December 2011

Raleigh Aquarium Society Volume 31, Issue 12© December 2011

DECEMBER 2011 The Raleigh Aquarium Society (RAS) meets on the first Thursday of each month at 7:30 pm. All meetings are held in room 101 of the Research Building on the campus of the NCSU College of Veterinary Medicine located at 4700 Hillsborough Street in Raleigh, North Carolina. Typical meeting agendas begin with a discussion of assorted business topics, followed by a program of interest to the membership, and conclude with a raffle of fish, plants, and equipment/supplies. Complimentary light refreshments are provided and guests are always welcome. For more information, visit our website at http://www.raleighaquariumsociety.org/ or email us at [email protected]. You can also join our Yahoo forums group located at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/raleighaquariumsociety/.

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Table of Contents:

Table of Contents: ...... 2 December 2011 Program (12/1/11 @ 7:30pm) – Holiday Party!”: ...... 2 2011 Calendar of RAS Club Events: ...... 3 Club Officers and Committee Chairs: ...... 4 Editor’s Corner: ...... 4 SoMeThInG’s FiShY:...... 5 Fish Activity: ...... 6 November 2011 Silent Auction ...... 6 Breeders’ Award Program (BAP) Report ...... 6 Fish Hooks: ...... 7 Fish Market: ...... 8 Fish Migrations: ...... 9 Next Roadie! ...... 9 Fish Operations: ...... 9 Proposal Status ...... 9 Fish Posts: ...... 10 Death of Puidi, the Beluga Whale ...... 10 Water Chemistry, Cycling, Health Reference Articles ...... 10 Stealth Heaters ...... 11 Fish School: ...... 13 Fish Tales: ...... 19 Top 10 Signs Someone is an Aquarium Hobbyist ...... 19 Another Top 10 Signs That Someone Is An Aquarium Hobbyist ...... 19 Some Wacky Fish Laws ...... 20 RAS Sponsors: ...... 21 RAS Publicity Poster: ...... 22 RAS Membership Application: ...... 23

December 2011 Program (12/1/11 @ 7:30pm) – Holiday Party!”:

As is our tradition, the RAS December meeting will be the annual holiday party with food and fun for all. We will meet at the Nature Center building at White Deer Park in Garner (see map on this month’s newsletter cover page) at 7:00pm (setup at 6:30pm), with the club providing the main course food items, drinks, ice, and paper products, and the membership sharing in by bringing a side dish or dessert. We will have no formal program, but the 2011 BAP awards will be presented by our Breeder Awards Chairman Larry Jinks. Also, we won’t be having a silent auction (that resumes in January), but we will have a spectacular raffle. Raffle Chairman Sean Smith has got some great surprises in store for us during this final end-of-year event. We’ve searched the back rooms and alleys of local pet stores and aquariums and have some fantastic leads for 2012. We hope you can join us.

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2011 Calendar of RAS Club Events:

Club Meetings Business Meetings Auction Fish Food Field Trips Other January 6th 20th 22nd February 3rd 17th 12th (AJ) March 3rd 17th 20th (JP) April 7th 21st 2nd (PVAS) May 5th 19th 21st (FIN) June 2nd 16th 18th (AJ) July 7th 21st 24th (ACA) August 4th 18th 20th September 1st 15th 25th October 6th 20th 1st (PVAS) November 3rd 17th 10/29 December 1st 8th 1st

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Club Officers and Committee Chairs:

President and Program Chairperson: Todd Wenzel [[email protected]] Vice-President: Linda Twaddle [[email protected]] Secretary and Newsletter Editor: Michael Maieli [[email protected]] Treasurer and Road Trip Chairperson: John Patterson [[email protected]]

Workshop/Auction Chairperson: Chris Smith [[email protected]] Breeders Award Program (BAP) Chairperson: Larry Jinks [[email protected]] Raffle/Silent Auction Chairperson: Shawn Smith [[email protected]] Refreshments Chairperson: Emily Hirtle [[email protected]] Utility/Logistics Chairperson: Jim Corbett [[email protected]] Yahoo Group Administrator: Gerald Pottern [[email protected]] Webmaster: Walter Wu [[email protected]]

Editor’s Corner:

Welcome to this month’s newsletter! Contributions to this publication are always welcome from our members or other interested individuals. This includes business or technical articles, items to buy/sell/trade, activity updates, trip reports, news, classes, job openings, etc. Please submit your information to the club secretary via electronic mail [raleighaquariumsociety @ yahoo.com] or via hardcopy at any of our meetings or club gatherings. Monthly newsletters will be published about one week prior to the meetings and sent blindcopy to your e-mail address on file. Items received by that time will be published in the current issue. Any questions, comments, or concerns about the RAS newsletter, web page, or forums group should be addressed to the club secretary for considered action. You will be notified of the result. If you do not wish to receive this newsletter in the future, or if you have any updates to your contact information (name, address, phone, e-mail, favorite hobby area), please inform the club secretary.

As we come to the close of our 30th year as a club, the board would like to thank the membership for your continued interest and support of the Raleigh Aquarium Society. Our organization has grown from a handful of dedicated hobbyists located in the Raleigh region to now having nearly 300 people or groups across the Triangle area, state, and country involved in our activities. We have sponsored workshops, auctions, and trips, provided various community services, established ties with local businesses, and can boast some members being nationally known as teachers, speakers, or authors. With your ongoing support, we look forward to another three decades of operation!

One final note should be made about the location we use at the NCSU Vet School for our monthly meetings. Please keep in mind that we are guests of this facility, and should treat the rooms, its furniture, and equipment in a responsible manner. Direct any questions or problems you may have to the club secretary for resolution. Thank you for your assistance in this matter.

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SoMeThInG’s FiShY:

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Fish Activity:

November 2011 Silent Auction

By Larry Jinks

The silent auction was sparse in November with only a few fish and plants made available to the membership. A bag of white guppies and some Cuban livebearers were the highlight, but please consider helping us out by bringing in your assorted fish, plant, and invertebrate items to our future monthly silent auctions. You’ll be helping other individuals get interested in things they might not normally consider, plus make some money while you’re at it. Thanks for a great 2011.

Breeders’ Award Program (BAP) Report

By Larry Jinks

Thanks to everyone who participated in the BAP program during 2011. We had a very good year with lots of unique fish for our various raffles and auctions, and lots of continued learning and experiences in the hobby. Our December meeting will present awards to our club winners. No new breeder entries were available in November, so our year-end results are what they were for last month.

Breeder of the Year Standings (as of 12/1/11) Cumulative BAP Standings (as of 12/1/11) 1. Frank Montillo = 230 1. Todd Wenzel = 675 2. Larry Jinks = 225 2. Neil Frank = 300 3. Eric Hanneman = 80 3. Larry Jinks = 260 4. Gerald Pottern = 35 4. Gerald Pottern = 230 5. Todd Wenzel = 15 5. Frank Montillo = 230 6. Dave Herlong = 120 7. Eric Hanneman = 80

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Fish Hooks:

 US Directory = www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/292232-local-aquarium-society-directory/

 Atlanta Area Aquarium Association (located in Atlanta, GA) = www.atlantaaquarium.com/

 Betta Habari (located in Houston, TX) = www.bettahabari.org

 Brooklyn Aquarium Society (located in Brooklyn, NY) = www.brooklynaquariumsociety.org

 Capital Cichlid Association (located in Silver Spring, MD) = www.capitalcichlids.org

 Central Alabama Koi & Water Garden Society (located in Midfield, AL) = www.pondpals.org

 Charlotte Area Aquarists Society (located in Charlotte, NC) = www.aquacharlotte.org

 Columbia Marine Aquarium Club (located in Columbia, SC) = www.columbiamac.org

 Delaware County Aquarium Society (located in Springfield, PA) = www.dcas.us

 East Tennessee Reef Club (located in Knoxville, TN) = www.easttnreefclub.com

 Florida Marine Aquarium Society (located in Plantation, FL) = www.fmas1955.org

 Gold Coast Aquarium Society (located in Fort Lauderdale, FL) = www.goldcoastaquarium.com

 Greater Pittsburgh Aquarium Society (located in Pittsburgh, PA) = www.gpasi.org

 Honolulu Aquarium Society = http://honoluluaquariumsociety.startlogic.com/index.html

 Iowa Aquaria Association = http://www.iowa-aquaria.com/

 Jersey Shore Aquarium Society (located in Freehold, NJ) = www.jerseyshoreas.org

 Kingfish Services (located in Boston, NY) = www.kingfishservices.net/

 Long Island Aquarium Society (located in Stony Brook, NY) = www.liasonline.org

 Louisville Tropical Fish Fanciers (located in Louisville, KY) = www.ltff.net

 Marine Aquarium Society of the Carolinas (located in Raleigh, NC) = www.reefkeeping.com

 North Carolina Koi & Watergarden Society (located in Raleigh, NC) = www.nckws.com/

 Ohio Cichlid Association (located in Strongsville, OH) = www.ohiocichlid.com

 Potomac Valley Aquarium Society (located in Fairfax, VA) = www.pvas.com/

 South Jersey Guppy Group (located in Griggstown, NJ) = www.guppysa2z.com

 Tropical Fish Society of Rhode island (located in Seekonk, RI) = www.tfsri.net

 Utah Great Salt Lake Aquarium Society = http://www.gslas.com/index.html

 Wisconsin Green Bay Aquarium Society = http://www.gbasonline.org/gbashome.htm

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Fish Market:

 FOR SALE: Blackworms @ $14.00/pound or @ $8.00/half pound. Contact Gerald Pottern [(919)556-8845 or [email protected]]. {expires 12/31/11}

 FOR SALE: Xtreme foods – Cichlid “Peewee” (1.5 mm pellets) @ $19.00/18 ounce pack or Cichlid “Big Fella” (3.0 mm pellets) @ $19.00/18 ounce pack or 2 packs/$35.00. Monster (9.0 mm pellets) and micro sizes also available. Contact Eric Hanneman [(919)561-0301 or [email protected]]. {expires 12/31/11}

 WANTED: Bolivian Rams for home aquarium. I have a 75 gallon dwarf cichlid tank with five apistogramma and 10 tetras, but just one ram (male, I believe) Does anyone have any rams for sale ($4.00-$8.00) to a good home?? Thanks. Contact Foster Vestal [(919)272-1736 or [email protected]]. {expires 12/31/11}

 WANTED: Purple guppies. The shop in Hickory seems to have closed, and online, I keep finding old references to purples but no recent ones. Contact Laurie Adams [(352)443-0988 or [email protected]]. {expires 12/31/11}

 FOR SALE: Lace angelfish – have produced fry multiple times @ $20.00/pair; red minor serape @ $1.00/each; true Siamese algae eaters @ $3.00/each; giant portion of java fern @ $50.00/entire piece. Contact Jason Green [(919)233-5254 or [email protected]]. {expires 12/31/11}

 FOR SALE: 125 gallon marine tank – complete setup with custom-made stand, lid/light, protein skimmer, auto water add, refugium, calcium reactor, fish, and coral for $450.00 (empty 125 gallon tank with some above items for $200.00). Must pick up from Eden, NC. Contact Ziggy Osbourne [(336)627-8080 or [email protected]]. {expires 1/31/12}

 FOR SALE: Mated Pair (well bonded) of Blue Angelfish - lots of iridescent blue on the body with nice smoky markings, pearlscale with orange/red eyes and silver dollar or larger size. Originally from specialized breeder, asking $75/pair. Photos available by email. Contact Laurie Adams [(352)443-0988 or [email protected]]. {expires 1/31/12}

 WANTED: Amano shrimp. Does anyone have any of these? Contact Foster Vestal [(919)272-1736 or [email protected]]. {expires 1/31/12}

 FOR TRADE: Angelicus Loaches (Botia Kubottai), a large pair. Will trade for discus. Contact Ron Mattera [(919)951-9147 or [email protected]]. {expires 2/29/12}

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Fish Migrations:

Next Roadie!

By John Patterson

RAS will not sponsor a field trip in December due to our holiday party. Field trips will resume in 2012. If you are interested in becoming our new RAS road trip coordinator, please contact John Patterson at (919)264-4011 or email him at [email protected]. We are considering future field trips to the Wilmington Serpentarium and to any/all of the 3 North Carolina coastal aquariums located at Manteo, Pine Knoll Shores, and Fort Fisher (pictures shown last month). Trips to large and popular NC/SC/VA aquariums or shops, local collecting excursions, and attendance at other club workshops/auctions are expected to continue in 2012. Send your comments on these or other trips to John.

Fish Operations:

Proposal Status

By Michael V. Maieli

Our latest RAS board meeting was held on 11/17/11 in room 101 of the Research Building at the NCSU Vet School campus. Any club member can attend any board meeting to provide their input on club issues. Meetings are normally scheduled for the 3rd Thursday of each month at the same time/location as regular club meetings. To view recent proposal history, refer to the Fish Operations section of earlier newsletters listed on the club’s website.

Proposals/actions discussed but not yet decided upon or FYI items include:  2012 RAS Trip coordinator position (TBD in early 2012).  Our newest club sponsor (“Fishworld” on Westinghouse Boulevard, Raleigh) is no longer in business. This is the second attempt for a tropical fish store at that location.

Proposals/actions passed include:  2012 workshop logistics (2/18/12-2/19/12 @ NC State Fairgrounds Martin Building; action needed on room dividers, shades, A/V equipment, 7 speakers invited [2 flyers, 2 drivers, 3 locals on ornamental fish farming, plants, barbs, rainbows, west Africans, more…], banquet reservations, vendors, donations, committees [registration, auction, speaker transportation, banquet, vendor], publicity issues [type, quantity], etc.).

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 December meeting logistics finalized (White Deer Park location, 12/1/11 @ 7:00pm, 6:30pm setup, club to provide main food items/drinks/ice/paper products, members to bring side dish or dessert to share, 2011 BAP awards is the program, big raffle to be held, etc.).  Club will continue to subsidize monthly raffles with a $40.00 standard. Additional financing of up to $50.00/month will be made available for “one-of-a-kind” sales or deals.  Club secretary to purchase raffle items for the foreseeable future.  December 2012 business meeting moved up one week to be held on 12/8/11.

Proposals/actions denied include:  None.

Fish Posts:

Death of Puidi, the Beluga Whale

Posted by Shedd Aquarium

Water Chemistry, Cycling, Health Reference Articles

Posted by Gerald Pottern and Deborah Slack … I found some truly excellent and concise reference articles on basic aquarium keeping, water chemistry, and fish health by Thomas Narten, so I'm posting the main link here. At first I thought it might be the T. Narten who came to our RAS meting last night, but that guy had considerably greyer hair than the one in the picture who wrote these articles: http://www.cs.duke.edu/~narten/csnarten.gif So whoever he is, here is the main link which contains sub-links to each of his nine articles. http://www.cs.duke.edu/~narten/faq/main.html Page 10 of 24 Raleigh Aquarium Society Volume 31, Issue 12© December 2011

Beginner: Introduction Beginner: Basic Aquarium Hardware Beginner: Identifying Good Stores Beginner: Introduction to the Nitrification Cycle Beginner: Stress and Healthy Fishkeeping Beginner: Water Chemistry Beginner: Water Treatment Beginner: Partial Water Changes Beginner: Miscellaneous

… Hi. I think he may be who you are thinking of. I'm pretty sure I remember him from Carolina Aquatic Plants Enthusiasts meetings …

Stealth Heaters

Posted by Len Perazzo and Michael Maieli

… Just to let everyone know. There is currently a recall on all stealth heaters 25 watts and up. If you contact their customer service dept they will replace or refund the cost of any stealth heaters you may own …

… Len, FYI, here is the actual web page description …

Aquarium Heaters Recalled by United Pet Group Due to Fire and Laceration Hazards WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product. Name of Product: Marineland Stealth and Stealth Pro Aquarium Heaters Units: About 1.2 million Importer: United Pet Group, of Cincinnati, Ohio Hazard: A wiring problem can cause the aquarium heaters to overheat or break during normal use, damaging the aquarium and posing fire and laceration hazards to consumers. Overheating can cause the heater to shatter or the aquarium glass to break. Incidents/Injuries: United Pet Group has received 38 reports of fires resulting in property damage and 45 reports of broken aquarium glass. United Pet Group has received one report of a consumer who suffered an eye injury when the aquarium heater forcefully broke while he held it. Description: The recall involves the following Marineland Stealth and Stealth Pro aquarium heaters. The heaters are black plastic tubes and have a temperature adjustment knob at the top. The model name "Stealth" (in white letters) or "Stealth Pro" (in red letters) is printed on the side of the heater. The

Page 11 of 24 Raleigh Aquarium Society Volume 31, Issue 12© December 2011 model number and the wattage rating are printed below the model name. Stealth Pro heaters were also sold as part of aquarium starter kits. Marineland Stealth Models Marineland Stealth Pro Models Wattage Model # Wattage Model # 25W ETP25 25W ML90447-00 50W ETP50 50W ML90448-00 75W ETP75 75W ML90449-00 100W ETP100 100W ML90450-00 150W ETP150 150W ML90451-00 200W ETP200 200W ML90452-00 250W ETP250 250W ML90453-00 300W ML90454-00

Sold at: Pet stores nationwide and on various websites from January 2004 through February 2011 for between $20 and $300. Manufactured in: China and Italy Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled aquarium heaters and contact United Pet Group for a free replacement aquarium heater or a full refund. Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact United Pet Group at (800) 338-4896 between 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm's website at www.marineland.com

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Fish School:

EVERYTHING YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW (AND MUCH MORE) ABOUT FISH FOOD… From www.fishlore.com

If you want to get the most out of your fish it is important to give them a variety of fish foods. While you can give them just flake food, you should try to vary their diet with some of the different types of tropical fish food described below. Two or three small feedings a day is better than one feeding per day. Only put in as much food that the fish will consume within 2 minutes. Overfeeding your fish will lead to poor water quality and stressed fish. Freeze-dried foods are a safe alternative to live fish food due to the treatment of these foods before the freeze drying process. Be extremely careful when using live foods (especially feeder goldfish) due to the diseases that they may carry. Automatic Fish Food Feeder

These are good to use because they will dispense the same amount of food at specified intervals, usually every 12 hours. They can also be utilized while you are away on vacation. Flake Fish Food

Flakes are easy to use and your fish will like it. Flakes usually float on the surface while the fish eat. If you have bottom dwelling fish like Cory Cats, you will want to use something like algae wafers or pellets that sink to the bottom. You can use flakes as the primary food source because it contains most of the vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that your fish need. They are also easy on your fish's digestive system. Start off by using just a pinch or two. If your fish gobble it up in less than 2 minutes, try another tiny pinch. Avoid overfeeding because this can lead to poor, cloudy water. Also keep in mind that flake food does get bad if you've had it for a long time. Just imagine eating from a 6 month old box of cereal. So, it's probably best to go for the smaller flake food containers instead of the jumbo containers that will last for 5 years. Brine Shrimp

Brine shrimp is a great food for getting your fish ready for fish breeding. It can also be used as an excellent treat for your fish. Use it as a supplement to the daily diet of flake fish food. You Page 13 of 24 Raleigh Aquarium Society Volume 31, Issue 12© December 2011 can also create your own brine shrimp rather easily. Check out the brine shrimp hatchery page for details on how to create a DIY hatchery. Blood Worms

If you have carnivorous fish you may want to supplement their diet with some blood worms. Your other fish will love these as well. Blood worms are high in protein and only feed them to your fish occasionally. Krill Krill are small crustaceans that are often used to enhance the colors in tropical fish. It is not recommended to feed krill daily to your fish. Use it as an occasional supplement to their diet. Shrimp Pellets

Made from brine shrimp and because these pellets usually sink to the bottom, they can be used to feed your bottom dwelling fish. Brine shrimp is a great fish food and is often used to stimulate breeding in tropical fish. Spirulina Spirulina is a type of blue-green algae that can be a great supplement for your fish that are primarily herbivores. What is the benefit of spirulina? It contains many amino and fatty acids that are the building blocks for proteins. It is also usually vitamin enriched. Fish such as Plecos, Silver Dollars and Mollies will really benefit from a diet supplemented with spirulina fish food. It should help make your fish more regular with their bowel movements. Algae Wafers These wafers were specifically developed for the hard to feed plecostomus and other algae eating bottom feeders. Cory cats and Silver Dollars will go after these sinking wafers as well. It can be really funny to watch Silver Dollars chase each other around the tank when one gets the algae wafer. This food can be a great supplement for the aforementioned species as well as other herbivorous fish. Drop one or two in at night when the tank lights go off for your bottom feeders. This way they won't have to compete with the top dwelling species for the wafers. Frozen Fish Food Frozen fish foods are great for getting high quality, fresh food to your fish. These foods are usually high in proteins and fats so check the label to see exactly what you're giving your fish. Manufacturers are making frozen varieties of the many tropical fish food types, including brine shrimp, beef heart, bloodworms, daphnia, krill, plankton, silversides, etc. You can sometimes get the frozen fish food in cube packs that really makes it easy to dispense. Using frozen fish food can be messy, to cut down on the amount of pollution added to your tank you may want to thaw the frozen food in a bowl and then slowly spoon feed it to your tank. Only put in as much food as your fish will eat as soon as it

Page 14 of 24 Raleigh Aquarium Society Volume 31, Issue 12© December 2011 touches the water. Feeding your fish high quality, frozen foods will really do wonders for them. You may start to notice that your fish have improved colors and they may even start breeding. Freeze Dried Fish Food Freeze dried fish foods are great foods as well. However, they are one of the most expensive types of tropical fish foods per ounce. There are benefits to using freeze dried foods. They are not very messy, they tend to float at the top of the tank for a very long period of time and they have been decontaminated (free from fish disease) by the manufacturer before the freeze drying process. If you've used freeze dried fish food you know how fish go after them. Freeze dried food is a very good way to supplement your pet's diet. Live Fish Food Live tropical fish food is exactly what you think it is. The food is still alive when you introduce it to the tank. Brine shrimp, Daphnia, Feeder Goldfish and worms are usually the main live foods given to tropical fish. Many give feeder Goldfish to their Piranhas and Lionfish. If you plan on using live foods, caution is advised because feeder fish can bring fish disease along with them. Earth worms can be a great supplement for your fish but don't feed them to your fish too frequently. Finding earth worms can be fairly easy but make sure you don't collect them from soil that may have contaminants such as lawn fertilizer.

Fish Tales:

Top 10 Signs Someone is an Aquarium Hobbyist By Lisa Englander, First published in Aquarium Fish Magazine. Aquarticles 10. They own more than two articles of clothing with fish on them. 9. Their children's names are Barb, Molly and Oscar. 8. They cut their honeymoon short because they don't trust Grandma to take care of their fish. 7. They spend their Saturday nights doing partial water changes. 6. They only time they wash dishes is when they need the sink to clean their tanks. 5. Their friends say, "You really need to talk to someone." So they join an aquarium club. 4. It occurs to them that if they get rid of their husband's favorite recliner, they'd have the perfect place to put another aquarium. 3. There's nothing to eat in the refrigerator, unless you like bloodworms!! 2. There's not one aspirin in the house, but if you ever get ich, you’re prepared! 1. They can hardly wait for the next______. Aquarium Fish Magazine! Raleigh Aquarium Society meeting! , or whatever you wish to put here.

Another Top 10 Signs That Someone Is An Aquarium Hobbyist By Lisa Englander, First published in Aquarium Fish Magazine. Aquarticles 10 Your favorite book is "One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish" by Dr. Seuss. 9. You wonder what your fish are thinking. 8. You are at the beach and you think how happy your fish would be there. 7. You refuse to eat any seafood, or fish shaped crackers. 6. You think your fish must be happy since they're smiling at you. 5. You talk to your fish more than your spouse. 4. You have your swimming pool removed in order to make room for a pond. 3. You have 10 different kinds of fish food, but only one box of cereal. Page 19 of 24 Raleigh Aquarium Society Volume 31, Issue 12© December 2011

2. You wonder if there's a way to set up an aquarium in your car. 1. You bring bugs INTO your house!

Some Wacky Fish Laws By Ed Katuska, from Wet Pet Gazette, Norwalk Aquarium Society, Nov/Dec 2000. Aquarticles Did you know …? Animals are banned in Arizona from mating publicly within 1,500 feet of a tavern, school, or place of worship. (Better get those guppy’s home quick). In California, it is a misdemeanor to shoot at any kind of game from a moving vehicle, unless your target is a whale. Idaho residents cannot fish from a giraffe’s or camel’s back. It is illegal in Ohio to get a fish drunk. Also in this state do not go fishing for whales on a Sunday, It’s a no, no. Don’t get caught catching crabs in Sarasota, Florida. In Oklahoma and Washington, it is illegal to carry a fishbowl or aquarium onto a public bus because the sound of the splashing water may disturb other passengers. It is illegal to catch a fish in Kansas with your bare hands. You may not catch a fish in Pennsylvania with any body part except your mouth. Also dynamite cannot be used to catch fish. Tennessee law says it is illegal to catch fish by lasso. (Too bad, it would make it so much easier to carry them back to the trailer park). It’s illegal to fish from horseback in Utah. In Indiana, it’s a crime to carry fishing tackle into a cemetery. It is illegal in Vermont to whistle underwater (not to mention impossible). Montana states that it is illegal for married women to go fishing alone on Sundays and illegal for unmarried women to fish alone at all. It is also against the law for a man to knit during fishing season. And from across the pond … Scotland - You cannot fish at all on Sundays. Liverpool, England - It is illegal for a woman to be topless in public except as a clerk in a tropical fish store.

RAS Sponsors:

Down Under Saltwater Fish & Coral (15% discount on dry goods, 20% discount on livestock) 1543 US Highway 70 West, Garner, NC 27529; (919)662-8820; www.downundersaltwater.com

Fins, Furs, & Feathers Pet Center (10% discount on everything except tanks) 303 South Horner Boulevard, Sanford, NC 27330; (919)718-0850;

Pet Mania (10% discount on everything) 7901-125 Falls of Neuse Road, Raleigh, NC 27615; (919)676-3225; www.petmanianc.com

Reef Keepers Aquarium (10% on everything) 1673 Old US Highway 70 West, Clayton, NC 27520; (919)359-2424; www.reefkeepersaquarium.com

The Pet Pad (10% discount on everything) 1347 Kildaire Farm Road, Cary, NC 27511; (919)481-6614; www.petpadpets.com

Triangle Tropical Fish (10% on everything except tanks and stands) 3600-36 North Duke Street, Durham, NC 27704; (919)479-0088; www.triangletropicalfish.com

RAS Publicity Poster:

RAS Membership Application:

Membership in the Raleigh Aquarium Society entitles you to these member privileges…

 Voting rights on all club business.  A discount card for purchases at all participating club sponsors.  Discounts at club functions.  Ability to post items for sale in the “Fish Market” section of the newsletter.  Ongoing education/handouts from knowledgeable experts in the hobby (local and national).

Annual RAS club membership dues are $15.00 and run from March 1st to February 28th of the following year. Payment is due by March 1st. Individuals joining at any other time will be charged $5.00 plus $1.00 for each remaining month of the calendar year.

Name: ______

Street Address: ______

City, State, Zip: ______

Telephone(s): ______

Email: ______

Areas of Interest: ______

Please mail this completed application to:

Club Secretary Raleigh Aquarium Society P. O. Box 31564 Raleigh, NC 27612-1564 or give it to the club secretary or treasurer at any meeting. Thanks for your interest and participation

RAS WISHES EVERYONE A MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

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