London Aquaria Society NOVEMBER 2008

Transcription

1 Magnificent extended Red HalfMoon male (fish by Wasan Sattayapun and photo by Jim Sonnier) London Aquaria Society NOVEMBER 2008 London, Ontario, Canada

2 Table of Contents Executive Minutes 2 Upcoming Events 2 Welcome from the President 3 Executive Listing 4 CAOAC Report T. Little 5 Betta Splendens: Caring for Your Little Fighters 6 Directions 8 LAS Monthly Jar Show Results 9 Membership Application Form 11 Breeders Award Report 13 Advertising Rates Business Card $25.00 ¼ Page $40.00 ½ Page $75.00 Full Page $ Rates apply for a year of coverage totalling 10 issues of our newsletter. Articles in this publication may be reprinted provided full credit is given to the author, the London Aquaria Society and 2 copies of the published bulletin or magazine in which the article appears is to be mailed to: London Aquaria Society P.O. Box RPO Fairmont London, ON N5W 1A3 LAS Executive Meeting The October Executive meeting was held at the home of Ron and Annette Bishop. Thanks to Ron and Annette for their hospitality. We are waiting for the results of the Show so that they can be published in the newsletter. As a preliminary to the show results Steve Gregson advised that we had 173 entries in the show. The Show and Auction was quite successful. Thanks to everyone for all their help. Without your assistance, we couldn t host this event. It was decided that the Club would purchase folding stools for the auctioneers for the next auction. The CAOAC report supplied by Terry Little is included later on in this newsletter. Catherine Salmon has accepted our invitation to speak at our November meeting. Her presentation will be on Bettas. To honour our guest, we have added a special class to our November jar show Bettas - so bring out your bettas. Our domain name will need to be renewed shortly. Mark Ruddick will proceed with the renewal for another year. Remember, it s almost time to renew your membership see Nancy Drummond. 2008/2009 Show and Auction Dates Nov. 2 Peel Region Auction only Mar. 15 HDAS Auction & Flea Market Mar. 29 BAS Show, Auction & Flea Market Apr. 18 SAS Auction Only Apr. 19 DRAS Show & Auction May 3 LAS Auction Only May CAOAC Convention Note; On November 8 th HDAS is hosting a special speaker Spencer Jack - details at UPCOMING EVENTS 2008/2009 LAS Meeting Dates and Monthly Programs September 9 February 10 October 14 March 10 November 11 - Speaker Catherine Salmon - Bettas April 14 December 9 May 12 January 13 June 9 MONTHLY JAR SHOW COMPETITION September - Fish: Loaches, suckermouth, catfish, Open Plants: Open October - Fish: Cichlids - substrate spawning (angels, kirbs, rams, etc.), Open Plants: Open November - Fish: Cyprinids (goldfish, koi, barbs, danios, sharks, etc.) Bettas (special class), Open Plants: Open December no jar show due to holiday celebration January - Fish: Guppies (fancy, Trinadadian, etc.), Open Plants: Open February - Fish: Gouramis, paradise fish, Open Plants: Open March - Fish: Mollies, platties, Open Plants: Open April - Fish: Characoids (tetras, hatchetfish, silver dollars etc.), Open Plants: Open May - Fish: Cichlids - mouthbrooding (guentheri, aulonacara, etc.), Open Plants: Open June - no jar show due to elections 2

3 President s Message We have a guest speaker this month. Catherine Salmon will be here to talk about Bettas. She quite knowledgeable on Bettas and I am sure her talk will be very interesting. We have other guest speakers lined up for the rest of the year and as soon as they are booked we will let the club know. Also there is a competition going on with a picture for the 2009 membership card for those who are interested you can get information on the forum. We are looking into a trip to the Toronto Zoo for club members later on. Maybe in June depending on when we can get everything to fall into place. Plans are under way. The auction and jar show for October had lots of entries and lots of auction items on the tables. Good work. The jar show for this month will be Cyprinids ( goldfish, koi, barbs, danios, sharks, rasboras, white clouds etc.) and as always the open class and the plant class. In honour of our special guest there will be a special class for the Bettas with a best of show prize for the best Betta. I have heard a lot of good comments from the advertisers that they are seeing London Aquaria Society cards lot more this year and that makes them happy to see they are getting the support from the members, so don t be afraid to show that card and also introduce yourself to the shop owners. See their ads in the bulletin. With Halloween over Steve take off your costume. Oh that s not a costume sorry, Ron Bishop President London Aquaria Society Please Support the Southwestern Pet Centre 1641 Dundas Street (New Location Dundas & Saskatoon) London, ON They support us!!!

4 THE LONDON AQUARIA SOCIETY General Meetings are held on the second Tuesday of every month at 7:30 p.m. at John Paul II Secondary School, 1300 Oxford Street E., London, ON. The London Aquaria Society is a non-profit organization established in June Its main objective is to promote interest in breeding and raising of tropical fish, and also to provide a means through which hobbyists may exchange ideas, gain information, and display their fish, sharing them in the public in the London area. EXECUTIVE 2006/2007 President Ron Bishop ron.bishop2@sympatico.ca Vice-President Mark Ruddick mruddick@markruddick.com Treasurer Eric Geissinger egeissinger@rogers.com Secretary Sharon MacDonald sharon.macdonald@lhsc.on.ca Advertising Doug Henricks scorpionstinger@rogers.com Show Chair Steven Gregson koilady@execulink.com B.A.P./H.A.P. Chris Henricks csnowdogs@rogers.com Library James Kelly no address Jar Show Chair Sarah Lee sarahlee@uwo.ca Membership Nancy Chipps-Drummond nchipps-drummond@fanshawec.on.ca Newsletter Editor Sharon MacDonald sharon.macdonald@lhsc.on.ca Auction Chair Sean Patrick seanisgawd@hotmail.com Webmaster Eric Geissinger egeissinger@rogers.com 4

5 CAOAC Meeting October 19 th, 2009 ****************************************** The monthly meeting of CAOAC was held in Waterdown on October 19 th and the following clubs were represented. Sarnia Aquarium Society, London Aquaria Society, Brant Aquarium Society, Kitchener Waterloo Aquarium Society, Hamilton & District Aquarium Society, and St. Catharines & Area Aquarium Society. The CAOAC web award for 2008 will be judged from January 1-31, 2009 and the clubs who have registered for the competition are Brant Aquarium Society, Calgary Aquarium Society, Durham Region Aquarium Society, Kitchener Waterloo Aquarium Society, and Regina Aquarium Society. The new CAOAC / FAAS representative is Lisa Boorman. CAOAC will host the 2009 Convention and it will be held at Fanshawe College in London. We will need a lot of assistance from other members of CAOAC Clubs and if you are interested in working as a committee member please contact Carl or some other CAOAC Executive member. We are looking into purchasing some golf shirts with logo and pocket for the convention. If anyone knows where we can get a great deal please let us know. The 2009 Convention is the 50 th Anniversary of CAOAC and there will be some special events at the Convention to celebrate this. Please book the weekend of May 15-17, 2009 now so you will be able to attend this great tropical fish adventure. Upcoming Events 2008 *************************** Kitchener Waterloo Aquarium Society show & auction October 26/08 Peel Regional Aquarium Club auction only November 2/08 H&DAS Spencer Jack (details at dinner & speaker November 8/08 CAOAC Meeting November 15/08 CAOAC Meeting December 14/08 Upcoming Events 2009 *************************** CAOAC Meeting January 18/09 CAOAC Meeting February 8/09 CAOAC Meeting March 15/09 Hamilton & District Aquarium Society auction & flea market March 22/09 Brant Aquarium Society show, auction, flea market March 29/09 Sarnia Aquarium Society auction only April 18/09 CAOAC Meeting April 19/09 Durham Region Aquarium Society show & auction April 19/09 CAOAC Convention, Fanshawe College, London convention May 15-18/09 CAOAC Meeting June 28/09 Sarnia Aquarium Society show & auction September 12/09 Hamilton & District Aquarium Society auction & flea market October 4/09 Please let me know if you have any questions or information that should be taken to CAOAC and I will look after it. 5

6 Betta Splendens: Caring for your little fighter Betta Splendens, the Siamese fighting fish, more commonly known simply as a "Betta," originated in Thailand. They were first domesticated in 1893 for combat where wagers were made on the outcome of the fight. It wasn't until the 1920s before aquarists began keeping them in home aquariums. Today bettas come in a multitude of colors with long flowing fins, the more common colors being red, blue, and turquoise. Their wild relatives tend to be more greenish brown in color with red fins, which are shorter to allow for quicker escapes from their rivals. Females on the other hand are a bit drab in color with much shorter fins than their male counterparts. Besides their coloring and finage, males are slightly larger than females, and can grow up to 3 inches. Even for the untrained eye, when viewing the two it is quite simple to tell them apart. When face-to-face, two male bettas will extend their fins and open their gills (this is called flaring) to try and intimidate the other. If neither backs down then a fight will occur until one retreats or is dead. They often do this over territory or to protect their fry. Males will also flare when courting females. An organ called a labyrinth allows bettas to breathe air from the water surface, thus permitting them to live in water with low oxygen levels. Because of this ability aquarists often keep bettas in small containers, but ideally a 2-gallon filtered tank or more is better and allows the bettas to stretch their fins. Tank temperatures for the betta should range between 76 and 82 degrees Fahrenheit. Don't allow temperatures to quickly fluctuate more than a degree or two, as this will cause undue stress to the betta. Often the question arises whether or not bettas will get along with other fish, and the fact is they can make good community fish in some circumstances. Bear in mind that they don't get along very well with angelfish, gouramis, fancy guppies (especially the males), and other male bettas. When deciding what fish to keep bettas with it is also a good idea to try and avoid fin nippers such as tetras and barbs. There is an exception to this when it comes to females, though. Several females will get along well in the same tank as long as there is plenty of room for escape in case the dominant female decides she needs more territory. Also, since females don't have the tempting fins that the males have, keeping them with fish such as tetras and barbs shouldn't be as big a problem. If one were to observe the feeding habits of the betta in his natural habitat, they would notice that he eats a large variety of small insects that land on the water surface. This makes the betta splendens a carnivore, so when feeding your betta it is wise to give them a variety of different foods. A staple food such as betta bites, betta bio-gold, or betta min should be fed on a daily basis once or twice a day and only 5 or 6 pellets at a time. However, some bettas love variety, and can be fed freeze dried or frozen bloodworms, baby brine shrimp, or live foods such as mosquito larvae 2 or 3 times a week. 6

7 Remember that bettas are not big eaters and it is very easy to overfeed. Since fish have to eat and produce waste as a result of eating, water changes are a must, and there is no exception when it comes to bettas. In fact, since a lot of bettas are kept in small containers that don't have some sort of filtration, water changes are even more important and need to be done every 2 or 3 days to prevent toxic build up. disaster. When doing water changes it is very important to remove any uneaten food or waste that may have settled to the bottom, and to replace about 80 percent of the water. While adding fresh water one can't forget to add a good tap water conditioner that removes chlorine, breaks the chloramine bond, and one that detoxifies heavy metals. Not adding a tap water conditioner could result in Disease is a natural occurrence in fish, and bettas will contract their share of it. Some of the more common diseases found in bettas are fin rot, fungus, and ick, however, they are susceptible to other diseases as well. There are measures that you can take to prevent disease, such as doing regular water changes, feeding the proper foods, and keeping the stress levels at a minimum. This does not mean that disease won't strike, and even some of the more seasoned aquarists will encounter disease. One of the first things a new betta owner notices is the betta's large personality, making it very easy to fall in love with this beautiful fish. After a short while they will associate you with food, and will eagerly greet you at feeding times and at other times will beg for a morsel or tidbit. Don't let this show of behavior sucker you to giving into them; they're not as hungry as they make out to be. Although bettas are not one of the longest-lived fish, they can live between 3 and 5 years with proper care and maintenance, and will become a wonderful friend that leaves a lasting impression. Article by Heidi Hart originally from 7

8 NEW MEETING LOCATION JOHN PAUL II SECONDARY SCHOOL LONDON, 1300 OXFORD STREET (AT HIGHBURY AVENUE) Driving Directions School is located on the corner of Highbury Avenue and Oxford Street. School driveway can accessed from either direction off Oxford Street or by heading north on Highbury Avenue. Parking is available at either end of the school and access is through the main doors which face Highbury Avenue. Meetings will be held in the cafetorium which is just off the foyer inside the main doors. Hours of Operation Monday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday 11 am 7 pm 10 am 8 pm 10 am 5 pm Closed 8

9 PLANTS RESULTS TO DATE Name Month Competition Plant Name Ribbon Jerry Doucette September Loaches, Suckers, Catfish Kuhli Loach (pangio myersi) Red Dorothy Reimer September Loaches, Suckers, Catfish Corydorassp. Blue Annette & Ron Bishop September Loaches, Suckers, Catfish Loach White Annette & Ron Bishop September Open Chinese Algae Eater (gyrinocheilus aymonieri) Red Jerry Doucette September Open Silver Dollar (metynnis sp.) Blue Annette & Ron Bishop September Open Male Furlata White Annette & Ron Bishop October Cichlids substrate spawning Ram (microgeophagus ramirezi) Red James Kelly October Cichlids substrate spawning Golden Severum (heros severus) Blue Norm Ernteman October Cichlids substrate spawning Angel (petrophylllum scalare) White Sean Patrick October Open Melanochromis auratus Red Sean Patrick October Open Electric Blue Johanni (melanochromis johanni) Blue Sean Patrick October Open Red Cheek White JAR SHOW RESULTS TO DATE Name Month Competition Fish Name Ribbon Dorothy Reimer September Open Amazon Sword (echinodorus sp.) Red James Kelly September Open Anubius barteri Blue Dorothy Reimer October Open Cryptocoryne pontederiifolia Red James Kelly October Open Narrow-leaved Anubius (A. Blue angustifolia Open White Open Red Open Blue Open White Open 9

10 COME AND SEE WHY BIG AL S AQUARIUM SERVICES WAREHOUSE OUTLETS IS CANADA S LEADING RETAILER FOR THE TROPICAL FISH HOBBYIST - 10,000 GALLONS OF FRESH AND SALTWATER TROPICAL FISH - EXOTIC GOLDFISH & FEEDER FISH - SUPER IMPORT SELECTIONS FROM AROUND THE WORLD AND FROM OUR EXCLUSIVE FLORIDA FISH FARMS - SUPERB AQUATIC PLANTS IMPORTED FROM AROUND THE WORLD - HUGH SELECTION OF AQUARIUM AND POND SUPPLIES - AQUARIUMS FROM 2 TO 275 GALLONS - BIG AL S QUALITY LINE OF AQUARIUM PRODUCTS, FISH FOODS AND WOODEN STANDS - EXPERT STAFF TO HELP YOU WITH ALL OF YOUR AQUARIUM NEEDS - BEST PRICES IN TOWN GUARANTEED 10% Discount To London Aquaria Society Members (except sale items) 10

11 LONDON AQUARIA SOCIETY MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION NEW AND RENEWAL MEMBERSHIPS New Renewal Junior Regular Family $15.00/yr. $20.00/yr. $25.00/yr. Name: Address: City: State Phone (Home): Prov.:/ P.C.:/ Zip Code Address: Check here if you will allow the information given above to be published in a London Aquaria Society Membership Roster Aquatic Interests: Fresh Water Species Brackish Water Species Marine Species Number of Tanks Number of Tanks Number of Tanks General Fish Keeping Breeding Fish Species Preservation Propagating Plants Aquatic Life (other than fish and plants) Shows & Competitions Tank Beautiful Competitions Live Food Collecting Research Other Areas of Specialization Non-Aquatic Interests: Photography Computers Cooking Writing Video Recording Design & Layout Journalism Drawing Painting Arts & Crafts Public Speaking Woodworking Other: 11

12 LONDON AQUARIA SOCIETY Please list all household members to be included in this L.A.S. membership. Name: Occupation: Name: Occupation: Name: Occupation: Name: Occupation: How did you learn of the London Aquaria Society? (Please check all appropriate sources and list names) Member: Newspaper Ad: Pet Shop: Other: Magazine Ad: Radio Ad: L.A.S. Event: What do you expect to obtain from your L.A.S. Membership? To return this form or obtain additional information, please contact: For Official Use Only: Life Membership London Aquaria Society P.O. Box 45010, RPO Fairmont London, ON N5W 1A3 Membership Expires: December 31 st of each year Paid - Cash Paid - Cheque Amount Paid: $ 12

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14 ` London Aquaria Society P.O. Box RPO Fairmont London, ON N5W 1A3 14