Modern Aquarium March 2012

March 2012 volume XIX number 1

The Northeast Council of Aquarium Societies

37th ANNUAL Tropical Fish CONVENTION March 23 - 25, 2012 The Crowne Plaza Hotel, Cromwell, Connecticut Speakers – Vendor Room – Sunday Auction 11am – Banquet – Workshops – Club meetings

Pat Donston – FW & SW Nutrition Scott Fellman – Saltwater Bob Lewis – IFGA Guppies Klaus Steinhaus – CARES – Tropheus Scott Fellman – saltwater workshop

Hans-Georg Evers – Catfish – Sulawesi Spencer Jack – Cichlids Ken Normandin – Killifish – Panama Rhonda Wilson – Planted Aquaria Tony Terciera – Photo Workshop

Leslie Dick 203-748-7800 ConventionChair@northeastcouncil.org

www.convention.northeastcouncil.org

Series III ON THE COVER Our cover photo this month, while not a fish, is Exotic Aquarium Fishes, a whole collection of them! For further elucidation, see Steven Hinshaw's article on page 23.

Photo by Steven Hinshaw GREATER CITY AQUARIUM SOCIETY Board Members

President Vice-President Treasurer Corresponding Secretary Recording Secretary

Dan Radebaugh Edward Vukich Jules Birnbaum Mario Bengcion Tommy Chang

Members At Large

Claudia Dickinson Al Grusell Emma Haus Leonard Ramroop

Pete D’Orio Ben Haus Jason Kerner

Vol. XIX, No. 1 March, 2012

In This Issue From the Editor G.C.A.S. 2012 Program Schedule President’s Message Our Generous Sponsors & Advertisers December's Caption Contest Winner Cartoon Caption Contest Aquarium Lighting for the "Real Thing"

by Jules Birnbaum

Undergrave Reporter Imposter

by Stephen Sica

The Whiptail Catfish: Rineloricara fallax

by Joseph Graffagnino

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 10 14

Committee Chairs

A.C.A. Delegate Bowl Show Breeder Award

Early Arrivals F.A.A.S. Delegate Membership Programs N.E.C. Delegate Technology Coordinator

Claudia Dickinson Leonard Ramroop Warren Feuer Mark Soberman Al Grusell Alexander A. Priest Marsha Radebaugh Claudia Dickinson Claudia Dickinson Warren Feuer

Pictures from our Holiday Party/Banquet

by Susan Priest

Bowl Show Rules Exotic Aquarium Fishes The Book, The Collection

by Steven Hinshaw

Wet Leaves

by Susan Priest

2011 Modern Aquarium Article Index MODERN AQUARIUM Editor in Chief Copy Editors

Exchange Editors

Advertising Mgr.

Dan Radebaugh Sharon Barnett Susan Priest Alexander A. Priest Stephen Sica Donna Sosna Sica Mark Soberman

G.C.A.S. Happenings The Undergravel Reporter Two Cars in Every Garage

Fin Fun (Puzzle Page) Fooling Around

16 22 23 29 31 36 37 38

From the Editor

by Dan Radebaugh

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robably the single most important and well-loved print resource for many generations of aquarists has been Exotic Aquarium Fishes by William T. Innes. I was therefore delighted when I received an article about this book from Steven Hinshaw of Sitka, Alaska, by way of Joe Ferdenzi, of Greater City. As many of you know, Exotic Aquarium Fishes has been through many editions over the years, and Steven, a connoisseur, has very nearly all of them. In his article, which begins on page 23, he presents an exhaustive historical review of the different editions of this landmark book.

I’m sure all Innes fans will find this a real treat.

Sue Priest is dedicating this, the 19th season of her Wet Leaves column, to the subject of conservation, in the hope of increasing our awareness of the ever more parlous state of our natural world. This month she reviews Freshwater Regions of Africa and Madagascar, a conservation assessment of a troubled area that, as cichlid enthusiasts in particular will know, is home to many of our most dazzling and popular aquarium fishes.

Jules Birnbaum, also celebrating the natural world, encourages us to house living plants in our tanks as well as living fish, and presents us with an overview of lighting choices for supporting live greenery in our fishes’ watery habitats.

Joe Graffagnino contributes an article about the whiptail catfish, a fish that I’ve always coveted, but somehow never owned.

Steve Sica, in his “Undergravel Reporter Imposter” (I’ll let you read his explanation of the title) shows us that the natural world and our fabricated world can in fact peacefully coexist in a number of interesting ways, while the real Undergravel Reporter illustrates one 2

of the hazards of being perhaps too sanguine about the effects of our current industrial approach to the habitat that we all in the end share.

The December meeting was of course our annual Awards Banquet, and you’ll find photos galore of the party and the award winners. Before our closing Fin Fun puzzle, which anticipates April Fools’ Day (which of course takes place before we meet again), you’ll find our 2011 Modern Aquarium Article Index. * * * Remember, as always, we need articles!

Modern Aquarium is produced by and for the members of Greater City Aquarium Society. Our members are our authors, and with ten issues per year, we always, always need more articles. I know several of you are keeping and/or breeding fish that I would like to know more about, and I’m certain other members would be interested as well. Share your experience with us. Write about it! If you’re a little unsure about the state of your writing technique, don’t worry – that’s why there are editors.

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

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Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

GCAS Programs

2012

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t is our great fortune to have another admirable cast of speakers who have so graciously accepted our invitation to join us throughout the coming season, bringing us their extensive knowledge and experiences. You certainly won’t wish to miss a moment of our prominent guests, not to mention the friends, fish, warmth, and camaraderie that accompanies each meeting. I know I can barely wait to see you here! Enjoy!

Claudia March 7

Meet the Experts of the GCAS

April 4

TBA

May 2

Jeff Michels Dwarf Cichlids

June 6

TBA

July 11

TBA

August 1

Silent Auction

September 5

TBA

October 3

Rachel O'Leary Freshwater Invertebrates

November 7

TBA

December 5

Holiday Party!

Articles submitted for consideration in Modern Aquarium (ISSN 2150-0940) must be received no later than the 10th day of the month prior to the month of publication. Please fax to (877) 299-0522, or email to gcas@earthlink. net. Copyright 2012 by the Greater City Aquarium Society Inc., a not-for-profit New York State corporation.

All rights reserved. Not-for-profit aquarium societies are hereby granted permission to reproduce articles and illustrations from this publication, unless the article indicates that the copyrights have been retained by the author, and provided reprints indicate source and two copies of the publication are sent to the Exchange Editor of this magazine. Any other reproduction or commercial use of the material in this publication is prohibited without express written prior permission.

The Greater City Aquarium Society meets every month, except January and February. Members receive notice of meetings in the mail. For more information, contact: Dan Radebaugh (718) 458-8437. Find out more, or leave us a message, at our Internet Home Page at: http://www.greatercity.org or http://www.greatercity.com Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

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President’s Message

by Dan Radebaugh

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elcome! Tonight we begin Greater City’s 90th year of continuous operation. This is a landmark worth noting, as it means in part that our club has been able to successfully adapt to change, within the club, the hobby, and the society at large, in order to continue to meet our members’ needs and expectations. I’m certain that there have been times of challenge during those 90 years. Different personalities come and go, people’s lives change, as do their priorities. Each generation of members looks at life and our hobby through a different lens. My hat is off to our past leaders and membership for being able to adapt and thrive over nearly a century. Now it’s our turn to carry the torch. I hope and trust that we’ll be able to do it as well.

One of our challenges this year will be to find a new venue for our Holiday Banquet and informal dinner meetings now that the Palace Diner has closed. The Board and I will be looking into this, so if anyone has an idea about a suitable place, please let one of us know. Check the contents page of Modern Aquarium if you don’t know who your Board members are.

Speaking of Modern Aquarium, if you’ve visited our Web site lately (www.greatercity.org), you’ll have noticed that―for the first time ever―back issues of Modern Aquarium are available online. So far only the issues from 2011 have been posted; issues from other years will become available in the near future.

I recently received word that Former GCAS member Ellen Halligan is giving up her fishroom.

Ellen specialized in keeping discus, and she has numerous large tanks and equipment, all available for free on a first come, first serve basis. You just pick it up and take it home. Ellen lives in Queens. Her phone number is available from Steve Gruebel, owner of Cameo Pet Shop, at 718-849-6678. Call him and he will give you her number. You must be a member of GCAS. In closing, I recently got a note from Tommy Chang. As some of you know, Tommy has been awaiting a kidney transplant. He tells me that a kidney was found, and the transplant took place on February 8. Tommy will be “out of commission” for a few weeks as he recovers. Please join me in wishing him the best of luck and of care during this process.

Dan

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March 2012

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

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December's Caption Winner

Cartoon by Elliott Oshins

Al Priest

Fish: "If he thinks I'm as dumb as those guys on the wall, he has another think coming!"

Kingfish Services.net (http://www.kingfishservices.net/)

Good for the Hobby – Organizations – Industry Ray “Kingfish” Lucas Celebrating 23 years in the business (1989-2012) of participating at your events.

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Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

The Modern Aquarium Cartoon Caption Contest March, 2012

Modern Aquarium has featured cartoons before. This time though, you, the members of Greater City get to choose the caption! Just think of a good caption, then mail, email, or phone the Editor with your caption (phone: 347-866-1107, fax: 877-299-0522, email: gcas@ earthlink.net. Your caption needs to reach the Editor by the third Wednesday of this month.

We'll also hand out copies of this page at the meeting, which you can turn in to Marsha before leaving. Winning captions will earn ten points in our Author Awards program, qualifying you for participation in our special "Authors Only" raffle at our Holiday Party and Banquet. Put on your thinking caps!

Cartoon by Elliott Oshins

Your Caption:

Your Name:

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

March 2012

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Aquarium Lighting for the "Real Thing"

by Jules Birnbaum

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his article is addressed to you aquarists who In the tropics, where most of our plants are willing to give up plastic for the real come from, twelve hours of sunlight is common. thing. I’m one of those who started in the Accordingly, I try to give my plants twelve hours of hobby with plastic plants. Most of this article is light per day. One day a week I keep the lights off, from my personal experience, and I don’t claim to be and do not feed the adult fish. Thus I save electricity a lighting expert. If you are using plastic plants you 52 days per year in my fish room. can put your lights on A few definitions only while observing might help to the fish. You will have understand aquarium lower electric bills and lighting: very little algae, which The “T” marked are two advantages of on the bulb stands plastic plants (or no for tubular.

The plants at all). If you number is the bulb’s are into this go and diameter in eighthget some plastic fish. inch increments. The In my opinion, real Thirty gallon tank with low-light plants. basic light bulb used aquarists appreciate Photo by Marsha Radebaugh for ceilings is T12, one living, growing things. and one-half inches thick. There is T8, or one inch Each of us has some successes, and some thick, and then there is the very slim T5 bulb, fivefailures with our fish. The same is true for live eighths of an inch thick, which is the most efficient plants. When you leave on vacation you won’t of the three. It’s also the most costly of the three have to worry about feeding your live plants. If a sizes, and some question whether the extra cost is tank is heavily planted and there is a power failure worth it. In this writer’s opinion LED technology the plants should survive and your fish will survive will eventually make all three obsolete. much longer than they would otherwise, as live The “K” stands for Kelvin, and has to do with plants provide oxygen and some nutrients for your “temperature” or color of the light source. 5500K is fish. equivalent to noon sunlight and is considered fullI’m a proponent of low-light plants that don’t spectrum. need any CO2 equipment, which can be costly and Most of us think in terms of watts when we an extra maintenance headache. You can pick refer to a bulb’s brightness, but that isn’t really these plants up at our auctions or at a few local pet accurate. Watt is a measure of electricity’s ability shops, such as Cameo and Zooto do work, and is named Rama, both of which advertise after the Scottish inventor and in Modern Aquarium. I’ve mechanical engineer James found their prices for healthy, Watt. Lumen is the measure of disease-free plants to be very the total amount of visible light reasonable, and their expert emitted by a source. Once you advice and the healthy plants start getting too technical, you they stock make the price even can drive yourself crazy. A more worthwhile. You can see good rule of thumb for keeping what you are getting, there are the “average” aquarium plant no shipping charges, and the happy is to use two watts per shop stands behind the plants gallon of tank size, though they sell. Healthy plants have there are several factors that solid leaves without blemishes must be considered, such or algae, no smell, and have a as the depth of the water. A nice, thick, white root system. Somthing different: An LED bubble-wand.

20-gallon high tank needs 8 March 2012 Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

Fluorescent tubes.

LED array.

T-5 Array.

Compact-Fluorescent bulb.

Metal Halide, LED combo.

Metal Halide bulb.

Screw-socket Metal Halide.

more light than a breeder’s 20-gallon tank simply because of the different depth of water that the light must penetrate to get to the plants. When I built my fishroom I installed florescent strip lights a foot above my tanks. That’s too high for light to penetrate efficiently to the bottom of my tanks, so I use small metal shop lights, each with a full spectrum compact fluorescent bulb, to supplement the florescent lighting.

The choices of light fixtures are many, from the simple shop light with a compact florescent bulb, to elaborate contraptions with built-in timers.

The latest trend seems to be LED lighting, but I find that much too expensive at the present time.

Metal Halide are generally high-intensity lights, going up to as high as 20,000K and 1,000 Watts. I find these lights better suited for salt-water aquariums. I’ve seen prices for some of these in excess of $1,000. The cost for the light and the electricity are very high. However, for show tanks the effect can be spectacular.

The HQI (halogen quartz iodide) lighting systems are relatively new, and also offer high intensity light well suited for salt-water aquariums to help coral thrive.

LED [light-emitting diodes] lights go on immediately, have no glass bulb tubes to break, give off a low amount of heat, have a long bulb life, and lower electricity cost. I’m not convinced, nor are some of the manufacturers, that they work well with anything other than low-light plants.

Keep in mind that florescent bulbs eventually lose their effectiveness and need to be replaced long before they quit working at 8,000 to10,000 hours.

Replacing fluorescent bulbs can be very costly, and LED bulbs are said to last 30,000 hours, which is something to consider. I am watching sales for Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

LED closely and will consider trying these lights in the future.

Florescent fixtures with the new T5 bulbs offer the bright light needed for growing plants. For example a 24” T5 HO bulb offers 24 watts. Thus, a fixture with two such bulbs offers 48 watts, which is adequate light for growing plants in a 20-gallon aquarium. A 48” light fixture would offer 3 X 54 watt bulbs, or a total of 162 watts, which should be plenty for a 55-gallon aquarium. It should be noted that low light plants such as Anubias, Java ferns and most crypts can be grown with much less light, but will grow very slowly. I know of one aquarist who made his own fluorescent fixtures at a great savings.

Incandescent lights are the oldest means of lighting aquariums. The incandescent bulb is more than likely the major source of lighting used in your home. The cost of the fixture and bulbs are very low, but the bulbs run hot. The life of a bulb is about 1,000 hours, but can last much longer if not turned off and on too often. Incandescent bulbs have to be changed often, when compared to florescent bulbs, which can last 10,000 hours. Studies show that fluorescent bulbs can save a large amount of electricity and require fewer bulb changes compared to incandescent bulbs.

I’ve used most of the light fixtures mentioned in this article, and have had the most success with plants by using T5 fluorescent fixtures and several full-spectrum compact florescent bulbs, installed in shop lights, for an extra ‘grow’ light. Whatever light you use, there is no substitute for not overfeeding your fish and doing large, regular, water changes.

Give a real live plant a try, and the joy of watching it grow will be yours!

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Undergravel Reporter

Imposter Story and Photos by Stephen Sica

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t last November’s GCAS meeting I mentioned to my wife Donna and Sue Priest that I was contemplating writing an “Undergravel Reporter” article. In response to Donna’s objection that I am not the Undergravel Reporter, I said that no one knows who the Reporter really is except for the Reporter himself (or herself). Why can’t I be the Undergravel Reporter―at least for one time? Maybe I’ll lure out the real Reporter to reveal his (or her) true identity!

W h i l e pondering such imponderables in our kitchen, I accidentally poured fruit punch over my leftover pizza in lieu of oregano. Donna sadly queried, “Still think you could be the Undergravel Reporter?“ Checkmate to Donna. But I was committed, or perhaps should be, so here goes.

I had mentioned in my last Fish Bytes column that we had just dove the Vandenberg, or more formally, the USAFS General Hoyt S. Vandenberg, in late October of 2011. Earlier in the month, the Undergravel Reporter in his (or her) October Modern Aquarium column titled “Naturally Artificial,” cited this very same ship as the largest artificial reef in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. (Aside to the Reporter: there are no subway cars next to this sunken ship.) But it is colonized by a vast variety of marine life, including schools of hundreds, if not thousands, of small, elongated, silvery fish about four to six inches in length that I believe are mackerel scad, Decapterus macarellus, a member of the jack family.

My fish identification reference books state that these fish are uncommon to Florida. Well, now I know why―they are all living in Key West on and around the Vandenberg. These schools swept across the deck and superstructure. Even larger schools swam a few yards off the sides of the ship.

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Coincidentally, the week before Halloween is known as Fantasy Fest in Key West, with both locals and visitors dressing or undressing in all manner of unique costumes. I cannot go into details in this family oriented publication, but I will inform you that body painting in lieu of clothing is quite popular, especially among women. I have a few private photos to prove this.

The Vandenberg lies in one hundred and forty feet of open water, about eleven miles off Key West.

It’s a thirty to forty minute trip depending upon the weather and the boat.

The week prior to our arrival, southern Florida was hit by record rainfall.

Key West received five inches of rain in less than one day, and it had been raining throughout the Keys for several days. As a result, underwater visibility was nil.

Inshore reefs had fifteen feet or less. Luckily, because the Vandenberg lies out to sea, this ship sported a murky forty feet.

Particles filled the water column making it impossible to take sharp photos, a fact that I fear that the photos in this article will bear out. In my search to find clear water and photo opportunities, I followed the hull down to 106 feet, but soon abandoned this reckless course of action because I was fearful of the necessity of making a long safety stop at the fifteen to twenty foot depth with a dwindling air supply. Donna, a lot smarter than I, limited her maximum depth to 94 feet. Ironically, if the water had been its usual clarity, we would have been able to see the bottom. On this day, looking down through the last 34 feet towards the bottom revealed nothing but murk. I must admit that diving five days before Halloween was a trick, not a treat, in this case. No exaggeration―it was spooky! Except for some limited penetration of the superstructure and upper hull, we stayed in the 80 to 90 foot range to preserve our precious air supply. We

March 2012

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

Looking up at Donna from 106 feet as she hovers above the ship’s main deck rail.

Descending a mast to the Vandenberg’s superstructure.

Looking out on a school of Mackerel scad, Decapterus macarellus, thru a doorway in the wreck.

Filefish considering entering a hold.

A trumpetfish artfully contorting itself around the ship’s rail.

French angelfish strolling the deck.

were with three other divers and the divemaster, so it was important to stay together, since it was so difficult to see under these conditions. If you become separated you usually become lost, so memorizing the layout of a ship with limited visibility is important. Always remember where the descent/ascent line is because it will lead the way to the surface and the dive boat. The Vandenberg has six surface buoys moored to the ship.

Be sure to find the correct one, because the ship is over 500 feet long. In rough seas with six foot waves, you might not find the boat and it might not find you.

After the dive, we tossed about the boat for a sixty minute surface interval to de-gas the nitrogen that had accumulated in our bodies. The boat captain made a determination to make our second dive also on the Vandenberg because the reefs were washed out.

Unfortunately, while fighting the current and waves to haul myself to the dive boat by a tag line trailing the stern, I got seasick. Climbing aboard in rough seas didn’t help. It’s the first time that I ever became seasick while in the water. In the past, I would get sick by the rocking motion of the boat. The nausea

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

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made me feel like my wetsuit was binding my body, the previous page). It was followed by a row of what I and choking my neck. I had to peel it off. thought were paintings. They depicted land scenes on After a very long hour, we suited up again and the sunken ship. I photographed several of them, but tumbled back in the water with a fresh air cylinder. the visibility was too poor to depict them in a proper But before we left the boat, Jeremy, our divemaster, way. Later, I researched both Franke and his artwork. told us that he would show us another section of the He is an Austrian photographer and avid amateur diver ship where the “art museum” was situated on a low who dove the wreck in 2009, the year it was sunk. He superstructure deck. “What is he talking about?” I described the ship as a “dead thing…But I thought that thought as I hauled myself along a granny line that if I put people on it, then there would again be life on ran from the back to the mooring buoy at the front that ship.” of the dive boat. This was the way back down to the He photographed the sunken ship, and in his shipwreck. studio in Austria he hired models to pose. He digitally Once we settled back on the ship in the gloom, superimposed the photos of his models with those of Jeremy motioned for us to follow him. After swimming the ship. His photos have been enlarged, and resemble awhile, he again motioned, this time to a small plaque paintings. Each one is about three feet by two feet. attached to the lowest deck’s outer wall (See photo on He enclosed and sealed each photo in plexiglass, and 12 March 2012 Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

Donna ascending to the surface.

fastened each frame to the ship with magnets. He intends to remove the photos in several months. Some have developed leaks or growths on the plexiglass. If you are interested, you can research Andreas Franke on the internet and see all twelve of his photos, with a description, in an unobstructed undersea environment.

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

My photos are not of good quality due to the poor visibility.

My photos, per my own interpretation, include a 1950s scene of five young adults hanging out at a movie theater ticket booth, three ballerinas with their teacher using the ship’s rail as a training bar, a woman in exercise tights at a juice bar with background exercisers, a young girl with a net chasing butterflies (or maybe fish), a man in a straightjacket being wheeled along the deck by a macabre-looking attendant, two men kickboxing near a radar dish on the ship, and a boy tightrope walking on the ship’s rail.

As the real Undergravel Reporter pointed out in his (or her) column, at times nature can be artificial or made to become artificial by man-made structures.

But with the passage of time, a sunken ship, or even a work of art, will merge into nature to take its place in the natural world. Years from now, will an underwater voyeur ask, “Does this belong here?” How would the fish respond about their underwater home?

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The Whiptail Catfish Rineloricara fallax

by Joseph Graffagnino

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here are several species of whiptail catfish which are very difficult to tell apart. This particular species, Rineloricara fallax*, comes from cool, fast moving streams in South America. This type of catfish gets its common name from its slim, armored, flat, and stiff body with color variations from gray to brown. It is a slow moving, peaceful fish with a tailfin that extends to a delicate “whiplike” extension.

Whiptail cats get to about 6 inches in length. The only way I can sex them is that the female’s belly is larger than the male’s, as is the case with most types of catfish. When the female is ripe with eggs, her stomach is huge; she will sit outside the PVC tube and wait for the male to allow her entrance. As she lays her eggs, he is directly behind her fertilizing them. When completed, the male then chases the female from the tube, and he then cares for the eggs.

I received my group of a dozen small fish from one of Brooklyn Aquarium Society’s expert fish breeders, Lisa Quilty. Lisa, one of our club's leading spawners of difficult fish, bred the parents in a small PVC tube and brought the fry in for Breeder Award Points.

I brought them home and set the group up in a 10 gallon tank with riverbed gravel, and corner box filter that contained charcoal and ammonia chips. I placed a couple of wood pieces in the tank to make them comfortable.

After a few months I added some small and narrow clay and PVC tubes. The small fish grew quickly with weekly water changes and high protein flake food. To improve their 14

diet, I gave them frozen food such as blood worms, cyclopeeze, and daphnia a couple of times a week. I would on occasion provide them with a piece of frozen zucchini that they would ignore until it started getting a fungus on it, and then the next day the zucchini would be gone. I guess they will only eat it if it’s soft.

Early one evening, my friend and fellow fish breeder Vinny Babino came over, and as I was showing him my various fish, he looked into the whiptail tank which I kept at the end of a long row of tanks that I rarely paid any attention to, and remarked that there appeared to be a lump inside the PVC tube. I looked, and then with a flashlight discovered that the male was sitting on a batch of green eggs. With this species the female lays the eggs and the male cares for them, gently scraping the eggs to help the fry escape after about 7 days.

An interesting note: Vinny had obtained the parents of the fry and had them in his home aquarium. When he went home that evening his fish had also laid eggs in a PVC

Pair spawning. Photo by Henk Hugo

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Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

tube. Several times afterward both of our groups laid eggs the same day. I must have had my fish for approximately two years before they spawned.

Once the fry became free swimming I fed them crushed egg flakes, which help fry grow faster, and some frozen zucchini that they, like their parents, allow to soften before eating. The fry grow quickly with frequent water changes and heavy aeration. The spawning tubes were six to eight inches long and one inch wide, open on both ends. The GH was 2, pH was 6.3 and the temperature was 76 degrees Fahrenheit. After the first pair spawned a second time, three weeks after the first spawn, other pairs started breeding. I guess the pheromones in the water activated the others’ spawning cycle. I found 36 fry from the first spawn; in some spawns the eggs were eaten, and in others, when the babies were released, the adult whiptails ate them.

The spawns became larger, and after several months I counted 84 fry in a single spawn.

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

The fry are small, so if I didn’t see them on the glass so I could siphon them up, the adults would go for them. I found that these fish need natural wood in the tank, which I believe helps them digest food. Never use glass gravel for this species.

I highly recommend this delicate in beauty, yet hardy in nature fish for your aquarium. They are a joy to behold and will not bother other fish or plants in your tank.

After you have bred them don’t forget to bring the fry to your local fish club and share the fun with other hobbyists.

*Planet Catfish lists Rineloricara fallax as a synomym of Hemiloricaria fallax.

Photos from PlanetCatfish.com.

This article previously appeared in Aquatica, the official magazine of the Brooklyn Aquarium Society.

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Pictures from our Holiday

Walter Gallo & Tommy Chang

Michelle & Herb Walgren

Desiree Martin

Steve Miller

Louise & Bob Hamje

Bill Amely

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Leonard Ramroop

Richard Waizman & Natalie Linden

Ron Kasman

March 2012 2012 March

Ed Vukich

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

Party/Awards Banquet Photos by Susan Priest

Harry Faustmann

Jason Kerner

Horst Gerber

Al Grussel

Gerry Domingo

Roderick Mosely

Wayne Morris

Bob Strazzulla

Denver Lettman

Ron Wiesenfeld

Michael Macht

Dan Puleo

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

March March 2012 2012

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A Good Time

Michael Gallo & Nephew Marty

Claudia & Brad Dickinson

Pete d’Orio

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Sharon Barnett

Jason Irizarry

Al & Sue Priest

Ben & Emma Haus

Our Holiday Cake

Harsha Perrera March 2012 2012 March

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

Was Had By All! It was lucky for Jalil and Jahir Morris that their dad, Wayne, came to the party, because Santa dropped off some “HO, HO, HO” hats for them at the Palace Diner

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Dan & Marsha Radebaugh The “Heart & Soul” of the GCAS

Donna & Steve Sica Celebrating their 20th wedding anniversary among fishy friends ModernModern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY) Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)

March March2012 2012

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Our Annual Awards Banquet Photos by Susan Priest

Aquarist of the Year Jeff Bollbach

Bowl Show Champion Richard Waizman

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Breeder of the Year Joe Graffagnino

Susan Priest Grand Master Laureate AUTHOR OF THE YEAR

Jules Birnbaum Writer & Essayist

Rich Levy Author

Steve Sica Master Laureate March2012 2012 March

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BOWL SHOW RULES There is a Bowl Show at every GCAS meeting, except our Silent Auction/fleamarket meeting and our Holiday Party and Awards Banquet meeting (December). These shows are open to all members of GCAS. Rules are as follows:

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Only current GCAS members may enter fish in the Bowl Show.

There is a limit of 2 entries per member per meeting.

Unlike some other clubs, every month is an “open” Bowl Show at the GCAS (i.e., there is no “theme,” such that one month cichlids are judged, the next livebearers, the next anabantoids, etc.).

Any fish that wins any prize (1st, 2nd, or 3rd) may not be entered again in the same meeting year.

The current Bowl Show Coordinator is Leonard Ramroop, who usually also serves as judge (although guest speakers are often asked to do the judging honors).

2.5 gallon containers are available for use (brought to the meetings by the Bowl Show Coordinator), but entrants are responsible for providing enough (and suitable) water for their fish.

For a fish too large (or too small) for those containers, entrants must supply a suitable container, which must be clear on at least three sides.

Only one fish per container (i.e., no “pairs”).

No plants, ornaments, or equipment (filters, airstone, etc.) are allowed in the judging tank (an external mirror, or opaque cards between containers is acceptable, as is a cover that does not obstruct side viewing).

Points are awarded: 5 points for 1st Place, 3 for 2nd Place, and 1 for 3rd Place.

Ribbons are awarded: blue for 1st Place, red for 2nd Place, and green for 3rd Place.

The person with the most points at the end of the meeting season receives the Walter Hubel “Bowl Show Champion” trophy at the Awards Banquet.

The decision of the judge(s) is final.

A running UNOFFICIAL total of the points awarded is printed in Modern Aquarium. Only the tally of points maintained by the Bowl Show Coordinator is official.

In case of ties: 1st Tiebreaker – most 1st Places 2nd Tiebreaker – most 2nd Places 3rd Tiebreaker – most entries

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Exotic Aquarium Fishes The Book, The Collection

by Steven Hinshaw, Sitka, Alaska

Figure 1: Collection of Exotic Aquarium Fishes Books.

I

still return to books to verify a fact or understand a concept. That’s not to say I am a Luddite and avoid the internet! On the contrary, and to the chagrin of my family, the Internet is used frequently to find information or connect with fellow hobbyists.

Philosophically however, the experience of using a book is more soulful and concrete. Representing both form and function, there is just something nice about the aesthetic and texture of books on the shelf, especially my collection of vintage aquarium books.

When I was in the eighth grade, my mother gave me a copy of The Innes Book, 20th Edition Exotic Aquarium Fishes, published by Metaframe and edited by Klaus Woltmann. With much excitement, I showed it to a friend, who in turn showed it to his dad.

In turn, that dad graciously gave me two books he had had as a young aquarium hobbyist in the 1960’s; the 19th Edition Exotic Aquarium Fishes by William T. Innes and the yellow and white covered The Innes Book 19th Edition Revised. These books have been with me ever since, and I continue to use them as a reference!

Since receiving these gifts in the early 1980s, I have amassed a collection of Exotic Aquarium Fishes from the First Edition to the Twenty-first with

Figure 2a: Pamphlets & Bookmark "Treasures"!

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

numerous variations in between (fig. 1). As with most collections, the goal is to create a comprehensive set, then exchange individual specimens for prize trophies. For example, a rare “trophy” first edition with a complete spine label replaces another first edition without a spine label.

Many of you understand that the smallest of details can become an obsession, causing the collector to make further inquiries and search for unique specimens. Hence, one of the inspirations for this collection was the discovery of subtle differences between editions, or finding treasures inside the books like informative pamphlets or Innes and Sons bookmarks (fig.

2a,b). Adding to the challenge, some of the books were hard to find, such as different editions published within the same year: the 1st and 2nd (May and December, 1935), the 12th and 13th (January and July, 1951), and finally the 15th and 16th (January and July, 1953). I understand that the first edition was such a success that the second edition had to be published to meet Figure 2b demand. It would be interesting to find out why the other editions were published within a year―was it demand for a current edition or new information needing to get out?

At first glance, one notices the differences between spine label ink colors (fig. 3). It has been suggested that fading and ink quality might be the issue, but in this collection the colors are vivid even in those labels that are darkened by age. The 1st

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is yellow, the 2nd and 7th are orange, the 3rd to the 5th are yellow, the 6th and 19th are green, and the 8th to18th are blue. Were these choices intentional or by default?

Another minute detail is seen with the paper color of the frontispiece with its color plate of the two Rasbora heteromorpha.

The first five editions have the color plate on a dark green paper with a Figure 3: Spine Labels: Orange st nd (2nd ed.), Green (6th ed.), Yellow green (1 ) or black (2 th (7th ed.), Blue (9th ed.). to 5 ) ink border frame and lettering. Starting with the 6th Edition, the paper becomes black with a green ink border and lettering. At the 13th Edition the black paper remains the same, but the border and lettering becomes light blue, while the 18th and 19th change to a silver border and lettering. The 19th Revised has white paper with a silver border and black lettering! Figure 4a: 1st Edition From that edition forward to the 20th, the frontispiece is a black and white muted photocopy-quality image of the entire page from the earlier editions (fig. 4 a,b,c).

Innes, I struck up a correspondence with the writer of the feature, William I. Homer―the famed author’s grandson. Through him, I gained some insight into the books, and obtained a copy of the February 1954 “Innes Anniversary Issue” of The Aquarium (fig. 5).

Figure 5: Hobby Magazines and Correspondence from William I. Homer.

While tracking down an edition with a spine label, I corresponded with a book collector and aquarium hobbyist in Bermuda who generously sold me a 4th Edition of the book. I say “generous” because this was an unusual copy, published in 1942. It’s boards are made of that classic dark green ‘leatherette’ with (supposedly) 14 karat gold gilt fish on the front cover, and has an intact paper spine label. The 4th Edition already in the collection has lime-green boards with a plastic coating reflecting a wavy iridescent pattern.

Figure 4b: Frontispiece Paper and Ink , Green with Back (1 -5 ed.), Black with Green (6 -12 ed.), Black with Silver (18 ed.)

Figure 4b: Frontispiece Paper and Ink , Green with Back (1st-5th ed.), Black with Green (6th-12th ed.), Black with Silver (18th ed.) st

th

th

th

th

Figure 6: Two Different Bindings of the 4th Edition (1942).

Front Cover (left) and Spines (right).

Figure 4c: Frontispiece Paper and Ink , White with Grey Border, Black Lettering (19th ed. 1956 & 19th Revised ed. 1964), Black and White Copy (19th Revised-Metaframe/Dutton, 1966), Dark Photocopy, no border frame (TFH Reprint).

Other than that, everything else is the same―from the gilt fish to the spine label to the text inside (fig. 6).

One of my antique book collector friends speculates that because of the rationing and shortages of resources during WWII, the publishers may not have been able to get the same binding as was used for previous editions.

Alan Fletcher, who did most of the work on the 19th Edition Exotic Aquarium Fishes (1956), informed me that my friend “got it exactly right. During WWII there was a shortage of everything. Everyone, including printers, had to use whatever they could get their hands on.” I have seen two other lime green

More enjoyable than having the collection itself is the conversation it generates with people from all over the world. Inspired by Aquarium Fish International’s January 2011 issue featuring a synopsis of William T. 24 March 2012

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4th Editions for sale, but never this dark green bound example. The question still remains, is this dark green variation an early or late printing? In other words, was it from the beginning of the printing using up surplus boards from the 1938 printing of the 3rd edition, or at the end, when stocks were being replenished (as can be seen near the end of the War with the 5th Edition being published with green boards in 1944)? Since the 4th Edition was printed early in the war, and the 5th Edition came out with green boards near the end of the War, I speculate that it was printed earlier in the batch using up stock already at the press.

Figure 9: The Innes and Sons Publications, Without Jackets (top), With Jackets (bottom).

Dust jackets are a curious feature of a book, with an Internet search yielding many reasons why they exist or don’t exist. Jackets were presumably issued with all editions from the 1st to 19th (fig. 9).

Joe Ferdenzi (http://www.carespreservation.com/ bio_joe_ferdenzi.html ), an avid collector of aquarium literature, believes that dust jackets were issued with these editions, knowing of a first edition with one. The jackets have three basic designs: (1) a white/tan cover with green lettering (presumably 1st to the 17th) or Figure 7: 6th Edition, The first to have the author's portrait.

Note personally signed page on the right.

The collection contains two copies of the 6th Edition (1945), one of which is a personally signed copy (fig. 7). Maybe not all that unusual except that the 6th Edition was the first edition to have the author’s portrait on the publication date page. This signed copy may honor this “new” feature, as Dr. Innes wanted to have a personal connection to the reader, as stated on that page. It wasn’t until the 7th Edition (1946) that a facsimile of his signature was printed below the portrait (fig. 8). Prior editions (i.e. the 5th and earlier) had the publication dates at the top of the page, with the rest of the page being blank (fig. 8). Also marking the occasion, this is the only edition (other than the 19th) to have a green inked spine label (fig. 3). A third distinguishing characteristic is that the frontispiece paper and ink color become black with a green border and lettering (fig 4 b), the inverse of previous editions.

Figure 8: Publication Date Page, 5th Edition, Stylized Logo (left), 7th Edition, Facsimile of Signature, (right).

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Figure 10: Dust Jackets, 17th Edition, Note Green Ink (left), 18th Edition, Note Black Ink (right).

black lettering (the 18th) (fig. 10) with a line drawing of Cichlasoma festivum on the cover, (2) the 19th Edition and 19th Revised have that classic base color of pink with yellow titled spine with a blue, black and yellow highlighted title on the cover with two Discus (fig. 11), and (3) a 19th Edition with a base color of white with yellow and black lines with two Discus on the front (fig. 11). Of the tan and white dust jackets, the 8th, 9th, and 10th Editions do not have their editions printed on the cover, while the 13th to the 18th have their editions printed (fig. 12). One mystery to solve is to determine

Figure 11: Dust Jackets, 19th Edition (1956), 19th Edition Revised (1964), 19th Revised Variant.

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which dust jacket the edition number started with (and why?!). In other words, was the 13th Edition the first, or was it the 11th or 12th Edition?

9 also has the title reading from the bottom up. Could this be a copy from an overseas market?

There are few significant changes in the book for its run of nineteen editions being published more or less annually until 1956. The most notable differences are seen with the supplements, some minor additions or editing, and a detail change on the map legend starting at the 18th Edition (fig. 13). Overall, a consistent publication. I am curious to wonder how many copies Innes and Sons Printing printed before the copyright expired.

Figure 12: Dust Jackets, 9th edition (left), 13th edition; The first to have edition printed on the jacket? (right).

The 10th Edition jacket is a bit unusual in that the title runs from the bottom to the top (a common feature of British and European books), while the American titles read from the top to the bottom (fig. 13a). The other difference is that there is no Cichlasoma festivum on the back, but instead it is replaced by “PRINTED IN U.S.A.� at the bottom (fig. 13b). My 10th Edition was purchased from a shop in the U.K., so it is not surprise that the dust wrapper (so called in the U.K.!) was printed as such for the overseas market. It is interesting to note that the 19th Revised seen in figure

Figure 13: Maps: 17th edition (Top) and 18th edition with legend (Bottom).

Finally comes the mess of publication dates and the many variations of the 19th Edition after Mr. Innes decided not to renew the copyright of the book in 1956.

For example, in the 19th Edition edited by Dr. George Myers, the title page shows the publication date of 1956, while in the 19th Edition Revised edited by Helen Simkatis, the publication shows 1964 and is preceded by a publication dates of 1955 and 1957 (excluding

Figure 13a: Spines of 9th ed. (left), European 10th ed. (right) and the 10th Front. Note the direction of the title between the two.

Figure 13b: Dust Jackets backs, 9th (left), European 10th (right), and detail of 10th (below). Note the back and spine differences.

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Figure 14: Publication dates, 19th Edition, 1956 (Top) and 19th Revised Edition, 1964 (Bottom). Note the year 1956 missing in the 1964 publication

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1956). “Press of Innes and Sons, Philadelphia” is also absent. Is there a 1957 printing out there or is this a misprint (fig. 14)?

At this point the book’s 19th Edition was printed by a host of publishers: Innes, Aquarium-Dutton, Metaframe-Dutton, and Tropical Fish Hobbyist (TFH), creating a number of variations. For instance, this collection contains eleven different variations of the 19th, with most being advertisement-filled remixes of the TFH publications (fig. 15 a,b).

Figure 15 a: Eleven variations of the 19th Edition!

Figure 15 b: The eleven 19th editions with the 20th and 21st (left to right).

According to Alan Fletcher, the last authentic "Exotic" was the 19th edition published by Innes and Sons, with E.P. Dutton having at least one printing of the 19th. He noted that Dutton’s statement of “Press of Innes & Sons” is untrue, and that they didn’t even indicate the date of their printing. It is unclear whether Dutton published the Innes 19th edition with a Dutton dust jacket. Both 19th Editions and their dust jackets are identical, showing a print date of 1956, with the exception that the spine of one has a blue paper spine label while the other has the title in gilt lettering (fig.

16). Is the paper spine label the Innes printing and the gilt title the Dutton printing? Could this Dutton publication be the mysterious 1957 printing? Mr. Fletcher did not have the answer to these questions other than to tell me that “if the wrapper is gone, the only way you can be sure it is a fake is to compare Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

the type of the spine of the book with the true Innes spine. They are not identical.” It is interesting to note the green ink on the 19th Edition’s spine label.

Does this signify the last Innes printing reminiscent of the celebrated 6th Edition with its green spine label?

To the distress of my budget, many online purchases of 19th Editions have been made looking for a white/ tan dust jacket Figure 16: Spines of the 19th printed solely by Innes and 19th Revised Editions; 1956, 1956, 1964 and 1964, and/or an obvious Dutton years respectively. Note the green ink edition described by Mr. spine label...evidence honoring Fletcher. To date none the last Innes printing? have been found. Adding to this saga, and possibly answering the question at hand, are two dust cover variations of the revised edition as described earlier (fig 15 a,b). The white jacket spine states the publisher as “Aquariums Incorporated Dutton” instead of “Aquarium-Dutton” shown on the pink jacket.

A very common example of the 19th Revised without a dust jacket was published in 1966 by MetaframeDutton, entitled The 19th Revised, The Innes Book. It is a yellow colored covered book Figure 17: 19th Revised Cover with red highlights, with (1966) published by Metaframe/ the hatchetfish profile/ Dutton. trademark used by Innes on the bottom of the spine (fig. 17).

To close the lid on the tank, so to speak, Mr. Fletcher related that he had been building a file for a 20th Edition before he left the business, but assumes it became the 1964 “19th Edition Revised” edited by Helen Simkatis.

From 1966 to 1979, with the TFH publications, the book changes little in content from the 19th Revised edition. In fact the books are termed “reprints” in the foreword! What does change is the order of the pictures, some of the text, the addition/deletion of color photographs or black and white pictures of the original color plates, the cover color is yellow or white, paper quality (seen in the thickness of the book (fig. 18)), border treatments on certain pages, and the significant addition of advertisements within the text. Most Figure 18: Thickness differences of the TFH reprints, an obvious are copyrighted in difference between books.

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1979, but are presumably printed for years thereafter. With the 1979 reprints, an additional f o r e w o r d is added by Herbert Axelrod, Figure 19: The 1969 and 1971 printings capitalizing on a of the TFH publications. Note that one is 1966 foreword by a "New Edition" while the other is a "New William T. Innes Printing". found in previous TFH reprints; apparently burying the hatchet between the two authors. A whole thesis could be written on how many ways a book can be remixed and resold with regard to the TFH printings! Some of the obvious marketing examples are seen on the covers, stating “The New 1969 Printing” in red, or “The New 1971 Printing” in black (fig. 19). As mentioned earlier, this collection has eleven different variations of the 19th Edition, which include the reprinted TFH editions.

According to Dave Rayburn Figure 20: Covers of the 1979 Living in his note World and the 1994 TFH publications, of prominent respectively. vintage aquarium books and magazines listed in The Calquarium, Vol. 42 #8, four revisions were published by TFH after the original nineteen editions.

It is unclear which are revisions and reprints. It all gets a bit confusing!

Figure 21: Copyright claims of Metaframe Corporation, from the 20th Edition.

Except for a hint of Innes’ voice, the 20th Edition is unrecognizable from earlier renditions (fig. 20). It was published in 1979 by Living World (Metaframe) and re-titled The Innes Book 20th Edition, Exotic Aquarium Fishes in a more updated format (two column style, for example). The contents are basic, with a photographic cover featuring a variation of Scatophagus on a lush green background.

Photographs have replaced the color plates as noted in the Foreword. It is interesting to see the publication/ copyright dates on the back of the title page, which 28

Metaframe claimed rights to (fig. 21). According to the synopsis in the 21st Edition, sales of this Metaframe edition were so poor that it was never reprinted!

The most recent edition, copyrighted in 1994 by TFH with the title, Innes’s Exotic Aquarium Fishes, 21st Edition, A work of General Reference, is not much different from the 20th in format. However, it is written in a more approachable voice. The cover is white with an array of photographs of various multicolored fish (fig. 20). The most noteworthy entries are the descriptions and discussions about the nomenclature of the cardinal tetra, Paracheirodon axelrodi, and the history and husbandry of the neon tetra, Paracheirodon innesi (pgs: 94-98). The Foreword mentions the final printings of Exotic Aquarium Fishes being made in 1955, 1957, 1964, and 1966. Again, there is no mention of the 1956 printing discussed earlier.

The best feature of the 21st is the nostalgic photo of Dr. Innes and colleagues opposite the Foreword along with a very informative history and synopsis of the politics, marketing and detailed revisions from previous editions. The Foreword implies that this will be the last edition referencing Innes or Exotic Aquarium Fishes. In fact, the book makes no claim of being a revised book, but stands on its own merit, as seen in these excerpts from the Foreword: “It is really not correct to credit Innes with this book because neither a single Innes photo, nor any significant text written by Innes, is included herein. However, from a commercial point of view, the designation The Innes Book is valuable and for commercial reasons we are using the Innes name. We apologize to our readers for this misleading designation but it will, in no way, affect the quality of the book.”

“Knowing that several generations of hobbyists have enjoyed Exotic Aquarium Fishes, we sincerely hope that the new 21st edition will help many more aquarists enjoy our pleasant hobby. In deference to William T. Innes, who inspired so many aquarists with his book and his personal advice, we hope we have succeeded.”

Indeed, it’s been almost two decades since the 21st came out and I have not seen a 22nd for sale. That’s fine by me, as the bookshelves can barely hold the books I already have! Looking at my grandfather’s slatebottom, open-topped fish tank (fig. 22), the same style featured in the March 1931 National Geographic, maybe I should start collecting vintage fish tanks! I wonder how many variations there are of those?!

Figure 22: My grandfather's cast aluminum and plate-glass vessel (left) identical to the one featured in the March 1931 National Geographic pg. 288. (see photo at right).

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a simple pair of binoculars is all that is required to determine the relative populations of dragonflies, thereby providing a direct one-to-one indicator of the health of a body of water. Even more simply stated, fewer dragonflies mean fewer fishes.

Floating plants (referred to in the text as weeds) a Series On Books For The Hobbyist which “increase oxygen levels, provide shelter for the larvae and perches for the adults,” are also

by SUSAN PRIEST threatened.

You will frequently find me returning to the Dedication topic of the maps. At this point I would like to inety years! The GCAS can boast of a great describe to you the use of color coding on a map many accomplishments throughout its which is labeled “Level of Biological Importance tenure, but this is not a time for boasting. It For Freshwater Conservation.” I am going to is a time for pooling our resources as we look to the substitute the word “concern” for the word importance. Areas shaded in future. When you think of our red have the highest level of resources what comes to your Freshwater Ecoregions of concern, areas shaded in blue mind? I hope that the first thing Africa and Madagascar are rated as high, and areas you think of is yourself. It

by Michele L. Thieme, et al. shaded in green are considered seems to me that if we fortify Island Press, 2005 to be of medium concern. This ourselves with knowledge, is as far as it goes. The thing perhaps we can play a small part which immediately jumps out in rescuing what is left of the natural world. With that goal in mind I am at me here is that there are no freshwater bodies of dedicating this, the 19th season of Wet Leaves water which are considered to have a low level of columns, to the cause of conservation issues. We concern, or are of no concern at all. Otherwise will be wading into stated, every lake, river, uncharted waters. Are stream, and puddle of you ready to get wet? water in all of Africa and Madagascar have at least a medium level of concern as to their Here is a brief quote conservation status. from the introduction: Part of the plan is “This book aims to laid out for us in Chapter present an objective plan 5: “Setting Priorities . . .” for large-scale There are five priority biodiversity conservation classes which are in Africa and calculated, and then Madagascar.” Its multiple incorporated into a authors (the reference et decision making matrix. al. means “and others”) Let’s back up briefly to break this herculean task ask the question “what down into numerous priorities?” The degree chapters, essays, lists, of biological charts, appendices, etc.

The occasional distinctiveness of an photograph contributes to ecoregion is combined the overall presentation, with the level of threat to but it is the colorful and identify those ecoregions detailed maps which bring which should be targeted the information to life. for immediate A brief but not to be conservation action. The quality of the available overlooked essay near the beginning of the book is data also plays a part in making these calculations. entitled “Dragonflies: Sensitive Indicators of The matrix, or priority grid, has twenty slots into Freshwater Health.” Very simply put, the larval which an ecoregion can be inserted. The first step stage in the life of a dragonfly takes place in water. is to assign each ecoregion a class. Class I regions A reduction in the populations of dragonflies is a are “highly threatened ecoregions of extraordinary direct indicator that the water quality is not adequate global value or rarity,” that is to say, they have the to support aquatic life. This is significant because highest priority. Classes II, III, IV, and V slowly

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descend the ladder of priority, but “all ecoregions are worthy of conservation intervention.” The majority of Class I ecoregions are in the Great Rift Valley. By now you won’t be surprised when I tell you that there is an excellent map which illustrates the locations of the different priority classes.

Here are a few excerpts from the essay entitled “Madagascar’s Freshwater Fishes: An Imperiled Treasure.” There is a “quiet crisis” occurring beneath the water line, as many of the freshwater fishes endemic to Madagascar are among its most endangered vertebrates. The three main threats to freshwater fish populations are 1) degradation of aquatic habitats as a result of deforestation, 2) introduction of exotics (that is, non-native species), and 3) over fishing. The cause and effect relationship is clear; the behavior of the human population is having a direct impact. Important to note here is that Madagascar has one of the highest population growth rates of any country on earth.

This can only lead to the conclusion that human intervention will continue to be a major factor.

“Curiously, there is a lack of representation of families of fish which are present in both Africa and India. One is forced to postulate a series of major extinctions for which we can find no current evidence.”

Appendix F sounds like the last in a long line of boring afterthoughts. Nothing could be further from the truth. We have been preparing ourselves to take full advantage of all that pages 173-360 have to offer.

Appendix F, entitled “Ecoregion Descriptions,” takes us on a tour of 93 aquatic habitats throughout Africa and Madagascar. I was wishing that each and every site had its own map to illustrate where we were visiting, but our publisher provided the next best thing. There is a map entitled “Freshwater Ecorecions of Africa and Madagascar.”

The facing page has a legend which is numbered and color coded. In combination, they serve as a sort of index to appendix F. For example, if you know you want to look up Lake Tanganyika, you turn to the legend and go to the section labeled “large lakes,” You learn that Lake Tanganyika is ecoregion number 55, and you can quickly turn to it.

You also learn that number 55 is in the dark green region of the map, and can just as easily locate it there. The only other thing you need to take full advantage of this feature is a post-it note to mark the location of the map and legend, and then you will be on your way. So, where would you like to go? I’ll take you someplace familiar.

Ecoregion number: 53 Ecoregion name: Lake Malawi Major Habitat Type: Large Lake Conservation Status: Vulnerable Priority Class: I “The ecoregion hosts highly endemic species flocks of fishes, which make up one of the richest fish

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faunas in the world.” Vulnerable; that speaks for itself. Priority I; you already know what that means. Each of the 93 sections breaks down its presentation into the following five categories: location and general description, distinctive biodiversity features, threats (current as well as future), justification for ecoregion delineation, and data quality.

Let’s take a closer look at Lake Malawi. It is the fourth deepest lake in the world, and has a surface area of 31,000 km. More than 200 rivers flow into the lake. It has thermal stability, and is well oxygenated down to 40 meters. The shoreline is steep and rocky in most places. Of the more than 800 cichlid species, 99% are endemic, and only 300 of these have been scientifically described. “The evolutionary processes that have produced such incredibly high numbers of endemic cichlids have led to the use of metaphors such as ‘explosive speciation.’”

The almost total dependance on natural resources by the people of the region lead to deforestation, inappropriate agricultural practices, and exploitation of the wildlife and fishes. These are the main threats to this ecoregion.

One part of the overall plan which I don’t want you to miss out on is the Ramsar Convention.

This important initiative, also known as the Convention on Wetlands, began in1971 in Ramsar, Iran. Its vision is “to develop and maintain a network of wetlands that are of international importance due to their ecological and hydrological functions, for the conservation of worldwide biological diversity and the endurance of human life.” Ramsar maintains a “List of Wetlands of International Importance.” Basically, it is a list of endangered freshwater ecosystems.

Think of it as being akin to the Red List, only for bodies of fresh water. The registration of a wetland ecoregion can help to maintain its biological diversity. It has been determined that the preservation of wetlands is compatible with simultaneous use by humans. I have barely introduced you to the Ramsar Convention and its activities, so you might want to undertake some independent research on this topic.

Is it a text book? Is it a reference book? It is both of these, and more. There is a very good glossary which I made extensive use of. It is heavier reading than we are used to, but it is not beyond our grasp. I regret that I have only been able to give you a very superficial sampling of the vast amount of detailed information, and analysis thereof, which it has to offer.

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2011 Modern Aquarium Article Index Issue/Pg

ANABANTIDS

“The Fish With Two Names” by Susan Priest..................................................................... 10/24

“A Simple Complex: The Albimarginata Complex” by Alexander A. Priest......................... 09/10 “A Small Mouthful: Betta falx” by Alexander A. Priest......................................................... 05/15 “Try a Different African Challenge” by Alexander A. Priest..................................................07/11 “Vaillant's Chocolate Gourami: Sphaerichthys vaillanti” by Alexander A. Priest................. 03/09

AQUARIUM HOBBY HISTORY

“A Family Affair” by Dan Carson (MA Classics)................................................................. 10/20 “Carpy Diem! Part I: The Old Guard” by Dan Radebaugh.................................................. 05/21 “How WWII Contributed to the Golden Decade” by Alan Mark Fletcher............................. 08/10 “Nostalgia Notes: New York’s Fabled Aquarium Stock Company” by Joseph Ferdenzi...... 11/11

AQUASCAPING/DESIGN

“A Recipe for Smiles” by Susan Priest................................................................................ 04/15 “Aquaria as Art” by Stephen Sica....................................................................................... 07/09 “Diver Dan” by Edward Vukich........................................................................................... 10/09 “My Nanoaquarium” by Stephen Sica................................................................................. 10/13

BOOK REVIEWS “WET LEAVES” Column - by Susan Priest

The 101 Best Aquarium Plants, by Mary E. Sweeney..................................................... 09/23 Culturing Live Foods, by Michael R. Hellweg...................................................................11/21 Discus Fish: A Complete Pet Owners Manual by T.A. Giovanetti & O. Lucanus........... 07/17 Do Fish Sleep? by Judith S. Weis..................................................................................... 05/19 Marine Reef Aquarium Handbook - 2nd Edition by Robert Goldstein, Ph.D................. 08/07 Modern Aquarium -- Series III...........................................................................................12/11 Setting Up a Tropical Aquarium - Week by Week by Stuart Thraves..............................06/11 Wet Leaves Index............................................................................................................. 07/19

CARTOONS

“The Amusing Aquarium” by Bernard Harrigan (MA Classics).......................................... 09/17

“CARTOON CAPTION CONTEST” – by Elliot Oshins August Cartoon................................................................................................................... 08/05 September Cartoon............................................................................................................ 09/07 October Cartoon................................................................................................................. 10/07

November Cartoon..............................................................................................................11/09 December Cartoon............................................................................................................. 12/07

CATFISH

“Five Days in the Life of Corydoras adolfoi” by Joseph Ferdenzi (MA Classics).............. 09/16

CHARACINS

“My Favorite Fish: The Kerri Tetra” by Stephen Sica.......................................................... 06/07

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CICHLIDS

“Caring For and Breeding the Buffalo Head” by Jules Birnbaum........................................04/11 “Serendipity” by Rich Levy.................................................................................................. 04/13

CONSERVATION

“Corrosion and You” by Susan Priest................................................................................. 03/15 “Carpy Diem! Part I: The Old Guard” by Dan Radebaugh.................................................. 05/21 “Carpy Diem! Part II: The Fantastic Four” by Dan Radebaugh.......................................... 08/17 “Fish ‘n Schools” by Stephen Sica.......................................................................................11/15 “Grand Cayman’s Lionfish” by Stephen Sica...................................................................... 09/13 “I Think I See A(nother) Lionfish!” by Stephen Sica............................................................ 04/17 “It’s Not a Bird!” by Stephen Sica....................................................................................... 08/08 “Live Long and Prosper” by Susan Priest............................................................................11/27

COVER PHOTOGRAPHS

Betta falx - photo by Alexander A. Priest............................................................................05/C1

Ctenopoma kingsleyae: The Tail Spot Bushfish – photo by Alexander A. Priest................07/C1

DC-3 Under Repair – photo by Alan Mark Fletcher............................................................08/C1 Great Barracuda (Sphyraena barracuda) - photo by Stephen Sica....................................12/C1

Nanoaquarium - photo by Stephen Sica.............................................................................10/C1

Pterois volitans (the Lionfish) - photo by Stephen Sica......................................................09/C1 School of Haemulon chrysargyreum - photo by Stephen Sica........................................... 11/C1

Sphaerichthys vaillanti - photo by Alexander A. Priest......................................................03/C1

Stained-glass Killifish by Horst Gerber - photo by Joseph Ferdenzi..................................06/C1

Steatocranus Casuarius - photo by Alexandra Horton.......................................................04/C1

CYPRINIDS

“Breeding the Red-Tailed Black Shark” (MA Classics)...................................................... 06/15 “Carpy Diem! Part I: The Old Guard” by Dan Radebaugh.................................................. 05/21 “Carpy Diem! Part II: The Fantastic Four” by Dan Radebaugh.......................................... 08/17

GCAS Society Issues Exchanges

“Fish Bytes” by Stephen and Donna Sosna Sica.................................................. 04/09

“Fish Bytes” by Stephen and Donna Sosna Sica.................................................. 12/09

Fishkeepers Anonymous column by Susan Priest

Overview................................................................................................................ 06/19

2010 Modern Aquarium Article Index............................................................................... 03/19 Bowl Show Rules................................................................................................................ 06/14 GCAS 2011 Award Winners............................................................................................... 12/21 GCAS Past Award Winners................................................................................................ 12/20 The GCAS Author Award Program Report for 2011........................................................... 12/22 GCAS Breeders Award Program........................................................................................ 04/23 GCAS Breeders Award Program Report for 2011.............................................................. 12/23 GCAS Breeders Award Program Points Totals................................................................... 12/26 Rules for August’s Silent Auction/Fleamarket..................................................................... 07/04 Rules for August’s Silent Auction/Fleamarket..................................................................... 08/06

GENERAL INTEREST and Miscellaneous

“The Amazing Joe Ferdenzi and his Awesome Fishroom” by Tommy Chang.................... 06/21

“The Common Denominator of Successful Aquarists” by Jules Birnbaum......................... 07/07 “The Fish With Two Names” by Susan Priest..................................................................... 10/24

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Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

“Live Long and Prosper” by Susan Priest............................................................................11/27 “Odds & Ends, or Anything Worth Learning...” by Jules Birnbaum......................................11/19 “More Odds & Ends” by Jules Birnbaum............................................................................ 12/08 “Reflections of a Filter Collector” by Jules Birnbaum.......................................................... 05/07 “Serendipity” by Rich Levy.................................................................................................. 04/13 “Tempus Fugit” by Jules Birnbaum..................................................................................... 03/13

HEALTH / NUTRITION

“Fish Tuberculosis: What is the Threat to Aquarists?” by Dan Radebaugh........................ 09/19 “Live Long and Prosper” by Susan Priest............................................................................11/27

KILLIFISH

“Mekong Rice Killes: Oryzias mekongensis” by Joseph Graffagnino................................. 12/17

LIVEBEARERS

“No, It’s NOT a Guppy!” by Alexander A. Priest.................................................................. 04/22 “A Recipe for Smiles” by Susan Priest................................................................................ 04/15

MARINE FISH

“Do Barracudas Bite?” by Stephen Sica............................................................................. 12/13 “Fish ‘n Schools” by Stephen Sica.......................................................................................11/15 “Grand Cayman’s Lionfish” by Stephen Sica...................................................................... 09/13 “I Think I See A(nother) Lionfish!” by Stephen Sica............................................................ 04/17 “It’s Not a Bird!” by Stephen Sica....................................................................................... 08/08 “My Favorite Marine Fish: The Yellowhead Jawfish” by Stephen Sica............................... 05/10

MEMBER PHOTOS

“Greater City’s 2010 Holiday Party & Awards Banquet” by Susan Priest........................... 03/16 “Pictures from Our Last Meeting” by Susan Priest............................................................. 04/20 “Pictures from Our Last Meeting” by Susan Priest............................................................. 05/12 “Pictures from Our Last Meeting” by Susan Priest............................................................. 07/14 “Pictures from Our Last Meeting” by Susan Priest............................................................. 08/14 “Pictures from Our Last Meeting” by Susan Priest............................................................. 10/16 “Pictures from Our Last Meeting” by Susan Priest..............................................................11/24 “Pictures from Our Last Meeting” by Susan Priest............................................................. 12/18

NEC and FAAS News/Events

“The 2010 FAAS Publication Awards” by Alexander A. Priest............................................ 09/08

“FAASinations” by Alexander A. Priest............................................................................... 03/07 The NEC 2010 Article Competition..................................................................................... 05/05

OPINION AND/OR HUMOR THE UNDERGRAVEL REPORTER - a column by The Undergravel Reporter

“Can I Put This in my Tanks?”............................................................................................ 04/27

“Caveat Emptor: Let the Buyer Beware!”............................................................................ 06/25

“Get Tanked!”...................................................................................................................... 09/25

“Tails, Long and Golden”.................................................................................................... 05/27

“The Massage is the Message”.......................................................................................... 12/29

“Naturally Artificial”.............................................................................................................. 10/29

“Survival of the Fittest Ugliest”............................................................................................ 08/25

“Water Music?”....................................................................................................................11/29

“What Would You Do?”....................................................................................................... 03/27

“The Weirdest of the Weird!”.............................................................................................. 07/25 Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

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OTHER OPINION/HUMOR

“A Little Help” by Dan Radebaugh...................................................................................... 06/09

“Diver Dan” by Edward Vukich........................................................................................... 10/09

PLANTS

“Aquarium Plants 101” by Jules Birnbaum......................................................................... 06/17 “A Recipe for Smiles” by Susan Priest................................................................................ 04/15

PUZZLE: “FIN FUN” Page

“The Colorful Cory”............................................................................................................. 09/26 “Found on Gabon?”.............................................................................................................11/30 “Homeward Bound”............................................................................................................ 07/26 “Last Summer’s Pond”........................................................................................................ 12/28 “Quit yer Carping!”.............................................................................................................. 05/28 “Searching for Ornaments”................................................................................................. 10/30 “Shape Up!”........................................................................................................................ 08/26 “Tetrazzini” ......................................................................................................................... 06/28 “What It’s Not”..................................................................................................................... 03/28 “Wanna Fight?” .................................................................................................................. 04/28

SPAWNING

“Breeding the Red-Tailed Black Shark” (MA Classics)...................................................... 06/15 “Mekong Rice Killes: Oryzias mekongensis” by Joseph Graffagnino................................. 12/17 “Leaf Spawning: Using Indian Almond Leaves” by Alexander A. Priest............................. 10/10 “Caring For and Breeding the Buffalo Head” by Jules Birnbaum........................................04/11 “Five Days in the Life of Corydoras adolfoi” by Joseph Ferdenzi (MA Classics).............. 09/16 “No, It’s NOT a Guppy!” by Alexander A. Priest.................................................................. 04/22 “A Simple Complex: The Albimarginata Complex” by Alexander A. Priest......................... 09/10 “A Small Mouthful: Betta falx” by Alexander A. Priest......................................................... 05/15 “Try a Different African Challenge” by Alexander A. Priest..................................................07/11 “Serendipity” by Rich Levy.................................................................................................. 04/13 “Vaillant's Chocolate Gourami: Sphaerichthys vaillanti” by Alexander A. Priest................. 03/09

SPEAKER PROFILES

Profile of Andre Carletto: “Aquatic Habitats in Brazil” by Claudia Dickinson...................... 04/07 Profile of Judith Weis: “Do Fish Sleep?” by Claudia Dickinson.......................................... 05/06 Profile of George Richter: “Adventures on the Amazon River”........................................... 06/05 Profile of Mark Soberman: “Keeping and Breeding Corydoras” by Claudia Dickinson....... 09/05 Profile of Rit Forcier: “Collecting in Florida” by Claudia Dickinson..................................... 10/05 Profile of Ted Judy: “Going Gabon!”....................................................................................11/05

TRAVELING AQUARIST

“Fish ‘n Schools” by Stephen Sica.......................................................................................11/15 “Grand Cayman’s Lionfish” by Stephen Sica...................................................................... 09/13 “I Think I See A (Nother) Lionfish!” by Stephen Sica.......................................................... 04/17 “It’s Not a Bird!” by Stephen Sica....................................................................................... 08/08 “My Favorite Marine Fish: The Yellowhead Jawfish” by Stephen Sica............................... 05/10

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March 2012

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

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GCAS Happenings

March

A warm welcome back to renewing GCAS members Jules Birnbaum and Tommy Chang!

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

East Coast Guppy Association

Next Meeting: April 4, 2012 Speaker: TBA Event: TBD Meets: Meets the first Wednesday of the month (except January & February) at 7:30pm: Queens Botanical Garden 43-50 Main Street - Flushing, NY Contact: Dan Radebaugh (718) 458-8437 Email: gcas@earthlink.net Website: http://www.greatercity.org

Meets: 2nd Tuesday of each month at at 8:00 pm.

Alley Pond Environmental Ctr.: 228-06 Northern Blvd.

Contact: Gene Baudier (631) 345-6399

Big Apple Guppy Club Meets: Last Tuesday each month (except Jan, Feb, July, and August) at 7:30-10:00pm.

Alley Pond Environmental Ctr.: 228-06 Northern Blvd.

Contact: Donald Curtin (718) 631-0538

Brooklyn Aquarium Society Next Meeting: March 9, 2012 Speaker: Tony Vargas Topic: Successful Reef Aquariums Around The World Meets: 2nd Friday of the month (except July and August) at 7:30pm: NY Aquarium - Education Hall, Brooklyn, NY Call: BAS Events Hotline: (718) 837-4455 Website: http://www.brooklynaquariumsociety.org

Long Island Aquarium Society Next Meeting: March 16, 2012 Speaker: Frank Greco Topic: Fishes of Taiwan Meets: 3rd Fridays (except July and August) 8:00pm.

Room 120 in Endeavor Hall on theState University at Stony Brook Campus, Stony Brook, NY Email: Margaret Peterson - president@liasonline.org Website: http://liasonline.org/

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Nassau County Aquarium Society Next Meeting: March 13, 2012 Speaker: TBA Event: TBD Meets: 2nd Tuesday of the month (except July and August) at 7:30 PM Molloy College - Kellenberg Hall ~1000 Hempstead Ave Rockville Centre, NY Contact: Mike Foran (516) 798-6766 Website: http://www.ncasweb.org

NORTH JERSEY AQUARIUM SOCIETY Next Meeting: March 15, 2012 Speaker: Dr. Ted Coletti Topic: I Know What You Did Last Summer Meets at: This month's meeting will be held at the Lyndhurst Elks Club, 251 Park Avenue, Lyndhurst, NJ 07071 Contact: NJAS Hotline at (732) 332-1392 Email: tcoletti@obius.jnj.com Website: http://www.njas.net/

Norwalk Aquarium Society Next Meeting: March 15, 2012 Speaker: TBA Topic: TBD Meets: 8:00 P.M. - 3rd Thursday of each month at: Earthplace - the Nature Discovery Center - Westport, CT Contact: John Chapkovich (203) 734-7833 Call our toll free number (866) 219-4NAS Email: jchapkovich@snet.net Website: http://norwalkas.org/

March 2012

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

“Two Cars in Every Garage and Three Eyes on Every Fish” 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. his month’s column is titled after a November 1990 episode of the cartoon show “The Simpsons” in which Bart Simpson caught a three-eyed fish (“Blinky”) in the river near the nuclear power plant where his dad works.

OK, it’s only a cartoon — right? Well recently, a wolf fish with three eyes was caught in the Córdoba province of Argentina in a lake near (are you ready for it?) a nuclear power plant!

T

The cartoon character Blinky.

Photo: http://simpsons.wikia.com/wiki/Blinky

The Spanish-language website Infobae.com reports that hot water from the nuclear plant is pumped into that lake.1 “We were fishing and we got the surprise of getting this rare specimen. As it was dark at that time we did not notice, but then you looked at him with a flashlight and saw that he had a third eye,” said fisherman Julián Zmutt of his unusual discovery.2 Concerned about eating a nuclear waste mutated fish? A German inventor, with people living near to the Fukushima disaster in mind, has come up with a plate to tell how much radiation is in your food.3 Problem solved—or is it?

1

http://america.infobae.com/notas/36638-El- pez-de-tres-ojos-de-Los-Simpson-es-argentino http://www.treehugger.com/travel/three-eyed-fish-caught-near-nuclear-plant-in-argentina.html 3 http://nilsferber.de/fu.html 2

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

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

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Fin Fun The March meeting of the GCAS this year is the last meeting before April Fools Day. So, see if you can correctly match the common names of the “clown” fish in the left column with their scientific names: Common Name

Scientific Name

Harlequin rasbora

Gagata schmidti

Clown loach

Pseudepiplatys annulatus

Clown barb

Rasbora kalochroma

Clown catfish

Chitala ornata Puntius everetti

Clown killi Clown knifefish

Rasbora heteromorpha Botia macracanthus

Clown rasbora

Source: Baensch Atlas Vol 5

Solution to our December Puzzle: Last

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Summer’s Pond

March 2012 March 2012

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