Ohio Cichlid Association Next Meeting

Buckeye OCA

Ohio Cichlid Association

Cichlids - Catfish Bulletin June 2010

Swap

In This Issue: Introduction to Cichlids by Dr Ron Coleman.

Proposed OCA Constitution changes –vote is on 6/4/10. June meeting is a picnic….come hungry. Bowl Show, BAP, Funny Pond stories and more…..

Next Meeting: Friday June 4th at 8pm

OCA Mission The OCA is an organization dedicated to the advancement and dissemination of information relating to all aspects of the biology of cichlids and related aquatic life. Our purpose is to promote the interest, keeping, study, breeding, and the educational exhibition of Cichlids. Additionally, the exchange of ideas, meeting new people, and distribution of information concerning Cichlids is of primary interest.

On The Cover

This month’s cover features a Wild Female Managuense owned by Morrell Devlin. This editor is lucky to have the opportunity to use photos from artists like Mr. Devlin. OCA See more of Mo’s photo’s at: Ohio Cichlid Association www.aquamojo.com

photo by Mo Devlin

Ohio Cichlid Association

Buckeye Bulletin STAFF

Editor Kyle May 216-548-5165 [email protected] Exchange Editor Eric Sorensen 216-398-8966 [email protected] Production Consultant Martha Niehaus

The Ohio Cichlid Associations Buckeye Bulletin is produced monthly by the Ohio Cichlid Association. All articles and photographs contained within this publication are being used with consent of the authors.

If you have an article, photograph, or ad to submit for publication, please send it to [email protected]. When submitting articles for publication in this bulletin, please remember to include any photographs or art for inclusion in the article. The Ohio Cichlid Association is not responsible for any fact checking or spelling correction in submitted material. Articles will be edited for space and content.

All information contained in this bulletin is for the sole use of The Ohio Cichlid Association and its members. If you would like to become a member of The Ohio Cichlid Association, please contact Andrew Subotnik or Kyle May using the contact information contained in the Membership section located on the previous page.

2010 OHIO CICHLID ASSOCIATION OFFICERS

Emperor Emeritus Mike Neelon President Don Danko [email protected] Vice-President Dan Woodland [email protected] Treasurer Rhonda Sorensen [email protected] OCA Historian Lew Carbone [email protected] Membership Andrew Subotnik [email protected] Kyle May [email protected] B.A.P. Mark Chaloupka [email protected] Catfish B.A.P. Dave Ayres [email protected] Bowl Show Andrew Subotnik [email protected] Raffle Dawn Dewerth [email protected] Librarian Hilary Lacerda [email protected] Videographer Jonathan Strazinsky [email protected] Secretary Steve Heinbaugh [email protected] Refreshments Gayle and Joe Ring [email protected]

Presidents Message By Don Danko

In June, we will vote to approve the updated OCA Constitution that we began to inform you about in April. The board looks forward to your support.

Again, some of the updates include:

 Listing Webmaster and Videographer as board positions  Providing guidelines for the administration of the Jim Smith Fund that furthers educational and environmental efforts  Referencing Catfish as a secondary focus in addition to Cichlids

Thanks to John and Betty Oyer for coming down to visit us in May and thanks to John for his excellent talk on Gymnogeophagus. His talk even inspired me to buy a bag of his wonderful donated fish at a time when I’m cutting my fishroom way back in anticipation of moving. Thanks again, John and Betty, for all your ongoing support!

Don’t miss our June 4 OCA Picnic Party!!

Enjoy free food courtesy of the OCA. There will be a BBQ, burgers, hot dogs, slaw and salads. Place and time will be the same as for regular OCA Meetings, but we will be outside if the weather permits. There is no need for members to bring any additional food. Just come along and bring your family or a friend!

Also be sure to attend the following upcoming OCA events:

Sept 12: Swap Meet at the Strongsville Holiday Inn Nov 19-21: 2010 Extravaganza at the Strongsville Holiday Inn

As always, keep current on OCA activities by visiting our website, at www.ohiocichlid.com, and by checking out our forum. There is a link to the forum from the website.

Don

The View kkkkk

From Here…

By Kyle May - Editor

Summer is kicking in and I am sooo ready for the June meeting. First, there is going to be food there for all of us. Come hungry. It’s another benefit of your membership in the OCA. Secondly, we’ll vote on the changes in the Constitution. We’ve spent hours poring over the document to update it to fit into today’s world and I think we’ve got it right. I’ve got it published in this bulletin so make sure to read through it and be ready for Friday, June 4th. Oh yeah…and come hungry.

I’m also very excited about the feature article this month, Introducing Cichlids. Dr. Ron Coleman gives you a very good overview of what exactly defines a fish as a cichlid, where they live, and demonstrates cichlid diversity. You don’t have to be new to the hobby to enjoy this article. I’ve been keeping cichlids for 29 years and I learned a ton of new things from this article.

Have you always thought about shipping fish? In Dissecting the Hobby, Dan Woodland talks shows you the proper way to ship fish and offers tips on how to make the entire transaction painless.

Extravaganza registration is open and you should register now so that you’ll have extra cash for fish when fall rolls around. By the way there is a break on your yearly membership contribution if you register for the Extravaganza, so take advantage of the savings.

Bowl Show, BAP, Catfish, OCA Fish Market and more in this info packed issue of the Buckeye Bulletin.

Oh…and one last thing. I know that we all get busy in summer and have tons of golf to play, outdoor events to attend, and so on. But don’t forget your fish this summer. Your fish need the same level of attention and care that they do in the winter time. Let’s all try to step up our summer fish care so that our fish have a great summer too. Remember that they are stuck in our tanks and don’t have the opportunity to swim away from our lazy fish keeping habits. I’ve caught myself slacking off at times and I’m going to step it up too. Now get out there and eat some festival food!

Talk to you next month,

Kyle May Editor

June Meeting: OCA Picnic -free food for all members.

Next Social Meeting – June 4th, 2010

Old Oak Church, 7575 Old Oak Blvd, Middleburg Heights, Ohio

Meeting Starts at: I-71

8pm Old Oak Bagley Rd. Blvd. Directions: Southwest From the North take I-71 South General Take exit 235 (Bagley Rd.). Hospital 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. Old Oak Church is on the right 1/10 mile. Church

Old Oak Church 7575 Old Oak Blvd. Fowles Rd. Middleburg Heights, Ohio

Andrew Subotnik

The May Bowl Show had a great showing with 14 entries! Congrats to the Lacerda’s who brought home Best-of-Show with a nearly perfect Tropheus sp. ‘Red Saddle’.

Congrats also goes out to the winners of the Grow-Out Contest:

- Kyle May – Tilapia Zilli - The Sorensen’s – Corydoras Paleatus - Gary Mendez – Thorichthys sp. Mixtecos

On the docket for June we will have classes for Mbuna (Excluding Pseudothropheus, Cynotilapia & Melanochromis), Open West African (Limit 3 entries per contestant) and Open Catfish (Limit 3 entries per contestant).

If you’re not sure that your fish qualifies for a particular class you can contact me with questions. Phone 330-730-3177 or email [email protected]

With the great turn out in May the points race has heated up but it’s not too late to get in the game, so show us what you’ve got!

Andrew

Prizes: 2nd Best of Show: $20 Cash Standings May 2010 Quarter Champ: $35 Pet Shop certificate Qtr. 2010 Champ: TBA The Lacerda’s 32 47 47

April Results: G. Mendez 13 23 23 0 0 22 A. Tanganyikan Mouthbrooders S. Myers (Excluding Frontosa) The Sorensen’s 10 10 10 1st – Tropheus sp. “Red Saddle’ (BOS) The Lacerda’s K. May 10 10 10 2nd – Ctenochromis Horei The Lacerda’s T. Markosky 0 10 10 rd 3 – Paracyprichromis Nigripinnis 7 7 7 George Anagnostopoulos D. Tomazin G. 6 6 6 B. Discus & Uaru st Anagnostopoulos 1 - Uaru Amphiacanthoides 5 5 5 The Lacerda’s P. Ayers M. Chaloupka 1 1 1 C. Grow-Out Contest Fish - Tilapia Zilli Kyle May Point System - Corydoras Paleatus 1st place…..………………………..10 The Sorensen’s 2nd place….…………………………7 - Thorichthys sp. Mixtecos 3rd place…………………………….5 Gary Mendez Non-placing entries………………...1 Best of Show*…………………… 5

June Classes: *Only awarded if 2 or more entries. A. Mbuna (Excluding Pseudothropheus, Cynotilapia & Melanochromis) B. Open West African (Limit 3 entries per contestant) C. Open Catfish (Limit 3 entries per contestant)

July Classes:

NO MEETING

Extravaganza 2010 November 19th-20th Cleveland, Ohio Cichlids – Catfish

Bob Bina Neolamprologus brichardi “albino” 10 Otopharynx lithobates “yellow blaze Zimbawe Rock” 10 Bob Blazek Pterophyllum scalare “gold marble” 10 Dave Esner Telamtochromis temporalis 10 Jason Gorges Hemichromis lifalili 10 Rick Hallis Aulonocara sp. “albino ruby red” 10 Julidochromis transcriptus “Kissi Bemba” 15

Phil Hypes Pelvicachromis pulcher 10 Pseudotropheus saulosi 10 Gary Mendez Placidochromis sp. “phenochilus tanzania” 10

Eric & Rhonda Sorensen Aulonocara korneliae 10 Jonathan Strazinsky Parachromis motoguense “red tiger” 15 Paratheraps bifasciatum 15 Andrew Subotnik Hemichromis cristatus 10 Charlie Suk Cyrtocara moorii 10 Pundamilia nyererei “Makobe Island” 10 Bob Tillman Pseudotropheus saulosi 10 Dennis Tomazin Lipochromis parvidens “red” 10 Rick Wood Altolamprologus compressiceps “gold head” 20 Aulonocara sp. “OB peacock” 10 Pseudotropheus saulosi 10 Sciaenopchromis fryeri 15 Telmatochromis temporalis “shell” 10 Xystichromis phytophagus “christmas fulu” 10

Welcome to the program:

Aaron Stevens

CURRENT B.A.P. STANDINGS (5/7/10)

BREEDER 2010 TOTAL BREEDER 2010 TOTAL

MASTER BREEDER 1000 POINT LEVEL 200 POINT LEVEL

Lew Carbone 80 2315 David Hale - 275 Don Danko - 2255 Tyler Toncler - 265 Dan Woodland - 2010 Kyle May 25 245 Linda Wallrath - 1130 Phil Hypes 65 220 Rich & Maggie Schoeffel - 1065 Gary Mendez 60 220 100 POINT LEVEL 900 POINT LEVEL

Marc & Dawn DeWerth - 195 Dennis Tomazin 10 915 Eric & Rhonda Sorensen 25 195 Mark Chaloupka - 905 Ozeal Hunter - 190 Tom Swiderski 10 905 Chuck Carroll - 185 800 POINT LEVEL Ken & Karen Grimmett 10 170

700 POINT LEVEL George Anagnostopoulos 25 165 Andrew Subotnik 10 165 Dustin Brummitt 10 735 Bob Blazek 55 155 John Tesar 70 720 Jonathan Strazinsky 50 150 Greg Seith - 145 600 POINT LEVEL Joe Ring 15 120 David Ayers 10 110 Jeff Natterer - 690 Bill & Janice Bilski - 100 Charlie & Cathy Suk 55 615 BREEDER LEVEL 500 POINT LEVEL Mark Huntington 10 80 Bill Schwartz - 595 Frank Mueller 25 80 Hilary & Antonio Lacerda - 570 Rick Wood 75 75 Ron Georgeone - 510 Bob Tillman 10 70 Dan Ogrizek - 50 400 POINT LEVEL Dave Enser 25 45

Tom & Carolyn Evers 15 40 Bryan Davis 40 495 Steve Heinbaugh 10 40

Christopher Sooy - 35 300 POINT LEVEL Ethan Wiley 30 30 Ken Galaska - 375 Fred Roberts 10 25 Bob Bina 20 365 Andy Lacerda - 20 Rick Hallis 65 320 Bill Sensor - 20 Gary Zalewski - 310 Jonathan Dietrich 15 15 John Kaminski - 15 Ron Drungil - 10 Jason Gorges 10 10 Jason Mlynar 0 10 Aaron Stevens 10 10 Mike Trader 10 10 The points list for the Breeders Award Program has been updated to include only current members. If you are a current member and your name has been omitted, please see the B.A.P. Chairman at the social meeting so 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.

OHIO CICHLID ASSOCIATION CATFISH BREEDERS REPORT MAY 7, 2010

Breeder Species Points

Rick Hallis Synodontis petricola 20

Dennis Tomazin Corydoras paleatus 10

TOTALS (thru 5/7/10)

NAME 2010 TOTAL

Don & Marilyn Danko - 135 Dan Ogrizek - 135 Dan Woodland - 100 Linda Wallrath - 75 Charlie & Cathy Suk - 65 Bob Bina - 60 Rick Hallis 30 60 Eric & Rhonda Sorensen - 55 Jeff Natterer - 50 Tyler Toncler - 45 Dave Ayres 10 40 Dustin Brummitt 10 40 Bryan Davis 40 40 John Kaminski 10 40 Hilary & Antonio Lacerda - 40 Dennis Tomazin 10 40 Phil Hypes - 30 Phil Ayres 10 20 Bob Blazek - 20 Kyle May - 20 Lew Carbone - 10 Chuck Caroll - 10 Mark Chaloupka - 10 Karen & Ken Grimmett - 10 David Hale - 10 Kris Sooy - 10 John Tesar - 10 Bob & Jennifer Tillman - 10

Yeah….we were all surprised when she said “yes” too.

Why a woman would want to marry a guy with so many fish tanks is beyond us. But now that you’ve convinced her to spend her life with you, why don’t you convince her to share your passion for Cichlids and Catfish?

An Ohio Cichlid Association membership is a great deal at $15 per year. It’s also a great way to guarantee 11 dates per year for our social meetings where you can share your passion for the hobby. In this world where we’re all so busy we barely have time to eat lunch, the OCA is a wonderful way to spend some relaxing time together. Whether you are at a meeting sharing the love of the hobby with others, or at home watching a pair of cichlids tend their fry, the special times you’ll share together are truly priceless.

Why don’t you ask your wife to join you in the OCA? She’ll love you for it.

Share your passion Share the Hobby Share the OCA

Info: Andrew: [email protected] Kyle: [email protected]

Everybody has a story to tell.

We both know that you’ve got a neat story about setting up a tank, a fish you raised or a species you just spawned.

How about the first tank you ever had? And what about those cool pics of those cichlids you have now?

Cmon’…share that stuff with the rest of us.

Send your article, photos or other contributions to:

[email protected]

This bulletin runs on the information that you share. Thanks for supporting the Ohio Cichlid Association

Historically Speaking…

Revisiting OCA’s Past.

by Lew Carbone OCA Historian This Month in Lew Carbone is taking a well deserved OCA History vacation. Look for his next installment of

1984: This month’s Buckeye Historically Speaking in this space next Cichlid Lovers’ Bulletin is month……. the first to sport a logo that includes a Julidochromis marlieri. It is hand drawn.

1986: In this month’s BCLB, it is announced that the OCA won four awards in the Federation of American Aquarium Society’s Publication Award Program. This includes two First Place winners: Steve Fink for Best Article on Society Management and Ben Stachowiak for Best Article by a Junior Member.

1991: Well known Cichlid writer Wayne Leibel speaks at the social meeting about Geophagus. Wayne is editor of the ACA’s Buntarche Bulletin. (Dr. Leibel is currently a biology professor at Lafeyette College in Pennsylvania and writes the outstanding “Cichlidophiles” column for Tropical Fish Hobbyist.

1993: Ed Bush wins Best of Show in this month’s Bowl Show with an Apistogramma (now Mikrogeophagus) ramirezi. Ed sweeps all three first places and two compete classes. He looks like a lock for the 1993 championship.

The June meeting is a barbecue.

Hamburgers, Hotdogs, Salads. Come have fun and try to eat your membership fee….

Attention All Ohio Cichlid Association Members

Following this page you will find the updated version of the Ohio Cichlid Association Constitution. As explained by our President, Don Danko earlier in this issue, there are no major changes to the document. This constitution has been updated to include such new things as email, electronic publishing, etc.

Please take some time to read this document thoroughly. You will be asked to vote upon this document at the June meeting on Friday, June 4th. Our current constitution requires that we publish the changes to this document for two months prior to the vote, so it was published in the May 2010 bulletin and is published again here in the June issue prior to the vote at the June 4th meeting.

If you have any questions or comments on the proposed changes to the constitution you must bring them up prior to the vote at the June social meeting. Please plan to attend this meeting.

The Ohio Cichlid Association board has spent many hours making sure that this document is as thorough as possible. It is our mission to provide an environment where each member can expect to have the best possible experience within the fish keeping hobby and maximum enjoyment of The Ohio Cichlid Association. Constitution of the Ohio Cichlid Association

Article 1: Objectives of the Ohio Cichlid Association (OCA) 1. The OCA brings together Cichlid and Catfish enthusiasts to increase the enjoyment of the fish keeping hobby. 2. The OCA promotes the interest, keeping, study, breeding, and the exhibition of cichlids and catfish through publications, programs, and events. 3. The OCA supports research, education and conservation projects through the OCA Jim Smith Fund.

Article 2: Principal Activities of the OCA 1. Promote species maintenance, propagation and conservation by encouraging members to keep, breed and distribute a wide variety of species of Cichlids and Catfish through recognition in Breeder Award Programs for Cichlids and Catfish, monthly programs, and special programs or events organized by the OCA Board. Programs and events can include but are not limited to monthly meetings, auctions, swap meets, and the annual OCA Extravaganza. 2. Manage the OCA Jim Smith Fund in an effort to support Cichlid and Catfish research, education and conservation projects. 3. Organize events for OCA members and the public to buy, sell and trade. Events can include but are not limited to monthly OCA meetings, auctions, swap meets, and the annual OCA Extravaganza. 4. Organize monthly membership meetings that can include but are not limited to the following activities: a. Lectures, programs, discussions, workshops, swap meets and other events related to the Cichlid and Catfish keeping hobby. Other events can include but are not limited to catered meetings and picnics. b. Raffles with prizes including items donated by vendors, manufacturers, retailers and members. c. Breeder Award Programs for Cichlids and Catfish featuring fish submissions by members, award certificates and point level plaques. d. Auction Catfish and Cichlid BAP submissions, other auction items, and OCA Jim Smith Fund donations. e. Bowl Show and presentation of Bowl Show Awards. 5. Literary Activities: a. Distribute a monthly electronic publication to members, other fish clubs , donors, speakers, and manufacturers. b. Encourage members to write original articles documenting their experiences keeping Cichlids and Catfish, and sharing their knowledge related to the Cichlid and Catfish hobby. c. Maintain a website providing information on OCA events, membership, meetings, pictures, contact information and other hobby related information. d. Maintain a library containing media pertaining to the primary focus areas of the OCA.

Article 3: OCA Membership 1. The OCA is open to anyone interested in furthering its objectives, and willing to pay the annual membership dues. 2. Membership dues are per individual or family living in the same household. Only one account for BAP points is offered per membership. 3. Junior memberships are available to any student 23 years of age and younger. Junior members shall enjoy all of the services and benefits of standard members at a discounted rate. 4. A member is any person who has paid the annual dues, and who has not voluntarily withdrawn or has been suspended from membership. 5. Membership ends if dues are not paid. 6. The amount of dues shall be determined by the OCA Board and reviewed annually. 7. Dues are paid on an annual basis per the Membership policy. 8. Membership can be suspended or revoked at the discretion of the OCA Board for any conduct unbecoming a member.

Article 4: OCA Board 1. The OCA Board consists of all elected and appointed OCA Board Members. All OCA Board Members are elected or appointed at the annual December meeting, although appointments can be made throughout the year in the event of a vacancy. In the event of a vacancy, the OCA Board will actively recruit a qualified member to volunteer to fill the position. The OCA Board will decide how best to handle the duties until a replacement is found. 2. Business is conducted by the OCA Board at monthly OCA Board Meetings. The President presides at all OCA Board Meetings. In the President’s absence, the Vice President will preside. 3. OCA Board members are expected to conduct themselves professionally at all meetings and events, and to operate in accordance with the Code of Conduct described in the Constitution. 4. The OCA Board is responsible for defining major changes affecting the association. Major changes, include but are not limited to changes to the constitution, club owned property and branding. Branding includes but is not limited to the name of the association, its logo, and the name of its publication. 5. Once the OCA Board has classified an issue as a major change, it will be discussed at one board meeting and voted on at the following board meeting. This is to ensure that sufficient time for deliberation passes between the discussion and voting. This is to further ensure that voting can not be postponed indefinitely. If the board deems more time necessary before making a decision, it can reject a change and reconsider the issue again at future meetings.

Article 5: OCA Board Members and descriptions of duties President 1. Holds an elected position and votes only to break a tie. 2. Presides at monthly OCA Meetings and OCA Board Meetings. 3. At OCA Meetings, welcomes new members and presents an overview of club news and upcoming events. 4. Advocates for the OCA and facilitates fellowship and cooperation with other clubs, manufacturers, members and OCA Board Members. 5. In case of an emergency or urgent business, the President will call a special OCA Board Meeting to determine a course of action. 6. The President, working with the OCA Board, creates committees to address special needs and projects that are too large in scope to be addressed at a regular OCA Board Meeting. 7. Works with the OCA Board to give strategic direction to the OCA. 8. Regularly reviews the organization's effectiveness, and addresses areas of concern with the OCA Board. 9. Leads the updating of the Constitution. 10.Appoints a committee, on a yearly basis, to audit the financial records of the OCA, if deemed necessary by a majority of OCA Board Members.

Vice President 1. Holds an elected and voting position. 2. Presides at all OCA Meeting and OCA Board meetings in the absence of the President. 3. Works with the OCA Board to fill open positions. 4. Conducts the annual election of OCA Board Members. 5. Assists the President with the development and implementation of new policies and procedures.

Treasurer 1. Holds an appointed and voting position. 2. Receives and discloses all OCA funds and monies in accordance with the rules and directives set by the OCA Board. 3. Prepares and maintains complete, accurate, and timely records of all transactions involving OCA funds. 4. Renders a monthly statement of all accounts at each regular OCA Board Meeting, if deemed necessary by a majority of OCA Board Members. 5. Signs checks in accordance with the Constitution. 6. Prepares financial summaries for club events. 7. Submits financial statements required by the State and Internal Revenue Service.

Secretary 1. Holds an elected and voting position. 2. Takes minutes at OCA Board Meetings. 3. Distributes minutes with actions items to OCA Board Members in a timely manner. 4. Informs the Editor and Web Master of important OCA Board decisions that should be published in the bulletin and/or on the web site. 5. Maintains a record of OCA Board Meeting minutes that is passed on to the Historian at the end of each calendar year.

Program Chairperson 1. Holds an appointed and voting position. 2. Arranges for a presentation or event that is related to the Cichlid and Catfish hobby at each of the monthly OCA Meetings (excluding July and any special events). 3. Plans the annual program events. 4. Arranges the OCA Extravaganza speaker line-up and manages travel and accommodations. 5. Manages, stores, and maintains club electronic equipment including computers, printers, and projectors. 6. Delivers and sets up equipment at all general meetings and OCA Extravaganza presentations as needed.

Membership Chairperson 1. Holds an elected and voting position. 2. Maintains a complete and accurate membership list of members in good standing. 3. Maintains a complete list of memberships which have expired for the purpose of preserving an account of all past members. 4. Supplies the Editor with an accurate membership list on a monthly basis. 5. Submits all collected membership dues to the Treasurer. 6. Recruits new members and reinstates expired members. 7. For the purpose of enlarging, exposing and promoting the club to new members and new market areas, the Membership Chairman may institute membership drives and/or promotional discounts, as approved by the OCA Board, and develop new services, incentives and benefits for members, as approved by the OCA Board.

Editor 1. Holds an appointed and voting position. 2. Creates and distributes an electronic publication containing information related to the Cichlid and Catfish hobby as well as news relevant to the OCA. 3. Maintains editorial license over the content and his or her decisions on content are final except where decisions may have a detrimental effect on the OCA or its membership. 4. Maintains a professional appearance of the electronic publication. 5. Serves as Chairman of the publication staff, and appoints such staff members as may be needed. 6. Appropriately handles content in a purposeful and lawful manner. Permission must be obtained in writing for any photograph or article used. Proper crediting information must be included whenever an article or photograph is used. If an article is reprinted from another club or organizations publication, the original date of publication and source must be stated. 7. Any original materials cannot be used by any other club or organization without the prior written consent of the original author of the requested material. 8. May decline content that is sub-standard, improper, or non-factual. 9. Edits any typographical errors in articles submitted for publication, and provides clarification where needed. 10.Promotes the OCA and establishes good will within the hobby. 11.Can exchange copies of the electronic publication with the editors of other clubs or organizations.

Web Master 1. Holds an appointed and voting position. 2. Maintains a website that provides OCA members as well as the general public with information about OCA activities and events. 3. Is responsible for keeping information current and accurate. This is of particular importance prior to, and immediately following, major OCA events. 4. The Web Master Liaises closely with the Historian, and will not remove any historically interesting information from the site once published, since the OCA web site also fulfills an important archival function. 5. The OCA does not supply a budget for the maintenance of the web site, but the Web Master may apply to the OCA Board for funding of special projects if required.

Breeder Awards Program (BAP) Chairpersons The OCA, as a benefit to membership, organizes two Breeder Award Programs, one for Cichlids and one for Catfish. These programs are intended to further interest in Cichlids and Catfish and to provide recognition for their successful propagation. Each BAP Chairperson: 1. Holds an elected and voting position. 2. Writes and maintains detailed program procedure with rules and guidelines. 3. Maintains a listing of points awarded by species type. 4. Annually reviews point list and program rules to keep contemporary. Engages a small team of experienced members to conduct the review. The final recommendation must be approved by the OCA Board. 5. Checks in BAP submissions at the OCA Meetings and keeps records so that points can be awarded. Logs entries in a systematic manner so that they can be effectively auctioned and so that funds can be disbursed by the Treasurer. 6. Arranges the preparation of award certificates and presents them to the submitting member at an OCA Meeting. 7. Orders recognition plaques for prescribed levels of attainment in the program and presents them to the appropriate members at an OCA Meeting. 8. Submits a monthly written report to the Editor. This report summarizes spawns from the prior month and shows updated program totals by member life-to-date.

Bowl Show Chairperson 1. Holds an elected and voting position. 2. Submits a calendar of classes from February to January at the OCA Board Meeting in December. 3. Administrates the Bowl Show on a monthly basis during the OCA Meeting; 4. Submits a monthly written report to the Editor to be published in the electronic publication; 5. Announces winners and point accumulation at OCA Meetings, and announces the next month's show classes; 6. Is responsible for obtaining all monetary prizes from the Treasurer. 7. Is responsible for obtaining all non-monetary prizes from a current club sponsor or vendor. 8. Assesses and modifies the monthly, quarterly and yearly prizes. All modifications for the upcoming year must be presented at the OCA Board Meeting in December, and are subject to approval by the OCA Board.

T-Shirt Chairperson 1. Holds an appointed and non-voting position. 2. Is responsible for the production and sales of all printed items; T-shirts and similar products - jackets, patches, etc. - that may be ordered by club members and interested parties. 3. Shall keep a financial record to the Treasurer's satisfaction. Is responsible for the verification of quality and quantity of any and all printed materials prior to vendor payment and must communicate effectively with the Treasurer. 4. Must have OCA Board approval (vote) for any and all printed materials that are funded in all or part by the OCA or contain the official logo of the OCA. This includes art, verbiage, or any theme contained within the scope of the duties assigned to this position. 5. Must have OCA Board approval prior to ordering any quantity of printed materials, whether this is for a special event, or to restock an ongoing t shirt program. 6. Any photograph or art included on an item printed by the OCA must be clear of any royalties or usage fees. Any original material must have prior written consent from the creator of the original material. 7. Is expected to source competitive bids to obtain the most cost effective T- Shirt for the OCA. The T-Shirt Chairman is expected to provide the highest quality T-Shirt available to properly promote the image and standards of the OCA. Quality and Pricing options are expected to be obtained and reported to the OCA Board for approval prior to the execution of any printing order. 8. Is responsible for communicating the proper lead time on all print orders to the board so that effective deadlines can be set prior to events.

Extravaganza Chairperson 1. Holds an appointed and voting position. 2. Handles all of his duties in a timely manner, mindful of the fixed date for the OCA Extravaganza each year. 3. Creates an overall plan for the annual Cichlid and Catfish show. Presents this plan to the OCA Board that reviews it. 4. Coordinates all activities for the annual show according to the board approved plan. 5. Assures that show classes are sponsored. 6. Coordinates Manufacturers' Displays. 7. Negotiates a contract with location (for example hotel or convention center). Consults with President and Vice President regarding the contract prior to securing final approval of the contract by the OCA Board. 8. Coordinates with Master of Ceremonies (assigned by President) on the content of the awards presentation. 9. Coordinates with Judge Chair (assigned by President) on the details of judging the show entries. Auction Chairperson 1. Holds an appointed and non-voting position. 2. Coordinates activities for the club auctions. 3. Writes and maintains a detailed auction procedure. 4. Works with the Board to set dates for the OCA Winter Auction and any other planned auctions to be held. 5. With the OCA Board, regularly reviews the effectiveness of the auction and the financial success and proposes needed changes to split, process, etc. 6. Recruits members to organize the major elements of running an auction. 7. Coordinates with location (for example hotel or convention center) as needed.

Swap Meet Chairperson 1. Holds an appointed and non-voting position. 2. Schedules at least one swap meet annually. 3. Appoints members of a Swap Meet Committee to assist with the operation of the Swap Meet. 4. Manages all aspects of Swap Meet, including promotion, preparation and operation.

Photographer 1. Holds an elected and voting position. 2. Documents all OCA events. If the Photographer can not attend a major OCA event, he/she will make reasonable efforts to arrange for a replacement. 3. Liaises closely with the Web Master and Bulletin Editor, and makes images available for publication. 4. The OCA does not supply a photography budget, and the Photographer is required to use his or her own equipment. The photographer may apply to the OCA Board for funding of special projects if required. 5. The Photographer retains the copyright in his work, and grants the OCA non-exclusive, limited rights to use all images taken in his role as OCA Photographer to promote the OCA via its publications.

Videographer 1. Holds an elected and voting position. 2. Video records speakers at OCA events. Stores videos on DVD or other recordable media. Submits videos to the librarian for member use and to the historian for a record of the OCA's past speakers. 3. Is responsible for securing the permission of the speaker prior to recording the presentation and making it available via the OCA Library. 4. The OCA does not supply a videography budget, and the videographer is required to use his or her own equipment. The videographer may apply to the OCA Board for funding of special projects if required.

Historian 1. Holds an elected and voting position. 2. Maintains an accurate history of the OCA, including a set of club publications that is as complete as possible.

Librarian 1. Holds an elected and voting position. 2. Brings library materials to OCA Meetings for the use of OCA Members. 3. Loans materials to members only at OCA Meetings. 4. Keeps a record of materials borrowed by members and works to secure a return of materials when kept excessively long. 5. Recommends additions of new materials to the OCA Board for funding.

Raffle Chairperson 1. Holds an appointed and voting position. 2. Solicits donations to the OCA from manufacturers, retailers and others. 3. Uses an OCA Board approved letter for solicitation of donations. 4. Maintains a record of received donations. 5. Submits to the OCA Board, at the monthly OCA Board Meetings, a record of donations received during the prior month. 6. Conducts a monthly raffle at OCA Meetings. 7. Submits funds to the Treasurer. 8. Runs 50-50 raffles and other raffles at OCA events.

Refreshment Chairperson 1. Holds an elected and voting position. 2. Brings beverages to the monthly OCA Meetings. 3. Coordinates all food and beverage activities for the OCA Extravaganza and all special events. 4. In the event that food is offered at a particular meeting, arranges the details, including payment of any vendors, and turns over all receipts for expenditures to the Treasurer.

Club Liaison 1. Holds an appointed and non-voting position. 2. Coordinates with national organizations as appropriate.

Board Member 1. Board Members without specific position hold a voting position. 2. There can be two elected and two appointed board members without a specific position. 3. Are available to fulfill special duties assigned by the OCA Board.

Article 6: Terms of Office 1. OCA Board Members are elected annually and serve until their successors take office. 2. The term of office shall be from January 1st through December 31st. 3. Elections are to be held at the OCA Meeting in the month of December.

Article 7: Code of Conduct and Removal from Office 1. The OCA is a family oriented community founded in the principles of fellowship, friendship and continuous learning. 2. To this end, all OCA Board Members are expected to conduct themselves professionally and ethically in the fulfillment of their duties. OCA Board Members will treat others with respect and dignity at all times and in all settings. This Code is applicable to all methods of communication, be they verbal, written, electronic, etc. 3. The following conditions shall constitute grounds for removal from office: a. Failure to act in accordance with the Code of Conduct. This includes conduct not in keeping with the high standards and integrity of the OCA, its fellow clubs, manufacturers, store owners, or any individual. b. Conduct which in any way shall be deemed detrimental to the OCA. c. Neglect of duties or failure to execute the requirements of the position after appropriate training. d. Flagrant misuse of club property. e. Misappropriation of funds or taking funds without approval by the OCA Board. f. Theft of donations to the OCA.

Article 8: Resignations 1. Upon an OCA Board Member’s resignation, the OCA Board shall appoint an interim OCA Board Member to fulfill the duties and responsibilities, and who shall serve out the remainder of the term.

Article 9: Responsibilities of the OCA Board Each OCA Board Member has the responsibility to fulfill the duties of their respective position as outlined in the OCA Constitution and additional policies the OCA Board may define. The OCA Board: 1. Is responsible to act in the best interest of the OCA Membership. 2. Must act in accordance with the details of the OCA Constitution. 3. Must meet monthly to discuss club business, except in the month of July when no club meetings are planned. 4. Plans the details of club events. 5. Periodically updates the OCA Constitution. 6. Pursues only such policies and programs which have as their sole purpose the furtherance of the objectives of the OCA. 7. If there is no quorum at an OCA Board Meeting, no official action may take place. A quorum is defined as a majority of Board Members eligible to vote. 8. By vote of majority of those OCA Board Members present at a meeting, authorizes all contracts, agreements, obligations, and expenditures undertaken in the name of the OCA. 9. Each OCA Board Member has only one vote, even if the person holds more than one voting position. The President shall vote only to break a tie. 10.Administers affairs of the OCA Jim Smith Fund.

Article 10: Elections 1. Elections are conducted annually at the OCA Meeting in December. 2. All OCA Members shall be eligible to vote in OCA Elections. 3. Only OCA Members are eligible to be elected as OCA Board Members. 4. All Elected and appointed positions are published in the OCA's electronic publication and on the OCA Website.

Article 11: Review 1. A summary of OCA Board Meeting minutes is available to members upon request.

Article 12: Amendments to the OCA Constitution 1. All proposed amendments to the OCA Constitution shall be documented, signed by at least ten OCA Members, and submitted via the Secretary to the OCA Board. 2. The proposed amendments will be published in the electronic publication in the next edition. 3. At the next OCA Meeting, a vote will be conducted. This vote will be chaired by the President or, in the President’s absence, by the Vice President. 4. The amendment will become a part of the OCA Constitution at once, if it receives a majority vote of the OCA Membership in attendance at this OCA Meeting.

Article 13: Constitution Updating 1. The OCA Board will be responsible for keeping the OCA Constitution current and contemporary. 2. The effort to generally update the OCA Constitution will be led by the President and the President will name a committee to accomplish this task. 3. The President will assign each of the committee members sections to update. These committee members will coordinate with the responsible current OCA Board Member to update their respective sections. 4. The committee is responsible for drafting the update and for reviewing and reaching a decision on the content. 5. Upon completion of the draft, the proposed update will be reviewed by the OCA Board at the following OCA Board Meeting. 6. Once reviewed and agreed to by the OCA Board, the proposed Constitution will be printed in official club publication for two consecutive months. 7. A vote at the following OCA Meeting (month of the second publishing) will be conducted by the President or in the absence of the President by the Vice President. 8. The updated Constitution shall pass and become effective immediately if it receives a majority vote by show of hands of the members voting at that OCA Meeting.

Article 14: Jim Smith Fund In 2003, the OCA established a fund to support Cichlid and Catfish research, education and conservation projects. A general meeting unanimously agreed to name this fund OCA Jim Smith Fund in honor of the late OCA membership chairman. 9. The OCA Board can award monitory donations, grants, or awards not to exceed one thousand-two-hundred-fifty dollars annually and not to exceed 25% of the current balance. This rule can only be overridden if an 80% vote of the board approves an overage. 10.Applications must be submitted to the OCA Board in writing with a description of the proposed project, schedule and deliverables. Applicants must provide sufficient proof the project is officially sponsored or affiliated with a bona fide educational institution. 11.The OCA Board will review proposed grants at an OCA Board Meeting. 12.A majority vote of the OCA Board is required to award a grant, donation, or funding of any type.

Dissecting

the Hobby

By Dan Woodland

Shipping fish made easy……

“How do I ship fish?”…. “Is it hard? ” These are two questions I hear all the time when asked about shipping fish. First, it is not hard and secondly - it’s easy. In the real world the toughest part of shipping fish is securing a place or company that will ship them as desired. That being said, there are four steps to accomplish shipping fish. In reality these steps are easy, but they can be made very difficult if you don’t communicate. Communication in a fish deal is the key to making it a successful fish deal. Now let me communicate to you the four steps to successfully shipping your fish.

1) Make the deal Components of making the deal include agreeing on the quantity and price for the fish, shipping method, shipping cost and delivery date. The fish portion of the deal will include agreeing on the quantity of fish, possibly the sex of each fish, and what size or sizes. This should be straight forward, you know your fish and the buyer knows how much he’s willing to spend. Next, deciding on the shipping method is done after some research on your part; after all you are the shipper. Decide on the size of the box based on the number of fish being shipped. This may be vary based on the days in transit. The longer the trip the larger the box is required. Fish will require more oxygen on longer trips which means larger bags, larger bags require larger boxes. After the box size has been decided, check shipping rates for two or three methods, overnight, air lines, etc. Don’t forget you’ll need to know the weight of the package to get an accurate shipping cost. A mock packing will help figure out the weight. Communicate that to the buyer to agree on a method and cost.

A few things to keep in mind when shipping fish. Communication • Only ship large fish, over 4”, via airline – same day delivery can’t be beat. in a fish deal is • Guarantee live arrival – packing fish to last at least three or four days will the key to insure they arrive as intended. To combat scams ask the buyer to return the tails from all dead fish for a refund. making it a I guarantee you won’t be scammed. successful fish • Get payment in advance, no exceptions! Only accept guaranteed deal. payment methods like Pay Pal or a money order from a reputable establishment.

2) Arrange shipping

• Talk directly to the shipper to ensure what their procedures are for shipping live animals. Get the name of who you talk to for future reference or issue resolution. • Make sure there is more than one location willing to accept fish. For example, FedEx only accepts live animals at the local twenty-four hour location. • Ask if they have a special code to use shipping live animals. Continental has a live animal code. • Verify they will ship at the time needed. Some shippers have live animal embargos during very hot or cold weather. • Airlines require shippers to be a “known or verified shipper”. This may take some time to secure, get this set up long before you plan to ship. • The United Postal Service changes policies often; be sure you know the current policy. • Be willing to be flexible, you may have to take your fish back home and ship another day. • The cheapest is not always the best. The buyer won’t mind paying a few dollars more to receive live fish. • Ask what information do they need to ship? FedEx and United Parcel require a phone number while USPS does not. • Don’t buy unnecessary and costly options. For example, the buyer will tell you when the fish arrive, no need to pay extra for the shipper to tell you.

3) Package fish

Make sure fish are packaged to last longer than the estimated shipping time, possibly up to a week. For example, if a two day shipping schedule has been agreed on package the fish to last up to four days. How do I do that you ask? Here are some simple rules to keep in mind.

• Don’t over pack the fish – make sure they fit comfortably in a bag. Don’t put ten two inch fish in a six inch bag. Fish two inches and over should be bagged separately. Small fry, approximately six, one inch or less can be shipped in a single bag. • Don’t feed fish for up to four days depending on the length of their digestive tract. They must be “cleaned out” to ensure the water does not foul during shipping. • Fish need air not water. Fish only need to be covered by water, where they extract O2. The more air available the longer they last in a bag. • Use Bag Buddies or something similar to lightly tranquilize the fish. Stress kills and being tranquilized fish are less likely to be stressed. • Use heat packs below 65 degrees. Poke small holes in the top of the box then tape the heat pack over the holes. Heat packs require oxygen to work properly, providing two small holes (the size of a pencil) will be more than enough. • Always double bag. It will only cost a few cents more compared to loosing a shipment due to a broken bags. • Resist the urge to make the bag very tight. Tightly tied bags can burst at altitude. • Fish boxes can usually be obtained directly from fish stores. The standard “Florida” shipping box can be used for most fish. Larger fish require larger boxes. A Florida shipping box should consist of a styro-foam box with a styro-foam lid and a cardboard shell.

4) Deliver fish to shipper • Make sure the shipper is open, things happen. • Be sure to arrive ahead of schedule in case something happens to delay drop off or there is a problem at the shipping counter. • Notify the buyer the fish are in the hands of the shipper.

There you have the four mains steps necessary to successfully ship your fish. With some preplanning and attention to detail, you can make shipping your fish an enjoyable and successful experience for both you and your customer.

You spent $2,500 to fly down here only to sit in the water all alone at some smelly beach.

Now you’re kicking yourself because you realize that for only $35 you could have registered for Ohio Cichlid Associations Extravaganza 2010 and enjoyed a fun-filled weekend with 400 of your best fish keeping pals, world class speakers, and tons of cichlids.

We understand friend.

Extravaganza 2010 registration is open now.

www.ohiocichlid.com

How to Join The OCA in two simple steps

Send your name, email address, street address, and telephone number to OCA c/o Kyle May, 15730 Whitney Rd., Strongsville, Ohio 44136. Email: [email protected]

Send $15 for one year/ $25 for 2 years by: Check: Use Address Above Cash: Pay at any meeting or event Card: Use our paypal account: [email protected]

Joining the Ohio Cichlid Association has never been easier. If you’ve considered joining but have never gotten around to it, why don’t you join today?

At just $15 bucks per year, we’re not only the finest Cichlid and Catfish club on the planet - we’re also the best deal!

Have Questions? Contact the membership team:

Kyle May [email protected]

Andrew Subotnik [email protected]

Introducing Cichlids

by Dr. Ron Coleman Used courtesy of Aquarticles.com

What is a Cichlid?

A cichlid (pronounced "sick-lid") is a fish in the Family Cichlidae. This is an immense family of freshwater fishes of almost unbelievable diversity. Conservative estimates of the number of species of cichlids range from 1300 to many, many more. Many people have seen a

cichlid without even knowing it: oscars and freshwater angelfish, both common aquarium fishes, are cichlids. A freshwater angelfish is a cichlid.

What is NOT a cichlid?

Lots of fishes are not cichlids. All cichlids are freshwater fish (though a few are occasionally found in brackish water and rarely in coastal marine areas). There are lots of marine fish that look like cichlids but are not cichlids. There are also tons of other freshwater fish that are not cichlids. Keep in mind that the Cichlidae is just one of 482 families of fishes. There are over 25,000 species of fishes all together, which incidentally is more than all the birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians combined.

The Arrowana is a freshwater The piranha is another freshwater The marine fish, Lutjanus kasmira, predator, but not a cichlid. predator, but not a cichlid. a snapper, is not a cichlid.

Evolutionary Relationshps

How do the cichlids fit into the 25,000 species of living fishes? In a nutshell, living fishes can be broken down into 5 classes, the largest of which is called the Actinopterygii, or bony-finned fishes. Other classes include things like hagfish (Class Myxini) and sharks (Class Chondrichthyes). Humans and all other land vertebrates are actually fishes falling into Class Sarcopterygii, or lobe-finned fishes, though we don't usually include the numbers of land vertebrates in the count of fishes.

Of the 57 orders of fishes, 42 of these are Actinopterygians. These include all sorts of fishes including sturgeons and gars, eels, herrings, minnows, catfish, pike, smelt, salmon, cod, anglerfish, livebearers, sculpins, perch-like fish and flatfish. This is a huge group of organisms comprising over 23,000 species.

Within this bounty of diversity there is one order that has exceeded all others in generating new and different forms, and this is the order Perciformes, or perch-like fishes. The perciform fishes (Order #55 according to Nelson 1994) contains 148 families in almost 1500 genera, encompassing almost 10,000 species.

One of those families is the Cichlidae. The cichlids make up a disproportionate number of the Perciform fishes, ranking second in number only to the gobies (Gobiidae). Other large families of perciform fishes include the wrasses (Labridae), sea basses (Serranidae), blennies (Blenniidae), damselfishes (Pomacentridae), drums and croakers (Sciaenidae) and cardinalfishes (Apogonidae) all of which have more than 200 species apiece.

Ichthyologists do not yet fully understand all the complex relationships within the Perciformes; however, it seems relatively certain that the Cichlidae belong in a cluster of closely related families which includes the wrasses (Labridae), the damselfishes (Pomacentridae) and the surfperches (Embiotocidae). This cluster is called the suborder Labrodei.

The Suborder Labroidei

A surfperch; family A clownfish; family Pomacentridae A cichlid; family Cichlidae A wrasse; family Labridae Embiotocidae

Diversity

Global diversity of cichlids Cichlids come in a surprising diversity of shapes, sizes and colours. They share a few common characteristics, including life in freshwater and advanced forms of parental care of their young. These characteristics do not define the cichlids, because many other fishes also have these characteristics and yet are not cichlids, but they do explain part of the immense popularity of these fishes for aquarists. Geographic Distribution -- Cichlids are found in the New

World from southern Texas down to Argentina in South America. They are found throughout Africa and parts of the Middle East. There are cichlids on the Island of Madagascar, on the Island of Sri Lanka, and along the southern coast of India. There are no cichlids native to the Far East or Australia, nor are any found naturally in North America north of Texas. However, cichlids, particularly the genus Tilapia, have been introduced either deliberately or accidentally into many locations around the world where they were not found natively. For instance, there are many introduced cichlids in Cichlids are found in the New World the waterways and canals of southern Florida. and the Old World. In the aquarium hobby, cichlids are often classified as either "New World" or "African". I think this does a great disservice because the differences between various New World cichlids are as great as the differences between New World and African cichlids. Similarly, many African cichlids are radically different from other African cichlids and a beginner might easily be misled into thinking that just because a cichlid comes from Africa tells you something about how it lives, what it eats, how to keep it in an aquarium, etc. This is simply not true. Habitat Distribution -- Cichlids are found in almost every possible body of freshwater within their geographic range including rivers and lakes, swamps and even ditches and puddles. They are not found at high elevations and generally require water warmer than about 68oF (20oC). Diversity of Size and Form -- There are large predatory cichlids like the peacock bass (Cichla ocellarus) of South America and there are tiny secretive cichlids (often called "dwarfs") found in many places, including the kribensis group from West Africa (e.g., Pelvicachromis pulcher) and the genus Apistogramma from South America. There are herbivores (plant-eaters) like the mbuna of Lake Malawi and there are carnivores, like the slender pike-cichlids of the Amazon.

Diversity of Parental Care -- All cichlids provide parental care in one form or another. This is not the norm for fishes -- most fish species do not provide parental care, and of those that do, it is typically the male that provides the parental care (in contrast to mammals or birds where the female is often the primary care-giver). But in cichlids, almost anything can and does happen and that is one of the most fascinating aspects Paratilapia polleni male, of their biology. a Madagascan cichlid. Some species are substrate-spawners, meaning that they lay

their eggs on the ground or on a hard surface like the leaf of a plant or on a log. Parental care then consists of guarding the eggs, fanning them to provide oxygenated water, then caring for the hatchlings (called wrigglers) which eventually become free swimming fry. Cichlids are often devoted parents and the length of parental care may extend for weeks or even months. Most substrate spawners are biparental, meaning both parents take care of the kids, though their exact roles may vary (this is one of the topics I do research on). A few are uniparental with only one parent taking care of the kids.

Some species are substrate-spawners, meaning that they lay their eggs on the ground or on a hard surface like the leaf of a plant or on a log. Parental care then consists of guarding the eggs, fanning them to provide oxygenated water, then caring for the hatchlings (called wrigglers) which eventually become free swimming fry. Cichlids are often devoted parents and the length of parental care may extend for weeks or even months. Most substrate- spawners are bi-parental, meaning both parents take care of the kids, though their exact roles may vary (this is one of the topics I do research on). A few are uni-parental with only one parent taking care of the kids.

Some cichlids are haremic (e.g., some of the Apistogramma) were each female lays her eggs in her own cave in the territory of a male, but there may be several females within this male's territory. Each female provides care for her own young, whereas the male protects the entire territory from other males and predators.

There is an interesting variation on substrate spawning seen particularly in Lake Tanganyika -- the shell dwellers. Shell dwellers lay their eggs in the confines of an unused snail shell. This affords great protection to the offspring because a parent can sit in the mouth of the shell and block any predators. Sometimes the shell is so small that only the female can get into it and the male remains permanently outside on patrol. In such cases the male may be much larger than the female and may have many females in his territory, each with her own shell.

Many species of cichlids, particularly those in Lake Malawi and Lake Victoria, and some in Lake Tanganyika are mouthbrooders. Mouthbrooding is amazing. It is not restricted to cichlids (a number of other families have evolved it independently), but it is nonetheless an incredible thing to see. In these species, a female lays her eggs but rather than sticking them to the substrate, she picks them up in her mouth. The male fertilizes them in her mouth and the eggs remain there, sometimes to hatching, and sometimes well-beyond.

Mouthbrooding is not only found in females in cichlids. Some species are female mouthbrooders, others are biparental Tilapia esculentas female holding eggs mouthbrooders and a few are male mouthbrooders. Even within the mouthbrooders, there are different types. In some South American species, there is a mixture of substrate spawning and mouthbrooding. We call these delayed mouthbrooders: they lay the eggs on the substrate, guard them for a while, and then pick up the young and mouthbrood them. To distinguish delayed mouthbrooders from species which pick up the eggs right after spawning, we call the latter immediate mouthbrooders. There are no live-bearing cichlids, though there are a number of other fish families which give birth to live young.

Keeping Cichlids The popularity of cichlids among aquarists likely stems from three things: many are easy to keep, there are so many kinds and they do interesting things. With few exceptions cichlids can be kept and bred in aquaria. Hundreds of species are currently available in the hobby and many can be kept with a minimum of equipment in aquaria ranging from 10 gallons on up. Some require specialized care and are not for the beginner, but many others are easy to keep and breed. All cichlids provide some form of parental care, meaning that one or both parents tend to the eggs and/or young after laying. Cichlids are devoted parents and watching a pair of cichlids doing their thing is hard to beat.

You share

everything else with your friends…

Why not share the Ohio Cichlid Association?

One of the most often heard comments we get from new members is that they wish someone had told them about The Ohio Cichlid Association sooner. The OCA has some great new things in the works for 2010 making this the best time ever to become a member of The Ohio Cichlid Association!

We’ve all got a friend with whom we discuss our fish and all the cool things about the hobby. Why not invite them to join the OCA and help them to further enhance their fish keeping experience? They’ll thank you for sharing the best kept secret in the aquarium hobby.

Our yearly membership contribution is still only $15. It’s worth the $15 just to get the Buckeye Bulletin magazine delivered to your email box each month. Add on our exclusive “members only” sales area on 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 Fifteen bucks.

With all of the members perks for so little cash, it really is true that The Ohio Cichlid Association is the finest Cichlid and Catfish Club on the planet!

Share your passion with a friend.

Invite them to join the OCA today.

New Gear

& Gadgets by Kyle May

Maxi – Jet Utility Pumps

It was a members post on our web site that got me looking at what’s new with utility pumps. The discussion revolved around which pump would be the best for a sump, gallons per hour (gph), head pressure and cost. It got me thinking about what makes a pump good and also about what is new with pumps these days. Enter Marinelands Maxi-Jet series. Now these aren’t brand spanking new, but they’ve got some real advantages over many of the current pumps that you’ll find on the market today. First they come in 6 sizes to cover about any situation you have that revolves around gallons per hour output as well as amount of vertical pumping (head pressure). See chart below for the specs on each pump.

What makes the Maxi-Jet line of pumps so unique is their versatility. These pumps can be submersed for use in your sump and are great for salt water as well as fresh. They can also be used as an external pump after an incredibly easy modification using parts that come with the pump(except model 400). Each UL listed pump is designed for maximum output with low power consumption, quiet operation, and the sealed motors give off little or no heat. As with all pumps, gallons per hour is rated at the pump and as you add head pressure the gph goes down. But the Maxi-Jet 5500, for example, Changing the pump from internal to external is very still pumps a respectable 150 gph at 13 feet of head! easy, and this adds to the versatility of these pumps.

As with all things a value isn’t a value if I’ve got to Model Flow Rate Max Head Watts give up too much cash to get it. In this case the 400 106 gph 2.1 ft 7 model 400 costs just over $20 and the 5500 just 900 247 gph 4.1 ft 10 over $100 bucks. I’ve had several Marineland filters 1100 294 gph 5.7 ft 21 running in my fish room for years, so I know the 1800 475 gph 7.0 ft 38 quality of these pumps will offer me economy and 3000 775 gph 9.1 ft 58 reliability. I think there’s real value in the Maxi-Jet 4500 1,240 gph 8.3 ft 70 series of utility pumps. 5500 1,384 gph 13 ft 75

Go see Marinelands products at RMS Aquaculture, 6629 Engle Rd. , Cleveland, Ohio (216) 433-1340 RMS Aquaculture is a proud supporter of The Ohio Cichlid Association . OCA Fishy Swap Meet 2010 Buy, sell, and trade fish and all aquaristic items!

For More Information contact: Andrew Subotnik phone: 330-730-3177 [email protected] www.ohiocichlid.com

No water will be provided! All offerings must be legal in the State of Ohio. Buyers admission: $2.00 individual, $3 family. When Sellers: $20 per table if paid in advance, 12 September 2010 until 2pm $30 per table if paid at the door. Seller setup begins at 10am (The seller table fee includes admission Buyers can enter at 11am for 2 people for each table. Up to two sellers per table are OK) Where OCA Fishy Swap Meet: Cleveland, OH Strongsville Holiday Inn Sellers get what they ask! 15471 Royalton Road Or have the choice to take their item back home. Strongsville, Ohio Buyers buy when they want! Phone: 440-238-8800 No waiting around like at auctions!

OCA Fish

Market

Members Only ads. For Sale, trade, or want to buy.

Lew Carbone 419-681-1628 • [email protected] SELL Will deliver to meeting

Protomelas kirkii 1.5” $2 ea Thorichthys “Mixteco Gold” 1.25” $3 ea

Looking for:

Copadichrois borleyi “Kadango” young male(s) or group

Melanochromis labrosus adult

male(s) or group

For Sale:

Pr. Herichthys Carpintis “Green Texas”: adults – incredible color $40 (male show quality) Neoplamprologus Leleupi: 1.5” $3 ea. Nice orange color at this size! Archocentrus Nanoluteus F1: $3 ea/10 for $20 Mellow Central 5” max. Hypsophyrs Nicarguensis: $3ea/ 10 for $20 Parents had amazing color. Archocentrus Spilurus: Breeding prs available $15 pr. -2” Fry $3 ea. Cichlid Max Food: Sinking Pellet 6oz/$2 12oz/$3 16oz/$5 5lb/$20 Large Floating Pellet: 1/2lb $3 1lb/$5

Kyle May - 216-548-5165 - [email protected]

Have an ad you’d like to place? OCA members place ads for free. Contact: [email protected] Don’t forget to check out the trade section in the OCA area on Cichlidae.com. 20 Happy Birthday Kingfish! Representing: MARS FISCHCARE North America Aquarian Flake Foods Aquarium Pharmaceuticals - Rena, Pond Care Aquarium Technology Inc. - ATI Sponge Filters Finley Aquatic Books - Lee Finley The Fish Factory - Mike & Robin Schadle Cichlid News - subscriptions available Diskus Brief - past issues available Discus Hans USA Swiss Tropicals - Poret Filter Foam Eastern Aquatic Blackworms - Craig Shaubach Blue Zoo Radio Pleco Caves Ken’s Fish Manufacturer Spokesperson Python Ray Lucas Speaker • Judge • Auctioneer Kingfish Services E-6715 Pinehurst Drive Boston, New York 14025 20 years of getting you Phone: 716-941-3701 hooked on tropical fish! Fax: 716-941-5172 Email: [email protected] Good for the hobby, www.kingfishservices.net organizations & industry! www.ohiocichlid.com Aquarium Technology, Aquarium Technology, Inc. was founded Exciting! in 1991 by Joseph C. Gargiulo. Mr. Gargiulo, an avid hobbyist, developed and patented the HydroSponge Filter. The Turbo-Flow has also been granted a patent and is the final stage of that process. As one can see, ATI is a company with ingenuity and creativity.

Contact your local pet store for the best sponge filter products on the market! Visit our website at: www.atisponge.com

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Aquarium Societies Oyer Cichlids sponsoring the OCA Extravaganza 2009 810-229-2122 CAFE [email protected] www.columbusfishclub.org East Coast Cichlids www.EastCoastCichlids.org Greater Cincinnati Aquarium Society www.gcas.org Youngstown Area Tropical Fish Society www.yatfs.com - Quality Cichlids Many thanks from the OCA! - Unbeatable Prices Plecocaves.com KENS FISH - Pleco Caves - Breeding Caves - SERA Fish Food Home of quality tropical - Driftwood fish food and supplies - Fish www.kensfish.com [email protected] 508-823-4043

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www.ohiocichlid.com …one last thing.

Funniest Pond Stories by Brett Fogle

Reprinted, with permission, from Pond Stuff, newsletter of macarthurwatergardens.com of Baton Rouge, Florida Used courtesy of Aquarticles.com

-Pond Stuff asked aquarists to send in funny pond stories to see who had the funniest story. Over the summer months, I’ll be including some stories that I’ve selected from their compilation. I don’t have the available space to run this article in its entirety, but will run it in bits over the summer –Ed.

We had some hilarious, truly gut wrenching, laugh out-loud stories sent in by some of you. Here we're going to highlight some of the funniest stories for you to read. We had entries from all over the place, including one all the way from THAILAND! The competition was fierce, and to be honest - I had a really hard time deciding on one 'funniest' story, but here's a brief rundown of our entries: cats, dogs, and bunnies (?) all taking the Nestea plunge right into the water, a hungry KOI nibbling in dangerous territory, a missing flip flop, an electrifying experience for grandma, fun for the whole family, and flying fish to boot! First, let's start with this very funny story about 'Smokey' - who apparently thinks he can walk on water. This was sent in by Mike Lachance from Maryland:

Funny Pond Story #1

"I wish I had a photo to share of this very true story, but any ponder with cats has likely had the same experience at some time or another. Several years ago when I was enjoying the second season of my first pond (I have now built four as I've moved around), one of our cats, "Smokey", who was a natural hunter in her prime, saw a mockingbird alight on a lily pad to get a drink of water. Well, old "Smokester" slowly crept out from under some day lilies and made a spectacular jump with all four paws majestically carrying her like a flying squirrel, right for that intruding bird. 'It is not as though she had not already had a couple of encounters with the water but that day the feathered treat must have been too much for her to pass up. Well, both my wife and I were there to see her make a wonderful belly flop into the pond. 'Of course, the bird was out of the way in plenty of time and I swear that that cat walked on her toes the five feet it took her to get out of the water! And of course, after removing herself from the water, in a very nonchalant manner, proceeded to lift each leg, shake off the water and as much as say "I meant to do that, you know." 'Smokey often spent time at the pond later, using her tail to attract the fish (she would put it in the water and swish it around and the fish would come up to explore it. She never did catch one). She also loved to sit at the waterfall and enjoy the water moving past her. 'So that is my funny pond story."