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Volume XIV Number 9
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modernAQUARIUM Series III Vol. XIV, No. 9 November, 2007
ON THE COVER
The German Blue Ram, Mikrogeophagusramirezi, on our cover is surrounded by fry. But, prior spawnings were shrouded inmystery. Read “The Case of the EatenGerman Blue Ram Eggs” to see howauthor Frank Fallon solved this mystery.
Photo by Frank Fallon
GREATER CITY AQUARIUM SOCIETY
Board MembersPresident. . . . . . . . . . . . Joseph FerdenziVice-President. . . . . . . . Mark SobermanTreasurer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jack TraubCorres. Secretary. . . . . . Warren Feuer &
Sharon BarnettRecording Secretary.. . . . Edward Vukich
Members At LargePete D'Orio Jason KernerCarlotti De Jager Ben HausLeonard Ramroop Emma HausArtie Friedman
Committee ChairsBreeder Award. . . . . . Warren Feuer and
Mark SobermanEarly Arrivals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Al GrusellF.A.A.S. Delegate.. . . . . Alexander PriestMembers/Programs. . Claudia DickinsonN.E.C. Delegate. . . . . Claudia Dickinson
MODERN AQUARIUMEditor in Chief. . . . . . Alexander A. PriestAssociate Editors. . . . . Susan Priest and
Claudia DickinsonCopy Editors. . . . . . . . . . . Sharon Barnett
Dan RadebaughExchange Editors. . . . Stephen Sica and
Donna Sosna SicaPhoto/Layout Editor. . . . . . Jason KernerAdvertising Mgr.. . . . . . . Mark SobermanExecutive Editor. . . . . . . Joseph Ferdenzi
F E A T U R E S
Editor’s Babblenest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
President’s Message. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Our Generous Members. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
The Case of the Eaten German Blue Ram Eggs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Adventures On The Rio Negro - Part III. . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Wet Leaves Special Edition - Part One. . . . . . . . . . . 11
Fishkeepers Anonymous.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Welcome to this Month’s Scheduled Speaker: Joe Ferdenzi.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Wet Leaves Special Edition - Part Two. . . . . . . . . . 18
Amusing Aquarium (cartoon). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
News from the NEC and FAAS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
DHMO and You. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
G.C.A.S. Happenings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Fin Fun (Puzzle Page). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Articles submitted for consideration in MODERN AQUARIUM must be received no later than the 10th day of the month, three months priorto the month of publication. Copyright 2007 by the Greater City Aquarium Society Inc., a not-for-profit New York State corporation. All rightsreserved. Not-for-profit aquarium societies are hereby granted permission to reproduce articles and illustrations from this publication, unless thearticle indicates that the copyrights have been retained by the author, and provided reprints indicate source and two copies of the publication aresent to the Exchange Editor of this magazine. Any other reproduction or commercial use of the material in this publication is prohibited withoutexpress written prior permission.
The Greater City Aquarium Society meets every month, except during January and February. Members receive notice of meetings in the mail. For more information, contact: Joe Ferdenzi (516)484-0944. Find out more, or leave us a message, at our Internet Home Page at: http://www.greatercity.org or http://www.greatercity.com
The Editor’sBabblenest
by ALEXANDER A. PRIEST
This issue of Modern Aquarium features our
first article by GCAS member Frank Fallon.
I want to thank Frank for his contribution
(he not only is the lead article, but he also provided
this month’s cover photo); and I hope he may be
inspired in the future to write some more.
As we near the end of the current GCAS
meeting year, my tenure as Editor of this magazine
is also rapidly approaching an end. As has been
announced previously, Dan Radebaugh will be
taking over as Editor, starting in 2008. I will, of
course, still be around to provide any help that Dan
might need, but from now on, please give or e-mail
your articles to him. We have an unbelievably rich
resource in the expertise of our members, and
when some of those members are generous enough
to share that expertise with us in writing, the results
have been, and hopefully will continue to be, a
superior award-winning publication. I ask all of
you to continue to support Dan in his efforts as
Editor, as you have supported me.
During the time I have been Editor, we
saw the current series (Series III) of Modern
Aquarium surpass in longevity the production runs
of its two predecessors. The publication award
programs of both the Northeast Council of
Aquarium Societies (NEC) and the Federation of
American Aquarium Societies (FAAS) have made
our publication the most highly awarded aquarium
society magazine in the country. We did things
that (to my knowledge) had not been done before,
such as an issue with dozens of contributors
submitting a total of 100 aquarium hobby “tips and
tricks” (to celebrate the 100th issue of Series III),
and another issue with articles and contributions
only from women (our “Ladies’ Issue”).
While I am pleased with the many
successes of our magazine, and the awards it has
won for our members, I did not accomplish all that
I wanted to do with Modern Aquarium. (The
English poet, Robert Browning, wrote: “Ah, but a
man’s reach should exceed his grasp, or what’s a
heaven for?” suggesting that one should try to
accomplish even something that may be
impossible.) I always wanted inside color
photographs. But, the copy shops we used could
not print and insert just one or two color pages into
each issue — they would have to print the entire
issue on a color copier (the cost of which would
bankrupt the GCAS in short order). I also wanted
to follow our “Ladies’ Issue” with a “Junior
Aquarist” issue, having contributions only from
authors 18 years of age or younger. Unfortunately,
GCAS meetings are in the middle of the week, and
often last well into the night. So they fail to attract
many school-age children, who need to go to
school the next day, resulting in very few “junior”
GCAS members.
What lies ahead for Modern Aquarium?
Honestly, I don’t know. I’m fairly sure that Dan
won’t write his editorials under the “Babblenest”
logo that I’m using right now. (Some of you may
have been members long enough to remember that
I replaced the “Fish Cup” logo used by then-Editor
Warren Feuer when I took over as Editor.) Will
there still be a “Fin Fun” puzzle page, an
“Undergravel Reporter” column, an Author’s
Award Program (more on that later)? We’ll have
to wait and see. It’s been said that only
panhandlers and babies welcome change. That’s
not necessarily true. Dan will undoubtedly bring
about some changes, and I suspect that they will be
improvements.
Since I mentioned it, next month we have
our annual Holiday Party and Awards Banquet.
Among the other awards that will be announced
will be the results of our Author Award Program
(AAP). More details about that program will
appear next month, but for our new members I will
sum it up as a Breeders Award Program for writers.
You get points for writing an article that is printed
in Modern Aquarium and points for a drawing or
photograph used in Modern Aquarium. There are
certain “levels” in the program that you can reach
by accumulating points. Every five points you add
in a calendar year gives you one more chance in an
“Authors’-Only Raffle” held at the Banquet. This
year, the winner of the AAP “Authors’-Only
Raffle” will receive a copy of Aquarium Care of
Cichlids, written by our own Claudia Dickinson.
2 November 2007 Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)
President’sMessage
by JOSEPH FERDENZI
Ie n j o y e d l a s t m o n t h ’ s p r o g r a m ,
“Aquascaping 101,” given by Mark Denaro.
Mark made many valuable suggestions. But,
what I liked most was that he had strong opinions
about what looked good and what didn’t. I had fun
comparing my opinions to his, and, for the most
part, we were in agreement. It was great of Mark
to drive out all the way from Pennsylvania, and
doubly nice of him to contribute some exceptional
plants and fish for our auction. (Mark is the owner
of Anubias Design, a company that specializes in
exotic plants and fish. Check out their website:
www.Anubiasdesign.com.)
Programs such as Mark’s “Aquascaping
101” are useful for both beginners and veterans.
As it is, we try to present a mixture of programs
during the year that appeal to both beginning
hobbyists, and those more advanced. Granted that
some programs are more geared to one or the
other, but it is the overall balance that we try to
maintain throughout the course of the year that
must be appreciated. This is not an easy task.
Often, members will comment that they would like
to see a presentation on a particular topic. This is
not often possible because we cannot find someone
with the requisite expertise who can also give a
program. You see, while we may know someone
who is an “expert” in a particular area, that does
not always mean the person is willing or able to
give a program. So, please bear that in mind when
you wonder why there hasn’t been a presentation
on a particular topic.
* * *
By the time you read this, the 2007
AFISH Convention will have come and gone. Was
it a success? As I’m writing this, the Convention
is still two weeks away. So, I’ll just have to give
you the answer to that question in my next
President’s Message. Till then, I wish all of you a
very happy Thanksgiving.
Our Generous Members
Each month a sheet is located on our auction table where those members who donate items to the
auction can indicate their donations (and yes, a “50%-50%” split is also a donation) if they wish to
do so. Due to the immense generosity of those who donate, we have no shortage of items to be
auctioned. A warm thank you to the following members who so generously contributed, making last
month’s auction the huge success that it was.
Robert Altonen
Jeff Bollbach
Frank Fallon
Harry Faustmann
Warren Feuer
Elliot Oshins
Sue & Al Priest
Anton Vukich
Ed Vukich
Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY) November 2007 3
Pair of rams, female on left photo by Frank Fallon
The Case of the Eaten
German Blue Ram EggsMikrogeophagus ramirezi
by FRANK FALLON
The ram is a fish that has been in the hobby for
quite some time. I remember seeing golden
rams back in the 1950s in some of the
tropical fish emporiums I visited in the Wall Street
area, but I never had them in my few tanks. Since
that was well before I learned about filtration, pH,
and water changes,
it was probably just
as well for the rams.
I was not
then aware that the
f i s h w a s f i r s t
identified in 1948
b y M ye r s a n d
Harry, and was just
coming into the
hobby in the 1950s
when I first saw it.
It was also probably
too expensive for
my teen allowance
or bottle money.
Most kids in the
1930s through the 1950s lived off bottle deposit
money and paper routes. Back then, in the days
before plastic bottles, it was a sin to break a bottle,
for they were worth money. If you asked your
mother for money for the movies, she usually
handed you a bag of bottles. Hey, you couldn’t stay
in the cellar with the fish all the time!
After getting back into breeding tropical
fish after a 30 year vacation, rams were on my short
list of fish I wanted to breed. Their blue and yellow
colors are spectacular if seen with the correct
lighting. Initially I viewed them with a strip light,
and thought they were great looking fish. When I
viewed them with a Coralite T5, I realized why they
were called “blue ram.” The blue around the head
is very vivid, and the blue in the back half of the
body is a spectacular iridescent or neon blue that
defies description.
These small fish are really beautiful, don’t
require a lot of space, and don’t dig up the tank and
uproot the garden you have planted. They come
from the central Orinoco drainage in lowland
Venezuela and Colombia, and most breeders
suggest soft water and temperature from 78E to
82E F, with a pH of 7.0.
I managed to pick up seven small “German
Blue Rams” at a fish club auction. I put them all
into a 15 gallon tank with a bare bottom, plenty of
floating plants and Java Moss, and a sponge filter.
The fish were the offspring of “wild” parents from
South America. This species is not commercially
bred in Asia. I put a
few small rocks on
the bottom, a few
leftover tiles from a
k i t c h e n t i l i n g
project with the
brown side up, and
added a few small
bowls for places to
spawn. I had
hopes!
I fed the
fish plenty of live
brine shrimp and
flake food. Two
months later, after
they had grown a bit
and colored up, they started to do their mating
dance. When I saw ovipositors, I knew that eggs
would not be far behind. One pair deposited about
75 eggs on a small white rock, and I was ready to
call myself a Mikrogeophagus ramirezi breeder.
But…. Mother Nature had other ideas. After a day
the eggs were gone, eaten. The aqua police never
did find the culprit, but all seven fish, including the
parents, were suspects.
I soon took out the pair that had bred and
gave them their own 10 gallon tank. (All of my 10
and 15 gallon breeding tanks are arranged ‘end out’
so I can fit in more tanks that way.) The tank
bottom was bare except for a few inverted tiles, and
there were plenty of floating plants and Java Moss.
Tank temperatures were right at 80 degrees, but the
water was not soft. Yet I soon had three pairs of
breeding fish and plenty of egg laying, but there
was even more egg eating and egg fungusing in
both tanks.
This went on for another two months. It
was frustrating watching these pretty fish go into
their breeding dance, lay eggs, fan them, chase the
other fish away, but within three days the eggs
would disappear. In most cases I would see the
4 November 2007 Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)
Scientific name: Mikrogeophagus ramirezi
Common name: Ram or Butterfly Cichlid
Native habitat: Central Orinoco drainage in
lowland Venezuela and Colombia
Water hardness: Soft
Water temperature: 78° to 82° F
Water pH: 7.0 (neutral)
Reproduction: Egglayer
Adult size: Up to three inches
Sexual differences: Female is smaller, and has a
shorter second ray on dorsal fin
Male ram (is this the culprit?) photo by Frank Fallon
number of eggs decrease until they were all gone.
I was never able to witness the actual crime in
progress. In the parlance of detective novels, I
could never “pin” it on the neighbors or the father
or mother. It might have been a group conspiracy
that took place under the cover of darkness for all
I knew.
Then I had one of the pairs in the tank with
the five fish lay eggs,
a n d t h e e g g s
remained for almost
three full days. This
was a good sign, I
thought. With fingers
c r o s s e d , I w a s
w o r k i n g in t h e
fishroom changing
water in another tank
and looked back into
t h e t a n k w i t h
eggs—75 percent of
them were gone. The
crime took only
twenty minutes. I
was only a few feet
away, a n d sa w
nothing until it was
almost all over.
Well, that
did it. Two of the
fish were in the back
corner of the tank.
These, I assumed,
were the grieving
parents. I quickly
n e t t e d o u t t h e
c u l p r i t s a n d
banished the three of
them to a 20 gallon
High with small
krebensis and four quarter sized koi angelfish. For
almost a week I fed the fish in both tanks, but pretty
much ignored them all in my disgust over the latest
cichlid crime. The two grieving parents stayed in
the back of the tank (sulking, I thought) and the
others quickly adjusted to community life in the
bigger tank.
Almost a week later I realized I had
ignored the tank with the grieving parents long
enough. It was time to siphon out the detritus on
the tank bottom and do a water change. As I was
about to put the siphon tube into the tank I looked
for the pair, and I said out loud, “Wow!” There
was the pair surrounded by about 200
free-swimming young. It was an amazing sight—a
surprise. Finally a spawn!
I had never seen the eggs. I quickly
realized that these two fish may not have been the
victims, but may well have been the culprits in the
cichlid crime. The adults apparently had spawned
shortly before or
after the crime, for
the fry I saw were
well beyond the
wriggler stage, and
were a l l free-
swimming. They
w e r e p r o b a b ly
three days beyond
hatching. They
had most likely
been living off of
the infusoria on the
tank bottom for a
few days, and were
now fully free-
swimming fry some
seven days after the
parents spawned.
They were lucky
that I was too
disgusted to clean
the tank.
But, all
t h i s i s p u r e
s p e c u l a t i o n .
Despite repeated
questioning, none
of the fish have
talked . T hese
seven rams are a
t i g h t l i p p e d
group—no big mouths here.
The facts, ma’am, are that I have now bred
Mikrogeophagus ramirezi, and a month and a half
later I have about 200 young in two 15 gallon tanks.
Half of them are still with their parents.
Meanwhile, egg eating and fungusing continues in
the other two tanks. Ma’am, it’s a tough cichlid
world out there, and sometimes bad things happen
to pretty fish.
And yes, there is a moral to this story:
“Never count your cichlids until after they hatch!”
Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY) November 2007 5
Adventures on the Rio NegroPart III
Exploring the lives of the people, and their interaction with the land and the river that is their home
by CLAUDIA DICKINSON
Photographs by the author
As the Victoria Amazonica steams northward
up the Rio Negro to reach Barcelos in time
for the celebrated annual ornamental fish
festival, the importance of the river to the people of
the land becomes increasingly apparent. The entire
culture revolves in dependence around this huge
expanse of water, that can be as kind and bountiful,
as it can be seemingly merciless and unpredictable.
Homes are built along the water’s banks,
in close proximity to the waterway that provides
the natives with food, transportation, bathing, a
means for washing utensils and clothing, income
through fishing, and water for their crops. When
not in use, dugout canoes rest in the water, tethered
to a stump at the bottom of a path leading to the
door, much as we park our cars in our driveways.
Of course, during the dry season, when the water is
at a low level, the canoes may be 40 feet below the
doorway, and during the rainy season, the canoes
rise along with the water and may be swept away,
sometimes along with the house!
The early morning hours find husband and
wife paddling their vessel along the river and its
outlying inlets and streams, catching fish to feed
their family for that day. Oftentimes, a small baby
will be held close to the woman with one hand,
while the other hand assists with steering or bails
the inevitable buildup of water out of the bottom of
the canoe in a rhythmic fashion, with the expertise
of one who is performing a familiar task. Older
children accompany their father, or are left at home
to tend to the daily chores.
Nets marked by bobbing floats are set up
throughout the river and checked daily, collecting
all unsuspecting fish traversing the area. The fish
brought in by these nets provide a major source of
income for the people, whether they be food fish to
ship to market for sale, or fish for the ornamental
aquarium trade.
Fish for the aquarium trade are so vital a
part of the lives of the people that year-long plans
to honor this vital source of income culminate in an
elaborate celebration of unimaginable glitz and
glamour, seemingly out of place in this otherwise
primitive atmosphere. Literally thousands of
people converge on the small city of Barcelos from
the north and the south to share in the annual ritual
of lionizing all ornamental fish, and most
particularly, two of the major export fishes for the
aquarium trade, the cardinal tetra and the discus.
One is either a cardinal tetra fan, or a discus fan, a
split which becomes as competitive as the Red
Socks and the Yankees! At 10:00 pm a
breathtakingly exquisite staged event of massive
proportions begins. The bands strike up, heralding
enormous, flamboyant floats, as dancers, ranging in
age from eight to adult, resplendent in elaborate
costumes, swirl in a kaleidoscope of colors to
match the carnival gaiety, and continuing non-stop
until 3:00 am the next morning!
As the morning dawns, a peace settles
over the majestic river. A peace that can be
preserved from the devastation of deforestation
brought about by the income from ornamental
fishes coming to a halt as fishermen turn to farming
the land when they can no longer rely on fishing to
feed their families. When asked what they will do
if the cardinal tetra, a proven replenishable species
of which 30,000 are harvested annually, no longer
can support them due to low prices offered to them
from the middle man, or lack of demand due to
mass domestic farm cultivation, the fishermen send
a clear “thumbs down” signal. They will turn to
farming, slashing and burning the precious trees
that are so vital to a healthy global environment. It
is a delicate subject, one for which a solution
requires careful research, understanding, and
compromise. For these people it is a matter of
providing food for the hungry stomachs of their
children, and a shelter over their heads.
Dr. Labbish Chao has dedicated his life to
Project Piaba, a community based program
developed to safeguard and improve a sustainable
ornamental fishery in Barcelos. Through the
combined efforts of Dr. Chao, Scott Dowd of the
New England Aquarium, and others, Project Piaba
raises funds which support research, environmental
education, scholarships, and maintenance of the
public aquarium at the Center of Aquatic
Conservation in Barcelos. “Buy a fish, save a tree”
summarizes the affirmation that the 20,000 people,
both rural and urban, whose stable economic
6 November 2007 Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)
Prior to arriving in Barcelos, the Victoria
Amazonica pulls in to rest along the shoreline
for an early evening, during which we will
take the canoes out for some night exploration
amongst the wilderness.
Dr. Labbish Chao performs skillful research
on his minute subject, the cardinal tetra.
As the Victoria Amazonica pulls into
Barcelos, it is with great excitement that we
spot the Project Piaba Center of Aquatic
Conservation, which conducts research and
education, and houses the public aquarium.
Scott Dowd and Dr. Chao discuss plans for the
coming day’s fish farmers annual meeting, in
which Project Piaba plays an integral role.
The Ornamental Fish Festival is an elaborate
annual event of unrestrained flamboyancy,
seemingly incongruous to this primitive land,
in celebration of another successful fish
harvest along with a passage of good luck to
the coming year.
livelihood is provided for by the fishery through
the exportation of over 50 million fishes annually
to the aquarium hobby, will remain unengaged
from ecologically destructive activities, such as
burning down the rainforest for farming. We can
do our part by supporting the sale of wild caught
cardinal tetras, and other proven replenishable
species designated in your retailer’s tanks by the
Project Piaba “Buy a Fish, Save a Tree” stamp of
authenticity.
Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY) November 2007 7
Life on the Rio Negro is all about family, with both
work and relaxation partaken of by all ages.
Water changes with fresh river water are
performed on each of the 100s of tubs with
regularity, for the care and well being of these
fishes is critical to the livelihood of the people.
Along the outskirts of Barcelos, innovative use is made of the river as a holding arena, with nets structured
of branches for both cardinal and similus tetras. It makes one stop and reflect in awe that within these nets
lies the entire livelihood of one family.
This floating fish packing house bustles non-stop as local fishermen arrive throughout the day to deposit
their catch of ornamental fish.
8 November 2007 Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)
Among the numerous species of
fishes awaiting export, many lovely
Corydoras species are abundant in
the vats, such as these C. sterbae.
Those fish that are destined for the aquarium trade have miles to go, many stops to make, and many
different types of water in which to survive before their final destination, our tanks. From the local
fishermen’s collecting nets to their holding pens, then onto the floating packing houses, the fish next go by
truck over immensely pothole-laden bumpy roads to huge exporters in Barcelos, such as this one, where
they wait to be purchased, and packed yet again to be shipped to Manaus, then trucked to an airport.
Livestock plays an integral role in the survival of the local
people, as seen here by these swine whose days are spent rooting
along the banks of the river.
When asked what the fishermen would do if the fishery could no longer support them due to low prices and
lack of demand for wild ornamental fishes, this fisherman gives the “thumbs down,” saying that the local
people would turn to alcohol and cut down the trees to make space for farmland.
Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY) November 2007 9
The main means of transportation on the Rio
Negro, small boats and dugout canoes rest
tethered in the river, which can be 40 or more
feet below the level of the homes.
Dwellings are
elemental and
characteristically
built on stilts for
protection from
the floodwaters.
As well as providing a boost to the economy, visitors furnish
welcome sweets!
For some families, their boat on the river is
“home.”
The river plays the multiple roles of clothes
washer, dishwasher, and bathtub!
10 November 2007 Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)
Special Editiona Series On Books For The Hobbyist
by SUSAN PRIEST
Exotic Aquarium Fishes by Dr. Wm. T. InnesA Seventy-Two Year Perspective
Part One: Introduction
Regular readers of this column will remember
that, back in September, I announced a
“very unique version of Wet Leaves” for
the December 2007 issue. Since then, what had
started out as a relatively modest plan has taken on
broader proportions. To do it justice, I am
expanding its scope to include this, the November
issue, as well. What I have in mind, as described
by the title, is an overview of the life and times of
the best loved, most popular, most highly
respected, and most widely distributed book on
keeping freshwater tropical fish in the history of
the hobby. I am of course referring to the famous
and highly celebrated book, Exotic Aquarium
Fishes, by Dr. William T. Innes.
Throughout this four-part article I will be
making reference to the first, eighth, thirteenth,
nineteenth, twentieth, and twenty-first editions. I
will also be quoting from an ongoing e-mail
conversation between hobby historians which took
place between August 31 and September 9, 2007
on a Yahoo Internet group, the “Aquarium Hobby
Historical Society” (AHHS). I expect that in
addition to this introduction, there will be two
reviews covering three editions each, and a
summary.
Point of Reference: Throughout my first
couple of drafts of this piece, I was trying out a
variety of abbreviations for the title Exotic
Aquarium Fishes, so that I wouldn’t be typing it
out each time, and you, the readers, would
understand the refernce. Most commonly
encountered is “The Innes Book.” In fact, this
phrase is even printed on the cover of my copy of
the nineteenth edition, revised. Then there was the
possibility of simply using the initials “EAF.”
Neither of these held a particular appeal for me.
Also under consideration was the single word
“exotic,” which then became a choice between
“EXOTIC” or “Exotic.”
I had experimented with all of these.
Then I was browsing through the pages of notes
from the hobby historians, and something helped
me make my final choice. There are several entries
from Alan Mark Fletcher. As most of you will
recall from his presentation at our meeting, he
worked closely and extensively with Dr. Innes.
Alan’s entries consistently use the reference
“Exotic.” I have decided to take a page from his
book, and do likewise. Therefore, any time I use
the name/term Exotic, I am making specific
reference to the book entitled Exotic Aquarium
Fishes by Dr. William T. Innes.
Having set the bar rather high, and having
doubts as to whether my experience at writing book
reviews can carry me through this project, I am
having trouble deciding where to start. The most
obvious choice, that being the beginning, needs a
bit of dusting off, so I will start out closer to my
own beginnings, and begin in the middle.
I didn’t become a REAL aquarist until
1991, when I was in my early forties. The Exotic
phenomenon had already been nurturing an ever-
growing community of fishkeepers for fifty-six
years! There can be no doubt that Exotic was a
major contributor to said growth. Here are a very
few examples from our own members:
“Instead of reading me stories, my dad used to
show me pictures, and read to me about the fish in
the Innes book. That book was like the Bible to
him, and he gave it to me when I had my own
tank.” Evelyn Eagan
“My only education as a fishkeeper was gained by
reading Exotic Aquarium Fishes by Dr. William T.
Innes. I consider this man to be the godfather of
the aquarium fish hobby.” Leonard Ramroop
“ . . . a gift from Mike on the occasion of my 14th
birthday of a copy of William T. Innes’s classic
book Exotic Aquarium Fishes. Well, before long
I had read it from cover to cover. Then, I reread it.
I reread it again! Then I practically memorized all
of the fish ‘biographies’.” Joe Ferdenzi
No one ever gave me a copy of Exotic for
my birthday, or put one under my Christmas tree.
No one ever sat beside my bed each night and read
to me “Once upon a time there was a Harlequin
Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY) November 2007 11
Rasbora . . . (or a corydoras, or a goldfish, etc.).
No one ever said to me “This book was a big help
to me when I was starting out, and in fact, it still is.
You can borrow it if you like.” As I entered the
fabulous world of fishkeeping, I was uninitiated
and uninformed as to this wonder of wonders.
Then one day I stumbled onto a well-used
copy of the twentieth edition. It is hardbound but
with a “paper” cover (I’ll get back to that shortly),
bright green, and with a photograph of a black-and-
white striped Scatophagus argus. The back cover
design is identical to the front, differing only in
that it doesn’t proclaim the title, and the names of
the author and the editor. My copy has a
publication date of 1979. I was just starting to
build my library of “fish lit,” and I had no idea of
the portal through which I was passing.
As many of you already know, this was
not the cover design of Exotic that was most
recognizable. The green leatherette cover with the
gold embossed rasboras was used from the
inception of Exotic (the first edition came out in
1935) until 1957. Our hobby historians spent a lot
of time discussing leatherette vs. cloth, and dark
green vs. light green.
Of particular interest are the following
quotes from the historical society:
“ . . . the main reason for the lovely leatherette
cover on Exotic was that it was waterproof. A real
asset for folks working and reading around water!
Wm. T. thought of almost everything.”
Alan Mark Fletcher
“I also have a green cloth covered 4th edition
(1942), it has the gold leaf rasboras on the cover,
and a paper spine label. Mine is not really a light
green color, but almost as dark a green as the
leatherette cover.” David Banks
“There are two fourth editions of the Innes book.
I have both. One is the traditional dark green
leatherette, the other is light green in color.
Mark Soberman
There are probably a dozen other similar
entries in this online conversation, but you get the
idea. Returning briefly to my own copy of the
twentieth edition, it was published by Metaframe,
and edited by Klaus Woltman. There are no maps,
no painting of rasboras, and no photo of Dr. Innes.
The thing about the cover is that it is clearly not
either leatherette or cloth. It is a heavy weight,
slightly glossy paper over hardboard. The point I
am trying to make is that in certain years more than
one cover design was produced, and a variety of
materials were used.
My introduction into Exotic was clearly
through the back door. Do I have the ONLY copy
of this book with a photo of a Scatophagus argus
on the cover? This was probably the least
recognizable of all the Exotic covers, and by then
the text had been “dumbed down” as well. So,
where to go from here? Good old-fashioned word-
of-mouth, not to mention a visit or two to Joe
Ferdenzi’s basement, got me moving in the right
direction. Before too long I had some idea of what
I had, as well as what I didn’t.
I’m going to briefly return to our historians:
“I believe he [Joe Ferdenzi] has every edition of
Exotic Aquarium Fishes.” Alan Mark Fletcher
“Any subsequent editions of Exotic Aquarium
Fishes later than the last revised 19th editions are
just not noteworthy or collectable.” Ray Wetzel
“My fourth edition, lime green coloration, has a
spine label. Took me looking at five or six of them
before I traded up to the one with the spine label.”
Paul Harvey
Are you asking yourself why you just read
that? It is because if you are one of the seventy
five percent of GCAS members who raised your
hand when Alan Mark Fletcher asked the group
how many of us owned a copy of Exotic, then you
own a highly collectable book. It goes without
saying that the older and more well preserved it is,
the more valuable it is.
In the last couple of decades it has
become standard practice for publishers to print
excerpts from the most favorable reviews of their
latest offerings. They send complimentary copies
to reviewers, and if no one likes it, then they
review their own product, either on the back cover,
or in a forward/preface. For the first fifty years
(give or take a few) of Exotic, this was not the
norm. I guess the publishers just hadn’t thought of
it yet. Anyway, where I’m headed here is that
Exotic was its own best review, and its author kept
it current with each new edition.
The six copies of Exotic which I am
working with start out with more similarities than
differences, and end up vice-versa. So far I have
been discussing mostly the superficial features of
Exotic. Elsewhere in this issue is a review of what
lies between the covers of editions one, eight, and
thirteen. See you there!
12 November 2007 Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)
Suggested Questions
T Please introduce yourself.
T Tell us about your favorite aquarium.
T What was your very first fish?
T Tell us about your education as a fishkeeper.
T Is there someone you think of as a mentor?
Tell us about him or her.
T Describe your “Fantasy Fish Tank.”
T If you were a fish, which one would you be?
T Who is your “Hobby Hero?”
T What fish which you have never kept would
you like to acquire?
T Describe your biggest fishkeeping “blooper!”
T Describe your most memorable fishkeeping
experience.
T What advice would you give to a
beginning fishkeeper?
T What are your fishkeeping goals?
- OR write a narrative story -
by SUSAN PRIEST ? ? ANONYMOUS ? ?
After having read the autobiography of this
m o nth’s ano nym o us f iskeep er , I
scanned the
GCAS membership
through my mind’s
eye. Anyone who
has already been
t h e a n o n y m o u s
fishkeeper, as well as
any of the women,
even if they haven’t
done it yet, can be
eliminated as possible
authors. However,
that leaves us with a
wide-open playing
field, if you will. So,
as you start to roll that
soccer ball around in
your minds in an
attempt to eliminate
candidates, and the
faces of different
members pop up, I
hope you will return
to the beginning of
this fishkeeper’s tale, just for the sheer enjoyment
of reading and rereading it.
Anonymous Fiskeeper/November 2007:
Please introduce yourself.
From my occupation, one would never
guess that underneath I have a scientific and
inquisitive mind. I love to experiment with
different apparatus and techniques to see what
works and what doesn’t work. As a kid, I was
always taking things apart and, unfortunately, not
all the time able to put things back together. My
mother discovered this when I disassembled the
toaster. My scientific and inquisitive mind was
fully satisfied while attending Stuyvesant High
School. By nature I am a skeptic, and I need proof
for any assertion of fact or opinion. For example,
if someone tells me about the best Italian restaurant
in little Italy, my response will be “have you eaten
in all the Italian restaurants there to make that
statement?” However,
if an aquarist with 30
years of experience
renders advice to me, I
will happily accept
that advice based on
his experience. I do
n o t b e l i e v e i n
reinventing the wheel.
After high school, I
went on to take up a
career totally divorced
from science and
technology. To my
amazement, I would
later put my scientific
training to use in my
unscientific career.
What was your very
first fish?
When I was
about 13 years old my
f r i e n d , L e s l i e
Blumberg, showed me his aquarium. He then gave
me two fish. One had nice colors, but the other
was totally drab. I asked him why he didn’t give
me two of the same species. He explained that
they were a pair of guppies, and the male had all
the colors.
Tell us about your education as a fishkeeper.
I went to the library (they existed before
the Internet gave you all the info you needed
without leaving your house), and took out a book
on maintaining an aquarium. I purchased a 10
gallon tank. Its frame was not stainless steel, but
one that was painted black and white. It had a slate
bottom. I do not know to this day what material
the frame was made of. To provide air for my box
filter, I purchased a piston pump, and a heater that
hung on the inside of the tank. Of course I used up
my life savings and borrowed heavily from my
siblings to make this expensive purchase. I was on
my way to a lifetime on and off hobby. I did not
Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY) November 2007 13
live far from Nassau Street, and that was the fish
store where I would buy all my fish. They had a
tank in the window that they said was a balanced
aquarium, and the water had not been changed
since the 1930s. By this time it was the mid 50s
and the literature did not seem to challenge this
balanced aquarium theory, where the plants would
absorb all the fish waste and convert them to
oxygen and other nutrients. I was in shock when,
in more recent time, I learned about frequent water
changes in the aquarium. It was contrary to
everything I had learned by then. The point being
that, what is gospel today, may be totally out of
date in the future.
Tell us about your favorite aquarium.
The Aquarium Stock Company was
located not too far from Nassau Street, and I loved
walking over and browsing. I never purchased
anything there because it was much too expensive.
If I saw a fish that I had to have, I would then go
back to Nassau Street to see if they had it, because
prices were much less there. I used to fantasize
that one day I would have enough money to buy at
the Aquarium Stock Company. Unfortunately,
when that day finally arrived, the Aquarium Stock
Company was no longer in existence.
If you were a fish, which one would you be?
I probably would have been a corydoras
catfish, because in my youth I preferred sleeping
all morning and staying up most of the night.
Getting married and having a family forced me into
adopting a more conventional lifestyle.
Who is your hobby hero?
Chubby Checker (that’s right the
twistman). Near the Aquarium Stock Company
another big tropical fish store opened. One day
while in there doing my usual browsing without
buying, in walks Chubby Checker, who was quite
famous as an entertainer. He saw me staring at
him, and he walked over to me and gave me such
a warm greeting that to this day I think about that
meeting when I listen to the oldies radio station,
where they frequently play the twist. “Come
everybody let’s twist again like they did it last
year.”
What fish which you have never kept would you
like to acquire?
I do not have any fantasy fish. The fish I
like are the same ones I kept in the 50s. I like
schooling fish such as barbs, tetras, and danios. Of
course, I always liked guppies. I once had a female
severum who laid eggs on a vertical piece of slate
in my fish tank. I didn’t know it was a female until
I saw the eggs, which, of course, were infertile. I
ran down to the Aquarium Stock Company and
they had a male severum. However, when I saw
the price, I knew my female was destined never to
become a mother.
Describe your Fantasy Fish Tank.
My fantasies are generally tinged with
reality. Presently I have several small tanks. I
would like to have a large 75 to 100 gallon tank in
which I would put different kinds of small
schooling fish such as barbs, tetras, and danios. I
have the space for it, but I have to figure out how
to get it into my basement without my wife seeing
it, and then presenting her with a fait accompli.
Describe your biggest fishkeeping blooper.
I maintained a 15-gallon aquarium in our
apartment, located by the living room window. It
was in a sunny place, and I could not understand
why I had so much algae in the tank. One day I
decided to break down the tank completely. Since
it was by an open window, I figured I would run
the hose from the tank to outside the window and
drain away. I started the siphoning and the water
from the tank started draining out the window to
the grass below, or so I thought. However, the
water started running against the building, and
unfortunately, my neighbors below also had the
window open. I can tell you that my neighbors
were not too happy about having 15 gallons of
water come into their apartment via an open
window.
Describe your most memorable fishkeeping
experience.
My grandson asked me to help him pick
out fish for his community fish tank. It was
exciting to see him running around the store
selecting different species, some of which I
explained to him would not be good in a
community tank. Watching him, I could not help
but to reflect on my own youth, and how in the
blink of an eye I wasn’t the one running around the
fish store choosing for myself, but watching
someone else in my place. Of course, I was very
flattered that he wanted my expert advice on
choosing fish (or was it because he knew that I
would pay for the fish!).
What advise would you give to a beginning
fishkeeper?
Never to be discouraged by your failures.
By trying, experimenting, and of course sometimes
failing, one will build up a body of knowledge
sufficient to be a successful aquarist. I found that
for myself, I learned more from my failures than
from my successes. Again, to repeat, today’s
gospel may be in the trash can tomorrow.
14 November 2007 Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)
Last month’s Anonymous Fishkeeper:
The Undergravel Reporter!
What are your fishkeeping goals?
I have had very limited success in
breeding egglayers. My goal is to expand my skills
in this area by my favorite method-trial and error.
Final thoughts
After a hiatus of about 20 years, in 2002
I rekindled my interest in tropical fish and attended
a GCAS meeting. I have been attending meetings
regularly now for 5 years. The depth of knowledge
that members possess amazes me. Someone will
be knowledgeable about any aspect of the hobby,
and gladly share their knowledge with you.
Everything I need to know, plus, will be
available to me at a GCAS meeting. One final
observation of mine is that the equipment which
aquarists use is not that different from what was
used in the 50s. We had electric heaters, air
pumps, and filters that are not too different than
what is used today. The fish tanks are all glass
today, and submersible heaters exist. Fluorescent
lights are used instead of incandescent bulbs. The
one invention that did not exist then, but its
inventor should receive the Nobel Prize, is the
Python. It has to be the greatest invention after
chopped liver. Ed Vukich told me about the
Python, and when I purchased one and used it, I
told him how great the snake is. He looked
puzzled and then realized I meant the Python.
We have never had an anonymous
anonymous fishkeeper before. It’s half
the fun, at least for me, when I get to tell
you who the author was from the previous month.
This time I don’t even get to tell you! (Could you
see me stamping my foot when I said that?)
Anyway, if you didn’t guess who last month’s
anonymous fishkeeper was, don’t feel bad. Not
even GCAS President Joe Ferdenzi did (and, prior
to our September 2007 anonymous fishkeeper, Joe
had a 100% track record of guessing correctly!).
The biggest clue was in the answer to the
first question. Our author was paraphrasing a
direct quote which I’ll reproduce for you here:
“They seek him here, they seek him there, those
Frenchies seek him everywhere. Is he in heaven?
Is he in hell? That demmed illusive Pimpernel.”
This is a quote from the novel and play (and
several movies based on this novel and play), The
Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy.
The character who spoke it was Sir Percy Blakeley.
He, like our own famous as well as infamous
Undergravel Reporter, had a double-identity.
(Personally, one identity is more than enough for
me to keep track of!)
The Scarlet Pimpernel is a story of
someone who uses a pseudonym to carry out
certain activities. In the literary tradition of Lewis
Carroll (of Alice in Wonderland fame), as well as
Dr. Seuss, Ann Landers, Molière, George Orwell,
and Voltaire, last month’s Anonymous Fishkeeper
writes for Modern Aquarium under a “pen name”
(or, nom de plume).
The Undergravel Reporter column is a
staple of Modern Aquarium. Nothing (except
possibly the Contents page) has been in more
issues from Series III of Modern Aquarium—not a
President’s Message, or an editorial page, not a
Fin Fun Puzzle, or even the logo on our back
cover.
We can safely deduce from the
anonymous fishkeeper column which “Undy”
submitted last month that he/she/(it??) is not one of
our “younger” members, and may have had
something approximating what used to be referred
to as a “classical education.” In addition to the
paraphrase from The Scarlet Pimpernel, did you
notice the paraphrase at the very end from All
Creatures Great and Small, a series of the memoirs
of Scottish veterinarian James Herriot, as well as
a verse from a 19th century hymn by Cecil Frances
Humphreys Alexander? (Yes, folks, that is all one
name!)
Since the “Undergravel Reporter” column
may continue under the new Editor of Modern
Aquarium (ask Dan about this, not me!), I will not
attempt to “out” our October Anonymous
Fishkeeper any more. I hope you enjoyed our first
Anonymous Fishkeeper column in verse, as it may
well be our last.
Sometimes “it” makes you smile and
laugh. Sometimes “it” makes you growl and groan.
At least you finally have a picture of “it” (self-
portraiture at its lowliest), that you can “doodle”
on. You can add devil horns, a black eye, or even
a pair of ears so you can tell “it” what you really
think of its column. As for me, I would just like to
say that any snail droppings which “it” encounters
under there are well-deserved!
Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY) November 2007 15
The GCASProudly Extends a Most
Warm Welcome to
JOE FERDENZISpeaking On
“Home Depot for the Aquarist”
Joe Ferdenzi has been maintaining aquariums since the age of 12. Currently maintaining 45aquariums
in his fishroom, ranging in size from 125 to 1 1/2 gallons, Joe’s tanks
house just about every type of fish imaginable because, as Joe puts it, he
never met a fish he didn’t like! Joe is presently serving his 18th term as
President of the Greater City Aquarium Society. In addition, he is a Life
Member of both the American Cichlid Association and the American Killifish
Association. He has lectured on a number of aquarium topics, and has been
awarded honorary membership in several aquarium societies, including the
Brooklyn and the Long Island aquarium societies (of New York), and the
Norwalk Aquarium Society (in Connecticut).
He was the first person in America to breed two New World cichlids
(Cicchlasomaa haitiensis, currently described as Nandopsis haitiensis, and
Archocentrus nanoluteus). In 1994, in a poll conducted for Aquarium Fish Magazine, Joe was voted one
of America's three leading experts on community aquariums.
Joe has also authored or co-authored numerous articles that have appeared in “Tropical Fish
Hobbyist magazine,” the “Buntbarsche Bulletin” (the journal of the American Cichlid Association), and
the Journal of the American Killifish Association. Some of these articles have been translated and
published in foreign periodicals in Sweden and Germany. In both 1994 and 1996, the Federation of
American Aquarium Societies (“FAAS”) awarded him their “Author of the Year” award. He has also
received numerous awards from both FAAS and the Northeast Council of Aquarium Societies (“NEC”)
for individual articles appearing in Modern Aquarium, the publication of the Greater City Aquarium
Society.
Joe’s library of aquarium literature is extensive, with over 100 hardcover and paperback books,
including some of the earliest treatises on the keeping of aquariums, as well as thousands of aquarium
periodicals, some dating back to 1919.
Joe is an attorney by profession, and holds a doctorate in Law from Boston University. He
currently lives in Greenvale, New York, with his wife, Anita, and their three children: Dean Angelo,
Marissa, and Francesca.
16 November 2007 Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)
Our PresidentJoseph Ferdenzi
Claudia Dickinson
It was on June 6th of 2001 that the highest lifetime achievement awarded by the GCAS, the Roll
of Honor, found its true name, for on that date, it became the “Joseph Ferdenzi Roll of Honor.” What we
had to say to our President, Joe Ferdenzi, rings as true today as it did on that evening in June of 2001.
Joe Ferdenzi
President of the GCAS
is a most distinguished and exceptional aquarist,
a great leader, a skilled writer,
a studied historian of the GCAS, and an eloquent speaker.
A most caring individual, Joe’s warmth and generosity
permeates the heart of the GCAS and emanates all that we stand for.
Joe is a mentor to many, and an inspiration to all.
It is with great honor, respect, and pride that we,
the Membership of the GCAS, on this day, June 6 2001,th
dedicate our most prestigious award to Joe.
Our Roll of Honor shall henceforth be titled the
“Joseph Ferdenzi Roll of Honor”
With Thanksgiving upon us, tonight is a perfect time to once again give heartfelt words of
appreciation to this special person, who continues to demonstrate extraordinary leadership skills, guiding
the GCAS in a precise, thoughtful, and diplomatic fashion, with a manner in which we can all be proud.
Always remembering to let the rest of us know when we have done our jobs well, and offering reason to
perform our roles with united minds working together towards a common goal, it is, in fact, in enormous
part due to Joe, that the GCAS is what it is today!
Not only is Joe our President, to many of us, he is a dear friend. On a personal note, for me, Joe
is a person who I can phone with the exciting news that a particular fish has spawned, or that a shipment
of fish is about to arrive and would he mind if we drop by, say, around 11 pm. He is someone that I am
inspired to call on my cell phone from a far off primitive world, to share the great excitement with after
stepping out of the wilds of the Amazon jungle, where there is once again a cellular connection. When I
have a brainstorm, such as the C.A.R.E.S. Preservation Program, and am full of an enthusiasm that can
be overpowering to some, Joe listens with a patient ear, offering kind words of encouragement as well as
invaluably thoughtful input. He is a perfect listener to help sort out an idea or matter in one’s mind, and
to put things in perspective. Joe is always there to share the joys, and understanding and supportive at
times of sorrow.
With his 20th year coming up as President of the GCAS, Joe has been hinting in his monthly
President’s Message of thoughts of stepping aside, passing the torch if you will, to one of us. After 20
years, and watching the marathon that he runs from the start of each meeting, right to the end, this could
be understandable. However, what would the GCAS be without Joe as our leader? It is my great wish, and
I am certain that of yours, that we can continue to pitch together and do our best to ease Joe’s job, while
retaining him as our inimitable, and undoubtedly irreplaceable, President. What an extraordinary GCAS
Holiday that would be!
Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY) November 2007 17
Special Editiona Series On Books For The Hobbyist
by SUSAN PRIEST
Exotic Aquarium Fishes by Dr. Wm. T. InnesA Seventy-Two Year Perspective
Part TWO: Review of Editions One, Eight, and Thirteen
The year was 1935. The aquarium hobby in
America was youthful and energetic. The
aquarists of the day were thirsty.
Fortunately for them, as well as generations of
aquarists to follow, someone was ready, willing,
and able to quench that thirst. His name was
William T. Innes, and seventy-two years later his
name is still often-spoken, and his writings are still
often-read. Although he has a variety of titles to
his credit, he is most well known for his authorship
of the book Exotic Aquarium Fishes (hereafter
referred to by me as “Exotic”).
In part one of this article (the
introduction), I mention the most recognizable
cover of Exotic. I would like to call your attention
to the photo on the facing page, which is a
reproduction of “the green leatherette cover with
the gold embossed rasboras.” (The title can be
found along the spine, on a paper label.) This cover
design was used from the first edition (1935)
through the nineteenth edition (1957), which was
the last edition to be revised by Dr. Innes. Thus, it
is a representation of the cover of all three editions
of Exotic which are under discussion here.
Start by opening the front cover, and then
stop. Don’t even touch any of the pages yet. What
do you see? It is a map of the Western
Hemisphere. (On the inside of the back cover is a
map of the Eastern Hemisphere.) Before you have
even turned a single page, Dr. Innes is telling you
what he considers to be primary information about
tropical fishes. You aren’t ready for the details yet,
but he wants you to be mindful of the fact that the
habitat location of a given fish will be important to
your study of the topic. These maps have
numerical as well as alphabetical “margins,” which
will guide you as you travel to specific locations.
Dr. Innes will be referring you to these maps very
often, but we will come back to this later.
As you begin to turn the pages, you will
come across a color portrait of a pair of Rasbora
heteromorpha. This is followed by the title page,
which reads Exotic Aquarium Fishes, “a work of
general reference.” Exotic will fit any definition of
a textbook that you can come up with, but don’t
worry—you will like it anyway!
On pages three and four is the
“Author/Publisher’s Introduction” (in this instance,
they are both the same person). “Appreciations”
are most warmly expressed to Dr. George S.
Meyers, as well as for the illuminating comments
which were obtained by having parts of the text
read to various aquarium societies of the day.
(Other people were named as well.)
The “Aquarium Principles” of oxygen,
light, temperature, feeding, fish foods, enemies,
and diseases are the first topics to come under
discussion. Mathematical formulas for calculating
the surface area of water needed by different sizes
of fish are quite specific. There are directions for
constructing a homemade “light strip.” “The light
may be just above or in the water, as long as it is
not in up to the socket.”
The section on fish foods offers the
reader several recipes for making their own
prepared foods. “It is difficult to state what the
temperamental scalare will eat, but they have been
found to like scrambled egg.” Much more
emphasis is placed on the acquisition and feeding
out of live foods, daphnia being deemed to have
particular value.
The text, and especially the photos, of the
enemies of our beloved fishes, are quite scary.
Water tiger, dragon fly larvae, and hydra are the
most heinous. In their predatory stages, they are as
large or even larger than the fish which they are
attacking. The names of the diseases would be
familiar to you, with the possible exception of
“itch,” which should not be confused with “ich.”
There are no photographs in this section. Such
diseases as dropsy and fungus infection are
described, but not illustrated.
Next comes the broader topic of “General
Management.” At this point, Wm. T. covers a
wide variety of subjects in no particular order.
Examples include green water, covers, nets,
seasoning tanks, and tapping on the glass, to name
but a few. He says: “There seems to be about as
much sense to tapping an aquarium glass to gain
the attention of the fishes as there is in speaking in
18 November 2007 Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)
a loud tone of voice to someone who does not
understand our language. The result is the same-
fear and confusion.”
Exotic includes a section called “Plants
and Planting.” The first question it asks itself, and
then promptly answers, is “why include plants?”
They supply an aquarium with oxygenation,
purification, and beautification. Many of the plants
are illustrated with
b l a c k - a n d - w h i t e
photographs. Advice on
how to plant reminds us,
among many o ther
points, to keep the
plants moist. “A half-
drying may set them
back for weeks.”
“The pleasure
of aquarium study can
b e d o u b l e d b y
organizing it.” This is
how Wm. T. prefaces
his thoughts on the
classification of fishes.
T h is b rief chap te r
describ es ho w the
appearance of each fish
can help the aquarist
place it in the correct
family. It includes
anatomy diagrams, and
a se c t io n o n th e
breeding of egg-laying
fishes.
Even those of
you who have enough
interest in a seventy-two
year old, out-of-print
book to have read this far are getting restless. It’s
time to clean the glass, both inside and out, so you
can get a good long look at the fishes.
Dr Innes treats each fish as an individual.
How it might fit into a chart, or a list, or a group of
icons is of no interest to him. How a fish presents
itself, and what makes it different rather than
similar to other fishes is how it is described. I
didn’t count how many fishes are represented in the
first edition, but there are 349 pages full of
“finformation.”
As our author explains this important
point much more clearly than I could, I am going to
let him tell you in his own words, quoting from his
introduction: “It will be noted that greatly varying
amounts of text accompany different fish
illustrations. This is deliberate. Where little is
known of a species, or where its habits have just
previously been described for another member of
the same family, we believe blank paper is better
than needless repetition or any literary ‘padding.’
Those species which are especially interesting or
popular, or whose life habits require extra space to
describe, receive it.”
Here are some excerpts from Exotic’s
description of one of your all-time favorite fish:
“‘Missionary’ fish would be a fitting name for this
little beauty, for it far exceeds any other species in
the number of convert aquarists it has made. Each
male is as individual as
a thumb print. Hours
can be spent in the
pleasant pursuit of
trying to disprove that
statement. The only
result will be added
admiration. It is a
livebeare r . I t is
unusually active. It will
t h r i v e i n c l o s e
confinement. It has an
extreme temperature
range of 35 degrees,
from 65 to 100. It
matures rapidly, an
important point for
those aquarists breeding
fo r d e f in i te co lo r
patterns. The species
was first introduced to
a q u a r i s t s f r o m
Kingston, Jamaica, in
1912. Like rings in a
pond, its fame is still
spreading.”
H a v e y o u
guessed yet that our
hero (oops! I mean our
author) is talking about
the ubiquitous guppy? The complete text fills over
two pages. The scientific name attributed to this
fish at that time was Lebistes reticulatus.
At this point I would like to quote Dr.
Innes on the subject of scientific names; “The best
we can say on this point is that ‘names do change’
in accordance with the progress of ichthyological
research. The chief source of confusion has been
the hurry and carelessness of some aquarists in
clapping any name on a newly imported fish before
it has been carefully identified. Later check-up
usually shows such names to be erroneous, with
consequent aquaristic brain-ache.”
In any event, Baensch’s Aquarium Atlas lists
twelve different scientific synonyms for the fish we
all know of as a guppy. In current usage is the
name Poecillia reticulata.
I will stay with the guppy as an example
of how Dr. Innes presents each fish to us. Every
fish “biography” is illustrated. Most have black-
and-white photographs, but many are color
Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY) November 2007 19
paintings which have often been mistakenly
thought to be photographs. Here is a brief quote
from the introduction: “The placing of the
illustration and the text together in every instance
is one of the main features of this book.”
Immediately below the illustration is the
scientific name. Then comes a (Latin)
pronunciation guide, and the common name(s) of
the fish. These are followed by the meanings of
the words in the Latin name. For example, in the
instance of our friend the guppy: Lebistes- meaning
not known; reticulatus- netted. The next item is
the geographical location they hail from, followed
by the adult length of males and females.
Ultimately, the last entry under each photo
is a notation directing the reader to either the
Eastern or Western Location Map, and a pair of
letter/number references. In the case of the
guppies, it says “Western Location map x19 to
A24.” (Lower case as well as upper case letters
have been utilized, and x is not a typographical
error, nor is it the same as X.) Then it is a simple
matter of turning to the inside front cover and
finding the place(s) where they cross. After that,
you head right into the text of the “biography” for
each fish.
Buried as discretely as a treasure chest
within the text about guppies is this sage advice:
“Many breeders try to bring the male guppy to a
more robust size. This can only be done by
continuous rapid growth under the influence of the
magic 3 of fish culture-right temperature, plenty of
room per fish and plenty of live food.” The lesson
to be learned here has nothing to do with magic. It
is that as you are reading Exotic, you must not be
a “choosy” reader. Every entry has something to
offer, even if one of your favorite fishes is not
under discussion.
At this point I am going to jump forward
to the eighth edition, which was published in 1947.
Early on you will notice a significant addition. On
the reverse of the title page there is a photograph of
our author, Dr. William T. Innes. The first revision
of Exotic to contain this photo was the sixth
edition. The reason for this addition was a very
simple one. His readers requested it. They wanted
to see what this highly revered man looked like.
The major difference between the first
edition of Exotic, and the successive editions, can
be summed up by tallying the number of pages.
The first edition has 463 pages, the eighth edition
has 507 pages, and the thirteenth edition has 520
pages. The additional pages represent a
comparable number of additional fishes under
discussion. (As per an earlier entry, we already
know that some fishes may have had more space
allotted to them than others.) Another, and perhaps
even simpler way to observe this population
growth is to look at the index of fishes, which
noticeably expands with each edition.
Occasionally a fish has been removed from the
lineup, due to the fact that it is no longer available
to aquarists.
A couple of other changes can be noted
near the end of the book. The eighth edition, and
subsequently the thirteenth, have a couple of pages
on marine aquariums. Also, there is a brief section
on “community tank combinations.” Our author
makes numerous disclaimers as to the usefulness of
this feature, and presents his suggestions with
hesitation. As in the case of including his own
likeness, he compiled these lists in response to the
requests of his readers.
Here is one final observation. The value
our author placed on aquarium societies was
evident right from the very beginning. His
comments on the subject were brief, but they were
italicized in their entirety!
A thorough search of the eighth and
thirteenth editions with the proverbial fine-toothed
comb, which would turn up the addition of a word
here, and the removal of one there, would not
contribute anything of substance to this review.
The main difficulty in working from the earlier
editions is that many, indeed most, of the names of
the fishes have been changed.
It seems to me that I have told you too
little, as well as too much. Clearly, I couldn’t tell
you everything. I have tried to choose quotations
which will give you a feel for the era, the material
at hand, and the man himself. I would like to give
you one last quote to ponder until next month.
“They sail like swans asleep.” What fish do you
think Dr. Innes was referring to? I’ll tell you
which one it is next month in part three of this
article, when I will be reviewing editions nineteen,
twenty, and twenty one of Exotic Aquarium Fishes.
Reference:
Baensch, Hans A. and Riehl, Dr. Rudiger.
Aquarium Atlas (Volume I), Baensch Publishing,
1991.
20 November 2007 Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)
“DAM !”
THE AMUSING AQUARIUM
Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY) November 2007 21
FAASinations—News From: The Federation of American Aquarium Societies
by ALEXANDER A. PRIEST
The Federation of American Aquarium
Societies (“FAAS”) was formed in 1973. It
is a service organization of and for aquarium
societies of North, Central and, South America.
Greater City is a member of FAAS.
The FAAS website (http://www.faas.info/)
has added a new program by Charlie Grimes, a
veteran of over 30 years on the aquarium speaking
circuit, titled “Introduction to Killifish” that can be
downloaded and played at a club meeting. This
63-slide program features audio narration and great
photography!
FAAS has also added the following two
exhaustive guides on its website in Adobe Acrobat
.PDF format:
• Starting an Aquarium Society (27-pages)
• How to Plan and Run Aquarium Society
Meetings (34-pages)
These guides were originally authored many years
ago. Both have been revised and updated with new
information.
There is also a new slide presentation
(audio included) on how a club can run a
successful swap meet. The link to this presentation
includes the presentations, forms, and a printable
copy to share. The 27 minute presentation can be
viewed on-line at the website.
Of particular interest to GCAS members
should be the FAAS Publication Awards. Virtually
any article submitted for Modern Aquarium is
eligible for a FAAS Publication Award. The
awards are based on a calendar year. So, anyone
wishing to have his or her article considered for a
2007 FAAS Publication Award needs to have the
article printed in 2007. For those who may be
interested, you only have one month left, so get
those articles in soon! (Of course, articles that
arrive too late for publication in 2007 will be
considered for publication in 2008, and eligible for
a 2008 FAAS Publication Award).
News from: the NortheastCouncil of Aquarium Societies
The NEC’s 33rd Annual Convention will
be held on April 11 - 13, 2008 at the Marriott
Hotel in Farmington, CT. The contest rules for
designing a logo for this Convention are as follows:
The logo should incorporate this year’s
theme, “Pirates of the NEC,” into a “fishy” design,
representative of a Tropical Fish Convention. It
may (but need not) include the dates of the
convention, or that this will be the 33rd
convention.
1) The artist must be a member of an NEC club.
2) The entry must be original (never used before).
3) The entry must be submitted by the artist. (Send
two copies of each entry, one signed and one not
signed.)
4) The design should follow the theme of this
year’s banquet, “Pirates of the NEC.”
Submit a four-color version (black
outlining, if used, counts as one color). Avoid
shading, as it will not reproduce as you intend it to
on the T-shirts.
5) The winning logo will
appear on the cover of
the Annual Convention
program, the Registration Flier and on the
Convention T-shirts, and may be used in any/all
NEC Convention publicity. Part or all of the logo
may be used on the registration button and may be
modified to fit.
6) The artist may recommend a color for the
T-shirt (the final color to be decided by the NEC).
6) The winner will receive a free T-shirt, two free
registrations for the 33rd Annual Convention, and
two free banquet tickets!
7) The deadline is November 27, 2007. All entries
must be in the hands of Janine Banks before this
date. Please mail your entry(s) to:
Janine Banks
315 US Route 2
Grand Isle, VT 05458
(802)372-8716 ([email protected])
22 November 2007 Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)
American Killifish Association
2008 National Convention
The Upstate New York Killifish Association is proud to sponsor the46th annual American Killifish Association National Convention for2008.
The convention is set for Friday, May 23 through Sunday May 25
http://www.aka.org/convention/
American Cichlid Association
2008 National ConventionThe American Cichlid Association ACA holds an annual convention, usually in
July, featuring cichlid experts asspeakers, a competitive cichlidshow, an auction of cichlids, andopportunities to meet othercich l id hobbyists . Thisweekend-long event is thehighlight of the year and isusually attended by 600 or morepeople.
The 2008 AmericanCichlid Association Convention is being held in Atlanta,
Georgia, from Thursday, July 17th through Sunday, July 20th, 2008. It will behosted by the Atlanta Area Aquarium Association (AAAA)
http://www.aca2008.com/
Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY) November 2007 23
American Livebearer Association
2008 Annual Convention
May 1-4, 2008 San Antonio Texas
Fish Farm visit and collecting trip on Thursday May 1.
Collecting trip and visit to the Xiphophorus Genetic Stock
Center on Friday, May 2.
International speaker lineup on May 3, with reception and dinner.
Huge Livebearer fish show, and a huge auction on May 4.
See our web site for more details: http:.www.livebearers.org
Northeast Council of Aquarium Societies
2008 Annual Convention
The NEC’s 33rd Annual Convention will be held
April 11 - 13, 2008at the Marriott Hotel in Farmington, CT
Each year, the NEC Convention has a “theme”with a prize awarded to the person whose costumemost closely exemplifies that year's theme. Thetheme for the 2008 Convention is: the “Pirates ofthe NEC.”
more details to follow
Visit the NEC website at: http://northeastcouncil.org/html/
24 November 2007 Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)
In spite of popular demand to the
contrary, this humor and information
column continues. As usual, it does
NOT necessarily represent the
opinions of the Editor, or of the
Greater City Aquarium Society.
DHMOand You!
A series by “The Undergravel Reporter”
There have been quite a few product recalls
recently, including some involving pet (and
even fish) food that might be contaminated
with toxic substances. This brings me to a warning
about a chemical that, without any question, is
present in all of your aquariums right now! I refer
to dihydrous monoxide, or DHMO. DHMO is a
colorless, odorless, and tasteless chemical. Its basis
is the unstable radical Hydroxide, the components of
which are found in a number of caustic, explosive
and poisonous compounds such as sulfuric acid,
nitroglycerine, and ethyl alcohol.
DHMO kills thousands of people every
year. Most of these deaths are caused by accidental
inhalation of DHMO. While high levels of
inhalation can cause death by infiltrating the lungs
and interfering with proper air exchange, low levels
of inhalation can cause coughing, choking, and
labored breathing. Even temporary exposure to
DHMO can cause permanent neurological
dysfunction, and low dose exposure may provoke
aspirated pneumonia and dyspnoeia. Some
symptoms of DHMO ingestion include a bloated
feeling, excessive urination, vomiting, and body
electrolyte imbalance.
DHMO can take any form: gas, liquid, or
solid. It is potentially dangerous, even lethal,
regardless of which form it takes. As a gas, it can
severely burn your skin, blind you, and scald your
lungs. As a liquid, it can intrude into every aperture
of your body and prevent you from obtaining
oxygen. Its liquid form causes millions of dollars
worth of damage every year and claims thousands of
lives. Prolonged exposure to its solid form can
cause severe tissue damage, intracellular
crystallization, and molecular slowdown in the body
eventually leading to death.
It’s also highly addictive. (It has been
reliably reported that, once you start drinking it, you
can’t stop. There is currently no known treatment
for DHMO addiction.)
DHMO is a “greenhouse gas.” It has
been described as an “environmental disaster.” It
is a major component of acid rain. It causes soil
erosion, and it is widely believed that excessive
levels of DHMO caused (or contributed
significantly to) the levee failures, flooding, and
general destruction following Hurricane Katrina in
2005. DHMO can literally eat away many metals,
and can carve through solid rock as if it were
butter. In certain seasons its presence on roads
causes, or contributes to, automobile accidents.
DHMO can be found in every lake,
stream, river, or pond in the northern hemisphere.
It is a by-product of explosives and the combustion
of hydrocarbons. Virtually every factory and
business in America generates at least some
DHMO.
Pharmaceutical companies have put
DHMO to use in large quantities in conjunction
with many forms of cruel animal research. It has
been linked to the distribution of pesticides, and is
often sprayed on crops of all kind. Even after
washing, produce remains contaminated by this
chemical. Once exposed, it is almost impossible to
wash DHMO off of the skin. It causes electrical
failure, and decreased effectiveness of automobile
brakes. It has been found in tumors of terminal
cancer patients. The military has spent billions of
dollars building and designing weapons to harness
this chemical. DHMO is often used as an
industrial solvent, in nuclear power plants, in the
production of Styrofoam, and as a fire retardant.
Here is a partial list of places DHMO can
be found:
• nuclear power plants
• processed foods
• automobile exhaust emissions
• most household chemicals, includ ing
floor cleaners, pesticides, and other
poisons
• tumors in terminal cancer patients
• many types of industrial chemicals
• several types of chemical weapons
• fire retardants
• several different types of junk food
• your fish tanks!
You can sign an on-line petition to the
U.S. Congress to ban or regulate DHMO at:http://www.petitiononline.com/spots350/petition.html
By the way, “dihydrous monoxide” means
having two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom,
2In other words, DHMO is H O , and that’s just
plain water. On the other hand, every statement
about DHMO above is absolutely true!
Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY) November 2007 25
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! Marine Biologist On Staff! Custom Tank Builders for the NY Aquarium! Manufacturers of Aquarium & Filter Systems! Custom Cabinetry & Lighting! Largest Selection of Marine & Freshwater Livestock in NY! New York’s Largest Custom Aquarium Showroom! See Working Systems on Display
2015 Flatbush Avenue Open Saturdays and SundaysBrooklyn, NY 11234 Amex, Discover, MasterCard, Visa(718)258-0653 2 miles off exit 11N of the Belt Parkway
www.WorldClassAquarium.com
26 November 2007 Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)
Last Month’s Bowl Show Winners:
1) Kin Ha 2) Kin Ha 3) Bill Amely
UNOFFICIAL results this season, to date:
Ed Vukich 18; Carlotti De Jager 11; Kin Ha 8; Artie Friedman 7; Bill Amely 5;
Mario Bengcion 5; Claudia Dickinson 3; Darwin Richmond 3; Warren Feuer 1
Welcome new member:
Dan Puleo
G.C.A.S. HAPPENINGS
Here are meeting times and locations of some aquarium societies in the Metropolitan New York area:
GREATER CITY AQUARIUM SOCIETY
Next Meeting; December 12, 2007
Members’ Holiday Party and Awards Banquet
7:30pm at: The Palace Diner
60-15 Main Street • Flushing, NY 11355
(718) 762-8800
Contact: Joseph Ferdenzi (516) 484-0944
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.greatercity.org
Brooklyn Aquarium SocietySPECIAL EVENT: November 24
Aquarium Tag Sale Swap Meet
Floyd Bennett Field's Aviator Sports
Center 10 AM - 3 PM
Dealers, vendors, breeders tables. Come
to sell or buy; livestock, plants, dry
goods and aquarium items. Small
admission fee.
Call: BAS Events Hotline: (718) 837-4455
http://www.brooklynaquariumsociety.org
East Coast Guppy Association
Meets: 1st Thursday of each month at Alley Pond
Environmental Ctr.: 228-06 Northern Blvd. at
8:00 pm
Contact: Gene Baudier (631) 345-6399
Big Apple Guppy Club
Meets: Last Tuesday each month (except Jan.
& Feb.) at Alley Pond Environmental Ctr.:
228-06 Northern Blvd. at 7:30-10:00pm.
Contact: Donald Curtin (718) 631-0538
Long Island Aquarium SocietyNext Meeting: November 16, 2007
Speaker: Chart Guthrie
Topic: Invasive Species
Meets: 3rd Fridays (except July and August) at
Holtsville Park and Zoo at 8:00pm.
249 Buckley Road - Holtsville, NY
Website: http://liasonline.org/
Email: Arie Gilbert - [email protected]
Nassau County Aquarium SocietyNext Meeting: December 11, 2007
Holiday Party
Meets: Molloy College - Kellenberg Hall
1000 Hempstead Ave - Rockville Centre, NY
Contact: Mike Foran (516) 798-6766
Website: http://www.ncasweb.org
North Jersey Aquarium Society
Next Meeting: November 15, 2007
Speaker: Randy Carey
Topic: “The Rio Negro, Project Piaba, and
the Pursuit of Hope”
Meadowlands Environmental Center - One
Dekorte Plaza - Lyndhurst, NJ
Contact: NJAS Hotline at (732) 332-1392
Website: http://www.njas.net/
or e-mail: [email protected]
Norwalk Aquarium SocietyNext Meeting: November 15, 2007
Speaker: David Soares
Topic: “Up To Date with Apistogramma
Today”
Meets: 8:00 P.M. - 3rd Thursday of each
month at: Earthplace - the Nature Discovery
Center - Westport, CT
Contact: John Chapkovich (203) 734-7833
E-mail: [email protected]
Call our toll free number (866) 219-4NAS
Website: http://norwalkas.org/
Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY) November 2007 27
Fin FunMath is Fun!
Or is it? These questions are self-explanatory:
1) If you have one bucket with five gallons of water, and one bucket with two gallons of water, and one
bucket with four gallons of water, how many buckets do you have?
2) How many guppies does it take to fill a ten gallon tank?
3) If you have a 90 gallon tank, and you drain out half of the water, then you add ten gallons, and then you
remove 30%, how much water do you have to add to fill up the tank?
4) If you have a 2½ gallon tank, a 5 gallon tank, and a 10 gallon tank lined up next to each other in your
livingroom, how many gallons of water do you need to fill them all up?
5) If you have a tank with half a dozen neon tetras, 8 white clouds, and an oscar, how many fish do you
have?
This month’s Fin Fun was inspired by the movie “Idiocracy.”
Solution to last month’s puzzle: Spelling “P”
Name of plant Spelled correctly Spelled incorrectly
Vesiculia bubyana X
Water Sprite X
Anubias barterii X
Cobomba X
Microsorum pteropus X
Algae X
Anubias nanna X
Ceratophyllum demersum X
Ceratophyllum echinacia X
Naajas X
28 November 2007 Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S. (NY)