October 2016 volume XXIII number 8
Series III ON THE COVER For our cover photo subject this month we turn once again to our Fishy Friends Facebook page. This time it's a very nice shot of a saltwater setup showing off some very pretty leather coral, Alcyoniidae lovophytum. Photo by Joseph Gurrado GREATER CITY AQUARIUM SOCIETY Board Members
President Vice-President Treasurer Assistant Treasurer Corresponding Secretary
Dan Radebaugh Edward Vukich Jules Birnbaum Ron Wiesenfeld Vinny Ritchie
Members At Large
Pete D’Orio Al Grusell Jason Kerner
Walter Gallo Ben Haus Leonard Ramroop
MODERN AQUARIUM Editor in Chief
Joe Gurrado Warren Feuer Mark Soberman Al Grusell Alexander A. Priest Marsha Radebaugh Joe Gurrado Sharon Barnett Sandy Sorowitz Dan Radebaugh
COPY EDITORS
Sharon Barnett Susan Priest Advertising Manager
In This Issue From the Editor G.C.A.S. 2016 Program Schedule President’s Message Tonight’s Speaker: Mark Duffill September’s Caption Contest Winner Cartoon Caption Contest Fishy Friendsʼ Photos Pictures From Our Last Meeting by Susan Priest
Our Generous Sponsors and Advertisers An Aquarist’s Journey Chapter 25 by Rosario LaCorte
A Pleasant Encounter
Committee Chairs
Bowl Show Breeder Award Early Arrivals F.A.A.S. Delegate Membership N.E.C. Delegate Programs Social Media A/V Coordinator
Vol. XXIII, No. 8 October, 2016
Alexander A. Priest Donna Sosna Sica Dan Puleo
by Elliot Oshins
Astatotilapia aeneocolor by Barry Sheppard
G.C.A.S. Member Discounts Why Hobbyists Should Write for their Club Journal
2 3 4 5 6 7 9 10 12 13 17 20 22 23
by Wayne S. Leibel
G.C.A.S. Classifieds G.C.A.S. Happenings The Undergravel Reporter Fish Oil or Snake Oil?
Fin Fun (Puzzle Page) Loach Word Puzzle
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From the Editor
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by Dan Radebaugh
t’s been several years since we’ve had a fictional story in Modern Aquarium, so I was a little taken aback when I received it. Of course I have to admit that I don’t really know that it’s fiction. Check out Elliot Oshins’ article on page 17 and see what you think. Rosario LaCorte returns to this issue with Chapter 25 of his autobiography, An Aquarist’s Journey. This story has been enthusiastically received throughout the hobby. Check it out on page 13. Elsewhere in the issue you’ll see Sue Priest’s “Pictures from our Last Meeting,” the popular “Fishy Friends’ Photos,” our monthly Cartoon Caption Contest, as well as the ever surprising “Undergravel Reporter.” Our Fin Fun puzzle honors this evening’s speaker with a “Loach Word Puzzle.” We also have a couple of exchange articles. The first, by the Durham Regional Aquarium Society’s Barry Sheppard, tells us about “Astatotilapia aeneocolor,” a very pretty cichlid from Africa. The second, by Wayne Leibel, a well-known writer and scientist, tells us “Why Hobbyists should write for their Club Journal.” And yes, I did include this for a reason. I urge all of our members to read it. A society’s journal, such as Modern Aquarium, is very much the face of the society to the rest of the world, or at least to the rest of the hobby, and Modern Aquarium has presented a great face for GCAS for many years now. The people who put this magazine together back in the day really created a jewel of this hobby. All of them are of course getting older these days. I’ve been a part of the magazine, and indeed the club, for a much shorter time, but I’m older than most of that pioneering group. But check our authors are in this issue. Rosario and Elliot are both older than I. I don’t know Mr. Sheppard’s age, but I think you get the point that some of
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you young whippersnappers, in your fifties and sixties, need to step up and start taking the load off us old coots. I’m very gratified that we have such a nice group of younger members who are enjoying our hobby and the club. I see you posting on Facebook, which is great. Now how about sitting down and taking a little extra time to tell us about what you’re up to, what problems you’ve encountered, and how you’ve solved them (or not solved them). By all means include some of the photos you’ve been posting. Just because you’re younger doesn’t mean that we aren’t interested in what you’re doing, or how you’re solving the inevitable problems, and what really neat stuff is going on in your tanks! It’s not that tough! In fact it’s sort of fun! You owe it to yourselves to give it a shot. Plus, if you find out you’re good at it, Modern Aquarium is eventually going to need a new Editor. Why not you?
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Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)
GCAS Programs
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2016
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 2
Matthew Wickey from Tetra/ Spectrum Brands Fish Nutrition
April 6
Thomas Keegan Ponds
May 4
Tom Allison Zoo Med Laboratories, Inc.
June 1
Rusty Wessel Fishes of the Maya!
July 6
Ruben Lugo My Adventures Keeping and Breeding L-numbers and Other Fish That Suck
August 3
Silent Auction
September 7
Artie Platt From Fish Tank to Fish Room: My Journey
October 5
Mark Duffill (U.K.) Loaches
November 2
Michael Barber The Perfect Fishroom!
December 7
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 2016 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 donnste@ aol.com. 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. For more information, contact: Dan Radebaugh (718) 458-8437 or email gcas@earthlink. net. Find out more, see previous issues, or leave us a message at our Internet Home Page: http://www.greatercity. org or http://www.greatercity.com. Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)
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President’s Message
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by Dan Radebaugh
he Flagship Diner is undead! While that won’t remain the case forever, its demise will be delayed for at least a year or so. This means that we can and shall once again hold our annual Holiday Banquet there this December. With a few suggestions from other members, we have surveyed some other possible venues, and we did find a couple in particular that we were impressed by. However, Flagship has treated us very well over the past few years, the food and service has been good, parking is not a challenge, and it’s easily accessible via subway or bus. Cost to attendees will again be $25 per person. The only difference this year is that the price will be the same whether you pay in advance or at the door. I myself prefer paying in advance, so that I don’t have to remember to carry that money with me—one less thing to perhaps forget. We will be collecting money and names at next month’s meeting, though if for some reason you really need to reserve tonight we can probably handle that. We’ll again feature the buck-a-bag auction (please—no used equipment for this one), the authors’ raffle, party favors, of course the annual awards presentations, AND choice of meal. We’ll have more details in next month’s issue, and on our Facebook page.
Dan
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Tonightʼs Speaker
Mark Duffill on
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LOACHES
ark Duffill was born in 1972. He has had an interest in fish from a very young age. Mark got his first fish when he was 6 years old, and was ‘hooked’ immediately. As soon as he was old enough he became a junior member of the local fishkeeping club, and soon got the bug for showing fish and winning prizes. Mark progressed in the club as a committee member and eventually club secretary. In addition to fishkeeping, Mark owns and helps out with several websites and Facebook groups, including Loach Fanatics. All this aside, he also advanced to become an A-class judge for the North East Federation of Aquarist Societies. The hobby of fishkeeping took a back seat for a while due to work commitments. Unfortunately however, his career as an electrician ended in 1999 when he was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and spondylosis in the spine. Since then he has channeled his time, energy, and passion for fish to keeping, breeding, catching, and collecting them. Mark works primarily with loaches, rasboras and other Asian species, although he has periodically diverted his attention to other fishes, including African rift cichlids, characins, corydoras, discus, livebearers of all descriptions, and even at one point had nothing but rainbowfishes, but no matter what he has kept he was always drawn back to the loaches, barbs, danios, and rasboras. In 2009, Mark became the founder of the International Loach Association, formerly Loach Association of Great Britain. Mark has written books on loaches, and also had his articles published in several magazines around the world, had them translated into numerous languages, and has been invited to travel to clubs within the UK and now around the world to give presentations on loaches. Mark’s passion for loaches has seen him successfully spawn numerous species, despite that for some time loaches were considered unbreedable. But thanks to Mark and people like him, this myth has been dispelled. So far he has spawned 20+ loach species, including Yasuhikotakia sidthimunki, Micronemacheilus cruciatus, Sewellia lineolata, Sewellia sp spotted, and Acanthocobitis zonalternans, as well as firsts such as Botia kubotai, Botia histrionica, Botia striata, Acanthopsoides species and Yasuhikotakia splendida.
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September’s Caption Winner: Al Priest
And these are your F1 grandparents.
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jasontech1@verizon.net October 2016
Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)
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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There is a Bowl Show at every GCAS meeting, except our Silent Auction/fleamarket meeting (August) and our Holiday Party and Awards Banquet meeting (December). These shows are open to all members of GCAS. Rules are as follows:
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Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)
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!
Ruben Lugo
Joe Gurrado
Gilberto Soriano
Ruben Lugo
Joe Gurrado
Ruben Lugo
Ruben Lugo
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Pictures From
Our speaker, Artie Platt with President Dan Radebaugh
The first of many great photos from Artie
Both Andrew and Gilberto will become first time dads in October
Artie Platt receives BAS Breeders Award certificate from Joe Graffagnino
Joe Gurrado and Rudy Palermo look forward to M odern Aquarium each month
Ed Vukich doing his usual excellent job of auctioneering
Bowl Show Winner: 1st and 2nd Place: Rich W aizman
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October October 2016 2016
Modern (NY) Modern Aquarium Aquarium -- Greater Greater City City A.S. A.S (NY)
Our Last Meeting
Photos by Susan Priest
We warmly welcome our new and renewing members:
Tom Keegan
Thomas Warns
Robert Kolsky
Desiree M artin
Steve Sagona
Door Prize Winners:
Summerliya Brewster
Tom Keegan
Florence Gomes Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY) Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)
Steve Sica October 2016 October 2016
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Aquarium Pharmaceuticals
Oceanic
Aquarium Technology Inc.
Omega Sea
Aqueon
Pet Resources
Brine Shrimp Direct
Pisces Pro
Carib Sea
Red Sea
Cobalt Aquatics
Rena
Coralife
Rolf C. Hagen
Ecological Laboratories
San Francisco Bay Brand
Florida Aquatic Nurseries
Seachem
Fritz Aquatics
Sera
HBH Pet Products
Zilla
Jehmco
Zoo Med Laboratories Inc.
Jungle Labs
Coral Aquarium
Kent Marine
Monster Aquarium, Inc.
Marineland
World Class Aquarium
Microbe Lift
Your Fish Stuff.com
Ocean Nutrition America
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AN AQUARISTʼS JOURNEY Story, Art and Photos (unless noted) by Rosario LaCorte
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Chapter 25
his chapter is about people who have been a his life his English was not that good. Neither he nor part of my life, some of whom had a profound my mother could help us with our homework. Their effect on my growth as a person. In the first educations ended with the fifth grade, which was as far chapter of this journey you saw a photo of my father as compulsory education went in Italy at that time, so holding me in his arms as a baby, as well as some of we were on our own with schoolwork. My mother was my brothers. That was 87 years ago. I’m grateful a gentle woman, and lived for her family. I remember for both of my parents, who were part of the surge of that as a boy of five or so I would sometimes awaken immigrants arriving in the U.S. back in the early part in the middle of the night and shout, “Ma! Could I of the 20th century. My second-eldest granddaughter, have a glass of water?” She always seemed to be Kathleen (Katie LaCorte) awake, and quickly responded, Brommer, who apart from her never showing any impatience or profession became an avid anger over being awakened. student of genealogy (and My father was a member of teaches it as a side interest), the American Legion for the rest was able to give me some of his life. Very civic-minded, information on my parents’ he also volunteered as an air raid arrival in America. warden during World War II, and At 23 years of age my became part of the police reserve. father arrived at Ellis Island Both parents were honest to the on June 19, 1913. He had core, and imparted this honesty, departed from Palermo, Sicily loyalty, and integrity to me and on the S.S. Italia. He took up my siblings. They couldn’t residence with his sister and send us to college, but they were brother-in law. Two older still instrumental in shaping our brothers were also here. My characters. If you were to say mother arrived at age 17 in to him, “Pop, you have a lot of Boston, where she had an older integrity,” he wouldn’t have brother and a sister, on March Rosario and Jeannie a few months from her 85th known what you meant, but 26, 1914 aboard the S.S. integrity and respect were very birthday (and still beautiful). Crectic out of Naples. I am in important in our household. awe of the courage, not only of my relatives, but of so None of us kids ever got in trouble, and all five of us many others in those years, who just packed up and turned out OK. left their homes of generations to come to this country, We grew up during the Depression, where just not knowing what their lot would be. getting enough food to stay alive was a constant Pop and two older brothers worked for a time challenge. Our home was a rental, and pretty cold on the Illinois Central Railroad, in Joliet, Illinois. My during the winter months. Our mother would save mother worked as a seamstress, a common profession gallon jugs, and fill them with warm water to place at for many Italian women. Besides working on the our feet during the night. There was no radio or TV, railroad my father was also a shoemaker, having but my older brother put together a crystal radio with a learned this trade in Sicily. Drafted into the Army with head-set to entertain us, with a long copper wire strung the outbreak of the first World War, he was sent to Fort out in the back yard to serve as an antenna. Despite Dix for a month of training, and then sent to the front our bleak material situation, we were a happy family. lines in France. I’m not certain, but the fact that he Our very first Christmas tree (and presents) appeared had served in the Italian army may have shortened the when brother Joe got his first job as an apprentice length of his basic training. While in France he was pattern worker. involved in a few major battles, during one of which With the outbreak of World War II brothers he was wounded in the shoulder. Joe and Frank were drafted. Later, brother Pete Pop didn’t say much about the war, but I do recall and I were also in the military. All the men in the him saying how terrible life in the trenches was, with family served proudly. I will always remember being the rain and mud, and other hardships. I really don’t on the porch with my mother, kissing her good-bye know how he managed, because even at the end of and seeing the stress on her face. My parents never Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)
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asked for a handout, and worked very hard to keep the family together. The children of immigrants such as my parents were a large part of the “greatest generation” of young people who served in the U.S. armed forces during this cataclysmic war, many of whom never returned. I will always be grateful to both of my parents, whose strength and will to survive is unforgettable. I worry that some of that fabric of My parents; photo taken about 1950. My father loved his garden, and Mom and Pop were proud of the extra large squash that they grew in it. I may have inherited the love of nature through him, as he loved pets. A dog or a cat was always part of our household.
I Dream of Jeannie...
Above: Jeannie during the month that she turned 50 (1981) at the North Jersey picnic. Photo by Al Brown. Below: Still beautiful on her 80th birthday
character in our nation has been lost in the years since. Not long after my return from overseas I met my future wife Jean. One of the most beautiful human emotions is love. I’m happy to say that Jean is still my treasure, and I’ve always felt blessed that she came into my life. On November the 18th, 2016 we will celebrate 65 years of marriage. I’ve always felt that she is the most selfless person I have ever met. She was a terrific 14
mother, and kept our children immaculate. She has lived for her family. If you want to awaken the lioness in her, just say something bad about her spouse or her children. If the children did or said something wrong, she would reprimand them; no “wait till your father gets home.” Her punishment would be swift and fair. Our children were blessed to have her as their mother, and our home was always filled with neighborhood kids. Jean was always supportive of my involvement with fish. In the early part of our marriage she attended many monthly meetings, where she, along with the other wives made and served refreshments. As I mentioned in an earlier chapter, Jean, along with son Tom, did a magnificent job caring for my 200 fish tanks while I was away for the Smithsonian expedition to South America for six weeks. In my 70th year I began to have trouble with my right knee. The orthopedist recommended replacement surgery. My doctor, not fond of keeping me in rehab because of the higher incidence of infection, sent me home after five days in the hospital. Jeannie was just fantastic in caring for me. During all this time she also cared for my collection of fish. In 2009 I had another health issue—this time a heart attack in the early morning. I had triple-bypass surgery, and some complications, as my heart rate was accelerated, so I remained in the hospital for 15 days. During that time she made it a point to be with me each day, and our children made it a point to accompany her. She would leave the hospital at 10 PM, then go home and feed the stock, first climbing the small ladder to remove brine shrimp hatches to feed the smaller species, finishing at about midnight. I wasn’t happy about her doing all that, as she was then 79, and I told her that I’d rather have the fish die than for her to chance falling down and injuring herself. She is really one of a kind! A few months ago (2016) during a casual evening conversation, I opened up the guest book that I started in 1962. It began as a daily ledger in which I made many notes on important events in the fishroom. I began it when I had a visitor from South Africa, and decided that I would have each visitor sign the ledger. The first person to do so was Dr. Michael Morris, of the Institure for Parasitology in Durban, South Africa. The last (so far) is Gary Bagnall, President and CEO of Zoo Med Labs in California. I asked Jeannie, “How many people do you think we’ve entertained in our home since we first began requesting guests to sign the book?” She quickly replied, “I think over 150?” “No, keep going,” I said. This went on a few more times, until finally I proudly told her that 532 people from all over the world had been entertained in our home. They were not just people who wanted to see my collection, but who wanted to share a subject for which we both had a great deal of affection. Jeannie entertained most of the guests with a table-setting of refreshments, which most of them
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never expected. Because of her fantastic generosity she has been held in high esteem by the many, many people who have felt her warmth and kindness. That guest book is filled with very kind words from our guests through the years. It would be a great read in itself. It’s too bad the idea of keeping such a record of our visitors did not occur to me earlier, say in the mid-
1950s. It was during those years that some of the true giants of the hobby visited us. Most are of course now long gone. Had we been keeping records then I believe our total would have been 800 or more! I’m truly a lucky guy to have had Jeannie with me for all these years. We’ve had some wonderful moments together, attending conventions all around the country. I recall one time in 1967, speaking at a banquet in Toronto, Ontario. Jean and I were put up in a suite of rooms called the El Cid Suite. It was really classy, and a beautiful orchid corsage was sent to the room for her. While entering the hotel elevator with one of her friends, a woman whom Jean did not know
asked her if she was a famous or important person, she was so attractive. It was a moment she has always remembered, and she was very flattered. I’m very proud of her, and she will always be my treasure.
Bill Jacobs
(1903-1999) Bill Jacobs was a member of the North Bergen Aquarium Society in New Jersey, at the very same time as another young man who was a giant in the field of ichthyology, George S. Myers. Bill, as a young man in Middletown, New York, played with Native American children whose parents were part of the traveling circus led by Buffalo Bill Cody. Also in the group was the famous sharpshooter Annie Oakley. Bill saw them as a young fellow, as well as one of the Wright brothers. When Bill passed away I wrote an obituary for him for the American Killifish Association, which I have excerpted for this tribute. I met Bill in the mid-1950s, along the edge of Ursino Lake in Elizabeth, New Jersey. In those days Ursino Lake was referred to as “the reservoir.” It had been created by damming a section of the Elizabeth River, and was the source of drinking water for Elizabeth until the 1930s. After abandonment as a water source, the river became polluted by industrial dumping upstream. Not a fish could be found in it. One of the biggest polluters was a cork company that disposed of their waste into the river. Every Friday the water would turn black from the carbon residue. Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)
Rosario and Bill Jacobs circa 1985
The fish were lacking, but the river became a rich source for daphnia and tubifex worms, and the area became a meeting place for hobbyists and professional fish food suppliers from around the tri-state area. They would come from as far away as Philadelphia. It was at this reservoir that Bill and I met in the mid-1950s, each of us with a pail and a long-handled net in hand. The typical greeting when meeting a new face was to introduce one another, and then ask, “What kind of fish are you working with?” Bill and I both knew of each other, as we had many mutual friends (other
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and raised many beautiful black bettas, guppies, and swordtails. Some time in the late 1970s I gave Bill some killies (though at one time he had bred some lyretails), and now he began to gravitate more toward these. Though Bill was an active hobbyist in the ‘60s and early ‘70s, he was not active with any aquarium societies. In the late 1970s I convinced him to join the Exotic Aquarium Society, the North Jersey Aquarium Society, and the Metropolitan Area Killifish Association. We would go to those meetings each month, hardly ever missing a meeting. Because MAKA and the Long Island Killifish Association had many members holding dual membership, it was only natural for Bill to also join LIKA. After he had joined all these organizations, Jean and I asked him if he would be interested in attending the various conventions that were held throughout the eastern part of the country. Once Bill got a taste of the convention life, he always looked forward to attending them. The three of us made many trips over the years, and spent many enjoyable hours together. Anyone who came in contact with Bill enjoyed his company and respected him a great deal. He was always very generous, and donated many bags of fish to monthly auctions, as well as just giving fish to those who visited him. When Bill reached 95 years of age, the LIKA group held a birthday party for him at a restaurant, and for weeks Bill spoke of it in glowing terms. He was truly impressed. He was also presented with a plaque which he cherished. As of September or so of 1998 Bill still maintained approximately 75 aquariums and continued to attend monthly meetings, despite his 95 years. It was by now apparent that his legs were becoming weak, and he resorted to using a cane to assist his mobility. Soon after that, he decided that it would be safer not to attend meetings, as going up and down stairs had become dangerous. Bill loved his independence, and maintained his home after losing his wife Ethel three years earlier. His sister Helen, herself age 92, assisted him greatly, as did Bill Jr., who maintained a close relationship, checking in on him and seeing to his comfort. Despite his difficulty in walking, Bill still attempted to care for a few aquariums, though he had disposed of the bulk of his collection. Soon though, Bill began to require constant medical care, and after a brief stay in a nursing home Bill was hospitalized. He fought all the way, wanting to return home to plant his tomatoes and see his tulips in bloom. His tenacity was unwavering. Bill passed away one day after his 96th birthday. Bill was indeed a special friend. In the fortyplus years of our friendship I never once heard Bill use a word of profanity. Always a gentleman, his harshest expression was “that gol-darn thing!” On his new journey I’m sure Bill has found a new daphnia pond, where we’ll meet again.
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Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)
Copyright 2016 Rosario S. La Corte and the Greater City Aquarium Society. No duplication in any medium is permitted without express written permission. This prohibition includes not-for-profit aquarium societies.
hobbyists), but this was the first time we had actually met. From then on it became a solid friendship, which lasted over forty years. Bill was born in Middletown, New York in 1903, followed by his sisters Helen and Grace. His father died at an early age, and the family was raised by his widowed mother. Always interested in nature, Bill entered the hobby when he was 15 years old. His first fish were goldfish; then he graduated to exotics when he got his first pair of paradise fish. He continued his passion for the hobby for eighty unbroken years, which may be a record in itself. Bill moved to New Jersey in the 1920s, working in the shipyards, where he served his apprenticeship as an electrician. In the 1920s the tropical fish hobby began to take off, as people found it to be relaxing and enjoyable. A number of societies were organized in the tri-state area, and competition was a common occurrence. One large and well organized group was the Newark Aquarium Society, of which Bill became president. In 1929 the Newark Society held a show in the Newark Armory, in which 1,000 aquariums were on display. The event was so large that the governor of New Jersey attended and gave a speech. In March of 1931, the National Geographic Magazine featured an article on the hobby in the United States, and an accompanying photograph displays a panoramic view of the 1929 event, showing hundreds of people milling about the aquarium display. Bill, with his wife Ethel and baby Bill Jr. can be seen in the center of the photo. Bill would often talk about that event, and became dismayed when he could no longer find that issue so that he could show it to people who were visiting him. Sometime in the late1970s my wonderful wife Jean took it upon herself to locate a copy of that issue, though not telling Bill of her intentions. She spent a considerable amount of time, finally finding one in mint condition at a used book store in Elizabeth, and presented it to Bill as a gift. The glow on his face was worth all her efforts, and Bill subsequently took great pride in showing that featured article to any visitors to his fishroom. During the 1920s and 30s Bill was active in several aquarium societies, and made the acquaintance of a number of pioneer hobbyists who were members of those organizations. Ida Mellen was one of those people. She was curator of the New York Aquarium at Battery Park, wrote many articles, and was very well respected. One of the first books I obtained as a youngster was by Ida Mellen. It was also not uncommon for Bill and his associates to take the train to Philadelphia to attend meetings of the Philadelphia Academy of Sciences. When Bill and I met, his specialties were bettas, guppies, and swordtails. Those constituted the bulk of his interest in the 40s, 50s, and early 60s. The tri-state area sported some heavy hitters working with those species. Competition was very intense, particularly during the 50s. Bill was one of those heavy hitters,
A Pleasant Encounter by Elliot Oshins
M
y name is Gene. I live a very simple life and I will probably never make the headlines. I grew up, went to school and worked my entire life in the Bronx. My job is not very exciting. I’m a United States postman. I deliver the mail doorto-door, rain or shine, sleet or snow. I still live in the apartment that my parents moved into when I was ten years old. My mother passed away a few years ago, and my dad and I live together on Burnside Avenue in an 80-year-old six-story walk-up. Most of the tenants are very nice people. Their ethnicities range from Spanish to Asian to African-American to Jewish. My parents? Well, they came from Ireland. As I mentioned, my job is very boring, but my after-work activities keep me healthy, happy, and sane. I spend my off hours doing things I love to do. I am a fairly good bowler, and have two fish tanks in my home that keep me busy. But my real love and passion is dancing. Every opportunity I get I head for the local dance studio. I even won a few dance contests doing the Tango and the Salsa. The most important thing though, is to have the right dancing partner. Saturday nights I usually head to The Flamingo Lounge, my favorite dance hall, which is located in Spanish Harlem. I go there because I can usually find the best dancers. About five months ago there, I spotted two very attractive girls sitting at a table talking to each other. I walked over to their table and said, “My name is Gene. May I join you?” They both said “Sure” at the same time. When I sat down, one gal introduced herself as Sonia. The other one told me her name was Margarita. So I said, “Would one of your lovely ladies like to do the Rumba with me?” Margarita told me that she doesn’t dance but enjoys coming to the club with Sonia, as she loves to watch the dancing. At that point, Sonia nodded “yes,” took my hand, and led me onto the dance floor. I took her in my arms and we started to dance like we had been dancing together for years. She was a terrific dancer and so was I. We spent the rest of the evening dancing. Hours went by like minutes, and it was getting late. We walked back to the table and I said to the girls in a very gentlemanly voice, “Would you young ladies like to join me in getting something to eat?” Sonia said, “Thanks, maybe some other time.” Margarita just shook her head no.
Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)
The following week I went back to The Flamingo on Saturday night and again saw Sonia with her girlfriend Margarita. I walked over, sat down, and spent the evening talking and dancing with Sonia. At evening’s end, again I asked the girls if they would like to join me in getting something to eat. Again, they answered, “Thank you, but no.” Then a few weeks went by and I was unable to get to The Flamingo, as I caught a very bad cold so I was out of commission. When I recovered, I went back to my Spanish Harlem haunt and walked into the dancehall, and there was Sonia dancing the Salsa with this fellow I knew whose name is Steve. Seeing that she was occupied, I walked over to her friend Margarita, who was drinking a soda, and she asked me, “Where have you been hiding?” I told her I had a bad head cold and hadn’t been dancing for a few weeks. When the music stopped, Sonia joined us at the table. She also asked me where I had been and told her that I had been battling a cold but I was fine now. When the music started up again, Sonia and I were in each other’s arms dancing. After ten minutes, I told Sonia and Margarita I needed to get a drink for myself, and I would get them one if they liked. They said yes. I walked over to the bar and ordered three drinks. Rico, the bartender, said he saw Sonia and me dancing and he thought we dance well together and make a good dance team. I thanked him for the compliment and paid him for the drinks. Sonia and I spent the rest of the evening doing every dance we knew. Margarita was knocking back soda after soda and running back and forth to the ladies room. I have no idea where she was putting the soft drinks. It was getting late and again, and once again I made the offer to take them for a bite to eat. I was expecting the usual answer of “no.” But this time to my surprise they both said, “Yes.” We left the club and ended up at a fairly nice local 24-hour diner. The girls had salads and coffee, and then shared a cheese Danish. I, on the other hand, had griddlecakes and coffee, and found myself a little stuffed from overeating. During the meal we had a lovely conversation, and I mentioned to Sonia that I had two fish tanks in my apartment. One tank had angel fish, which
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are cichlid, a species that originally comes from the Amazon River, the second largest river in the world. The other tank is empty. My good friend Artie, who is an expert in cichlids, told me he has a fish that I would be very happy owning and keeping in my empty tank. Sonia smiled and said that her father was also into tropical fish. He had taught her a great deal about the hobby. Sonia said he had a few tanks, and one species that he had liked very much was from southern Nigeria in Africa. They are named Pelvicachromis pulcher, and are also known as kribensis. The males are larger, with pointed anal fins, an extended central ray on the caudal fins. Females have more rounded anal fins and are brightly colored. They are peaceful, though territorial, and like a heavily planted tank, with a temperature of around 75° to 79° Fahrenheit. They often use artificial caves when breeding. Both the males and the females provide active brood care. I would say it’s a very nice fish to keep and to breed. Sonia had listened to him carefully, and after her explanation of his love of the hobby, she said, “So tell me, Gene, since I know a little about fish, what are you going to put in that empty tank?” I thought for a moment, and then told her that Artie had told me he has bred some other fish that he thinks I would like. The Aulonocara maylandi Sulphur-Head Peacock is one. They are from Lake Malawi in Africa and are mouthbrooders. The males have a bright yellow blaze on the tops of their heads, and the females have brown stripes. Artie also mentioned to me that two males and four females is what you should start out with, and in a short time they would have babies. If that happens, I would have to get another small tank to accommodate the babies. Then I said, “Sonia, did I tell you I saw a very good movie the other day called The Magnificent Seven? It was a terrific drama! Sonia responded, “You know, Gene, when I went to college I also took classes in drama. I so enjoy the theater and movies! I have an idea. How about you ask one of your nice gentlemen friends if he would like to meet my friend Margarita, and we could go to a movie on Saturday night?” I considered for a moment, and thought of my friend Frank. He’s tall, well read and personable, and not bad looking. Margarita asked, “What does he do for a living?” I said, “He is a member of the New York City Fire Department. He’s not much of a dancer, but I think you two would hit it off. He’s set to retire soon, so I know he’s looking to spend time with the right person.” We finished our meal and it was getting late, so we all said goodnight, and I said I would be in touch about making that double date to see a movie. The next day, I called Frank and told him the good news about going to the movies with the girls and asked when he might be available. He said he’d be working Saturday night, so we decided that Friday 18
would be the best time. I got in touch with Sonia, and set up the date with the four of us for the following Friday night. Friday rolled around quickly, and Frank and I made our way up to the girls, who both lived on 175th Street and Sheridan Avenue. Frank drove, and parking was pretty easy. Frank had a NYC Fire Department parking permit, which he kept on his car windshield. We arrived at Sonia’s apartment at 7:30. I was a little nervous, as it had been a long time since I went on a real date with a woman. We walked into her building and she buzzed us in. We then walked up to the fourth floor and rang her bell. Sonia opened the door and greeted us. She looked radiant. She said that Margarita was still in the bathroom fixing her hair, as she was late getting there from her job. I introduced Sonia to Frank who turned to me and said, “You’re a very lucky man!” I was a little embarrassed, but felt great. She asked us to come in to the living room and offered us each a beer. Then Margarita walked into the living room, looking very different than she had at the dance hall. She had changed her hairstyle, and was wearing a blue and yellow print dress that made her look even more exotic, and very sexy. I introduced them, and noticed that Frank had a huge smile on his face, as did Margarita. I could see that they were both very pleased to meet each other. We had our beers, talked and BS’d for a while, and then left for the movie. It was fairly good, and afterwards we headed to a restaurant to have some dinner. The evening was going well, and then Sonia turned to me and invited me to dinner the following Wednesday night. I was taken aback and surprised, but at the same time happy that she made the invitation. Frank and Margarita were definitely hitting it off, as they were engaged in a very animated conversation and not paying any attention to Sonia or me. When we finished dinner, we left the restaurant and got into Frank’s car. Before we knew it, we were parked in front of the girls’ apartment house and made our way up to the fourth floor. On the way up I told Sonia I think that Frank and Margarita were really hitting it off. Sonia and I got off the elevator so I could see her to her door. Frank and Margarita continued up to the sixth floor where she lived. On our way to Sonia’s door, she took my hand and when we arrived at her door, I bent over and kissed her on the lips. She returned my kiss very passionately. We said our goodnights, and I said I would see her Wednesday night and couldn’t wait. I returned to the street, waiting for Frank to come out. I must have waited a good 15 minutes until he finally he came out, with a big smile on his face. I told him I couldn’t be happier that the two of them had hit it off. A very successful and pleasant evening was had by all! Like a kid I was very anxious, and the first few days of the week delivering the mail went very
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quickly waiting for Wednesday and 7:00 P.M. to roll around. Wednesday finally came, and I finished work, got home and prepared for my date by getting into my best suit and tie. I picked up a really good bottle of wine and a colorful and fragrant bouquet of flowers for Sonia. Like a nervous kid I kept looking at my watch, and arrived at her home and rang her bell at 6:55 p.m. She opened the door looking spectacular. I must have been smiling from ear to ear. Her hair was beautifully set and her red dress clung to her perfectly. I bent over and gave her a light kiss on her lips. I’m happy to say she didn’t pull back or move away. She thanked me for the wine and put the flowers in a blue vase and placed it on the dining table. Sonia opened the wine, poured two glasses, and we sat down in the living room to chat. I realized I hardly knew her or what she did for a living so I asked her. She told me she was an attorney and worked for a large law firm. By our second drink, Sonia excused herself and told me she had to check the food in the oven. After a few minutes had passed she told me to move to the dining room and have a seat at the table. The table looked beautiful, and I realized that she must have spent a great deal of time setting it. It was done meticulously. The meal started with a tomato gazpacho soup which she told me she prepared from scratch. It was delicious. Then she brought out a plate with a stew called Cocido Madrileño, a Spanish dish containing chickpeas, vegetables, potatoes, and meat. She told me this was a family recipe and an old Spanish dish that her grandmother used to prepare. Again, it was delicious, and I told her so. Sonia took a seat next to me and we took our time eating, drinking and talking. I thought to myself, “Someone must be watching over me.”
Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)
After dinner, I offered to help her clear the table and clean up but she said, “Don’t worry, you’re my guest and I will get it done.” We adjourned to the living room when I told her, “Everything was delicious and I think I ate a little too much.” She smiled. I was tired and the wine had made me a little tipsy, as I probably had drunk too much. We sat on the living room sofa talking about the upcoming election between Richard Nixon and John Kennedy. I held my own during the conversation, and realized that Sonia was very smart. She then asked me if I wanted some coffee or tea and told her that sounded like a great idea, having had too much wine. She left the living room and as if by magic, the dining table was cleared and set up for dessert and coffee. The conversation continued during the dessert and realized I was getting really full by this time. I had two cups of coffee and told her that it tasted so much better than the coffee I make. She gave me a warm smile. It was now almost 1:00 A.M., and I realized that it was getting very late. I told her I had had a great time, and that she had prepared a wonderful meal and was a very gracious hostess, but it was time I was getting home, as I had to get up early to go to work the next morning. I asked her if she would be interested in going with me to see a Broadway show if I got the tickets. She said, “Of course, I would!” I asked her to let me know which show, and I would get the tickets. I collected my jacket, and she walked me to the door. There we kissed in a long and passionate embrace. I felt like I had met the person I would like to spend the rest of my life with. Hoping that she felt the same way, I said goodnight and left. On my way home I thought to myself, I’m in love!
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Reprinted from Tank Talk – March 2013 / Volume 40, Number 07, Published by the Durham Regional Aquarium Society. 20
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from the others. At this time I prepared another tank ready to hold the adults. Finally about a week later she finally released the baby fish out to see the world and allowed them to grab some food. She was a very diligent mother as anytime I passed her tank she would immediately scurry around and gather up all of the young fish back into her mouth. She was very thin at this point so I carefully fed her as I was feeding the babies live baby brine shrimp. Three days later I removed the mother and the other adults into another tank. The babies when first released are about the size of small baby guppies. They took a couple of days to realize what the brine shrimp were for but once they did the bellies filled out quickly and the babies are growing. I am guessing when I say there are 25 of them. These fish are in part of the C.A.R.E.S. program and are in danger in their wild home. They are an attractive fish deserving of a home in one of your tanks.
Tank Talk – March 2013 / Volume 40, Number 07 Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)
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GCAS Member Discounts at Local Fish Shops 10% Discount on everything except 'on sale' items.
10% Discount on fish.
20% Discount on fish. 15% on all else.
10% Discount on everything.
10% Discount on everything.
10% Discount on everything.
10% Discount on fish.
10% Discount on everything.
10% Discount on everything except 'on sale' items.
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Why Hobbyists Should Write for their Club Journal
W
by Wayne S. Leibel
e stand on the shoulders of others who come before us. This is no less true of the aquarium hobby than it is for most other aspects of life. We learn by hearing of or reading about other people’s experiences. In the case of the beginning aquarium hobbyist, this is usually through books or slick magazines. But once having joined an aquarium society where hobbyists of all experiences and abilities meet and exchange ideas (and fish!), our learning increases exponentially. This can happen via speakers invited to share their knowledge specifically because of their expertise in particular areas of the hobby, or better, through informal chat with other members of the club over coffee or the auction table, or, yes, through club publications like Jersey Shore’s Shoreline. Although my major lifelong hobby interest has been cichlids, I find nuggets of useful information in virtually every talk I have attended, be it about guppies, bettas, or even marine fishes, or in conversation with other members about some weird fish they’ve spawned, or fielding a question or problem they might bring me (and more often than not I don’t have a clue, but learn something from discussing!), or reading an article in the club journal, be it a short BAP report about some fish I have never kept, or a longer feature article. There is always something to be l earned, and it is what keeps us vital in the hobby. A club’s publication is its lifeline to the membership and its lifeblood for information exchange. In my talks to various and sundry groups I always try to give hobbyists a pep talk on how what we do as hobbyists is important. I think, as a group, tropical fish hobbyists have a collective inferiority complex; we think that our experiences in captive rearing and spawning of fishes is unimportant— simply a ‘hobby’ (with all the lack of seriousness that implies). Particularly, relative to science. But nothing could be further from the truth! We have much to contribute. Even to that serious activity we call ‘science.’ Let me tell you why. These days, the number of professional ichthyologists and other scientists actively engaged in research on fish has dwindled in favor of more molecularly oriented research. That’s where the
Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)
action and money is these days! Fact is, too, most professional ichthyologists are great with the dead and pickled fish they study and name, and not so good with the living critters! (Though there are some exceptions, thankfully.) Also, with so few ichthyologists and so many fish, a lot of interesting observations just never get made: So many fish, so little time, so few professionals to do it! Here’s where we hobbyists come in. Our stock in trade as aquarium hobbyists is creating conditions that encourage our fish to spawn in captivity, where we can watch what they do at close range and learn from them. We do this for a variety of reasons: to accumulate Breeder Award points, to have young fish to sell at auction or to stores to help defray the cost of our hobby, or simply for the challenge and bragging rights of being the first to spawn some difficult or little-known, seldom-kept, or new fish. But along with these activities comes the opportunity also to observe—really observe—what our fishes do, record what they do by taking notes on the conditions we spawned them under and the behaviors we witnessed, and to share that information with other aquarists either through brief BAP reports or better, through articles published in the club bulletin (or even national slick hobby magazine!) The information is important not just to other hobbyists who would like to learn how to spawn a particular fish, but also to science! Really! Here’s one (of several) examples of how hobbyists have contributed to ichthyology in a direct and important way. About 15 years ago, in the mid1980s, some of us playing with South American cichlids of the genus Geophagus (eartheaters) noticed that one of the ʻspeciesʼ appearing in the hobbyand sold as ʻsurinamensisʼ differed from batch to batch. Although all ʻformsʼ had blue and red longitudinal striping along their sides, and the same basic body shape, and all sifted sand for food, they differed in the coloration of their tail fins; some had flag stripes (alternating blue and red), some had spotted tails, and some of the spot-tails had black throats and others did not. We also knew they came from different river systems in South America, since, among others, Ben Rosler Metropolitan Pet), a knowledgeable local wholesaler,
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kept track of where they were collected and exported from: Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Guyana, Brazil, etc.) At the time, ichthyologists (J.P. Gosse, 1974) who had studied the dead, pickled bodies of these ʻsurinamensisʼ eartheaters, concluded that it was one very widely distributed species. A (then) newcomer to South American cichlid ichthyology, Sven Kullander, thought otherwise, and suggested that these were discrete, different species, not just various flavors of Geophagus surinamensis, in need of different species names. He thought the colorational and other differences (body shape, scale numbers, etc.) were different enough to justify splitting them as different species. It was hobbyists who bred these fish that provided the final clue and proof: some of the populational forms were ‘immediate’ mouthbrooders, which like African Rift Lake cichlids laid their eggs and picked them up in their mouths immediately to incubate them to hatching, while other forms were ‘delayed’ mouthbrooders, which pasted their eggs down on a rock, guarded them for a few days, then took them in their mouths for final incubation, and some were simply nonmouthbrooding ‘substrate brooders’ who did the typical cichlid thing and pasted and guarded their eggs! Clearly, there were more than one species involved! And it was hobbyists who provided the crucial information. How did Kullander learn about this? There was no way of observing these behaviors in the wild, and no ichthyologist sufficiently skilled in getting live fish to breed in the aquarium, leastwise not Dr. Kullander. He didn’t breed these himself, rather hobbyists did and wrote about their experiences in hobby
magazines that Kullander had the good sense to be reading, and he went ‘aha!’. In fact, Kullander and other ichthyologists have increasingly looked to the aquarium hobby community to provide observations of fish behavior they would never see in the wild. Have you heard about mouthbrooding severums? Or contactfeeding pike cichlids? Or Killifish who inject their eggs into cracks in rocks in fast moving streams? Or splashing tetras that jump out of the water to spawn on overhanging plants? Or bubblenest brooding catfish? Or etc., etc., etc. The list goes on and on, and science would be ignorant of all if it were not for tropical fish hobbyists and the articles they have written about observations they have made in their home aquaria! We should give ourselves a huge pat on our collective back! OK, well maybe your experiences breeding this or that may not prove important or crucial to science (though you never know!), but I am certain someone, somewhere, would love to learn about them even if it is just to repeat them and rack up BAP points. Our hobby is, among other things, about generating and sharing information. I can think of no better chatter vehicle for doing this than a fish club, and no better way for sharing the information within and between fish clubs than through club publications, particularly in this age of the internet and websites, where club journals and your writings are posted on the web for all to access and learn from. So, please, really observe your fish, take good notes and SHARE them with the rest of the tropical fish community by WRITING FOR YOUR CLUB PUBLICATION. Please write!
Reprinted from The Underwater News, Pioneer Valley Aquarium Society, February 2011. First appeared in The Shoreline, Jersey Shore Aquarium Society, March 2002.
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Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)
CORAL AQUARIUM Your Holistic Pet Food Center In Jackson Heights
•Freshwater Fish •Saltwater Fish •Live Corals •Fancy Goldfish •Live Plants •Food & Supplies for All Pets •Extensive Selection of Holistic Dog & Cat Foods Open Monday-Friday 10 am – 8 pm Saturday 10 am – 7 pm & Sunday 12 pm – 6 pm ALL MAJOR CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED
75‐05 Roosevelt Avenue, Jackson Heights
7184293934
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GCAS Classifieds FOR SALE: 50 Gallon Breeder Tanks (52 gal.) 48 X18 X 14H. Drilled, with bulkheads. $25ea. Call Coral Aquarium: 718-429-2934 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------FOR SALE: African cichlids -- all sizes, as well as tanks and accessories. Call Derek (917) 854-4405 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------FOR SALE: Frontosas -- all sizes. Call Andy (718) 986-0886 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------FOR SALE: Supreme AP-60 air pump. This pump easily supplies air for 30 to 40 aquariums. It is very quiet, and uses less than 70 watts. They wholesale for $180. I have a brand-new, never used one for $120. Contact Joe Ferdenzi at gfcadeo@gmail.com. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------FREE TO GOOD HOME: I have a Giant Gourami who is now too big for my 80 gallon tank. He needs to be in much larger quarters. He is a beautiful and healthy 5 years old fish (see image). If you have or know anyone who has a big tank and would like to have this adorable fish, please send me an email message. Antonio (dj_neco@yahoo.com). -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------FOR SALE: 20 gallon fish tank with included filtration and light ($120 value new)
Brand / model: Aqueon 17760 Deluxe Kit Aquarium Dimensions: 25.7 x 18.5 x 14. The tank is in very good used condition. You get this PLUS $100 worth of SUPPLIES: additional bubbling filter, a pack of carbon filters, water-testing kit, heater, thermometer, fish food and supplies (Prime, Salt, rocks, and other supplies to make your tank optimal for freshwater fish). The tank is perfect for tropical fish as well. (More supplies than shown in images).
Pick Up in Hell's Kitchen, NYC Contact ss@stephaniesellars.com or 917-664-6106
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------FOR SALE: 45 gal Tall tank w/black stand, hood, light.
46 gal Bow brown tank w/stand, hood, light 20 gal tank w/hood, light, filter
Call 516-567-8641 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Continues... 26
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Shutting Down My Tanks. Following fish available: 3 Gold Severums -- Large; 2 Green Severums -- 1 Large, 1 Small 1 Geophagus jurupari -- Small; 3 Geophagus brasiliensis -- 2 Large, 1 Small 4 Silver Dollars -- Large; 2 Firemouths -- 1 Large, 1 Small; 2 Rainbow cichlids 1 Kribensis; 1 Texas cichlid -- Large; 1 shark -- Large; 2 Hoplo cats; 2 Blue Botia; 2 Tiger Botia 1 Large Euruptus cat; 3 Rafael cats; 1 Pictus cat 3 Rainbows; 2 black tetras; 4 Keyholes, 1 Geo balzani; 3 Congo tetras; 2 Blue Acaras 1 Angel; 1 Discus; 1 Frontosa; 7 or 8 catfish; 2 Botia dario; 4 bettas Call Ron: 718-464-8408 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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GCAS Happenings
October
Last Month’s Bowl Show Winners: 1 Richard Waizman 2 Richard Waizman
Half-moon betta Half-moon betta
Unofficial 2016 Bowl Show totals: Richard Waizman Ed Vukich
23 Bill Amely 16 5 Summerliya Brewster
Mario Bengcion 8 1
A warm welcome back to renewing GCAS members Rich Levy, Desiree Martin, and Steve Sagona! A special welcome to new GCAS members Tom Keegan, Robert Kolsky, and Thomas Warns!
Meeting times and locations of some of the aquarium societies in the Metropolitan New York City area: Greater City Aquarium Society
Next Meeting: November 2, 2016 Speaker: Michael Barber Topic: The Perfect Fishroom 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 (347) 866-1107 Email: gcas@earthlink.net 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: October 21, 2016 Speaker: Michael Marcotrigiano Topic: Confessions of an “Un-naturalist”: Highly Domesticated Show Guppies 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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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
Nassau County Aquarium Society
Next Meeting: October 11, 2016 Speaker: TBA Topic: TBA 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: October 14, 2016 Event: GIANT Fall Auction Topic: N/A 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
East Coast Guppy Association
Next Meeting: October 9, 2016 Event: Giant Fall Auction Topic: N/A Meets at: Days Hotel, East Brunswick NJ Contact: NJAS Hotline at (732) 332-1392 Email: tcoletti@obius.jnj.com Website: http://www.njas.net/
Norwalk Aquarium Society
Next Meeting: October 20, 2016 Speaker: TBA Topic: 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/
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Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)
Fish Oil, or Snake Oil?
To this day, we still possess this evolutionary evidence by the way our arms and legs are attached to our bodies. Using CT scans and generic tools to study the zebrafish, they found out that zebrafish’s jaw and fins resemble the synovial joints that mammals have. When these joints A series by “The Undergravel Reporter” are stressed due to lack of lubricin (similar to protein in humans), arthritis may develop. In spite of popular demand to the “Zebrafish are becoming a popular contrary, this humor and information system for human disease research, yet it had column continues. As usual, it does NO T necessarily represent the been thought that they lack lubricated joints opinions of the Editor, or of the and could not be used to study arthritis,” said Greater City Aquarium Society. corresponding author Gage Crump, associate professor of stem cell biology and he Arthritis Foundation claims that regenerative medicine at the Keck School of “fish oil significantly decreased joint Medicine, in a press release. tenderness and stiffness in RA “Creating the first genetic osteoarthritis [rheumatoid arthritis] model in a fish is p a t i e n t s . . . . exciting. Goin g Preliminary studies forward, it will be indicate it may have a fascinating to explore similar effect on whether the zebrafish, osteoarthritis.” 1 That which is well known sounds a bit “fishy” for its regenerative to me in view of the abilities, can also recent discovery by naturally repair its researchers at the damaged joints,” he University of said. “If so, the fish Southern California could teach us who found out that, fundam entally new just like humans, fish lessons in how to are susceptible to reverse arthritis in arthritis, too. 2 patients.” For the study, If fish oil helps Zebrafish are used in research at the researchers used to alleviate the Oregon State University. the zebrafish, Danio symptoms of arthritis (Photo : Flickr/Creative Commons/Oregon rerio, which was State University) in humans, why do chosen because this fish have arthritis in tropical fish from the the first place? As I minnow family has almost the same genetic wrote at the start of this article, something’s structure as humans. Four-limbed bony fishy. vertebrates (such as humans) evolved from lobe-finned fish or Sarcopterygii.
T
References 1
http://www.arthritis.org/living-with-arthritis/treatments/natural/supplements-herbs/guide/fish-oil.php
2
http://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/25428/20160718/arthritis-in-fish-its-possible.htm
M odern A quarium - G reater City A .S. (N Y )
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Fin Fun Each of the clues in the puzzle below is the scientific name of a loach species whose common name is ________ loach. That blank is the word you need in order to complete the puzzle. Good Luck!
Solution to our last puzzle: Scientific name
Common name Amazon dwarf cichlid
Apistogramma pertensis
Swordfin killifish
Campellolebias brucei
Acre corydoras
Corydoras acrensis
Goldspotted tetra
Hyphessobrycon griemi
Blackline tetra
Hyphessobrycon scholzei
Marbled pearlfish
Leptolebias marmoratus
Opal pearlfish
Leptolebias opalescens
30
24
Nematolebias whitei
Rio pearlfish
Notholebias minimus
Barredtail pearlfish
Simpsonichthys constanciae
Featherfin pearlfish
October 2016 October 2016
Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY) Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)