world c) a medium for culturing live foods d) a seasoning for gumbo 6) Betta macrostoma is notorious for: a) jumping b) sudden death syndrome c) being very expensive d) all of these

Solution to last month’s puzzle: 1) These fish set up housekeeping in empty snail shells, and reside in Namkolo Bay, in Lake Tanganyika. Name that fish: Neolamprologus multifasciatus 2) What genus of marine fish in which all the species are endangered does Bernie write a monthly column about? Hippocampus (Seahorses) 3) Name two ways in which the False Neon Tetra (Paracheirodon simulans) differs from the Neon Tetra (Paracheirodon innesi) or the Cardinal Tetra (Paracheirodon axelrodi). a) It’s the smallest of the three b) In comparison to the others, its colors are muted 4) Where in the world does Melanochromis auratus hail from?: Lake Malawi 5) How many eyes does an Anableps anableps have? Two (even though they have the common name of “Four-Eyes) 36

March 2007

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