Download July 2011 Shoreline - Jersey Shore Aquarium Society

July, 2011 Volume 22, No 7 The Official Publication of the Jersey Shore Aquarium Society www.jerseyshoreas.org THE JERSEY SHORE AQUARIUM SOCIETY meets at 8:00 p.m. on the second Monday every month (except August) at The Knights of Columbus Hall on Route 537 (70 East Main Street) in Freehold, New Jersey. 2011 OFFICERS PRESIDENT Shelly Kirschenbaum (908) 415‐3677 [email protected] Each meeting typically features an interesting slide, movie or video presentation of related tropical fish topics. Our present‐
ers are often professionals or experienced hobbyists in their respective fields. TREASURER Norman Gruenfeld (732) 363‐2755 [email protected] ANNUAL DUES: Single Membership—$20.00 Family Membership—$30.00; couples ages 17 years old and above who attend regular meetings together. Junior Membership—$10.00; 16 years old or younger attending meetings on their own. Such membership requires written ap‐
proval by a parent/guardian. Guests—$5.00; applicable towards membership at that meet‐
ing. PAYMENT OF DUES: Membership dues are due in full at the time of joining regard‐
less of the time of year. Dues will be prorated for the second year of membership based on the following schedule: Month Joined
2nd Year Dues
Jan-Mar
100%
Apr-Jun
75%
Jul-Sep
50%
Oct-Dec
25%
WHERE TO FIND US: VICE PRESIDENT Bill Loesch (732) 528‐9491 [email protected] RECORDING SECRETARY Donna DeFranzo [email protected] PAST PRESIDENT Matt Siegel WEBSITE Jeff Compell (732) 901‐9197 [email protected] MAP PROGRAM Nancy Villars/Hallgring (732) 787‐0654 [email protected] MEMBERSHIP Nancy Villars/Hallgring (732) 787‐0654 [email protected] BAP PROGRAM Michael Palmese (732) 744‐3673 [email protected] SPEAKERS/PROGRAMS Rory Lay (732) 970‐3332 [email protected] NEC LIASON Nancy Villars/Hallgring (732) 787‐0654 [email protected] EXCHANGE EDITOR Jake Blatt (908) 208‐7820 [email protected] THE SHORELINE EDITOR Matt Siegel (732) 859‐5595 [email protected] www.JerseyShoreAS.org The Shoreline Page 2 Matthew Siegel
THE SHORELINE
NOW AVAILABLE ON YOUR iPad
Open your monthly email attachment
using iBooks to read and archive
every issue of The Shoreline!
THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE JERSEY SHORE AQUARIUM SOCIETY Editor: Exchange Editor: Matthew Siegel [email protected] Jake Blatt [email protected] Any material reprinted from The Shoreline for noncommercial use, unless previously copyrighted by the au‐
thor, credit must be bestowed to the author and The Shoreline. One copy shall be forwarded to the Editor. The Shoreline accepts contributions from members and non‐members and prints submissions as space per‐
mits. We are always seeking articles about keeping or breeding fish, maintaining a fishroom, photos, anec‐
dotes, etc. If you’re interested in seeing your submission published, please send via email to [email protected]. Members in good standing can place business‐card size ads at no charge. Send ad copy by email to: [email protected] The Shoreline is published monthly (except August) and distributed via email and online at www.jerseyshoreas.org. For those without computer access, we also maintain a small supply of black & white printed copies at the membership table at each monthly meeting.
The Shoreline Page 3 JSAS Meeting Notice:
The Next JSAS Meeting Will Be:
Monday, july 11
at 8:00 PM
Speaker To Be Announced
There will be NO meeting in August.
“See You in September!”
Visit Our Website for Details:
www.JerseyShoreAS.org
A native fish collecting trip has been scheduled for Saturday, July 9th -- to
Batsto Lake in South Jersey, in the Pine Barrens (SW Wharton State Forest).
This is located within an old 18th Century iron ore mining village of Batsto, NJ
(off Exit #52 of the Garden State Parkway), having several restored structures and a visitors' center. While this is not a circus atmosphere by any
stretch of the imagination (with exception of an old saw mill right on the
southern end of the lake, the structures are well removed from the lake area),
there may be occasional canoe-ers on the lake.
There's also a small but very interesting nature center focusing on the
native species found in the area, including a number of aquarium displays.
All-in-all, the whole area is interesting and very photogenic (bring a camera,
if you'd like). Primarily, we expect to collect Black Banded Sunfish and
Red Belly Dace. Anything else will be a surprise. For those who are
interested, please let me know if you're coming. Ray Wetzel will supply the
particulars as to time and meeting location(s).
The Shoreline Page 4 Coming
Events
Upcoming JSAS Meetings:
 July 11
 September 12
* No Meeting in August
hAppY
4th Of
july!
Send your upcoming events and meetings information for publication by email to: [email protected]. The Shoreline prints upcoming events and meetings for other or‐
ganizations as space permits. The Shoreline Page 5 membership
REWARDS
Your JSAS Membership Card entitles you to valuable discounts at
these fine retailers. Be sure to show your membership card at
checkout for your discount. Membership has its privileges…
Restrictions may apply. See retailer for details.
Absolutely Fish, Clifton
15% Discount (excludes sale items)
Red Sand Aquarium, Dunellen
10% Discount—Marine
Adam’s Pet Safari, Warren & Chester
15% Discount
Reef to Reptiles, Ocean
10% Discount
Air Water & Ice
Shark Aquarium, Hillside
www.airwaterice.com
15% Discount
10% Discount—Use JSAS code # 39769
+ Free Shipping over $150—Use code # 99090 Tropiquarium, Ocean
10% Discount—Fish Only
All About Pets, Sea Girt (JSAS Member)
20% Discount—Fish & Fish Drygoods
Vladiscus, Feasterville, PA
10% discount
Allquatics, Hamilton
15% Discount
Your Fish Stuff
www.yourfishstuff.com
Aquarium Center, Blackwood
10% Discount—Use JSAS code “jsas”
10% Discount
Fins Feathers & Furs, Brick
Ocean Gallery Aquatics, N. Plainfield
10% Discount—Drygoods
15% Discount
Buy 1 Fish, 2nd Fish Half-price
Pets Pets Pets, Somerset
40% Discount—Freshwater Fish
30% Discount—Aquarium Drygoods
20% Discount—Saltwater Fish
Buy 2, Get 1 Free on Corals
Jim Straughn’s Aquarium, Feasterville,PA
15% Discount
Sharkey’s Aquarium, Point Pleasant
10% Discount (excl. feeder fish/shrimp)
Pet Shanty, Scotch Plains
10% Discount—Fish & Fish Drygoods
Your Store Could Be Here. Email
[email protected] for details.
The Shoreline Page 6 The Shoreline Page 7 Submitted by… STEVE HALLGRING
NAME- Synodontis petricola
COMMON NAME- Dwarf Lake Synodontis, False Cuckoo Synodontis
FAMILY- Mochokidae
ORIGIN- This species is endemic to Lake
Tanganyika.
TYPICAL SIZE/COLOR- Males are
typically smaller at 3.5” to 4” while Females
grow to 4.5” to 5”. Color morphs vary from
location to location but generally speaking petricola’s have a light colored body covered with a
multitude of dark brown spots. In addition they present white whiskers and white leading edges
of their dorsal, caudal, anal and ventral fins. Overall they are a very attractive small catfish.
TANK TYPE/SIZE- The typical Tanganyikan tank setup with rocks stacked up forming
nooks and crannies for them to poke around in and open areas for swimming substrate should be
sand or fine gravel. A small group can be housed comfortably in a 30 gallon long (36”). Dim
lighting will make them more likely to be viewed.
DIET- Synodontis are omnivorous and are most unfussy in terms of feeding. Frozen, live and
dried foods are all accepted. It also relishes vegetable matter in the form of shelled peas, cucumber etc., which it will rasp at with the teeth in its lower jaw.
WATER PARAMETERS- Water temperatures should range between 75-82°F (24-28°C)
with a Ph range of 7.5-8.5 and a hardness of 7.5-8.5.
The Shoreline Page 8 Continued...
TEMPERMENT- Should not be kept with any fish so
small as to be considered food but makes a good addition to
a community of hard water cichlids, ideally mouthbrooding
species of Rift Lake origin. It can also be kept with suitably
sized rainbowfish and livebearers. The dwarf form can be
kept with many different species due to its adaptability regarding water chemistry (see below). Both forms should be
kept in a group of 4 or more as single specimens are often
very secretive. One of the most peaceful species of Syno available.
SEXING- Mature females are rounder in the belly than males. Cannot be sexed using the genital papillae technique as it is too small.
BREEDING- Unlike the majority of the genus, Synodontis petricola is actually bred quite often in aquaria. It is usually an open spawning egg scatterer but it is also one of the few fish
known to exhibit a method of spawning known as brood parasitism. The others also being Tanganyikan Synodontis species! The catfish times its spawning to coincide with that of a 'host'
mouthbrooding cichlid and lays its eggs among those of the host fish. The Syno eggs hatch
much quicker than the cichlids' and the young catfish quickly devour all the mouthbrooder's
eggs. The unwitting cichlid then guards the fry as if they are their own.
However, in aquaria the traditional method of breeding is to set up a separate breeding tank and
try and raise all the eggs. The tank can be quite simple but should contain hiding places in the
form of rock piles or terracotta pots. Water should be kept very clean with minimal nitrates. The
fish can be spawned in pairs or groups (flock spawning) and whichever method is used, they
should be brought into condition with plenty of live and frozen foods.
Spawning itself occurs following some chasing by the male. The fish adopt a similar stance to
the "T" position seen in Corydoras breeding. The male grabs the female around the head area
and eggs and sperm are released. They may also be seen lying alongside each other, quivering as
spawning takes place. The adult fish should be removed once the spawn is complete in order to
avoid egg predation.
The eggs hatch in around 24 hours with the fry becoming free swimming 2-3 days later. They
are very small and should be offered infusoria for the first couple of days, followed by brine
shrimp nauplii and powdered flake. They are fairly slow growing and it may take 6 months or
more before they reach a saleable size.
There are also reports of Synodontis petricola spawning in caves so it is obviously unfussy with
regards to breeding, provided conditions are to its liking.
The Shoreline Page 9 J.S.A.S. Member
The Shoreline Page 10 Weird and Wonderful Tanganyika Cichlids
from Aquatic Community.com
Lake Tanganyika is home to a wide range of different cichlids; most of them endemic to the
lake. When studying and keeping Lake Tanganyika, it is hard not to be amazed by the rich
variation that these species exhibit. Some are huge, others are tiny, some are extremely colourful, others are so well camouflaged that they are easy to miss even in the aquarium, and
some are skilled attack predators, while others spend their days slowly and meticulously filtering sand through their gills in search of tiny crustaceans.
Size matters
The biggest known Tanganyika cichlid can reach a length of 90 cm, while the smallest one
stays at a mere 4 cm. The name of this huge cichlid is Boulengerochromis microlepis and it
spends its life cruising the pelagic in search of suitable prey. Being large means that you can
overpower and swallow even big fish and this is probably why Boulengerochromis microlepis
has grown so immense. It may also be a result of sexual preferences during breeding.
Boulengerochromis microlepis can weigh up to about 3 kg and is a fairly unknown cichlid. It is
naturally difficult to keep in aquariums due to its large size and pelagic life-style.
The smallest known Tanganyika cichlid is Neolamprologus multifasciatus, a tiny shell-dwelling
fish that you can find on the sandy bottom of the lake. Its minute size is an adaptation to a shell
-dwelling lifestyle. Neolamprologus multifasciatus will seek out empty shells that are scattered
over the bottom and scoop sand from below one of them until it sinks down below the sandy
surface. By flickering sand over the shell, the fish makes it more or less invisible from above. A
tiny entrance is opened up, and the shell will then serve as both hiding space and spawning
site for Neolamprologus multifasciatus. If the fish were any bigger, the selection of suitable
shells would be much smaller.
Adapt to your habitat
If you are interested in the various specializations exhibited by Tanganyika cichlids, you should
definitely take a closer look at Eretmodus cyanostictus, a fascinating goby cichlid living in the
turbulent shallows of Lake Tanganyika. This habitat is exposed to forceful waves and surges
and Eretmodus cyanostictus must therefore stay within close contact with the bottom in order
to survive. A normal swim bladder is not very useful in this situation the swim bladder of Eretmodus cyanostictus has therefore decreased into a much reduced variant. Other adaptations
that make it easier for Eretmodus cyanostictus to live in the shallows can be seen in the compressed body shape as well as in the specialized dentition and ventral fins.
Triglachromis otostigma lives in muddy bottom regions of Lake Tanganyika and has therefore
developed a set of pectoral fins with bendable fin tips.
Watching this fish feed is really amusing, because it will
actually swim backwards. By swimming backwards,
Triglachromis otostigma can use its pectoral fins to unearth insect larvae hiding in the mud.
The Shoreline Page 11 Adapt to your food
In Lake Tanganyika, several different species in the genus Perissodus has adapted to a life as
scale-rippers. Instead of devouring whole prey, they settle for the shells of a living fish. A problem is of course that ripping the scales from a fish can be quite complicated. Many Perissodus
species have therefore evolved specialized heads and jaws that are skewed to one side in order to make scale-ripping less of an arduous task.
Another fascination adaptation that facilitates feeding can bee seen in Benthochromis tricoti.
This fish exhibit a protruding mouth that can be stretched out and function as a sucking tube.
This adaptation makes it possible for Benthochromis tricoti to suck in tiny shrimps, copepods
and plankton. This feeding system is highly effective, because despite feeding exclusively on
infinitesimal food types, Benthochromis tricoti can grow up to 20 cm in length.
Last, but certainly not least, we must naturally mentioned the enthralling Petrochromis fasciolatus when talking about interesting feeding adaptations. This species feeds exclusively from the
underside of rocks, and has therefore developed a mouth that opens in an upward fashion.
This feature distinguishes it from most other cichlid species, since the normal configuration is
to have a mouth that projects downwards.
Pro’s and con’s of specialization
In most cases, anatomical specialization comes with a price, and a bodily feature that is great
for certain things can simultaneously cause trouble in other situations. Take for instance Altolamprologus compressiceps, a cichlid species fully adapted to a life feeding on freshwater
shrimp and cichlid fry from rock dwelling cichlid species. This fish has developed a really slim
body shape that allows it to squeeze itself into rock crevices where it can find plenty of food.
While this high-backed and laterally compressed body is great reaching into nocks and crannies, it poses a problem when highly aggressive cichlid parents try to protect their offspring,
since it makes it really difficult for Altolamprologus compressiceps to quickly retreat or otherwise fend of attackers. Throughout the course of evolution, Altolamprologus compressiceps
has solved this problem by developing yet another adaptation – extremely thick and strong
scales that will function as armour and protect it from vicious cichlid attacks.
Nocturnal specialization
Species from the genus Trematocara spend the nights searching for small invertebrates in the
dark, and has therefore developed intricate lateral line system that allows them to locate food
without having to rely on eye-sight. By staying away from desirable foraging areas during the
day, and even during dusk and dawn, they avoid having to compete with the many other species interested in the same food types.
Chose your battles
Adapting to a new way of life is one way of dealing with fierce competition. An example of this
can be seen in Neolamprologus toae and Neolamprologus sexfasciatus, two closely related
species that inhabit the same part of Lake Tanganyika. Both species feed at night, and in the
same area, but while Neolamprologus toae feed chiefly on insect larvae, Neolamprologus sexfasciatus sticks to a menu of molluscs. Scientists believe that Neolamprologus sexfasciatus
was unable to compete with Neolamprologus toae over the desirable insect larvae and therefore retorted to feeding on molluscs that were rejected by the other species.
The Shoreline Page 12 Coping with pressure
An animal that develops a
way of coping with dramatic
changes in water pressure is
truly blessed, because this
ability will make it possible
for it to take advantage of
multiple feeding niches. One
example this ability is to be
found among the cichlids in
the genus Trematocara;
mesmerizing benthic invertebrate feeders that can stay
close to the surface as well
as dive down to depths exceeding 300 meters. During
the day, the Trematocaras
will stay down at these great
depths where no other cichlids dare to venture and feed alone without any competition. As the sun sets and the day active
species seek shelter, you can see the Trematocaras swimming up towards the surface and
feed at depths located no further down than a few meters. The Trematocara cichlids are not
only the deepest living cichlids in Lake Tanganyika; they are the deepest living cichlids in the
entire world.
Specialized breeding behaviour in Tanganyika cichlids
The cichlids in Lake Tanganyika exhibit a wide range of attention-grabbing breeding specializations and many of them are quite easy to coax into spawning in the aquarium, as long as
you know what they need to spawn. Breeding Tanganyika cichlids is highly rewarding since it
gives you a chance to study these interesting behaviours from the comfort of your own home.
Extensive parental care is for instance very common in Tanganyika cichlids and watching them
raise their young in the aquarium is a true delight.
Earlier in this article, we mentioned a species that utilizes abandoned shells as spawning sites,
the miniscule 4 cm long Neolamprologus multifasciatus. Finding shells suitable for a 4 cm long
fish it not very difficult, but what would you do if you were a 15 cm long cichlid in need of a suitable shell to spawn in? This is the problem faced by the pack hunting carnivore cichlid named
Lamprologus callipterus, a species where the male fish can exceed 15 cm in length as an
adult. Being large is naturally a positive thing when you and your pack members work together
to dismember big prey, but it does cause problems during spawning. In order to combat this
predicament, the two sexes grow into very different sizes. The female stays around a mere 5
cm in length and can therefore easily fit into a shell. The male will focus on defending the territory and collect a large compilation of suitable shells from which the female can have her pick.
The shells are placed inside pits which can reach 1 meter across. A successful male that manages to collect a lot of attractive shells can have several females breeding within his territory.
The Shoreline Page 13 Substrate spawning, such as in the example above,
is very common in Tanganyika cichlids. The muddwelling Triglachromis otostigma discussed earlier
will for instance use those specialized pectoral fins
not only to feed, but to dig a long tunnel-shaped cave
where the offspring will be safe. Not all Tanganyika
cichlids are substrate spawners however. There are
for instance the sardine-like members of the genus
Cyprichromis, a schooling type of fish that spawns
out in the open water. Cyprichromis species form
huge groups that can consist of many thousand individuals and when the males release their sperm simultaneously, the water around them will be
literary clouded with semen. The females position themselves head-down before releasing
their eggs, and will then immediately swim down and catch the eggs as they fall. The eggs are
carefully carried in the mouth of the mother fish and fertilized by the sperm-cloud. After hatching, the offspring will stay inside the mouth of their mother for approximately 3 more weeks.
The fry are not released until they have grown big enough to be more or less independent and
able to form their own school. This adaptation in Cyprichromis species means that they never
have to waste energy competing with other fish over suitable spawning sites – they can spawn
anywhere.
Carrying around the eggs inside the mouth of the female, so called maternal mouth-brooding,
is very common among Tanganyika cichlids and the males have adapted in various ways to fit
this behaviour. If you take a closer look at the delicate elongated ventral fins sported by the
males of the Opthalmotilapia genus, you will for instance notice that the ends of these fins
have small lobes attached to them. These lobes look very similar to the eggs produced by female Opthalmotilapia cichlids and will in a very peculiar manner increase the chances of fathering offspring for the male who exhibits them. Since this is a maternal mouth-brooding species, the female will pick up the eggs with her mouth directly after releasing them. The male will
then place his “eggs” at the spawning site and wait for her to try to pick them up as well. When
the female reaches for the eggs, the male will shoot out a mouthful of sperm and fertilize all the
eggs inside her mouth. Due to the long and delicate ventral fins displayed by the males of this
genus, Opthalmotilapia cichlids are commonly referred to as “featherfins”. JSAS
Do you keep Lake Tanganyika
Cichlids? Perhaps you can write
an article for an upcoming issue of
The Shoreline. Just email your
piece to : [email protected]
Submitted by… JAKE BLATT, Exchange Editor
The Shoreline Page 14 Black Hair Algae
By Bill Loesch, JSAS Vice President
“Eureka!” shouted Archimedes as he ran naked
through the streets of Athens after discovering one
could measure volume using water displacement.
Well, I’m pretty excited about my discovery, but I’ll
pass on streaking! At least for now…
Maintaining aquariums can be challenging especially when things like overfeeding or overcrowding
are out of your control. Unfortunately that’s the norm
in most of the aquariums I maintain in restaurants and
offices. Even the best filtration systems cannot handle the vast quantities of food people feed their fish.
“They always look hungry,” I’m told. Well they are,
and so are a lot of us. But we know too much food is
not a good thing.
In an aquarium, more foods means more waste, this in turn puts increased pressure on its ecosystem. This negatively affects water quality and spurs algae
growth. Water changes help to maintain good water quality which slows the
growth of algae. Phosphate absorbing filter media also help. But if you are
plagued with black hair algae, you need to do more.
In the past, I would tear down the tank and bleach or replace everything. This
process could take days and really agitate your fish. Fortunately, I found Green
Clean made by BioSafe Systems, LLC. This product is designed to eliminate
hair/string algae in ponds. I’ve used it for that purpose and it works well. The
product comes in power form. Once poured into the pond, or the aquarium, it
seems to stick to the algae and destroy it – often right before your eyes. Yes, in
minutes the black slime turned white, then clear and you can once again see
the true colors inside your aquarium. The dosage needs to be reduced for the
lower volume of the aquarium, but even with overdosing, I found no signs of
stress to the fish, nor any fatalities. In severe cases, where the aquarium was
completely covered in black algae, three treatments over a three week period
were used with remarkable success.
Hopefully you will never have this problem. But if you do, maybe this will help.
JSAS
JSAS members are encouraged to write about their experiences & submit to [email protected]
The Shoreline Page 15 Unusual breeding behavior in Sajica Cichlid
from Aquatic Community.com
I would like to write a few words about my experience breeding wild caught A. Sajica and the
surprise these fishes gave me. A surprise that shows these animals fascinating and diverse
behaviour.
I got a pair of wild caught A Sajica from a friend that had collected them on a trip. Since I had
kept this species before, in fact it was the third cichlid I ever breed, I didn’t expect any surprises. Well, I was wrong.
In shortage of better accommodations I put the 6 cm/2.5 inches long cichlids in a 540 L / 145
gallon aquarium that was already overly crowded. In the aquarium already swam four 20 cm/ 8
inches Texas cichlids, a pair of N. Festae (25 and 20 cm/ 10 and 8 inches), a pair of N. Managuense (about the same size as N. Festae) and four natal cichlids, Mossanbicus Mossanbicus,
(20 cm/ 8 inches). The tanked was also inhabited by two convicts (about 4 cm/ 1.5 inches) that
had originally been put there as feeders, and finally loads of Ancistrus that just wouldn’t stop
breeding. All of the species where breeding regularly in the aquarium. As I said, the aquarium
was already very crowded. I knew I was taking a chance putting the small Sajica in with these
predators but I didn’t have any choice.
To my great relief the Sajica found themselves loving their company and was left alone by their
larger predatory cousins. The aquarium was decorated with two very large roots that reached
all the ways to the surface of the aquarium and created three natural territories for the fishes in
the aquarium. There were small gaps under the roots that the ancistruses utilized for breeding.
The larger cichlids couldn’t get into these spaces. These large roots made the water in this
tank very dark and made it look like a black water river aquarium. The water conditions was
however harder and the pH level higher than what you might expect to find in a black water
river.
When the Sajicas had been in this aquarium for a week, on a diet consisting mainly of Hikary
pellets and shrimps, they spawned for the first time. Anyone that kept A Sajica isn’t surprised
about this, the surprise would be if they didn’t breed during the first month. However the surprise was how they bred. My experience is that A Sajica are dedicated parents that watches
furiously over eggs and fry. But under these conditions this pair choose a different approach.
The female laid her eggs on a root halfway to the surface. Her eggs had a much darker tone
then A Sajica eggs usually have, and matched the colour of the root almost perfectly. This was
something the parents seemed to be aware of, since they didn’t care about protecting their
young. They both swam all over the aquarium just as before the egg laying and it wasn’t unusual that the two fishes furthest from the eggs in the entire aquarium was the Sajicas. Occasionally they did chase away some ancistrus. You would think that this strange parental behaviour would mean the end f the eggs in an aquarium where several fishes could eat all eggs in
one gulp. This was however not the case and almost all the eggs survived and hatched, at
which time the parents moved them (spitted them) under a rot where not even they could get
in. They then continued acting as if nothing had happened. When the fry was free-swimming
the parents took their young out for expeditions about 1-2 hours each they. The rest of the time
they left them under the root where they apparently found food because they grew nicely.
The Shoreline Page 16 Located at:
3010 Route 88
Point Pleasant, NJ
Call for Directions:
(732) 295-6600
Open:
Tue—Sun
12—8 PM
JSAS Member
DISCOUNT
10% Off All Purchases
Excluding Feeder Fish/Shrimp
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sharkeys-Aquarium-Tropical-Fish-Supplies/187534034613777
JSAS is pleased to welcome our newest supporter… SHARKEY’S AQUARIUM Tropical Fish and Supplies The parents continued to take them on these little expeditions for about a month after which
the fry had grown to approximately 1.5 cm /0.75 inch. The impressing thing is that almost all of
they fry had survived to this age. After the parents had stop caring for their fry the young
quickly became boulder and started swimming around, which lead to that all but two of the fry
was eaten one week later. (There were 50-60 fry before that.) These two however did manage
to grow up in this aquarium.
The wild caught A Sajica couple spawned many times in this aquarium, once every 2-3 month,
and they always to great success used this method. At one point I moved them to another
aquarium about half as big as the other and with clear water. They shared this tank with a
number of other cichlids, mostly fry from the larger aquarium. In this aquarium they spawned in
they way one are used to see A Sajica spawn, e.g. standing guard over their eggs and fry. A
little later the couple was moved back to the 540 L /145 gallon aquarium and they then started
to “hide” their eggs and fry again.
Out of curiosity I also tried keeping them in an aquarium with clear water and a large pair of N.
Managuense as company and the Sajica couple spawned standing guard over their eggs and
fry. It seemed like they simply chose another strategy in darker waters. I have kept other pairs
of breed A Sajica in the 540 L / 145 Gallon aquarium since then, but none of them have
showed this behaviour. I’m hoping that others get to experience this unique behaviour that just
goes to shows us that cichlids never stops surprising. JSAS
Submitted by… JAKE BLATT, Exchange Editor
The Shoreline Page 17 South Central Cichlids
Handmade Ceramic Spawning Caves, Logs and Discus Cones
[email protected]
www.SouthCentralCichlids.com
All made from food grade stoneware clay
in our Port Monmouth facility.
Natural looking wood grain style finish.
Thick walled construction to last a lifetime.
Three colors to choose from: Brick, Buff
and Walnut.
All caves are handmade by us in our Port Monmouth facility. Our caves are
made with natural stoneware clay and fired to 2208-2291 degrees rendering
them fully vitrified. Our caves will not leach chemicals into the water or
break down with time. It is our goal to bring you the best quality breeding
caves and hides available. All caves are sanded before firing to ensure there
are no rough edges to damage your fish. We hope you enjoy our caves as
much as we enjoy making them. Contact Nancy & Steve today!
J.S.A.S.
Members
The Shoreline Page 18 Tanganyika Cichlids: Mouth Brooders
from Aquatic Community.com
All over the world, shelter brooding is a
common reproductive habit among cichlids.
Many cichlids guard their off spring and
hide them inside caves, shells or even inside the mouth of a parent. Most Tanganyika cichlids are either mouth brooders or
cavity brooders. The mouth brooding Tanganyika cichlids guard eggs and/or fry inside the mouth. In some species even free
swimming fry will return back to the safety
of their mother's or father's mouth if they
are scared or stressed, or to rest during the
night. Examples of mouth brooding Tanganyika cichlids include Tropheus, Xenotilapia, Eretmodus, Cyphotilapia, Lobochilotes and Cyprichromis. The number of eggs varies significantly
between the different species. A Tropheus female will rarely produce more than 5-10 eggs,
while a Lobochilotes batch can include several hundred eggs.
The mouth brooding cichlids are divided into two different groups: ovophiles and larvophiles.
All the mouth brooding Tanganyika species belong to the first group, the ovophiles. They pick
up the eggs and guard them in their mouth until the larvae emerge. Several Tanganyika cichlid
species will also let the larvae stay in the mouth until they are large enough to survive on their
own. A larvophile species would instead place the eggs on a substrate and guard the spawning site until the fry emerge. The parent would not guard any eggs inside its mouth, but the
newly emerged fry would be picked up and kept inside the mouth of the parent until the fry is
large enough to be released.
Different Tanganyika cichlids have developed different ways of fertilization. One of the more
common ways is to deposit the eggs on a substrate where they are subsequently fertilized by
the male before the eggs are
picked up. Other species wait
until the mother has picked up
the eggs, and the male fertilize
them inside her mouth. In
some Tanganyika cichlid species the male cichlid displays
small spots on his anal fin. The
female believes them to be
eggs, and tries to pick them up
with her mouth. Instead of getting an egg, she receives a
mouthful of sperm and the
eggs that are already resting
inside her mouth becomes fertilized.
The Shoreline Page 19 It is suitable to keep one
male Tanganyika cichlid with
three females if you want
them to spawn. Tanganyika
mouth brooders are however
quite easy to get into spawning condition, and successful
spawnings frequently occurs
even in aquariums where
one male Tanganyika cichlid
is kept with only one female.
If your Tanganyika cichlids
refuse to spawn, taking them
off their dry prepared food
diet and give them live or frozen food instead will usually
trigger spawning.
After fertilization, the eggs of
mouth brooding Tanganyika
cichlids will typically be incubated for 30 days if the water
temperature in the aquarium is kept in the 82-86°F (28-30°C) range. Keeping brooding Tanganyika cichlids in a large aquarium is recommended, since a small aquarium will increase the
risk of aggressive behaviour towards to brooding fish. The aquarium should also provide the
brooding cichlid with plenty of hiding places to relieve stress. You should avoid moving a
brooding Tanganyika cichlid to its own aquarium, since the stress from being caught and
moved can cause the cichlid to spit out its eggs or fry prematurely. A mouth brooding Tanganyika cichlid will still be capable of eating while the eggs and fry is kept in its mouth, and this is
probably an important food source for the newly hatched fry. Most Tanganyika cichlid species
while release the fry when the fry are around seven days old. Your newly released fry can eat
Daphnia, Artemia nauplii or crushed flake food.
Newly released fry is comparatively small and there is always a risk of them being eaten by
other fish in the aquarium. Some Tanganyika cichlid breeders will therefore force the parent
fish to spit the fry, since this makes its possible for the breeder to know exactly when the release takes place and promptly isolate the fry from the other fish. Forcing a fish to spit out its
fry is naturally very stressful for the fish, and force opening its jaws can also cause a lot of
physical harm. A safer, but still quite stressful, way of protecting the fry is to use a net cage or
breeding trap. The parent fish will however still fell very stressed since it first have to be caught
and then contained in a space much smaller than what it is used to. Trapping the brooding fish
will usually make it spit its fry before long, and you should therefore wait as long as possible
before you do it. Fry from a mouth brooding Tanganyika cichlid that is allowed to keep its fry
full-term are quite large, and you can usually catch them without much problem. If the release
takes place in the community aquarium, and not in a net or fry trap, you will therefore be able
to remove the fry. JSAS
Submitted by… JAKE BLATT, Exchange Editor
The Shoreline Page 20 Feeding Lake Tanganyika Cichlids
from Aquatic Community.com
Throughout millions of years, the cichlids of Lake Tanganyika has evolved and adapted
themselves to the myriad of different feeding niches that exists throughout the lake. A majority of the species displays a high level of specialization and perfectly fits a certain niche. This
is important to consider when you keep Tanganyika cichlids in captivity.
If you encounter a problem in the aquarium, e.g. premature fish death, unwillingness to
spawn or an unusually slow growth rate, it may be because you do not allow your fish to
carry out their normal feeding behaviours and stick to a diet to which their bodies are
adapted. Always research the species you are keeping to find out how you can accommodate them and which type of diet that will keep them happy and healthy in the long run. The
fact that a fish accepts a certain diet does not mean that it is healthy for it. There are many
humans throughout the world who accept a diet consisting solely of greasy food, cookies
and sodas.
In this article, we will describe some of the feeding niches to which Lake Tanganyika cichlids
can belong.
Carnivores
Macro-carnivores primarily attack other fishes. It is common for macro-carnivore Tanganyika
cichlids to eat virtually any fish small enough to fit into their mouth. This must naturally be
kept in mind when you select their tank mates.
Scale rippers are a highly specialized type of carnivore Tanganyika cichlids that will never
attempt to swallow a fish whole. They feed by ripping scales from other fishes and digest
skin, flesh and mucus from it. Scale rippers can also stay close to open wounds and feed
from them. Due to this particular feeding habit, scale ripping cichlids can cause problems for
other fish in the aquarium.
Carnivorous biocover peckers can be confused with algae eating species since they will
spend most of their time browsing through the thick algal carpet found in Lake Tanganyika.
The truth is however that they feed on tiny crustaceans and other types of “bugs” that they
find among the algae. They are therefore carnivores, not algae eaters, and must be provided
with a carnivore diet in the aquarium.
Carnivorous zoobiocover peckers are similar to carnivorous biocover peckers, but instead of
searching for food in the algal carpet, carnivorous biocover peckers will seek out crustaceans and larvae from the tiny crannies found on the surface of rocks.
Carnivorous zooplankton pickers feed on zooplankton that they find at ground level or in mid
-water.
Bivalve shell crushers have specialized jaws that allow them to crush the shells of small bivalve molluscs.
The Shoreline Page 21 Sand shifters feed by scooping up mouthfuls of
sand and sifting it through the gills. Crustaceans
and other small animals hiding in the sand will
get trapped and devoured. You can recognize
sand shifters on their forward slanted teeth.
Diatom feeders seek out decaying organic matter, since such organic matter attracts diatoms
and shrimps. Diatom feeders are commonly
found at the lake floor and can dive deep down,
provided of course that there is enough oxygen
for fish to survive.
Insectivorous
Insectivorous fishes are a type of carnivores, but they are commonly placed in their own category. In Lake Tanganyika, insectivore fish can be seen close to the waters edge where they
feed on insects and insect larvae. Some eat only on insects that have fallen into the water,
while others are vigorous jumpers and can catch insects far above the surface. Many insect
species place their eggs in the water and the larvae will therefore be aquatic; an easy snack
for insectivore cichlids.
Herbivores
Aquatic plant browsers feed on the plants of Lake Tanganyika.
Herbivore rock grazers feed on the vegetal carpet of biocover that grows on the rocks in Lake
Tanganyika. Providing them with a 100% herbivore diet in the aquarium is however not a good
idea. In the wild, herbivore rock grazers will always ingest small amounts of tiny animals that
hide inside the carpet. In an aquarium without such animals, they can therefore develop nutritional deficiencies (especially protein deficiency) unless the aquarist makes sure that they are
given occasional treats in the form of meaty food.
Planktivores
Phytoplankton pickers feed chiefly on drifting phytoplankton that they find in mid-water. Since
phytoplankton carries out photosynthesis, phytoplankton pickers are in fact a type of herbivores, but planktivores are normally placed in their own category.
Scavengers
Scavengers can help you keep the aquarium clean by eating dead and decomposing matter.
The scavenging cichlids of Lake Tanganyika feed mainly on dead or disabled fish. They can
therefore be considered a type of carnivores, somewhat similar to the scale rippers, but scavengers will never attack a living fish unless it is already seriously injured or diseased and can
therefore be combined with most fish species in the aquarium. JSAS
Submitted by… JAKE BLATT, Exchange Editor
The Shoreline Page 22 Did You Know…
As a JSAS member, you are automatically a member of the Northeast
Council of Aquarium Societies. For more information, speak with Nancy
Hallgring (JSAS’ liason to NEC) or visit www.NorthEastCouncil.org
The Shoreline Page 23 Check out these unbeatable prices for JSAS members.
Stop by the shop or call Bill at (732) 223-4530 and he’ll
deliver any of these quality products to our next meeting. Quantities are limited.
Emperor 400 Filter
Reg. $89.99
Now $45.00
BioWheel 100 Filter
29.99
20.00
BioWheel 150 Filter
39.99
25.00
BioWheel 200 Filter
49.99
30.00
BioWheel 350 Filter
59.99
35.00
Eclipse System 2
39.99
20.00
Eclipse System 3
59.99
35.00
Eclipse System 6
79.99
50.00
Eclipse System Hex 5
59.99
40.00
Eclipse System Corner 5
59.99
40.00
129.99
85.00
99.99
70.00
Eclipse System 12
10 gallon 1/2 Moon Kit
Sea Girt Mall, Sea Girt
Tel. (732) 223-4530 Ask for Bill
J.S.A.S. Member
The Shoreline Page 24 Happy Independence Day
from
Jersey Shore
Aquarium Society
NOW AVAILABLE ON YOUR iPad
Open your monthly email attachment using
iBooks to read and archive every issue of
The Shoreline!
PHOTO COURTESY: Rory Lay, Planted Tank
The Shoreline Page 25 JSAS is pleased to support our sister clubs!
North Jersey Aquarium Society—Meets at 7:45 pm every 3rd Thursday each month (except August—Picnic; December—Holiday Party) at the Lyndhurst Elks Club, 251 Park Avenue, Lyndhurst,
NJ. www.njas.net
Bucks County Aquarium Society—Meets at 7:30 pm on the 1st Thursday each month (except
August) at the Churchville Nature Center, 501 Churchville Lane, Churchville, PA.
www.bcasonline.com
Delaware County Aquarium Society—Meets at 8:00 pm on the 1st Friday each month (except
July and August) at the Springfield Township Building, 50 Powell Road, Springfield, PA.
www.dcas.us
Garden State Betta Association—Meets the 2nd Sunday each month at Frank Siracusa’s house.
Contact him for details: [email protected]
Aquarium Club of Lancaster County—Meets at 1:00 pm on the 3rd Saturday each month at That
Fish Place, 237 Centerville Road, Lancaster, PA. http://aclcpa.org
_________________________________________________________________
Do you have a club you’d like listed here?
Send the meeting info and web site to the editor by email at: [email protected]
_________________________________________________________________
The Future of Fish Forums
www.EastCoastCichlids.org
Bill Barbito
COLLECTING AT THE JERSEY SHORE
LakeTang.com
The Tanganyikan Experience
The Shoreline Page 26 JSAS Membership Award Program (MAP)
The “Fish Bucks” program was created to encourage members to participate in Club activities. Members can “earn” Fish Bucks throughout the year by participating in various club activities.
In December, during our Holiday Party, we have a Fish Bucks only auction. Fish Bucks earned in that
year must be used at the holiday party auction and cannot be rolled over to the following year. Points
are nontransferable. Each member starts out with $100 every January when dues are paid.
Pay dues early (before January 1st)
50
General Meeting
Speaker / Presenter
Set-up or clean-up
Mini auction runner
Recruit a new member
100
10 per meeting
10 per meeting
50
Spring Auction
Auction Chairperson
Attendee
Volunteer (incl. set-up/runners/scribes/etc.)
Bonus points given for special time given
100
10
50 full day or 5 per hour
5 per hour
Shoreline
Articles submitted & published (excluding BAP) 30
Monthly column (11 issues)
100
Photography submitted & published
10
Positions held
If a position is vacated, amount will be prorated per month and split between incumbent and their replacement; or
if shared, the total will be split between members.
President
Vice-president
Treasurer
Corresponding secretary
Recording secretary
Member at Large
Shoreline Editor
BAP Chair
MAP Chair
Membership Chair
Program Chair
Web Master
NEC Liaison
Recruit a new paid member
200
100
150
100
100
100
300
100
100
100
100
150
100
50
Submitted by… NANCY VILLARS/HALLGRING, MAP Chair
The Shoreline Page 27 JSAS Breeders Award Program (BAP)
Current Standings
1
Larry Jinks
2980
22
Gary Wong
55
2
Michael Palmese
1310
23
Tony Gallirio
40
3
Dean Majorino
1245
24
Barbara & Dan DeCross
40
4
Richard Janssen
825
25
Herb Frietsch
30
5
Frank Nell
660
26
Klaus Huenecke
30
6
Dave Leshinsky
370
27
Michelle Palmese
30
7
John Wares
325
28
Gary Silver & Cindy Hmelo-Silver
25
8
Anthony Metta
290
29
Bob & Lauren Hicks
25
9
Bill Loesch
280
30
Jennifer Palmese
25
10
Robert Janssen
270
31
Tony Angso
25
11
Bill Arndt
265
32
Frank Policastro
20
12
Leonard Reback
225
33
Bill Barbito
20
13
Jim Sorge
200
34
Jeff Compell
15
14
Lothar Koenigstein
190
35
Dave Maxwell
10
15
Luis Morales
165
36
James Golazeski
10
16
Shelly Kirschenbaum
135
37
Adam Gwizdz
10
17
Nancy Villars
130
38
Frank Brown
10
18
Rory Lay
110
39
Kimberly Palmese
10
19
Dave Salkin
100
40
David Cohen
5
20
Charles Smith
90
41
Bill Guest
5
21
Jim Costello
90
42
Stephen Morgan
5
Contact Mike Palmese to learn more about the JSAS Breeders
Award Program and how breeding your fish can help you find
new ways to enjoy our hobby.
Submitted by… MICHAEL PALMESE, BAP Chair
The Shoreline Page 28 JSAS Breeders Award Program (BAP)
Recent Spawns
Spawns for June 2011:
 Synodontis Petricola – Tony Angso
 Aulonocara Benga Yellow Sunshine Peacock – Michelle Palmese
 Neolamprologus Brichardi Albino – Jennifer Palmese
 Poecilia Endlers – Jennifer Palmese
 Cherry Barbs – Bill Loesch
 Cherry Shrimp – Bill Loesch
Submitted by… MICHAEL PALMESE, BAP Chair
Earn BAP Points at the JSAS Monthly Auction:
MONTHLY AUCTION RULES
All auction items will have a minimum bid as follows:
Fish & Drygoods
Minimum Bid
Live Plants
Minimum Bid
$
5
3
$
$
The JSAS split will be just 1. We give everything else to the consignor of
the lot. Do you have successful spawns in your fishroom? Do you have
good quality drygoods collecting dust on your shelves?
Try the JSAS Monthly Auction!
The Shoreline Page 29