Modern Aquarium

May 2019 volume XXVI number 3

Series III ON THE COVER While checking out the fish on display at the recent NEC convention, my wife Marsha and I were struck by the number and variety of beautiful plecos that we saw there. Alas, I donʼt know where weʼd be able to house another pleco, but inspired by the little ones on display at the convention, our cover this month features our large Pterygoplichthys gibbiceps, lounging in a 125 gallon tank.

Photo by Dan Radebaugh

Board Members

Horst Gerber Edward Vukich Jules Birnbaum Ron Wiesenfeld Vinny Ritchie

Members At Large

Pete D’Orio Al Grusell Jason Kerner

Walter Gallo Victor Hritz Leonard Ramroop

Committee Chairs

Bowl Show Breeder Award Early Arrivals F.A.A.S. Delegate Membership N.E.C. Delegate Programs Social Media A/V Coordinator MODERN AQUARIUM Editor in Chief

Joe Gurrado Warren Feuer Al Grusell Alexander A. Priest Marsha Radebaugh Joe Gurrado Gilberto Soriano Sandy Sorowitz

Dan Radebaugh

Copy Editors:

Alexander A. Priest Donna Sosna Sica

Advertising Manager

In This Issue From the Editor G.C.A.S. 2019 Program Schedule President’s Message April’s Caption Contest Winner Cartoon Caption Contest Tonightʼs Speaker:

GREATER CITY AQUARIUM SOCIETY

President Vice-President Treasurer Assistant Treasurer Corresponding Secretary

Vol. XXVI, No. 3 May, 2019

Harry Faustmann, on ‟Live Foodsˮ

Our Generous Sponsors and Advertisers Take A Stand!

by Stephen Sica

Pictures From Our Last Meeting 2019 Betty Mueller Award The GCAS at the 44th NEC

by Jules Birnbaum

Alan Mark Fletcher

A Legend of the Aquarium Hobby

by Joseph Ferdenzi

Dwarf Jumbo?

by Jim Kinniston

The Cardinal Tetra Story MA Classics

by Alan Mark Fletcher

Fishy Friendsʼ Photos The 2019 NEC Articles Competition G.C.A.S. Member Discounts G.C.A.S. Classifieds

Susan Priest Thomas Warns

G.C.A.S. Happenings

Larry D. Whitfield

Under Cover Water Spies

The Undergravel Reporter Fin Fun (Puzzle Page) Undead Food

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 12 14 15 18 19 21 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

From the Editor

by Dan Radebaugh

W

ell, here we all are once again, this time back from the latest NEC convention. Despite some glitches at the facility, and with the online registration, this was a very good meeting, with several of our members in attendance.

The food was quite good, and I was pleased to be able to have conversations with some of our members, which I usually don’t have time to do during our own meetings. There were some excellent presentations, and Warren Feuer stepped in to rescue at least one of them from A/V meltdowns. Great job, Warren!

Most notably from a Greater City perspective, the recipient of this year’s Betty Mueller Lifetime Achievement Award is our own Joseph Ferdenzi.

Congratulations, Joe! Well deserved!

Rosario LaCorte was on hand to autograph copies of his book, An Aquarist’s Journey, and gave a presentation based on some of his photos from the book. If you haven’t already bought one, don’t wait— youʼll love it! Rosario was also a star at some of the group presentations. The voice isn’t as strong as it once was, but his memory is still remarkable, and he is a direct, thoughtful speaker.

Modern Aquarium fared very well in this year’s author awards, taking seven of the twelve awards presented! This represents truly outstanding work on the part of our member-authors. Check out page 25 of this issue for the full listing of this year’s NEC author award winners.

On a sadder note, we recently learned of the passing of Alan Mark Fletcher, a true icon of this hobby, and a great friend to Greater City. Please see Joe Ferdenzi’s remarks, along with Alan’s obituary on page 18. I’ve also included in this issue a reprint of an article Alan wrote for Modern Aquarium, “The Cardinal Tetra Story,” on page 21. I’ll also repeat a few more articles that Alan wrote for Modern Aquarium in upcoming issues during the course of this year.

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One of our award-winning authors, Steve Sica, leads off this issue with a new article called “Take A Stand!,” which you can find on page 9. “Pictures From Our Last Meeting” can be found on page 12, and Jules Birnbaum gives us his take on the NEC experience on page 15. Fishy Friends Photos appears this month on page 24, and our exchange article is “Dwarf Jumbo?”

by Jim Kinniston, which you will find on page 19.

This month’s installment of the award-winning Undergravel Reporter is on page 29, followed by our Fin Fun puzzle on page 30. Enjoy!

Remember, this is just May. We have many issues to go this year, and we need articles! We always need articles! There’s always another issue next month, and all of your friends and colleagues here want to know what you’re up to! Breeding a new fish?

Experimenting with new equipment? Tell us about it!

Write it down! Email it to me! Include pictures if you have them! We wouldn’t be coming to these meetings if we didn’t want to learn stuff and share stuff! It isn’t that hard, and people all over the world will read about it! This is not an exaggeration! So contribute your hard-won knowledge!

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Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

GCAS Programs

2019

I

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 accompany each meeting.

March 6

Gary Lange Cruising Papua - Following New Roads and Exploring “The Bird’s Head”

April 3

Mark Denaro Cichlids I Hate

May 1

Harry Faustmann Live Foods

June 6 (Thursday)

Gianne Souza “An Adventure in Breeding Show and Wild Bettas”

July 3

Joseph Ferdenzi The Story of Endler’s Livebearer

August 7

A Night at the Auction

September 4

Tom Keegan Spawning Various Types of Tropical Fish

October 2

Jim Cumming TBA

November 6

Greg Steeves TBA

December 4

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 email submissions to gcas@earthlink.net, or fax to (877) 299-0522. Copyright 2019 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 that two copies of the publication are sent to the Exchange Editor of this magazine. For online-only publications, copies may be sent via email to gcas@earthlink.net. Any other reproduction or commercial use of the material in this publication is prohibited without prior express written permission.

The Greater City Aquarium Society meets every month except January and February. Members receive notice of meetings in the mail or by email. For more information, contact: Dan Radebaugh at (718) 458-8437, email gcas@ earthlink.net, or fax at (877) 299-0522. For more information about our club or to see previous issues of Modern Aquarium, you can also go to our Internet Home Page at http://www.greatercity.net, http://www.greatercity.org, or http://www.greatercity.com.

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

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President’s Message

by Horst Gerber

M

y New Year’s resolution was to make my life easier, but like most resolutions, that failed. I just got the March President’s Message out by the skin of my teeth, and now it’s time for the May message and I am late again. I am very lucky to have Dan as our Editor—a very patient man. Thank you, Dan! For those of you who may have missed this information, Anton Vukich, Ed’s brother, passed away and we had a memorial service for him. Anton was at one time a very active member of GCAS, and was Aquarist of the Year in 2005-2006. I was amazed by how many lives he touched among Greater City members. He was a horticulturist, and many of us still have plants from him growing in our houses and gardens. He will be greatly missed. Rest in peace, Anton.

By the time you read this, the final days of winter will be over, and spring will have arrived! But let’s not talk weather—we hear that every morning on TV, or at least I do. Let’s talk about being Prez, and I’m not talking about Trump blowing my Trumpet. Our first two meetings we were filled to capacity. In fact in March we were at standing room only for latecomers! April was another full house, and I am not talking poker.

After watching Mark Denaro’s program last month, I can understand why he is a soughtafter speaker. I am amazed by how we have come from slides to modern programs, which switch from one picture to another with movies in between to humorous slides interjected here and there. The program was excellent, and held our attention to the very end. Great job, Mark!

Be sure and read through your copy of Modern Aquarium each month. Those of you who are beginners can use the articles as a guide while taking your first steps into the hobby.

Those of us with more experience like to keep them handy as a renewal of inspiration. Both groups count on MA to show or increase their own knowledge and talents. Then you have the folks who feel they know it all, and don’t bother to read the information at hand. But at the end of the day, really understanding and surpassing the basic knowledge of aquarium keeping is the unquestionable core to a happy, healthy aquarium.

In Modern Aquarium you will find many helpful hints, easy to follow instructions, and interesting stories at your fingertips during the whole year. That is the main reason we publish Modern Aquarium. The other reason? It makes us feel good to have the best aquarium club magazine in the country year after year!

See you next month!

Horst

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April’s Caption Winner: Marsha Radebaugh

Such an exciting opportunity! And their wonderful motto! ‟To Serve Fish!ˮ

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

May 2019

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The Modern Aquarium Cartoon Caption Contest 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!

Your Caption:

Your Name:

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Tonight’s Speaker: Harry Faustmann on

“Live Foods”

enowned for his expertise with all tropical fish, Harry Faustmann’s major focus is on killifish, which he has written numerous articles about, and competed with in many shows. Winning top honors across the country since 1977, Harry’s awards include Best of Show at Nassau County Aquarium Society and Best of Show at the American Killifish Association annual show. A celebrated breeder, Harry has been active in the hobby since 1967, and has been keeping killifish since 1973. He is currently a member of the American Killifish Association, Long Island Killifish Association, Metropolitan Area Killifish Association, Nassau County Aquarium Society, Greater City Aquarium Society, Long Island Aquarium Society, and Long Island Herp Society.

Harry is well known for his skill and knowledge in the art of culturing live foods, and for passing along notes to fellow hobbyists detailing how best to maintain them. Having had numerous outstanding spawns in his fishroom, one of the most exceptional was Nothobranchius korthausae sp. ‘red,’ which resulted in over a thousand fry after eight weeks of dry incubation, and another outstanding accomplishment was the breeding of Simpsonichthys reticulates sp. ‘Xingu.’

Generously filling our GCAS auction table with his wonderful and kind donations of fish, plants, and live foods (that even include those detailed instructions!), Harry’s greatest joys are the challenges of breeding fishes, and socializing with other fishkeepers. We are most proud to have the great fortune of welcoming Harry Faustmann as our speaker this evening.

R

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

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Aquarium Pharmaceuticals

NorthFin Premium Fish Food

Aquarium Technology Inc.

Ocean Nutrition America

Aqueon

Oceanic

Brine Shrimp Direct

Omega Sea

Carib Sea

Penn-Plax

Cobalt Aquatics

Pet Resources

Coralife

Pisces Pro

Ecological Laboratories

Red Sea

Florida Aquatic Nurseries

Rena

Fritz Aquatics

Rolf C. Hagen

HBH Pet Products

San Francisco Bay Brand

Hydor USA

Seachem

Jehmco

Sera

Jungle Labs

Spectrum Brands

Kent Marine

Zilla

Marineland

Zoo Med Laboratories Inc.

Microbe Lift

Your Fish Stuff.com

Monster Aquarium, Inc

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Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

Take A Stand!

Story and Photos by Stephen Sica

I

f you were to set up an aquarium in any room of gallon aquarium, I hauled its stand out of the garage your house or apartment, what do you think is where I was storing it during the basement renovation. the most important aspect of this undertaking?

I had purchased a roll of Duck brand shelf liner to I completely understand that this can be a difficult restore the stand, but I noticed that the feet were rather question, as well as a subjective one. Some individuals battered from water damage. I didn‘t want to put a might think that it is the tank itself. Others would decrepit piece of furniture in our “new” basement, so offer that it is the fish, and the following week I found some may say that it is the myself standing in front of water, because the fish could my house waving goodbye not survive without quality to Brian and Freddie, two water. Besides fish, the of the finest of the New water may hold substrate, York City Department of plants, driftwood, rocks, Sanitation, as their truck ornaments and many other drove away with my items that you may deem aquarium stand. For good to be important. Oh yes, measure, I threw away a maybe a filter of some sort. twenty-four inch stand I agree with all of the above, too! But now I was in a but my own experience last quandary. Before I could autumn got me to thinking I substituted a work table to be the stand for a thirty gallon set up the thirty gallon tank aquarium that I re-established in our newly renovated that I ought to expand my basement. again, I needed something opinions even more. to put it on!

This began with the completion of our basement The easiest way to research prices is via the renovation last October. I used to have four aquariums internet. Of course there is nothing like seeing an item in our basement, but disassembled them several years that you are considering purchasing first hand, but ago. I decided that I should reinstall two. One would many stores keep limited stock. Iʼve stood with sales be my thirty-six inch long thirty gallon so that I could reps numerous times as they researched items online. enjoy watching small schooling tetras swim to and If you can’t give it the fro. It doesn’t take much to make me happy, and small “eyeball test” or hold it schooling fish are one of the things that do. My empty in your hands, an online aquarium had been relocated from the basement to review is important. a plastic picnic table in Most aquarium my back yard where it stands are not made from was being abused by the one hundred percent weather. lumber. The “wood” is I also own an 8.6 a composite made from gallon rimless glass tank or with wood, such as that I had purchased plywood, fiberboard, many years ago. It sat particleboard and glue- Height is adjusted by a ‟hand a large screw type unused on a shelf in laminated timber, among knob,ˮ device that screws into and a basement closet.

I others. If I recall, the through both the outer and once wrote a story in two stands that I threw inner leg. Each leg is secured a screw. The photo shows Modern Aquarium out cost about fifty to by A side view of the work bench. the screw inserted in the third about converting a sixty dollars each over ten notch from the top. Notice the Notice the heavy duty rounded leveling foot on each leg. The standard 5.5 gallon tank years ago. One stand was thin Duck brand liner on the upper section of each leg into a nanoaquarium, so surface. It provides a for a twenty-four inch, wood inserts into the larger lower cushion to level the glass tank, I purchased the rimless and the other for a thirty- although the benchʼs surface portion to adjust the height of the top. You can raise or tank to expand the nano six inch tank with only a is more than adequate. It also lower the narrower inner leg. concept. a water resistant twelve inch width. The provides This adjustment must be done surface that readily wipes After I decided composite legs did not clean, and prevents the wood beforehand with no weight on the top. to reestablish my thirty withstand an inch or less top from being scratched.

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY) May 2019 9

Another view, showing two height adjusting hand knobs on the left side legs of the stand. Each set of legs is shaped into a U so that one piece of steel comprises two legs. This offers better support. Each cross member (both front and back) is fastened to the hard wood top by five bolts.

Leveling feet rest upon a porcelain plank-like floor. Each piece is 39 inches long by 10 inches wide, providing excellent support. The work bench is rated to carry 1,000 pounds.

HD is for heavy duty. The hardwood top is an inch and a half thick. It is four feet by two feet and weighs at least fifty pounds, which enables the stand to support 1,000 pounds.

Manufactured in China, Ultra HD is a Seville Classics line of work tables and benches.

Another view of stand and aquarium. To the right is a rolling cart that I use as a work table and for storage for this hobby.

water on the floor. Wood, of course, has a tendency to absorb water when its protective coating, if it has one, begins to wear off.

My internet search for an attractive and inexpensive stand for my thirty gallon aquarium began.

There were some really nice ones, with canopies extra.

I have never been into canopies. I feel that they are a useless adornment and only add bulk and weight to the assembly. I also found several not so attractive stands, but they were expensive too. Most attractive (as well as unattractive) aquarium stands, were fairly costly, and I really did not like most of them.

After a while I had the fairly bright idea that I should spread out my search and look at non-aquarium stands that would be both functional and attractive— and not too pricey. The stand also had to be able to support great weight. Having visited Lowe’s, Home Depot and similar stores for the basement renovation, I began researching work benches and tables. Work benches were too short, and work tables were too expensive. After a few weeks, mostly on the internet, I found the “work table of my dreams.” I decided that the price difference between any aquarium stand that I did not like and the work table that I did like was minimal by rationalizing that all the money that I did

not spend on the stand was actually a discount towards the item that I really liked and wanted. Makes sense, yes?

A few local businesses sold the work table, but stock was low so the selling price was high. The manufacturer, or in the case of the specific item that I wanted, the importer from China, was a company located in California. It sold the table for a reasonable price, but was out of stock. Three weeks later I was notified that the item was back in stock, so I ordered it at a cost of $180 plus $20 shipping.

It was delivered by UPS in about one week. The driver delivered it to my front door. Donna helped me carry the package up the two steps and into the foyer where we laid the package on the floor. Because it was rated to carry a 1,000 pound load, the stand and its packaging weighed 76 pounds. Rather than try to drag it down to the basement, Donna suggested laying it flat on the floor of the foyer just inside our front door and unwrapping it. Good idea! I did that. The heaviest part was the one and one-half inch, four by two foot hardwood top. It weighed about fifty pounds. The remainder of the stand was epoxy powder coated steel.

The four legs enabled the height to be adjusted between 28.5 and 42 inches. It took a long hour to

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assemble the metal parts and fasten the hardwood top with an included wrench. After assembly, Donna helped me set the stand upright. I centered my thirty gallon tank on the wood surface. I decided that it was too low, so I removed the tank myself and raised the stand about three inches. The stand cannot be adjusted with any weight on it. You have to invert it on the floor onto its wood top and adjust each leg separately.

It’s a bit tedious to lay it upside down and stand it upright again, since it weighs about 75 pounds and is somewhat bulky, but I was able to do this even with no assistance from Donna after I decided to raise the height.

I covered the hardwood top with a layer of the Duck “Easy Grip Solid Liner” that I was going to use to refurbish my discarded stands. It has a thickness of

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

23

about one-eighth of an inch and is waterproof. When you spill water on it, you can just wipe it off or absorb it with a rag or paper towel. I recommend this or a similar product.

So far, I like my new stand. I like its look, and it suits my purposes. The frame itself is “granite gray,” a neutral light gray color.

Soon after the stand was erected, I set my tank upon it and began prepping it for fish. Hopefully, if I get a fit of ambition, I’ll have another story for another time.

May 2019

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Pictures From

12 18

President Horst Gerber brings the meeting to order

Our speaker, Mark Denaro, wants us to know that he talks loud!

Elias and Jim, TV stars of the “wildly� popular The Zoo on Animal Planet

Do you remember who was wearing this shirt?

May May 2019 2019

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

Our Last Meeting

Photos by Sue Priest

We warmly welcome our newest members:

Roxann Rodriguez

Chris Koenig

Frank Briante

Bowl Show Winner:

Door Prize Winner:

1st and 2nd Place: Rich Waizman Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S Modern Aquarium - Greater City(NY) A.S. (NY)

Ali Abdullah May 2019 2019 May

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Betty Mueller Award Presented at the NEC Convention Banquet Lifetime Achievement Award This special recognition is given to individuals who, over the years, have given overwhelming dedication and support to the aquarium hobby and to the Northeast Council of Aquarium Societies, Inc. Past recipients: 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2004 2005 2006

Betty Mueller Martin Bernard Penny Faul Ray Horn Lee Finley Ann & Walter Howe Kathy Beebe Jack Adinolfi Sandy Billings Al Faul Dave Quinn John Galvin John Stankevitch Bill Kenney Aline Brousseau Faith Quinn Tony Terceira Don Johnson Sue & Wally Bush Diane Adinolfi Chuck Davis Aline Finley Janine & David Banks Wayne Leibel Karen Randall Mark & Anne Broadmeyer Honoree, Ray Lucas James White Rit Forcier

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

Christine & Frank Policastro Joe Masi Linda & David Giza Barbara Day Bill Cole Claudia Dickinson Leslie Dick Richard Pierce Rosario LaCorte Nancy Villars/Hallgring Barbara Romeo Fran Masi

2019 RECIPIENTS: Joseph Ferdenzi Honoree, Laura ‘Peach’ Reid

Joe Ferdenzi & Rich Pierce (Photo by Ann Whitman)

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The GCAS at the 44th NEC Story and Photos by Jules Birnbaum

Joe Ferdenzi, winner of the NEC’s highest honor, the Betty Mueller Memorial Award, for his dedication and service to the aquarium hobby and to the Northeast Council, along with previous winners. From left: Bill Cole, Barbara Romeo, Tony Terceira, Leslie Dick, Rosario LaCorte, Joseph Ferdenzi, and Richard Pierce. Photo by Marsha Radebaugh

T

he 2019 convention theme was, “Dancing With The Fishroom Stars.” The stars were the expert convention speakers. This convention ( my third) started Friday afternoon, April 12th, with checkin at the Red Lion Hotel in Cromwell, Connecticut.

The trip to the convention was a two-hour drive from Long Island. The hotel check-in was fast, and the NEC volunteers were waiting for us at the convention registration desk. I received an envelope containing a booklet with all the convention information, my name tag, and a convention pin—all worth keeping.

As we left the registration desk we were greeted by the hotel fire alarm going on. We were told to evacuate the building, which everyone would do anyway, since the noise was unbearable. The cause was a malfunctioning alarm, not a fire. The alarm had to be reset by the fire department. After that things calmed down.

There were a number of presentations on Friday, and I picked two that were of interest to me. One was given by Paul Loiselle, Ph.D. Paul is one of the giants of the hobby, and reminds me of one of my college professors. Paul’s presentation was about dwarf cichlids. The other presentation was given by Regina Spotti, on how to breed and keep characins. I learned so much from Regina’s presentation!

There were also presentations Friday afternoon and all day Saturday. The convention kicked off with Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

Friday’s dinner, which introduced the convention speakers. There was a panel discussion by six experts who gave us their ideas for successfully breeding different species and raising the fry. I must say that Rosario LaCorte stole the show. Every time I listen to Rosario I learn something new! Several awards were presented for club magazine articles. Modern Aquarium won many of them. Dan Radebaugh was called to accept award after award.

At the breakfast meeting Saturday morning, Joe Ferdenzi introduced Rosario LaCorte, calling Rosario “the Babe Ruth” of our hobby. Joe went on to say that if we had a Hall Of Fame, Rosario would be one of its first inductees. Rosario’s autobiography, An Aquarist’s Journey, was on sale, and Rosario signed many copies, as there was a long line of book purchasers. His presentation had photo after photo of rare fish, and Rosario explained how he conditioned the parents and raised the fry. The fins of his fish are long and spectacular, which he credits to proper feeding. Rosario is also a wonderful photographer. At 90 years of age, I doubt he will be traveling to many more conventions in the future, so this might have been the last time I would be able to attend one of his presentations.

At Saturday’s banquet, our own Joe Ferdenzi became the 42nd recipient of the Betty Mueller Memorial Award. This is the annual award the NEC May 2019 15

presents to the individual who has demonstrated overwhelming dedication and support to the aquarium hobby and to the Northeast Council. Joe certainly fits that description.

The convention held a cichlid show, as well as one for guppies. There was also a nano tank competition and a silent auction. Seventeen vendors were housed in a large hall, some offering free samples, and there were fish, plants, foods, and equipment for sale at reasonable prices. I was particularly fascinated by one vendor. Island Discus had three men set up large snap- together metal stands and placed several tanks of over 100 gallons each on these racks. They conditioned the sink water and brought in several large vats filled with young Discus that they placed in the large tanks. I hope that Chris Gazdick, the owner of Island Discus, will be invited to speak at a future GCAS meeting.

The convention ended with a huge auction all day Sunday. The registration desk told me they were expecting 500 people. Sellers came in with box after box containing bags of rare quality fish and plants.

The auction started at 11AM. I stayed until 1 PM, and then I left for home, which was only a two hour drive. Many members of our club shared the driving, so few cars came up to the convention from New York with empty seats. I thank Anita and Joe Ferdenzi for driving me to and from the convention.

GCAS is a member club of the North East Council of Aquarium Societies. We are the oldest continuously functioning aquarium society in the country. At the convention, I found GCAS is special, and well respected by the other clubs of the NEC. I recommend more of us attend this annual event. It will recharge your batteries, giving you fresh enthusiasm for your hobby. You also will learn so much more about keeping and breeding tropical fish. There are so many bargains for rare tropical fish you might not get locally or online. Lastly, you will meet and socialize with many wonderful aquarists, some of whom will become life-long friends. It’s happened to me, and it can happen to you!

Warren Feuer (center) and Mark Soberman (far right) discuss the presentation.

Rosario LaCorte discusses some photos from his autobiography, An Aquaristʼs Journey.

ʼSup, Dog?

A place for shoppers

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Tom and Rebecca Warns, along with new member Kenneth Leo Warns.

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

May 2019

Planning next yearĘźs program

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Alan Mark Fletcher (1928 - 2019) A Legend of the Aquarium Hobby

by Joseph Ferdenzi

I

was very saddened to hear the news of Alan’s passing. Alan was a vibrant part of our aquarium hobby and played an important role in its history. Always modest, he referred to his importance as being merely “reflected glory” because of his work with the legendary William T. Innes, but Alan was much more than that.

I had the pleasure of meeting Alan on a number of occasions and hearing him give presentations. He was a very intelligent and articulate speaker, as one could well imagine, given his educational background and numerous experiences.

My wife Anita and I had the pleasure of hosting Alan and his lovely wife Julia at our home on a number of occasions. You could not possibly hope for more gracious and pleasant company. On one of those occasions, Alan presented me with a group of trout fly-lures that he had hand made. These and his books are treasured mementos of our friendship. But perhaps even more importantly, I have the wonderful memories of our shared time together.

Below is the official obituary published in the Ithaca Journal. On behalf of all the members of Greater City, I extend heartfelt condolences to Julia and his entire family.

The following obituary was published in Ithaca Journal from Apr. 10 to Apr. 13, 2019: Alan Mark Fletcher died at the age of 90 after a long illness on April 6, 2019. He was born on May 19, 1928, in Conklin, New York, where his father, the Reverand Harley Seaver Fletcher, was a minister of the Conklin Presbyterian Church. Alan grew up, however, in Carmel, Putnam County, New York, where his father was for 15 years the minister of the Gilead Presbyterian Church. Alanʼs mother was Anna Margaret Pedersen Fletcher, who had a theological education equivalent to that of his father. Alan had an older brother, the Reverend Philip H. Fletcher, who was also a Presbyterian minister. Philip died in 2000. As a freshman in college, Alan met and fell in love with a raven-haired co-ed, Julia May Emigh, who was to become his wife of 68 years. They married immediately after graduation, and together they had four daughters (Anne, Carol, Cynthia, and Lois), 10 grandchildren (Benjamin, Sarah, Matthew, Noah, Jeremy, Wesley, Tyler, Julia, Anna, and John), and 10 greatgrandchildren. He was very proud of the achievements of his daughters.

Alan graduated from the Stony Brook School, Long Island, NY (1945) and received his Bachelor of Science degree in biology from Juniata College, Huntingdon, PA (1950). During a long and varied career, Alan served as a faculty member at the Stony Brook School, Cornell University, and the University of Georgia. Over the course of his professional life he was Editor of The Aquarium magazine, Senior Science Editor of Doubleday & Company, J. B. Lippincott Company, and Cornell University Press, and Managing Editor of The Sunday School Times. At the time of his retirement in 1991 he was Head of Communications for the International Service for National Agricultural Research (ISNAR) in the Netherlands. For years after his retirement Alan worked as a writing and editorial consultant to international agricultural research centers located in the Philippines (IRRI), Taiwan (AVRDC), West Africa (IITA, WARDA, ICRISAT Sahel), and Europe (ISNAR, INIBAP). He was the author of nine books and hundreds of published articles.

Alan had a life-long passion for fishes–both catching and raising–and at the time he was hired by The Aquarium magazine he was briefly a field biologist for the Pennsylvania Fish Commission. He was an avid fly fisherman and breeder of tropical fish. Until his death he was a frequent speaker at aquarium society meetings and conventions. Alanʼs love of nature was passed on to his daughters and their children. For his entire life, Alan endeavored to live (in his words, ‟with varying degrees of successˮ) the Christian life that was taught to him by his parents and the Stony Brook School. He often said that he was fortunate to have been a ‟preacherʼs kid.ˮ Alan was an ordained Presbyterian elder. In lieu of flowers, gifts in Alanʼs memory should be made to the Stony Brook School or the Salvation Army. At Alanʼs request there will be no service or calling hours.

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May 2019

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

Dwarf Jumbo?

Story and Photos by Jim Kinniston

One of the many interesting groups of fishes endemic to Lake Tanganyika is the genus Cyprichromis.

They are open water fish that congregate in groups of thousands, feeding on planktonic organisms. Males are usually brightly colored, often exhibiting a good deal of variation, even within the same brood. They spawn in mid-water, with the female snatching the eggs in her mouth before they ever sink to the bottom.

There are a few species and plenty of different varieties within each species, depending on collection point.

The fish that most of us are familiar with is Cyprichromis leptosoma. It’s a slender, torpedoshaped fish that really doesn’t seem much like a cichlid at all. Several of the varieties have males displaying a bright metallic sheen on their bodies, with a striking yellow tail. Females are typically a drab brownish color. They may reach four inches in length, but usually stay smaller, especially in the wild.

If you see words like Utinta or Kerenge Island, that’s the collection point.

There are some species of Cyprichromis that get bigger than C. leptosoma. If they have tiny scales, they are classified as C. microlepidotus. Otherwise, the term “jumbo” has been used to distinguish the bigger ones from the normal sized leptosoma. But there is one “jumbo” that isn’t bigger, and that one is found at Kigoma. So if it isn’t bigger, why is it a jumbo?

Although jumbos are almost always larger in length than C. leptosoma, that’s not the identifying characteristic. Jumbos are more robust, less slender.

The body appears more stout, and deeper from top to bottom than C. leptosoma. The one from Kigoma exhibits the more robust body shape typical of jumbos.

I have seen plenty of controversy on facebook threads as to whether this fish is really a jumbo or just a thicker C. leptosoma. Let me end the discussion.

The cyp from kigoma is without question a jumbo.

One of the ways to tell is to look at the fry. The fry of C. leptosoma, regardless of collection point, will Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

always have a yellow dorsal fin. This is lost as they become adults, but unmistakable as fry. The fry of C. microlepidotus and sp. Jumbo will have black in their dorsal fins. I have bred all three species, and have never seen exceptions to this characteristic. Another indicator can be found on the females. Jumbo females will usually have black in their caudal fin, which is absent in C. leptosoma. Therefore, although no longer than normal leptosoma, the cyp from Kigoma is indeed a jumbo, a “dwarf jumbo.”

Cyprichromis sp. Jumbo kigoma is one of the more docile varieties that I have kept. The males display constantly without excessive aggression.

There seem to be two main color variations. Some males have a yellow tail, others a blue tail. There is often some yellow in the chest region, especially in the blue tailed males. The dorsal and anal fins almost seem to glow with turquoise and yellow flashes when displaying. I believe the best way to keep Cyprichromis is to crowd them. There are plenty of horror stories of a rogue male dive bombing everything in the tank. In nature, these fish exist in huge shoals. Crowding them seems to prevent one male from terrorizing the rest. If you try to keep six fish, five will probably be stressed to death.

I keep 40 or so in a 90 gallon tank. Of course when you increase the bioload you must also increase the filtration and water changes to remove the nitrates.

Green plants use nitrates as fertilizer, and are accepted by cyps. Plants are not practical for many cichlid tanks, but Cyprichromis don’t dig in the substrate or nip at the plants. All of my cyp tanks are planted, thus allowing a higher population density more consistent with their natural condition.

So many of the rift lake cichlids are cave dwellers, pit builders, or sand sifters. Often we find that there is a lot of open water in our tanks that is unoccupied.

May 2019

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Reprinted from The New England Cichlid – February, 2016; The New England Cichlid Association.

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xymorons always intrigue, but how can a cichlid be both dwarf and jumbo? Hopefully, I can sort this out for you.

Cyprichromis species are the perfect complement to these substrate-bound species. Why not let the upper waters of your tank come to life as well as the lower

region? And if you don’t have enough room for a jumbo, but want a robust fish, there’s only one choice: the dwarf jumbo from Kigoma.

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jasontech1@verizon.net May 2019

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

The Cardinal Tetra Story

by Alan Mark Fletcher with a postscript by Rosario LaCorte our hobby, he was also an avid tropical fish enthusiast.

In the course of his studies of native Brazilian tribal he cardinal tetra, Paracheirodon axelrodi, is groups, he often found himself in very remote parts of undoubtedly one of, if not the most spectacular Brazil. We have benefitted greatly, because he netted freshwater fish ever introduced into the fishes when he was in those places. He also had a aquarium hobby. The story behind its discovery and good knowledge of the Brazilian fish-collecting scene naming has been shrouded in mystery and controversy in general. HRA had visited Schultz in Brazil (along ever since its introduction in the mid 1950s. Here, with Rosario!), so they must have been friends. for the first time, is the Schultz visited the story as told to us by two U.S. as a guest of HRA, and men of unquestionable said that, among others, he credentials. Alan Fletcher, would like to meet me. I at the time, was working believe he also spent time with the legendary William with Rosario on that visit.

T. Innes, author of the So Herb arranged to drive classic Exotic Aquarium Schultz down to our humble Fishes, and editor and dwelling in Amber, PA on publisher of the best-selling a Saturday. He arrived in The Aquarium magazine. a powder blue Cadillac, Alan was also working as the largest model short of a an editor on that magazine. limousine, and parked it on Alan knew just about our front lawn. He came everyone who was anyone Photo of “Paracheirodon cardinalis” courtesy of Wikipedia dressed in a suit and tie, and in the hobby at the time. He was a trained scientist, in his coat breast pocket he had five Corona Corona had gone on expeditions to South America, and was an cigars, each carefully aligned so that you could read accomplished author. the label. For those of you who may not know it, Rosario LaCorte was (and still is) one of the Corona Coronas were Havana cigars that sold for a hobby’s most accomplished breeders of aquarium fish. dollar each―a lot of money for one smoke in those He rightfully enjoys a nationwide reputation, and was times. It was obvious that he was trying to impress friends or acquainted with virtually every prominent me with his prosperity, but I always suspected that the hobbyist of the day, including Herbert R. Axelrod, Cadillac might have been rented, because it was early with whom he went on several collecting trips to in his career, and he could not have accumulated much South America. Like Alan, Rosario has also been a wealth by that time. prolific writer of articles and books on aquarium fish.

Now for the cardinal tetra. I am sorry, but These two accomplished gentlemen have combined to either I never knew, or I have forgotten, how the first present this story. Enjoy. cardinals got from the Rio Negro collecting site to Paramount Aquarium’s plant in Ardsley, Westchester Joseph Ferdenzi County, New York. Heiko Bleher gives one account in his cardinal article in Nutrafin Aquatic News, and Rosario says he got another story from Harald Schultz.

If I had to choose, I would eople have urged me to tell the story of Dr. place more confidence in Herbert R. Axelrod’s Rosario’s version.

(HRA) and Harald I would not be (the correct spelling!) surprised if that first Schultz’s visit to our humble shipment did come Cape Cod cottage in the via Louis Chung, in Philadelphia suburbs in the Georgetown, Guyana, Ad appearing in the April, mid-1950s. as Bleher claims. Chung 1956 issue of The Aquarium.

Harald Schultz was was Paramount’s agent in Guyana. I don’t believe a distinguished Brazilian there was air service between Manaus and Georgetown Alan Mark Fletcher* ethnologist. Fortunately for

Introduction

T

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

May 2019

21

Reprinted from Modern Aquarium – Series III Vol. XVII No. 10 December, 2010.

P

at that time. Most likely, what happened was that Paramount’s own plane picked them up in Manaus and carried them to Chung’s establishment for a change of water, repacking, and a rest, before carrying them to Miami. That was a common practice when Paramount brought plane-loads of fish from the Amazon.

We received a phone call from Fred Cochu (president and co-owner of Paramount) saying that they had a new, more brightly colored neon tetra, and that he was going to send us some. He wanted us to find out if it was a new species or just a variant of the neon. Fred sent a carton of cardinals down to our house in Ambler, carried in Paramount’s delivery truck. Some of them went to Innes for his color plate, and I preserved some of them and sent them to Dr. George Myers, at Stanford University. (I believe I preserved them in formalin, because I knew that alcohol dissolves out red and yellow pigments.)

Months went by, and we heard nothing back from Myers. He probably just put them on his shelf for when he got around to it, as is commonly done.

One day Fred called again, saying that he had heard that HRA had gotten some of the cardinals, and that he was doing something with them through Dr. Leonard Schultz, at the Smithsonian. Could we please ask Myers to get going on his specimens? I called Myers, and he agreed to work on them immediately. I think it is likely that he actually passed them along to his graduate student, Stanley Weitzman. Stan could enlighten us on that. I have never asked him, but I understand that he has put the cardinal tetra affair behind him, and he does not talk about it. We all know that they found it to be a new species, and they named it Hyphessobrycon cardinalis. A paper describing the new species was written and scheduled for publication in The Stanford Ichthyological Bulletin.

Dr. Schultz also found it to be a new species, and he named it Cheirodon axelrodi. His paper appeared in Tropical Fish Hobbyist (TFH) magazine. As it worked out, the TFH article came out (supposedly) a day or two before the Stanford journal. Joe Ferdenzi has pointed out that it was the only issue of TFH that ever had a month-day-year on it. Everyone suspected that Herb had rushed a hand-folded copy of TFH to the Post Office to validate a date. In any event, the contested names went to the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature for adjudication. The first decision that had to be made was whether TFH was (at that time) a legitimate publication, acceptable for a description of a new species. They ruled that it was. The commission then ruled in favor of Schultz’s paper, solely on the basis of the publication dates.

Members of the commission later told either Innes or Myers that the commission was well aware that something shady had gone on, but they had no direct evidence of it. They had to rule on what was presented to them. If only Dr. Myers had gone to work on those specimens the day he had received them!

22

I had thought that we might never know how those first cardinals got from Paramount to Sol Kessler’s fish shop in New Jersey, to Axelrod, but Rosario LaCorte’s remarkable article which accompanies this piece sheds light on this part of the story. Herb admitted in some of his earlier writings that they had come from Kessler.

In his later writings he told a grandiose story about how he had discovered them on a trip to the upper Rio Negro.

I have written elsewhere that Fred Cochu had gone to his grave resenting that “his” fish was named for someone who had nothing to do with its discovery or introduction. Considering that Fred had gone to so much trouble to bring in the fish, and that it turned out to be one of the most popular aquarium fish of all time, I think Fred’s bitterness about it is understandable.

Some have suggested that Fred’s attitude was just ego, but it could not have been, since several aquarium fishes carry the scientific name cochui.

So that’s it. And, oh yes, in an exquisite twist of fate, Myers’s graduate student, Dr. Stanley Weitzman, succeeded Dr. Leonard Schultz as Curator of Fishes at the Smithsonian!

Alan Mark Fletcher

Cover of the April, 1956 issue of Tropical Fish Hobbyist

May 2019

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

From page 43 of the same issue of TFH, a footnote thanking Sol Kessler.

Contents page of April, 1956 TFH (cover on facing page) showing “Scarlet Characin” article. Note “February 20, 1956” date.

Postscript

S

ol Kessler, whom I knew very well, was the owner of the Irvington Fish Bowl. He had a very nice store―it was neat, and he always had some interesting fish, which was not common in other stores.

Sol told me that he had a deal with a number of wholesalers, that whenever they got unusual Rosario LaCorte** fish, or “oddballs” collected as “by-catch,” they would place them in a holding tank and save them for Sol. He would pay them some extra money for the consideration. Paramount contacted Sol when they received the first shipment for resale. Sol was a good businessman, and when he bought anything he would purchase a sufficient quantity to make a good first impression. Vic Hritz, of Crystal Aquarium, was another store owner who had a good business sense in knowing the importance of displaying numbers. In other words, a tank of several hundred cardinals or neons, rather than say twenty of the same fish, would impact the first-time viewer with, “Wow! Look at that!”

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

Upon purchasing the cardinals, Sol contacted Bill Vorderwinkler so that he could pick up some for the TFH office, which at the time was located in Jersey City. Bill lived in Elizabeth, NJ at the time (as did I), so he was not very far from the Fish Bowl, and it was quite easy for him to pick up the specimens for Herb. I was closely associated with Herb at that time, and I used to bring fish to his office at least twice a month for him to photograph (I was not yet into photography). Many of my fish appeared in his publications, though not once with the notation, “courtesy of R. LaCorte.” Shortly after the naming of the cardinal, I asked Herb why he had not had a species of fish named after him by Leonard Schultz, since they were so closely associated. His exact words to me were, “Schultz offered to name a fish earlier, but I will select the fish that I want when I see it.” Upon receiving the cardinal, he purchased an airline ticket to Washington, DC, and with fish in hand, flew to DC, and showing Schultz the specimens from Sol Kessler, said, “This is the fish I want named after me.” That’s how the cardinal got its name.

Rosario LaCorte

*Photo by Claudia Dickinson **Photo by Jules Birnbaum

May 2019

23

Fishy Friends’ Photos B

by Greater City Aquarium Society Fishy Friends

elow are photo submissions to our “Fishy Friends” Facebook group. I’ve left the subjects unnamed, but not the photographer. If you see a shot you like, and want more info, ask the photographer about it! I’m sure he or she will be delighted to tell you!

Jose L. Galarza

Joe Gurrado

Genneiro Domingo

Chris Matthew

Joe Gurrado

Reuben Lugo

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May 2019

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

The NEC 2018 Articles Competition OPEN CATEGORY

1.

2.

3.

Sexual Inversion in Swordtails?

Freshwater Fish Foods So You Want A Bigger Tank?

Tom Warns Joseph Ferdenzi Jerry O’Farrell

Modern Aquarium Modern Aquarium Modern Aquarium

GCAS* GCAS* GCAS*

Evelyn Eagan Joseph Ferdenzi Joseph Graffagnino

Paradise Press Modern Aquarium Aquatica

LIAS±± GCAS* BASNY***

Robert Hintze Stephen Sica

In Depth Modern Aquarium

TFCB± GCAS*

GCAS*

BREEDING CATEGORY 1.

2.

3.

Breeding Your Betta Synodontis lucipinnis Tatia intermedeia

HUMOR 1.

2.

3.

The Hustle Where’s the Fish?

None

CONTINUING COLUMNS

1.

The Undergravel Reporter

The Undergravel Reporter

Modern Aquarium

2.

The View from the Other Side of the Tank

Margaret Peterson

Paradise Press

3.

Editorial Column

Ann Whitman

In Depth

TFCB±

Lauren Ramroop

Modern Aquarium

GCAS*

JUNIOR AUTHOR

1.

Drawing of Clownfish

±

*Greater City Aquarium Society **Aquarium Club of Lancaster County ***Brooklyn Aquarium Society

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

LIAS±±

Tropical Fish Club of Burlington Long Island Aquarium Society

±±

May 2019

25

GCAS Member Discounts at Local Fish Shops

10% Discount on everything.

20% Discount on fish. 15% on all else.

10% Discount on everything.

10% Discount on everything.

10% Discount on everything.

10% Discount on everything.

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10% Discount on fish.

10% Discount on everything except ʽon saleʼ items.

May 2019

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

10% Discount on everything.

10% Discount on everything.

10% Discount on everything.

15% Discount on everything in store, or online at: http://www.junglebobaquatics.com Use coupon code gcas15.

GCAS Classifieds FOR SALE: African cichlids -- all sizes, as well as tanks and accessories.

Call Derek (917) 854-4405 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------FOR SALE: Coralife 9-Watt Turbo-Swift U/V, bulb recently replaced.

Call Kris: 516-282-6677 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

May 2019

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GCAS Happenings

May

Last Month’s Bowl Show Winners: 1 Richard Waizman 2 Richard Waizman

Unofficial 2019 Bowl Show totals: RICHARD WAIZMAN

16

WILLIAM AMELY

1

A warm welcome back to renewing GCAS members Pete d'Orio, Rod DuCasse, Peter Goldfien, Bob Hamje, Andrew & Jillian Jouan, Denver Lettman, Artie Mayer, Jerry O'Farrell, Elliot Oshins, Sue & Al Priest, Marc Richmond, and Jerry Schwartz!

A special welcome to new GCAS members Chris Koenig, Frank Briante, and Roxann Rodriguez!

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

Next Meeting: Thursday, June 6, 2019 Speaker: TBA Topic: TBA Meets: The first Wednesday of each month (except January & February) at 7:30pm: Queens Botanical Garden 43-50 Main Street - Flushing, NY Contact: Horst Gerber (718) 885-3071 Email: pilotcove43@gmail.com Website: http://www.greatercity.org

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: May 10, 2019 Event: Giant Auction 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: May 17, 2019 Speaker: TBD Topic: TBA Meets: 3rd Friday of each month (except July and August) at 8:00 PM. LIAS Meetings are held at SUNY Stony Brook's Maritime Science area. Room 120 in Endeavor Hall on the State University at Stony Brook Campus, Stony Brook, NY 11790 Email: president@liasonline.org Website: http://liasonline.org/

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East Coast Guppy Association

Meets: 2nd Tuesday of each month at 8:00 pm at Alley Pond Environmental Ctr.: 228-06 Northern Blvd.

Contact: Gene Baudier (631) 345-6399

Nassau County Aquarium Society

Next Meeting: May 14, 2019 Speaker: TBA Topic: TBA Meets: 2nd Tuesday of the month (except July and August) at 7:30 PM. Molloy College, at 1000 Hempstead Avenue, Rockville Centre, NY, in the PUBLIC SQUARE BUILDING, room 209A. See website for directions.

Contact: Harry W. Faustmann, (516) 804-4752.

Website: http://www.ncasweb.org

NORTH JERSEY AQUARIUM SOCIETY

Next Meeting: May 18, 2019 Speaker: Rachel O'Leary Topic: Nano Fish, Aquatic Invertebrates Meets: 12:30 PM - 3rd Saturday of the month, at Clark Public Library in Union County, just off the Parkway at exit 135 Contact: NJAS Hotline at (732) 332-1392 Email: tcoletti@obius.jnj.com Website: http://www.njas.net/

Norwalk Aquarium Society

Next Meeting: May 16 2019 Speaker: TBA Meets: 8:00 P.M. - 3rd Thursday of each month except for July & December at: Earthplace - the Nature Discovery Center - Westport, CT Contact: Sal Silvestri Call our toll free number (866) 219-4NAS Email: salsilv44@yahoo.com Website: http://norwalkas.org/

May 2019

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

discreetly, on a persistent basis, and with enough precision to characterize the size and type of adversary vehicles.”

A total of $45m (£35m) has now been distributed to five research teams, each of which is working on a particular organism and developing technologies to monitor them In spite of popular demand to the and beam information back to the scientists. contrary, this humor and information One team is analyzing the “booms” column continues. As usual, it does made by territorial fish known as goliath NOT necessarily represent the groupers, which they think could provide opinions of the Editor, or of the Greater City Aquarium Society. information about approaching drones or submarines. Another is examining the noises made by snapping shrimp, 200-decibel pops A series by “The Undergravel Reporter” that could work as a natural form of sonar.

“It has the potential to detect even the he U.S. military is turning to fish and quietest vehicles that might be there,” project other sea life to help them monitor leader Dr. Alison Laferriere of Raytheon activity in the oceans.

BBN Technologies told M a r i n e creatures are well Scientific American. adapted to their Findings from environment, and these studies are scientists want to expected to be employ their sensory published across the abilities to pick up next few years, and signals that might be should contribute to missed by conventional Goliath groupers are among the creatures basic research into technology. animal behavior as well being assessed by a US military program This could as its military uses. mean anything from monitoring fluctuations The program is administered by the in schools of sea bass to microbes responding federal Defense Advanced Research Projects to the magnetic signatures emitted by Agency (Darpa), and it is not their only submarines. The Persistent Aquatic Living initiative involved with living creatures.

Sensors (PALS) program will make use of One project is creating genetically this information to transform these creatures modified plants that, like fish in the PALS into self-sustaining populations of underwater program, are capable of acting as spies. environmental sensors.

“The US Navy’s current approach to Another project being developed by detecting and monitoring underwater vehicles the agency involves using insects loaded with is hardware-centric and resource intensive,” synthetic viruses to spread genetic changes to said program manager Dr. Lori Adornato as plants growing in fields. the initiative was launched last year.

That initiative, dubbed Insect Allies, “As a result, the capability is mostly has faced controversy as scientists raised used at the tactical level to protect high-value concerns that instead of being used in assets like aircraft carriers, and less so at the agriculture it could lead to the development of broader strategic level. “a new class of biological weapon.”

“If we can tap into the innate sensing Now, don’t you feel safer? capabilities of living organisms that are ubiquitous in the oceans, we can extend our ability to track adversary activity and do so Reference:

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https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/us-military-fish-underwater-spies-marine-life-darpa-a8847706.html

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

May May 2019 2019

17 29

Fin Fun

C

an you find all of the live fish foods squirming around in this word search puzzle?

BANANAWORM BLACKWORM BRINESHRIMP COPEPOD FRUITFLY GREEN WATER GRINDALWORM MICROWORM MOINA TUBIFEX VINEGAREEL WALTERWORM WAXWORM WHITEWORM

Solution to our last Puzzle:

30

Movie

Species of fish

From Russia With Love

Betta splendens

Jaws

Carcharodon carcharias

Finding Nemo

Amphiprion ocellaris

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

Architeuthis sp.

Frankenfish

Channa sp.

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May 2019 May 2019

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

15