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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