Modern Aquarium September 2007

modernAQUARIUM Series III Vol. XIV, No. 7 September, 2007

ON THE COVER

The Ornate Gourami, Malpulutta kretseri, isa peaceful and graceful fish that is alsoendangered in the wild. Learn more aboutthis small gourami in the article “TheOrnate Gourami of Sri Lanka” in this issue.

Photo by Alexander Priest

GREATER CITY AQUARIUM SOCIETY

Board MembersPresident. . . . . . . . . . . . Joseph FerdenziVice-President. . . . . . . . Mark SobermanTreasurer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jack TraubCorres. Secretary. . . . . . Warren Feuer &

Sharon BarnettRecording Secretary.. . . . Edward Vukich

Members At LargePete D'Orio Jason KernerCarlotti De Jager Ben HausLeonard Ramroop Emma HausArtie Friedman

Committee ChairsBreeder Award. . . . . . Warren Feuer and

Mark SobermanEarly Arrivals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Al GrusellF.A.A.S. Delegate.. . . . . Alexander PriestMembers/Programs. . Claudia DickinsonN.E.C. Delegate. . . . . Claudia Dickinson

MODERN AQUARIUMEditor in Chief. . . . . . Alexander A. PriestAssociate Editors. . . . . Susan Priest and

Claudia DickinsonCopy Editors. . . . . . . . . . . Sharon Barnett

Dan RadebaughExchange Editors. . . . Stephen Sica and

Donna Sosna SicaPhoto/Layout Editor. . . . . . Jason KernerAdvertising Mgr.. . . . . . . Mark SobermanExecutive Editor. . . . . . . Joseph Ferdenzi

F E A T U R E S

Editor’s Babblenest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

President’s Message. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

The Ornate Gourami of Sri Lanka. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Success at First Breeding the Kribensis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Welcome to this Month’s Scheduled Speaker: Steven Giacobello. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Fishkeepers Anonymous.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Our Generous Members. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Seahorse Chronicles: Breeding Seahorses - Part 2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Keeping Fish Healthy Without The Use Of Medicine.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Wet Leaves (Book Review Column). . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

As Some of Us Know ...... and Some of Us Don’t. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

How To Culture White Worms.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Amusing Aquarium (cartoon). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

The Latest (and the Greatest)?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

G.C.A.S. Happenings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Fin Fun (Puzzle Page). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Articles submitted for consideration in MODERN AQUARIUM must be received no later than the 10th day of the month, three months priorto the month of publication. Copyright 2007 by the Greater City Aquarium Society Inc., a not-for-profit New York State corporation. All rightsreserved. Not-for-profit aquarium societies are hereby granted permission to reproduce articles and illustrations from this publication, unless thearticle indicates that the copyrights have been retained by the author, and provided reprints indicate source and two copies of the publication aresent to the Exchange Editor of this magazine. Any other reproduction or commercial use of the material in this publication is prohibited withoutexpress written prior permission.

The Greater City Aquarium Society meets every month, except during January and February. Members receive notice of meetings in the mail. For more information, contact: Joe Ferdenzi (516)484-0944. Find out more, or leave us a message, at our Internet Home Page at: http://www.greatercity.org or http://www.greatercity.com

The Editor’s

Babblenestby ALEXANDER A. PRIEST

If you came late to last month’s meeting, or

weren’t there at all, then you probably did not

hear the announcement that I intend to leave the

job of Editor of Modern Aquarium at the end of

this year. In five more years, Greater City will

celebrate its 90th anniversary. In 15 more years, it

will celebrate its 100th anniversary! I might get to

see the first, it’s doubtful whether or not I will see

the second (or, if I do, whether I’ll be able to know

and understand the world around me by then!). It’s

time for me to move on and out, and for someone

else to pick up. For over 14 years, I have been

involved in some way with Modern Aquarium. It’s

about time for someone else to take over.

In the movie “Star Trek: Generations” the

character of Captain Kirk says, “You know, if

Spock were here, he’d say that I was an irrational,

illogical human being by taking on a mission like

that. Sounds like fun!” That pretty much sums up

the kind of person needed for this job — someone

willing to take a risk, and enjoy the ride. It isn’t

easy — the best things usually aren’t. It IS very

satisfying and rewarding in a way that cannot be

described adequately, only experienced.

The person (or persons — frankly, I

would not have been able to remain Editor for this

long without the help and support of my wife,

Susan) will have as much help and support as is

necessary. Modern Aquarium has never been a

one-person project. This magazine did not spring

up fully formed and thought-out with its first issue.

Months before the first issue was printed, many

meetings were held during which the format of the

magazine was argued, debated, and decided upon.

To a large extent, what was decided 14

years ago is the same format we are still using

today (including: 8.5"x11" pages, a color front

cover, generally a two column article layout, a

dropcap at the start of an article, 10 point Times

New Roman font for the text of articles, etc.). As

technology improved, we were able to make some

improvements along the way. For example, the

color photos on the cover were originally printed

on a color photocopier, cut to size, then

hand-pasted using spray-on glue. Once color laser

printers were available at relatively affordable

prices, we were able to print covers ourselves,

without the need for hand-pasted photos.

This is just to say that a new Editor will

not have to “reinvent the wheel,” but will be able

to draw upon and use existing formats. Of course,

a new Editor might have a slightly different vision

and “style,” and could make some changes along

the way (I did when I took over as Editor). That’s

to be expected.

A new Editor will have the full support of

our existing Editorial Staff, myself and my wife

included. I would be willing to stay on and help a

new Editor and, if the new Editor needed it, I

would even provide and configure a computer for

that person’s use. As current technology allows an

Editor to create an issue of Modern Aquarium

without ever having to print a page, and to send the

issue electronically to our copy shop, a color laser

printer (or, in fact any special printer) would not be

required. I’d be happy to discuss details of

printing and picking up copies with anyone

interested in the job as Editor. If needed, I will

continue to act as go-between with our printer and

get the completed issues to our meetings (provided

the new Editor gets the issue to our printer in time,

of course!). I’d also like to hand off our website to

a new webmaster, but that’s not nearly as much of

a priority.

After having written all of this, I want to

remind you that there are still (after today) three

more issues of Modern Aquarium that will

definitely be produced with me as Editor. So,

anyone who has an article that he or she has always

wanted to write, now is the time to do it.

UPDATE: I’m happy to report that Dan

Radebaugh has volunteered to learn the Editor’s

job. I will be working with Dan for the next few

months. If he decides to accept the position, he

will need your help and support.

2 September 2007 Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)

President’sMessage

by JOSEPH FERDENZI

In this month’s “Editor’s Babblenest,” Al Priest

writes of his intention to pass the baton, so to

speak, to another Editor. I will have more to

say about Al and the outstanding service he has

performed at a later time. For now, I just want to

note that Al’s “baton” represents a major task.

However, it can also represent a point of pride and

accomplishment for whoever grabs that baton.

Modern Aquarium represents a storied name in the

annals of aquarium club publications. I have high

hopes that it will be continued at the level which Al

(and others before him) have set. So, in the months

to come, we will see if anyone rises to the

challenge of continuing Modern Aquarium. If not,

perhaps in the not-so-distant future, a Series IV

will be given birth by yet another group of

dedicated aquarists.

* * *

On the topic of dedicated hobbyists, I

wish to thank Ed Vukich and Harry Faustmann for

the recent presentations they gave at Greater City.

In July, Ed gave us a PowerPoint tour of his

fishroom. It was informative, funny, and made us

all green with envy! Harry’s talk in August was on

one of my favorite groups of fish, killifish — and

who better to talk about them than Harry? Harry is

a long-time killifish enthusiast who has garnered

more than his fair share of awards, including a very

prestigious Best Of Show at the annual convention

of the American Killifish Association. Anyone

who has ever attended one of these conventions, as

I have, knows how competitive those annual shows

are, with upwards of 400 entries.

While the talks were wonderful in

themselves, they represent something else which is

noteworthy. Ed and Harry are members of our

society, and very active ones at that. They

represent the wealth of knowledge that our

members bring to the table. Each of us not only

benefits from the informative presentations given

at each monthly meeting, but just speaking among

ourselves brings us a wealth of knowledge. Ed and

Harry simply represent all that our members bring

to our meetings. So, I thank them profusely for all

that they have done, and remind you that they, and

others, are always glad to answer your questions

and give you the best advice possible in pursuit of

your aquatic goals.

* * *

Lastly, I wish to remind you that the

upcoming AFISH Convention is less than two

months away. I hope you have made plans to

attend. Last month, we distributed the first of our

registration brochures. I trust that they were easy

to understand and use. But, if you have any

questions, please do not hesitate to ask us.

Dear fellow hobbyists and friends,

By now, you all must be aware of the tragic death of Joey Graffagnino, the heroic firefighter son of

Joe Graffagnino, president of the Brooklyn Aquarium Society.

Joey was killed on Saturday, August 18, at 5:30 PM at the old Deutsch Bank site next to the World

Trade Center here in New York.

He was fighting the fire and became trapped on the 14th floor in a stairwell and ran out of oxygen

before his fellow firefighters could get to him and two other brave firefighters.

Joey and another fireman from his house died of cardiac arrest from lack of oxygen.

Joey left behind his wife Linda and two young children, 4 year old Mia, and 9 month old Joe Jr.

The directors of the Brooklyn Aquarium Society have created a fund for the future education of his

children. We would be grateful for any donations you could make to the Joey Graffagnino Children's

Fund. All donors, individuals or societies, will be gratefully acknowledged in the BAS Bulletin.

Checks should be made to: Brooklyn Aquarium Society and sent to:

The Joey Graffagnino Children's Fund

Brooklyn Aquarium Society

P.O. Box 290610

Brooklyn, New York 11229-0011

Thank you so much for your generosity in this time of sorrow.

John Todaro, BAS Board Member & Editor of Publications

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY) September 2007 3


Scientific name: Malpulutta kretseri

Common names: Ornate Gourami, Spotted

Gourami, Ceylon Gourami, Ornate

Paradisefish, and De Kretser’s Fish

Native habitat: Sri Lanka

Size: under 2½", with females smaller than males

Conservation status: On the IUCN's Red List and

the C.A.R.E.S. Preservation Program

Sexual dimorphism: Males larger with longer fin

extensions, and more blue coloration

Feeding: small live foods

Water parameters:

dH of 20 or below

pH between 5 and 7

temperature from 75E to 82EF

Temperament: Peaceful, very shy

Tank requirements: Low light, dark substrate,

caves or other hiding places

The Ornate Gouramiof Sri Lanka

Malpulutta kretseriby ALEXANDER A. PRIEST

The Ornate Gourami, Malpulutta kretseri, is

a peaceful and graceful fish that is also

endangered in the wild. It is a relatively

small fish (under 2½ inches, with females slightly

smaller than males), and fairly easy to keep in the

home aquarium. While just about every report I

have read indicates that they are very sensitive to

water conditions, I have had mine for quite a few

years, and have found them hardier and less

sensitive than many other small gourami species.

Malpulutta kretseri is found in the wild

only in Sri Lanka, an island nation in South Asia

located about 18½ miles off the southern coast of

India. By some accounts, M. kretseri is almost

extinct (in fact,

there were reports

in the past that it

was extinct). They

a r e c u r r e n t l y

protected by the

government of Sri

L a n k a , w h i c h

prohibits the export

of wild-caught fish.

(However, there are

breeding programs

which produce fish

f o r o c c a s i o n a l

export.)

The IUCN

( I n t e r n a t i o n a l

U n i o n f o r

Conservation of

Nature and Natural

Resources) Red List

status of M. kretseri

is “LR/cd,” signifying that the species is the focus

of a conservation program, which, if the program

were to cease, would result in the fish qualifying

for one of the Red List’s “threatened” categories

within five years or less. Needless to say, this fish

is also on the C.A.R.E.S. Preservation Program’s

“Species-at-Risk List.”

Malpulutta kretseri has several common

names, with “Ornate Gourami” and “Spotted

Gourami” being the most frequently used. It has

also been called the “Ceylon Gourami” (Sri Lanka

was known as Ceylon before 1972), the “Ornate

Paradisefish,” and “De Kretser’s Fish” (De Kretser

being a Sri Lankan lawyer who first discovered the

fish in 1937). Well-known aquarist Mike Hellweg

has reported that these fish are called “Blue Pin

Tails” in Sri Lanka. However, I have never seen

any such reference to them, other than in Mike’s

account.1

If you have seen Day’s Spike Tailed

Gourami, Pseudosphromenus dayi, then you have

a pretty good idea of the general body shape of

Malpulutta kretseri. M. kretseri have a slender

body with elongated dorsal and caudal fin rays

(with males having longer extensions) and with the

caudal fin narrowing to a graceful point. Unless

you can catch a

glimpse of a male in

his mating colors,

this is not an

otherwise colorful

fish. (I’ve even

seen it written that

this is the most

b e a u t i f u l p l a i n

brown fish you’ll

e v e r s e e ! )

Generally, the body

is beige with brown

s p o t s a n d

occasional traces of

blue, especially in

the caudal fin. A

dark horizontal line

runs through the

eye.

Because it

is a small, peaceful

fish native to relatively shallow and slow-moving

waters, several pairs can be housed in a tank of 15

to 20 gallons. They require soft (dH of 20 or

below), slightly acidic (pH between 5 and 7) water

at a temperature of from 75E to 82EF. While peat

filtration is recommended, I simply add blackwater

extract at every water change.

They prefer a low-light tank with dark

substrate and multiple hiding places. My tank of

M. kretseri has a dense (almost an inch thick) layer

of Salvinia minima, a free floating aquatic fern that

helps to keep the tank fairly dark, even when the


aquarium light is on overhead. While I have seen

them eat micropellets, this is rare; small live food

is the best choice for them, especially if you want

to encourage breeding.

This is a subsurface bubblenesting fish.

This means that the male will build a small

bubblenest in a cave or under a log or rock. This

is also a very shy fish that hides almost all of the

time. Add these factors to the fact that the water in

my tank of Malpulutta kretseri tank is

“tea-colored” (from the blackwater extract), that

there are numerous small caves and pieces of

driftwood resting on a dark substrate, and that the

tank light barely penetrates into the tank due to the

thick layer of Salvinia, it is not surprising that I

have never been able to witness a courtship. (Since

small fish generally are not long-lived, and since

I’ve had M. kretseri for quite a few years, and since

there are various sizes of M. kretseri in my tank, I

assume the fish have been breeding in private.)

I have read that females ready to mate will

turn dark and show a light horizontal band starting

from the mouth. The female will swim head down

before the male, shake her body for a while, and

swim away again. This can go on for a few days,

before actual mating occurs. The eggs sink, and

are picked up and deposited in the nest by both

parents. Once the eggs are in the nest, the male

will chase the female (and any other fish) away,

and guard the eggs until they hatch. The eggs

hatch in about two days, and the fry are

free-swimming after another four days. Once the

fry are free-swimming, they receive no further

parental care. This is typical bubblenesting

gourami behavior.

Like the Pseudosphromenus dayi I

compared them to earlier, Malpulutta kretseri are

extreme jumpers. A thick mat of floating plants

above, and caves below (into which they can dive

when frightened) will somewhat reduce the risk of

them jumping out. But, every opening in the tank,

no matter how small, needs to be covered. You

should not leave the tank unattended while it is

uncovered, or that has its lid open. I even have

plastic food wrap at the point where my airline

enters the tank.

These are very rare fish, and extremely

peaceful. It should go without saying that

Malpulutta kretseri should be housed in their own

tank, with no other species of fish as tankmates.

While this is not a fish you’re likely to find in your

local fish store, they are occasionally available

through the International Anabantoid Association

(http://www.internat-anabanassoc.org/) and on

AquaBid (http://www.aquabid.com/). Because of

their rarity, don’t be surprised if they are fairly

costly.

Why should you devote an entire tank to

a relatively short-lived fish that costs a lot to get

and that hides so you rarely see it? Well, when you

DO see them, they are quite beautiful to behold.

Also, this is an endangered species. Having

breeding colonies in home aquariums helps ensure

that future generations of aquarists can see and

appreciate this fish.

Hellweg, Mike. “The Blue Pin Tail Gourami,”1

Modern Aquarium, September 2005.


SUCCESS AT FIRSTBreeding the Kribensis (Pelvicachromis pulcher)

by WARREN FEUER

Recently, I wrote an article chronicling my

attempts (and ultimate success) with

breeding Altolamprologus calvus. This

time I would like to tell you, my readers, about a

different experience, one that led to breeding

almost immediately with a single pair of fish. I

will be honest with you right away; I cheated.

Well, not exactly cheated, more like took

advantage of my knowledge to load the deck

towards success.

But, let me take you all back a few years

first. In fact, let me take you back at least 10 years.

At that time, I was living in a two bedroom

apartment in Forest Hills, Queens. I was keeping

a mere 10 fish tanks at the time, and, of course,

wishing that I had

room for more.

One of the tanks, a

30 gallon Long,

was the home of

o n e S yn o d o n t is

a n g e l i c u s , a n

African catfish that

was (and, in fact,

still is) one of my

prize fish. Don’t

let anyone tell you

fish don’t live very

long; with proper

care they are very long lived.

Where were we? Oh yes, the 30 gallon

tank. I decided that I would make that tank a West

African riverine “biotope aquarium,” with both

flora and fauna from that region only. With that in

mind, I stocked the tank with several Anubias

plants, two different schools of African tetras;

Spilopterus arnoldlicthys and Phenacogrammus

interruptus (the Congo Tetra). When it came to

choosing a cichlid for the tank, one came to mind

immediately, Pelvicachromis pulcher, the

Kribensis. You will have to forgive me for not

going into the whole history of how the fish got its

popular name. Fortunately for me, our own Bernie

Harrigan has written an excellent profile of the fish

in the June, 2007 issue of Modern Aquarium.

Read Bernie’s article and you will know all you

need to about the Krib.

I was able to keep this tank going for

quite a while with the above residents. The Kribs

never spawned in the tank, even though I know

there were members of both sexes present. I am

pretty sure that, due to the tank setup, they just

never found anywhere to spawn. However, based

upon the tank’s residents, it is probably a good

thing they did not spawn. Over time, however,

some fish died, others got moved to different

locations, and, now the S. angelicus resides in the

tank by itself, some 14 years after I bought it!

In the ensuing years, I tried twice to keep

and breed the albino form of the Krib. In both

instances, they died relatively soon after purchase.

I just had no luck with them. Some folks avoid

albino fish, but not

me. I find them to

be quite attractive,

and over the years

I have had several

d ifferent albino

species. For a

w h i l e , I

experienced great

success keeping

a n d b r e e d i n g

A u l o n a c a r a

jacobfreibergi sp.

“albino eureka.”

Sorry, I am digressing again. My point is, I just

had no luck with the albino kribs.

Flash forward now to an early spring day

in March 2007. Joe Ferdenzi and I were enjoying

a rare day of no family responsibilities, or, more

likely, few enough that we were able to get out for

a little while to do a quick fish store run. We chose

a place about 30 minutes from my house that I had

been to, but not Joe. Located on the south shore of

Long Island in Babylon Village, A Lot of Fish is a

place I like to visit. It has a nice selection of fish,

some the type you see in every store, and some

unique. All seemed reasonably priced, for the most

part.

Remember, something is worth whatever

someone is willing to pay for it. If you happen to

see a fish somewhere that you may have been

searching for, what it costs may not matter to you.

You might just have to buy it! Anyway, that’s my


two cents about prices and pet shops. You must

bear in mind that pet shops are businesses, and

must make a living. Price is not always what you

pay for something, but, also service and support.

Boy, I sure am good at getting off track

this time, aren’t I? Sorry about that. Back to the

fish trip. When we last visited this article, Joe and

I were “fishcapading” at A Lot of Fish, walking

through the aisles, checking out the stock, and

commenting here and there on different fish. I had

been looking for keyhole cichlids for my son’s 20

gallon Long tank for the better part of six months

at that point, and could find them nowhere. He

was getting tired of having an empty tank in his

room, and I wanted something to put in the tank.

As we were cruising the aisles, I noticed what

seemed to be a mature pair of Kribs in one of the

tanks. Both fish appeared healthy and injury free,

and the female had a nice round, purple belly.

That was a clear sign that she was ready to breed.

I knew I had found new residents for my son’s

tank. The price for the pair was a bit under $20,

very reasonable for two prime specimens in a pet

shop. They were soon on their way to my house.

When bringing new fish into your house,

it is always a great idea to have a tank for them! In

this case, I would be using my son Eric’s 20 gallon

Long tank, which was empty and awaiting new

tenants. We had been searching for keyhole

cichlids, C. maronii, for a while, Eric having

decided that was the fish he wanted to keep. Of

course, they were nowhere to be found. A long-

time standard in the hobby, they had been relegated

to a lower level of popularity, and there had been

little interest in them. Then, an article in one of the

popular hobby magazines named them as an easy

to keep fish, and suddenly, no one had them. One

local store was said to be expecting a delivery of

them, but, each week passed and they never

showed up.

So, into the tank went the Krib pair. No

sooner did we acclimate the pair and release them

into the tank, than they were off digging in the

gravel looking for somewhere to spawn. To make

their spawning easier, I added a clay “cave” to the

tank for privacy and spawning ease. That was on

a Sunday. By the following Wednesday, the

female was nowhere to be seen, the entrance to the

“cave” was half blocked with piled-up gravel, and

the male was constantly hovering close by. It did

not take a careful observer to note that the pair had

most likely spawned.

A week passed, and all was the same in

the tank. The female stayed in the cave, rarely

coming out, and if she did, for example to grab a

quick morsel of supplied fish food, the male

quickly swam into the “cave,” each twisting their

body to get around the gravel at the opening. Once

the female returned to the cave, the male quickly

came out and resumed guard duty. Several days

later I came home from work and noticed a

swirling cloud of what looked like detritus on the

bottom of the tank, with both parents hovering

above it. I won’t keep you in suspense; it was Krib

fry, about 100 or more of them.

Fellow GCAS Board member Lenny

Ramroop says that Kribs are the best parents he

had ever seen among fish, and he is absolutely

right! They were constantly guarding the fry,

hovering near them, and keeping any enemies,

imagined or real, at bay. Since the fish were alone

in the tank, and I did not want to disturb them, they

were completely safe.

Eric and I fed the new fry about twice a

day, alternating between frozen baby brine shrimp

and Cyclopeeze at first, and then adding different

fry foods including well-crushed flake food. They

are about the easiest fry I have ever raised,

including those from mouthbrooders. It appears

that we suffered very little loss of fry, and there

appears to be no aggression among the fry or

parents.

I brought the parents, as well as some of

the fry, to the July 2007 GCAS meeting to be

auctioned. I hated to give them up but, with Eric

going off to college in September, I really did not

want another tank to have to take care of, and I did

not want the parents to spawn again.

They may not be the flashiest fish, but if

you want to experience the joy of watching cichlids

breed AND raise their fry, you cannot beat the

Kribensis, Pelvicachromis pulcher. In the coming

months, you may get a chance to bid on some of

the fry as I bring them in for auction. Check them

out, you won’t be sorry!


The GCASProudly Extends

a Most Warm Welcome

to

STEVEN GIACOBELLO

Speaking On

“Fish Photography”


Suggested Questions

T Please introduce yourself.

T Tell us about your favorite aquarium.

T What was your very first fish?

T Tell us about your education as a fishkeeper.

T Is there someone you think of as a mentor?

Tell us about him or her.

T Describe your “Fantasy Fish Tank.”

T If you were a fish, which one would you be?

T Who is your “Hobby Hero?”

T What fish which you have never kept would

you like to acquire?

T Describe your biggest fishkeeping “blooper!”

T Describe your most memorable fishkeeping

experience.

T What advice would you give to a

beginning fishkeeper?

T What are your fishkeeping goals?

- OR write a narrative story -

FISHKEEPERSANONYMOUS

by SUSAN PRIEST ? ? ANONYMOUS ? ?

This person is a relatively new member of

GCAS. Being true to the spirit of

Fishkeepers Anonymous, they haven’t

given us very much to go on. Is this person old or

young; male or female? Maybe you are sitting next

to them right now. I’m always itching to give you

readers a clue at this point. I think I can safely get

away with saying this — you have seen at least one

picture of this person in the pages of Modern

Aquarium. (Sorry! I

can hear you groaning

from here.) Now that

I have scratched my

itch at your expense,

let me introduce our:

A n o n y m o u s

F i s h k e e p e r ,

September 2007:

P l e a s e i n t r o d u c e

yourself.

My hobby

started when my dad

set up a 29 gallon

tank. It housed

community fishes. As

my hobby grew, so

did my interest in

joining a group.

That’s when I went to

my first meeting, and then I joined the GCAS in

2007.

Tell us about your favorite aquarium.

It has to be my 30 gallon aquarium. I

added live plants to it, and driftwood. It houses

koi, and other community fishes as well.

What was your favorite first fish?

It would have to be goldfish. I was

always fascinated with the different kinds, colors,

and body shapes. I had fun watching them grow,

and swim together. I would search for them at

different pet stores, and hand pick them. Then, I

got into koi.

Tell us about your education as a fishkeeper.

My education came from friends who

owned fish, plus what I taught myself, as well. I

also did a lot of reading; that was a plus.

Is there someone you

think of as a mentor?

Yes. His

name is Gino. I knew

him since he was a

young kid . H e

introduced many kinds

of fish to me. I

remember seeing his

first tank. He had

mollies of every color.

In the plants that

floated on top, there

were lots of baby fish.

That’s when I wanted

to get more into the

hobby.

Describe your fantasy

fish tank.

It would be

w e l l p la n te d , o f

course, with tons of driftwood. I would have gold

or cardinal tetras, or both of them.

If you were a fish, which one would you be?

I would be a Betta splendens, a

half-moon, of course!

Who is your hobby hero?

Wow, you really got me stuck on this one.

I wouldn’t know where to start.

What fish which you have never kept would you

like to acquire?


Leonard Ramroop

A flowerhorn. A really nice one. I like

all the different strains, from the original one to the

new ones.

Describe your most memorable blooper.

Mixing species that don’t get along, like

Bettas with guppies (fancy), and koi goldfish with

round-bodied ones.

What advice would you give to a beginning

fishkeeper?

Do not mix fish which are not compatible.

Test your water when you think something is not

right. Always try to use aged water, or conditioner

— it works well. Trust me, read magazines. They

give you another’s experience. Also, check the

websites. There are great photos of fishes.

What are your fiskeeping goals?

To pass my knowledge on to others, to

share my experiences, and to learn more. These

are my goals for the future!

Somewhere in the middle of the various oaths

you take when you are a Girl Scout is a

promise to tell the truth. I am sorely tempted

to claim success at stumping Joe Ferdenzi. I also

find myself pondering the question “am I still a

Girl Scout?” In spite of all that, I feel compelled

to admit that yes, Joe did, indeed, deduce the

identity of our August autobiographer.

As a fishkeeper since the age of five, and

a member of the GCAS for sixteen years, I think it

is fair to describe him as a veteran hobbyist.

Taking his experience one step further, by having

developed his own strain of guppy, would most

assuredly raise his stature to that of the mentor or

hobby hero of other aquarists.

He has filled many shoes here at the

GCAS. In the past he has taken charge of “Early

Arrivals” responsibilities. Currently he is a

member of the Board, and is also our Bowl Show

Chairman. He rarely misses a meeting.

He wasn’t quite sure that he wanted to be

an anonymous fishkeeper (he has a quiet and

retiring demeanor). I’m sure I can speak for all of

us when I say that we are very glad he did. I can

picture in my mind the tank with the 200 Red

Cobra Guppies, his most memorable shopping trip,

and the discus tank of his dreams. Thank you,

Leonard, for sharing all that and more.

Our Generous Members

Every month we have a sheet on our auction table where members who donate items to the auction

can indicate their donations (and yes, a “50%-50%” split is also donation). Although we have no

shortage of items to be auctioned, only a few of those donating complete this sign-in sheet. We’d

like to give everyone who donates credit, so if you donate to the auction, please put your name down. For

our August auction, the following generous members agreed to be identified as having donated items:

Jeff Bollbach

Harry Faustmann

Joe Graffagnino

Jakleen Murk

Anton Vukich

Ed Vukich


The Seahorse ChroniclesBREEDING SEAHORSES - PART 2: COURTSHIP

by BERNARD HARRIGAN

In the first part of this series on breeding we covered how to set up a tank for breeding seahorses. We

went over tank size, filtration, water movement, lighting, furnishings, and stocking the tank. In Part 2

we will cover how to pair up a male and female seahorse, their courtship and its consummation, along

with some snags you might run into.

If you don’t have a bonded pair of

seahorses, there are a few tricks by which to get

them interested in one another. The obvious way of

putting several seahorses together in a tank and

letting them pair off on their own can work, but it’s

very unnatural for them. Seahorses are basically

solitary fish. They don’t swim in schools, or even

live in herds in the wild. They’re not social animals

per se, and don’t have the social skills to interact

well when placed in a group in the small confines of

an aquarium. When in such a setting, females can

seem to be calculating and treacherous towards

egg-laden females. There are numerous accounts of

how one female tricked another female into thinking

she was going to breed, only to expel her eggs and

have them land on the gravel below.

On the other hand, one male will try to cut

in on another’s action, shoving the other out of the

way at a very key moment. Other times, these

normally peaceful males will grapple with each

other in a sort of Greco-Roman wrestling style, with

the stronger male pinning the weaker male down to

the bottom of the tank. Males are also known to

take shots at a rival using the same technique he’d

use on snapping up a shrimp. This can be a forceful

blow that stuns the opponent, or worse yet, knocks

his eye out. Yeah, I’m talking about some serious

fighting here.

I’m not saying a melée will always break

out when you put four or more seahorses together.

It varies, depending on the species as well as the

temperament of the individual seahorse. Dwarf

seahorses, Hippocampus zosterae, will breed even

under crowded conditions. But, even in the case of

the dwarf seahorse, you should always strive to

house them in the best possible and most natural

environment. Just because dwarf seahorses will stay

peaceful and breed without much incident, doesn’t

mean that is how they should be kept. It’s the

exception and not the rule.

Let’s take a look at what seahorse life is

like out in the ocean. It will help you understand

just how these creatures pair up. Seahorses are

ambush hunters who wait until their food comes to

them. Since they all compete for this limited

resource (small crustaceans) it wouldn’t make sense

for them to be densely packed into one area. A

single seahorse can have a territory of over 300

square feet. The male has a smaller territory that is

encompassed inside the female (his partner’s)

territory. These territories are spread out into a

colony. An unpaired seahorse, or one that has lost

its mate, will roam around the colony looking for

a spouse. If it runs into a mated pair, the solo

seahorse will be rejected and sent on its unmerry

way. If two seahorses meet at the borders of one

another’s territories, they shy away from each

other, avoiding interaction.

For a solitary seahorse, it isn’t easy to find

a mate. When they do find one, they have two

main concerns. First, both males and females are

looking for a robust partner. The male wants a

female who could produce a large brood for him to

pass his genes along to. The female is looking for

a male she is sure will be able to fertilize and

nurture the utmost amount of eggs she can produce.

The bottom line is, neither of them wants a mate

that’s significantly smaller than they are.

Second, although different species of

seahorses can interbreed, this is not the norm.

Intentional hybridization often results in a greater

number of deformities, less viable offspring, and a

greater chance of sterility among the fry. Since all

species of seahorse are endangered, this should be

avoided. It’s avoided in nature in a number of

ways, including the mating dance. This dance is

crucial in making sure that both partners are

perfectly positioned to transfer the eggs. Since

each species’ dance varies, this makes it

exceedingly difficult for seahorses of two different

species to line everything up.

This dance typically occurs over a

three-day period, during the first hours of daylight.

Either the male or the female will change their

coloration slightly, or radiate to attract their

partner. If the other seahorse doesn’t come over

and respond accordingly, breeding will not take

place. Other behaviors that mark this spectacular

dance are quivering or vibrating their bodies,

Maypole dancing, and synchronized swimming.

Males will literally bend over backwards to show


the female that he has an empty pouch. The

entrance to the pouch will open quite wide, and

expand with water so she can easily see inside. The

female’s eggs will fill with water and expand, giving

her a noticeably swollen appearance.

Usually by the third day they will start the

“copulatory rise.” The pair will be facing one

another, tails intertwined, as they swim straight up.

This can go on for over eight hours before they are

positioned just right. The female needs to be above

the male’s open brood pouch at just the right angle

before the orange eggs can be handed off. They

become fertilized outside the pouch. Once inside,

the eggs will attach themselves to the wall of the

pouch, as a sort of pseudo-placenta, getting their

nourishment from the male.

The male will find himself a peaceful

spot, and rock the eggs into place. The duration of

the pregnancy can vary, depending on conditions

and species. When the father is ready to give birth

he will have muscular contractions to discharge the

fry. These babies are tiny miniature versions of the

adults. They don’t receive any additional care

from their parents.


In order to raise these fry, a nursery and

food cultures need to be set up. This needs to be

done before the male goes into labor, usually within

the first or second week after he has become

pregnant.

We will go into raising the fry in our next

and last installment of this series on breeding.

Until then, take the very best care of your fish.

You chose to keep them; they didn’t choose to be

with you.

Norwalk AquariumSociety

41 ANNUALst

TROPICAL FISH SHOWSponsored by the

Earthplace, the Nature Discovery Center

Saturday, September 29, 2007 (Noon to 4:00p p.m.)

Sunday, September 30, 2007 (10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.)

Special FeatureIn Conjunction with the NAS Show

The Connecticut Betta Club Will Sponsor an

International Betta CongressSanctioned Betta Show

For Information & Rules for the IBC show contact Doug at:[email protected]

Please note that there are special rules to enter the IBC which differ from the NAS

&Auction

NAS Auction (will also feature lots from the IBC show)

Sunday, September 30, 2007Auction Starts at 12:00 p.m. (noon)

At the: Earthplace, the Nature Discovery CenterWestport, Connecticut


Keeping Fish Healthy, Without the Use of Medicine

by PATRICK DONSTON

Through many years of service and giving advice to fellow Aquarists, I’ve been asked many times,

“What can I put in my tank to prevent disease?” Medications such as formaldehyde, methylene blue,

malachite green, and quinine hydro-chloride are commonly used to cure some bacterial and parasitic

infections. The problem is, if used on a frequent basis, parasites and pathogenic bacterial strains can

develop an immunity to them. My theory on medicating fish is a preventative one:

“The best medication to heal a fish, is the fish itself.”

What I’m really saying is the immune

system is a powerful machine to fight and prevent

disease. A strong immune system is extremely

important to fishes health and every Aquarist must

take the proper steps in providing these elements

for success. The scope of this paper will briefly

explain the most important elements needed to

maintain a strong fish.

First and foremost are the water

conditions. Aquariums must be kept with the

utmost care in order to achieve a high standard of

water quality. Toxicity problems such as ammonia

2(NH4+), nitrite (NO ), or low pH can be

devastating to fishes’ health. These conditions will

burn fishes eyes, scales, and slime coat.

Remember, the capacity of the host to resist

disease depends on the maintenance of an intact

physical barrier between the internal tissues and

the environment. This is known as “natural

resistance.” If the slime coat or eyes are damaged

through toxicity problems, parasites and bacteria

find their way in the host much easier.

Low pH levels (acidic water) not only

cause external damage, but also cause

physiological stress. A sub-par pH will change the

pH level of the blood inside the fish. Rapid

2operculum pumping tells us O consumption is

desperate and energy exhaustion may occur. The

presence of natural resistors (or anti-bodies) in the

blood, tissues, and mucus can diminish under

physiological exhaustion. Fish, as with all animals,

need natural resistors to fight off diseases. Under

physiological stress, anti-body production is

decreased leaving them susceptible to pathogens.

pH, ammonia, and nitrate can be easily tested in

aquarium water. If any of these parameters are not

in balance, one must trouble-shoot and find where

the problem lies. I can describe from countless

observations, fish will not be cured of any

infection, no matter what medicine is administered,

if ammonia or nitrite is present in water. That is

why it is important to take the proper steps,

ensuring wastes are eliminated.

Below, I’ve listed several guidelines to follow:

1) adequate biological filtration

2) monthly partial water changes

3) vacuum gravel bed (~ once a month)

4) maintain filter media (~ once a month)

These general practices may vary in

accordance to 1) tank size, 2) number of fish, and

3) type of specimens housed. One should consult

a lo ca l aquarium shop or boo k fo r

recommendations toward these guidelines in

relation to the type of fish they may be keeping.

What if we have sick or dead fish and the

above water parameters are in check? Can the

water conditions still be a problem? As a matter of

fact, there are many situations where it occurs.

Ammonia and nitrate are not present but dissolved

organics are high, thus water conditions can still be

a factor in fishes health. Although nitrogen based

wastes can be tested, organic waste, bacteria, and

viruses cannot. Lack of filtration or maintenance

of the aquarium results in what I call “dirty-water

syndrome.” Tank water becomes saturated with

organic waste known as dissolved organic carbon

or DOC. (Figure 1). Bacteria and viruses feed on

this matter enabling them to propagate into large

numbers. If the pathogen numbers are high in the

tank-water, anti-bodies of the fish cannot fight as

well, thus infections occur. Look at it this way; if

we swim in crowded pools where filtration and

chlorine levels are low, there are potential

problems with sores on our skin. These occur from

bacteria and viruses which are high in numbers of

poorly maintained swimming pools. I don’t think

we would swim in a pool, knowing there is a high

bacterial-viral count.

Dirty-water syndrome can be eliminated

by following the guidelines I’ve stated in the

previous section. Again I emphasize, if the DOC

is high in water, pathogens reproduce in great

proportions, thus anti-bodies are out numbered and

can’t fight disease no matter what treatment is

used.


We must have a clean tank to medicate fishes

that are already infected with disease.

Otherwise, the medication is useless.

If the immune system is the key to a fish

healing from disease, then it goes without saying,

antibody production must always be a concern.

Antibodies are enzymes (or proteins) produced by

the immune system. Development of antibodies

are directly related to the availability of the right

components needed for production. These are the

nutrients we feed our fish. Below I’ve listed the 4

basic nutrient groups. We must try to meet the

fish’s dietary needs of all 4 groups in order to

achieve sustenance, growth, and reproduction.

1) Proteins (Niacin, Thiamine, or other

amino-acids)

2) Lipids (L-ascorbic acid, HUFAS)

3) Carbohydrates (cellulose, keratin,

biotin)

12 34) Vitamins (B , C, E, K , A)

Of course, nutrient requirements vary

from fish to fish. It is important to always feed a

varied diet that ensures we are completing the

nutritional needs. I can say from first-hand

experience that I have healed lymphocytosis,

lateral line disorder, Hexamita, and other bacterial

infections by feeding dry pellets saturated with

liquid vitamins. I credit this to the strengthening of

the immune system.


Live foods are not always the best

solution for nutritional requirements. Studies have

shown fish produce over 10 times the waste than if

they were fed dry or frozen food. A soft dry pellet

with low carbohydrate and ash content optimizes

protein/energy ratio resulting in lower organic

phosphorus and nitrogen excretion. The idea of a

clean system by minimizing fish waste and a diet

consisting of high energy food is the pattern

Aquaculturist follow. Carbohydrates are found

almost exclusively in plants, thus a herbivorous

diet should always be fed (even to carnivorous

fishes). Large Cichlids or marine fish fed

exclusively on live foods never look as healthy as

if they were fed a varied diet of dried plant and

animal matter.

In conclusion, living organisms alter the

composition of the water in which they live, and

the resultant changes are sometimes harmful. The

aquarist’s task is to recognize these changes and

attempt to control them. Most of our knowledge

concerning fish dietary requirements comes from

experimental nutrition studies. These studies have

demonstrated the relative importance of dietary

proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates for growth and

energy to run the bodily machinery. If these

requirements are met, the fish will do the rest.

REFERENCES

Bardach, John E. 1997. Sustainable Aquaculture. Wiley and Sons Inc., New York, N.Y., p251.

Moyle, Peter B. and Joseph J. Cech. 1988. An Introduction to Ichthyology. 2nd. Ed. Prentice-Hall Inc.,

Englewood Cliffs, N.J., p559.

Scheve, Larry G. 1984. Elements of Biochemstry. Allyn and Bacon Inc., Newton, Mass., p 462.

Spotte, Stephen. 1992. Captive Seawater Fishes. Wiley and Sons Inc., New York, N.Y., p 942.


Tropical Freshwater

Aquarium Fish From A to Z

By Ulrich Schliewen

Barrons, 2005

a Series On Books For The Hobbyist

by SUSAN PRIEST

This is a review of “the worst book I ever

liked.” What does that mean? Well, in spite

of its many shortcomings, I find that I cannot

bring myself to completely write it off. So, even

though I will be bouncing around a bit as far as what

I like and don’t like, I’ll tell you what makes it the

worst, and wrap up by telling

you why I like it anyway.

Let me begin by saying

that this is a small volume: four

inches by seven inches, and 256

pages. The opening section,

“Fish Families,” names some

groups by common name, and

others by Latin name, and they are in no particular

order that I can see. Each listing has a brief

paragraph called General, and a second called

Biology.

Starting on page 23, and continuing

through page 225 (the bulk of the text), are the

“Profiles” of 300 fish. As you turn each page, you

will find three fish represented, with text on the left,

and a color photo facing it on the right. Each profile

has a common and then the Latin name, followed by

a family name. In some cases the family name listed

in the profile is not among those listed in the fish

families, however the author gives you a page

number from that section to refer to.

“Characteristics” basically tells you the size of the

fish, and features of sexual differentiation.

“Tank/water” describes the tank size (dimensions,

not volume) and water type (I’ll come back to this

shortly). “Care” covers tank decor and feeding.

Next comes “Habits.” I found myself repeatedly

misreading this word as habitats. Coincidentally (or

maybe not), such comments as “schooling fish

native to shady, quiet flowing waters . . .” are

typical, and actually fit both descriptions. Each

profile co nc ludes with a sen tence on

“Compatibility.”

My main and major gripe with this book is

that the author arranges the profiles “alphabetically

according to the English common name most

frequently used.” If you want to find a hatchetfish,

a leaf fish, a piranha, or an archer fish, you would

have to look up Platinum Hatchetfish, South

American Leaf Fish, Orinoco Piranha, and Small

Scale Archer Fish, respectively. These are just a

few examples from among the 300 names. Even

when you know what fish you want to find, the text

is working against you. Perhaps the fact that this

book has been translated into English from the

original German is a contributing factor. On the

other hand, browsers won’t be held back by this.

I want to return to the topic of water

types. The author describes seven different water

types. They are Type 1: pH 4.5-6.5, dH 0-3;

Type 7: pH >8. dH >12, with 2-3 tablespoons of

sea salt per 2.5 gallons of water, and types 2-6

taking various steps in between. I have never seen

anything like this elsewhere. I have no specific

objection to it per se, until I come across a fish

profile which says “water types 2-6.” That is a

span of five water types!

I have just one more

gripe (honest!). What the

author calls “colored grip

marks,” I was thinking of as

thumb prints, because my

thumb naturally landed on

them. There is one at the left

margin of each profile, and

they are all the same color.

They are half-moon shaped “tabs,” and each one

has a gallon number, such as 62.5 gallons, or 87

gallons. (Again, we must be dealing here with the

translation from liters to gallons.) I don’t find this

useful because you don’t know how many of each

fish to include in this recommended gallonage.

Also, if the fish is a community fish, does it need

12.5 gallons out of a 50 gallon tank, the rest of

which is being occupied by other fish? It is a

worthwhile concept, but it left this reader with

more questions than answers.

There is a small red fish-shaped icon in a

few of the grip marks which indicates a fish with

special needs. In most cases, it means that the fish

requires a very large tank.

In spite of my griping, I still like this

book, and I will tell you why. First and foremost

are the photos. The photos are great. They are just

right; really! I can’t ever remember the photos from

a book making me want to try keeping (or keeping

again) a species of fish, actually a whole lot of

species, just by looking at the photos.

Next is the last sentence of each profile

entitled “Compatibility.” This information is

invaluable, and is not often available. Here is an

example: “In a tank of Altum Angelfish, neons will

be eaten.” (In last month’s issue, someone tells of

learning this lesson the hard way.)

Add to those the facts that it is portable,

bendable, and lightweight. Also, it has a

transparent plastic “dust cover,” and if you set a

cold drink down on it, the “watermark”wipes off!

This book is not intended to be

comprehensive. Pretty much everything is


abbreviated, as it has to be in a volume of this size.

Let me call your attention to the word Freshwater in

the title. Following the fish profiles there is a short

section on shrimp, crabs, crayfish, and snails which

references only freshwater animals. Again, the

wonderful photos made me want to keep crabs, of

all things!

The book closes with a (brief) overview of

five different biotope tanks, a general index, and an

index of Latin names.

Now that all is said and done, I find that

I like this book a little better than I thought I did.

I am revising my original description to say “the

best book that I didn’t like everything about!” If

you give it a try, I would be interested to know

what you think.

Al has asked us to think of something we

have always wanted to write about. Right away I

knew what it would be for me. Watch for a very

unique version of Wet Leaves in our December

2007 issue.

As Some of Us Know……and Some of Us Don’t

by Desiree Martin

As some of you know, I have only recently embarked upon my ventures in becoming an aquarium

hobbyist, and as such, my recent revelations have been experienced by most of you a long time ago.

However, I have been encouraged by seasoned GCAS members to share my recent trials and

tribulations with fellow members inasmuch as there are probably some other new hobbyists among us that

may benefit from my recent “fish” lessons.

Although some of these lessons now seem silly even to me, and I am somewhat embarrassed about

a couple of my mishaps, some things I have learned are:

1) Fish with large mouths will often eat the smaller fish in your tank.

2)The more colorful and flamboyant looking smaller fish are usually eaten by the larger fish

first, because they are more attractive.

3) You should not totally change the water in your aquarium when cleaning because you

get rid of useful bacteria.

4) A turkey baster (dedicated for aquarium use only) is useful in removing waste from

among the rocks in your tank.

5) Fish love live plants.

6) M embers of GCAS are useful resources in answering your questions, and never think a

question you have is silly.

7) If you love your fish, they will love you in return :o)

Well, that’s all for now. When new situations arise, I will certainly share them with you.


How to Culture

White Wormsby BERNARD HARRIGAN

One of my favorite live foods to feed my fish

(to my knowledge, I haven’t ingested any —

yet) is white worms, Enchytraeus albidus.

Fish will readily accept them. They’re outstanding

for conditioning breeders, and they can survive

underwater for several days. Once dropped in a

tank, sharks, corys, and loaches are determined to

dig through the gravel to get at them. In particular,

my Weather Loaches, Misgurnus angillicaudatus,

relish these tasty morsels.

The first culture I had was from a Greater

City silent auction. I always get my money’s worth

whenever I pick up something from one of these

events. (Now, if I could only buy a used car at one.)

Anyway, it came

with a custom-made

wooden box with a

sliding Plexiglass

lid. I think I paid

five dollars for it.

The box alone was

worth that much. It

also had instructions

on the care and

feeding of the white

worms.

Since then,

through trial and

tribulation, I came

up with the easiest

way to have a very

prolific culture. I’ll

go to he garden

supply store and

buy a bag of potting

soil. I’m looking for soil that has the words

“sterilized,” “leaf mold,” and “humus” on the bag.

I don’t want to see the words “fertilizer” or

“herbicide.” Those things are bad for worms. I’ll

buy a 50 pound bag because I know I’ll end up

using it. While I’m there, I’ll also pick up some

lime. You don’t need much lime for the white

worms, so unless you are going to use it for other

things, get the smallest package that they’ll sell to

you.

In an old Styrofoam fish box that has a

tight-fitting lid, I will pour enough soil to make it

four or five inches deep. Then I’ll mix in two

tablespoons of lime. The worms need the soil to be

slightly alkaline in order to thrive. Make sure that

the lime is thoroughly mixed in. Using a watering

can, sprinkle a little water on the soil. You want

the soil to be moist enough so that when you

squeeze it in your hand it holds its shape, including

your finger grooves. If you squeeze it and water

drips out, then it is too wet. Once you have that

set, your worm bed is ready.

Now I dig a trench in the center of the

soil. I’ll put some milk-soaked bread in the trench

along with my starter culture. Then I cover the box

and store it in a cool to chilly location, 50E-65E F.

At 75E F the worms will die.

To collect the worms, I just go back to the

trench and uncover

a ball of worms. I

drop the worm ball

in to w a te r to

decant the soil and

food stuff from the

w o r m s . T h e

worms will sink.

If, when you are

feeding the worms

to your fish, some

soil should happen

to fall into the

tank, don’t worry.

Think of all the

soil these fish have

in their natural

habitats. I make

sure that I don’t

harvest the worms

too soon. I feed

the worms in different spots in the box whenever

their food is being used up. I monitor my culture

to see how it’s doing. Every three months, I start

a new culture.

There are three points I’d like to touch on.

The first is what to feed the worms. I use

milk-soaked bread to start the culture. After that,

I vary the diet. I’ve used table scraps, like mashed

potatoes, sliced potatoes, or potato peelings; almost

any vegetable or vegetable scraps. The same goes

for fruit or cooked cereal like oatmeal, corn meal,

and farina. Just make sure it has little to no butter,

and isn’t hot. I have even used old fish food that I

didn’t want to feed to my fish. I’ve heard of


people using dry dog food or dry cat food, pablum,

malted milk powder, wheat flour — the list is

endless. The bottom line here is that the worms are

not picky. I think of it as recycling and varying their

diet all at the same time. I love feeding them

leftover hot dog rolls. I often wonder why it is that

you get more hot dog rolls per package then you get

hot dogs. So, you could feed the extras to the

worms.

The second point has to do with

temperature. During the fall, winter, and spring my

culture does fine in the corner of the basement.

During the summer, I run into trouble. That was

until I took an empty soda bottle, filled it with

water, and froze it. During those days when the

temperature would soar, I would put the frozen

bottle right into the box, and put the lid back on. I’d

have to change the bottle about every other day, and

the worms did great.

The third point is that I’ve always heard

white worms are too “fatty” to feed to your fish all

the time. In doing research for this article, I’ve

learned that white worms contain less than 2.7%

body fat, in contrast to microworms which contain

4.8%. Now, I’d never feed white worms1

exclusively to my fish, but I make it a part of a

varied diet. The more varied the diet, the healthier

your fish will be.

ht tp: / /members.optushome.com.au /chelmon/1

Whitewrm.htm

THE AMUSING AQUARIUM

It’s not global warming - the heater is broken!




New Hampshire Aquarium Society15th Annual AuctionSunday, October 14, 2007Newington Town Hall

Nimble Hill Rd.

Newington, NH

Auction will begin at 12Noon. Arrive early for viewing

For more information & sheets Call Bill Janetos (603) 749-2667

or E-mail at: [email protected]

Call Don Van Pelt (207) 973-2030 or E-mail at [email protected]

Visit NHAS’s Webpage at: www.nhaquariumsociety.com

Danbury Area Aquarium Society20th Annual AuctionSunday, October 21, 2007at the Carmel Firehouse

Route 52 & Vink Dr,

Carmel, NY

Vendors: Mona’s Koi (Ed Champigny), Lee Finley (Finley Aquatics), and Ken’s Fish (Ken Menard)

Auction Hours:

Registration: 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM

Viewing of Goods: 11:00 AM to 11:45 PM

Auction: 12:00 PM to 5 PM

Contacts: Rich Litsky (845) 228-0372 Joe Masi (845) 896-4793

WEB: http://www.northeastcouncil.org/daas

EMAIL: [email protected]

The Tropical Fish Society of Rhode Island34th Annual Aquarium Show and AuctionSeptember 21-23, 2007St. Joseph’s Parish Center

1303 Mendon Road (Rte. 122)

Cumberland, RI

Friday, September 21, 2007 -

5:00 PM-9:00 PM - Show Setup

Saturday, September 22 -

9:00 AM-11:30 AM - Show Setup & Viewing

Sunday, September 23 -

9:00 AM - Doors Open,

9:15 AM-11:45 AM - Show Viewing

11:45 AM - Vendor Registration & Lot Viewing

12:00 - Show Award Presentation, Auction Starts. (Ends when last lot is sold)

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

Allen Wagonblott (401) 847-3364

[email protected]


In spite of popular demand to the

contrary, this humor and information

column continues. As usual, it does

NOT necessarily represent the

opinions of the Editor, or of the

Greater City Aquarium Society.

The Latest (andThe Greatest)?

A series by “The Undergravel Reporter”

Did you ever think about the fact that there is

a whole new generation of aquarists for

whom the phrase “freeze-dried” is NOT an

oxymoron (that is, mutually contradictory terms

used together)? Think about it, you really can’t

freeze something that is totally dry. Nonetheless,

we use freeze-dried food for our fish.

Then, again, that same generation of new

aquarists probably won’t understand it if we say that

we’re going to “dial” the phone. When was the last

time you really “dialed” a phone number?

What about writing a letter (or even an

e-mail) and adding the letters “cc” to indicate that a

copy is being sent to someone other than the

primary addressee? “CC” means (or used to mean)

“carbon copy.” Does anyone remember carbon

paper? Does anyone even have any carbon paper,

or even know where and how to get some today?

Do you realize that first thing this new

generation of aquarists is going to think about when

they hear the word “python” is not a non-venomous

constricting snake, but rather a water changing and

gravel cleaning product, which was “always”

available (although some smart-Alec youngster may

also think of the Python programming language).

There is a generation of hobbyists who

never knew a time when “metal halide” lights did

not exist. That same generation may have never

seen a ceramic tank ornament (or, for that matter,

any tank ornament made in the U.S.A.).

I always had the impression that

Australians were, on the whole, a fairly hardy lot,

and not easily spooked or intimidated. Well, maybe

Crocodile Dundee isn’t worried about meeting a

freshie showing its ivories while he’s on walkabout

in a billabong, but nearly four years after GloFish®

(a trademarked brand of genetically modified zebra

danios having bright red, green, and orange

fluorescent color) were first introduced to the

United States market, the Australian government is

still debating whether to allow them for sale in that

country. Greenpeace opposes the sale of the fish

“down under.” “We have no way of predicting what

havoc they will cause when they are released into

the wild,” Greenpeace says on its website. Zebra

danios wrecking havoc? I wonder if whoever

wrote that on behalf of Greenpeace ever saw one?

A recent article in Modern Aquarium

mentioned using fish tank water for house plants.

Well, at Springhouse Farm in Durham, North

Carolina, there is a greenhouse that does that on an

extremely large scale. It houses a prototype

aquaponics system — a method of farming that

uses fish to feed and fertilize plants, which in turn

filter the water that gets circulated back to the fish.

Naturally occurring bacteria in the gravel breaks

down the urine in the pond water to provide the

plants with nutrition. (The solid waste from the

fish is filtered out and removed.) The greenhouse

has six waist-high beds of pebble-sized pea gravel

that measure four by eight feet, and are only a foot

deep. From these beds grow anything that could

grow in dirt. In the back of the greenhouse is a

600-gallon plastic pond. In it are about 60

full-grown tilapia. Their job is to urinate — and in

doing so, provide hope that a system such as this

can feed some of the world’s poorest people,

particularly in areas where farming is difficult and

protein is a hard find.

Shelia Rittgers, who tends the Durham

aquaponics system, has helped install two

aquaponic systems in Haiti, where farming is

marginal because most of the topsoil has eroded.

Her greenhouse has been operating for six years,

and about two-thirds of the 90 original fish are still

alive. The remaining tilapia, which started as

fingerlings, are all now more than a foot long.

In addition to the feed Rittgers throws in,

the tilapia munch on the algae growing on the sides

of the tub. Tilapia make ideal aquaponic fish,

because they have a low oxygen requirement and

reach maturity within six months.

Rittgers’ system is rigged electronically

so that a few times a day a pump lifts the water

from the tub into a grid of perforated PVC pipes

that waters the gravel beds. The beds flood a bit,

and as the water recedes, it collects back into the

pipes and is then purged all at once into the pond.

It spurts forth from a showerhead-like nozzle at an

angle into the water, oxygenating the pond. The

tilapia line up to swim against the current and fill

their gills. The systems Rittgers and others helped

install in Haiti are not electrically operated,

because power supplies there are unreliable.

Instead, the water is pumped by hand up to the

beds, and gravity simply returns the filtered water

back to the pond.

Whatdayaknow—low tech systems still

work!


CAMEO PET SHOP

T R O P IC A L F IS H A Q U A R IU MSpecializing in Tropical Fish and Aquarium Supplies

Large Selection of Aquatic PlantsKnowledgeable Staff

Same Location Since 1947.

(7 18 ) 8 4 9 -6 6 78 115-23 Jam aica A ve nue

R ichm o nd H ill, N Y 114 18

! Marine Biologist On Staff! Custom Tank Builders for the NY Aquarium! Manufacturers of Aquarium & Filter Systems! Custom Cabinetry & Lighting! Largest Selection of Marine & Freshwater Livestock in NY! New York’s Largest Custom Aquarium Showroom! See Working Systems on Display

2015 Flatbush Avenue Open Saturdays and SundaysBrooklyn, NY 11234 Amex, Discover, MasterCard, Visa(718)258-0653 2 miles off exit 11N of the Belt Parkway

www.WorldClassAquarium.com


Last Month’s Bowl Show Winners:

1) Ed Vukich 2) Bill Amely 3) Bill Amely

UNOFFICIAL results this season, to date:

Ed Vukich 18; Carlotti De Jager 11; Artie Friedman 6;

Darwin Richmond 3; Bill Amely 4; Warren Feuer 1

Welcome new members:

Desirée Martin, Nick Pandolfi, Ron Pandolfi

G.C.A.S. HAPPENINGS

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

GREATER CITY AQUARIUM SOCIETY

Next Meeting; October 10, 2007

Speaker: Mark Denaro

Topic: “Aquascaping 101"

7:30pm at The VFW Post

136-06 Horace Harding Expressway

Flushing, NY 11367

Contact: Joseph Ferdenzi (516) 484-0944

E-mail: [email protected]

Website: http://www.greatercity.org

Brooklyn Aquarium SocietyNext Meeting: October 12, 2007

21st Annual Tropical Fish Auction

7:30pm at Floyd Bennett Field, Bklyn.

— Aviator Sports & Recreation Center

See page 23 for complete details and

directions.

Call: BAS Events Hotline: (718) 837-4455

http://www.brooklynaquariumsociety.org

East Coast Guppy Association

Meets: 1st Thursday of each month at Alley Pond

Environmental Ctr.: 228-06 Northern Blvd. at

8:00 pm

Contact: Gene Baudier (631) 345-6399

Big Apple Guppy Club

Meets: Last Tuesday each month (except Jan.

& Feb.) at Alley Pond Environmental Ctr.:

228-06 Northern Blvd. at 7:30-10:00pm.

Contact: Donald Curtin (718) 631-0538

Long Island Aquarium SocietyNext Meeting: September 21, 2007

Speaker: Tim Nurse

Topic: “Dive Trip to Lake Tanganyika”

Meets: 3rd Fridays (except July and August) at

Holtsville Park and Zoo at 8:00pm.

249 Buckley Road - Holtsville, NY

Website: http://liasonline.org/

Email: Arie Gilbert - [email protected]

Nassau County Aquarium SocietyNext Meeting: October 9, 2007

Silent Auction

Meets: 2nd Tuesday of each month at the

American Legion Post 1066 - 66 Veterans

Blvd. - Massapequa, NY at 8:00pm.

Contact: Mike Foran (516) 798-6766

Website: http://www.ncasweb.org

North Jersey Aquarium Society

Next Meeting: September 20, 2007

Speaker: Spencer Jack

Topic: “Collecting in Uruguay”

Meadowlands Environmental Center - One

Dekorte Plaza - Lyndhurst, NJ

Contact: NJAS Hotline at (732) 332-1392

Website: http://www.njas.net/

or e-mail: [email protected]

Norwalk Aquarium SocietyNext Meeting: September 20, 2007

Speaker and Topic: TBA

Meets: 8:00 P.M. - 3rd Thursday of each

month at: Earthplace - the Nature Discovery

Center - Westport, CT

Contact: John Chapkovich (203) 734-7833

E-mail: [email protected]

Call our toll free number (866) 219-4NAS

Website: http://norwalkas.org/


Fin FunVocabularyChallenge

Here are some not-so-common words used by fishkeepers. Challenge yourself to choose the correct

definitions. It’s not cheating if you have to look them up.

DORAS: __A talkng catfish __ A walking catfish

__A livebearing catfish __A catfish with scales

STOLON: __A brown edge on a leaf __A hole in the center of a leaf

__A floating plant seed __A horizontal plant stem

ADINIA: __An omnivorous killifish __ A carnivorous plant

__A herbivorous anabantoid __A female fish in search of a mate

LACUSTRINE: __Living in rivers __Living in the ocean

__Living in lakes __Living in brackish water

FUNGUS: __A virus __A bacteria

__A parasite __A plant

MUREX: __A worm __A shrimp

__A snail __A soft coral

GH: __An abbreviation for gaseous hydrogen __An abbreviation for genetic hybrid

__An abbreviation for general hardness __An abbreviation for genus Hemichromus

NYMPHAEA: __Water lilies __Water fleas

__Water currents __Mermaids

Solution to last month’s puzzle: THE LATIN LINEUP


Documents

Modern Aquarium September 2007