modern aquarium september 2007
DESCRIPTION
Volume XIV Number 7TRANSCRIPT
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
4 September 2007 Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)
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
Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY) September 2007 5
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.
6 September 2007 Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)
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
Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY) September 2007 7
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!
8 September 2007 Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)
The GCASProudly Extends
a Most Warm Welcome
to
STEVEN GIACOBELLO
Speaking On
“Fish Photography”
Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY) September 2007 9
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?
10 September 2007 Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)
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
Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY) September 2007 11
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
12 September 2007 Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)
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.
Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY) September 2007 13
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
14 September 2007 Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)
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.
Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY) September 2007 15
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.
16 September 2007 Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)
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.
Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY) September 2007 17
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
18 September 2007 Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)
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.
Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY) September 2007 19
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
20 September 2007 Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)
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!
Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY) September 2007 21
22 September 2007 Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)
Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY) September 2007 23
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
24 September 2007 Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)
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!
Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY) September 2007 25
CAMEO PET SHOP
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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
26 September 2007 Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)
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/
Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY) September 2007 27
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
28 September 2007 Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)