London Aquaria Society

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1 Volume 56, Issue 4 December 11, 2011 London Aquaria Society Merry Christmas!!! Ho, Ho, Ho, See you at the Christmas Dinner Aquarium Lore Blue Lobster/Blue Crayfish Tuesday, October 14, 2008 Submitted by: John Swick, London Aquaria Society, November 2011 Scientific Name: Procambarus alleni Other Names: Blue crayfish, Blue Florida Crayfish, Electric Blue Crayfish, Everglades Crayfish Origin: Florida Adult Size: cm Social: Poor. Highly territorial and aggressive. Lifespan: 20 years Tank Level: bottom Minimum Tank Size: 20 gallons and bigger Diet: omnivore (scavenger) Breeding: Egg-Layer Care: Medium Ideal ph: 7.0 Temperature: C (55-70F) Tank setup: Allow for gravel or sand substrate. Some caves will be welcomed. Plants are highly recommended. Sexing: The male blue lobster's claws are generally larger and more elongated and if you turn him upside down he has two claspers near his vent that look like hockey sticks. The females blue lobster claws are shorter and more rounded and she lacks the claspers. Description: The blue lobster that is found in aquarium hobby is actually not a true lobster, but rather a blue color crayfish. For the purpose of this article, I will refer to them as blue lobster. Like its name suggest, the Blue lobster is blue in color and shades of blue vary from bright electric blue to a duller bluish white. Other then their unique coloration, they are highly similar to other crayfish and lobsters. By maturity, Blue Florida Crayfish achieve lengths of 15 centimeters. Habitat/Care: In the wild, Blue Lobsters are usually found in wetlands biome or habitats that have distinct wet and dry seasons. Although Blue Lobsters trend to be abundant in wet seasons, they are extremely well hidden in periods by burrowing into the mud. When water is abundant, Blue Lobsters stay near the bottom of the flooded area, eating invertebrates and algae. It is recommended that the tank mirror their environment by providing some fine sand or gravel, and allow a cave or place for hiding when the blue lobsters are stressed. Plants are highly recommended as they provide a source of food and hiding places. As long as the tank contains enough water, blue lobsters should be bury themselves. Because they require a large tank, blue lobsters should be keep in a tank of at least 20 gallons. They are excellent escape artists, and the tank should have a tight lid. cont d on page 4

2 Volume 56, Issue 4 PresidentPresident Ron Bishop ron.bishop2@sympatico.ca Vice-President/Annual Show Chair Karl Baumgarten baumgarten_karl@yahoo.ca Treasurer/C.A.R.E.S. Rep. Annette Bishop ally_ann@hotmail.com Member at Large Derek Tucker gotcoz@live.ca Secretary / Correspondence Sharon MacDonald sharonmacdonald62@gmailcom Membership Chair Nancy Drummond nchipps-drummond@fanshawec.ca Library James & Margaret Kelly B.A.P./H.A.P. Stephen Gregson guppytrain@gmail.com London Aquaria Society Upcoming Events December 11, 2011 October 11, 2011: Gary & Linda Hutton from Sea Life Central on starting a saltwater tank. November 8, 2011: Jeff Mountjoy will speak on Martin s Food. December 6, 2011: Christmas Party-Pot Luck Congratulations Yes, congratulations go out to our own Dorothy Reimer who took Best Livebearer with her male Swordtail and second place with her female Swordtail. Dorothy also took pictures of all of the Best Of winners and they will be put into the Kitchener Newsletter. My goodness, this club is hot to trot. ;0) Newsletter Editor Lorraine Gregson koilady@execulink.com Monthly Jar Show Sarah Lee sarahlee@uwo.ca Advertising Bob Steele Monthly Auction Chair Jack Parkinson C.A.O.A.C. Representative Bob Steele lewest@sympatico.ca Website Eric Geissinger kegboy@gmail.com Table of Contents President s Message The Aquarium Alternative..6 Feeding Bottle Design Jar Show Results..8 Mudskippers.10 Neolamprologus cylindricus Pound Tuna..12 C.A.O.A.C. Events Calendar Assailant Suffers Injuries.14 London Aquaria Society Page 2

3 President s Message December has made it s way into our lives and Christmas will soon be here. I hope we have all been good fish keepers so we don t have to worry about clumps of coal only fine grade charcoal. Annette has been working very hard to get the CARES Certificates all completed to hand out at the December meeting. So if you handed in all your information in this past year you should get your reward. The guest speaker for November was Jeff Mountjoy and his talk was about Martins Fish food and it was very enjoyable. It was interesting about the different ingredients in fish food and the makeup to benefit different fish. Thank you for a great evening. We have our pot luck evening and all members are invited to bring a supper treat or a dessert. All will be enjoyed by everyone who comes out and enjoys the evening. If you think there might be some allergy issues with your dish, it might be helpful to make a note to put with it. (eg. contains nuts, or eggs, or shellfish, etc.). The club has purchased a bunch of gift certificates from our club sponsors for a draw. There are no ticket sales for the draw only a paid up Membership gets your name entered! So if your Membership has run out now, you ll have some more incentive to renew. You must attend the meeting to get your name entered! There is no fish show for December but it will resume in January. The auction will be there as usual. To all a merry Christmas and all the best in the New Year. Ron Bishop President London Aquaria Society The London Aquaria Society is a non-profit organization, established in June Its main objective is to promote interest in breeding and raising tropical fish and also to provide a means through which hobbyists may exchange ideas, gain information and display their fish, sharing them in the public in the London Area. Advertising Rates Business Card. $ /4 page..$ /2 page..$75.00 Full Page....$ Rates apply for a year coverage totaling 10 issues of our Newsletter. Articles in this publication may be reprinted provided full credit is given to the Author, the London Aquaria Society and 2 copies of the published bulletin or magazine in which the article appears, is to be mailed to: Please Support Southwestern Pet Centre 1641 Dundas Street (New Location Dundas & Saskatoon) London, Ontario They support us!!! London Aquaria Society P.O. Box 45010, RPO Fairmont London, Ontario N5W 1A3 London Aquaria Society Page 3

4 Aquarium Lore Blue Lobster/Blue Crayfish cont d from front page Temperatures should remain between 10 and 22 degrees Celsius. They usually require ph values upward of 7.0. It has been reported that the addition of freshwater salt greatly enhances the health of this species. Usually, Blue Lobster get along well with other fast, medium size fishes. However, small and slower fishes will be eaten, and larger but slower fishes may be injured by the Blue Lobster. Larger, carnivorous fishes view Blue Lobsters as a tasty snack. Blue Lobsters are highly territorial and they should NOT be kept with others of their kind, or they may fight and gravely injure one another, unless there are lots of hiding place and the tank is large enough for all of them. Blue Lobsters continuously molds (they will drop off their shell) as they grows bigger. During the juvenile period, the molding is fairly rapid, but slows down as it grows PET PARADISE SUPERSTORE Locally Owned & Operated Since 1995 LONDON S LARGEST SELECTION OF PUPPIES, KITTENS, REPTILES, FISH, AND SMALL ANIMALS Full line of Pet and Aquarium Supplies Knowledgeable Friendly Staff Great Package Deals, Reasonable Rates Pets Always Welcome! RECEIVE 10% OFF FISH AND SUPPLIES WHEN YOU PRESENT YOUR AQUARIA SOCIETY MEMBERSHIP CARD. Our Store Hours: Mon-Fri.9:30 a.m. 9:00 p.m. Saturday...9:30 a.m. 8:00 p.m. Sunday...11:00 a.m. 6:00 p.m Adelaide St. North London, Ontario London Aquaria Society Page 4

5 Aquarium Lore Blue Lobster/Blue Crayfish cont d from page 4 During the mating act, the male initiates copulation, and the Blue Lobsters will clean each other as part of the mating ritual. After mating, the eggs are carried in the female pleopods. Blue Lobsters eggs normally hatch in about four weeks. They emerge as miniature versions of adults, though lacking reproductive organs. In the first 24 hours of life, Blue Florida Crayfish fry must molt, and many may not survive this first molt. You should begin changing the water regularly and maintaining the best water conditions possible to aid the fry in surviving. They can be fed freshly hatched brine shrimp, micro-worms, or liquefied foods. After about two weeks, the young Florida Blue Crayfish have generally become much more hardy. They will still be rather transparent, but by the time they reach sexual maturity they will have gained adult coloration. 166 GRAND RIVER AVENUE PHONE (519) BRANTFORD, ONTARIO FAX (519) Quality Tropical Fish & Supplies! London Aquaria Society Page 5

6 Try the Terrarium Alternative By: Brian Wisenden, London Aquaria Society, March 1992 Submitted by: Annette & Ron Bishop, London Aquaria Society, November 2011 By stretching the mandate of the London Aquaria Society a little bit, (ie. forgetting the aqua in aquaria), the L.A.S. might be considered to be a group of enthusiasts devoted to the study of life forms observed and maintained in aquaria. This broader definition of the L.A.S. would include all activities relating to fish keeping that are traditionally associated with the L.A.S. but it would also include other possibilities. One alternative to fish keeping that is both rewarding and absorbing is terrarium keeping. Any old aquarium (especially leaky ones) can be converted into a terrarium. If you are adventurous, you can be creative and design a terrarium to fit a specific location. I recently built a terrarium and have had some success with it. In the loft apartment where I live, there is a long low window, near the floor on the south facing wall measuring 5 feet long, 1 1/2 feet high with a 5 sill. I took measurements and designed and constructed an all glass terrarium to fit on the window sill. The finished terrarium measures 50 long X 16 high X 5 wide. The length and width of a terrarium are not as important as the height. Plants grow quickly in the humid conditions inside a terrarium and will soon be pressing against the lid if the terrarium is not tall enough. I put a layer (2 or so) of old aquarium gravel (chicken grit actually) on the bottom of the terrarium to allow for good drainage. Then I dumped in about 6 litres of potting soil and arranged it to make some depth relief and to be pleasing to the eye. The soil is about 3 deep above the gravel layer in the middle, increasing to about 10 on each side. A well seasoned piece of driftwood projects into the open space in the centre. Stocking a terrarium is much like stock an aquarium. I bought some small plants from local florists and got a variety of cuttings from friends. I had no idea which plant species might do well in a terrarium. cont d on page 9 11 Frank Street Strathroy, Ont. N7G 2R cont d from page 5 Thanks for this information John. Hours of Operation Monday-Thursday 11:00 a.m. 7:00 p.m. Friday 10:00 a.m. 8:00 p.m. Saturday 10:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m Sunday: London Aquaria Society Page 6

7 Gatorade feeding bottle for green water, etc. The bottle comes with an adjustable top valve. Design by- Norm Ernteman, London Aquaria Society, November 2011 Great Job Norm and thanks to John Swick for giving me this information. May be cut or hole drilled to help prevent air lock. Cut top allows easy refill. Green water, infusoria, etc. (micro worms too). Bottle inverted. Smaller jar light source (sealed) inside, a flashlight could be used for night collection. Adjustable valve. Stand design needed. To place on edge of tank. Jar>catching-live food etc. Submerge over night with light on. Pickle jar used. Screen Light circuit with battery turned on (before assembly) and insertion in pond. Older design for ponds, rivers, etc. Jar lid may be modified. London Aquaria Society Page 7

8 Best In Show Name Month Fish Name Gift Certificate Sponsor Liz Schnare November Red-tailed Shark (Epalzeorhynchos bicolor) Southwestern Pet Centre Annette &Ron Bishop November Orange-tailed Goodeid (Xenotoca eiseni) Southwestern Pet Centre Name Month Fish Name Ribbon Liz Schnare November Cyprinids Red-tailed Shark (Epalzeorhynchos bicolor) Red Bob Steele November Cyprinids Celestial Pearl Danio (Danio margaritatus) Blue Bob Steele November Cyprinids Cherry Barb (Puntius titteya) White Bob Steele November Cyprinids Zebra Danio (Danio rerio) Bob Steele November Cyprinids Gold Barb (Puntius semifasciolatus) Bob Steele November Cyprinids Odessa Barb (Puntius padamya) Bob Steele November open Betta, Crown-tailed (black and apricot) Red Annette & Ron Bishop November family Orange-tailed Goodeid (Xenotoca eiseni) Bob Steele November family White Cloud Mountain Minnows (Tanichthys albonubes), Long-finned Blue Dorothy Reimer November family Red Swordtails (Xiphophorus hellerii) White Annette & Ron Bishop November family Ameca splendens (Butterfly Goodeid) Annette & Ron Bishop November family Gardneri lafia Annette & Ron Bishop November family Knife-edged Livebearer (Alfaro cultratus) Dorothy Reimer September Loaches, Suckers and Catfish Albino Corydoras Rare Fish with Hands Bob Steele September open Black male Guppy (Poecilia reticulata) Red Annette Tuesday, & Ron May Bishop 25, 2010 September open female Rose Danio (Danio roseus) Purple Passion Blue Annette & Ron Bishop September open female Daisy's Ricefish (Oryzias woworae) White & Ron Bishop September open male Rose Danio (Danio roseus) Purple Annette Passion Annette & Found Ron Bishop mostly off September the coast open of Tasmania male Daisy's and Australia, Ricefish (Oryzias woworae) Lloyd the rare Swance hand fish are September solitary, slow-moving open Pearl creatures. Gourami (Trichogaster They leeri) use their fins to walk on the seafloor, rather than swimming. They could be our ancestors, before we emerged from the sea. National Geographic has a series of articles on these fish, which are spotted so infrequently that it's been hard for scientists to study them. There are only 14 species of hand fish, and they lay very few eggs. Most are endangered. They eat by wandering very slowly across the seafloor, eating worms and crustaceans. Though they make an easy target for predators, they manage to escape being eaten because they have extremely toxic skin. Name Month Plant Name Ribbon Bob Steele November open Nuphar stellata (Dwarf Lily) Red Dorothy Reimer November pen Cryptocoryne ponteriifolia Blue James Kelly November open Giant Java Fern (Microsorium sp.) White London Aquaria Society Page 8 Red

9 Try the Terrarium Alternative cont d from page 6 For the most part, I chose plants that grow low to the ground which are generally the kind of plant that hangs down when grown in hanging pots. In the centre section where there is more vertical height available, I planted 2 species that ultimately will grow to be large trees. By pruning the top shoots of one of these little trees, I have created a bushy plant that reaches the full height of the terrarium and is about as wide as it is tall. Most of the plants are doing very well, especially the fern. The few that didn t do too well were soon overgrown by the others and aren t noticeable. The plants have grown together in a tangled undergrowth that looks like what you might see if you took a close look near the ground in a humid place in a forest or a field. Even though there is no movement in the terrarium, the intricacies of the plant life are engrossing. The peaceful delight derived from recreating and observing a tiny slice of natural habitat is the same for terraria as for aquaria. The lid of the terrarium is made of glass and fits tightly. On sunny days condensation stuck plant leaves to the walls of the terrarium and the leaves soon died. I solved this by raising the lid u off the terrarium with 2 chopsticks to allow for some air to pass through. I mist the terrarium most days and water/feed the plants about once a week. The basic idea of maintaining terraria is simple and much less complicated and labour intensive than keeping fish happy. You don t have to fuss over water changes, ph, hardness, ammonia, temperature, etc. All that is required for a thriving terrarium is a little water, soil and light. For an added distraction (the plants are the main component), I introduced 2 anoles (small lizards) to the terrarium. One anole didn t adapt well from the start and eventually died. The second, a male, is active and entertaining. One memorable morning he displayed to his own reflection performing jerky up and down push ups.each time he raised himself up, his tail bristled rigidly, perfectly straight and parallel to the ground. He tipped his head up and from the folds of skin under his chin came rapid flashes of a startling crimson fan. It was a striking display. Otherwise, at a quick glance he is not easily seen in the dense jungle because he can change his colour from bright green to dark brown to match the background. I feed him crickets which I buy from the same Creatures of Sherwood pet store on Wonderland Road where I bought the lizard. He wasn t very interested in mealworm larvae nor adults. We re both looking forward to the summer when an abundant and diverse food supply should keep him happy. Even without the lizard, the terrarium is an attractive and fascinating addition to the living room. There are no pumps, filters, heaters or lights for which to find electrical outlets. Absolutely no humming or bubbling sounds, it can be ignored for days and days if necessary, yet the tranquil sanctuary it offers is always there to be enjoyed along with a good cup of tea and fine music Sunset Rd Phone: Port Stanley, ON Fax: N5L 1J4 Over 75 Years of Quality & Service Everything for the Water Gardening enthusiast 10% discount to all Club Members. London Aquaria Society Page 9

10 MUDSKIPPERS (Periophthalmus sp.) Want to try something different? By: Pat Brown, London Aquaria Society, September 1991 Submitted by: Annette & Ron Bishop, November 2011 Okay, I ll confess; I think they re adorable. Yes, they re even cute. Mudskippers are true fish, breathing through gills which must be kept moist. They also use the skin surface to absorb oxygen from the air. To keep their eyes moist, mudskippers are always rolling or blinking (actually lowering eyes into fluid filled sockets). Mudskippers move by leaping, utilizing their tail and thoracic fins. In the same manner, they skip across the surface of the water. The same fin structure that makes this possible, makes it nearly impossible for mudskippers to swim. They do walk but not gracefully, they tend to resemble tiny seals flip-flopping across the ground. My first discovery was that the average tank doesn t really suit mudskippers. Not only do they reach lengths of 4-6 inches, they are also very territorial. What I needed as an aquarium/terrarium with more surface area available and less wasted height. I settled on a tank with the dimensions 30 x 30 x 12 with a hinged glass top (not only can mudskippers jump, they can also climb glass). I first siliconed several pieces of drift wood to the sides of the tank, simulating the mangrove roots mudskippers love to climb. Add a base of silica sand, a submersible 100 watt heater, an internal power filter and about 15 gallons of water mixed with Instant Ocean. Here I have a confession to make: I have never measured the specific gravity of my water. Each time I do a water change I alternate between fresh water and salt water. I use airline hose to siphon the water back into the tank slowly. The temperature is maintained at degrees Fahrenheit. In their natural habitat of mangrove swamps, mudskippers are predators, eating insects, small crustaceans and other small animals washed in on the regular tides. They usually eat on land. To this end I provided them with a brick that has a flat well to hold the food. It didn t take the mudskippers long to find this food source. Far from being finicky, I have found my mudskippers are greedy feeders, eagerly consuming frozen bloodworms, beef heart, earthworms and dry pellets, presoaked to soften them. Originally I purchased 8 mudskippers, only to lose 3 to escapes through small cracks in the canopy. At the time of purchase all the mudskippers were less than 2 inches in length. In the six months I ve had them, 2 have nearly doubled their size to 4 inches. These 2 are very territorial; flaring their dorsal and tail fins at one another at feeding time and jumping at one another from opposite sides of the tank. I suspect (hope) these are male. The smaller (females?) are more timid and barely grow to 2 1/2 inches. Little has been said in the literature about breeding mudskippers, except that they do build nests and guard the eggs. I d like to find out more first hand but breed or not, mudskippers are vastly entertaining and worth the effort (and expense) to set up. Want to try something different? Set up a little mangrove swamp in your fish room and watch all your friends and loved ones ooh and ahh over your latest acquisition. And, counting how many times they say Oh, isn t that cute! Pat Brown is a regular contributor to Below the Waterline. She works with tropical fish for a living and has gained a vast amount of knowledge about the hobby. Pat is also the Education Chairperson for the London Aquaria Society. London Aquaria Society Page 10

11 By: Seegers & Staeck Neolamprologus cylindricus Systematics: The genus Lamprologus was long recognized as diverse group of substrate spawning cichlids groups with distant ancestry. The type species for the genus Lamprologus, L. congoensis, is a fluvial, substrate spawning cichlid thus the genus Lamprologus is currently restricted to only riverine forms (Sturmbauer et al. 1994). Note Konings (1998) assigns several species (many commonly known as "shelldwellers") with unresolved phylogeny to the genus "Lamprologus" (the parenthesis denote unknown/ unresolved taxonomy). Colombe and Allgayer (1985) proposed several new genera to begin separation of this diverse group of cichlids commonly called "Lamprologines". They proposed the genus Neolamprologus to represent one group of substrate spawning species occurring in Lake Tanganyika. The type species for the Neolamprologus group is N. tetracanthus. Neolamprologus cylindricus female 60 mm TL Natural habitat: N. cylindricus is considered a close relative of N. leleupi and replaces the later in a range extending from Isanga northward to Karema on the southeastern shore of Lake Tanganyika (Konings 1998). Local variants of this species are not known though individuals collected towards the southern end of the range are reported to have greater yellow coloration (so-called "goldhead cylindricus") between the dark bars versus the white/black coloration of most known populations. The habitat of this species is typical for small substrate spawners, consisting of rocky coastline where this species is generally restricted to 10 m or less in depth (Konings 1998). Captive Maintenance: This moderate sized species is well-suited to a captive environment. N. cylindricus is monomorphic with similar aged males generally a bit large in size than females. Lone individuals may be maintained in community aquaria of 40 gallons or more. Pairs may be maintained in community aquaria of at least 55 gallons or smaller species only tanks. Most Tanganyika substrate spawners will not tolerate intraspecific (same species) tankmates beyond a single bonded pair such that an adult pair may attempt to eliminate intraspecific tankmates in all but the largest aquaria. Breeding pairs will also occupy and defend rocky territories for spawning and rearing of fry sometimes to the exclusion of other species. Large, well planned community tanks will allow coexistance and breeding in the presence of other species or breeding pairs may be maintained in smaller, pair-only breeding tanks. A well-planned community tank will have several separate rock areas separated by open spaces. Suitable tankmates for this species include cichlids in the genus Altolamprologus, Chalinochromis, Julidochromis, some "Lamprologus" (shelldwellers), Cyprichromis, and in large aquaria Opthalmotilapia. Most other Neolamprologus species should Neolamprologus cylindricus female 60 mm TL be avoided due the requirements for similar, relatively large territories; notably N. leleupi should be avoided due to possible hybridization concerns. Pairs may be obtained by raising a group of juveniles until a pair forms, at which time removal of all others is usually required. Females outside of the dominant pair can sometimes be maintained in larger aquaria and males spawning with multiple females have been reported, however behavior of any pair during spawning towards intraspecific tankmates can be unpredictable. London Aquaria Society Page 11

12 Neolamprologus cylindricus male 80 mm Neolamprologus cylindricus cont d from page 11 Reproduction is similar to other substrate spawning cichlids. Spawning takes place in a darkened, cave-like area. Overturned 4" clay flowerpots with a hole in the side just large enough to permit an adult parent work well for this. A total of relatively small, olive colored eggs attached to a surface are generally produced. Parents will vigilantly guard the eggs and surrounding territory. Hatching occurs in approximately 4-5 days and fry are free-swimming by days. Parents will continue to guard fry for an extended period of time in community aquariums; though fry may be excluded from the territory prior to a new spawning taking place. Fry may be fed crushed prepared flake or pellet foods but frozen or hatched baby artemia or any of a number of other dried artemia/artemia replacement feeds, high in protein and lipid, will support increased growth rates and improved survival. Man catches 881-pound tuna, seized by feds By Eric Pfeiffer The Sideshow Tue, 22 Nov, Submitted by: Annette Bishop, London Aquaria Society, December 2011 A Massachusetts fisherman pulled in an 881-pound tuna this week only to have the federal authorities take it away. It sounds like a libertarian twist on the classic novella by Ernest Hemingway, The Old Man and the Sea, but for Carlos Rafael, the saga is completely true. Rafael and his crew were using nets to catch bottom-dwellers when they inadvertently snagged the giant tuna. However, federal fishery enforcement agents took control of the behemoth when the boat returned to port. The reason for the seizure was procedural: While Rafael had tuna permits, fishermen are by law only allowed to catch tuna with a rod and reel. It would seem that unlike the fictional New England shark hunters in Jaws, Rafael didn't need a bigger boat, just a better permit. In an interview with the Standard-Times of New Bedford, Rafael disputes the claims from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) enforcement division that the humungous tuna was trawled from the bottom of the Atlantic. "They didn't catch that fish on the bottom," he said. "They probably got it in the mid-water when they were setting out and it just got corralled in the net. That only happens once in a blue moon." And while Rafael is denied the mother of all fish stories, the federal impoundment of his catch also means he's probably losing out on a giant payday. A 754-pound tuna recently sold for nearly $396,000. NOAA regulators do not share any of the proceeds from the fish's eventual sale with a fisherman found in violation of federal rules. "They said it had to be caught with rod and reel," a frustrated Rafael said. "We didn't try to hide anything. We did everything by the book. Nobody ever told me we couldn't catch it with a net." cont d on page 13 London Aquaria Society Page 12

13 Man catches 881-pound tuna, seized by feds cont d from page 12 Rafael says he has meticulously prepared for a giant catch like this, purchasing 15 tuna permits over the past four years for his ground fish boats. He even immediately called a "bluefin tuna hot line" (yes, such things exist) to report his catch. "I wanted to sell the fish while it was fresh instead of letting it age on the boat," he said. "It was a beautiful fish." Proceeds of the sale from the fish will be held in an account until the case is resolved, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Office of Law Enforcement. "The matter is still under investigation," said Monica Allen, deputy director with NOAA Fisheries public affairs. "If it's determined that there has been a violation, the money will go into the asset forfeiture fund." UPDATE (CON'T): "We understand why the fishermen, his crew and everyone was excited about this giant animal. This is an amazing fish," Allen said in an interview with The Sideshow. "We understand the fisherman inadvertently caught this tuna and although he had purchased permits to catch tuna these permits did not allow the catch or landing of bluefin tuna in a trawl net. The permits he had required the use of specific hand gear, a rod and reel, a harpoon or a handline, to catch, land and keep such a tuna." Allen explained that the bluefin tuna off the coast of the U.S. has been depleted to between 21 and 29 percent of their historic population. "This rule is important to the conservation of this unusual fish that is severely depleted and managed internationally by more than 48 nations," Allen said. "Because they are slow to mature and reproduce, rebuilding this species population is a lengthy and difficult process." UPDATE: This morning I was contacted by NOAA's Monica Allen, who provided some great information and context to yesterday's story. For those who worried Mr. Rafael was being denied a substantial payday, it turns out that because of the tuna's deteriorated condition due to the trawl net, the fish sold for just under $5,000. Yesterday, NOAA posted an update to their site on why the specific regulations for the bluefin tuna are in place. It's worth taking a look. I've included some highlights from my conversation with Monica Allen at the bottom of the post. C.A.O.A.C. Events Calendar December 18, 2011 CAOAC Meeting 11:00 AM CAOAC Executive meeting Waterdown, ON 12:00 PM CAOAC General meeting Waterdown, ON Note: Authors/Advanced Authors Award deadline January 15, 2012 CAOAC Meeting 11:00 AM CAOAC Executive meeting Waterdown, ON 12:00 PM CAOAC General meeting Waterdown, ON Note: Newsletter Award deadline. All other awards are due at the February meeting. London Aquaria Society Page 13

14 Assailant suffers injuries from fall Submitted by Jack Parkinson, London Aquaria Society, November Thanks Jack. ;0) Okay, first of all, remember the heading of this article. I can be a little slow at times, (zip it Stephen, Ron and John), so it wasn t until after I read the article and then looked back at the heading that this article made me really scream with laughter. Anyway I hope you enjoy this as much as we did. The names have been changed to protect the innocent. ;) LOL Although I feel really bad that one of the Marines was injured. :( A store manager for Best Buy in Augusta, Ga., told police he observed a male customer, on surveillance cameras, putting a laptop computer under his jacket. When confronted, the man became irate, knocked down an employee, drew a knife and ran for the door. Outside on the sidewalk were four Marines collecting toys for the Toys for Tots program. The Marines stopped the man but he stabbed one of them in the back; the injury did not appear to be severe. After Police and an ambulance arrived at the scene, the stabbed Marine was taken to the hospital for treatment. The subject was also transported to the local hospital with two broken arms, a broken ankle, a broken leg, several missing teeth, possible broken ribs, multiple contusions, assorted lacerations, a broken nose and a broken jaw...injuries he sustained when he slipped and fell off of the curb after stabbing the Marine, according to a police report. Thanks for the great laugh Jack. ;0) Month Plant Aquatic Fish Categories Class Category Animals September open open Loaches, Sucker and Catfish October open open Cichlids - substrate spawning (e.g. Angels, Kribs, Rams...) Family November open open Cyprinids (e.g. Goldfish, Koi, Barbs, Danios, Sharks, Rasboras, White Clouds, etc.) December open open No Jar Show due to Christmas PartyParty. January open open Guppies, (Fancy, Trinadadian...)etc.) February open open Anabantids (e.g. Bettas, Gouramis, Paradise Fish ) March open open Mollies, Platies, Swordtails April open open Characoids (Tetras, Hatchetfish, Silver Dollars...) Family May open open My Favourite Type Fish (any type of fish) Pairs June none none Due to Awards Night. London Aquaria Society Page 14 Pairs

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