Tank Topics March/April 2015

The Greater Akron Aquarium Society Tank Topics March/April 2015

Inside this issue:

President’s Message 3 Bud White

Editor’s Message 3 Dave Williamson

BAP/HAP 4 Wayne Toven

Bowl Show 5 Don Youngkin

Exchange Review 6 Wayne Toven

Did you know? 6 Reprint A pair of Nanostomus beckfordi pencilfish. Find out Nanostomus beckfordi 7 more about this interesting characin in Wayne Toven’s Wayne Toven article starting on page 7 of this issue. Narrow Leaf Java Fern 9 Wayne Toven

Meeting Notice 10 2015 GAAS Board of Directors President ...... Bud White ...... (330) 848-3856/bud@gaas-fish.net Coming Events 10 Vice President ...... Jeff Plazak ...... (330) 854-5257/[email protected] Treasurer ...... Rich Serva ...... (330) 650-4613/[email protected] Secretary...... Dave Girard ...... [email protected] Important Dates Editor ...... Dave Williamson ...... [email protected] for 2015 Special Activities ...... Don Youngkin ...... [email protected] BAP/HAP ...... Wayne Toven ...... (330) 256-7836/[email protected] March 1 Membership ...... Bill Schake ...... [email protected] Spring auction Raffle ...... Phil & Tiffany Hypes ...... (330) 327-6316/[email protected] Historian ...... Steve Brunn ...... [email protected] June 13 & 14 FAAS Rep...... Ken McGill ...... (419) 677-3405/[email protected] Ultra Aqua 2015 Refreshments ...... Bill & Linda Koleszar ...... (330) 626-5660 Publicity ...... Bob Miller ...... (330) 928-6028/[email protected]

November 1 Program ...... Dan McMonigle ...... (440) 476-4663/[email protected] Fall auction Check out our website: www.gaas-fish.net P a g e 2 Tank Topics THE GREATER AKRON AQUARIUM SOCIETY

WHO ARE WE? We are a local group of aquatic enthusiasts. Formed in 1952, the Greater Akron Aquarium Society is a non -profit, non-commercial organization. Our membership ranges from the beginning hobbyist to the advanced aquarist with many years of experience. The goals of our club are to promote the care, study, breeding and exhibition of aquarium related aquatic life and to promote interest in the aquarium hobby. MEETINGS: Our meetings are held on the first Thursday of each month at 8:00 p.m. at the Mogadore Community/Senior Center, 3857 Mogadore Road, Mogadore, Ohio. It is located East of Route 532 across from McDonald’s in the former post office building. Visitors are always welcome, it costs absolutely nothing to attend a meeting and look us over. MEMBERSHIP: The cost is only $10 for adults, a couple or a family (includes children under 10 years of age) and $5.00 for a junior membership (10 to 17 years) Membership provides an opportunity to socialize with others that share your interests, a subscription to our bi -monthly magazine and more. AGEND A: Our meeting agenda is simple and informal. The meeting will begin at 8:00 p.m. with a short business meeting. Immediately following is the program for the evening which usually lasts about 45 minutes. Our programs consist of a speaker, slide program, movie or perhaps a panel discussion always on a particular subject related to the hobby or various species of fish. Following the program is a short refreshment break. After which the winners of the Bowl Show are announced, the Breeder’s Award Program fish are auctioned and tickets are drawn for the raffle. THE BOWL SHOW: Each month members can bring in fish for specific classes to compete for first, second and third place awards. The charge for each entry is only $.25. Members also compete for annual awards by accumulating wins throughout the year. BREEDER’S AWARD and HORTICULTURE AWARD PROGRAMS: members can receive recognition for spawning species of fish or propagating aquatic plants. All that is required is to turn in a minimum of six fry from the spawn that are between 30 and 90 days old. Members earn certificates for each species and can work towards plaques in different categories. EQUIPMENT RAFFLE: The raffle table has such items as tanks, fish food and aquarium accessories that are donated by national manufacturers, area dealers or purchased by the Society. Tickets may be purchased by anyone attending the meeting. Save your losing tickets for the Christmas Party raffle. ANNUAL SHOW: The Ultra-Aqua show is held during the summer at the Tallmadge community Center. This has become one of the largest all -species tropical fish shows in North America. It is an international gathering of hobbyists to display their fish in class competition, talk fish and to learn about the hobby from each other. TANK TOPICS: is published on a bi -monthly basis for the members of the Greater Akron Aquarium Society. Articles and comments for this publication are welcome and encouraged. Such articles are to be submitted no later than the board meeting prior to publication. All articles may be reprinted as long as the author(s) and GAAS are given proper credit and two copies of the publication containing the reprint are sent to GAAS. Please send any correspondence regarding this publication to: Editor/Tank Topics, P.O. Box 494, Akron, OH 44309 -0494 or email to [email protected]

The Greater Akron Aquarium Society Membership Form

Name ______Age ______Dues are for 1 year or 2 years if

Address ______email publications are chosen New Renewal City ______State ______Zip ______

Phone ______email ______Electronic Mail

How did you find out about GAAS? ______Adult (18 years and older) & Family (includes children under 10) $10.00 Memberships are due one year from the date of joining. Completed membership forms can be turned in at a meeting or mailed to the membership Junior (10-17 years) $5.00 chairman at this address:

GAAS Membership Chairman, P.O. Box 494, Akron, OH 44309-0494 Dues Collected ______Date Received ______President’s Message P a g e 3

Hello folks Just a heads up on a future club activity, Hope your enjoying this wonderful Ohio we will be building some small show tanks See ya soon weather. I know I am, since I do get to from plexiglass. The plastic will be precut work outside in it. I just could not ask for and ready to assemble. Last time we did anything better ( I think I need to talk to this everyone had a good time and they my doctor about what I am saying, maybe got a nice show tank out of the process. get some medication)! We will announce the date later.

Anyway, I do want to remind everyone One more thing, we need sponsors for our that our auction is this Sunday, March show classes. If you would like to sponsor 1st, setup for the auction is Saturday at a class or more, or know someone else 7pm. Please plan to be there to help both who would, see Wayne Toven or any days, it is your club’s activity and it is board member and we will be happy to what pays the bills. We can find some- help you. thing for everyone to do. Besides it is a Bud White chance to get some good deals on some See you at the auction good fish and other items.

Editor’s Message Dave Williamson

I for one am quite tired of below zero issue. And here’s another easy way temperatures and snow. Yeah, I to get you into the swing of writing an know it’s Winter in Northeast Ohio article if you’ve never done it before. and we should expect it, but that You’ll notice that in Wayne’s plant doesn’t change how I feel at this article he mentions that writing said point. Spring is only a few weeks article was part of the requirements away, at least that’s what I keep tell- for his HAP submission. If you’re al- ing myself! ready doing the BAP/HAP thing and paid any attention to what it took to Now that I’m done complaining, we’ll facilitate that spawn or propagation, move on to more important subjects! guess what, you’ve done the main First up, we have an auction coming part of the research necessary to up really soon on the first of March. write an article about it! Really, it’s That will make it before the March that simple. Consider giving it a try. general meeting so you won’t get I’d also like to thank new member another reminder. You’ve heard it so Lissa Harvey for submitting a “Did many times before about how we you know?” filler articles she picked should all try to come out and help up off the web somewhere. We al- make any of our events happen, and ways need things to fill in odd little this is no different. Every year we are areas that articles didn’t fill. That able get enough helpers to take care would include pictures too. Don’t be of all the little things that make the shy! We want to see and hear about auction happen, but don’t take it for what’s going on with your fish. granted that the mythical “someone else” will always be there to do I’ll see you at the meeting and the things. It’s your club and you’ll get Spring Auction! out of it what you put into it. It’s worth spending a few hours helping out, Where we’re at while you’re there you may just find that item you didn’t even know you were looking for! Next up, the eternal search for arti- Where we cles for Tank Topics continues. I’d want to be like to thank Wayne Toven for helping to get me out of a jam with this P a g e 4 Tank Topics

agations turned in over this year through November, then they are to- BAP/HAP taled up and the Breeder of the Year and Horticulturalist of the Year plaques will be awarded at the December meeting/Christmas party. In the mean time you can earn initial Master Breeder plaques for a variety Report of different categories of fish. There are two options, you can turn in a minimum of six fry which need to be between 30 - 90 days old at a Wayne Toven monthly meeting or at one of our three auctions, or you can have them verified by a club member that you kept them alive for that length of time or longer, write an article about what they are, what they look like, where HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! Yeah, yeah, I they come from, how you took care of and spawned them, our editor know it's a little late but this is the first would appreciate you taking the second option. Another perk at the issue of Tank Topics for 2015. So I hope monthly meeting is for every qualifying spawn turned in you will get a you're year is off to a good start, but coupon good for one dollars worth of raffle tickets. Punxsutawney Phil said we are going to On to the monthly business we had four spawns turned in at both the have 6 more weeks of winter, that stupid January and February meetings, so not too bad of a start but we need to rodent! We wiped the BAP and HAP pick things up a bit, we had some rather disappointing final totals last slates clean in December, but as I ex- year, lets see if we can top them this year! pected nothing was turned in at the meeting/Christmas party. The first fish January 2015 club auction OCA was Sat. the 7th of February, there were lots of cichlids and BAP catfish for sale, I personally didn't get Species Common name Class Points any, mainly because I don't have any Gary Shingler empty tanks, and I am getting very picky Heros severus Red shoulder severum Cichlid s.s. 10 about the fish I buy, and the few I was interested in went for way more than I Hemichromis bimaculatus Jewel cichlid Cichlid s.s. 10 was willing to shell out. Our spring auc- Melanoides tuberculata Malaysian burrowing snail Aq. animal 5 tion is less than a month away, Sunday Ancistrus teminckii Bristlenose pleco Catfish 20 March 1st, there will be a much larger variety of fish available, so maybe I will find something there that I really need to February 2015 have. I will be making some space as I BAP will be moving out some fish that I have Gary Shingler already spawned, or ones that are not Poecilia reticulata Guppy Livebearer 5 spawning for me. If you don't know what either the Breeder Planorbus corneus red ramshorn snail Aq. animal 5 Award Program or the Horticultural Amatitlania nigrofasciata convict cichlid Cichlid s.s. 5 Award Program is all about, you can Macrobrachium sp. white claw shrimp Aq. animal 10 download the rules and forms for the programs from the club's web site at www.gaas-fish.net or you can get a print- 2015 Totals BAP Points HAP Points ed copy from me at a monthly meeting. I Gary Shingler 7 55 - - keep track of the spawns and plant prop- Don Youngkin 1 20 - -

KEN’S FISH HOME OF QUALITY TROPICAL FISH FOOD AND SUPPLIES

AQUARIUM GALLERY

KEN MENARD (508) 823-4043 aquaticsuperstore.com 32 4TH Ave. Taunton, MA 02780 330.866.0559 www.kensfish.com 6653 GRAFTON ROAD, [email protected] VALLEY CITY, OHIO 44280 Tank Topics P a g e 5

Bowl Show & 2015 Bowl Show Special Activities Don Youngkin Schedule

The Bowl Show began 2015 with a great start. January saw a record 20 entries, which was then topped by February’s 27 entries. Hopefully, this trend will continue through the year. The Bowl Show schedule is listed on this page. All are invited to participate. January: January Male Guppies Goldfish: Goldfish 1st Dave Williamson Shubunkin Minnows, Danios & Rasboras February: 2nd Bill Koleszar Goldfish Swordtails, 3rd Dave Williamson Black Ranchu Male Betta splendens, Characins (Tetras & relatives) Male Guppies: 1st Ken McGill All black (Moscow) March: 2nd Alissa Harvey Blue guppy Mollies Suckermouth Catfish 3rd Jeff Plazak Guppy Barbs Minnows, Danios, and Rasboras: April: 1st Dave Williamson Danio choprae Annual Point Totals Female Guppies 2nd Ken McGill Yellow Glo danio Dave Williamson 27 Corydoras, Aspidoras & 3rd Jeff Plazak Harlequin rasbora Jeff Plazak 18 Brochis Photography February Ken McGill 17 Bill Koleszar 8 May: Male Betta splendens: Wayne Toven 6 Rift Lake Cichlids 1st Charlie Suk Male Betta Charlie Suk 5 Sharks & Loaches 2nd Bill Koleszar Male Betta Don Youngkin 4 Aquatic Invertebrates

3rd Jeff Plazak Betta Alissa Harvey 3 June: no bowl show Lisa Koleszar 1 Swordtails: July 1st Dave Williamson Green Lyretail male Native Fish How the Point System 2nd Don Youngkin Orange Sailfin female Angelfish & Discus works: Aquatic Plants 3rd Dave Williamson Green Lyretail female 1st - 4 points August: Characins (Tetras and relatives): 2nd - 2 points Platies 1st Dave Williamson Long-fin Black tetra 3rd - 1 point Rainbowfish 2nd Wayne Toven Diamond Tetra 1 point per entry, Amphibians

3rd Wayne Toven Colombian Red-Blue Tetra maximum 12 points September: per class Goodeids AO New World Cichlids Bog Plants Since 1981 October:

Gouramis &Anabantoids

AO Old World Cichlids Arts & Crafts

November: AO Livebearers two turtles pet center 745-3059 Mon-Sat 11-8 AO Egglayers Large Selection of: Sunday 11-6 highland square AO Catfish

TROPICAL FISH BIRDS 760 w.market December: no bowl show SMALL ANIMALS 6629 Engle Rd. REPTILES AMPHIBIANS akron, ohio 44303 DOG & PET SUPPLIES Unit 108 Tues-Fri 12-7 Sat: 10-6 Middleburg Hts., OH mon-fri 10-7 196 2nd St., NW (Downtown Barberton) (216) 433-1340 sat. 10-6 sun 12-5 (330) 374-6765 P a g e 6 Tank Topics

Exchange DID YOU KNOW..? 1. Like people, fish have Report Wayne Toven five senses-sight, smell, hearing, taste, and touch? Brooklyn Aquarium Society, Sarnia Aquarium Society, Aqua 2. The scales on fish are Aquatica: Jan./Feb. 2015 Antics: Jan./Feb. 2015 clear? They do not have Mollies Love Crackers! Collecting Breeding Xenotoca eiseni, by any color. The colors of Sailfin Mollies in Florida, by An- Wayne Cole tropical fish come from the thony P. Kroeger HY511 Tetra, by Jack VanderAa pigments in the skin under Terrors of the Planted Aquarium, the scales. by John Todoaro Michiana Aquarium Society, 3. Fish have excellent hear- The Practical Plant - Propagating Michiana Tropical Times: Jan. ing? Pogostemon stellata, by Izzy 2015 4. A fish’s stomach is about Zwerin A Little Honey...Gourami, by Bob the same size as its eye? Cool Cats, by Ian Fuller Thayer Notable Natives - an American 5. Fish grow throughout Beauty, by Anthony P. Kroeger Aquarium Club of Lancaster their whole lives? County, Tank Tales: Dec. 2014 6. The teeth of fish are Tropical Fish Club of Erie County, Breeding the Congo Tetra, by made of dentine and are Some Things Fishy: Jan. 2015 Richard Bressler similar to human teeth? Breeding Synodontis petricola, by Zoogoneticus tequila, by Richard 7. But unlike human teeth, Teri Seufert Bressler fish teeth are always growing and being replaced? Hamilton & District Aqaurium Greater Pittsburgh Aquarium So- Society: Jan. 2015 ciety Inc. Finformation: Jan. 2015 8. Why fish have teeth is a Tropheops sp. 'Maorophthalmus Spawning the Blue Gourami, Tri- mystery. Most fish do not Chitumba Blue', by Larry Johnson chopodus trichopterus, by Leslie chew their food, they swal- The Mysterious L-144 Bushynose Ernst low the food whole Pleco, by Charles Drew 9. The swim bladder is like a balloon? When the swim bladder is full, the fish can swim higher up in the water. To swim close to the bottom, the fish empties its balloon and sinks. 10. Fish have been around for the last 400 million years? Altogether there are more than 24,600 species of fish. Only 8,000 are freshwater tropical fish. Reprinted from “101 Facts About Tropical Fish” by Sarah Williams Tank Topics P a g e 7 Not Your Regular No.2 Pencil... Keeping and Spawning the Golden Pencilfish - Nannostomus beckfordi By Wayne Toven

In my twenty some years of keeping noco in Venezuela. They inhabit The fishes color varies somewhat fish I have kept several species of swampy areas, small brooks, and due to collection sites in wild caught Characins but have only spawned a creeks that have very little current, specimens, but since practically all couple. One of the species I currently there they stay in the shallow water the fish available for the aquarium keep is the Hoplias malabaricus, with thick vegetation among drift- hobby are from fish farms, their color commonly called the Tiger tetra or wood and roots with leaf litter on the is more consistent. Their base body wolf fish, it is definitely not one for bottom. Their water parameters are coloration is light almost golden the average fish keeper, but that is as follows: a Ph of 5.5 - 7 slightly brown, that is why they are also another story for another day. Some acid to neutral, 4 - 20 dGH soft, and known as the brown pencilfish, they of the other species I am currently at temperatures in the 70° - 81° F have a black band that goes from the maintaining are neon tetras, cardinal range. This specie only grows to just mouth through the eye to the middle tetras, Colombian red-blue tetras, a smidgen over two inches so they down to the bottom of the caudal diamond tetras, and a Leporinus fas- don't need a large tank, they are a peduncle and end on the base of the ciatus. I had only spawned one tetra peaceful schooling fish so they tail, above this band is a light stripe so far, that was the Buenos Aires should be kept in groups of six or that is a white to bluish-white color tetra, which spawned in one of my more. I house my group of nine, five depending on how the light strikes it. 110 gallon outdoor tubs over the females and four males, in a ten gal- In the males below the black band summer a couple of years ago. That lon aquarium. The set up is simple a the rear 2/3 of the body is red, the brings me to the golden pencilfish - sponge filter, a small piece of drift- fins are mostly clear, sometimes de- Nannostomus beckfordi, which be- wood, a couple of rocks, black sand pending on their mood there is a longs to the order Chariciformes in substrate, some floating plastic slight tinge of red on the dorsal fin the family Lebiasinidae, which were plants for them to hang out in, they and the ventral fins, the ventral fins first discovered by Gunther in 1872. will stay in the middle to upper part of have bluish-white tips, the caudal fin The species was named for F. J. B. the aquarium, and a couple of yarn has a smudge of red above and be- Beckford who collected them and low the black band, and the anal fin was the first to present them to the is red. The body shape is elongated British Museum, I could not find out with the females being slightly bigger what year that was, but they were around the belly area, and as usual first imported to Hamburg, West Ger- the females are not as intensely col- many in 1911 by Carl Sigglekow, so I ored than the males, the females am guessing it was before that. only have a slightly red anal fin.

The name Nannostomus comes from N. beckfordi are carnivorous and lim- the Latin nannus - which means novorous, that means in the wild they small, and the Greek stoma - which eat tiny invertebrates and insect lar- means mouth, so the name means mops on the bottom. Most of my fish vae that they find in the leaf litter and small mouth, which means small room is located in my basement and in the mud on the bottom, remember foods. is heated to around 73° F, tempera- they have small mouths so they need tures around the room vary accord- appropriately sized food when kept in In nature N. beckfordi are widely dis- ing to location and height, lower - the aquarium. Food should be meat tributed in Guyana, Suriname, cooler, higher - warmer, their tank is based, I used flake food, small float- French Guiana, south to the eastern unheated so it stays right around 72° ing pellet, and frozen bloodworms, Amazon basin, and far upstream to F. feeding one to two times a day. the lower Rio Negro and the Rio Ori- P a g e 8 Tank Topics

Now for breeding, according to the will hatch in 24 - 40 hours, the fry but not the absolute gospel. I will be information I found the temperature should be visible in approximately putting these pencilfish outside this should be raised to between 82° - three days, and free swimming after summer and see if they do any better 86° F, with subdued lighting. They six days, then the tiny fry will need out there, Mother Nature seems to can be spawned in pairs or a small rotifers and finely powdered foods. have a way with keeping the fish group, another fact I found is that Water changes should be about 25% healthy and conditioned, so I will let they are avid egg eaters, when weekly to get the fry growing at a her try. spawning the set up needs to have good rate, at least that is what I have lots of fine leafed plants or yarn been doing since I discovered the fry References: spawning mops like I had, or have a when I was doing a water change on Internet sources- Aquaculture, mesh screen slightly off of the bot- the adults, which are still in the tank Aquarium; Seriously Fish tom with holes large enough to let with three different sized fry. The the eggs fall through and to keep largest fry are more like juveniles Baensch Aquarium Atlas #1, Dr. them out of the adults reach. After closing in on one inch in size while Rudiger Riehl & Hans A. Baencsh they have been well conditioned and the smallest are about 3/8 - 1/2 inch the females are obviously fattened in size, the majority are in between. up with eggs, place the pair or group At one point I counted 14 fry, and into the spawning tank, when the surely would have more if I had fol- females appear thin again, remove lowed the information and spawned the adults, but like I said I was not them in the proper way, but the trying to spawn the pencilfish, so I adults are still in the tank and the did none of this. I was going to put temperature is 72° F. So don't take them outside this coming summer everything you read about spawning into one of my 110 gallon tubs and a certain species of fish as the only see if they would spawn for me out way to do it, sure it might be the way there. The small transparent eggs to maximize the size of the spawn,

W. E. T. FISH BAGS 50 100

3 1/2 x 12 $4.00 $7.00 GAAS 2015 6x18 $5.00 $9.00

8x20 $6.00 $11.00 Spring Auction 10x24 $7.50 $14.00

3 1/2- 1.5 mil All others - 2 mil March 1, 2015 Rubber Bands $1.00

Tallmadge Community Center Wayne Toven 80 Community Rd. Tallmadge, Ohio (330) 256-7836 or [email protected] Schedule Auction Registration 10 a.m. Be here or you’ll Auction Begins 11 a.m. never know what For more information: you missed! Bud White (330) 848-3856 ([email protected]) Wayne Toven (330) 256-7836 ([email protected]) Rich Serva (330) 650-4613 ([email protected]) ALL ODDBALL AQUATICS SALES@ALLODDBALL AQUATICS.COM website: www.gaas-fish.net www.alloddballaquatics.com Tank Topics P a g e 9

Propagating Narrow Leaf Java Fern Wayne Toven

attaches itself to driftwood, rocks, or 5 – 6 inches tall, that is why I tried just in the gravel substrate. The rhi- the regular variety in a terrarium, to zome should never be planted in see how much bigger it would grow, sand, or buried as this will cause the it surprised me, the terrarium was a Java ferns are one of the more popu- rhizome to rot and thus kill the plant. 29 gallon aquarium, and the leaves lar and beautiful aquarium plants, Besides the regular variety there are were right up against the acrylic plas- due to its availability, leaf varieties, 3 cultivated varieties of Java fern for tic cover, so it got big! Anyway back ease of maintenance, and its appar- aquarium use; they are windelov, to the point of this article the narrow ently unappetizing flavor to the fish tropica, and narrow leaf, which is the leaf Java fern, I tried it in two differ- that are kept with it. The plants are latest variety I have propagated, ent depths of aquariums. The first amphibious, meaning they can be causing the writing of this article, sat- one is a homemade 50 gallon breed- grown both aquatically and terrestri- isfying the requirements for our Horti- er which is 20” x 48” x 12” tall, the ally. In the wild they can be found cultural Award Program. The regular other is a 30 gallon long, which is 17” growing on tree trunks, rocks, or on variety of Java fern’s leaf blades are tall, lighting was the same on both the ground along streams which are on short petioles (stems), and are two 48” full spectrum fluorescent periodically under water. Microsori- lanceolate with a smooth edge, a bulbs on 12 hours a day. They both um pteropus belongs to the largest distinct nervation, with undulate mar- grew to about 6”tall with leaves 4”- 5” family of ferns Polypodiaceae which gins, and can be medium green to long and only about 3/8 of an inch contains perennial plants that grow dark olive green in color. The sub- wide on short petioles, so not much from a horizontal rhizome. M. ptero- mersed leaves can grow to 10 – 30 difference in size because of differ- pus originally comes from Southeast cm long (4”-12”) and 25 – 75 cm ent light intensity. When a new leaf Asia, India, southern China, Indone- wide (1”- 3”), however on the starts growing it starts out curled up sia, Malaysia, and the Philippine is- emersed (out of water) version which on the petiole and unrolls as it grows. lands. The genus Microsorium con- is how I grew mine; the leaves were tains around 40 species, but only tri-lobed on much longer petioles. one specie is used as an aquarium plant. The name Microsorium comes from the Greek, micros – small, so- ros – piles, for the small piles of spores that form on the undersides

I have had the plant for around 8 The plant is somewhat slow growing, months and have not seen any ad- but can tolerate a wide range of ventitious growth on the leaf margins aquarium conditions, water can be so my propagation is by division of acid to alkaline with a Ph range of 5 the rhizome, if I can grow this plant – 8, soft to medium hardness of 6 – 8 anyone can. There are usually lots of Dh, and temperatures between 18° - Java ferns at auctions, so get some 30° C (68° - 87° F). Lighting can be and keep those ferns growing. of the leaves. I have grown M. ptero- from low levels to medium intensity, pus in the past in a terrarium, and 11 – 12 hours a day, I currently am References: have sexually propagated it from the using fluorescent lights, as I haven’t spores. Normal propagation is by gone to the expense of converting to Encyclopedia of Water Plants – Dr. rhizome division or by adventitious LEDs yet. Jiri Stodola plant growth on the margin of the leaves. I have kept the regular variety, win- Aquarium Plants – Their Identifica- delov variety, and now the narrow tion, Cultivation, and Ecology – Dr. In the aquarium the plant has a leaf variety, all of which were kept Karel Rataj & Thomas J. Horeman strongly scaled rhizome with numer- under water as an aquarium plant. ous tie roots, with which the plant None of them grew much bigger than Aquarium Plants – Christel Kassel- mann The Greater Akron Aquarium Society P.O. Box 494 Akron, OH 44309-0494

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Meeting Notice - Do Not Delay Meeting Notice

Thursday, March 5 Thursday, April 2 Program: Ken McGill, president of Lorain County Program: "Spawning Anguilliform (Eel Shaped) Aquarium Society, will show how to culture several Loaches - or Not!" by Doug Sweet important live foods essential for early life stages of Doug will talk about breeding these long slithery many fish. Some live foods such as green water, soft versions of the somewhat catfish-like loach family. leaved aquarium plants, and "aufwuchs" algae are Very few species have been bred in captivity. not always thought of as live. Other are small freshwater and saltwater relatives of shrimp. Bowl Show: Mollies, Barbs, Suckermouth Catfish Bowl Show: Female Guppies, Photography, Corydoras, Aspidoras & Brochis All general meetings begin at 8:00 p.m. at the Mogadore Community/Senior Center

Coming Events

March 15 — NEO-Fish March 20 -22, 2015 Northeast March 22-Youngstown Ar- April 6, 2014 - Erie Council of Aquarium Societies Spring Auction ea Tropical Fish Society Aquarium Society - CONVENTION EVENT: 40th Anni- Pipefitters Union Hall, Local versary Aquarium Extravaganza! Spring Auction Spring Auction 120, 6305 Halle Drive (off Sheraton Hartford South Hotel in J.V. Johnson Community Perry Highway Social Hall, Rockside Road) Valley View, Rocky Hill, Connecticut for more Center 800 Gillmer Road, 8281 Oliver Road, Erie, PA Ohio 44125 Registration information: http:// northeastcouncil.org/NewNEC/ Leavittsburg, OH 16565 opens at 9am and the auction index.php/convention Registration: 11:00 to 1:00. Registration starts at 10am. starts at 11am. Auction: NOON Auction begins at 11am. For more information go to: March 21, 2015 - Motor City Aquari- um Society - Spring Auction For more information: Tom For more Information: Russ http://www.neo-fish.com/ Madison Place, 876 Horace Brown 330.758.3043 or Lasher (814) 833-0946 or events/auction-information/ Dr., Madison Heights, Michigan. Reg- istration 9:00 to 10:30, auction starts [email protected] Chris Mitchell-(814) 899- March 15 and September 20. at 10:30. For more information: www.motorcityaquariumsociety.com www.YATFS.com 8920 [email protected]