Members

The Canberra and District Aquarium Society Incorporated (CDAS) is an association of amateur aquarists. We hold monthly meetings and other functions to allow members to meet and talk about fish and fish keeping. The meetings are designed to stimulate discussion on all sorts of topics related to the hobby and to provide opportunities for members to exchange ideas, knowledge and livestock.

CDAS is the perfect vehicle to find out more about fish keeping. Whether you are a complete novice who just wants to learn how to keep your fish alive or an expert who wants to know more about the science behind their aquarium, you'll find the help you need.
Memberships are due at the October & November club meetings. Reminder emails will be sent out to all members. All members will be required to fill out membership application forms each year as a way of keeping contact details and CDAS Inc. records up to date.

Services and activities available to members at these meetings include:

Library – extensive range of aquarium related books and videos;
Auction – Buy and sell plants and fish;
Guest speakers – Each month a member or special guest delivers a talk (and often a slideshow) on a variety of topics;
Speak to fellow fish enthusiasts - CDAS provides a great opportunity for members to discuss this fascinating hobby with other enthusiasts.

CDAS offers much more than just meetings. Other activities include:

A quarterly magazine containing articles about local conditions - written and produced by CDAS members
An annual fish breeders award
A society Web Page

You are more than welcome to visit a meeting and if you find things to your liking become a member.

Auctions

CDAS Auctions provide a great opportunity to buy and sell aquarium items.
For all those who sell items at the Auctions we have a new auction form for people to fill in before you get to the club meetings.

The Auction form can be downloaded here CDAS_Auction_Forms.xls 17.5Kb

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Auction Proceedings

After the break for tea and coffee the auction will commence.

The auctioneer will describe the lot (item to be auctioned) as per what is written down on the auciton form and as per their knowledge of said item. If the auctioneer does not know enough about the item or if there are questions one of the auction-assisting committee members or the seller of the lot will provide/be asked for more information.

Please do not just erupt into a speech of your own knowledge.

A helper will walk the lot down the room to show the item.

They are not obliged to walk around everywhere, if you are interested please move to the chairs close to the walkway so you are close enough to view the item

The auctioneer with call the item three times. If you want to make a bid please make it obvious that you are bidding otherwise your bid may be missed. (i.e. using a CDAS Bidding card)

After an auction lot/item has been one the winning bidder is to go over to the treasurer straight away to pay and to take possession of their lot/item.

If you are not interested in the auction could you please move up the back of the room to talk. Similarly if you are interested in the auction please move to a better location to view the lots and to be seen when bidding, and refrain from conversation – it makes it harder for all of us.

This process will make the auction event more interesting for all…

To sell items in the auction:

- you have to be a CDAS member to sell

- you need to fill in an auction form (found on our website) with scientific and common name if applicable. The form is also available on the night.

- number all your bags of fish (ie: matching numbers with your auction form)

- please have your lots submitted before the start of the meeting to make it easier for everybody

Please see the CDAS AUCTION RULES 2009-2010 Page for more information

CDAS AUCTION RULES 2009-2010

* All auction lots are only to include fish, aquarium plants or other aquarium related products.

* Non-Members are welcome to attend and may make purchases in the auction, but only current financial members can sell.

* There is a maximum of 10 auction lots per seller during regular monthly meeting auctions.
(unless otherwise authorised by the Auctioneer, Vice President or Auction scrutineer committee member)

* There will be a limit of 3 lots of the same item per seller. This is to avoid 10 bags of 2 of the same fish/plant per bag which is less likely to sell and will take up more auction time than say 3 bags with 6 fish/plants per bag. If there are 10 of the same item in individual bags the auctioneer is authorised to make up 2 lots of 5 items for example - this is at the Auctioneer’s, Vice President’s or Auction scrutineer committee member’s discretion.

* You may not offer for sale, or sell to any buyer, any items that violate applicable laws or regulations within the ACT.

Preparation and booking in lots
* Fish must be properly bagged in appropriate sized bags. All lots that are not bagged correctly will be required to be bagged properly or the Vice President or auctioneer may decide to pass the item in. Sellers are to ensure that there is adequate water and air space for the number and size of fish in the bags. Water should be clean and free from excessive debris/waste matter.

* If re-bagging of fish is required it must not be done on the carpeted area. Re-bagging must be done before the auction begins and not during the auction.

* All auction lots it must be scrutinised by the Auctioneer, Vice President or Auction scrutineer committee member before acceptance into the club auction. Auction items, under no circumstances, are to be sold with out scrutineering first.

* If club members do not register their auction lots they will not be put through the auction process. Auction lots may be registered up until the mid break where it is up to the Auctioneer’s, Vice President’s or Auction scrutineer committee member’s discretion to allow or disallow lots.

* All items to be auctioned must be booked in for the auction as soon as possible, preferably before the meeting starts at 8pm. They will be auctioned off in the order they are booked in i.e: first in first sold. Late bookings will only be accepted under the discretion of the Auctioneer, Vice President or Auction scrutineer committee member.

* All sellers are required to submit a completed CDAS Auctioneer Record Form when submitting their lots. Only official and approved CDAS Auctioneer Record Forms will be accepted. Official auction forms can be obtained from the committee or online prior to the start of the meeting.

* The seller is responsible in ensuring that each lot is given a proper and separate lot number. The lot number should also be placed on the bag/item with a WATERPROOF texta or on a sticky label.

* All items labeled with the same lot number will be auctioned as one lot. If you are careless and book in 10 lots with the same lot number, they will be auctioned as one lot. This includes fish and dry goods.

* All lots must be adequately marked on the Auctioneer Record Form with the name and number of fish/plants, plus the reserve price (if any).

* Once a lot has been booked in it can only be removed at the end of the auction, or at the discretion of the Auctioneer’ Vice President or Auction scrutineer committee member’

* No one, except under the discretion of the Auctioneer, Vice President or Auction scrutineer committee member, may open boxes or rummage through the booked in lots. Buyers may however come up and look at the Auctioneer Record Forms which will be on the top of each seller’s lots - these sheets are not to be removed for any reason.

During the auction
* Anyone wishing to visually inspect lots during the auction should position themselves in a position in the room where they can see the lots as they are walked along the front of the auction area.

* Only people bidding with CDAS Auction Cards will have their bids accepted – unless there is a shortage of bidding cards.

* Everyone attending the auction is requested to keep conversations and other distracting noises (such as mobile phones) to a minimum so as not to interfere with the running of the auction.

* Neither the Society nor the auctioneer will be responsible for the sizing of fish or general descriptions. If a buyer wishes to check the sizes or appearance of fish they should be ready and able to inspect the lot as it comes around.

* Neither the Society nor the auctioneers will be responsible for the sexing of the fish or any defects in them but all precautions will be taken to identify these problems if they should arise. Sexing of the fish by the auctioneers is to be taken only as a guide and carries absolutely no guarantees of correctness.

* The seller will be responsible for the labeling of bags, sexing of fish etc. and any lots entered as pairs, trio’s etc must be joined together. At the discretion of the Auctioneer, Vice President or Auction scrutineer committee member, fish lots that are not labeled with the correct name of the fish or without a name can be immediately passed in or sold as a nameless or random fish.

* All dry goods, equipment etc. are purchased AS IS and are non-refundable or returnable for any reason. Sellers are required to identify any faults at the time of presentation for auctioning.

* Purchased lots can not be returned for any reason. It is the responsibility of the buyer to be prepared to accept the lots immediately after the hammer falls.

* Lots without a reserve marked on the Auctioneer Record Form will be auctioned as if no reserve exists.

* Sellers of any lots that have not reached the reserve price have the option of selling at a lower price obtained by the auctioneer.

* All bids will start with $1. $1 increments from $10 to $20 and $2 increments from $20 to $50. $5 increments beyond $50.

* The society regrets that it cannot be held responsible for the security of items presented for auction. That is before, during or after the auction. Any loss prior to sale will be born by the seller; any after sale will be born by the buyer. This rule applies to any fish that may die at the auction.

* The auctioneer reserves the right to withdraw any lot or part lot for any reason.

* Passed in lots will be placed back in the fish box / container they came from. CDAS takes no responsibility for passed in lots.

* Sellers must keep track of their lots when being auctioned. They must be ready to answer the auctioneer immediately if he/she asks a question such as “will the seller accept this bid”. This is to speed up the auction and if the seller is not following the auction and the auctioneer makes any decision, this decision is final.

* The society reserves the right to not auction dry goods if there are excessive fish lots.

Payment and Collection
* Purchases must be paid for on the fall of the hammer with the club treasurer (or delegate). The lot is to be picked up at the time of payment – immediately.

* It is advised that all buyers bring a water proof container (ie. Bucket, esky, bin or anything that can retain water if the fish bag/item within leaks.) so as to minimise water spillage on the floor.

* A commission of 10% applies, and is paid to CDAS on settlement at the end of the auction. The exception to this being any fish deemed by the Breeders Award Chairperson, either in writing or in person, to have met the ‘Species Preservation’ criteria.

* Any lot passed in may be purchased at the reserve price or a price negotiated by the seller after the auction has concluded. These lots will still attract a 10% commission. Any person, member or non member who bypasses the system and trades on the side without paying the society will be banned from future auctions. This does not include private transactions organised between members prior to the meeting.

Breeders Award program

The aim of the Breeders' Awards Program is to encourage the responsible breeding of aquarium fishes and to recognise outstanding achievement among members in this regard, and to share knowledge and experience in fish breeding techniques, thereby enabling more members to participate in a wide range of the Society's activities.

The breeders award for can be downloaded from here: CDASBreedersForm.xls

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Annual Breeders Award

Annual points are awarded for fish bred within the 12-month period beginning on 1 October each year and Trophies are given at the AGM to the members with the highest tallies.

Although fish may be scored once only for the cumulative breeders' awards, breeding may be scored once per year for the purposes of the annual award.

Cumulative Breeders Award

Fish may be scored once only for the cumulative breeders' awards.

Breeders’ Certificates are presented to acknowledge the increasing experience and achievement of breeders as their cumulative tally increases. The tallies that have to be gained to receive Breeders’ Certificates are as follows:

Novice 50 points;
Intermediate 100 points;
Advanced 200 points;
Senior 300 points;
Master 500 points;
Senior Master 1000 points; and
Grand Master 2000 points

Awards and Certificates

Awards:

Whenever a member successfully breeds a fish, points are awarded, the number depending on the species of fish as described later in this section. The number of points reflects the relative difficulty of breeding and raising the species concerned.

There are three types of awards:

The first being the cumulative award, in which points are given once only for the successful breeding of each species of fish.

The second type of award is the Annual Fish Breeders’ Award and the third being the annual Australian and New Guinean Native Fish Breeders’ Award.

Novice 50 points;
Intermediate 100 points;
Advanced 200 points;
Senior 300 points;
Master 500 points;
Senior Master 1000 points; and
Grand Master 2000 points

Annual points are awarded for fish bred within the 12-month period beginning on 1 October each year and Trophies are given at the AGM to the members with the highest tallies. Although fish may be scored once only for the cumulative breeders' awards, breeding may be scored once per year for the purposes of the annual award.

To be awarded points, a member must raise at least five fry (young fish) to 30 days old from their own adult stock. Upon first sighting the free-swimming fry, the breeder should notify another member (who can not belong to the same household as the breeder) and arrange for verification to be made as soon as possible.

The member verifying the spawning must sign the appropriate spot on the Breeding Notification Form (as supplied by Breeders' Awards Chairperson).

This form should be handed to the Breeders' Awards Chairperson at the next available meeting.

If unable to get another member to verify the fry onsite, it is perfectly acceptable to bring 5 fry into the next CDAS meeting.

If at least five fry survive for 30 days, a second verification should be arranged by the breeder and again the member verifying the spawning (who can not belong to the same household as the breeder) signs the appropriate spot on the Breeding Notification Form.

The breeder should hand the form to the Breeders' Awards Chairperson at the next CDAS meeting.

Breeders Award Points - How it works

Point Scoring System:
The total number of points awarded for each successful breeding notified is calculated according to a system which accords batches of five points for each extra degree of difficulty assessed in breeding a particular species.

The criteria used to determine degrees of difficulty are as follows:

Criteria	Yes	No
Egg Layer?	10	5
Are the fish difficult to sex as adults?	5	0
Do the fish need to be more than 12 months old to be mature enough to spawn?	5	0
Do the fish need to be naturally selected pairs?	5	0
Do the fish need live food, or special pre-spawning care for breeding?	5	0
Do the fish need a tank of their own to spawn in?	5	0
Is special water chemistry required to promote spawning?	5	0
Is a temperature change, or other physical trigger required to initiate spawning?	5	0
Do the eggs need to be stored specially for them to hatch? (e.g. some Tetras and Killifish.)	5	0
Does the species normally produce fewer than 100 eggs or fry when spawning over 24 hours?	5	0
Will the parents eat the eggs or fry under normal conditions?	5	0
Do the fry need live food to survive?	5	0
Do the fry have very small mouths and require infusoria-sized food initially?	5	0
Do the fry show an abnormal sensitivity to less than ideal water conditions?	5	0

For example:

Guppies get 5 points for being a non-egg layer, 5 points for being infanticides, 5 points for being better off in their own tank when breeding, and five points for having (mostly) less than 100 fry within 24 hours, for a total of 20 points for a spawning.

A points list for commonly bred fishes is available from the Breeders' Awards Chairperson. Species not on the list will be assessed according to the above criteria. In addition, 5 extra points will be awarded if the species has not been previously bred within CDAS. 15 extra points are awarded for members who produce an article for Tank Talk or make a presentation at a CDAS meeting giving an account of the spawning. This practice is to be encouraged as it not only educates other members in spawning methods but also ensures the continuity of Tank Talk.

Breeding fishes is an important part of the hobby, as it preserves species that may well be extinct soon in the wild. Even the so-called common species will teach the aquarist and their family a lot about the diversity and complexity of nature and are thus a necessary and enjoyable part of keeping the aquarium hobby alive into the 21st Century.

Species Bred by CDAS Members

List of Species bred by CDAS members

?	Columbian Red Blue Tetra
?	Bleheri Tetra
A Aequidens curviceps	Flag Cichlid
Aequidens Maroni	Keyhole Cichlid
Aequidens portalegrensis	Port Acara
Aequidens pulcher	Blue Acara
Aequidens rivulatus	Gold-Edge Rivulatus
Altolamprologus calvus "black"	Black Calvus
Altolamprologus compressiceps (Kigoma)	Fire-fin Compressiceps
Ambystoma Mexican	Axolotle
Amphiprion ocellaris	Occi Clown Fish
Ancistrus hoplogenys	Peppermint Bristlenose Catfish
Ancistrus temmincki	Bristlenose Catfish
Ancistrus temminckii (albino)	Albino Bristlenose catfish
Ancistrus temminckii (long finned)	Long fin Bristlenose catfish
Anommalochromis thomasi	Thomas' Cichlid
Aphyocharax rubropins	Tetra
Aphyosemien scheeli	Scheel's Killifish
Aphyosemien sjoestedti	Blue Gularis
Aphyosemion australe	Lyre-Tailed Killifish
Aphyosemion australe	Lyre-Tailed Panchax (orange form)
Aphyosemion bertholdi	Berthold Killifish
Aphyosemion gabunense	Killifish
Aphyosemion gardenia akampa	Akampa Killifish
Aphyosemion gardineri	Killifish
Aphyosemion gardineri	Steel-Blue Aphyosemion
Aphyosemion gardneri akampa	Akampa Killifish
Aphyosemion gardneri australe	Gold Lyretail Killifish
Aphyosemion gardneri misaje	Misaji Killifish
Aphyosemion marmoratum	Marble Killifish
Aphyosemion scheeli	Orange-finned Killifish
Aphyosemion sjoestedti	Blue Gularis
Aphyosemion striatum	Five-Lined Killifish
Aphysemion spooreubergi	Spooreubergi Killifish
Aphysosemion aimeti	Killifish
Aphysosemion gardneri nuzuka	Nuzuka Killifish
Apistograma cacatuoides	Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid
Apistogramma Nijsseni	Nijsseni Dwarf Cichlid
Aplocheilus panchax	Golden Panchax
Aplochelilus panchax	Blue Panchax
Archocentrus nigrofasciata	Convict cichlid
Astronotus occellatus	Oscar
Aulonacara steveni Kande Island	Kande Island Peacock
Aulonocara baenschi (Benga)	Benga Peacock/Nkhomo Reef Peacock
Aulonocara jacobfreibergi	Jacobfreibergi
Aulonocara jacobfreibergi (Reginae)	Reginae Peacock
Aulonocara jacobreibergi	Peacock Cichlid
Aulonocara nyassae	Blue Peacock Cichlid
Aulonocara nyassae	Peacock Cichlid
Aulonocara nyassae	Blue Peacock Cichlid
Aulonocara nyassae	Orange-Shoulder Peacock
Aulonocara nyssae	Peacock Cichlid
Aulonocara sp Lwanda	Lwanda Peacock
Aulonocara stuargrandi mbenji	Mbenji
B Badis Badis	Chameleion Fish
Barbus schuberti	Golden Barb
Betta coccjna
Betta splendens	Siamese Fighting Fish
Brachiodanio rerio	Zebra Danio
Brachydanio albolineatus	Pearl Danio
Brachydanio frankei	Leopard Danio
Brachydanio frankei	Long-Fin Leopard Danio
Brachydanio kerri	Blue Danio
Brachydanio rerio var.	Long-Finned Zebra Danio
Brochis splendens	Emerald Catfish
Brycinus longipinnis	African Long-Finned Tetra
C Capoeta arulius	Arulius Barb
Capoeta oligolepis	Checker Barb
Capoeta schuberti	Golden Barb
Capoeta tetrazona	Tiger Barb
Capoeta tetrazona	Golden Tiger Barb
Capoeta titteya	Cherry Barb
Carassius auratus	Goldfish
Chilatherina bleheri	Bleher's Rainbowfish
Chilatherina campsie	Highlands Rainbowfish
Chilatherina fasciata	Barred Rainbowfish
Chilatherino memberano	Memberano Rainbowfish
Chiliatherina sentaniensis	Sentani Rainbowfish
Chilotilapia rhoadesii	Rhoadesii
Chlamydogobius eremius	Desert Goby (Coward Springs)
Chlamydogobius eremius	Desert Goby
Cichalsome tetracantus	Cuban Cichlid
Cichlasoma bifasciatum	Red-Spotted Cichlid
Cichlasoma bimaculatum	Two-Spot Cichlid
Cichlasoma citrinellum	Red Devil
Cichlasoma cyanoguttatum	Texas Cichlid
Cichlasoma Dovii	Dow's Cichlid
Cichlasoma Festae	Festae
Cichlasoma festivum	Festivum
Cichlasoma labiatum	Big-Lip Red Devil
Cichlasoma managuense	Managuense
Cichlasoma meeki	Firemouth
Cichlasoma nicaraguense	Parrot Cichlid
Cichlasoma Portalegrense	Port Acara
Cichlasoma salvini	Salvin's Cichlid
Cichlasoma severum	Green Severum
Cichlasoma severum	Severum
Cichlasoma spilurum	Blue-Eyed Cichlid
Cichlasoma synspilum	Synspilum
Cichlasoma tetracantus	Cuban Cichlid
Ciclasoma dovii	Dow's Cichlid
Colisa chuna	Honey Gourami
Colisa fasciata	Giant Gourami
Colisa lalia	Dwarf Gourami
Colisa lalia	Sunset Dwarf Gourami
Copoeta oligolepis	Checker Barb
Coryadoras aenus	Bronze Catfish
Coryadoras barbatus	Banded Catfish
Coryadoras habrosus	Habrosus Catfish
Coryadoras hastatus	Pygmy Catfish
Coryadoras julii	Leopard Catfish
Coryadoras metae	Masked Catfish
Coryadoras nanus	Spotted Cory
Coryadoras paleatus	Peppered Catfish
Coryadoras paleatus	Peppered Catfish
Coryadoras paleatus	Albino Peppered Catfish
Coryadoras pygmaeus	Pigmy Catfish
Coryadoras trilineatus	Three-lined Coryadoras
Corydoras agassizi	Agassizi Cory
Craterocephalus stercusmuscarum	Fly Speckled Hardyhead
Cyathopharynx foai "Magara"	Blue-Green Furcifer
Cynolabius whiteii	Argentine Pearl Killifish
Cynolebias constanciae	Featherfin Pearlfish
Cynotilapia Afra (Cobwe)	Afra Cobwe
Cyphotilapia frontosa	Frontosa
Cyphotilapia frontosa "Burundi"	Burundi frontosa
Cyphotilapia frontosa (Kitumba)	Frontosa Kitumba
Cyphotilapia frontosa (Moba)	Frontosa Moba
Cyprichromis leptosa "Kibishi"	Sardine Cichlid
Cyprichromis leptosa "Malasa"	Sardine Cichlid
Cyprichromis leptosoma jumbo	Bumble Bee Leptosoma
Cyprochromis leptosoma (Malasa)	Cyprochromis leptosoma (Malasa)
Cyprochromis leptosoma jumbo (Mpimbwe)	Yellow Head Mpimbwe leptosoma
Cyrtocara moori	Blue Dolphin Cichlid
D,E,F,G Daisyloricaria filamentosa	Whiptailed Catfish
Danio pathirana	Tiger Danio
Ectodus descampsi	Goby cichlid
Epilaytis dogeti	Red-Chinned Rainbowfish
Epiplatys annulatus	Clown Killifish
Epiplatys chaperi	Firemouth Killi
Epiplatys dageti	Red-Chinned Panchax
Epiplatys sexfasciatus	Sixbar Panchax
Fundulopanchax garolueri	Garolueri Killifish
Gambusia affinis	Mosquito Fish
Geophagus brasiliensis	Pearl Cichlid
Glossolepis insicus	Red Salmon Rainbowfish
Glossolepis multisquamatus	Sepik Rainbowfish
Glossolepis sp.	Red-Eyed Tiger Rainbow
Glossolepis wanamensis	Lake Wanam Rainbowfish
Gymnocorymbus tenetzi	Long-Finned Black Widow Tetra
Gymnocorymbus ternetzi	Black Widow Tetra
H,I,J,K,L Haplochromis ahli	Electric Blue
Haplochromis burtoni	Burton's Mouthbrooder
Haplochromis electra	Electra
Haplochromis similis	Red Empress Cichlid
Haplochromis venustus	Venustus Mouthbrooder
Hasemania nana	Silver-Tipped Tetra
Hemichromis bimaculatus	Jewel Cichlid
Hemichromis lisalili	Red Forest Jewel
Hemigrammus caudovitatus	Buenos Aires Tetra
Hemigrammus crythozonus	Glowlight Tetra
Hemigrammus ocellifer	Head and Tail Light
Hemigrammus rhodostomus	Rummy-nose Tetra
Hemigrammus rodwayi	Golden Widow Tetra
Hemithamphodon pogonagnathus	Half Beak
Herotilapia Multispinosa	Rainbow Cichlid
Hypancistrus sp. L333	L333
Hyphessobrycon Axelrodi	Black Neon Tetra
Hyphessobrycon bentosi	Rosy Tetra
Hyphessobrycon callistus	Callistus Tetra
Hyphessobrycon equadoriensis	Columbian Tetra
Hyphessobrycon flammeus	Flame Tetra
Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi	Black Neon Tetra
Hyphessobrycon serpae serpae	Serpae Tetra
Hyphessobrycon socolofi	White tip tetra
Hypseleciara coryphaenodes	Chocolate Cichlid
Inpaichthys kerri	Kerri Tetra
Iodotropheus spaenderae	Rusty Cichlid
Iriatherina werneri	Threadfin Rainbowfish
Julidochromis Marlieri "Gombe Island"	Julidochromis Marlieri "Gombe Island"
Julidochromis transcriptus "Gombe"	Julidochromis transcriptus "Gombe"
Julidochromis transcriptus (Kissi)	Julidochromis transcriptus (Kissi)
Juliochromis marlieri	Checkerboard Cichlid
Labeotropheus fuelleborni marmalade	Marmelade cichlid
Labeotropheus fuellebourni	Fuellebourni
Labeotropheus trewavasse	Trewavasse
Labidochromis caeruleus	Electric Yellow Cichlid
Labidochromis sp. "Hongi Island"	Hongi Island Cichlid
Lamprogus speciosus	Black occie
Lamprologus Leuleupi	Lemon Cichlid
Lamprologus Meeli	Meeli
Lamprologus multifasciatus	Multie
Lamprologus ocellatus	Blue Ocellatus
Lamprologus ocellatus (Gold)	Gold Occie
Loricaria pava	Whiptailed Catfish
M Macropodus opercularis	Paradise Fish
Malanotaenia boesmani	Boesman's Rainbowfish
Malanotaenia herbertaxelrodi	Lake Tebera Rainbow
Malanotaenia lacustris	Lake Kutubu Rainbowfish
Malanotaenia nigrans	Black-Banded Rainbowfish
Megalamphodus megalopterus	Black Phantom Tetra
Megalamphodus sweglesi	Red Phantom Tetra
Melanachromis cyaneorhabdos	Maingano
Melanochromis auratus	Auratus
Melanochromis cyaneorabdhos	Maingano
Melanochromis johanni	Johanni
Melanochromis maingano	Maingano
Melanotaenia "burdekin river"	Burdekin River Rainbowfish
Melanotaenia "pagwi"	New Guinea Rainbowfish
Melanotaenia "utchee creek"	Utchee Creek Rainbow
Melanotaenia affinis	Pagwi Rainbowfish
Melanotaenia affinis	New Guinea Rainbowfish
Melanotaenia arfakensis	Arfakensis Rainbowfish
Melanotaenia boesemani	Boesman's Rainbowfish
Melanotaenia doboulagi	Duboulagi (Crimson-Spotted Rainbowfish)
Melanotaenia duboulagi	Kangaroo Creek Rainbowfish
Melanotaenia eachamensis	Lake Eacham Rainbowfish
Melanotaenia eachamesis var.	Lake Eacham Rainbowfish (Euramo)
Melanotaenia exquisita	Exquisite Rainbowfish
Melanotaenia fluviatilis	Crimson Spotted Rainbowfish (Murray River)
Melanotaenia fluviatilis	Murray River Rainbowfish
Melanotaenia gracilis	Slender Rainbowfish
Melanotaenia herbertaxelrodi	Lake Tebera Rainbow
Melanotaenia lacustris	Lake Kutubu Rainbowfish
Melanotaenia lakamora	Lakamora Rainbowfish
Melanotaenia lascustris	Lake Kutubu Rainbowfish
Melanotaenia lokamora	Lokamore Rainbowfish
Melanotaenia mccullochi	McCullocoh's Rainbowfish
Melanotaenia misoolensis	Batanta Island Rainbowfish
Melanotaenia monticola	Mountain Rainbowfish
Melanotaenia nigrans	Black-Banded Rainbowfish
Melanotaenia oktediensis	Oktedi Rainbowfish
Melanotaenia pagwi	Pagwi Rainbowfish
Melanotaenia papuas	Papuas Rainbowfish
Melanotaenia parkinsoni	Parkinson's Rainbowfish
Melanotaenia praecox	Blue Neon Rainbowfish
Melanotaenia pygmaea	Pygmy Rainbowfish
Melanotaenia rubrostriata	Red-Striped Rainbowfish
Melanotaenia sexlineata	Fly River Rainbowfish
Melanotaenia Splendida	Jardine River Rainbowfish
Melanotaenia splendida	Australian Rainbowfish
Melanotaenia splendida "utchee creek"	Utchee Creek Rainbowfish
Melanotaenia splendida australis	Western Australia Rainbowfish
Melanotaenia splendida australis	East Alligator River Rainbowfish
Melanotaenia splendida australis	Australis Rainbowfish (DeGray River)
Melanotaenia splendida australis	Australis Rainbowfish
Melanotaenia splendida duboulayi	Crimson-Spotted Rainbowfish
Melanotaenia splendida inornata	Checkered Rainbowfish
Melanotaenia splendida inornata	Checkered Rainbowfish (Pascoe River)
Melanotaenia splendida rubrostriata	Red-Striped Rainbowfish
Melanotaenia splendida splendida	Eastern Rainbowfish
Melanotaenia splendida tatei	Thompson River Rainbowfish
Melanotaenia trifasciata	Banded Trifasciata (Goyder River)
Melanotaenia trifasciata	Banded Trifasciata (Cape Arnham)
Melanotaenia trifasciata	Banded Trifasciata
Melanotaenia Trifasciata	Banded Trifasciata (Claude River)
Melanotaenia Trifasciata	Banded Trifasciata (Mamos Creek)
Melanotaenia Trifasciata	Coen River Rainbowfish
Melanotaenia trifasciata	Banded Rainbowfish
Melanotaenia trifasciata	Banded Trifasciata (Coen River)
Melanotaenia trifasciata	Banded Rainbowfish (Giddy River)
Melanotaenia weipa	Weipa Rainbowfish
Melantaenia herbertaxelrodi	Lake Tebera Rainbowfish
Melantaenia parkinsoni	Parkinson's Rainbowfish
Metriaclima Msobo (Magunga)	Msobo
Microgeophagus ramezeri	Blue Ram
Misgurnus anguillicaudatus	Weather Loach
Moenhausia sanctefilomenae	Lampeye Tetra
Moenkhausa pittieri	Diamond Tetra
Mogurda adspersa	Purple-Spotted Gudgeon
Mogurda sp.	Claude River Mogurda
Mogurnda adspersa "Claude River"	Purple-Spotted Gudgeon (Claude River)
Mogurnda mogurnda	Northern Trout Gudgeon
Mogurnda sp.	Flinders Gudgeon
N,O Namatobrycon palmeri	Emporer Tetra
Nannocara anomala	Golden Dwarf Cichlid
Nannostomus beckfordi	Beckford's Pencilfish
Nannostomus eques	Tube-Mouth Pencilfish
Nannostomus marginatus	Dwarf Pencilfish
Nannotobrycon lacortei	Rainbow Emporer Tetra
Nematobrychon palmeri	Emporer Tetra
Neolamprologus brevis	Brevis
Neolamprologus brevis (Bulu point)	Brevis
Neolamprologus brichardi	Princess Cichlid
Neolamprologus cylindricus	Neolamprologus cylindricus
Neolamprologus hecqui	Neolamprologus hecqui
Neolamprologus leleupi	Lemon Cichlid
Neolamprologus leleupi	Lelelupi
Neolamprologus multifasciatus	Multies
Neolamprologus ocellatus	Gold Ocellatus
Neolamprologus pulcher	Daffodil Cichlid
Neolamprologus pulcher	Pulcher
Neolamprologus similis	Similis
Nimbochromis Venustus	Venustus Mouthbrooder
Nothobranchius forshei	Killifish
Oryzias latipes	Gold Medaka
Oryzias latipes	Medaka
Otopharanyx lithobates	Sulpher-Crested Lithobates
P Panaque sp. 397	L397
Pangio kuhlii	Kuhlii Loach
Papilochromis altispinosa	Bolivian Butterfly
Paracheirodon axelrodi	Cardinal Tetra
Paracheirodon innesi	Neon Tetra
Paracyprichromis nigripinnis	Blue Neon Cichlid
Paradon Afanis	Paraguan Tetra
Pelvicachromis pulcher	Albino Kribensis
Pelvicachromis subocellatus	Occellated Krib
Pelvicachromis subocellatus mobambu	Golden-Cheek Kribensis
Pelvicachromis taeniatus	Yellow Kribensis
Pelvichromis pulcher	Kribensis
Petenia splendida	Bay Snook
Phadinocentrus ornatus	Australian Rainbow
Phalloceros caudimacuclatus	Leopard Livebearer
Phalloceros caudomaculatus	Caudo
Phenacogrammas interruptus	Congo Tetra
Poecilia sphenops	Molly
Poecilia latipinna	Sailfin Molly
Poecilia latipinna	Silver Sailfin Molly
Poecilia sphenops	Balloon molly
Poecilia wingei	Endlers Guppies
Popondetta connieae	Popondetta Rainbowfish
Pristella mazillaris	Pristella Tetra
Procatopus aberrans	Procotopus Killifish
Protemelus similis	Similis
Protemelus taeniolatus	Taeniolatus
Protomelas siailus	Red Empress Cichlid
Protomelas steveni	Taiwan Reef Cichlid
Ps. grasaetri	?
Pseudocrenibrus multicolor	Egyptian Mouthbrooder
Pseudogobius sp. No.9	Marble (Blue-Spot) Goby
Pseudohugil connieae	Popondetta Blue Eye
Pseudomugil gertrudae	Spotted Blue Eye
Pseudomugil mellis	Honey Blue Eye
Pseudomugil signifer	Pacific Blue Eye
Pseudomugil signifer	Giant Blue Eye
Pseudomugil signifer	Cairns Blue Eye
Pseudomugil tenellus	Delicate Blue Eye
Pseudotropheus acei "Msulu point"	Acei
Pseudotropheus demasoni	Demasoni
Pseudotropheus livingstoni	Livingstoni
Pseudotropheus Lombardi	Lombardi
Pseudotropheus mbenji	Mbenji Cichlid
Pseudotropheus salousi	Salousi
Pseudotropheus Tropheus	Tropheus
Pseudotropheus zebra	Zebra
Pseudotropheus zebra	Tangerine Zebra
Pterophylum scalare	Angelfish
Pundamicia nyererei	Flameback hap
Puntis conchonius	Rosy Barb
Puntis conchonius	Long-Fin Rosy Barb
Puntius nigrofasciatus	Black Ruby Barb
Puntius sachsi	Golden Barb
R,S,T,X Rasbora dorsiocellata	Emerald Eye Rasbora
Rasbora heteromorpha	Harlequin rasbora
Rhadinocentrus ornatus	Southern Soft-Spined Sunfish
Rhadinocentrus ornatus	Ornata Rainbowfish
Rhodeus sericeus	Bitterling
Rineloricaria filamentosa	Whiptailed Catfish
Rineloricaria lanceolata	Royal Whiptailed Catfish
Rineloricaria sp.	Whiptailed Catfish
Riobrama filigera	Glass Bloodfin
Rivulus agilae	Agila Rivulus
Rivulus cryptocallus	Iridescent Rivulus
Rivulus cylindraceous	Cuban Rivulus
Rivulus uropathalmus	Golden Rivulus
Sartherodon mossambicus	Mozambique Mouthbrooder
Sciaenochromis fryer	Electric Blue
Steatocranus casuarius	Lion Head Cichlid
Subocelatus moanda	Moanda
Symphysodon aequifasciatum	Brown Discus
Symphysodon aequifasciatum	Red Turquoise Discus
Symphysodon haraldi	Brilliant Turquoise Discus
Tanichthys albonubes	White Cloud Mountain Minnow
Tanichthys albonubes	Long-Fin White Cloud Mountain Minnow
Taturndina ocellicauda	Peacock Gudgeon
Telmatochromis bifranatis	Stripe Telmat
Thayeria obliqua	Short-Striped Penguin Fish
Tilapia mariae	Tiger Tilapia
Tilapia mossambieus	Mozambique Mouthbrooder
Trichogaster labiosa	Thick-Lipped Gourami
Trichogaster leeri	Pearl Gourami
Trichogaster trichopterus	Blue Gourami
Trichogaster trichopterus	Golden Gourami
Trichopis pumilis	Pumilis Gourami
Trichopsis vittata	Croaking gourami
Tropheus duboisi (Maswa)	Duboisi
Tropheus moori (Kasanga)	Kasanga Red Rainbow
Xenotoca eiseni	Orange-Tail Goodeid
Xenotoca eiseni	Red-Tailed Goodeid
Xiphophorus heleri	Swordtail
Xiphophorus Helleri var.	Swordtail (Red High-Fin)
Xiphophorus maculates	Micky Mouse Platy
Xiphophorus maculatus	Saddle Platy
Xiphophorus variatus	Sunset Platy
Xiphophorus variatus	Platy

Attachment	Size
Species bred by CDAS members.pdf	652.14 KB

Species Conservation Project

The CDAS Species Conservation Project is an initative to

increase the availability and diversity of good quality aquarium fishes within the local hobby,
help with affordability and conservation of endangered or threatened species,
and to foster an interest (and challenge) in fish breeding amongst our members

Level 1
Level 2
Level 3

Project details

The Canberra and District Aquarium Society

Species Conservation Project

How do I participate in the Conservation project?

If an eligible breeder identifies a species on the Conservation project list they would like to try to breed, they should contact the CDAS Breeders’ Award Chairperson or CDAS President and register their interest.

CDAS will then procure the broodstock and supply them at no cost to the breeder. Assistance from the breeder to locate suitable fish may be required.

Once the breeder successfully breeds the fish, the offspring will be sold through the monthly CDAS auction with all proceeds retained by CDAS.

After the cost of the broodstock has been “repaid” to CDAS, the breeder will be offered the choice of retaining the broodstock and returning all remaining offspring to CDAS, or retaining the remaining offspring and returning the broodstock.

Finer details such as:
* A suitable time-frame in which the breeder can attempt to breed the fish
* What happens if the broodstock dies
* The size at which offspring will be sold
* And the amount to be “repaid”
will be agreed between the breeder and the CDAS Breeders’ Award Chairperson and CDAS President on a case by case basis before the fish are handed over.

What species are in the Conservation project?

Members suggestions for species to be included were debated by the Committee before the final species list was decided.

The current list has been divided into three tiers:

Level 1 (Fish that are relatively inexpensive, yet are difficult to obtain)

Apistogramma nijsseni (Panda Dwarf Cichlid)

Chlamydogobius squamigenus (Edgbaston Goby)

Galaxias fuscus (Barred galaxia)

Pelvicachromis taeniatus (Striped Kribensis) Dehane, Moliwe, Kienke morphs

Poecilia wingei (Endler’s Livebearer)

Pseudomugil ivantsoffi (Ivantsoff Blue-eye)

Level 2 (Fish that are moderately expensive, difficult to breed or hard to obtain)

Amphiprion ocellaris (Ocellaris Clownfish)

Apistogramma panduro

Apistogramma trifasciatum

Chalinochromis brichardi

Chalinochromis sp. Ndoboi

Corydoras sp. Peru Green stripe (Cw009)/ Peru Orange stripe (Cw010)

Dekeyseria brachyuran (Butterfly Pleco/L168)

Lamprichthys tanganicanus (Tanganyikan killifish)

Nanochromis transvestitus

Panaque maccus (Clown Pleco/L104)

Level 3 (Fish that are expensive, difficult to breed or hard to obtain)

Betta macrostoma (Brunei Beauty)

Celestichthys margaritatus (Celestial Pearl Danio)

Puntius denisonii (Red-line Torpedo Barb/Denison Barb)

When can i participate in the Conservation project?

Now if you’re eligible!

Contact the CDAS Breeders’ Award Chairperson or CDAS President and register your interest.

One member has already donated some Endler’s Livebearers to get things underway (thanks Paula).

If you have a suggestion for other species to be added to the Species Conservation list, contact a CDAS Committee member or suggest it at the next CDAS meeting.

Who can participate in the Conservation project?

If you’re a novice breeder or don’t yet have a breeders’ status, get breeding and submit your Breeding/Spawning Registration forms for the breeders award program.

Intermediate status can be reached by breeding as few as three or four different species.

Level 1 species will be available to breeders with Intermediate, Advanced, Senior, Master, Senior Master or Grand Master status.

Level 2 species will be available to breeders with Senior, Master, Senior Master or Grand Master status.

Level 3 species will be available to breeders with Senior Master or Grand Master status after they have successfully bred a level 1 or level 2 species.

If you’re not sure of your current breeders’ status, check with the CDAS Breeders’ Award Chairperson.

Why have a Conservation project?

If you read through the CDAS breeders’ award records you will come across dozens of species that were once common in the local aquarium hobby but are difficult to find.

If you are lucky enough to find some they are often of poor quality, or prohibitively expensive.

The CDAS committee wanted to do something about this and the idea of a CDAS Species Conservation project was spawned.

The aim of the CDAS Species Conservation project is to increase the availability and diversity of good quality aquarium fishes within the local hobby.

Affordability and conservation of endangered or threatened species are also major elements of the program.

Tank Talk magazines

Tank Talk is the CDAS club magazine.

The magazine is released on a quarterly basis.

2010-06 Tank Talk

A PDF version of the June 2010 Tank Talk - June 2010 Tank Talk file type: pdf PDF icon file size: 4.64MB

To download the latest Acrobat reader version, click on the Acrobat image

2010-03 Tank Talk

A PDF version of the March Tank Talk March 2010 Tank Talk file type: pdf PDF icon file size: 3,878KB

To download the latest Acrobat reader version, click on the Acrobat image

Otherwise you can click on each image below to see the full sized image

Attachment	Size
mar 10 TT_single.pdf	3.79 MB

2009-12 Tank Talk

A PDF version of the December Tank Talk December 2009 Tank Talk file type: pdf PDF icon file size: 3,766KB

To download the latest Acrobat reader version, click on the Acrobat image

Otherwise you can click on each image below to see the full sized image

Attachment	Size
Dec 09 TT.pdf	3.68 MB

2009-09 Tank Talk

ptember 09

Index

Committee Roles

Your committee...

On Optimizing Growth of Fishes

Trip to Malawi (2000) by Lee Miller—Part III

A Simple Quiz for Simple Aquarists

You May Have Too Many Fish If:

Species Profile

Sailfin pleco - Glyptoperichthys gibbiceps
Tank Talk Technical Feature: Controlling Algae in the Aquarium.

Danio Breeding the Comedy Way

Return to Index

Committee Roles

The President: chairs all Committee and General Meetings; represents CDAS as required, or nominates another Committee Member as contact; and signs all docu-ments which require their signature as official head of the Society.

The Vice President: helps the President in his/her role and acts as President in his/her absence; and carries out the administration of the Auction and Table Shows.

The Secretary: keeps full and correct minutes of all Committee and General Meet-ings of the Society; and maintains the members list and notifies members of meet-ings and subscription renewals.

The Treasurer: manages CDAS revenue and expenditures; makes payments as authorised by the Committee, keeps correct accounts and books showing the finan-cial affairs of the Society; and provides a financial report at each CDAS meeting and prepares the annual financial report.

The Breeders' Awards Chairperson: encourages the breeding of fish by CDAS Members and maintains breeding records; and administers the Breeders' Awards Programmes and presides over any fish-breeding sub-committee that is established.

The Librarian: maintains the CDAS library; and recommends to the Committee publications for purchase by the Society for the library; and recommends to the Committee publications for purchase by the Society for the library.

The Web Page Maintainer: maintains the CDAS website; andencourages CDAS Members to contribute material and/or suggestions for the website.

The Editor: is responsible for the publication and distribution of the quarterly Tank Talk; encourages Members of the Society to contribute material to the So-ciety journal; and with the approval of the Committee correspond with related organisation about exchanging journals.

The Public Relations Officer: is responsible for promoting CDAS in the Can-berra region, and ensures that all GMs and other CDAS activities are publicised widely.

The Junior Representative: ensures that CDAS considers the opinions and rights of junior Members of the Society, and assists in the activities of the Soci-ety.

In this issue we conclude Lee Miller’s trip report. This issue also includes a story from two of our members. However, you’ll note we had to beef it up with some freely available internet content. So to help us increase the local content, get your typewriters out and start typing. Surely everyone who keeps fish and/or aquatic plants has at least one story in them!

Return to Index

Your committee...

President /Publicity Officer: Alex Borg (e) borg@webone.com.au

Vice President: Harry Rothenfluh (e) harry_r@bigblue.net.au

Secretary/Tank Talk Editor: Paula Zylstra (e) paula.z@bigblue.net.au

Treasurer: Andrew Ross (e) across@tpg.com.au

Librarian: Laurie Chan (e) laurie@planetchan.com

Membership: Andrew Ross (e) across@tpg.com.au

Breeders Award: Michael Lech (e) Michael_lech@hotmail.com

Return to Index

On Optimizing Growth of Fishes

Robert Fenner (http://www.aquarticles.com)

What are your goals in keeping aquatic life? Status quo maintenance of your livestock? Or are you shooting for maximized/optimized growth?

Overview:

There are several important factors that affect fish growth; some may be manipulated, others not. Further is the question of whether and how im-portant it is to drive an organism's size.

Introduction:

In actual aquaculture, "the controlled growth of aquatic (source) protein for human consumption", maximizing growth against cost of feed, labor, time, filtration among other costs is of premiere importance. In pet-fish aquarium culture a similar challenge exists at the production/commercial breeding/rearing establishments. But what about the hobby aquarist and pond keeper? How can they, should they make efforts to optimize or maximize growth of their livestock?

Initial Limitations:

Consider what you cannot change or control: 1) the genetic heritage and 2) developmental history to date of your charges.

1) Think about this; no matter what you do, your livestock will not, cannot become more or different than what their genes will allow.

Gauging the potential of koi, goldfish, tropicals, et al. is part art, part sci-ence, and part voodoo. In the most fortunate cases, you'll be able to check out parental stock or at least members of the same population (brood, school, area) that may give you solid ideas of what might be in the way of growth rate, a maximum size, conformation (very impor-tant), color...

As an example, consider a variety of nishikigoi (koi), the yamabuki oh-

gon. This is a classification of single-colored, golden metallic fish that by and large grow bigger, faster than other "types" of koi; although koi, like domestic dogs are of a single species. Also, like canines that get bigger, ohgons exhibit larger heads, pectoral and unpaired fins as young.

A similar corollary can be made for neotropical cichlids among other groups.

Important Controlling and Controllable Factors:

1) Foods & Feeding:

I've more than touched on nutrition in previous pieces. Let's briefly re-cap.>

(1) Feeding proper foods/nutrients, (2) in palatable formats, (3) at appro-priate times and intervals, (4) in suitable quantities is critically important in optimizing growth. (5) Some foods, ingredients, natural, biological and chemical contaminants and additives have been shown to have negative effects.

What's a mother to do, feed them Total? At the more sophisticated end, you can study up, experiment and optimize processes per the above cri-teria. For most of us mere mortals, frequent, smaller than possible feed-ings, less often than absolutely possible/practical, rotating, mixing in oc-casional new fresh and prepared foods is about all we can handle.

Water and Water Quality: What is this stuff anyway? Wa Wa!

This will not be an exhaustive list, but let's make some general state-ments concerning parameters & ranges.

There are several (from the middle English meaning many) chemical and physical phenomena that we can/do concern ourselves with at times as aquarists. Many/all of these are important in determining growth. Many of these are important in determining growth. Myriad parameters interact antagonistically/synergistically reducing/accentuating effects. My favorite and most important example is the relationship between ammonia, pH, temperature and dissolved oxygen (D.O.). Coupling some ammonia (let's say @ 1.0 part per million) with a "higher" pH (upper 7's for freshwater, mid 8's for marine) is an invitation for disaster. Lowering ammonia and/or

pH will reduce toxicity immensely. Add in an reduced temperature and/or low D.O. and you've got real trouble. This association is very likely the number one cause of captive aquatics death and hobbyist attrition.

All known measures of water quality have their optimum point, range and sustainable limit. Once again, as with nutrition, you can study up, get the best filtration system and religiously followed maintenance schedule go-ing and more or less constantly test/monitor & modify your water quality; or be simply serendipitous (& probably more effective) and just do fre-quent partial water changes; geez (see biblio.). Weekly, bi-weekly vac-uuming of gravel along with water replacement goes a long way in dilut-ing pollutants, promoting biological filtration/conversion, and keeping the system "steady-state" (homeostatic) chemically and physically. Make it a regular routine.

One last shot, or, okay, dig at all you tinkerers and tinkering. After twenty eight years in the trade and longer (collectively) as a passionate hobby-ist, I can assure you that more livestock has been bumped-off (emphasis mine) from people fooling with their water than all other causes combined. Benign neglect goes a long way.

Should You?:

An article of this length and scope should make mention of at least some of the pitfalls of "pushing" growth. So here goes; reasons why you shouldn't:

1) Allometry: The overall body shape, or better expressed, conformation will be different for an individual grown under different conditions and time frame. A certain desired body plan may not be easily sped up. This is so; fish achieve different shapes with varying growth rates.

2) Life Span: There is evidence that getting too big, too fast to some de-gree shortens fish (and other organisms') life spans. Slow and not-so-steady growth wins the race, if nothing else than by outliving the competi-tion.

3) Color: intensity/depth and pattern may be compromised, sacrificed through accelerated growing.

4) Cost: Is the growth you're getting worth the bucks in food, feeding, fil-tration and maintenance?

Other Notable Factors Affecting Growth: Disease:

Infectious & Parasitic Diseases: Note that other "deviations from a nor-mal or healthy condition have been elucidated under environmental and nutrition "disease" areas in this article. Here I want to mention the fact that infection/infestation by detrimental fungi, bacteria, viruses, protozoa et al. take their toll on growth/girth/overall index of fitness.

Social: Yes, I'm serious. How crowded with their own and other species, under what other circumstances; e.g. food, cover, temperature... can/does have growth consequences. Sex ratios, initial and widening size differences likewise are important.

As a rule of thumb, undercrowd to exacerbate growth and keep the peace. Another timely generality: maintain schooling species in small odd numbers. This seems to promote getting along and bullying. The use of "dither-fish", and mixing other species, I've more than mentioned in other pieces on various aspects of chemical communication. See them for some interesting insights into aquatic chemical/social behavior.

Ending: Thus my collective ideas & feelings on the issue. Fish do "grow" throughout their entire lives. They can "shrink" given food privation and disease. Growth can be maximized. Optimization is a different matter, taking into account consideration of costs for food, feeding, filtration among others, balanced against loss of color, pattern, body/fin conforma-tion and possibly reproductive potential.

Do you know how to enhance your livestock's size? Should you?

Further Reading:

Bob F. in FAMA Foods, Feeding, Nutrition of Nishikigoi (Koi Carp), Cypri-nus carpio and Other Cyprinid "Pond" Fishes. 8/92 issue. Frequent Par-tial Water Changes. 4/89. Chemical Communication in Fishes, Phero-monal Behavior Effects, Growth Inhibiting Substance(s) of Fishes, and Schreck stoffes: Alarm Substances of Fishes, not yet in print as of this writing.

SUPPORT YOUR CLUB SPONSORS!

Return to Index

Trip to Malawi (2000) by Lee Miller—Part III

Our next trip was to Cape Maclear where we stayed at the Chembe Lodge – Cape Maclear‘s most up-market establishment. Along the beach in front of the Lodge were schools of thousands of fry, no bigger than a centimetre or two, that were seeking shelter in the shallows from the predators in the deeper water. As we walked along the beach these fry would flee into the deeper water, only to return to the relative safety of the shallows as we passed. From the Lodge we headed off in the Lord Justin to snorkel at Domwe Island, Otter Point, Thumbi West and Zimbawe Rocks.

At Thumbi West we saw Cobalt Blue fry swimming amongst the rocks in the shallows, where they had plenty of cover, they were spectacular and really stood out compared to most of the other fry that we saw.

Zimbawe Rocks is the tip of an underwater mountain and is not a large area. It‘s the home of the Sulphur Crested lithobate. We saw couple of nice males but they usually live quite deep and Paul

Talbot claimed that he almost burst a lung trying to follow one down to its home turf. Given the relatively small size of the Zim-bawe Rocks area and the small number of lithobates that we saw, I would guess that there are probably more of them in Australia now than there are in Lake Malawi.

But Otter Point was by far my favourite, the small strait between the Point and Otter Island contained such a variety of fish that I‘m sure we didn‘t see half of them, even after three or four visits. It was here that we saw huge male Rostratus preparing to spawn – and trying to scare snorkelling tourists from their breeding sites! We also saw single Ps. aurora males with BIG territories, they are gorgeous but they really do like their own space.

Otter Point was also where we saw the most Aulonocaras. They tend to spend the daylight hours in caves or under ledges where it‘s reasonably dark - which makes identification reasonably diffi-cult. The ledges are also usually fairly deep, so by the time you‘ve snorkelled down to have a look, you can‘t stay long because your

lungs are starting to burn. But it wasn‘t unusual to see 20, 30 or even up to 50 fish resting under a ledge. Another thing that we no-ticed about wild Aulonocaras – they just don‘t get as big as our aquarium raised fish, and they probably don‘t live as long. It‘s a tough life for a fish in Lake Malawi!

We were then taken on a four day ‗Animal Safari‘ to the South Luangwa Valley National Park in Zambia. Our guide for this trip was Mark Sprong, an ex-pat South African who lives in Lilongwe and runs his safari business from there. Mark was good value, he had an excellent knowledge of the wildlife and also knew how to look after his guests. Our accommodation was next to the Luangwa River, which was full of hippos and crocodiles, and in our first hour there we saw elephants across the river. In the park we saw more elephants (the South Luangwa Valley National Park is supposed to have the highest concentration of elephants of any-where in Africa), we also saw hippos, crocs, giraffes, zebra, wart hogs, baboons, antelope, gazelle and impala. We didn‘t see any lions or leopards but did hear lions across the river one night. The numbers of animals was amazing, and they were all very easy to approach – from the safety of the safari truck.

The meals here were served in a large, thatched roof, open sided, dining area in the centre of the complex. We finished dinner one night and went to return to our individual chalets but we couldn‘t – there was a herd of twenty or so elephants grazing their way through the grounds. In this type of situation it makes sense to give ‗right-of-way‘ to elephants, so we waited.

The trip to Zambia was perfectly timed to ensure that we didn‘t get bored with the lake or the fish. A few in the group were, at one stage, considering skipping this trip to stay at the lake, but they did-n‘t and we all had a fabulous time and were as keen as ever to get into more snorkelling when we got back to Malawi.

At the end of our trip we had a few days in which we had to make our own arrangements. So most of us went back to Cape Maclear and stayed at the ‗Fat Monkey‘, a sort of motel and pizza bar, Ma-

lawi style. The rooms slept two and were five dollars a night. For that you got a bed and an electric light that went out when the gen-erator was turned off at about 10:00pm. But it was on the beach! Just walk 20 metres down to the water and start snorkelling.

Of the beach in front of the at the Fat Monkey we snorkelled over a sandy bottom with a fair covering of ‗val‘ type plants. The fish here were mainly Nyassachromis species. I didn‘t see them but Paul (Simpson) and Steve told me that they saw Cyrtocara moorii (Blue dolphins) here.

The pizzas at the Fat Monkey were good, but you had to pay up front so they could go and buy the ingredients then wait for the oven to heat up. They probably tasted so good because we were really hungry by the time they were cooked. But it was easy enough to keep busy while you waited, we learnt to play a local board game called ‗bow‘ (like a very early version of backgammon) which kept us amused – you just don‘t play the locals for money, they‘d wipe you out pretty quickly.

Cape Maclear attracts few travellers, mainly backpackers, but I did-n‘t see any other cichlidiots while we were there. We met four Irish nurses who had been working in a Malawi hospital on some sort of aid program and a couple of obviously well-off South African gents who had a bit of an arsenal in the back of their Range Rover (parts of Africa can get quite dangerous – and it‘s not just the animals).

We finished our trip to Africa with a mini-bus trip (cosy with eleven of us, three ‗crew‘ and a heap of luggage and souvenirs) back to Lilongwe and a one-night stay at the Golden Cockroach (oops, that should read ‗Golden Peacock‘) before flying back to Johannesburg and then on to Sydney.

The trip was an experience of a lifetime, whether interested in cich-lids or not. Lake Malawi is a beautiful and fascinating place, the locals are friendly and helpful, and Stuart and Esther Grant are wonderful hosts. And of course my eleven co-travellers helped

make the whole trip fun. If you ever get the opportunity to travel to this part of the world grab it – you won‘t be disappointed!

This was the final instalment of Lee Miller‘s article.

Return to Index

A Simple Quiz for Simple Aquarists

By Terry Ranson

Here's a simple quiz to test the knowledge of aquarists:

1. Keeping aquariums is: a) A science b) An art c) A hobby d) None of the above

2. The most difficult fish to net out of an aquarium is the: a) Coolie loach b) Managuense cichlid c) Marbled Hatchet fish d) None of the above

3. The most beautiful fish is:a) The Blue Gularis b) The Moorish Idol c) The Discus d) None of the above

4. The most difficult fish to breed is: a) Any saltwater species b) Discus c) Large catfish d) None of the above

5. If an aquarium is filled with water to fifty percent its capacity, it is:a) Half empty b) Half full c) Twice as large as it needs to be d) None of the above

6. The most dangerous aquarium inhabitants are: a) Piranhas b) Lionfish c) Sharks d) None of the above

(answers are at the end of this document)

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You May Have Too Many Fish If:

by David Isham (http://www.aquarticles.com)

People ask you how many you have, and you tell them how many tanks you have.

You try to hide the power bill from your spouse.

You don't buy fish, you sell them.

You don't sell fish, you give them away.

"Fish Fry" has no culinary mean-ing to you.

Your house is nicely humid, even in the winter.

Mosquitoes and Japanese Bee-tles aren't pests; they're live food.

There are some things in the refrigerator you don't talk about.

If that dead one isn't too big, you "let the snails take care of it"

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Species Profile

Sailfin pleco - Glyptoperichthys gibbiceps

Maximum size (min-max): 45-50 cm ( 17.72-19.69 in )

pH: 6.0 - 8.0

Water hardness (dGH): 4—18 °N

Recommended temperature: 23 - 30 °C

Compatibility (temperament to it's family): peaceful

Compatibility (temperament to other fish species): peaceful

Place in the aquarium: Bottom levels

Breeding method: Spawning

Place of origin: South America (where it is an important food fish)

Short description

The Leopard sail fin pleco was sci-entifically described by Kner in 1845 and given the name Ancis-trus gibbiceps. The species was moved to the genus Pterygoplich-thys in 1980 and then to the genus Glyptoperichthys in 2003. It has the designated L-numbers L083 and L165.

The sailfin pleco has one pair of barbells on each side of the mouth. The barbells are not very big. The pectoral fins are big and almost reach the middle pelvic fins. The dorsal fin is really big, and this is why this fish is called sailfin. This treat is even more notice-able in juvenile specimens.

The base colour is black to golden brown. On this base, cream col-oured lines form an irregular pattern which has given the fish its common name. The pattern is present on both body and fins and the markings are bigger on the body and smaller on the head. Small fishes tend to have spotted markings while big fishes nor-mally have reticulated markings.

The body colouration and pattern changes as the fish grow older. In really old specimens, it is common for the patter to disappear

completely.

It is important to provide sailfin plecos with a varied and nutritious diet. Ideally combine large amounts of vegetable based food with smaller servings of meaty food. Sailfin plecos are known to appre-ciate algae based prepared foods and vegetables such as lettuce, kale, spinach and green peas. Small specimens can be given shrimpmix while large specimens have no problem devouring whole shrimps and prawns. The sailfin pleco needs driftwood in the aquarium, since it needs to rasp wood in order to stay healthy.

Make sure that the sailfin plecos actually eat; sometimes faster fishes in the aquarium gulp down all the food before the plecos get a chance to find it. A sailfin pleco with a hollow stomach is starving.

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Tank Talk Technical Feature: Controlling Algae in the Aquarium.

Andrea Watts (http://www.aquarticles.com)

Following is a list of some suggestions for alga control in your aquarium.

1. Dense planting. Planting your aquarium densely from the onset will help to deter the establishment of algae. Rapidly growing ―bunch plants‖ (plants that are grown from cuttings and sold in bunches at the LFS) fall into this category. They will utilise the nutrients in the aquarium very quickly, making it difficult for algae to compete.

2. Water changes. Regular, large water changes help to eliminate the nitrogenous waste and phosphates that algae need to thrive. Replace half the water every week (or at least every second week).

3. Introduce algae eating fish. There are many suitable species that can be introduced into the aquarium to help control algae. They should be added sooner, rather than later. Do not allow an alga problem to de-velop before adding the fish. Most fish will not be able to eat enough al-gae in an all ready overgrown aquarium. If they are sparingly fed, they will be forced to look towards the algae as a food source. Suitable addi-tions include: Otocinclus spp. dwarf plecos, whiptail catfish, and mem-bers of the Loricariidae genus and most live bearers (e.g. Mollies). Large plecos are not suitable, as they tend to munch on plants and outgrow the tank. Members of the Corydoras spp. help to stir up the substrate and help deter algae from settling and taking hold.

4. Light starvation. Decreasing the amount of penetrating light that an aquarium receives can sometimes control algae. This action may be as simple as reducing the amount of time that the lights are in use or posi-tioning the tank so that direct sunlight is limited. Blackwater extracts or wood (tannins) can help to darken the water and starve algae of the light needed for photosynthesis. Floating plants may help, however they will also reduce the amount of light that penetrates down to your plants.

5. Physical removal. Filamentous algae can be reduced by gently combing and winding the strands around a small brush (e.g. toothbrush). Ornaments/décor can be lifted from the tank and brushed or soaked in bleach or potassium permanganate. Remember to thoroughly rinse the décor to rid it of residual chemicals before returning it to the aquarium. Algae scrubbers are a cheap investment from the LFS.

6. Chemical control. A product called Health Guard (from Seachem) is excellent for controlling all algae, including blue-green algae. It is safe for all plants and fish. When all else fails, the addition of copper sulphate can be considered. A weak solution of copper sulphate (bringing the cop-per concentration up to around 0.3-0.5ppm) will kill algae but may kill some aquarium plants too. It must be measured exactly – overdosing will result in plant and fish deaths. This is truly an act of desperation and should not be considered lightly! When dosing is completed, be sure to replace the water and use activated charcoal in your filter to remove traces of copper.

7. Ultraviolet sterilisers. These lights are set up after the filter unit so that all water passes within a specific distance to kill any microscopic plant or animal life within the water. They are very expensive units to buy.

8. Other methods of control. Some others methods of algal control in-clude: ozonization, reverse osmosis and resin exchange filters. Bottled or distilled water for water changes can help exclude the addition of tap wa-ter contaminants.

Extra Notes. Some methods of algae control also present a ―clean-up‖ problem. If the dead algae collect on the substrate as sediment, the cycle of decomposing organic matter produces more nutrients for more algae. The addition of a coagulant or flocculent assists in the collection of this dying matter by causing the single-celled plant forms to clump together. They can then be netted with a fine skimmer net, vacuumed or filtered.

Don’t overfeed your aquarium. If a fish dies, remove it immediately. Both overfeeding and decaying fish add to the nutrient load in your aquarium.

Remember: Prevention is better than cure!

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Danio Breeding the Comedy Way

Jane and Morgane Smee

Well what can we say? I think we should be able to write a book called ‗Danio Breeding for absolute Dummies‘. Even though we have probably done everything the wrong way, it still looks like we will have about 30 surviving fry.

Morgane and I were cleaning out her tank about four weeks ago. We decided to really get into it as things were starting to go wrong. I think seven Leopard Danio in a 22-24 litre tank might be a bit of a strain. Things had been ok for a couple of months but six of the Danios took a dislike to the only Long Tailed Danio and thought she might look better without a tail and part of her fins. We promptly took her out of the tank and placed her in the 30 litre tank along with approx. 20 Mosquito Fish (Yes, I know NOW that they are a BAD fish). We thought she was a goner but she has pulled through and her tail is slowly growing back.

We were tipping the last of the tank water down the kitchen drain as we had chemicals in the tank to treat white spot and didn‘t think it should go in the garden. We were getting to the last couple of litres when I saw some microscopic movement. We grabbed a torch and shone it into the bucket. Lo and behold, there were what seemed like hundreds of tiny tiny fry. After our initial panic and Morgane‘s hysterics be-cause ‗Mum had been tipping them down the drain‘, we transferred them to a large ice-cream container.

We seem to have muddled through the last few weeks learning very quickly what we should not try (for example moving them into a deep glass jar so they were not in the dirty dregs from the tank). We bought

Wardley Small Fry liquid food and they seem alright with that. We can-not believe they are soooooo small.

Thought we should let you also know about our latest near catastrophe. Last Saturday I thought we should move the fry back into a fish tank as even though I bought a smaller quieter pump for the air-stone, the noise was still irritating me. We went to a shop and bought a Net Breeder Separation Box. We put it all together and placed it into the kitchen bench tank. The occupants being one Golden Sucking Catfish (another refugee) and the one long tailed Leopard Danio. I spent a fair amount of time slowly adding tank water to the ice-cream container to get the fry used to the water tempera-ture. When we had de-cided everything would be ok, I very slowly poured the content of the container into the Net Breeder.

Kapow......Instant panic... The fry immediately swam straight through the holes in the net into the tank. Well, it was my turn to be hysteri-cal. Luckily fish don‘t understand English because I was calling the Danio every swear word I knew as I ran for the fish net to scoop her out of the tank before she ate every baby. The catfish wasn‘t a problem as he just hid under the filter as always when we are in the room. My hus-band and eldest son thought the whole scene was the funniest thing they had ever seen. (They didn‘t offer to help me in my moment of desperate need) Morgane was away on a Scout Camp so she missed her Mum act-ing in a very stupid way.

To cut a long story very short, I then very carefully for the next hour used a turkey-baster to suck out 32 fry and put them back into the ice-cream container. They will remain there until I am absolutely positive that they are big enough NOT to fit into another fish mouth.

Quiz Answers: All the answers are: d) None of the above

1. Keeping fish is neither art nor science, nor even a hobby. It is an addiction.

2. The most difficult fish to net out of an aquarium is the one you most want to catch. All the other fish in the tank will swim into your net as you attempt to catch the one you are after.

3. The most beautiful fish is one that is healthy and displaying its breeding col-ours.

4. The most difficult fish to breed is the one you most desperately want to spawn for you.

5. If an aquarium is filled with water to fifty percent capacity, it is leaking.

6.The most dangerous aquarium inhabitants are whatever is in there as you reach in for that light fixture you dropped in the water, especially if you are barefoot on a wet concrete floor