Modern Aquarium April 2008

modern

AQUARIUM

APRIL 2008 volume XV number 2

Greater City Aquarium Society - New York

modern

AQUARITM ON THE COVER The photo on our cover this month is of Hoplosternum littorale, a catfish familiar to aquariums as well as to the dinner table.

And, if you're a resident of central Florida, it's probably playing now in a swamp near you! For more on this easy-to-keep callichthyid, see "Catfish Hunter," on page 11.

Photo by Dan Radebaugh

Series III

Vol. XV, No. 2 April, 2008

In This Issue From the Editor The Amusing Aquarium (Cartoon).

by Bernard Harrigan

President's Message G.C.A.S. 2008 Program Schedule...

"2 "3 "4 "5

GREATER CITY AQUARIUM SOCIETY

Fish Bytes BOARD MEMBERS

President Vice-President.

Treasurer Corres. Secretary.

Recording Secretary.

by Stephen Sica with Donna Sosna Sica

Joseph Ferdenzi Mark Soberman Jack Traub Warren Feuer & Sharon Barnett Edward Vukich

Catfish Hunter

by Dan Radebaugh

Wet Leaves

by Susan Priest

"7

"11

"13

MEMBERS AT LARGE

Claudia Dickinson Artie Friedman.

Ben Haus Leonard Ramroop

Pete D'Orio Al Grusell Emma Haus

COMMITTEE CHAIRS

A.C.A. Delegate Breeder Award.

Early Arrivals F.A. A.S. Delegate Members/Programs N.E.C. Delegate

Claudia Dickinson Warren Feuer Mark Soberman Al Grusell Alexander Priest Claudia Dickinson Claudia Dickinson

The Bahamian Lionfish

by Stephen Sica

The Case of the Hanging Cichlids

by Frank Fallon

The Undergravel Reporter G.C.A.S. Happenings Fin Fun (Puzzle Page)

"15

"17 "19 "21 "22

MODERN AQUARIUM Editor in Chief.

Associate Editor.

Copy Editors

Dan Radebaugh Claudia Dickinson Sharon Barnett Susan Priest Alexander A. Priest Exchange Editors Stephen Sica Donna Sosna Sica Photo/Layout Editor Jason Kerner Advertising Mgr. Mark Soberman Executive Editor................. Joseph Ferdenzi

Articles submitted for consideration in Modern Aquarium must be received no later than the 1 Oth day of the month, three months prior to the month of publication.

Copyright 2008 by the Greater City Aquarium Society Inc., a not-for-profit New York State corporation. All rights reserved. Not-for-profit aquarium societies are hereby granted permission to reproduce articles and illustrations from this publication, unless the article indicates that the copyrights have been retained by the author, and provided reprints indicate source and two copies of the publication are sent to the Exchange Editor of this magazine. Any other reproduction or commercial use of the material in this publication is prohibited without express written prior permission.

The Greater City Aquarium Society meets every month, except 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

From the Editor

by Dan Radebaugh

A

s I look through this issue of Modern Aquarium, I am struck by the fact that, of the three articles profiling a species of aquarium fish, all three are found in nature outside their native ranges. The lionfish, that now resides in the Atlantic, the brown hoplo cat, that has found Florida to its liking, and the chanchita, that now resides in Spain and Portugal in addition to its native South America. Of the three, the case of the lionfish is the most puzzling. How did it get from its native waters around Indonesia to the waters of our Atlantic coast? While human intervention seems likely (it's a long swim from Indonesia), the "released aquarium fish" hypothesis boggles the mind a bit. Not that no one would do that, but this is a fairly expensive fish, and I'm having some trouble imagining enough saltwater fanciers dumping enough of these aquarium showpieces into the ocean to establish a breeding population. It just seems contrary to economics.

Author Stephen Sica notes that the new Bahamian colony is being intensively studied. I certainly look forward to further information as it becomes available.

While there is also no "smoking gun" in the case of the brown hoplo cat, the fact that it is farmed extensively for food in South America may be a clue as to the means of its release or escape into the streams and marshes of Florida, a major center of aquaculture (fish farming) in the U.S.A. Aquaculture also played a role in the release of the more notorious walking catfish, Clarius batrachus. Some years back, a truck carrying a load of these fish reportedly went into a ditch along the Tamiami Trail. The truck's former cargo, finding itself in amenable circumstances, lived on and prospered.

As these fish are able to use their modified pectoral fins to "walk" for short distances out of the water, they were able to expand their range quite quickly.

They were also able to unnerve many motorists, who were surprised to run over fish crossing highways.

Both of these catfish join a long and growing list of species, both plant and animal, now living in Florida, that are not native to the state, continent, or even hemisphere. Many of the problem plants are ornamentals, such as the Brazilian pepper, that found the climate congenial, and in the absence of control organisms present in their native envirnonment, have become serious pests. Others were deliberately, even offically introduced with a specific purpose in mind.

The melaleuca, or punk tree, was seen as a boon back in the days when "draining the swamps" was a high

priority. Now these trees, which suck up amazing amounts of water, are seen as a major threat to the very existence of the Everglades. Times and values change.

Some values depend upon point of view.

One of the best-publicized ecological disasters going on right now is the devastation of the Lake Victoria (or Lake Nyanza) ecosystem, which Stephen Sica mentions in his "Fish Bytes" column. Despite the ecological and socisoeconomic devastation brought about by this well-meant introduction1, there are probably many who would still defend it.

All over the country and the world, there are stories to be told of invasive species, habitat destruction, scientific "mucking about" with genes to produce more marketable, high-yield plant and animal products, more seductive tourist attractions, greener golf courses, and on, and on. Rainbow trout in the Andes. Largemouth bass in Spain.

Snakeheads in the Potomac. Carp everywhere!

At the same time, there has been developing a contrapuntal, biological purist movement that asks some pretty good questions: Why are we using all these foreign grasses on our prairies and pastures?

Why are we introducing ringneck pheasants to shoot at, when they compete with native prairie chickens, that are presumably just as much fun to shoot at? Ditto for introducing the peacock bass into Florida as an enticement to anglers (oh, and incidentally, to hopefully eat some of the tilapia we had previously introduced to help control the longer-ago introduced water hyacinth)?

What does all this have to do with those of us in the aquarium hobby? Unfortunately, plenty. All around the country, laws are being passed, considered, or proposed that would make it illegal to buy, keep, sell, or transport some of the fish that we routinely keep.

The problem with a lot of this legislation is that elected officials are not, by and large, very knowledgeable about ecology, the aquarium hobby, or the species they're being persuaded to regulate. Consequently, some of the proposed laws are just ridiculous. For

April 2008

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

instance, I read of a proposed law in Connecticut that would have banned the sale of the Jack Dempsey in that state, so as to prevent it's colonization of local waters. I do not know whether or not this is now law, but we can expect more of this sort of thing.

We fishkeepers are not a big-bucks constituency, or even well organized, so making our views heard is likely to be an uphill effort.

The only semblance of protection we have against the excesses of any of the competing interests in this or any controversy is knowledge.

With all this in mind, I am inviting our members to send me articles dealing with the subject of introduced species. I dislike the term "invasive,"

because they didn't invade; we brought them! I don't care which side of the fence you're on. Scientific fashions change, just as popular ones do, and no one group has a patent on the truth. Just write about what you know, as honestly as you can. This has been an interest of mine for many years, so I'll contribute a couple as well. I'm certain that we'll see some strong opinions, and that we'll all have an opportunity to learn something from one another. So who's up first?

! http://en. wikipedi a. org/wiki/Lake_ Victoria

THE AMUSING AQUARIUM

Firemouth Cichlid

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

April 2008

President's Message

by Joseph Ferdenzi

L

ast month we were treated to a wonderful presentation on growing aquarium plants

by Izzy Zwerin of the Brooklyn Aquarium Society. There was much food for thought, and quite a few insights that will benefit even those who have a "green thumb" when it comes to aquatic plants. Izzy's mastery of the subject is not solely evident from his superb lecture. I recall a Greater City meeting from last year when Izzy contributed a few examples of his plant growing prowess to our monthly auction. In a word, those plants were stupendous. Of course they generated much bidding, and deservedly so. Perhaps the best thing about Izzy's presentation is that it was only Part I. Later in the season Izzy will be returning to Greater City to give us Part II of his lecture. I'm sure we'll all be looking forward to it.

This month's meeting is entirely dedicated to our traditional silent auction/flea market. Originally, this event was conceived of as a way for our members to do some "Spring cleaning" that would benefit both them and the Society financially. In my experience, it has been a modest financial success. But, I think they are fun, and I think the members enjoy them as well.

So, we continue the tradition.

Speaking of fundraising, let me write on a subject that is important, but that I don't often discuss.

At Greater City, making money is not our number one priority. It's probably not even number two. Butthefact of the matter is that not even Greater City can continue to do all that it does without sufficient funds. Our treasury is relatively healthy, and our spending policies are frugal, but even so, expenses continue to rise, and meeting them has become something of a challenge.

Therefore, I'd like to remind everyone that we are a legal not-for-profit organization, and that everything you donate to the Society is tax-deductible. This is so because of the efforts of our esteemed Treasurer, Jack Traub. If you need any form of documentation for your contribution, Jack will provide it. Of course if you write a check, your cancelled check is proof of your contribution. For those of you who don't know this, Jack holds a doctorate, is a CPA, and is a former IRS employee. If Jack tells you it is tax deductible, you can rely on it to be so.

Many people have a program of charitable giving. Perhaps you do, or perhaps one of your friends or family members does. Well, it would be nice if Greater City could be included in any such programs.

After all, we do much in educating the public, we are open to everyone, and we never charge admission to our meetings. I think we are a very worthwhile charity.

So please, give it some thought. I would love to see a regular program of giving that would put Greater City on a sound financial footing well into our next 100 years.

Thanks, and see you next month... i

EO PET S TROPICAL FISH AQUARIUM Specializing in Tropical Fish and Aquarium Supplies Large Selection of Aquatic Plants Knowledgeable Staff Same Location Since 1947.

(718) 849-6678

115-23 Jamaica Avenue Richmond Hill, NY 11418 April 2008

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

GCAS Programs

2008

I

t is our great fortune to have another admirable cast of speakers who have so graciously accepted our invitation to join us throughout the coming season, bringing us their extensive knowledge and experiences. You certainly won't wish to miss a moment of our prominent guests, not to mention the friends, fish, warmth, and camaraderie that accompanies each meeting. I know I can barely wait to see you here!

Claudia

Silent Auction

April

Laura Muha TFH Contributor

Ian Fuller

June

Ian will travel from England to share his vast experiences with species of Corydoras!

TEA

Izzy Zwerin

August

Hardware Selection and Set Up of High Tech Planted Aquariums Part II

Greg Steeves

September

Greg will fly from Texas to bring us his extensive knowledge of The Endemic Species-at-Risk of the Lake Victoria Region and the Kenyan School Project.

Bob Larsen

October

Bob will travel from New Jersey to treat us to his many years of experience with, and love of, Guppies and other Livebearers.

November

TBA

November 7th-9th

AFISH Convention!!!

December

Holiday Party!

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

April 2008

SPEAKERS Eric Bedrock Corydoras Charles Clapsaddle Livebearers Chuck Davis Come One, ComeAtt Eric Do Freshwater Shrimp Jim Gasior Ktiliflsh Mike Hellweg Live Foods/Breeding Small Fish Dean Hougen South American CichUds •IE NORTHEAST COUNCIL OF AQUARIUM SOCIETIES'

Bob Larsen Guppies

53RD ANNUAL CONVENTION

Steve Lundblad RiflMce Cichlids Luis Navarro Aquascaping

April 11-13, 2008 AH Day Auction Sunday Speakers Banquet Vendor Room THE HARTFORD MARRIOTT Farmington, Connecticut Exit 37 ofTI 84 West of Hartford in Farm Springs Park An Educational and Social Weekend Open To All Celebrate with our theme of Pirates of the NEC

Mike Schadle Banquet MC For i 'lore information contact: David or Janine Banks............(802) 372 8716 dbanks@together.net Penny or Al Fauft.'.... .....( 978) 534 3683 penny@afaul.com Nancy Villars .....(732)207-6540 scnchlid@aol.com Wally or Sue Bush.....7,.,.,....(860) 276-9475 wb ush2 7@aol. com Visit NEC Web page far photo contest rules, registration flyers, hotel registration info, schedule, list of speakers and other updates:

http://www.northeastcouncil.org

April 2008

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

An occasional column for society exchanges, guest appearances, articles and items of general interest. We try not to bite off more than we can swallow. If you wish to offer comments, suggestions or any information that you would like to see in this column, the authors encourage you to contact us through Greater City, or at a monthly meeting.

by Stephen Sica with ^^ onna and I received our jury duty notices m about a month apart. Now I'm hanging JL-^ around the jury room with the rest of the crowd when I'd rather be going to work. Donna, an attorney, used to work with the District Attorney many years ago when he was a judge. She is never chosen, although she wants to be. Good luck to her! I was always chosen until I married Donna, so now I feel that hanging out is a waste of my time - except that I decided to start on another column. I guess every cloud does have a silver lining - when it's not raining, of course.

Aline Finley admitted in the Tankquilizer that her husband-to-be gave her a Synodontisflavitaeniatus as a wedding present. To quote her, "I couldn't believe it! I was so excited!" Aline further admits that her parents couldn't understand how she could be so excited to receive a fish as a wedding present. I must report that she received ten more S. flavitaeniatus for her thirty-second anniversary. Aline's husband is one lucky guy. How much do you suppose all these fabulous gifts cost him? If I gave Donna such presents, she'd probably sue for divorce - although I did give her a pleco for Valentine's Day a few years ago. Call me Mister Aline?

The same issue has a member's article about a family visit to the Georgia Aquarium. We were there last April. Their displays are magnificent, especially the whale sharks and, in another display, the beluga whales. Unfortunately, they were down from four to three whale sharks at the time, and have lost another since. The aquarium is nowhere near a saltwater supply, so millions of gallons of saltwater must be continually produced and cleansed.

A tip from Norman Brandt in The GraniteFisher of the New Hampshire Aquarium Society for breeding Betta splendens is to cut a styrofoam cup in half lengthwise, and place it in water with the dome Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

Donna Sosna Sica side up. Float it, or fasten it to the side of the tank, and you have a private love nest for the pair to spawn.. .a cichlid hobbyist who had relocated both his household and his large fish collection was hit by a substantial fish die-off. He discovered that he had high ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates, despite meticulously checking and changing his water. He ultimately solved the problem with a water treatment of one half the recommended dosage of methylene blue.

Piotr Ziolkowski of the Greater Chicago Cichlid Association described his experiences breeding a fish that was only discovered, or became popular, in the 1990s, Geophagus sp. "Tapajos," more commonly known as the "red head" or, as he prefers due to its color, the "orange head." This fish is a sand sifter as it constantly searches for food.

Jason Jenkins, a member of the Iowa Aquaria Association, informs us that as the growing human population around Lake Victoria began to deplete its resources, the lake was stocked with Nile tilapia in the 1950s, and Nile perch in the 1960s to provide a fishing industry, as well as sustenance for the locals.

Enormously predatory, the Nile perch can reach lengths of six feet, and weigh four hundred pounds. It grows this big by eating almost every native fish in the lake. The Nile perch fish industry supports twenty-five million people. In addition, the burgeoning population is polluting the lake, causing massive algae blooms, oxygen depletion, and water hyacinth infestation. The World Conservation Program keeps many local fish species in thirty-plus locales throughout the world. As for the lake's prospects, only time will tell.. .someone I know who wants to breed Corydoras pygmaeus purchased several about three-eighths of an inch in length...now if only he can remember what tank he put them in, since he can't find them! I suggested that he observe if any of his other fish are showing signs of indigestion. If they turn up, maybe he should

April 2008

/ sent Donna out to get gossip from this nosy trumpetfish who told her that I had better get up to date on my exchange publications! That fish has some big snout...! mean mouth.

keep them in the dark, and try a weak solution of fungus eliminator. Someone suggested Jungle Egg Saver. Maybe try a bigger Corydoras species, such as aeneus...if a cory doesn't breed, at least it's fun to watch...well, maybe a glowlight tetra too...a female glowlight, Hemigrammus erythrozonus, can release up to two hundred eggs.

I have read that an easy to keep plant is Hygrophila corymbosa stricta, or the temple plant, or cherry leaf, a native of India, Malaysia, and Indonesia.

It's a fast grower, and can get by with average light.

Once it gets going, it can fill up your tank.. .if you are looking for a completely dust-free substrate for your plants, try Eco-Complete from Carib Sea. The gravel size is medium, with a brown-gray color.

I saw photos of a really beautiful shelldweller cichlid, Neolamprologus similis. I recall a GCAS presentation on shelldwellers a few months ago. Was it the same fish? A new species of cichlid that was discovered on Madagascar was named Ptychochromis loisellei, after Dr. Paul Loiselle in recognition of his many years of outstanding contributions to the study and conservation of Madagascar's freshwater fishes.

There were two neat articles in Fancy Fins about breeding Corydoras aeneus and Nematobrycon palmeri, the emperor tetra. As usual, many of these fish just seem to procreate on their own, with little help from the fishkeeper. On second thought, I guess that's how it's supposed to be.

The Honolulu Aquarium Society was founded in 1950...the October 2007 issue of the North Jersey Aquarium Society's Reporter contains a glowing review of Claudia Dickinson's Aquarium Care of Cichlids. The reviewer states that "the most important thing is the information is...written in conversational text. I am too often put off by books.. .that are written in fourth year ichthyologist lingo." I don't even know how to spell itchy.. .whatever.

On a subway ride to work I was reading the September-October 2007 issue of Aquatica. the publication of the Brooklyn Aquarium Society, and enjoying Izzy Zwerin's "The Practical Plant" column.

Most of the column contained information that I knew little about, which is no surprise when it comes to aquarium plants. I had decided to retain the issue and try to apply its helpful information. The very next day I receive the GCAS postcard and learn that he was scheduled to lecture at the March meeting! There is no moral except that I am far behind in reading exchange journals. By the time this column is published Izzy will have spoken. I predict that it will be an excellent lecture.

On the subject of plants, Mike Mathis wrote "How to Grow Plants (When You Don't Know What You're Doing)" last fall in Fancy Fins. He is beginning to have success, and thinks that the reasons may be mixing fluorescent and power compact light bulbs, a fired clay substrate, and a daily squirt of Flourish Excel to each side of the tank, plus a weekly squirt of Flourish Iron.

Mike Olsen's "Green Water: Friend or Foe?" in The Granite-Fisher tells us that a green water bloom in an aquarium is thought to be caused by a spike in the ammonia level, which is common in new aquariums that have yet to establish their biological filtration. To avoid a bloom, locate the aquarium away from direct sunlight, limit the artificial lighting, perform frequent water changes, and vacuum the gravel. The one that I have difficulty with is to avoid overfeeding the fish.

When all those cute little organisms swim to the top of the water column and make those eyes at me with their little mouths open, just begging for food, especially the angelfish, I just have to give it to them. When the food container is nearly empty, I just have to shake out the last drop. Healthy plants can prevent a bloom by vying with algae for excess nutrients. The algae can be used as a food source for daphnia and other tiny creatures, which in turn can provide food for fish.

Now it's time to hit the periodicals again.

April 2008

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

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Hosted by the Atlanta Area Aquarium Assoc.

For More Information

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Catfish Hunter or

As Long As You're Going to Florida

by Dan Radebaugh

A

few years ago, while visiting my sister at her horse farm in Zephyrhills, Florida, where she trained horses and young riders, she and her husband told me about a large number of small catfish that had recently appeared in the drainage ditches along the side of the road that ran by the farm. At that time I was very interested in adding an all-native tank to my collection, and I said, "Show me!" So after arming ourselves with a bait bucket and a small dip net, we walked the half-mile down to the highway, checked out the wading birds stationed along the ditch (news gets around), and looked at an open area by the culvert, where I did indeed see a large gathering of small fish, many of which were clearly catfish, hanging out under a metal grate, in about 18-inch-deep water.

Moving carefully (the air temperature was about 30째, and I had no wish to get any wetter than I had to), I was able to get the net through the grate, and taking a swipe through the crowd of fishes, came up with a pretty good haul. What I captured was a mixture of young sunfish - warmouth, or Lepomis gulosis, as it turned out - and several catfish that I immediately knew were "not from around here." It was a Saturday afternoon, and Marsha and I were returning to New York the next morning, so I decided to take a chance, and improvise. Keeping two each of the sunfish and the catfish, we used a couple of locking sandwich bags (doubled, of course), put the two sunnies in one, the cats in the other, and headed for the Post Office. They were just starting to close, but the Post Office people were very helpful. We were able to buy a box from them that would hold the fish bags, and mailed them to ourselves here in New York.

Much to my concern, the fish didn't arrive until late the following Tuesday, so they had been in those bags, sans amenities, for over three days.

Miraculously, all were still alive, though clearly not in the best possible condition. The catfish had chewed each other up a bit, and showed some kind of skin problem, as well as general lethargy. I put them all in a ten-gallon quarantine tank, added some Melafix for the skin problem, gave them a light meal, and hoped for the best. Once they showed signs of recovery, I put them on Pepso food for a couple of weeks as a check on possible parasites. Meanwhile, I went online to see if I could find out what they were. It took some time (and growth) to identify the warmouths, but a reliable Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

online acquaintance (Stilllearnin at Cichlidfish.com) pointed me in the right direction for the catfish, which I had correctly guessed were South American, and he correctly identified as Hoplosternum littorale. This fish has more AKA's than most, so I'm not going to list them all, other than the simplest - the brown hoplo.

As you might deduce from the Latin name, this is an armored fish that breeds in the littoral - the plants inundated by water during the rainy season. It uses the plants to construct large bubble nests, which are vigorously defended by the male. According to Wikipedia, it is the most widely distributed callichthyid. Native to the Amazon, the Orinoco, and La Plata drainages, it has almost undoubtedly (indeed manifestly) been introduced outside its normal range.

It is a very popular food fish, and is farmed in several countries, Trinidad and Suriname in particular. The meat is reported to be reddish in color, and to have a salmon-like taste. Maximum size seems to be 7-10 inches for males, with females being somewhat smaller. My two are both about 6 inches TL, so my guess is they're both females. During the spawning season, males develop fatty deposits near their pectoral spikes, which show as red spots visually, and seem to help to recurve the pectoral spikes so that the male can use them as weapons. The fish exists in the aquarium hobby, but can hardly be called common.

An omnivore, it eats algae, detritus, insects and their larvae, small gastropods, etc. Feeding in the aquarium poses no special challenges.

So, you might well ask, how did this fish from South America come to be in a roadside ditch in Florida? The quick and direct answer is: I have no idea.

However, it seems to have thoroughly colonized much of central Florida. I would speculate that, like many of the species that have colonized Florida over the past 60 years or so, aquaculture most likely played a major role, either deliberately or accidentally. This has also been the case with other, more famous immigrants, such as the walking catfish (Clarius batrachus), the Oscar (Astronotus ocellatus), various species of tilapia, as well as others. The good news is that H. littorale seems to be filling an ecological niche for which many of Florida's native species are not as well suited. It can survive - even thrive - in conditions of very low oxygen and varying pH. It eats pretty much anything, and poses little direct threat to other fish April 2008

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This is some low-lying pastureland a couple of hundred yards from where the catfish in this story were caught (in this context, the littoral). The photo was taken by Linda Konst, shortly after Hurricane Jeanne paid a call, and is typical of large areas of central and southern Florida during the rainy season - approximately June through September. One might see how fish, normally confined to streams, ditches, marshes, etc., could easily move to new habitat - even different river drainage systems.

For Further Reading: species. Parts of its range in Argentina become cooler than does central Florida, so H. littorale isn't confined Southeastern Naturalist to the sub-tropical region of southern Florida, as are the majority of the other South and Central American Volume 3, Issue 3 (September 2004) Article: pp. 451^66 invaders.

"Nests and Nest Habitats of the Invasive Catfish In the aquarium H. littorale is a model Hoplosternum littorale in Lake Tohopekaliga, Florida: A citizen. It will feed anywhere in the water column, is Novel Association with Non-native Hydrilla Verticillata" not fussy about food, is peaceful with other fish, and

by Leo G. Nico and Ann Marie Muench is curious about its keeper. One might wish for a little more exciting color pattern, but on the other hand it Online: does stay out where it can be seen, unlike some of my http://www.discoverlife.org/mp/20q?guide=North_ other, more interestingly colored catfish, whom I see Americanjtnvasives maybe once a month - when I move their hide-out to vacuum the gravel! My two are currently living in a http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoplosternum_littorale 75 gallon tank, along with 1 large male and 2 sub-adult http://www. aquarticles. com/articles/breeding/Calway_ female Paratheraps synspilus, a few giant danios, and Hoplosternum_littorale.html an Acanthicus adonis. I have not read of aquarium spawning, but I presume it to be possible, though the male is very militant in his defense of the nest, so there could be some issues around that. While I have not tested it for flavor, I can wholeheartedly recommend Hoplosternum littorale as an excellent choice for your aquarium!

April 2008

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

WET LEAVES

a pH of 6.5 to 7.5 and a temperature range of from 72 째 toll0 F, decor could include artificial plants, a sandy substrate, and rocks without sharp edges, they occupy middle to upper levels of the tank, keep as many as the tank will allow (but no fewer than two), they are peaceful, active schoolers, and are spawned in fish farms, but not in an aquarium. a Series On Books For The Hobbyist So, have all of our questions been

by Susan Priest answered? What else would we like to know? It's hard to find fault with the thoroughness of this he first thing I noticed about this book was that it seemed familiar to me, even though I profile, however I'm not sure that a beginner was sure I hadn't seen it before. It didn't take aquarist will be able to understand that this fish me very long to figure out why. If you read last would be a poor choice for them.

Pages 200 through 207 have minimonth's review, it might not take you very long, chapters on choosing fish, buying and introducing either. I'll give you a hint; look at the names of our fish, quarantining fish, and compatibility. I would authors. make the minor observation that these topics might "Essential information to help you choose best have been presented at the beginning of the the right fish for your tropical freshwater aquarium." book, and the major observation that compatibility The title and subtitle might well have been the (above), along with the eyefifteenth Q and A for every catching photography on What Fish? fish. the cover, had me reaching A Buyer's Guide to Tropical Fish A discussion of past other nearby books to Nick Fletcher and Geoff Rogers this book would not be pick up this one. By now Barren's, 2006 c o m p l e t e without I'm hoping that you want to mentioning its visual know what is inside, so I'll impact. Here is where this tell you. book should seem familiar to you. Even without The table of contents does double-duty. having actually seen last month's book next to this The chapters are alphabetically arranged from month's, you perhaps will notice that the two cichlids through oddballs. Under each heading are authors are the same, but that their names have the common and Latin names of every fish being been reversed.

This is to say that the emphasis in discussed; thereby, the table of contents is serving this book is on the text, but that it is illustrated by as an index as well. For example, the first fish listed the same photographer, and, indeed even some of under the chapter on barbs is the Tinfoil Barb, the same photographs, as Focus on Freshwater Barbodes schwanfeldi. This seems to be an efficient Aquarium Fish. (I must admit that if you picked up layout, especially for those readers who know on that detail sans les livres dans votre mains, you exactly which fish they want to look up. are even more enamored of the "wet leaves" genre Pages 10 through 199 make up the bulk of than I am!) the text, and present profiles of each individual fish.

Let's sum things up. I would say that this Specific information that a prospective shopper book has a place in the library of every fishkeeper might want to know is presented in detail. Every with more than a casual interest in the topic. In entry asks and then answers the same 14 questions. spite of its minor shortcomings, I give it high They are: what size, what does it eat, where is it marks for its comprehensiveness and readability, from, what does it cost, how do I sex it, what kind and would therefore recommend it to beginners, of tank, what minimum size tank, how warm, what as well. If you are going to use it as a shopping decor, what area of the tank, how many in one tank, guide, you had best make sure that you either have how does it behave, and last but not least, will it it tucked under your arm, or installed in your breed in an aquarium? This format offers the reader Kindle.* a remarkably large amount of information which is very eye-friendly and easy to absorb. * Watch for my review of the "Kindle" in the June Let me return to the Tinfoil Barb and, as issue of MA. briefly as possible, fill in the answers for you. Both males and females reach 12 inches, they are basically omnivorous, they come from Southeast Asia, large specimens are often sold cheaply to make space in the shop tanks, it is not possible to sex them, they need very large bare tanks (they are plant eaters), a minimum sized tank would be 60"x24"x30", they require medium hard water with

T

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

April 2008

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April 2008

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

The Bahamian Lionfish

by Stephen Sica

L

ast fall Donna suggested that we travel to a warm weather climate for our upcoming wedding anniversary rather than drive to colonial Williamsburg, Virginia as we usually do. I enthusiastically agreed since we had just driven to Williamsburg in September. "Can we go diving?" I asked. "Sure. Three or four days, "she answered. "Let's do three and chill out the last day," I responded.

Donna made the arrangements, and the morning of December 7, 2007 found us in a fast boat, heading for a wall dive on the southwest side of New Providence Island. It was the first time we actually went diving on our anniversary day. I mentioned this to the dive master, who acted impressed, although Donna thought it was not "need-to-know" information.

"Be alert and you may see a lionfish," Chang, our Australian dive master, said during our predive briefing. When we dove with the same outfit in May 2006 no one mentioned lionfish. I questioned Chang and he said that nobody knew their local origin, but the theory was that someone may have dumped pet fish in the water, where they began to breed prolifically. I offered that I had read that lionfish were sighted off the northeast coast of the United States during the past two summers. It was believed that they arrived on the Gulfstream and perished as the ocean cooled. Chang said that this theory was not widespread for Bahamian lionfish. He said that they had only appeared in the Bahamas within the last twelve months.

We were doing six dives during three consecutive mornings. I was very eager to see a lionfish. I had my digital camera in a waterproof case, so I was hoping to photograph an actual "Bahamian lionfish." Chang said that the water temperature was seventy-nine degrees, which we thought was very good for this time of year. In Key Largo last October a warm summer season kept the water temperature at an enjoyable eighty-two degrees. When we actually hit the Atlantic Ocean in the Bahamas, both our bodies and our instruments gave a more accurate reading of seventy-six to seventy-seven degrees, which was chilly, but warm enough in our three millimeter wetsuits. Donna wore a three mil shorty over a three mil full suit so she was toasty warm but somewhat restricted in movement. In spite of my body fat, my three/two mil wetsuit was a little chilly. When the water is "cold," that is, below eighty degrees, the body gets chilled from the first dive. The second dive is downright cold most of the time, even when wearing a wetsuit. Luckily, there were wrecks, reefs, many fish, and even a few sharks to occupy our time underwater.

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

But I was keen to see and photograph a lionfish, and just about everything else both under and above the ocean for that matter!

On our very first dive we saw a lionfish.

Upon conclusion of our three days of diving we had seen four lionfish. I photographed three of them. My camera's battery expired during a second dive and I missed one. The first fish was fairly small, hovering facedown in front of a basket sponge that was split in

half, and offered a small concave hollow that appeared to be home to the lionfish. It did not provide much protection, if any at all, but I guess that lionfish do not need a hiding place. The next two lionfish were medium in size, and on our third day Donna spotted a full size one about fifteen inches in length. There were lots of particles swirling about the ocean that day, so it was not possible to take a clear photograph.

Nevertheless, I snapped a few photos of this prize specimen. I always dream that someday I'll purchase one of those very expensive editing programs that can remove imperfections. Probably it can even make me look good - perhaps move some facial hair to my head!

I edited the best photos on my computer and included three for this article. The fish were all of the same species, Pterois volitans, and their color was apparently black and white, although I perused them from all angles up close within a foot or two from my face to see if any of their bands had brown, gold, or reddish tints. From published photos, lionfish appear to have brown or reddish bands. All of the fish that I saw were black and white. It is possible that the depth of the water filtered out some color, but the camera's flash did not enhance the color either.

After we had returned home and I was attempting to catch up on reading, I spotted a letter April 2008

published in the July 2007 Tropical Fish Hobbyist magazine wherein the writer's diver friend sighted lionfish off the North Carolina coast. The letter was acknowledged with the opinion that these fish are now all along the East Coast, and the personal belief that larvae were transported by ship ballast. I perused two unrelated articles on scorpionfishes in Tropical Fish Hobbyist. One author had seen lionfish in the Bahamas.

Finally, after I completed this brief article, I received the March 2008 issue of Scuba Diving magazine, which I believe has the definitive statement to date on Bahamian lionfish. Per the article, "Born in the Wrong Sea," by Ned DeLoach, lionfish have no natural enemies. They have a voracious appetite for juvenile and other small fishes, most of which are fairly exotic. Stomach contents have included fairy basslets, dwarf and arrow blennies, yellowhead jawfish, and seahorses. A survey of more than five hundred dissections in the Bahamas found that lionfish eat seventy percent fish and thirty percent crustaceans.

A group of scientists, with the aid of the local dive community, have been netting dozens of lionfish for scientific study. Two out of three captured fish are destroyed, while the third is tagged and released.

This article explained that isolated sightings have been reported off Florida's southeastern coast for fifteen years. Biologists speculate that the fish were released when they outgrew home aquariums until a breeding population formed. In 2002, lionfish took hold along North Carolina's coast where they inhabit many offshore dive wrecks. Two juveniles were sighted off Long Island in the summer of 2001. In the same year another was discovered in a tide pool in Bermuda.

Cold winter waters probably killed the northern-most fish, but the species is thriving in Bermuda. In the Bahamas sporadic sightings began in 2004, and by 2006 the number of sightings increased significantly.

A coral head the size of a small automobile was inhabited by eleven lionfish. The capture and study of lionfish has been strenuous work, with researchers and divers being stung on occasion.

April 2008

My personal opinion is that it is only a matter of time before lionfish wreak havoc on native fish populations in the Caribbean, the Atlantic Ocean off the East Coast of the United States, and Bermuda. A lionfish will eat every living sea creature that will fit into its mouth!

Every summer in Florida there is a two day open season for catching lobster via skin and scuba diving. Someday, I would not be surprised to see a lionfish hunt; but are they too dangerous to catch?

Would they be channeled into the aquarium trade, or ground up into meal? Would their poisonous spines make them too dangerous to handle whether alive, dead, fertilizer, or meal? I'm not a hunter. Would I kill a lionfish if given permission and the opportunity?

Who knows? I do know that I would not shoot at a deer or other animal.

Hopefully, someday lionfish populations can be controlled, so that they do not pose a threat to other sea life. It seems that lionfish swim and adapt wherever the ocean is warm enough. I thought that it was only a matter of time until lionfish inhabited the Atlantic Ocean, but they have already arrived.

Anyway, the next time we head south for some diving, I'll be looking excitedly and carefully for a lionfish!

A-

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

I ne (_^ase of tne anging O'cnlias

by Frank Fallen

E

xcept for the special fish that like to put their eggs along the walls of caves, or are mouthbrooders, most of the cichlids we are familiar with and breed lay their eggs in a pit or on a surface near the bottom of the tank. We are all familiar with these habits, and so it is that when we see cichlid eggs on a rock or piece of tile or slate, we know that within a few days there will be wrigglers, if we are lucky. We also know that the parents may then move them to another location in the tank. Usually that place is a pit dug for the purpose. We have therefore all become accustomed to looking at the bottom of the tank for the wrigglers, which soon become free swimming, and then we must provide food if we are to successfully raise the brood, and get breeder award points and bragging rights at the next fish club meeting. Those of us who are breeders know the drill, or that's what I thought when I picked up a bag full of Australoheros facetus at a fish club meeting about a year ago. I eventually learned something new from these fish.

This was a fish I knew nothing about and had never heard of before, and there was not a lot of information in the usual places I look. I had more than a dozen of the small fish - at first about an inch and half to two inches long. A few turned out to be stunted runts that eventually disappeared. After about six months, two of the fish became interested in each other. They apparently wanted a bedroom of their own, and I provided a fifteen gallon tank, the largest I had available.

I discovered that this species, sometimes referred to as the chanchita (or chanchito), is native to coastal drainages in Uruguay, the Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil, and the lower portion of the Parana River in Argentina. It's a dark, perch-like fish, with horizontal black bars. In earlier times the species was known as Cichlasomafacetum (Jenyns, 1842), and has been around in the hobby for a long time, although not often seen in the shops. It's a fierce looking fish (more about that later) that does not intimidate easily.

It knows when it is going to be fed, and will come to the front of the tank or the surface for food. In my pair the male is much larger than the female, but she has a red circular outer ring on her eyes that makes her look very frightening. A tough cookie, if you will. Eggs Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

were eventually laid on top of a large ceramic rock, but they would fungus, and were eaten. The fifteen gallon tank has no gravel, but I provided a floating log for the female along with a cave rock that she could fit into, but not the male. The log is from Zoo Med - a great sanctuary for battered cichlid wives. Eventually she was about four inches, and he was about six inches long. One morning I noticed that the male had a number of torn up fins. I have come to expect to see the female looking this way, but not the male. The big guy had a split in his tail fin, and was missing a chunk of the end of his lovely dorsal fin. His red eyed partner had apparently turned on him during the night, and torn him up badly. She had no visible damage. I looked for a note of satisfaction in her red eyes but found none. Hmmm....

For almost four months the pattern continued - the mating sequence, the egg laying, and then fungusing and eating, and no viable fry. The surface of the tank is covered withfloatingplants - duckweed, water lettuce, and hornwort - which are periodically thinned out, but it is a dark tank below the surface. I

began to suspect an infertility problem on the part of one of the pair. Was that why she lost it and chewed up his fins, I wondered? But finally I had a large spawn and eggs that lasted three days, and then I spotted a wriggler or two. I suspected that the female had moved the wrigglers into a corner behind some rocks, where I could not see them. A few days later there were still no fry to be seen on the bottom of the tank. There were no parents taking turns hovering over a mass of young wrigglers. I went out of town for four days, and when

April 2008

17

I returned she had gone into hiding in the cave and the floating log and I knew it was all over - again.

Every two or three weeks they would lay eggs, but nothing had come of it. I wondered what was going wrong. Like clockwork, about three weeks later there were more eggs on top of the usual rock, and for more than three days there was no fungus. By this time they had used the same rock about eight times.

Things were looking good, but they had last time too.

In the evening some of the eggs were gone, but no wrigglers were to be seen in the corner of the tank, and there was no hovering parent to be seen. Both fish were in the back of the tank and in a defensive posture, but there was nothing to defend that I could see. There was no mass of wrigglers under either of the parents. In fact both parents were closer to the surface than to the bottom of the tank. I did not want to move the rocks at the back of the tank to see if the young were hidden there.

The next morning, conditions were the same in the tank - defensive parents, but no young.

I decided to do a water change, and put my siphon tube into the tank to clean out some of the junk on the bottom. With one quick motion I had the siphon tube into the tank and sucking out bottom debris.

But just as quickly, the male was attacking the tube!

Then I saw why. I had knocked a few wrigglers out of the plants as the tube descended to the bottom. I had in fact already sucked about a dozen of his new family into the bucket. I pulled the tube out of the tank and took a close look. There were three or four wrigglers at the bottom of the tank and he was already mouthing them for protection. Then I discovered where the babies were. They were above the parents, hanging from the roots of the floating plants. There were hundreds, perhaps as many as five hundred little cichlids, holding onto the plant roots at the top of the tank. The fry were motionless. The parents were hovering below their still fry. They were just hanging there with their worried parents below them. These were hanging cichlids! They had probably been there on previous spawns and I had never seen them, and more importantly, I had never provided any Anemia salinas nauplii (baby brine shrimp) for them, and they had starved to death.

18

And let me tell you - these are two very aggressive parents! While I have had other fish attack a brine shrimp net at feeding time, I have never had them come out of the water before the net reaches the surface. One of the first times I went to feed the fry, the male grabbed the net and did not let go until I had him about four inches above the water! For almost a week the young stayed at or near the surface looking for food. It was almost two weeks before they began to move to the bottom of the tank, and even then large contingents of their siblings were still at the surface. These are cichlids that like to hang around the surface.

The moral of this tale is: Sometimes you have to look up to find cichlid young!

The photo is none too clear, but with a little imagination you might see some brine shrimp toward the lower part of the tank, and some very small fry in the fuzzy-looking area at the top.

April 2008

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

Even though these tanks have proved so attractive and engaging that commuters miss their rides, and have a fairly low rate offish loss, there are still complaints.

O.K., what about you? You keep a tank or two (or more) of fish that live, grow, maybe even reproduce in your tanks. You feed the fish, provide decor in the form of rocks, plants, gravel, A series by "The Undergravel Reporter" etc., and you make sure the water quality is good In spite of popular demand to the by means of filtration and periodic changes. Do contrary, this humor and information you think you have done all that is required? What column continues. As usual, it does about mental stimulation?

NOT necessarily represent the Two years ago, Macquarie University opinions of the Editor, or of the biologist Culum Brown established that fish could Greater City Aquarium Society. find their way out of a trap he set for them - and remember how they did it for at least a year / don't know the key to success, but the key to afterwards. They could negotiate a maze by spotting the difference between signs with green failure is trying to please everybody.

- Bill Cosby triangles and those with red squares. Brown found that in their natural environment they employ t sometimes seems that, no matter what you do, intelligence to survive. To get away from what even when you are apparently successful in your they thought was a predator, fish in rock pools at the seaside jump from one pool to another. endeavors, it's never quite enough.

"They couldn't do that unless they had a This February, two 8-foot tall, 1,600-gallon mental map of where fish tanks were unveiled the different pools in the Staten Island were," he said. Brown Ferry's St. George advised people who Terminal. Each tank keep tropical fish as holds 200 tropical fish pets to set brainteasers and will be maintained to keep them happy. by the Staten Island Zoo. "I move the However, the tanks tank around every so already p r o m p t e d often and introduce complaints from some new rocks and plants ferry riders who missed and logs," he said. "If their ride because they you look at the amount were too busy admiring of activity they engage the fish and didn't hear in afterwards, they are the announcements the far more active. The boat was boarding.1 Photograph of the Staten Island Ferry change can be a bit In addition, fish tanks by AllwaysNY on Flickr stressful for them, but even though only 1% of the 400-some fish have passed away (actually a low afterwards they love it.'' number for such large tanks, especially ones newly established), some New York papers have had articles titled: "Mystery deaths in S.I. ferry fish tanks"2 and "Fish Die, People Don't Care."3

It's Never Enough!

I

1http://gothamist.com/2008/03/17/staten_island_f_4.php 2http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2008/03/05/2008-03-05_mystery_deaths_in_si_ferry_fish_

tanks-2.html 3http://ftl.nypress.com/blogx/display_blog.cfm?

bid= 14366949

4http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/187881

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

,food-for-thought-fish-can-think.html

April 2008

.KIM Aquariu

ciety t

"er Sodefy

Aquarium Society Brooklyn Barium Society

November 7—9, 2008

Venue/// Holiday Inn — Islip Airport 3845 Veterans Memorial Highway Ronkonkoma, NY 11779 631-585-9564 Room Rate $89 per night! Reservations must be made directly with the hotel. Mention you are attending the AFISH Convention to receive this discounted room rate. Reservations must be made prior to October 7, 2008. * Complimentary shuttle from Macarthur Airport and the Ronkonkoma LIRR station provided by the Holiday Inn.

Guest Speakers to include ...... *

Vendors to include

Dick Au — Discus David Boruchowitz— Editor-in-Chief Tropical Fish Hobbyist Magazine

Kingfish Services Ken's Fish (.COM)

Chuck Davis— Featured Banquet Speaker Ro* s Glass World Gary Lange — Rainbowfish Rosario LaCorte — History of the Aquarium Hobby

Tropical Fish Auction—Sunday, November 9, 2008 Fish — Plants— Dry Goods * Appearances subject to change.

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April 2008

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

G.C.A.S. HAPPENINGS Last Month's Bowl Show Winners: 1) Bill Amely 2) Bill Amely 3) Ed Vukich

A warm welcome to our new GCAS member: Harsha Perera A warm welcome back to renewing GCAS members: Barbara & Karl Albrecht, Robert Altomen, William Amely, Mervyn Bamby, Sharon Barnett, Mario Bengcion, Jerry Berkowitz, Jeff Bollbach, Michael & Natalie Boscia, Claudia & Brad Dickinson, Rod Du Casse, Gino Cusano, Pete D'Orio, Akinwunmi Durojaiye, Harry Faustmann, Joseph & Anita Ferdenzi, Warren Feuer, Michael Gallo, Walter Gallo, Horst Gerber, Arie Gilbert, Joseph Graffagnino, Bennie Graham, Al Grussell, Bernard Harrigan, Berek & Emma Haus, Andrew Jacovina, Jason Kerner, Denver Lettman, Richard Levy, Frank Liang, Temes Mo, Dick Moore, Roderick Mosley, Jakleen and Doug Murk, Jerry O'Farrell, Karen Ottendorfer, Nick Pandolfi, Ron Pandolfi, James & Margaret Peterson, Sue & Al Priest, Dan Puleo, Dan & Marsha Radebaugh, Jannette Ramirez, Leigh Richardson, Ross Socolof, Mark Soberman, Stephen Sica & Donna Sosna, Marty Silverstein, Peter Steiner, Jack Traub, Anton Vukich, and Edward Vukich

Here are meeting times and locations of some aquarium societies in the Metropolitan New York area: GREATER CITY AQUARIUM SOCIETY Next Meeting: May 7, 2008 Speaker: Laura Muha, TFH Contributor Meets the first Wednesday of the month (except January & February) at 7:30pm: Queens Botanical Garden 43-50 Main Street - Flushing, NY Contact: Joseph Ferdenzi (516) 484-0944 E-mail: GreaterCity@compuserve.com Website: http://www.greatercity.org

Brooklyn Aquarium Society Next Meeting: April 11, 2008 Speaker: Steve Giacobello Topic: "Digital Fish Photography" Meets the 2nd Friday of the month (except July and August) at 7:30pm: NY Aquarium - Education Hall Surf Ave. at West 8th St., Brooklyn, NY 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 Society Next Meeting: April 18, 2008 Speaker: Michael Kovarik Topic: "Making Your Hobby into a Profitable Business" 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 - president@liasonline.org

Nassau County Aquarium Society Next Meeting: April 8, 2008 Speaker: Andre Carletto Topic: "Ecology of Annual Killifish in Brazil" Meets:2nd Tuesday of the month (except July and August) at 7:30 PM 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: April 17,2008 Speaker & Topic: TBD

Norwalk Aquarium Society Next Meeting: April 17, 2008 Speaker & Topic: TBD 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: jchapkovich@snet.net Call our toll free number (866) 219-4NAS Website: http://norwalkas.org/

Meets: 8:00 P.M. - 3rd Thursday of each month at: Meadowlands Environmental Center - One Dekorte Plaza - Lyndhurst, NJ Contact: NJAS Hotline at (732) 332-1392 Website: http://www.njas.net/

or e-mail: tcoletti@obius.jnj.com

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)

April 2008

21

Fin Fun Lions, Tigers, and Bears...O/i My! Match the scientific name of each fish in the left column with the correct common name. Hint: all the common names this month are related to terrestrial animals. Additional hint: this is our first meeting following April Fool's Day, and the "April Foolster" might have made his or her own addition.

Brachygobius xanthozona

Alligator Gar

Aulonocara hansbaenschi

Lionhead Goldfish

Acestrorhynchus altus

Peter's Elephantnose

Pantodon buchhohi

Siamese Tigerflsh

Lepisosteus tristoechus

Butterfly Fish

Xiphophorus roosevelti

Teddybear Toothcarp

Carassius auratus

African Peacock Cichlid

Corydoras panda

Panda Cory

Gnathonemus petersii

Bumblebee fish

Datnioides pulcher

Red Dog Characin

Solution to last month's puzzle: Rainbow of Fishes (The three species offish in each numbered row share, as part of their common names, the color shown in bold.)

1 "Blue": Aequidenspulcher

Apistogramma trifasciata

Trichogaster trichopterus

2. "Red": Epalzeorhynchus bicolor

Megalamphodus sweglesi

Serrasalmus nattereri

3. "Green": Poecilia velifera

Rivulus cylindraceus

Aequidens rivulatus

4. "Silver": Metynnis argenteus

Thoracocharax securis

Rasbora myersi

5. "Gold": Nanacara anomala

Nannostomus beckfordi

Hemigrammus rodwayi

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April 2008

Modern Aquarium - Greater City A.S (NY)