Modern Aquarium April 2011

April 2011volume XVIIInumber 2

ON THE COVEROur cover photo this month features a pair of Steatocranus casuarius, popularly called the buffalo head cichlid. For information on keeping and spawning this personable, distinctive-looking cichlid from Africa’s Congo River basin, see Jules Birnbaum’s article on page 11. Photo by Alexandra Horton

GREATER CITY AQUARIUM SOCIETY

Board MeMBers

President Dan RadebaughVice-President Edward VukichTreasurer Jules BirnbaumCorresponding Secretary Mario Bengcion Recording Secretary Tommy Chang

MeMBers at Large

Claudia Dickinson Pete D’OrioAl Grusell Ben HausEmma Haus Jason KernerLeonard Ramroop

CoMMittee Chairs

A.C.A. Delegate Claudia DickinsonBowl Show Leonard RamroopBreeder Award Warren Feuer Mark SobermanEarly Arrivals Al GrusellF.A.A.S. Delegate Alexander A. PriestMembership Marsha RadebaughPrograms Claudia DickinsonN.E.C. Delegate Claudia DickinsonTechnology Coordinator Warren Feuer

MODERN AQUARIUM

Editor in Chief Dan RadebaughCopy Editors Sharon Barnett Susan Priest Alexander A. PriestExchange Editors Stephen Sica Donna Sosna SicaAdvertising Mgr. Mark Soberman

In This IssueFrom the Editor

2G.C.A.S. 2011 Program Schedule

3President’s Message

4 Our Generous Sponsors & Advertisers

5Our Guest Speaker: Andre Carletto

7by Claudia dickinson

Fish Bytes 9by stephen sica with donna sosna sica

Caring for and Breeding the Buffalo Head 11Steatocranus casuarius

by Jules Birnbaum

Serendipity 13by rich Levy

A Recipe for Smiles 15by susan Priest

I Think I See A(nother) Lionfish! 17by stephen sica

Photos from our Last Meeting 20by susan Priest

No, It’s NOT a Guppy! 22by alexander a. Priest

Member Classifieds 25

Our Generous Members 25

G.C.A.S. Happenings 26

The Undergravel Reporter 27Can i Put this in my tanks?

Fin Fun (Puzzle Page) 28Wanna Fight?

Series III Vol. XVIII, No. 2 April, 2011

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)2 April 2011

From theEditor by Dan Radebaugh

Last month I began this column with updates to recent events and stories. This month, rather than

updates, the theme seems to be “return,” and this theme starts right away, on the front cover. Alexandra Horton, whose photo of Neolamprologus similis graced our September 2009 issue cover, this month provides us with photos of another African cichlid, Steatocranus casuarius, often called the buffalo head. One of Alexandra’s photos adorns our cover; a couple more appear in her grandfather Jules Birnbaum’s article on the care and breeding of this distinctive denizen of the Congo River basin.

Steve Sica tells us about his return to the Caribbean to have fun diving and further documenting the spread of the invasive lionfish in those waters. This time he brings back even more gorgeous photos than before. In his column “Fish Bytes,” Steve also brings us up to date with what’s been appearing in other aquarium society publications.

Rich Levy tells us how, by returning to his “roots,” he was able to write an article and pass on some aquarium knowledge and enthusiasm to a younger generation.

For better or worse, that’s probably about as far as I can push the “return” theme. By contrast, for the first time in my admittedly brief tenure as Editor, we have “tag-team” articles. In “A Recipe for Smiles,” Susan Priest gives us an evocative description of a favorite fish tank, and Al Priest follows later in the issue with an article on the inhabitants of that tank―the species in this case being the Endler’s livebearer. And no, it’s NOT just a guppy!

Susan also contributes a photo spread from last month’s meeting. “The Undergravel Reporter” and the “Fin Fun”

finish the issue. Be sure and see page 7 for Claudia Dickinson’s introduction of this evening’s speaker, Andre Carletto! Enjoy!

* * *Remember, as always, we need articles!

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

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

From theEditor by Dan Radebaugh

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY) April 2011 3

GCASPrograms

2011It is our great fortune to have another admirable cast of speakers who have so graciously

accepted our invitation to join us throughout the coming season, bringing us their extensive knowledge and experiences. You certainly won’t wish to miss a moment of our prominent

guests, not to mention the friends, fish, warmth, and camaraderie that accompanies each meeting. I know I can barely wait to see you here! Enjoy!

Claudia

March 2 Joseph FerdenziSubstrate-spawning Cichlids of Lake Tanganyika

April 6 Andre CarlettoAquatic Habitats In Brazil: A Killifish Perspective

May 4 Judith WeisDo Fish Sleep?

June 6 TBA

July 6 TBA

August 3 Silent Auction

September 5 TBA

October 5 TBA

November 2 TBA

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 fax to (877) 299-0522, or email to [email protected]. Copyright 2011 by the Greater City Aquarium Society Inc., a not-for-profit New York State corporation. All rights reserved. Not-for-profit aquarium societies are hereby granted permission to reproduce articles and illustrations from this publication, unless the article indicates that the copyrights have been retained by the author, and provided reprints indicate source and two copies of the publication are sent to the Exchange Editor of this magazine. Any other reproduction or commercial use of the material in this publication is prohibited without express written prior permission.The Greater City Aquarium Society meets every month, except January and February. Members receive notice of meetings in the mail. For more information, contact: Dan Radebaugh (718) 458-8437. Find out more, or leave us a message, at our Internet Home Page at: http://www.greatercity.org or http://www.greatercity.com


President’sMessage

by Dan Radebaugh

First of all, I offer a big “Thank You!” to Joe Ferdenzi, who stepped up last month to fill in for a cancelled

speaker. As always, Joe provided us with an informative, entertaining, and well-illustrated presentation.

Last month I told you about the changes in our Board, and a couple of you noted that our new Recording Secretary, Tommy Chang, was not in attendance. Well, Tommy won’t be in attendance this evening either. Tommy managed to slip on some of the ice we’ve enjoyed so often this winter, and broke an ankle. We wish him well, and hope for his speedy return.

This month I have another change to mention. After years of wearing too many hats to even count, Claudia Dickinson has

decided it’s time to cut back to a moderately more reasonable commitment load. While Claudia will still retain many of her hats, the Membership chair will be taken over by Marsha Radebaugh. We’re also looking for someone to take over as NEC Delegate. If you’re interested, and are able to occasionally make the trip to Connecticut, please do give me a call or talk to me during a meeting.

As you’ll see in a notice on page 8 of this issue, the Brooklyn Aquarium Society is throwing a 100th Birthday Party on July 8th at the New York Aquarium. I’m sure that all of us here at GCAS wish them the best, and that many of us will be joining them at their celebration. Mazel tov!Dan

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GCASThanks You!

Our Generous Sponsors and AdvertisersThe Greater City Aquarium Society extends our heartfelt thanks to the following manufacturers for their generous donations. Thanks also to our advertisers, whose contributions to our success as a Society are deeply appreciated. Please patronize our supporters.

Rena Rolf C. Hagen San Francisco Bay BrandSeachemZoo Med Laboratories Inc.Cameo Pet Shop Coral AquariumNassau DiscusWorld Class AquariumZoo Rama Aquarium

Aquarium PharmaceuticalsAquarium Technology Inc Ecological Laboratories HBH Pet ProductsKoller-CraftKordon, LLCMarinelandMicrobe LiftOcean Nutrition AmericaOmega SeaRed Sea


DANBURY AREA AQUARIUM SOCIETY

Serving the Hudson Valley Area, Westchester, Fairfield, and Litchfield

Counties

26th AUCTION - Spring 2011!

TO BE HELD AT THE: Carmel Firehouse

94 Gleneida Ave (Corner of Route 52 & Vink Drive)

Carmel, NY 10512

, 1 red dot, 50/50 split, *60/40 for 6 or more lots, and preprinted lot #

labels (no description, please label your bags)

*Acceptable lots will be determined by the auction committee

Vendors: TBD

Food &Refreshments will be available

REGISTRATION.................................8:30 AM TO 11:15 AM

VIEWING OF GOODS........................10:00 AM TO 11:15 AM

AUCTION..................................................11:30 AM TO 5 PM

RAFFLE..........................................................................50 / 50


The G.C.A.S.

Proudly extends a most Warm Welcometo

Our Guest SpeakerAndre Carletto

Speaking onAquatic Habitats In Brazil:

A Killifish Perspective by Claudia Dickinson

Growing up in São Paulo, Brazil, Andre Carletto has shared his life with every creature imaginable. If it flew, swam,

walked, slithered, or crawled, it more than likely had spent time residing in or around the Carletto household. Andre’s mother recalls a day at the zoo when her infant son was suddenly not to be found. To her horror and panic, Andre had crawled inside the lion cage and was nestled in with the large cats as if he was one of their own.

His immense love of all creatures has always included those of aquatic nature, and as a teenager Andre discovered his true passion: killifish. From that time on, over a span of 20 years, he has been hooked on killies, and has certainly made his mark in the killie world. Studying biology at the University of São Paulo (USP), it was there that Andre did special studies on the ecology and morphology of killies. He went on to co-found the Killie Clube do Brasil (KCB).

Andre began collecting excursions, at which time he was able to gather ecological information regarding various habitats. These trips led to the discovery of numerous new species, a new genus

and even the rediscovery of a species that had disappeared from the trade for over 40 years! A supreme honor was bestowed upon Andre when a killifish was named after him, the Simpsonichthys carlettoi.

An active member of the American Killifish Association, Long Island Killifish Association, and British Killifish Association, Andre has written numerous articles for each of the organizations’ respective publications. He is a highly sought after speaker across the globe, having spoken in Brazil, Canada, at the AKA Convention in New York, and throughout the northeast.

Presently residing in Connecticut, where he works as a technical consultant, Andre maintains 30 tanks in his fishroom. The majority of these house killifish, with a few diverging into cichlids, as well as other groups. It is such a great honor, and with such pleasure, that we welcome Andre as he joins us tonight to share Aquatic Habitats In Brazil: A Killifish Perspective.



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

by Stephen Sica with Donna Sosna Sica

Dickinson’s “Conservation Awareness: A CARES Conservation Priority Species Success Story,” Al Priest’s “A Touch of Gold: Beta Midas,” and my “Grand Cayman’s North Sound.” In the October issue, Zenin acknowledges Dan Radebaugh’s “Is That Model Available in Turquoise?” and Sue Priest’s book review of Tetras and Barbs. Both of these were in the July 2010 Modern Aquarium.

In the same issue, KWAS’s Ed Koerner, in his “PlantED” Tank column, discusses some rare plants, including Anubias heterophylla. This is a larger species that can grow up to twenty-four inches tall, with its leaves reaching over a foot long. It is quite slow growing, with only two to four new leaves each year. Also, in his October 2010 column about substrates, he explains that basic, unscented cat litter is an excellent substrate. He has had it in several display tanks for two years. Made with clay and diatomaceous earth, its appearance is “gray and boring when dry,” but when wet “it looks rather similar to fluorite. It can be…dusty, but settles quickly.”

The November 2010 Kitchener-Waterloo Fins & Tales’ “Exchange Editor’s Report” also mentions Al Priest’s September 2010 betta article “When Three’s Not a Crowd.”

Please note that the Durham Regional Aquarium Society, located in Ontario and publisher of the monthly Tank Talk, participates in the C.A.R.E.S. conservation program. Nine members of the society participate, and care for at least sixteen different species. The January 2011 issue’s cover photo, of two Xenotilapia flavipinnis side by side but facing in opposite directions,

It’s the last week of January, and today’s weather forecast was for a few snow flurries. However, as I look out the window from afar

late this morning, it’s been snowing heavily for over two hours, so now I just have to get up and check it out more closely. It sure looks like a lot of snow to me, but to paraphrase Jimmy Buffet when he said in his song, “It’s Five O’clock Somewhere,” I guess it’s not snowing somewhere, but right about now I’m hard pressed to figure out exactly where.

In the Bucks County Aquarium Society’s September 2010 issue of The Buckette, Mark Denaro was appointed (or did he volunteer?) to be their new exchange columnist. In what may be his first column, named “Seining the Exchanges,” Mark gives lengthy summaries of Al Priest’s “The Cave Secret…or Spawning/Mouthbrooding Bettas” and Joe Ferdenzi’s “Live Foods: My Perpetual Daphnia Tank.” In Mark’s October exchange column, he discusses Al’s “When Three’s Not a Crowd,” which is about introducing an additional betta to induce spawning. The Buckette’s editor, Carol Ross, suggests a nice site for aquarium plants, www.plantedtank.net.

In the September 2010 Fins & Tales of the Kitchener-Waterloo Aquarium Society, Zenin Skomorowski’s “Exchange Editor’s Report” is brilliant! He had so many club publications to review (I know the feeling) that he prepared a diagram listing the date (issue), publication, publisher (club), author, and article title. Modern Aquarium articles were mentioned four times: Tommy Chang’s “MTS: Is There a Cure?,” Claudia


is perhaps the most beautiful freshwater fish photograph that I have ever seen! It was taken by the DRAS’s past president Klaus Steinhaus. For calendar year 2011, DRAS member Derek P.S. Tustin is writing a monthly column that he has named “Year of the Rainbowfish.” The DRAS has a nice website. It does archive articles, but this new column appears to be too new to have been uploaded to the website; therefore if anyone is interested in Rainbowfish, you can try to research it online in a few months or give me your e-mail address and I’ll forward it to you before I delete it.

In Pam Chin’s monthly column, “Ask Pam #96,” in the September/October issue of the Cichlidae Communique, a reader informs us that Taiwan has developed a fluorescent cichlid. I wouldn’t be surprised if sooner or later every tropical fish in the hobby either glows, lights up, twinkles, or blinks―or maybe all of these at once. The November/December 2010 Cichlidae C o m m u n i q u e contains a recap of the American Cichlid Association’s annual convention. Claudia Dickinson is the first woman in thirty-four years to be awarded the Association’s highest honor of “Fellow.” Another reader submitted a homemade frozen food recipe for her Tropheus. There are sixteen ingredients, so my advice is the purchase a commercial food off the shelf (or in this case from the freezer). By the way, Pam is not too thrilled by some of the ingredients, so I won‘t list them here. If interested, ask Pam! On second thought, better not. The exchange section of Pam’s “Cichlids in the News” column in the January/February 2011 Cichlidae Communique mentions Dan Radebaugh’s “Going the Distance with Paratheraps synspilus” from last October’s Modern Aquarium.

When I read last November’s Cichlid Blues, the Pacific Coast Cichlid Association’s newsletter, I saw that a columnist reduced his twenty-four fish tanks to six in order to save electricity. The politicians keep telling us that the economy is on

an upswing. I guess the old proverb (that goes something like this) may be true: You’re born poor, and despite your best efforts to become financially successful by a lifetime of hard work and saving, you still die poor (probably poorer nowadays). Is this the American success story or the story of America?

The November 2010 issue of Paradise Press contained two very interesting articles on seining for tropical fish off Long Island beaches. One had photographs of some of these fish, such as the blue-spotted coronetfish, the orange filefish, the houndfish (that I had never heard of or seen before), as well as the bandtail puffer fish, and

the pinfish, which is a cousin of the p o r g y ― a n o t h e r species that I had never heard of before. I have read the last few editions of the Press online. The new editor, Roxana Tuohy, is doing a great job!

The January/February 2011 issue of The Youngstown Aquarist contains a Breeders Forum column, in which Club member Brian

LaNeve discusses his acquisition and spawning of Nannostomus marginatus, the dwarf pencil fish. It’s a very easy fish to keep, and small, so it does not require much space. I kept several in a six gallon tank a few years back. If you like pencil fish, you should find this article worthwhile.

And finally, I read in Mike Mathews’ “Spawning Rosy Red Minnows,” in the December 2010 issue of the Circle City Aquarium Club’s Fancy Fins, that these are native United States fish, which are commonly used as feeder fish. Mike bred these egg layers in a ten gallon Sterilite® tub on his basement floor, with temperatures dropping into the low sixties. These fish may make a good, inexpensive novice project for breeding fish.

It took so long to write this column that it’s now sixty-five degrees outside with nary a hint of snow. Of course, when it comes to the weather, tomorrow is another day―but not yet another column!

This Harlequin bass is four inches of vertical stripes and splashes, with a dash of yellow. It may be pretty, but Donna can make it spill the beans.


Caring for and Breeding theBuffalo Head

by Jules Birnbaum

Last year I visited Ed Vukich’s fishroom and was fascinated by some of his African cichlids. He suggested I take home a few buffalo head

juveniles, and gave me a little advice about their care and breeding habits. The female fish get to be about four inches when fully grown, while males can reach up to six inches. They require at least a 30 gallon aquarium. The fish is unattractive to some, with adult males having a huge nuchal hump on their heads. Their color is dark black, tan, and gray.

When my granddaughter Alexandra first saw my new fish she said they were now her favorites. So go figure―what is ugly to one person is beautiful to another. After watching them for awhile she evidently decided beauty is only skin deep.

The buffalo head’s Latin name is Steatocranus casuarius. This translates to mean “fat head with a prominent hump.” They are part of the Cichlidae family. This fish comes from fast-moving streams of the Congo River basin of Africa. They move very quickly, with an irregular, jerky motion. The males are larger than the females, and have a more prominent hump. They inhabit the lower portions of the tank and make a good cichlid community fish. However, like most cichlids, they become very territorial when they pair off.

The setup of my buffalo head tank is a 29 gallon with lava rock built up long the back of the tank. The plants are Java ferns and small Anubias. Aquascaping is easy, since the fish will not upset your work. The filtration is a Swiss Tropicals Poret sponge filter, with a jetlifter placed across one side wall of the tank. I discuss this filter now, but you can learn more about it on the internet. Any sponge or box filter will do for a breeding setup. You can also use a hang-on filter, but the intake pipe should be covered with something like a pre-filter sponge.

Among the advantages of these African cichlids is that they can tolerate a wide range of pH and temperature. Mine are kept at a pH of about 7.2, and a temperature of 78 degrees Fahrenheit. They get along with most fish, and they have had several Archocentrus sajica, a Central American cichlid, as tankmates. They

won’t disturb live plants. I change 25% of the tank water weekly, at which time I also clean any gravel that is not covered by rocks. Their diet consists of flakes, cichlid pellets, and frozen bloodworms. I feed larger portions when conditioning the pair for breeding. This is a very intelligent fish that somehow knows when I’m about to feed them bloodworms—which seems to be like steak to them.

After my fish paired off I ended up with two pairs and one extra male. This solo male took a beating from the breeding pair, so he was removed.

I also removed the sajicas to avoid overcrowding. I then set about giving the fish the conditions to best exhibit their very interesting breeding behavior. One addition to the breeding setup, suggested by Ed Vukich, was a couple of Evan Rosenthal’s ceramic caves. These caves have small openings that only the female can enter. The male hung out just outside the cave. One day I noticed

the female sticking her head out of the cave, seeming to guard the entrance. I was able to observe some relatively large eggs that were attached to the inside back of the cave.

The eggs hatched in about a week, and the female at first kept the fry in the cave. I had no idea how many fry I had, but after the first week they started venturing out of the cave, shepherded by their mother. Each evening the mother collected them in her mouth and moved them back into the cave.

Female Steatocranus casuarius guarding her fry in the cave.

Male Steatocranus casuarius (buffalo head cichlid) peering out from the rockwork.


Using a turkey baster, I fed the fry with my own concoction of microworms and fine dry fry food mixed with water. After the third week the fry had the same shape and color as their parents, but without the hump on the forehead. The fry started roaming freely around the tank, but in the evening they were again herded back to the cave. I counted about twenty very active fry.

You might be wondering about the other pair, but they were not a problem since they had set up shop on the other side of the tank in their own cave. The second pair does not bother the fry, which are now swimming all over the tank. At about one month old, the fry are eating whatever I feed the parents. I continue giving

them one shot of brine shrimp per day. The parents will soon want to spawn again, so I have to think about breaking the tank down to remove the fry and then putting the breeding setup back together.

These are wonderful fish with a tremendous personality. My experience with them has been very rewarding, and has given me a new appreciation of cichlids as parents. I’ve seen average prices of $20 per fish on the internet, so they are a bargain if you can find them at our auctions.

Photos by Alexandra Horton


Neighbors Lauren and Olivia enjoying the fishroom.Photo by Rich Levy.

Serendipityby Rich Levy

For me, the most difficult part of writing an article is where to begin. But let’s go back to why I wanted to write this article in the first place. I

was at our December Greater City Awards Banquet, sitting with Harry Faustmann and Jeff and Barbara Bollbach, when I realized that I would be enjoying myself a lot better if I were more a part of it. Not having written an article or taken part in the breeders’ award program sort of left me out of a major part of this event. Hearing Dan Radebaugh give a speech asking for more articles made me decide that my New Year’s Resolution would be to write an article.

Having determined to write an article, I needed a subject. Why not kill two birds with one stone, and breed some fish? Come to think of it, I was having trouble breeding my dwarf kribensis (Pelvicachromis pulcher). I took my two kribensis out of their small five gallon tank on the bottom of my stand, and set up a 20 gallon tank on the top for them to breed. After watching them for a period of time I noticed that they looked very similar, and I wasn’t certain which was the male and which was the female. Harry confirmed my suspicion that what I had been told was a pair, wasn’t―I had two males. Aha! That explained why for the past year and a half I hadn’t gotten any fry.

A trip to the pet store and finding a perfect female solved that problem. Awhile back, I had bred kribensis and enjoyed the way they took care of their young. I had a breeding cave, plus an extra hiding place under a piece of a clay pot. No sooner had the New Year begun than I had fry! I was excited, but disappointed at the same time. What was I going to write? I didn’t think it was going to happen this quickly, and I hadn’t even checked the water chemistry!

I knew I had to repeat the experiment and start recording everything I had done. It was around that time that serendipity occurred. We had promised our new neighbors and their two young daughters that we were going to have them over for dessert. I knew the girls would enjoy seeing my fishroom.

Once a teacher, always a teacher. I wanted them to have a hands-on experience with the fish, so I planned out what I wanted them to see and do. I cleared out the 20 gallon tank next to the one where the

kribs had already bred. I was going to let them move the parents, and see from the beginning what baby fry looked like. They were so excited, wanting to do more, that it rubbed off on me. I couldn’t wait to invite them over again to see the new fry! Wouldn’t you know it, for some reason what took one week the first time now wasn’t happening at all. I waited and waited and watched and watched. Had they laid eggs and eaten them, or did something else happen? Once I saw eggs in the cave and even some wigglers, but no swimming fry. Then I realized that I hadn’t disconnected the outside filter that I had in this tank. I did that and

waited again. This time I got fry, and couldn’t wait until the kids recovered from the flu to visit again.

Back to the serendipity part. I’ll leave the breeding to Jeff and Harry, but my role and expertise lies in working with our next generation of fishkeepers. The CARES program falls apart if no one is interested in conserving fish. Besides, I get great joy in seeing our hobby enjoyed. So I now

knew what I was going to write about, and how to change what once was a simple fish breeding exercise into an ongoing experience with young people who were motivated.

Before the girls came back, I had to figure out the next logical step, and to make sure it was hands-on. So, my guppies had to be moved, and I now had three twenty gallon tanks dedicated to kribs.

Kribensis (Pelvicachromis pulcher) pair.Photo courtesy of Allgraphicsonline.com.


We had one tank with the parents and the F2 generation; we had another with a lot of the F1 generation. Since the girls were coming back to see and compare both generations, it would be nice to know how many we had surviving from the first generation. Well, let’s let them count how many. Because they are six and four years old, I prepared ahead of time to make it easier for them. I emptied the F1 tank and put all the juveniles into one container from which they could easily be netted. Another container was set up into which to scoop the fry. Doing it ten at a time, and letting them do all the counting, they ended up getting 48 juveniles into each of the twenty gallon tanks for a grand total of 96.

I explained to them that our next step (visit) would be to see how the fry were growing. I told them that if we kept all 96 of them in the same tank they wouldn’t grow as fast as if we put them into two tanks. At this point, based on their interest and questions, I’d know what our next step would be.

After checking with their parents, I told the girls that I had a Siamese fighting fish and bowl that they could keep. The first thing Olivia, the oldest, saw

Pelvicachromis pulcher pair in breeding tank with fry.Photo by Rich Levy.

when she entered the fishroom was that betta. Lauren was more interested in my golf game in the room, but said that she would help her sister in taking care of the betta.

I thank Olivia and Lauren for keeping me on track for what I want to happen in my fishroom. Or to quote the famous Joe Ferdenzi, “It’s my fishroom, and I’ll do what I want to!”

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY) April 2011 15Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY) April 2011 17

Our Endlers tank photo by Al Priest

by Susan Priest

This is a recipe for an aquarium, and nota pot of soup, but I’m sure you havealready figured that out. The

combination of three simple ingredients whichI am about to describe will result inexceedingly pleasing results. And yes, thisstory, as well as the aquarium, does havesome fish in it. We will get to them shortly,but first, here is a brief background sketch.

This aquarium was our very first tank. Ithas been in continuous operation for twenty-plus years. It is smaller than most (eightgallons). It is acrylic, and has a hinged,

tightly fitting hood. Over these many years ithas been home to a wide variety ofinhabitants, none of which are the topic of thisstory, so let’s keep moving.

One of the reasons I am frequently drawnto this aquarium throughout the day is that asI am walking past, it is exactly at my eyelevel. Another is that it is in my living room,

which is where I spend most of my wakinghours, so I pass by it frequently. It has threedifferent elements, “ingredients,” if you will,which contribute to its charm.

First, there are the plants. There is onlyone species of plant in this tank, and that ishornwort (Ceratophyllum demersum). Itconsists of a gorgeous, free-floatingconglomeration of golden green whichoccupies the upper two thirds of the tank. Allof the stems are entwined among each other,and even though you can see each stem,whorl, and even each small frond, the overall

effect is one of a coherent cloud-like cluster.(Hornwort can also be grown rooted in thesubstrate, or even in a submerged pot, if this isyour preference.)

Last summer I cut way back on thelighting (3-4 hours a day), in an effort to keepthe tank from overheating. The plantssuffered under this treatment, to the point

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)16 April 201118 April 2011 Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)

where I thought that they might not recover.As soon as the worst of the hot weather wasover, I started to extend the hours of lighting.During the winter I have had the light on forfourteen to sixteen hours a day, and thehornwort is thriving on this schedule. I don’tuse a “plant light,” or a complicatedcombination of bulbs. There is just one 15Wfluorescent tube. The tank is virtually free ofalgae. (It occurs to me that the population offish had also dwindled, and it has sincerebounded nicely along with the plants. Readinto that what you will!)

This brings me to the second ingredient;the snails. There is a modest colony of smalldark brown snails in the tank. I don’t knowwhat species they are, and I didn’t put themin there. I suspect that a few of the eggs werestow-aways among the hornwort. Theyoccupy virtually every surface, from thegravel to the box filter to the lava rock to thewalls to the waterline. (This descriptionmakes it sound as if the tank is overrun withthem, which it is not.) They particularly liketo gambol among the plants. Most of themare the size of a sesame seed, but when theyget to be as large as a peppercorn I pluck themout and drop them into the nearby ninetygallon community aquarium as a treat for theclown loach which resides therein.

I don’t know if snails will consumealgae, but I suspect that they are opportunistic,and not particularly fussy eaters. This leadsme to believe that they would not turn up theirnoses (do snails have noses?) at a nibble ofalgae “crudites.”

Finally I am ready to tell you about thethird ingredient, which is, of course, the fish.I haven’t given you even the slightest hint asto their identity. (That is unless you havealready looked at the photo!) If you are stillreading, then you deserve a prompt resolutionto this question. This aquarium is home to aspritely and colorful colony of Endler’slivebearers (Poecilia wingei).

They are small, of course. Only themature females achieve the total length of afull inch. The males are barely larger thanhalf an inch, and are boldly colored, with neonorange being the most eye catching aspect.The caudal fin appears to be lyre-shaped witha small sword, but look again! On very closeinspection, it reveals itself to be spade-shapedwith transparent rays in between the colorful

edges. (We were only able to observe thisthrough the high magnification lenses on Al’scamera.)

I couldn’t say for sure because I havealways kept them in a species tank, but Isuspect that in nature they would form a shoal,as I have often seen them do so even in thesesmall environs. The effect is subtle becauseof their diminutive size, but at the same timethey will capture your attention as efficientlyas the largest and most active of fish.

These fish pay no attention to me.When I stand in front of the tank they don’tcome rushing over in expectation of being fed.Lifting the lid does seem to bring many ofthem to the upper reaches of the tank (amongthe hornwort), while others wait patientlybelow for morsels of some sort to drift downto them.

Even though this is an article about theaquarium, and not the care of the fish*, I willbriefly comment on their diet. They get fedtwice daily to insure that the fry, of whichthere are always new arrivals, are gettingenough nutrition. In the morning I feed thema crushed version of one of several varieties ofdry foods such as color flakes, micro pellets,or “golden pearls.” In the evening they get agenerous finger full of micro-worms.

One of my favorite activities is scoutingout newborn fry. Imagine looking forsomething the size of a sliver off the tip of thenail on your pinky finger; something thatreally doesn’t want to be noticed. (You mightwant to arm yourself with a flashlight and amagnifying glass.) You can’t see their fins atthis stage, of course; just a silvery movementthat has you asking yourself “did I really seethat?” As the fry grow and take on their adultcharacteristics, you will know for sure that,yes, you really did see those tiny transparentbolts of life.

So, now that we have combined thesethree simple ingredients, hornwort,“peppercorn snails,” and Endler’s livebearers,what has this recipe got to offer? A tank fullof joy, awe, inspiration, whimsy, and smiles.Lots and Lots of smiles!

*If you would like to learn more aboutEndler’s livebearers, then read the companionarticle “No, It’s NOT A Guppy,” by myhusband Al, which can be found on page 22 ofthis issue.


I THINK I SEE A (NOTHER) LIONFISH!

Story and Photos by Stephen Sica

When Donna and I were in Key Largo last October, I asked the co-owner of the dive facility that we patronize, if there were

lionfish in this locale. We had never seen one during our prior annual visits. He answered that there were many, and further elaborated that the local dive industry had recently conducted a one-day roundup, during which they caught several hundred. He said that all of the fish were destroyed.

Fast-forward from the last week of October to the first week of December. Donna arranged a seven-day cruise out of Florida, so we made arrangements with the cruise company to dive in Grand Cayman, Roatan, and Cozumel. I had previously seen lionfish in two of the Cayman Islands, Grand Cayman and Little Cayman, but we had last dived in Cayman Brac about five years ago, and had seen no lionfish. I still don’t know if there are lionfish in the Brac, but I assume that there are. I was curious about Roatan because it was farther south than Cozumel, and farther west than the places (mostly the Bahamas) where I had seen them in quantity.

I was looking forward to this trip because it was our anniversary and we would be diving. A week before the trip, I prepped our dive gear, and my camera, underwater case and strobe. I like the old adage that “a bad day of diving is better than a good day at work,” but after a few close calls over the years I know better. But a good day of diving is better than any day at work. Not that I work anymore!

As the ship left Fort Lauderdale on a sunny late afternoon, I was looking forward to good weather and warm water. As the cruise developed, the weather was not so good and the southern waters were beginning to cool. Some rainy days made us eager to be underwater where, believe it or not, it feels “dryer” or at least warmer, because you don’t have that cold wind caressing your wet body.

The itinerary for our cruise dictated that we would be diving for three consecutive days in Grand Cayman, Roatan, and finally, Cozumel. When we arrived at

Grand Cayman, we left the ship with our gear, and after several transfers and signing a waiver of liability we were finally on our dive boat. I don’t know for sure, but it seems that every tourist-related enterprise involved in the use of a motor vehicle has to drive you somewhere to earn a piece of the fee! Anyway, once we were underwater, we were swimming along what I perceived to be the blandest wall in all of the Cayman Islands. There was nothing to photograph! I realize that I am somewhat jaded as a result of many years diving, but believe me when I say that there was nothing worthwhile

to photograph. After twenty minutes, it was time to swim up the wall and explore the reef atop it while returning to the boat. The whole dive would take forty to fifty minutes, depending on how quickly we would breathe our gas supply. Since Donna and I are not big for our size―whatever that means―we are fairly “light” breathers, and can usually extend our bottom time.

Under these circumstances, the extra time can cause a decompression issue. As another other old saying goes, nothing is free. The moral―always monitor your computer or other instruments for depth, time, and gas supply. If you do this, and don’t forget to do it, diving is relatively simple―unless you get lost, or are stuck in a strong current with a dwindling gas supply. Someday, I may write about our experiences in the Sea of Cortez; now that was exciting! The bright blue starfish there were quite striking, and still linger in my mind. At the time I did not own a camera suitable for underwater photography. But back to Grand Cayman.

At the end of the wall portion of our dive, some people were pointing forward and down, so I swam deeper and spotted a lone adult lionfish hovering in a fishbowl-shaped hollow. I had mixed emotions, because while the lionfish is not good for the reef, it is a colorful and exciting sight to see in its new Caribbean and Atlantic habitat. They usually hang out in protected areas. If there is no cave or overhang they are relatively easy to photograph, because they rarely swim away from their small territory during daytime. I took a few


close-ups and started to swim in the boat’s direction, since I was below the dive’s planned maximum depth. After a few yards I came across another solitary adult lionfish. I took a few more photos and swam up to the reef, where we continued our dive without any more lionfish sightings. A second dive an hour later was lionfish free.

The next day found us in Roatan, diving in a cold, drizzly rain. Since it was overcast, the underwater world was rather gray and less colorful. Donna theorized that this was why we saw an octopus swimming out in the open and not fleeing from the divers in our group. It’s the first time that we ever saw a free-swimming octopus. I was able to snap ten photos. The octopus was doing such a great job of blending in to its surroundings that when I examined enlarged photos on my computer, I was not impressed.

A little while later I found the “mother lode” of lionfish. Under a ledge, there were three lionfish hovering within four or five feet of each other. I could not get close enough for a good photo as a result of the spread of the fish and the ledge, but I took one long-

distance photo of all three together and then several photos of one or two at a time. I swam away, but decided to go back, and took several more group photos from a distance. It was the first time that we saw two or more lionfish together. On our second dive that day we found one more lionfish. We saw a total of six lionfish during four dives in two days.

In Cozumel we did two more dives and saw no lionfish. Due to the prevailing currents that always run

parallel to the island, almost all diving is done as a drift dive. You literally speed past the fish at one or two knots, with very little time to observe them, and even less time to contemplate taking a photo, unless you can duck behind a coral head or into a depression to avoid the current. Most drift diving is along a sandy bottom with an occasional coral head or small reef. It’s exciting, and when the current is running very fast, it can be humorous too! You can gauge another diver’s experience level or just plain luck by how he or she handles the current. Usually, an experienced diver will float along straightforward, while others move aimlessly―that is, backwards, sideways, tumbling, too

high in the water column, and sometimes upside down! It’s comical to see people going by in every which way possible! I like to pretend that I’m superman with my arms outstretched. If my camera throws me off balance, I’ll start going sideways, and it’s hard to compensate and straighten out. I can imagine how goofy I must look!

The lead divemaster has a float or diver’s flag on the surface, attached to a line so the boat can follow along to pick up divers when they run low on air. Another divemaster follows the group to assist stragglers or provide aid in an emergency. You try to swim near the bottom, which is approximately sixty feet deep. This depth is the sport-diving cutoff for shallow versus deep diving. There were no lionfish, but we did see two green sea turtles; one was very large. We also saw some big groupers, and innumerable angelfish and filefish.

The accompanying photographs are some of the lionfish that we saw in Grand Cayman and Roatan Island, Honduras.



Warren Feuer and Jason Kerner

Marsha Radebaugh with DoorPrize book and tickets.

Setting up the evening’s program. Harsha Perera of ZooramaAquarium in the Bronx.

Carlotti DeJager holding herfavorite magazine.

Brooklyn Aquarium SocietyPresident, Joe Graffagnino.

Herb Walgren Frank Bonicci Leonard Ramroop recording theBowl Show winners.

Steve Miller Sharon Barnett Greater City’s hard workingTreasurer, Jules Birnbaum.

Pictures from our


Chriscita and Wayne Morris

Door Prize Winner: Bill Amely.

Teddy Yan

1st Place: Harry Faustmann 2nd Place: Mario Bengcion3rd Place: Richard Waizman

last meetingPhotos by Susan Priest

Welcome to our newest Greater City members:

Last Month’s Bowl Show Winners:


A (typically) gravid female Endlers

Article and Photos by Alexander A. Priest

Many aquarium hobbyists even todaybelieve that the Endler’s livebearer is“just a guppy.” Even the on-line

encyclopedia Wikipedia cites an expert who claimsthese fish are just guppies, and not a separatespecies at all: “According to Stan Shubel, theauthor of Aquarium Care for Fancy Guppies, theEndler guppy is in fact not a separate species. TheEndler guppy has the same genetic makeup as theguppy [Poecilia reticulata], yet is given its ownname, “Poecilia wingei” for conservationpurposes.”1 Wikipedia further notes that, whileEndler’s livebearers are not on the the IUCN “RedList” of endangered species, they are in danger ofextinction from human encroachment andpollution. There is some speculation that they mayeven be extinct in the wild, due to the fact that acity garbage dump was built next to the only placewhere they were known to exist, the lagoonLaguna de Patos.2

A 2005 article in Contributions to Zoologystated: “The recognition of P. wingei results fromobserved character displacement, i.e., on theinteraction between two closely related species ina shared environment. In addition to differences incoloration, behaviour also indicates specific

differences.”.... “Its closest relative is the commonguppy, P. reticulata, sharing identical meristicdata, but differing by its enhanced metallic bodypigmentation. This brightness in bodypigmentation is also noticed in the females ofP. wingei. Moreover, in the zone adjacent to thedistribution area of the common guppy, P. wingeimales exhibit a unique melanophore pattern, viz.,a large band in the midsection of its body. Theimportance of this feature, i.e., the spatialdistribution of melanophore patterns, is decisivefor its recognition as a valid species.”3 (Note:meristic data relates to quantitative, or countable,features of fish, such as the number of fins orscales.)

The current thinking in the scientificcommunity appears to be that Poecilia wingei is avalid species, separate and distinct from that of thecommon guppy, Poecilia reticulata. So for thebalance of this article, I will be treating Endler’slivebearer as a separate species, Poecilia wingei.It should be noted that since it can breed with thecommon guppy, hybridized cross-breeds are,unfortunately, not uncommon. My description ofthis species and of their care and maintenance isbased on the population my wife and I have kept


A male Endlers

for several years. We received them from formerGreater City President Joe Ferdenzi, who assuredus they are a “pure” strain (i.e., not crossbred withguppies) that came from the aforementionedLaguna de los Patos. In fact, ours are descendantsof the ones collected by Endler himself. (There aredifferent populations, and they don't all lookexactly alike.)

Male Endlers have orange, black, yellow,green, and blue colors. Females are a uniform drabcolor, but often with a slight metalic body sheen.Both males and females are under one inch totaladult length, with males being smaller thanfemales. (I remember hearing that all males lookedexactly alike, but this has not proven to be true.)

Endlers are named after Professor JohnEndler, who collected them in northeasternVenezuela in 1975. (Actually, they were firstdiscovered in 1937, and this was, in fact, a “re-discovery”). Dr. Endler’s collection ended up inGermany, where they became popular withhobbyists and were given the name “Endler’sLivebearer.”

Dr. Endler collected them in warm (81E F -27E C), hard, and green (due to algae) water, wherethey coexisted with P. reticulata (also native tonortheastern Venezuela). However, guppies areless common in places where Endler's Livebearersare found, as guppies prefer clear and cooler(77E F - 25E C) water.

The species was given the scientific namePoecilia wingei in honor of the Danish biologistDr. Øjvind Winge (1886-1964), head of the

Department of Physiology at Carlsberg Laboratory(Copenhagen, Denmark) and “the father of yeastgenetics.” He was the first geneticist to describeand demonstrate the genetics of a number of guppymutations and traits in the late 1920s.

These fish will eat almost anything smallenough to fit into their mouths. As noted in mywife’s companion article (“A Recipe For Smiles,”elsewhere in this issue), our population is fed twicea day, with crushed flake or small pellet food in themorning and live microworms in the evening.

One article I came across stated that watertemperature during gestation affects the gender ofthe fry. For more males you should keep thetemperature in the tank at 69E-70E F. For morefemales you should keep the temperature in thetank at 79E to 81E F.4 Our tank stays at around79E F in the daytime, and drops to about 72E F atnight (the heater in the tank is not plugged in).Since we do not appear to have an overabundanceof females, I cannot verify this statement based onour experience. As is common among livebearers,a single insemination of the female will yield morethan one brood of fry.

Although Endlers were originally found inwarm 81EF (27EC), hard, and alkaline water, theywill adapt to local conditions. Wikipedia notesthat: “Endler’s livebearers are hardy andundemanding in the aquarium though they preferhard, warm water. The warmer the water, thefaster they will grow; however this also seems toshorten their lifespan. They can be kept at 18EC(64EF) to 29EC (84EF) (66–82EF), but their


optimum temperature seems to be 24EC (75EF) to27EC (81EF). This is slightly higher than theirguppy cousins which prefer 23EC (73EF) to 25EC(77EF).”5

They do best if kept in tanks with plants(preferably live plants, but fake will do) to givethem hiding places. Although they appear to beless likely than guppies to eat their own young,plants will give the fry a better chance at survival.While I have not found any specific referencesaying that hornwort grows in the natural habitat ofEndlers, it is well documented that hornwort canbe found worldwide. Based on our success with acombination of Endlers livebearers and hornwort(again, refer to Susan’s article), I wouldrecommend it as a plant of choice for these fish.They are reported to be determinedly suicidaljumpers, so a cover on the tank is a must.

If you like small, active, colorful, and notvery shy fish, you’ll love Endlers. As theircommon name implies, they are livebearers, withfemales producing live fry. While some booksindicate that, like guppies, they will eat their fry,we have not found this to be the case (or if it is, ithas not been a major problem). In our tank, verytiny fry compete side by side with nearly inch longadults for food, without any noticeable aggressionor predation.

So no, Endlers are NOT guppies (but theyshould never be mixed with guppies because theywill interbreed, and hybrids are frowned upon byaquarists, especially if this could contaminate thegene pool of a species possibly endangered or evenextinct in the wild). However, Endlers are just aseasy to care for and breed as guppies.

1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poecilia_wingei2 http://www.aquaworldaquarium.com/Articles/TonyGriffitts/Endlers_Livebearer.html3 Description of Poecilia (Acanthophacelus) wingei n. sp. from the Paría Peninsula, Venezuela, includingnotes on Acanthophacelus Eigenmann, 1907 and other subgenera of Poecilia Bloch and Schneider, 1801(Teleostei, Cyprinodontiformes, Poeciliidae) - http://dpc.uba.uva.nl/ctz/vol74/nr01/art074 http://www.aquatropicalfish.com/showthread.php/834-Endlers-Livebearers5 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poecilia_wingei

2011 ALA CONVENTIONHosted by

The Greater Akron Aquarium Society (GAAS)April 8th - 10th

Convention registration is open!For more information, visit http://www.ala2011.com/

Contact: [email protected] Welcome!


Our Generous MembersEach month a blue sheet is located on our auction table where those members who donate items to the auction can indicate their donations if they wish to do so. Due to the immense generosity of those who donate, we have no shortage of items to be auctioned. A warm thank you to the following members and others who so generously contributed, making last month’s auction the bountiful success that it was:

Mario BengcionJules BirnbaumCarlotti de Jager

Gerry DomingoJoe GraffagninoJack Traub

Member Classifieds

EQUIPMENT:

Tanks: 2 15 gallon, 2 20 gallonCall Jack: 914-390-4682--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Filters:Eheim 2076 (for tanks up to 90 gallons) $200Marineland C-160 (tanks up to 30 gallons) $50Call Temes: 718-468-1569--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Used computers (mostly laptops) $100Call Dan: 347-866-1107


GCAS Happenings April

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

GREATER CITy AqUARIUM SOCIETyNext Meeting: May 4, 2011Speaker: Judith WeisTopic: Do Fish Sleep?Meets: Meets the first Wednesday of the month (except

January & February) at 7:30pm: Queens Botanical garden 43-50 Main street - Flushing, NY Contact: Dan Radebaugh (718) 458-8437Email: [email protected]: http://www.greatercity.org

BIG APPLE GUPPy CLUBMeets: 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 SOCIETyNext Meeting: April 8, 2011Speaker: Leslie harrisEvent: Life Styles of Wet and SpinelessMeets: 2nd Friday of the month (except July and August) at 7:30pm: NY aquarium - education hall, Brooklyn, NYCall: BAS Events Hotline: (718) 837-4455Website: http://www.brooklynaquariumsociety.org

LONG ISLAND AqUARIUM SOCIETyNext Meeting: april 15, 2011Speaker: sal silvestri Topic: Lake Tanganyka Cichlids Meets: 3rd Fridays (except July and August) 8:00pm. room 120 in endeavor hall on the state University at

stony Brook Campus, stony Brook, NY Email: Margaret Peterson - [email protected]: http://liasonline.org/

EAST COAST GUPPy ASSOCIATIONMeets: 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 SOCIETyNext Meeting: april 12, 2011Speaker: tBaEvent: TBAMeets: 2nd Tuesday of the month (except July and August)

at 7:30 PM Molloy College - Kellenberg hall ~1000 hempstead ave -

rockville Centre, NYContact: Mike Foran (516) 798-6766Website: http://www.ncasweb.org

NORTH JERSEy AqUARIUM SOCIETyNext Meeting: april 21, 2011Speaker: Joseph Ferdenzi Event: Adventures in FishKeepingMeets: Lyndhurst elks Club, 251 Park avenue Lyndhurst, NJ 07071Contact: NJAS Hotline at (732) 332-1392Email: [email protected]: http://www.njas.net/

NORWALK AqUARIUM SOCIETyNext Meeting: april 21, 2011Speaker: tBa Topic: TBDMeets: 8:00 P.M. - 3rd Thursday of each month at:

earthplace - the Nature discovery Center - Westport, CtContact: John Chapkovich (203) 734-7833Call our toll free number (866) 219-4NASEmail: [email protected]: http://norwalkas.org/

Last Month’s Bowl show Winners:1 Harry Faustmann Killifish

2 mario Bengcion oB Peacock

3 ricHard Waizman HalF moon Betta

A wArm welcome bAck to renewing gcAS memberS bill Amely, ShAron bArnett, Steve bermAn, JuleS birnbAum, Jeff bollbAch, Arne briStulf, cArlotti de JAger, Pete d’orio, gerry domingo, rod du cASSe, hArry fAuStmAnn, Joe ferdenzi, wArren feuer, michAel gAllo, wAlter gAllo, Arie gilbert, Joe grAffAgnino, Al gruSell, ben & emmA hAuS, JASon irizArry, rich levy, michAel mAcht, donitA mAynArd, temeS mo, rod moSely, HArShA PererA, Al & Sue PrieSt, dAn & mArShA rAdebAugh, donnA & Steve SicA, ed vukich, richArd wAizmAn, herb wAlgren, And ronAld wieSenfeld!

A SPeciAl welcome to new memberS A. wAyne morriS And teddy yAn!


In spite of popular demand to thecontrary, this humor and informationcolumn continues. As usual, it doesNOT necessarily represent theopinions of the Editor, or of theGreater City Aquarium Society.

Left to right: gefilte fish, poached salmon salad, and Caribbean shrimp salad water

Can I Put ThisIn My tanks? A series by “The Undergravel Reporter”

We’ve all seen those flavored waters instores. We all know that fish live inwater. Why not fish flavored water?

(And no, this is not a slightly belated April Fool’sjoke.) Well, it so happens that Krautkraemer’s, aNew York City beverage company, produces a lineof flavored water called MeatWater.1

And yes, as the name of this line of flavoredwaters implies, many of the flavors are indeedthose of meat or poultry. But, as AOL Newsreported2 the flavors of poached salmon saladwater and a Caribbean shrimp salad water (that candouble as a vodka mixer) were added this Januaryto join the other "fishy" flavors of fish’n chips,fried oysters, grilled clams, gefilte fish, shrimp padThai, escargot, and mountain oysters. (I'd like totry their pizza prosciuto and Hungarian goulashflavored waters.)

You can find out about all of their flavors ontheir website (which advises that their gefilte fishis best enjoyed at “body temperature” while theirpoached salmon salad and shrimp salad waters arebest enjoyed warm).

Personally, I can’t see what the fuss is allabout, I get a regular dose of fish flavored waterevery time I suck just a bit too hard whilesyphoning water from my tanks. Not veryyummy—but it’s free!

1 http://dinnerinabottle.com2 http://www.aolnews.com/2011/01/25/beverage-company-meatwater-introduces-beef-flavored-water/


24 April 2011 Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)

Betta macrostoma in aggressive stance - photo by Al Priest

Fin Fun

Whether or not they really are more aggressive than most other fish, some species have common namesthat most certainly suggest that they are, well, pugilistic. See if you can correctly match the commonnames of these “fighters” with their scientific names.

Common Name Scientific Name

Black Belt Cichlid Pseudosphromenus cupanus

Fighting Loach Xiphophorus helleri

Green Terror Betta splendens

Jack Dempsey Ichthyborus ornatus

Ornate Fin Nipper Micralestes acutidens

Sharp Toothed Tetra Cichlasoma octofasciatum

Siamese Fighting Fish Nemacheilus notostigma

Spike-Tailed Paradise Fish Vieja maculicauda

Swordtail Aequidens rivulatus

Answers to our last puzzle: What It’s NotIT IS a catfishIT IS from South AmericaIT IS an egglayerIT IS a schooling fishIT IS a bottom dwellerIT IS, of course, the ubiquitous Corydoras

Documents

Modern Aquarium April 2011