Buckeye
Bulletin February 2012
Male Fossorochromis rostratus
Our next meeting is February 3rd at 8pm
Buckeye Bulletin Staff
Jonathan Dietrich Editor [email protected]
Eric Sorensen Exchange Editor Cover Photo was taken by David Dietrich. It’s a photo of a Male Fossorochromis rostratus from Jombie’s tank. Jombie acquired these fish [email protected] from Dan Woodland. He currently keeps a male, female, and tons of fry! The Ohio Cichlid Associations Buckeye Bulletin is produced In this Issue of the Buckeye Bulletin… monthly by the Ohio Cichlid Monthly Features Association. All articles and President’s Message Page 3 photographs contained within this publication are being used with Editor’s Message Page 5 consent of the authors. Bowl Show Results Page7-8 If you have an article, photograph, Cichlid BAP Results Page 10-11 or ad to submit for publication, Catfish BAP Results Page 14 You can please send it to now click [email protected]. Program Preview Page 19 the page When submitting articles for Member of the Month Page 21 number to publication in this bulletin, please This Month in OCA History Page 25 jump to remember to include any Gears & Gadgets Page 26 photographs or art for the the page! article. The Ohio Cichlid Association Fish Room Tours Page 27-31 is not responsible for any fact Fish Market Page 38 checking or spelling correction in OCA Library Update Page 42 submitted material. Articles will be edited for space and Fish Tails – Species Profile Page 54 content. February Specials All information in this bulletin is for LFS Spotlight – Aquatica Page 34-37 the sole use of The Ohio Cichlid Association and the personal use of Raising N. Multifasciatus Page 16-17 its members. ABCs of Bushynose Plecos Page 22-23 Articles, photographs, illustrations, Breeding Thorichthys socolofi Page 39-40 and any other printed material may Greater Cleveland Aquarium Page 43-52 not be used in any way without the (We will continue with “The Stuff That Water’s Made Of” in the March issue.) written consent of The Ohio Cichlid Association. For membership info please contact Andrew Subotnik: [email protected]
President’s
Message A Word from Don Danko
First off, our Winter Auction will be held on Saturday, February 11, at the Strongsville Holiday Inn. Registration begins at 10 am and closes at 12 Noon. Items checked in after noon will be “black dotted,” which means they’ll be auctioned off after the normal colored dots are sold. For note, the auction starts promptly at 11 am.
I do have a couple of asks for those of you attending the Winter Auction. One, please consider volunteering to run bags so that we can keep up the pace of the auction. Two, please be respectful of others and please clean up around your area before you leave. We have a very nice location at the Holiday Inn and we don’t want to jeopardize our status with the hotel. Thanks much for your understanding.
For our Monthly Meeting on February 3rd, Stephan Tanner will be presenting a talk on Catfish. Stephan always does a great job and has something new to tell us about, so don’t miss this talk! We’ll also have our normal activities of Bowl Show, Large Raffle, BAP and Buck-A-Bag Auctions, Membership Raffle, Catfish and Cichlid BAP Awards, and lots of socialization. Bring a friend and introduce them to the OCA – the best deal on the planet for your membership fee!
Looking back to January, I gave a talk on the new Danko fish room and covered some of the time and energy saving things we incorporated in the room. I also showed picturess of many of the fish we are keeping. Thanks to those that gave positive feedback and feedback on opportunities to improve. I’ll plan to add some pictures of the room to give a better idea of what he room looks like and will also add more pictures to the opening slides so that they are not just word slides.
See you at the Monthly Meeting on February 3rd and at the Winter Auction on the 11th!
Regards,
Don
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Happiness Has Fins
A Word from the Editor
Hello OCA friend!
I would like to first introduce myself to those of you who may not know me. My name is Jonathan Dietrich, a member of the Ohio Cichlid Association for about three years now. You may have heard the name Jombie around the club. Jombie is my nickname and I’ll probably use it occasionally in the Bulletin as my pseudonym. I am a relatively new fish keeper, cycling my first tank in 2004. Wait, first tank? I definitely did not cycle that one! Oops! It was a two gallon with an Angel and a Bala shark. Over the course of the last few years, I have done a ton of research, upgraded my tanks (many times), and found passion in fish keeping. I joined the OCA to further this passion, and I have only had positive experiences. I have a Bachelor of Arts in English from Baldwin-Wallace College and teach at the high school level in a suburb of Cleveland. I believe we can all agree that Kyle May has done a remarkable job transforming the Buckeye Bulletin into the gorgeous online resource that it is. We have a bulletin that proudly displays our dedication and commitment to the hobby. Our members can miss a meeting or two and still feel actively involved with the club. I believe that is our goal for the future of our bulletin. And I stress the pronoun our. We need to do everything in our power to make this publication be a representation of our club, our members, and our fish. We want people down the block, within Ohio, across the States, and even overseas to join our club to witness the passion we have for our shared hobby. There are many ways to get actively involved with our club. Over the past few years membership has multiplied because we offer so much. Even though many members do not attend monthly meetings regularly, maybe just stopping in for the Extravaganza, everyone can be actively involved with our bulletin. I will beg and plead with you for content every month, but the most important action to me is just having members read our publication. I want all of our members enjoying the content and keeping up-to-date with the happenings in our club. Please, help members get connected. I’d like to continue the legacy of this bulletin by putting my best effort into providing you with the best information, the best pictures, and the best OCA news. Some new installments that you will see in 2012 are member fish room tours, LFS (local fish store) spotlights, species profiles, and more. Kyle May has agreed to continue his monthly “Gears and Gadgets” piece. Lew Carbone will still be providing us with our OCA History. Cichlid and Catfish BAP will never be forgotten thanks to Mark Chaloupka and Dave Ayres. Jonathan Strazinsky will be picking up Member of the Month, a monthly spotlight on an outstanding OCA member. Hilary Lacerda will keep us posted on new books and videos entering the OCA library. Finally, Gary Mendez will supply our monthly Bowl Show results. Wow! This year is going to be exciting! Please, please, please don’t hesitate to send me anything. I proofread papers for a living, and I enjoy it. I just need content. Bulletin readers want to read articles by other members. We are all sources of knowledge, but it’s useless if not shared. Thank you to Don Danko and the Ohio Cichlid Association Board for this opportunity. I hope to meet your expectations each month. If not, let me know, and we can all blame Kyle.
Send me a picture,
Jonathan “Jombie” Dietrich OCA Winter Auction
February 11, 2012 Auction Begins: 10am Registration: 9am to 11am
The OCA Winter Auction is a giant auction of cichlids, catfish, plants, and drygoods.
Holiday Inn – Strongsville Phone: 440-238-8800 15471 Royalton Road Strongsville, Ohio 44136 • Bowl Show
Gary Mendez
Congratulations to Dave Esner for being the first bowl show winner in 2012!
Coming up next…
February Classes March Classes
• A. Victorian Basin • A. Pseudotropheus, Cichlids Cynotilapia & • B. Angelfish Melanochromis • C. Synodontis & • B. South American Mochokids under 6" excluding Angels, Discus & Apistos • C. Catfish - Excluding Callichthids, Loracariids & Mochokids
January's Winners
A. Tanganyikan Shell B. Central C. Loracariids (pleco Dwellers Americans under 6" types) over 6" • 1st: • 1st: • 1st: • Lamprologus • - • - ocellatus"black" • 2nd: • 2nd: • 2nd: • - • - • Lamprologus • 3rd: • 3rd: ocellatus"blue" • - • - • 3rd: • Lamprologus ocellatus"gold"
Prizes!
Best of Show: $20 Cash Quarter Champ: $35 Pet Shop certificate
2012 Champ: TBA
Standings February Quarter 2012 Point System
1stDaveEsner 27 27 27 1st place 10 2rd 2nd place 7 3rd 3rd place 5
4th Non-placing entries 1 5th Best of Show* 5 *Only awarded if two or more entries
2012 Support the Bowl Show
Any questions please contact: Monthly Winners Earn $20 Gary Mendez [email protected]
BAP Results
February 2012
By Mark Chaloupka
George Anagnostopoulos Geophagus steindachneri 10 Neolamprologus cylindricus 15 Dave Ayres Pundamilia nyererei 10 Lew Carbone Haplochromis entebbe 10 Tilapia mariae 10 Tom & Carolyn Evers Cryptoheros nanoluteus 10 Ken Galaska Metriaclima greshakei 10 James Shakour Aulonocara jacobfreibergi 10 “eureka red” Aulonocara stuartgranti 10
Congratulations! James Shakour
for reaching the 100 point level CURRENT B.A.P. STANDINGS (1/6/12) 200 POINT LEVEL
Eric & Rhonda Sorensen - 290 BREEDER 2012 TOTAL Tim Craig - 230 MASTER BREEDER 1000 POINT LEVEL 100 POINT LEVEL
Lew Carbone 20 2440 Marc & Dawn DeWerth - 195 Don Danko - 2255 Ken & Karen Grimmett - 190 Dan Woodland - 2050 Ozeal Hunter - 190 Linda Wallrath - 1130 Chuck Carroll - 185 Rich & Maggie Schoeffel - 1065 Andrew Subotnik - 180
Greg Seith - 145 900 POINT LEVEL Frank Mueller - 140 Dennis Tomazin - 965 David Ayers 10 130 Mark Chaloupka - 950 Ken Walker - 125 Tom Swiderski - 905 Joe Ring - 120 Bill & Janice Bilski - 115 800 POINT LEVEL Tom & Carolyn Evers 10 115 Aaron Stevens - 115 Dustin Brummitt - 840 Steve Heinbaugh - 110 John Tesar - 810 Dave Enser - 100 700 POINT LEVEL James Shakour 20 100
600 POINT LEVEL BREEDER LEVEL
Jeff Natterer - 690 Jason Mlynar - 85 Bryan Davis - 665 Dan Ogrizek - 85 Charlie & Cathy Suk - 615 Mark Huntington - 80 Rick Wood - 75 500 POINT LEVEL Jonathan Dietrich - 70 Bob Tillman - 70 Bill Schwartz - 595 Davis Toth - 50 Jeff Yadlovsky - 590 Dolores Bacisin - 45 Hilary & Antonio Lacerda - 570 Alex Gorges - 45 Ron Georgeone - 510 Ethan Wiley - 40 Gary Mendez - 500 John Kahl - 35 Christopher Sooy - 35 400 POINT LEVEL Tom Tansey - 35
Jason Gorges - 30 Rick Hallis - 495 Paul Hutnyak - 30 Ken Galaska 10 455 John Kaminski - 25 Bob Bina - 405 Fred Roberts - 25 Phil Hypes - 405 Andy Lacerda - 20
Bill Sensor - 20 300 POINT LEVEL Ron Drungil - 10 Bob Blazek - 365 Mike Trader - 10 Jonathan Strazinsky - 360 David Hale - 335 The points list for the Breeders Award Program has Kyle May - 330 been updated to include only current members. If you George Anagnostopoulos 25 325 are a current member and your name has been omitted, Gary Zalewski - 325 please see the B.A.P. Chairman at the social meeting so Tyler Toncler - 320 we can correct any errors.
Please remember: You may only turn in a species or strain of fish for B.A.P. points one time. If you need a list of what you have been credited with, see the BAP chairman at the social meeting. Catfish BAP Results Breeder Species Points February 2012
By Dave Ayres Dave Ayres Corydoras aneus “long fin” 10
Welcome to the Ken Galaska Ancistrus sp. “albino bushynose” 10 program: Steve Heinbaugh Tatia intermedia 25 Ken Galaska
Gary Mendez Ancistrus sp. “green dragon” 10
TOTALS (thru 1/6/12) NAME 2012 TOTAL Dan Ogrizek - 185 Dave Ayres 10 155 Don & Marilyn Danko - 155 Rick Hallis - 100 Dan Woodland - 100 Dustin Brummitt - 80 Steve Heinbaugh 25 80 Linda Wallrath - 75 Charlie & Cathy Suk - 65 Phil Ayres - 60 Bob Bina - 60 Phil Hypes - 60 Eric & Rhonda Sorensen - 55 Bryan Davis - 50 Tom & Carolyn Evers - 50 Jeff Natterer - 50 Dennis Tomazin - 50 Tyler Toncler - 45 John Kaminski - 40 Hilary & Antonio Lacerda - 40 Kyle May - 40 George Anagnostopoulos - 20 Bob Blazek - 20 Lew Carbone - 20 John Kahl - 20 Gary Mendez 10 20 Chuck Caroll - 10 Mark Chaloupka - 10 Ken Galaska 10 10 Jeff Gorbach - 10 Karen & Ken Grimmett - 10 David Hale - 10 Paul Hutnyak - 10 James Shakour - 10 Kris Sooy - 10 Jonathan Strazinsky - 10 John Tesar - 10 Bob & Jennifer Tillman - 10 David Toth - 10 Ethan Wiley - 10 Fifteen Point Fish 15 Amphilophus robertsoni Wondering how many “Cich.” Facetum Amphilophus rostratum points your fish earn Amphilophus citrinellum Amphilophus tuyrense for the Breeders Amphilophus labiatum Amphilophus zaliosum Award Program? Well, Amphilophus longimanus Apistogrammoides sp. Amphilophus Archocentrus here’s the Ohio Cichlid macracanthus spinosissimus Association’s point Apistogramma sp. Astronatus sp. schedule for New and Cleithacara maronii Batrachops sp. Old World Cichlids. Heros appendiculatus Caquetaia sp. Happy Breeding! Heros severum Crenicara sp. Hypselecara temporalis Geophagus crassilabrus Point Schedule for Mesonauta festivum Geophagus surinamensis Microgeophagus var. New World Cichlids altispinossa Gymnogeophagus
Microgeophagus ramerezi gymnogenys Ten Point Fish: Nandopsis atromaculatum Gymnogeophagus Aequidens sp. (The Blue 10 Nandopsis bartoni labiatum and Green Acaras) Nandopsis freidrichsthalli Gymnogeophagus Archocentrus centrarchus Nandopsis loiselli lacustrus Archocentrus Nandopsis managuense Herichthys bocourti nigrofasciatum Nandopsis motaguense Herichthys labridens Archocentrus Nandopsis salvini Herichthys minkleyi octofasciatum Nandopsis trimaculatum Herichthys pearsi Archocentrus sajica Nandopsis uropthalmus Nandopsis beani Archocentrus Theraps argentea Nandopsis dovii septemfasciatum Theraps bifasciatum Nandopsis festae Archocentrus spilurum Theraps breidorhi Nandopsis grammodes Bujurquina sp. Theraps guttalatum Nandopsis haitiensis Cichlasoma sp. (The Black Theraps hartwegi Nandopsis islantum Acaras) Theraps heterospilus Nandopsis ornatum Geophagus brasiliensis Theraps intermedium Nandopsis pantostictum var. Theraps nicaraguense Nandopsis steindachneri Geophagus pellegrini Theraps panamense Nandopsis tetracanthus Geophagus steindachneri Theraps regani Nandopsis umbriferum Guinacara sp. Theraps synspilus Paraneetroplus bulleri Gymnogeophagus balzanii Theraps zonatum Petenia splendida Gymnogeophagus Thorichthys affinus Satanoperca leucosticta meridionalis Thorichthys aureum Satanoperca pappaterra Gymnogeophagus Thorichthys ellioti Symphysodon sp. rhabdotus Thorichthys helleri Taeniacara candidi Herichthys carpintas Thorichthys pasionis Teleocichla sp. Herichthys cyanoguttatum Thorichthys socolofi Theraps coeruleus Herotilapia multispinossa Theraps fenestratum Krobia sp. Twenty Point Fish 20 Theraps gibbiceps Laetacara sp. (curviceps, Amphilophus alfari Theraps godmani dorsigerus) Amphilophus altifrons Theraps irregulare Nannacara sp. Amphilophus calobrense Theraps maculicauda Neetroplus nematopus Amphilophus diquis Theraps melanurum Pterophyllum scalare Amphilophus lyonsi Therapsmicropthalmus Thorichthys meeki Amphilophus rhytisma Theraps nebuliferum
Theraps omonti Pseudocrenilabrus Xenotilapia Theraps seiboldi philander Thorichthys callolepis Petrotilapia Twenty Point Fish Tomocichla tuba Pseudotropheus Cunningtonia Uaru amphiacanthoides Telmatochromis Thysia * Lobochilotes 20 Tilapia * Cyphotilapia * 25 Twenty Five Point Fish Trematocranus Ectodus Acarichthys heckelii 15 Etroplus suratensis Acaronia sp. Fifteen Point Fish Hemibates stenosoma Biotecus sp. Asprotilapia Lamprologus calvus Biotodoma sp. Aristochromis macrochir Lamprologus Chaetobranchopsis sp. Aulonocara maylandi compressiceps Chaetobranchus sp. Aulonocara ussiyi Lamprologus fasciatus Hoplarchus psittacum Aulonocranus Lamprologus ornatipinnis Pterophyllum altum Callochromis Lamprologus sexfasciatus Pterophyllum dumerelli Cardiopharynx (gold) Retroculus sp. Chalinochromis * Lamprologus Satanoperca acuticeps Chromidotilapia * tretocephalus Satanoperca daemon Cyprichromis Lastredea Satanoperca Lilith Diplotoxidon Lamprologus (all riverine) Docimodus Limnochromis auritus Point Schedule for Old Eretmodus Petrochromis ** World Cichlids Grammatotria Serranochromis Julidochromis * Simochromis Ten Point Fish 10 Haplochromis ahli Trematocara Aristochromis ** Haplochromis bethicola Tropheus brichardi Astatoreaochromis Haplochromis borleyi Tropheus duboisi Chalinochromis ** Haplochromis horei Tropheus moori Chilotilapia Haplochromis kiwingi Tropheus polli Cleithrochromis Haplochromis linni 25 Corematodus Haplochromis macrostoma Twenty Five Point Fish Cynotilapia Haplochromis pfefferi Boulengerochromis Genyochromis Etroplus maculatus Cyathopharynx furcifer Gephyrochromis * Hemichromis elongatus Lamprologus sexfascitus Haplochromis (victorian) Hemichromis fasciatus (blue) Haplochromis ** Nanochromis * Haplotaxodon microlepus Hemichromis bimaculatus Labeotropheus marmalade Haplotaxodon tricoti Hemichromis thomasi cat Ophthalmochromis Hemihaplochromis * Labeotropheus Perissodus Iodotropheus sprengerae trewavasae orange x Petrochromis trewavasae Labidochromis * orange Reganochromis Labeotropheus ** Lamprologus (lake species) Triglachromis otostigma Lamprologus brichardi Lamprologus furcifer Lamprologus margarae Limnochromis NOTE: FOR ALL OLD Lamprologus ornatipinnis Limnotilapia WORLD CICHLIDS Lamprologus meeli Orthochromis * = ALL ** = NOT ALL
Lamprologus tetracanthus Rhamphochromis Spathodus Lethrinops Lichnochromis Steatocranus * Melanochromis * Tanganicodus Pelvicachromis * Tylochromis
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Raising and Breeding Neolamprologus multifasciatus By James Shakour
When I think of these Tanganyikans, I think of the shirt my mother put on me when I was two years old. “Don’t let my size fool you.” These are the first “shellies” I have ever kept and bred and I must say they are quickly becoming my favorite Cichlid.
I obtained seven N. multifasciatus that were part of a breeding colony of about twenty that were thriving in a 20 high. The previous tank had a sand substrate, shells, and a few pieces of smaller Texas Holey rock. The tank that I had set up for them was a 10 gallon (which is like the penthouse for these guys) with pea- sized gravel as substrate, escargot shells that I got from the grocery store, a box filter, and water temperature of about 78° F.I spread the gravel and shells evenly throughout the tank. After about three or four days, the group had moved the shells to opposite ends of the tank. They also started to move the gravel and mound it up in some spots. I could not believe the amazing feats these fish were able to make at only one inch in size.
Throughout the next week, I did not see but one or two fish hovering above the shells while the others stayed inside the shells. They would poke their heads out occasionally. I was not sure if they were hiding (stressed) or if they had bred. After sometime, the entire colony would come out to eat together and then immediately return to the safety of their shells.
One day I was observing the tank during feeding (New Life Spectrum Grow) and I noticed a single fry poking its head out from between shells. Then, suddenly there were two more, then three. In a matter of seconds, there was fry everywhere! They were swimming but stayed near their shell and mother’s protection. The fry were eating little bits of the NLS. From that point on I would add a small amount of de-encapsulated brine soaked in tank water for about ten minutes to help it sink for daily feeding. To my surprise about five days later, there were about a dozen fry in another part of the tank hanging out around a shell. Nine days later, another spawn occurred! It is fascinating to look one tank and see fry in different stages of growth.
This brings me to the most difficult part of breeding N. multifasciatus, water changes. I usually use a Python water change system, which I did not want to use in this tank because I was afraid of disrupting the shells or worse, sucking up fry. I switched to a manual siphon with an intake with a smaller diameter. I gently pushed the siphon down into the gravel, which emptied tank water into a five gallon bucket. After every water change, which I did twice a week, I checked the bucket for escapees. I also used the Python to refill the tank. I felt uncomfortable that this method might be too rough because after a test the current from the new water definitely kicked up and disrupted the shells. As a solution, I filled the tank up with gallon jugs and I poured the water into my hand to have let it trickle into the tank. This method has worked great as the shells and gravel hardly move.
Getting the fry out of the tank did pose a problem too. They are extremely fast and usually retreat into their shell within milliseconds. I found that once they are in the shell, I could just grab the shell out of the tank and gently empty it into a bucket without harm to the fish.
One habit that I find very fascinating is how the group/colony will raise and defend the fry. Although, I have read on the internet of some instances where the dominate male will attack the fry once they reach a certain size/age. I have no experienced this behavior yet.
I hope this article peaks your interest in shellies and that you find it as a useful reference.
Reader Reward: Which species mentioned in this month’s bulletin gets dark patches on its anal and dorsal fins when mature? Send answers to [email protected]. Correct answers will be entered to win a special prize at the March meeting. Good luck!
Next Social Meeting – February 3, 2012
Old Oak Church, 7575 Old Oak Blvd, Middleburg Heights, Ohio
Meeting Starts at: 8pm
Directions: From the North take I-71 South Take exit 235 (Bagley Rd.). Turn Right onto Bagley. Turn left onto Old Oak Blvd. Church is about ½ mile on left.
From the South take I-71 North Take exit 234. Turn Right onto Pearl Rd. (42) Turn Left onto Fowles Rd. Turn Right onto Old Oak Blvd. Church is on the right 1/10 mile.
Old Oak Church 7575 Old Oak Blvd. Middleburg Heights, Ohio Program
Preview
By Lew Carbone
Picture Courtesy of Stephan Tanner
This month, we are fortunate to have Stephan Tanner as our featured speaker. Stephan is a catfish specialist and spoke at the 2010 Extravaganza. The following is his autobiography from his website, which I edited a little for this context.
I have been an active fish keeper since the mid 1980s. Back in Switzerland, where I was born, I got my first tropical fish tank when I was 14 years old, and the “tank fever” has never left me. In fact, my interest in biology and nature pushed me to earn a masters’ degree in Behavioral Ecology and Molecular Biology (1995) and finally a Ph.D. in Human Molecular Genetics (1998). During my undergraduate years in Switzerland, I worked at the Spiezer Zoo, a nice local fish store with quality fish and great customer service.
In the spring of 1998 I moved to Columbus, Ohio, for a postdoctoral fellowship in cancer research with Albert de la Chapelle, M.D., Ph.D., at The Ohio State University. After four years I became a Research Scientist and since the fall of 2005, I have been Research Assistant Professor in Human Cancer Genetics in the Department of Molecular Virology, Immunology and Medical Genetics at OSU.
As for my fascination with fish, a pivotal moment was when I went to a meeting of the International Society of Barbs, Tetras, Loaches and Catfishes, a German organization, in 1992. I felt instantly comfortable among highly devoted specialists, and I decided to become a member. In 1994, a new editor for the club’s quarterly publication, BSSW Report, was needed and I held this position until the end of 2006. I regularly travel to Germany for fish related meetings and to visit friends that I have made through that fabulous organization.
I have a small fishroom with some 61 tanks to properly house all the fish that I am interested in. Breeding, which is the ultimate goal, produces lots of offspring that need a good home. Well, selling a few fish is not an issue, but selling them by the hundreds would sooner or later bring the IRS or the state treasurer to my door step. To avoid any legal issues, I decided to set up a company, called Swiss Tropicals, that does proper business and pays taxes. In addition, I have US Fish and Wildlife Service and USDA import licenses that permit me to bring fish and plants along from my trips.
Stephan’s program will be entitled “Pleco Nutrition.” If you want to order something from his website, he can bring it that night and save you shipping. http://www.swisstropicals.com/
Next month: Kevin Bauman, from the Columbus area, talks about Victorian Cichlids. Ohio Cichlid Association 2012 Program Schedule
January 6 Don Danko New Danko Fish Room July February 3 No Meeting Stephan Tanner Pleco Nutrition August 3 March 2 Dr. Jay Stauffer Kevin Bauman Specimen organization project Africancichlids.net Victorians September 7 Klaus Steinhaus April 6 Geophagus Swap Meet October 5 May 4 Jim Powers Jeremy Basch Loaches “Madre de Dios, Peru” November 2 June 1 Pre-Extravaganza Swap Meet Mike Hellweg “Live Foods for Cichlids” December 7 Christmas Party
Member of the Month is a way for us as members to get to know the people we Member of see at every social gathering a little bit better. This month the obvious choice for
the O.C.A. to interview would be our new the Month Editor, Jombie! By Jonathan Strazinsky Jonathan “Jombie” Dietrich, age 25
O.C.A. Give us some back ground about yourself, your bio if you will. Where you grew up, where you live now, married or single, kids, pets, blag blah blah… Jombie I grew up in Brooklyn, Ohio. I graduated from Brooklyn High School in 2005. After high school, I attended Baldwin-Wallace College, majoring in English and secondary education. In 2009, I received my degree from BWC. I taught at Brooklyn High School for a year before transferring to North Royalton High School, where I currently teach. I am presently single without children. I have a puppy named Molly.
O.C.A. How long have you been keeping fish? Jombie I’ve been keeping fish since 2004. My first tank was a 2.5 gallon with an adult angel fish… duh.
O.C.A. How long have you been keeping cichlids? Jombie Since 2004.
O.C.A. What was the first fish you’ve ever spawned? Jombie The first fish that I spawned was Aequidens Pulcher, the Blue Acara.
O.C.A. What species of fish/cichlids are you keeping now? Jombie I am currently keeping Fossorochromis rostratus, Pundamilia nyererei, Neolamprologus multifasciatus, Thorichthys socolofi, and Scleromystax barbatus.
O.C.A. Do you have a favorite? If so, what? Jombie My favorite fish has been Aequidens diadema for quite some time. I miss my group.
O.C.A. How many tanks do you have set up? Jombie I have five tanks right now because I still live at home. I have a125, 75, 40b, and two tens.
O.C.A. Tell us something about yourself non-fish related. Jombie I sleep on the floor with three alarm clocks around my head. If I slept in a bed, I’d never wake up on time.
O.C.A. How long have you been a member of the O.C.A.? Jombie I’ve been a member of the OCA for three years now.
O.C.A. Why did you decide to join the O.C.A. Board and take on the position of Editor? Jombie Since joining the OCA a few years ago, I’ve always wanted to be more involved with the club. As the club ages, newer members must step up for the sake of our survival. We can’t expect the same people to continually put in all of the effort. I’m sure they would like to sit back and enjoy the club as just members one day. So, I figured since years from now I’ll probably be president, now is a good time to start learning the ropes. Also, now that college has been over for a few years and my career consumes most of my life, I’ve been struggling to find a creative outlet. I enjoy editing and writing, so this seemed like the perfect fit. I’m pleased to have this opportunity.
O.C.A. Do you have any other hobbies besides keeping fish? If so, what are they? Jombie I love to organize things.
O.C.A. What’s your favorite color? O.C.A. Do you like nachos? Jombie Orange Jombie Yes Albinos, Browns, and Calicos: The ABC’s of Bushynose Plecos
By Dave Ayres
Back in the day (the mid-eighties to be exact), I was fortunate enough to have a pair of “Bristlenose” catfish spawn in one of my aquariums. At that time it was considered a rather uncommon occurrence reflected by the fact that breeder’s award programs back then recognized the “Bristlenose” pleco as a difficult species to spawn. You will have no doubt noticed that I referred to the fish as a “Bristlenose” pleco; the name “Bushynose” pleco is much more recent terminology and I think more descriptive of the fleshy tentacle-like appendages that adorn the head of mature males. The few people who were breeding this catfish at the time referred to them as either Ancistrus dolichopterus, A. triradiatus, or A. temminckii. I am not sure if any of those names were correct. A. dolichopterus was certainly not correct as this fish has only just recently been imported into the hobby. Back then the fish that I was breeding were a chocolate brown in color with lighter spotting, probably correctly identified as A. cirrhosus and the eggs as I remember were orange/yellow in color.
Because these “Bushynose” plecos were such efficient algae eaters they quickly became very popular and demand far exceeded supply. Professional breeders saw an opportunity to cash in and began to crank them out by the tens of thousands. One look at the popular literature reveals that there are many brownish-colored , spotted plecos found all over South America. They range Photo courtesy of Frank Mueller from Argentina to Brazil and everywhere in between. The problem of mass producing fish for profit, particularly Ancistrus plecos, is that they seemingly hybridize relatively easy and as a result the pure strains are soon lost. In captive populations, as in the wild, albinism and other mutations do occur. The difference is that in captivity these traits can be fostered and line-bred to produce “aquarium strains.” For the most part, in the wild, Mother Nature takes care of the albinos and mutants by a process known as predation.
And so, if we fast forward twenty-five years from the first paragraph of this article we find that the most popular “Bushynose” plecos are what are best described as A. sp. “albino”, A. sp. “brown” and A. sp. “calico.” Each is available with either normal or long flowing fins. They are aquarium strains, the result of selective breeding for the aquarium trade. These fish have no pedigree, will never be scientifically described , do not exist in the wild, but, guess what? Fish- keepers love them!
Photo courtesy of Frank Mueller These fish are very, very easy to breed, so much so that it’s far easier to produce a good looking calico plecos than it is to produce a quality guppy!
They require no special husbandry. My setup consists of a fifteen gallon tank, temperature set at 76* F with a gravel substrate and a sponge filter. The prospective parents will need hiding places. I use pieces of broken clay flower pots from my cichlid tanks. Pieces just large enough for them to get underneath. For the breeding cave use a tubular pleco cave, the kind with one end pinched closed, and you’ll be in business! The use of driftwood for these species is a personal choice, not a necessity. I don’t use it. As for dietary needs, use a good quality mixed flake, just make sure that it sinks and alternate with Photo courtesy of Gary Mendez string beans. Look for them in the canned veggie aisle of your favorite supermarket and be sure to buy the ones marked unsalted on the label. One thing that I have observed is that these fish, especially the fry, consume a lot of food. They seem to be constantly grazing so be sure to keep them well supplied with food. Also, along with this, keep the water changed often. This will ensure optimum growth.
Now, as you may have gathered, I am no big fan of hybridization or line-bred catfish, but I will grudgingly concede that I find some such fish to be pleasing to the eye – unnatural, but pleasing. So my hope as Chair of the Ohio Cichlid Association’s Breeders Award Program is that by breeding these aquarium strains of plecos you will become enthused enough to want to try your hand at some of the L-numbered plecos that are in the hobby today. There are plenty of nice looking ones to choose from that haven’t as yet been bred in captivity. Who knows, maybe you’ll be the next Photo courtesy of Don Danko trailblazer!
Photo courtesy of Don Danko
This Month
In OCA History By Lew Carbone
1984: In Issue 5 of the Buckeye Cichlid Lovers’ Bulletin, Neadean Gumto and Editor Louise Stachowiak publish a questionnaire. Members are asked for their opinions of the bulletin and in what direction they’d like the 6 month-old group to go. This is but one in a series of events that lead to the founding of the OCA.
1991: In observance of Valentine’s Day, the bulletin cover includes a drawing portraying Cichlid true love. True, that is, until the male encounters his next ripe female!
2000: At the social meeting, held in the auditorium of the Tri-City Senior Center in Middleburgh Hts., Canadians Glenn Marshall and Tom Herman present “Out of Malawi.” It is an elaborate multimedia program about their trip to Stuart Grant’s lodge and collecting station on Lake Malawi. My most vivid memory of the presentation was the energetic and rhythmically intricate African pop music that accompanied the footage of scenery in the area.
AAllll HHaaiill tthhee MMiigghhttyy EEmmppeerroorr!!
Of all the products I’ve used in my 30+ yrs of keeping fish there are very few that have earned my loyalty and praise like the Emperor 400. In my opinion, there is no better overall filter than this nearly bullet-proof product made by our favorite folks at Marineland (United Pet Group). This month I’ll take a look at the Emperor so that maybe you’ll understand why it rates so highly in my book.
I’ve used about every filter known to man since I started keeping cichlids in 1980. As a young aquarist I had a voracious appetite for anything I could read about filters, filter systems, and water quality. Since the internet didn’t exist until the mid 90’s, most of the reading I did was the monthly Aquarium magazines which I bought at my Local Fish Store each month and then devoured every word. In all these years I’ve learned a lot about what makes a filter good and what makes a filter bad. Efficiency, filter capacity, water flow, and cost are all variables when it comes to choosing the filter that’s right for you and your fish. In short, I’ve used about every type and brand of filter so I have a broad range of experience with which to compare the Emperor with many of its competitors. The Emperor is a back filter that at its top working range filters about 400 gallons of water per hour. Be careful when comparing filtering rates of any filter. Understandably a manufacturer is going to give you their filters best case scenario when quoting the amount of water a filter will cycle per hour. All filters lose their volume per hour rates as the filter media becomes clogged with debris. The Emperor is no different as it is also bound by the laws of physics and it too will slow down as the filter clogs. But what makes it different than other filters is the size of the surface area provided by the Emperor. It carries two filter cartridges that provide 40 sq inches of filter space each. This means that it can handle the higher bio loads of bigger fish and crowded aquaria. Another great thing is the additional filter carrier that allows you to add a higher amount of carbon or bio media. All in all this means that this unit runs for a longer period of time before clogging necessitating cleaning the cartridges. The more frugal folks among us know that you can rinse these cartridges out for months before they need to be replaced, but the 4 pack of filter cartridges shown at the right retails for less than $20 and if you buy a generic replacement filter cartridge, you can shave some more bucks off of that figure. Initially you will find that the Emperor is a cinch to get up and running and you will be surprised at how much water it moves. When priming it can feel like your are trying to fill a bottomless pit, but that’s because the filter has a larger tank to accept the large filter cartridges. Let’s look as some of the other features.
Many aquarists will preach that you must have three types of filtration for a successful aquarium: Biological, Chemical, and Mechanical. The Magnum covers all three because its cartridge removes waste mechanically by trapping it in the fibrous filter pad which also has carbon for chemical filtration. Each Emperor comes with two independently fed bio- wheels so we’ve now got a bacteria colony too. For my money, I’ve found that water turnover is key, as is water movement at the surface of the tank. Emperors are good at this not only due to the high rate of flow bit also because the surface level discharge agitates the water surface. This great technology is available for every aquarist because the Emperor line has a couple of models to help you get the job done: Emperor 280: Filters 280 Gals per hour and is rated for tanks up to 50 Gallons. I’d have no issue with this being the main and maybe only filter on a 55 gallon tank. As the only filter on a 55 gallon tank, the entire volume of water is turned over 5 times per hour or once every 12 minutes. Understand that a 55 gallon tank only has about 45-50 gallons of actual water in it, so the turnover rate is probably much more like 6 times per hour or once every 10 minutes.
Emperor 400: Filters 400 Gallons per hour and is rated for tanks up to 90 gallons. I use these as the only filter on my 75 gallon tanks and have no filtration issues at all, and I keep large fish. I use two of these on a 125 gallon tank only because it provides more even circulation within my tank if I have two of these teamed up. With two Emperor 400’s on a 125 gallon tank, the entire volume of water the tank turns over 6.4 times per hour or once every 9.3 minutes at peak water flow. Like the 75 gallon tank, the 125 gallon tank only has about 110 gallons in it so the entire volume of water the Emperor tank turns over every 8 ½ minutes or once every 7 minutes 400 Emperor at peak water flow. For those of us keeping large, messy fish 280 in often crowded aquaria, this can be a blessing!
All in all Emperors have a lot going for them and I favor them partially because they are perfect for those who favor bigger fish, but also because of their ease of use. Unlike canisters which always seem to be a pain to maintain, the cartridges in the Emperor simply rinse clean in just a minute or two. While it’s engineered for the E series cartridges, many creative aquarists know that it will also work just fine with a variety of filter media engineered by the home aquarist. My favorite feature is the gentle, but high capacity water flow. Emperors will gently stir the largest of aquaria keeping the entire volume of water circulating without the dead spots and pinpoint discharge streams common to canisters and power heads. Another feature of the Emperor is that it uses two separate spray bars to run the bio wheels. This allows the highest amount of water to hit the wheels to feed the bacteria growing there while aerating that same bacteria bed to allow it to grow to its fullest potential. Emperor uses a dual pump system to simultaneously run the spray bars and run water through the filter media. The best part is that this magnificent filter does all of this work while using only 12 measly watts of power. So for less than the amount of power used by two 75 watt light bulbs, I’ve got 925 gallons of aquariums being turned over more than 3 times per hour in my basement. As someone who’s always trying to save a buck I’d say that is a deal. I’ve spent too much money over the years on ineffective filtration and it’s a very cool thing to To me when you find something that works this well. Speaking of money, how much is this going to cost you to get one of these in your fish room? The Emperor 280 is going to set you back about $40 bucks and the 400 will cost you about $50. Both of these are prices from the internet so you’ll have to add shipping. Local fish stores vary, but generally get between $70 and $80 bucks each in stores for the Emperor 400. Look for sales and rebates. Currently there is a $10 rebate on the 400, so you may be able to get a deal on this filter without using your computer. Whichever way you go, you will be happy with this filter. Almost half of the 2,000 gallons of water in my basement goes Emperors through an Emperor filter several times per hour and I have yet to have a Bio-Wheel failure of any kind and it’s that rugged and reliable durability that makes the money well spent.
Fish Room Tours
The Sorensen’s Basement
February 16, 2012
Hobbyists love to see other hobbyist’s fish rooms. It’s just a fact. We spend so much time constructing, stocking, and maintaining our rooms, so showing them off brings mutual satisfaction for both parties. When we look at others’ rooms, we are learning new ideas, methods, strategies, technologies, tips, and much more. As a club, it is our goal to share information with other hobbyists; therefore, it is essential to see how others do it. Throughout the year, the OCA Bulletin will take its readers to member fish rooms across Ohio. To kick start this new monthly addition, we will begin in the basement of fourteen-year members, Eric and Rhonda Sorensen. The Perfect Fit The Sorensen’s fish room was constructed in 2009 when they moved into their new home in Cleveland, Ohio. When buying a new house, Eric and Rhonda were searching for two important aspects: a large kitchen and direct access from outside to basement. After searching, they found the perfect house. Buying a new house gave the Sorensen’s a clean slate of which to build their dream fish room. Their enormous basement provided ample area for a fish room that would please them long into the future. Their initial plans for the fish room were simple, room to work and enough tanks for ten species at any given time. These two criteria would set the stage for construction, a task of precise planning and astute execution. Before the fish could enter the basement, the Sorensens knew the house’s electricity needed to be overhauled. They contracted with OCA member Bob Tillman to upgrade the electrical. After work was complete, the basement was equipped with one hundred new outlets. It was enough power to run start their plans, and room to expand. This idea of possible expansion continues as a theme throughout the construction of the room. With one hundred brand new outlets, Eric and Rhonda were able to plan the locations and amount of tanks that would begin their dream fish room. The Sorensens initially were planning on having a fish room with a majority of 125s and 40 breeders. This changed after Aquarium Adventures in Brooklyn went out of business. Eric and Rhonda love auctions, so they ended up discovering a fantastic deal of the tanks from the old store. These tanks were stackable, held 75 gallons of water, came with installed lights, and had dividers. Sounds great, but nothing is ever too good to be true. The great deal was complicated with moving, cleaning, and customizing the tanks. The stands would not be suitable for the basement, so Eric built his own custom stands for the tanks out of wood. After buying a few too many of the 75 gallon tanks, Eric and Rhonda created a reasonable floor plan, one that would definitely give room to work. They decided to use a linear pump to provide air to all tanks. They had to upgrade their previous pump because it just wasn’t cutting it for all of the tanks. The old one still remains in storage for possible expansion. They used drop lines for outlets in the PVC air path. Most tanks would be equipped with box filters, but some were coupled with hang on back filters for extra filtration. Eric admits that the room is not too high tech, but the possibility is present. He installed three drains at various spots in the fish room. This makes for easier water changes. Most of the tanks are drilled, so the possibility of creating an automatic water changing
system is not too far off. They decided t o heat each tank individually with high quality heaters. To keep moisture out of the room, they use fans in the ceiling. The Fish Room Today After all is said and done, the Sorensens have a fish room that pleases them. It is provides them with the opportunity to keep many species in a comfortable, enjoyable atmosphere. Today, the room houses over 35 species of fish in roughly 1,000 gallons of water. Their tanks are stocked with high quality, healthy fish. Most tanks are species-only habitats. Eric states that he enjoys watching a species mature through all stages of development. In their fish room, this is just the case. There are fry, juveniles, adults, breeders, and some really old ones too!
Here is their current stock list, give or take. Altolamprologus black calvus Labidochromis caeruleus ”Blue” Steatocranus tinanti “Congo” Laetacara Synodontis petricola Amphilophus festae Malupterus Electricus Tramitichromis sp. "Intermedius" Amphilophus flaveolus Nandopsis haitiensis Tropheus “Chimba Red” Ancistrus sp. Bushynose Neolamprologus brevis Tropheus Duboise Ancistrus sp. Calico Neolamprologus brichardi Tropheus Keiser II Ancistrus sp. Pucappa Gold Neolamprologus buescheri
Astatotilapia sp. "tomato" Neolamprologus helianthus Astronotus Ocellatus Paratilapia pollen ** denotes Eric’s favorite fish Aulonocara "German Red" Placidochromis phenochilus
Aulonocara Sp. OB Peacock “Tanzania” Aulonocara Sulfer Head Pseudotropheus demasoni** Corydoras Aeneus Rocio octofasciata Corydoras Sterbei Steatocranus casuarius Julidochromis marlieri
Currently, Eric is upgrading his florescent bulbs to T5 bulbs with LED capabilities. Eric’s plan is to eventually utilize the final corner of the basement for more tanks, although Rhonda is uncertain about these plans. For now, they do have the mutual plans to begin a marine tank. Tips from the Tour
1. The Sorensens have an awesome storage closet in their fish room. They keep it stocked with all of their fish related items, most of which came from OCA raffles. The room is chilly, so it makes a great place to store food and dry goods. 2. Eric uses grease pencils for writing directly on tanks. He keeps a system for filing information: White, species; red, spawning; black, last owner. The pencil marks erase easily and cleanly. 3. Eric and Rhonda have a rack of twelve 10 gallon tanks. These tanks serve the purpose of housing new fish. They make it a point to keep all newly acquired fish in these tanks for at least a month. They can observe the fish easily in the smaller space. If there is something wrong with a particular fish or entire group, treatment can be given. If the fish checks out after a month, they are off to
paradise!
4. In the laundry room, Eric and Rhonda have a fry factory, a rack of 5 gallon tanks that house all of their fry. The fry are kept separate from the other fish in a brightly lit room with its own air supply. This makes for easy observation and a place for specific feeding routines. 5. The Sorensens have two comfortable rolling chairs in the basement. The chairs can maneuver around the room and provide a relaxing way to view the fish. 6. Eric feeds earthworms to many of his large New World Cichlids. The females are usually hiding from the big males, so Eric uses an arm extender to place the earthworm close to the female. This ensures the female is fed properly. It also keeps Eric dry! 7. The final tip we can take from the Sorensens is something Rhonda just loves; she calls it the fish food cleanup team: her pups! Don’t worry about dropping
food; they will find it!
The Sorensens contribute most of their success to the Ohio Cichlid Association. Over the past fourteen years, the OCA has provided them with the knowledge, relationships, and the continued motivation to keep their hobby thriving.
If you are ever in the neighborhood, take a moment to stop by the Sorensen’s fish room. You won’t be disappointed.
Thanks for inviting us!
If you want your fish room spotlighted in an upcoming issue, please contact Jombie
Ohio Cichlid Association Extravaganza 2012
November 16th, 17th, and 18th, 2012 Cleveland, Ohio Extravaganza 2012 plans are in full swing! It’s never too early to save the date. Don’t miss all the action in 2012 – It’s shaping up to the best one yet!
More information to come!
LFS Spotlight – Aquatica
“The Most Unique Aquarium Store in Ohio”
The Local Fish Store, or L.F.S. for short, is rare in today’s culture of “Big Box” stores. Over recent times, these stores have gained major control of the market, sending the Ma and Pop stores into hiding. In Ohio, we should feel lucky there are still a few aquatic stores out there that offer something different, something the chains can’t create, something I’d like to call the experience. Yes, similar floor plans make us feel comfortable and advertisements in the Sunday Plain Dealer make it easier to shop from home, but creating the experience takes a leap outside of the norm. Fish hobbyists thrive on the feeling of walking into a store created for them. Entering the L.F.S., hobbyists hear its familiar pulse, air pumping through plastic veins. The temperature is familiar, 78-80 degrees. The hobbyist is greeted by a fellow hobbyist with the same passion. Every week the L.F.S. creates an adventure with new, unexpected species. The experience is never the same; it keeps the hobbyist eager to return for that new addition to an empty tank or a new tip on feeding. The L.F.S. keeps the hobby pure and offers something special.
Throughout the 2012 year, the OCA Bulletin will be spotlighting our local fish stores. The first Spotlight will be focused on Aquatica, Ohio’s newest L.F.S. Make sure you have your car keys ready and begin to set your GPS. Let’s explore AQUATICA…
Many would pass this building without ever realizing it is an enormous fish store. In fact, I’ve heard that exact story a few times now. Many people are disappointed they didn’t discover this gem earlier. Once discovered though, the average person to the most extreme hobbyist finds many reasons to visit as much as possible.
Aquatica is located at 6653 Grafton Road in Valley City, Ohio. For OCA Extravaganza enthusiasts, this is conveniently located roughly fifteen minutes from the Holiday Inn Strongsville. As hobbyists pull into the parking lot, they are greeted in the distance by two massive, playful dogs in Aquatica’s fenced-in “backyard.” As the hobbyist enters the middle man door, his senses go haywire, unable to focus on just one stimulus. Without taking two steps into the building, the hobbyist sees a 400 gallon tank with Arowana, a huge cylinder with six pie-charted aquascapes, numerous perfectly maintained saltwater tanks, and more
store than the eye can see without a ladder. The hobbyists can feel the experience within seconds.
I had the chance to take a tour through the store with owner, Steve. Here’s what he says Aquatica has to offer:
“We are a manufacturer and distributor of aquarium and supplies. We import and breed the highest quality fish you can find. We have an acrylic fabrication and cabinetry workshop on location. We house over 20,000 gallons under 7,200 square feet of building. We have thousands of freshwater and saltwater fish and corals.”
As a local fish store enthusiast, I look for three qualities in a LFS that all play a huge role in creating the experience: quality and variety of fish, availability of dry goods, and service. Let’s explore each.
The Fish
Aquatica does not exaggerate when it claims to sell fish of the highest quality. The fish one sees when browsing through the tanks are almost unbelievable. They have phenomenal colors, long fins, and are in peak physical condition. What I like even more than the quality is the variety of fish within its stock. The tanks at Aquatica are dominated by African Cichlids, but the stock has a mixture of all different species from the Old World. The most stunning Cichlids have to be Aquatica’s assortment of show-quality Peacocks. These Peacocks have insane color and could easily win best-of-class in a bowl show. When looking through the different Old World species, I was struck by the sheer numbers of fish. Aquatica has remarkably clean tanks packed with juvenile species. The colors are amazing when the Cichlids are dispersed throughout the tank. And even pretty cool when packed in a corner for a pretend feeding! Some of the juvenile tanks even have a parent within the tank to show off the potential of the fish. Many times customers will be turned off by a juvenile fish because of its dull coloration. Little does the customer know (without researching) that the fish has the potential to be a beauty. Aquatica has thousands of Old World Cichlids, small to large, common to rare.
I enjoyed the variety of New World Cichlids too. Although definitely not as prominent as the Old Worlds, there were some fish that caught my eye. There were high-quality Oscars and a few pairs of adult Paratalapia Polinni. Angel enthusiast will love the stock, beautiful adults to young black angels.
Another aspect about the stock I enjoyed was the selection of tropical fish and catfish. Among these wonderful Cichlids were quality community fish that would make nice additions to a hobbyist’s tank. They stock Roseline sharks, tetras, danios, barbs, guppies, and more. There are many quality catfish housed within Aquatica. They stock plecos, Synodontis catfishes, and Corydoras species, both in great numbers and quite reasonably priced.
Since Aquatica fabricates custom tanks, there are many displays throughout the store that exhibit the fish on sale. A few tanks really caught my eye. There’s an African setup with Frontosa and tons of Synodontis, a few huge African Community tanks with stunning adult males on a black background, the 400 gallon Arowana and large New World Cichlid tank, and many more. From very small to enormous, Aquatica has an idea how its customers can display their fish. If their ideas don’t spark your interest, they can create anything your mind can imagine.
Dry Goods
Aquatica is a one-stop shop for everything a hobbyist needs to set up and maintain aquariums. Now, of course, availability does not create the experience because most stores offer the typical items. Aquatica goes beyond this though, by stocking everything and anything, and stocking enough to fill every crevice of the store. There are tubs of reef salt, tanks, and more that are actually stacked to the ceiling! Aquatica uses all of its 7,200 square feet. It carries the highest quality foods, maintenance equipment including replacement parts, a stunning lighting department, and everything else a hobbyist could want. They custom cut sponges and filter foam too.
Since Aquatica has onsite acrylic fabrication, there’s really no limit to what the store can offer. Hobbyists constructing or updating fish rooms might want to talk to Steve about custom tanks for their rooms. If a hobbyist is looking for a show piece to display in the living room, talk to Steve about a custom stand and canopy to accompany the new tank.
Service
I received superior service during my few visits to Aquatica. The owner is really passionate about the services he supplies his customers. He claims his purpose for creating Aquatica was to revive the fish keeping hobby through knowledge and support. Providing his customers with everything they need, Steve goes above and beyond his initial purpose. Steve’s dream has materialized into what I call the LFS experience.
I truly recommend that everyone in the OCA visits Aquatica sometime during 2012. If you travel to Cleveland once a year for our Extravaganza, plan ahead for a short trip to this breathtaking store. If you live in the area, take an afternoon to visit, but don’t plan on it being short; there is too much to see. We are lucky to still have local fish stores in our area, and they need all the support we can give them. If not, the experience of it all will end. So, take your kids, nieces, grandkids, and neighbors to Aquatica. Get them involved and keep our hobby alive.
Thank you Aquatica!
These Cichlids are begging for you to come to Aquatic…or food. One or the other.
OCA
Fish Market
James Shakour is looking for… Tramitichromis sp. "Intermedius" - Juvies or proven pair/trio/group Albino red empress - Juvies or proven pair/trio/group Blue Ahli - Juvies or proven pair/trio/group Red peacock - Juvies or proven pair/trio/group Black peacock - Juvies or proven pair/trio/group Aulonocara sp. OB - 3+ inch females Long fin albino bushy nosed plecos - Proven pair/trio/group Calico plecos - Juvies or proven pair/trio/group Please contact James at [email protected]
Lew Carbone 419-681-1628 [email protected] Will deliver to Feb meeting or Auction.
Parachromis friedrichsthalii “LaCeiba Yellow Head” juveniles 1.5” $4 ea Photos available Astatotilapia “Tomato” from a breeding group 2-2.5” Trio $30, 2M3F $45, 3M5F $65 Photo to right, more photos available. ‘Haplochromis’ “Entebbe” New to this area. juveniles 1+” $3 ea Tilapia mariae Breeding pair 4-5” $25 juveniles1.25” $2 ea
Members get free ads! Buy/Sell/Trade
Send your information to [email protected] My Personal Experience Breeding
Thorichthys socolofi By Steve Heinbaugh
As I have progressed into the Cichlid hobby, my preference in fish has evolved. Like many others, the colorful, active fishes from Lake Malawi originally sparked my interest and hooked me into the hobby. Soon enough, I learned about the diverse fish from Lake Tanganyika who like the same water conditions as their cousins from Lake Malawi. More recently, I have really become interested in the Cichlids from Central America and Mexico. The behaviors are unique and I love the drastic color changes when they are guarding a spawn. In March of 2009, I had a chance to attend the North East Council of Aquarium Society’s annual convention in Connecticut. Rusty Wessel was speaking on the genus Thorichthys, and that was a “can’t miss” talk for me. His talk was very informative, and he touched on each of the ten species, plus one undescribed species, the popular “Gold Mixteco.” During this speech, he mentioned a species that seems to be overlooked by many in the hobby, Thorichthys socolofi. This species seemed attractive enough, and I always enjoy something that is on the obscure side, so I was intrigued by this specific species. Photo courtesy of author Thorichthys socolofi is the smallest of the Thorichthys genus, originating from two rivers in Southern Mexico, Rio Bascan and Rio Misol-Ha. They do not get as much color as the popular “Firemouth” Cichlid (Thorichthys meeki), but they do get some nice spangling throughout their bodies. As they mature, T. Socolofi will get dark patches on the back of the dorsal and anal fins. They have a L-shaped, dark marking on their bodies. I have not noticed them being overly aggressive, but they will chase others away, especially during spawning. This chasing rarely results in any damage being done or even contact for that matter. I was lucky enough to obtain a young group of eight F1 fish at the 2009 Ohio Cichlid Association Extravaganza. When I got them home, I put them in a 75 gallon tank that had pool filter sand for substrate, a few live Bolbitis plants, and a few rocks. The majority of the tank was open, but there were hiding places between and behind the rocks. Soon after, I added clay flower pots for protection. The fish were alone in the tank and thriving; however, they were quite shy at first. All eight fish seemed to be getting along quite well and by the time the fish were approximately one year old, spawning had started. For certain, I had two pairs, and during spawning they claimed their own territory. Each time they spawned, they returned to the same site; however, they did not hold territory when not spawning. One pair laid eggs in a flower pot lying on its side on the left side of the tank, and the other pair laid its eggs somewhere behind a large rock in the back right corner of the tank. Spawns for me were very small, no more than fifty eggs. I have read other spawning reports claiming up to one hundred eggs. Perhaps my females were not old enough to produce these numbers. In fact, my first few spawns were twenty-five or less. During spawning, my pairs claimed territory up to one foot away from the spawning site. Both male and female got a striking look to them, solid grey bodies with vertical black stripes. They kept this marking while the fry were still with them as well. The female spent most of the time guarding the eggs, while the males did the majority of the territory protection. Hatch rates seemed very high with this species, and the fry started to wiggle after three days. When breeding, the female constructed pits and transfer the fry between these pits periodically. Four or five days later the fry became free swimming. At this point, when I wanted to save the fry, I siphoned them into a 5.5 gallon tank. If they were left in the main tank, the numbers dropped day to day, until all were gone within a week. I never saw any of the other adults showing interest in the fry; however, they were likely picking a few off when I was not looking. After removing the fry, raising them was not problematic as long as I was paying attention to water conditions and feed them enough. A few times I admit to being a little too lazy and because of this, I lost entire spawns. The fry were fed decapsulated brine shrimp eggs for the first few weeks. I tried to feed them three times a day, and change half the water two or three times a week. I replaced the water with water from the main tank, and this seemed to work well for me. Once the fry were large enough, I fed them growth pellets and started Photo courtesy of author using tap water for the water changes. The adults were fairly undemanding as far as feeding and water changes, although color and breeding started to fade when it got a little too long between water changes. In the wild, T. socolofi pick in leaf litter and in substrate for their food; they consume a lot of vegetable matter. Mine readily ate pellets; however, they were not too excited about floating food. Sinking pellets seem to be their favorite. They occasionally get frozen mysis, but I keep that to a minimum because these fish can get bloat if they eat too much protein. Six months after I got these fish, I added a group of Xiphophorus montezumae (Montezuma swordtails) from the Rio Tamasopo. This seemed to make the Thorichthys a bit more outgoing, but spawning activity stopped with the swords in the tank. The swordtails were in the same tank for most of a year, but were removed due to the lack of spawning from both species. After removing the swordtails, the Thorichthys resumed spawning within a few weeks. After another year of keeping this species, I went through another spring and summer of no spawning activity. I do not know if this species is a seasonal spawner or if other factors were influencing the spawning activity. Perhaps temperatures in my fish room or my water change schedules were less conducive to spawning during the summer. Both years, spawning returned in November, with one pair spawning and the other pair following within a week. All in all, I have really enjoyed keeping this species. They tolerate my care fairly well, and have given me a bit of a challenge in raise the fry. They are not ever going to be a wow-factor fish or win any fish shows, but they have a good character in a species-only community aquarium, which makes them fun to watch. If you are looking for a unique fish and happen to come across some Thorichthys socolofi, please give them a try!
Photo courtesy of author
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United We Stand. The books and videos in the OCA Library library can be checked out 1-2 items at a time and Report returned at the next meeting. By Hilary Lacerda
The OCA library added some new books at the 2011 Extravaganza courtesy of Mike Schadle. He traded a few new books for our much older ones and gave us a discount on the expensive Tanganyika: Africa’s Inland Sea by Angel M. Fitor. This book is filled with beautiful pictures of Lake Tanganyika and has a fish eye view of an Emperor Cichlid on its cover.
Catfishes by Lee Finley covers tank set up, feeding, and breeding, with pictures and descriptions of more than 100 species of catfish!
Nanoaquarium by Jakob Geck and Ulrich Schleiwen is a small Barrons paperback which describes how to set up and take care of a nanotank (one that is 1-9 gallons) with the right sized plants and invertebrates or small fish. I know, it’s not a Cichlid book but I thought it would be fun!
The Greater Cleveland Aquarium
A visit in January 2012 shortly after its opening
On 21 January 2012 the Greater Cleveland Aquarium opened its doors, and for the first time since the City closed the old Cleveland Aquarium in the mid 80s, the people of North East Ohio had a public aquarium again. Naturally for any fish enthusiast this was an historic occasion, and my family just barely managed to keep me away on the opening weekend by pointing out the to-be-expected overcrowding. Accompanied by my Dad, I visited the Greater Cleveland Aquarium on Tuesday 24 January, just four days after the grand opening.
The Greater Cleveland Aquarium is located in the historic FirstEnergy Powerhouse
Considering that we came in the middle of a regular weekday, I found the facility well visited but certainly not overcrowded. However, I have heard through the grapevine that the lines on the first weekend needed to be seen to be believed. We had bought our tickets online at www.greaterclevelandaquarium.com, and walked right in. Buying tickets in advance might be a good idea allowing you to jump the queue if you want to visit in the weekend, but probably won't be necessary if you come during the week.
The Greater Cleveland Aquarium is located in the historic FirstEnergy Powerhouse, which is both, a burden and an asset. A disadvantage are the space constraints that an historic building imposes. They manifest themselves in a current ban on strollers, which makes the facility less than family friendly for those with very small kids. This is said to be a temporary policy. Considering the number of visitors I saw, I would expect it to be lifted shortly, at least during the week, but for now the policy is in place.
The historic building becomes a bonus when it comes to providing a grand setting for the aquarium, as seen in the photo below that shows the entrance hall.
- 1 - Entrance Hall of the historic FirstEnergy Powerhouse with entry to the Greater Cleveland Aquarium
The building also provides many opportunities for integrating fish tanks into its unique features, and makes for very attractive back-drops for the tanks. The designers of the Greater Cleveland Aquarium have taken advantage of that to the fullest. The tanks look stunning in front of lots of exposed brickwork, and the stands built from comparatively rough wood blend right in.
Some of the tanks housing fish that are native to North East Ohio
The first feature greeting the visitor is an extensive collection of fish that are native to North East Ohio. Most tanks are long and narrow to simulate a river environment, but the flow of water through the
- 2 - tanks appears fairly low. I have very limited experience keeping native Ohio fish species in captivity, but I believe they require fast flowing, oxygen rich water, that is fairly cold even in summer. The fish showed no signs of undue stress, but I wonder if the flow through these tanks will be able to provide sufficient aeration, especially in summer. The historic building with its thick brick walls should at least help in keeping the temperatures down. At the time of my visit, some of the tanks looked a little unfinished because wood that was presumably meant to sit on the bottom was still floating, but I guess this will sort itself out in due course. Overall, I found the the native fish section fascinating and a great asset to the Aquarium.
Native Ohio fish – those more interested in fishing than myself will have no trouble identifying them
Some more native Ohio fish
- 3 - Many of the tanks in the Greater Cleveland Aquarium have a circular footprint. This immediately distinguishes them from the tanks most any fish enthusiast might have at home. It also allows viewing from all sides, and by picking up the theme of the smoke stacks and the arched ceilings of the historic powerhouse in which the aquarium is situated, circular tanks fit in well with the architecture. These tanks encourage the continuous movement typically observed with swarm-forming fish. However, they provide little to no cover for fish that occasionally like to hide. Also, staking out territories becomes very difficult for fish like cichlids that are naturally territorial. Unfortunately in the Greater Cleveland Aquarium, circular tanks are stocked with fish regardless of their natural behavior and associated requirements. Last but not least, the curved acrylic distorts the view of the fish. Note how the fake tree trunk in the above photo appears to be much thinner outside of the tank than inside the tank.
After the large and interesting native fish section, the visitor passes an educational display about invasive species, which curiously is stocked with fancy goldfish. Next to it is a tank with an assortment of common tropical aquarium fish, including for example various tetras, corydoras species, and Blue Rams cichlids. The next room is shown in the photo below. Outside of the frame to the right is a large display featuring alligators. The large tank in the foreground on the left contains an odd assortment of fish ranging from various rays to what could be a collection of fish-store-rescues – tank busting South and Central American cichlids. I initially thought the tank had a New World theme, but I eventually discovered some Asian inhabitants as well - a giant gourami (Osphronemus goramy) , and a red tail shark (Epalzeorhynchos bicolor). In the background you can see three circular tanks, which supposedly contain (from left to right), Amazon river, Lake Malawi, and Lake Tanganyika biotopes.
Room with various warm freshwater setups
I am not much of a New World enthusiast myself, so I only gave the Amazon setup a quick glance. To me it appeared pretty decent with a group of angelfish as centerpiece, but also some mesonauta, plecos, and so on. The Lake Malawi setup looked like somebody's grow-out tank with lots of juvenile fish, consisting of an assortment of mbuna, haps and peacocks, thrown together without giving it much thought. When those fish grow up, I would expect the tank to become a kind of Woodstock meets World War 3 – free love between all at the same time as unlimited warfare.
- 4 - As a huge Tanganyika fan, my pet peeve in the whole Aquarium is the Tanganyika tank that is a perfect example of how not to do it. As previously pointed out, a circular tank does not lend itself to provide suitable conditions for territorial fish, which most Tanganyikans are. Also, the fake tree trunk provided as decoration is completely wrong for the Tanganyikan habitat that's dominated by rocks. According to the labels on the tank, the main inhabitants were supposed to be Paracyprichromis nigripinnis, Cyprichromis leptosoma 'Utinta' and Tropheus duboisi, which would have been a pretty good stocking list for the tank, and might have actually benefited from the circular shape. However, in reality the centerpiece of the tank was a colony of adult Frontosa – presumably of the Burundi variety. Admittedly, they were big and awesome looking. I'd say the biggest Frontosa I have seen so far, but then the curved glass of the tank makes the size of fish impossible to judge. Of the cyps and paracyps there was no trace to be seen, other than that thef frontosa looked exceedingly well fed. I'd hazard a guess that there was a causal relationship. The tropheus looked little frazzled, and were not as active as I'd expect tropheus to be. As any experienced aquarist will be able to confirm, different temperaments and different feeding requirements make frontosa and tropheus notoriously bad tank mates. Often the hyperactive tropheus will stress out the docile frontosa, but here it seemed that the adult frontosa had the upper hand over tropheus that might have been weakened already by digestive problems caused by protein-rich food suitable and necessary for frontosa but not tropheus. In addition to the aforementioned fish, the tank also contained various small juvenile lamprologine, including altolamprologus and shelldwellers – all of them potential food for the huge frontosa. It would be unfair to judge the entire Aquarium by the small Tanganyika display, but I cannot help but say that it would have been better not to have a Tanganyika biotope than this one.
Lake Tanganyika display
The room contained three information posters, one about the Amazon River, one about Lake Malawi, and one about the Mekong Delta. How these were supposed to match up with the displays remained mysterious to me.
Another noteworthy detail might be that absolutely no life plants were used in any of the freshwater setups of the Aquarium. Let's hope this is planned for the future, since they would make a worthwhile addition.
- 5 - Following this room was a hallway that showed yet again the designers' ingenious integration of the Aquarium into the historic building. First came a circular skylight offering views up the outside of the chimney of the powerhouse, highlighting it's impressive hight. With the visitors attention drawn upward, there came a lobster tank integrated in the ceiling offering intriguing views of the crustaceans from underneath.
Lobster tank in the ceiling
Some marine setups
- 6 - The next room contained three circular tanks with marine fish (see photo above). Centerpiece of the first tank was a very large number of lion-fish (Pterois sp.), and the second one housed some fairly secretive octopuses.
The next hallway continued with various marine displays. I remember seeing seahorses, but since I know little about marine fish, I couldn't list species here. The tanks were built into what looked like old door niches – again an excellent use of the architectural features of the site. The tanks were as wide as a door and also as high – an estimated five feet - but only maybe a foot deep into the wall. I hope the operators know how anybody is ever going to do maintenance at the bottom of these tanks, because I don't.
Conspicuous by their absence were life corals and other creatures typical for reef setups. I'd guess that it would be hard to supply them with the necessary light in the very deep tanks of the aquarium, but I am sure marine enthusiasts will find all those fish-only setups with Disney look-alike fake corals, sponges, and so on a little lacking.
Tunnel shaped marine tank
Through a tunnel shaped marine tank the visitor entered a large hall containing the Touch Pool of the Aquarium. During my visit two employees in wet suits were stationed in the tank to interact with visitors, show them the tank inhabitants and let people pet suitable creatures if desired. That pool is sure to be a highlight with the kids, but interesting for adults nevertheless.
In addition to the employees in wet suits, the whole aquarium was swarming with staff. The level of service surpassed any expectation, but I wonder if it will be possible for the Aquarium to generate the income that allows it to sustain these high standards in the long term.
- 7 - Touch Pool
The crowning highlight of the Aquarium experience in Cleveland, to which the whole visit leads up, is the large shark tank. Unfortunately during my visit the water was so cloudy that most viewing windows only allowed a few feet sight into the tank, and nearly all of the inhabitants remained invisible.
Shark tank
The photo below shows one viewing window were backlight from the SeaTube® tunnel (visible in the background), allowed me to capture an image of some of the impressive sharks. The SeaTube® allows visitors to virtually walk through the tank, being surrounded by sharks and other sea creatures, but when I visited visibility was so poor that nothing but the fake ship wreck could be seen.
- 8 - Shark tank with SeaTube®
In most other tanks of the Greater Cleveland Aquarium water clarity left a little to be desired, but the issue could largely be ignored until I came to the shark tank. There even seemed to be a slimy layer on the water surface as far as I could make out looking through the viewing windows below. Especially if you are planning to visit with kids, I would recommend to wait until the cloudy water situation has been resolved. Maybe give the aquarium a call and check. I am sure these are just teething troubles, but most kids might feel severely deprived if they encountered the shark tank in this shape.
Another positive point was that parking was conveniently available in front of the door. However at an extra cost of $3. At $21.95 for an adult ticket it would be nice to have that included in the price. As it is, for just two adults you need to budget almost $50 for a visit. That's a lot of money for about 1.5 hours entertainment, and kids from 2-12 years are $15.95 per head extra.
What I liked best about the Greater Cleveland Aquarium:
● Integration of Aquarium into the historic building, ● Large section with native Ohio fish displays, ● Great touch pool, ● Impressive Shark tank with SeaTube® (once it's cleared up).
What could use further improvement:
● Aeration seems lacking in many tanks (might even be the problem in shark tank?) ● Half-heartedly done warm freshwater setups ● No plants and life corals.
According to their press pack, the organization behind the Greater Cleveland Aquarium is Jacobs Entertainment, Inc. the owner/developer of the Nautica Entertainment Complex which includes the
- 9 - FirstEnergy Powerhouse, the home of the aquarium. Jacobs Entertainment is a gaming and entertainment development company. They have partnered with Marinescape NZ Limited, which is based in Auckland, New Zealand, and boasts to be the world’s leading developer of walk-through aquariums. The Greater Cleveland Aquarium is living proof that the partnership of these folks can put on a good show, and also has the know-how to built some very impressive fish tanks.
In my opinion the determining factor for the long term success of the aquarium will be how well it is accepted by the community. Unique to Cleveland and the surrounding area is a very large concentration of organized fish enthusiasts. Cleveland itself boasts a very active saltwater club (C-SEA), a general aquarium society (CAS) and two cichlid clubs (OCA and GLCS). These are as many fish clubs as the whole of New York City has! In the closer area there are active fish cubs in Akron, Medina and Youngstown. A little further away there are similar associations in Columbus, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and several across Michigan. I believe the know-how and experience in keeping and breeding fish in tank environments accumulated in the greater Cleveland area might be unparalleled in the world. Other organizations are already taking advantage of this, and I know that for example the zoo in Pittsburgh has recently set up a stunning new Tanganyika tank with fish and the help of a local breeder and fish club member. There is an enormous opportunity for the Greater Cleveland Aquarium to tap into this resource, for example by approaching clubs to consider adopting a tank. For a cichlid club like the OCA, it would be an easy task to fix up the badly lacking Tanganyika display.
I greatly enjoyed my visit of the Greater Cleveland Aquarium, and consider it a must-see for any fish enthusiast in the area. It is the first thing we can do to help the Aquarium become a success. Hopefully it is not the only thing, and the Greater Cleveland Aquarium can truly become not only a public aquarium, but an aquarium for the people.
© Frank Mueller, January 2012
- 10 - OCA Raffle! Don’t forget to buy your tickets!
The OCA Board, especially Mark DeWerth, works tirelessly to put together a fantastic raffle at each meeting. The raffle is exclusive for members of the OCA, just another benefit of being a member. This year, the raffle is larger than ever and contains items that’ll make your jaw drop and set your salivary glands into overdrive. Members are walking away with spectacular items, so don’t miss out! Take advantage of this great opportunity. See Mark DeWerth at the raffle table for any additional details.
Fish Tails Species Profile A Member’s Experience Dan Woodland
A favorite Cichlid kept: Cyphotilapia frontosa Reason why: They exhibit very different characteristics than your standard Cichlids; they are not overly aggressive, yet show very strong parental care. Additionally they are somewhat territorial harem spawners. Appealing characteristics: “Frontosa” come in several forms, 5, 6 and 7 bars. A few years ago C. frontosa were reclassified with 5 bars being all the “blue” variety, 6 bars are now called Species North (formerly Burundi and probably due for a real name soon), and 7 bars from Tanzania are the only Cyphotilapia left with the old genus name. As I mentioned above, they are not overly aggressive, so keeping a colony of these is fairly simple as long as enough hiding places are provided. I used “tubes,” drain tile, or PVC glued with silicone, which they seemed to like very much. How you've successfully kept the fish (tank size/ food/ temp. /etc.): I kept my first breeding group in a 75 gallon tank; I would keep them in at least a 6 foot tank now. The environment I kept them in had crushed coral as the substrate with a set of three box filters powered by a blower. I kept the temperature around 76 degrees F and fed them a steady diet of Tetra Cichlid Sticks with a smattering of other foods like frozen shrimp, krill, and more to supplement their dietary needs. Feeding some meat is a must because Frontosa have been found with other fish in their guts including N. leluiepi. As I mentioned C. frontosa are not overly aggressive but they are a very large fish and will eat just about anything that will fit in their mouths given the opportunity. How you've successfully bred the fish: Patience. These fish get big and they need to be a couple years old before they will breed regularly and successfully. Their requirements are few as any other fish including good water, good food, and a properly sized aquarium. How you acquired the fish: My first breeding group of C. frontosa came from a local breeder/importer nearly 25 years ago!! Where did the fish go / where did the fry go: After over decades of successful breeding the dominant male, (I had 2 males and three females in my breeding group) died of old age. I gifted the remaining adults to a friend which ended up breeding the remaining females for several more years. All the fry were sold to local pet shops and helped me build my first real fish room. Any additional information: They are not overly strong breeders, being easily distracted during the breeding process. They breed differently than most mouth brooders as the male will place his milt in a breeding spot where the female will deposit the eggs. Then, while backing up, she quickly scoops the eggs up with her mouth. They do not perform the T- breeding motions as most mouth brooders do. C. frontosa will also allow other fish, namely Clown loaches (Chromobotia macracanthus), to act as cleaners. The odd thing about this is the Clown Loaches are from Asia while the C. frontosa are from Africa!! Do C. frontosa have “cleaners” in the lake? That would be an interesting thing to see in the wild!!
You guys were friends a long time even before you took this picture back in ninth grade. Since then you’ve shared football, stuff about girls, how tough your folks were and ….. …well everything.
So now that you’ve both grown up a little, why don’t invite your friend to join the OCA?
A lot of new members tell us that they wish someone had told them about The Ohio Cichlid Association sooner. This year has been one of the best years to be a member of the OCA and with Extravaganza just a couple months away; there’s never been a better time to join The Ohio Cichlid Association!
Our yearly membership contribution is still only $15. It’s worth the fifteen bucks to get the Buckeye Bulletin magazine delivered to your inbox each month. When you add on our exclusive “members only” sales area on the Cichlid Room Companion (the finest cichlid web site on the net), plus the opportunity to be a part of the Extravaganza (the hottest cichlid & catfish convention there is), and you have a membership that’s worth way more than $15.
Join now and we’ll even throw in a free OCA T Shirt.
Share your passion, Share your hobby, Share the OCA.
Info: [email protected]
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Hold It
Right There One Last Thing!
Remember your first Cichlid/Catfish spawn? The Bullet staff is looking for people to submit short narrations describing that exciting event! Whether it was last month or thirty-five years ago, the experience has definitely changed your life… and your water bill. Send your information to [email protected] (Bonus points if you have a picture!)
I remember my first Cichlid spawn. I bought my first Cichlid tank setup in 2004 from Aquatic Adventures in Brooklyn, Ohio. It was a 20 gallon tank stocked with two Aquedens Pulcher (Blue Acaras), two Pink Convicts, and three Jaguar Cichlids. I know… what was I thinking? I quickly changed this mess after joining an online forum and learning a thing or two. Since then
I have kept both species, but in much different environments.
Luckily enough, the two Blue Acaras were of opposite sex and older than the rest of the fish in the tank. They quickly seized power of the tank and decided to spawn on a large piece of driftwood in the center of the tank. Obviously I had no experience with fish breeding, so I don’t think I did much of anything to induce the spawn. I haven’t raised Blue Acaras since, but I’d say the species is easy BAP!
I remember witnessing the eggs mature through the various stages. I raised a ton of fry in that tiny tank too. Looking through the photos, it looks like I had a divider, which was smart. I never got a BAP certificate for that species, but I do remember framing a nice photo of a juvenile. I was so proud of that spawn. It hooked me into the hobby, and I haven’t looked back since.
Jombie