In this issue: 3 The Future of the Fed- eration of Texas Aquarium Societies Greg Steeves 8 FOTAS BAP 17 FOTAS HAP 24 FOTAS CARES Greg Steeves 25 Spawning the Buffalo- Volume 5 Issue 4 head Cichlid The FOTAS Fish Tales is a quarterly publication of the Federation of Texas Duc Nguyen Aquarium Societies a non-profit organization. The views and opinions contained within are not necessarily those of the editors and/or the officers 27 GloFish, Love them or and members of the Federation of Texas Aquarium Societies. Hate them, They are here to stay! FOTAS Fish Tales Editor: Gerald Griffin [email protected] Gerald Griffin Fish Tales Submission Guidelines 31 What the Heck is an ESU? Articles: Leslie Dick Please submit all articles in electronic form. We can accept most popular software formats and fonts. Email to [email protected]. Photos and 35 Spawning Julido- graphics are encouraged with your articles! Please remember to include the photo/graphic credits. Graphics and photo files may be submitted in chromis dickfieldi any format, however uncompressed TIFF, JPEG or vector format is pre- Gerald Griffin ferred, at the highest resolution/file size possible. If you need help with graphics files or your file is too large to email, please contact me for alterna- 37 Meet the San Antonio tive submission info. Aquatic Plant Club Art Submission: Chris Lewis Graphics and photo files may be submitted in any format. However, uncom- pressed TIFF, JPEG or vector formats are preferred. Please submit the 39 Participating in the FO- highest resolution possible. TAS BAP and HAP Next deadline…… Gerald Griffin January 15th 2016 On the Cover: COPYRIGHT NOTICE GloFish - Photos by York- All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, town Technolgies stored in a retrieval system, transmitted, distributed, sold or publicly displayed in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy- Design and Layout ing, recording, or otherwise, except for fair use, without the explicit permission of the Federation of Texas Aquarium Societies, San Antonio, Gerald Griffin Texas. Fish Tales | 2 The Future of the Federation of Texas Aquarium Societies Group Photo from FOTAS 14 which featured a 70s theme. first relocated to Texas in this day has remained one of our 2002. Although I had been a closest friends in the hobby. This life long aquarium hobbyist, remarkable lady is part of the trio II had never been to any kind of a that makes up the Babes in the show or convention. This does not Cichlid Hobby but more on this in mean that I was unaware of their a future article. Caroline told us of existence, in fact, quite the oppo- the upcoming FOTAS convention site. I had subscribed to the classic that was being held south of Hous- aquatic magazines such as Tropical ton in Clear Lake (FOTAS 2003). Fish Hobbyist, Aquarium Digest, The speaker lineup was fantastic Greg Steeves Aquageo, and as a member of the with Heiko Bleher, Spencer Jack, American Cichlid Association, the Jeff Cardwell and Anita Nelson all I started maintaining haplochromine Buntbarsche Bulletin. Reading presenting. We made plans and cichlids over 20 years ago and they remain these publications cover to cover, on Friday, September 12th, 2003, my passion to this day. Collectively, the I was well aware that there was a walked into the Hilton NASA and Steeves’ have bred more that 150 spe- cies of fish, the majority being African thriving organized hobby in Texas; immediately seen people that I rec- cichlids. When I moved to Texas from I just had to find it. As fate would ognized for those earlier magazine Canada, I helped form the Hill Country have it, I was able to seek out fellow subscriptions. Kathy and Marvin Cichlid Club and in recent years, taken on fish heads. This ultimately led to England were the first familiar faces the presidency of the Federation of Texas the formation of the Hill Country (likely from Buntbarsche Bulletin Aquarium Societies. I am fortunate to be invited to speak regularly at organizations Cichlid Club and, my discovery of pages) I happened to find but im- across North America on Haplochromine FOTAS. mediately, the ambient sound of cichlids and Texas Natives. I’ve written chatter and laughter made us feel for many magazines around the world that Lee Ann (my wife) and I, in those relaxed and welcomed. Shortly have been translated into twelve different early days, enjoyed taking an after- after that I met, for the very first languages (I’ve been counting). I have written three books which I am very proud noon and driving to our favorite time, the convention chairman of. Lee Ann and I truly enjoy attending fish shop, an establishment called and organizer, Charles Jones. Who fish conventions and seeing old and new Amazonia in Austin Texas. The would have thought that all these friends, the element that makes this hobby owner, a woman named Caroline years later, Charles and I are still the best in the world! Estes, befriended us early on and to partners in crime? All in all it was Fish Tales | 3 of their clubs. In recent years, it The Show Room at FOTAS became evident to me that there 15 featuring dozens of species were a lot of doers out there and if competing against each other. we could all get together, and work towards a common goal, FOTAS was in for a renaissance. In 2012, FOTAS president Marvin England called me and asked me to consider running for his post at the next FOTAS convention. I was not expecting this at all. At first I had said ‘no’ as Marvin was a wonderful leader and a “go to” guy when anything was needed. He had explained that he wanted a fantastic weekend and one I’ll and administered annual scholar- to see a new executive for FOTAS never forget for that convention is ships. I feel that with the evolution and also, that after many years, the the reason I got hooked in orga- of the hobby (becoming more of a FOTAS patriarch, Dr. Keith Arnold, nized aquatics. I could see the po- virtual community) FOTAS could was stepping down as treasurer. tential in a collective group of like have continued to be a figurehead I thought on his proposition for minded people being able to create for annual conventions and would several weeks and at the convention something that many would enjoy. have survived in this capacity for a in San Antonio, hosted by my club, long time. the HCCC. I accepted the nomina- At the banquet n Clear Lake, Hal tion and voted in as president. In Collins gave a talk that touched I believe in most individual clubs, the years since, we’ve maintained on the history of FOTAS which there are those that can be counted much of the same executive with was a real eye opener. FOTAS had on; those that are clear leaders. Kyle Osterholt as Vice President, been established in 1951 with the These people stand out as the doers Lisa Hufsetler as secretary and first “meeting” occurring in Cor- Ralph DeBoard as treasurer. Not pus Christi in 1952. Although I listened intently, I had no idea of Some of the many auction what my future involvement with goods available at the funny FOTAS would be. In the years after money auction at FOTAS 14 that event in 2003, I helped form and grow the Hill Country Cichlid Club. We joined FOTAS in 2003 and I became a delegate (represen- tative of my club). At that time we had two meetings a year, one at the annual convention and one at Texas A&M in College Station. In the years after, a lull seemed to occur with regards to activity and FOTAS became known only as an annual convention. That is not to say there was no activity other than this. Dr. Keith Arnold diligently overseen the organizations finances Fish Tales | 4 only has this board been extremely active, we’ve had the guidance of The Peoples Choice Dr. Arnold who oversees our aca- Winner at FOTAS 15 demic awards, and Marvin England on club direction. Perhaps one of the biggest boosts that FOTAS has had in recent years is Gerald Grif- fin. Gerald has taken over the de- funct publication “Fish Tales” and has turned it into one of the best aquatic publications in the country, and together with Mike Johnson, Chris Lewis, Charles Jones and oth- ers, is erecting a Breeders Awards Points and Horticultural Awards Points programs that will be avail- able to all members of FOTAS clubs. There are a lot of great plans Brazos Valley Aquarium Society, Houston Aquarium Society, the on the horizon. The right groups The Houston Aquarium Soci- Texas Cichlid Association, the of people are involved and we are ety (the only surviving chartered Oklahoma Aquarium Association, all able to work together with very member of FOTAS) and the Texas Lone Star Bettas, the Hill Coun- little, if any, disagreement. Every- Cichlid Association. There was also try Cichlid Club, the San Antonio one should be feeling extremely the Fish Judges Registry of Texas Aquatic Plant Club, Oklahoma optimistic for the future of FOTAS which was a loose group of certified Betta Breeders and the South East and it’s resurrection into becoming fish judges. Louisiana Aquarium Society. All the best regional aquarium society representatives from these organi- in the world. Clubs come and go however; zations are wonderful people who growth in membership has been want to see FOTAS evolve. We are In 2003 FOTAS contained three steady.