Club Aquarium Meetings
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Next Meeting : Wednesday
June 21st, 2017
Speaker : Haydn Pounder
Topic : Cichlids & Catfish
Breeding Strategies
Also, Club Elections
May 2017 Meeting
Speaker : Zenin Skomorowski's Topic : Water Filtration; Matter of Life or …
Filtration is key to ensuring the health of your aquarium inhabitants, whether they be fish, shrimp, turtles etc. They also aid in keeping
your aquarium water looking crystal clear. Zenin discussed the various types of filtration, related equipment and how each filter design
compares to one another. Filter maintenance was also emphasized and some useful tools were showcased. Zenin also talked about some
DIY filters. This presentation was also great for newcomers & new members, as we had product demonstrations by Zenin
Bio: Zenin has been a member at Kitchener-Waterloo
Aquarium Society since 2002 He has keep a wide variety of tropical aquarium fishes and currently is loving Rainbowfishes & Loaches.
Bowl Show Results : Catfish
1st Place no entries
2nd Place -
3rd Place -
April 2017 Meeting
Speaker : Haydn Pounder's Topic : Live Foods, Culturing & Collecting
Haydn's presentation on Live Foods, including culturing & collecting was very informative. Hadyn has been keeping tropical fish for over 32 years. His vast knowledge & many talents in the hobby are a great asset to our club. Early Spring is always the best time of year to forage for live foods in the still waters located right here in Peel & surrounding regions. Would you like to see Photos of Live Food Collecting Trip on the PRAC Facebook Page?What type of live foods are available to us right in our own backyard? Glassworms, Mosquito Larvae, Fairy Shrimp, Daphnia & more. This was a great meeting for newcomers & new members, as we had some hands-on demonstrations & some cultures for sale through our meeting's mini auction.
Bowl Show Results : Betta
1st Place Scott Vanderfleet, Crowntail Betta
2nd Place no entry
3rd Place no entry
March 2017 Meeting
Speaker : Udo Rohmann Topic : European Fish Keeping Tips & Tricks
Udo's presentation, ' European Fish Keeping Tips & Tricks ' was both visual with a power point show & hands-on with a lot of specialty aquarium products such as filters, egg incubators, etc.
Bio: Udo has been in in the Hobby for over 33 years. He is a member of B.R.A.S.S. Barrie Region Aquarium Society of Simcoe & the Durham Region Aquarium Society He currently keeps African, Central & South American Cichlids, Livebearers, various Catfish, Invertebrates & Plants. Udo has 34 tanks with a total volume of 1450 gallons. Tank sizes range from 2gal all the way to 350 gallons.
Bowl Show Results : Swordtail Platy Molly
1st Place Scott Vanderfleet, Xiphophorus nezahualcoyotl a.k.a. Nezzy Swordtail
2nd Place no entry
3rd Place no entry
February 2017 Meeting
Speaker : Peter DeSousa Topic : Breeding Better Aquarium Fish
Peter's presentation, ' Breeding Better Aquarium Fish ' gave us a great insight into basic fish genetics to help us to improve & breed better fish. He also explained to the group on ' How to start a line- breeding project '.
Bio: Peter DeSouza has always had a love for all things living. Even from an early age his aquariums were filled with breeding livebearers & spawning cichlids. His anxious parents couldn't wait to see what he brought into the basement next! In University Peter's interests turned to the new Lake Malawi African cichlids which were just hitting the scene at the time. Before getting married he got into Killifish, spawning & raising fundulopanchax sjoestedti aka ' Blue Gularis '. Then he left the fish hobby behind! Eeeeeee! In 2002 after accepting a job in Edmonton, he decided to raise killifish again & starting with a few small tanks (Sure just a few!). However, as a good friend once told him, "Breeding fish is easy, stopping tanks from multiplying, that's the challenge". Today his fishroom contains 60 tanks or so, in various sizes filled mostly with Killifish & Bettas. He has raised & spawned most aquarium fish groups but has a preference for the genus Fundulopanchax, particularly sjoestedti, the Blue Gularis, and more recently show type Bettas. He is presently a member of HDAS Hamilton & District Aquarium Society, SOKS Southern Ontario Killifish Association, BBC Betta Breeders of Canada, IBC International Betta Club, AKA American Killifish Association & a past member of ACE Aquarium Club of Edmonton & CAS Calgary Aquarium Society
Bowl Show Results : Killifish
1st Place Haydn Pounder, Chromaphyosemion splendopleure moliwe
2nd Place Haydn Pounder, Fundulopanchax nigerianus makurdi
3rd Place Ashley Rezka, Fundulopanchax gresensi takwai
January 2017 Meeting
Speaker : Frank Aguirre Topic : Aquarium Management...
A day in the Life of a Professional Aquarist
In his presentation, Frank explains what it takes to reach the highest level possible in aquariology. When science and art melt together in a perfect combination the results can be explosive to the eye. Impressive and breathtaking, the aquariums chosen to be part of this presentation were found around the planet in a continuous effort to remind aquarist of all levels that the dream is possible, alive and well.
Bio: Frank has been a tropical fish enthusiast since the age of 5. He began by helping his mother raise pond
goldfish in his homeland of Mexico. At 10, he became an assistant at a small aquarium shop. In his teens he
learned breeding "secrets" from master breeders in Mexico City. He then pursued a bachelor's degree
in Biology at Polytechnic College in Mexico in the of study aquaculture. His ultimate academic goal is to obtain
a Masters Degree in Ichthyology at Guelph University.
His life has been dedicated entirely to the study of fishes, with particular emphasis on reproduction & genetics.
After publishing many papers & articles in magazines, Frank's next project, a book on tropical fish
is a logical step. His repertoire varies widely in topic, ranging from the common to the unusual. As the president
of Acuaprof Inc. Frank is now fully integrated in to the aquarium
business & supporting the hobby through his activities as member of the
Canadian Association of Aquarium Clubs or CAOAC.
Bowl Show Results : Open Class
no entries
November 2016 Meeting
Speaker : Klaus Steinhaus Topic : Tropheus Cichlid Myths Debunked
In his presentation, Klaus debunked the myth surrounding the care & culture of The Tropheus species endemic to Lake Tanganyika. Are they very difficult to keep? According to "other people's" myths maybe, but definitely not to Klaus Steinhaus! However, like with every cichlid, there are some rules to follow. Klaus dealt with all aspects of maintaining Tropheus including his personal experiences and this presentation hopefully convinced more aquarium hobbyists to give them a try.
Bio: Klaus has been into Cichlids for over 40 years. But there was life before cichlids. At the young age of 8, his very first aquarium was filled with Guppies. Since then he hasn't been without at least one tank. At 20 and still living in Germany his interest turned to cichlids and he was permanently hooked. With an insatiable appetite for more knowledge he joined the DCG (German Cichlid Association) in the mid 1970's & at this time he started writing articles for their publications. Klaus moved to Canada in 1982 & had to sell all his fish and equipment. After settling down, the old "Fish Tank Syndrome" took over again. His fish room now houses 24 tanks & his one of his main focuses has been the cichlids of Lake Tanganyika, specifically the genus Tropheus. Klaus is also involved in a group called C.A.R.E.S. and the DRAS Durham Region Aquarium Society. He also has his own personal website Buntbarsch.ca.
Bowl Show Results : Cichlids
1st Place Scott Vanderfleet, Steatocranus 'Brown Pearl'
2nd Place Scott Vanderfleet, Aulonocara 'Lemon Jake'
3rd Place No Entry
October 2016 Meeting
Speaker(s) : Executive Team Topic : How to Show Fish & Aquatic
Plants
Our October Speaker(s) were our your very own Executive Team here at the PRAC Club. Anne, Morgan, Haydn & Scott. There was a PowerPoint presentation on the 'ins & outs' of showing with the emphasis on having fun. With our upcoming PRAC Show & Auction this coming Nov 6th, 2016, what best time to talk on 'How to Get Ready to Show Tropical Fish & Aquatic Plants'. Scott had a couple of First Place finishes at the 2016 KWAS Oktoberfish Show the previous weekend in Waterloo, Ontario. Those in attendance learned the insider scoop & winning tips from some experienced pros. Are you the next Bowl Show Champion?
Bowl Show Results : Aquatic Plants
1st Place Scott Vanderfleet, Hemianthus callitrichoides 'Cuba'
2nd Place Scott Vanderfleet, Microsorum pteropus sp. 'Trident'
3rd Place Scott Vanderfleet, Echinodorus tenellus a.k.a. Pygmy Chain Sword
September 2016 Meeting
Speaker : Anne Daniels & Haydn Pounder Topic : WGC Excellent Austrian Adventure
Our September Guest Speaker(s) were our very own Anne & Haydn here at the PRAC Club. They're fresh off the plane from Vienna, Austria where they attended the 19th WGC (acronym for World Guppy Contest). This world class Guppy Event is held in a different city annually, kind of like the Olympics for guppies, LOL! Their presentation was filled with exciting talk about their excellent adventure at the WGC Guppy event, & their travels through Europe. Also visits to Austrian guppy breeders, wholesale fish exporters & of course, biergartens, ja! Members were really excited to see & hear about the slides on Petra-Aqua Czech the fish wholesaler / exporter which apparently gets 80% of their livestock from hobbyists within their country. I'm sure by the end of this presentation, members & guests will be booking for next year's 2017 WGC in Taiwan!
Bowl Show Results : Guppies
1st Place Scott Vanderfleet, Red Delta Guppy Male
2nd Place Kristina Mikloska Green Moscow Delta Guppy Male
3rd Place Kristina Mikloska Blue Glass Delta Guppy Male
June 2016 Meeting
Speaker : Jeff Mountjoy Topic : Fish Food & Nutrition
Our June Guest Speaker hails from B.R.A.S.S The Barrie Region Aquarium Society of Simcoe to talk PRAC members & guests. Jeff is a manager for MarCam Pet Nutrition, a Martin family-owned business from Elmira, Ontario who have been manufacturing quality fish and pet foods for over 30 years. Fish keeping and aquaculture have always been a passion of Jeff's. He currently maintains approximately 10 tanks of various fish including cichlids, goldfish and oddball species. A home built 400 gallon system houses the family's beloved monster fish including a Stingray, Arowana, Red Tail Gourami and Vulture Catfish. This 'Fish Guy' enjoys meeting fish hobbyists to share our experiences and hopefully learn something from each other so we can all become the best fish keepers possible. Our fish deserve it! Jeff is currently the president of B.R.A.S.S The Barrie Region Aquarium Society of Simcoe. Thank you Jeff.
Bowl Show Results : Open Class
No Entries
May 2016 Meeting
Speaker : Dr. Francois Blondeau Topic : Breeding Corydoras – Tips & Tricks
Our May Guest Speaker came all the way from Montréal to talk PRAC members & guests.
There wasn't an empty seat in the room! All present were blown away by the his talk, knowledge
& methods used in his experiments to increase success in egg saving & fry yields with his Corydoras Catfish.
Bio: Dr. Francois Blondeau obtained his PhD in Molecular and Cellular Biology
and studied human genetics. He joined Société d'Aquariophilie
de Montréal (SAM) & the
Montreal Aquarium Society Here, Francois was introduced by fellow club members to their BAP
(Breeder Award Program), which lead to severe MTS (multiple tank syndrome)! He
presently cares for 20 plus planted tanks. His original interest was viviparous (livebearers).
He currently keeps xiphophorus, goodeids and South American fish. His interest in corydoras & other
challichthyidae has lead to a collection of more than 20 species of corys, 8 of which he has breed
successfully. He is using his academic background to experiment & improve his techniques in aquarium
fish keeping, maintenance and breeding. Since 2011, Francois has been on the executive at
Société d'Aquariophilie de Montréal.
as Public Relations chair. Always on the hunt for rare fish and often accompanied by Michel Drolet he is
a regular these past few years at GTA & Toronto fish stores & club auctions. Francois is also a
great friend of PRAC & has been for a few years. It was one of our best talks of the year & I
think you'll see a few more home-bred corydoras in Peel & the GTA!
Bowl Show Results : Corydoras
1st Place Scott Vanderfleet, Corydoras metae
2nd Place No entry
3rd Place No entry
April 2016 Meeting
Speaker : Haydn Pounder Topic : Live Food Cultures & Collecting
Haydn Pounder's presented Live Foods, culturing & managing indoor & outdoor types & collecting. It was really neat to see a few worm cultures put together by Haydn and his handy assistant Scott Vanderfleet in front of the audience. Hadyn has been keeping tropical fish for over 30 years, is presently PRAC's BAP & AHAP chair & past president. His vast knowledge & many talents in the hobby are a great asset to our club and the hobby. Early Spring is the best time of year to forage for live foods in the still waters located right here in Peel region. What type of live foods are available to us right in our own backyard? Glassworms, Mosquito Larvae, Fairy Shrimp, Daphnia & more. Get out there and join us for our collecting trip this April 30, 2016. Thank you Haydn for your hands on, informative & fun talk.
Bowl Show Results, May 2016 : Open Class
No entries
March 2016 Meeting
Speaker : Brian Glazier Topic : Xiphophorus Livebearers
Brian's presentation focused on the Xiphophorus Livebearers, including the swordtail & platy fishes. Brian Glazier is a very active member & judge with CAOAC / Canadian Association of Aquarium Clubs & the American Livebearer Association. Thank you Brian for a very passionate, informative & fun talk.
Bowl Show Results : Xiphophorus Swordtail
1st Place Brian Glazier, Albino Swordtail
2nd Place Scott Vanderfleet, Xiphophorus nezahualcoyotl a.k.a. Nezzy Swordtail
3rd Place Scott Vanderfleet, Black Swordtail
February 2016 Meeting
Speaker : Al Ridley Topic : Barbs
Our guest speaker, Al Ridley is a long time member of the KWAS or Kitchener-Waterloo Aquarium Society & is the current president. Al's talk & show was entertaining & informative at the same time, and all on the wonderful world of barbs. Did you know, Tiger Barbs or Barbus tetrazona are the most popular of the 60+ species of barbs, & had 2.6 million imported to North America in 1992 alone? Great time had by all fish enthusiasts in attendance. Thank you again Al for the greatest Barb presentation ever!
Bowl Show Results : Barbs & other cyprinids
1st Place No Entry
2nd Place No Entry
3rd Place No Entry
January 2016 Meeting
Speaker : Frank Aguirre Topic : Plecos & L numbers
Frank's talk started with a very special thank you to the late Peter Orphanos (past Brampton Aquarium Club president), a man whom inspired Frank & many others. Frank's presentation dealt with a general overview of the different loricarids species of importance to the aquarium hobby, making special remarks on ecology and reproduction. Originated in Germany, the L classification helps to give some sense to collectors and hobbyists alike, putting some order to the complex loricarids group.
Bowl Show Results, Feb 2016 : Plecos & L numbers
1st Place Scott Vanderfleet, Bristle Nose Brown Pleco
2nd Place Scott Vanderfleet, L-201 Inspector Pleco
3rd Place Scott Vanderfleet, Red Lizard Whiptail
November Meeting 2015
Speaker: Morgan Ruttle Topic: The Betta Fish
Morgan Ruttle's awesome presentation focused on Betta care, breeding & rearing the tiny fry of this beautiful & captivating fish. She is currently an active member of Betta Breeders Canada, International Betta Congress & our club, PRAC. As a young child, Morgan caught the 'betta bug' at an early age and continues to keep Bettas to this day. At the moment, Morgan's efforts are in keeping & breeding many Plakat Bettas, as well as a thriving community tank. Morgan currently hopes to become one of Canada's first IBC judges in the near future.
Bowl Show Results, Feb 2016 : Betta Fish.
1st Place Ashley Rezka, Pastel Long-Fin male
2nd Place Anne Daniels, Dumbo Ear Half-Moon Salamander female
3rd Place Ashley Rezka, Marble Plakat male
October 2015 Meeting — Dwarf Cichlid Biotopes, Care & Breeding
Jessica Bullock's passionate presentation covered biotope aquaria, water chemistry, tankmates and breeding. Jessica discussed the diversity of common & not so common genera of dwarf cichlids available in the hobby today. She has been keeping fish for more than 20 years and joined the HDAS, Hamilton & District Aquarium Society in 1998. She is currently the club's Newsletter & Exchange Editor. She caught the cichlid bug early after collecting in the Peruvian Amazon as a teenager. Jessica has focused on discus and apistogramma for years and currently keeps primarily South American & Tanganyikan cichlids.
Bowl Show Results, Oct 2015 Cichlid
1st Place Savannah Atha, Amatitlania nigrofasciatus or Convict
2nd Place Scott Vanderfleet, Rondonacara hoehnei
3rd Place No entry
September Meeting, 2015 — IFGA Guppy Breeding & Showing
Nancy Egelton's talk was on IFGA Standards & how to grow amazing show guppies.
It was a packed house! Nancy is a great ambassador for the Guppy Hobby and travels all over to promote
her beloved fish. She's recently back from the 18th WGC World Guppy
Contest in Tampa Florida with a 3rd Prize for her green deltas. Great achievement Nancy!
Many
accomplishments for Nancy include being an I.F.G.A. Certified Judge, a
World Guppy Association supporter, faithful member of C.A.O.A.C. and
Michigan Guppy Breeders, and also member at large &
past president of the LAS or London Aquarium Society.
September also welcomed our new executive. We also had a few new members join at the meeting.
Bowl Show Results, Sept 2015 Guppy
1st Place Anne Daniels, Double Sword Guppy Male
2nd Place Scott Vanderfleet, RREA Albino Red Delta tail Male
3rd Place Scott Vanderfleet, Blue Glass Delta tail Male
July 2015 *Members ONLY* Summer BBQ
Our annual BBQ was held at our new president's home this year. What a beautiful hot and sunny summer day it turned out to be. We all hung out in the lush, tropical back-garden on the patio overlooking the pool. For the lucky one's that brought bathing suits, as rumour had it, there was a pool. Everyone had a great time talking, relaxing, eating & enjoying nature. Other events included a tour of Scott's fish-room, 'Guess The Fish' & a few club updates.
June 2015 Meeting — Club Executive Elections
We have a new executive for the upcoming year! Starting with the Sept 2015 meeting your new executive is: Pres > Scott Vanderfleet, VP > Tim Antler, Secretary > Anne Daniels, Treasurer > Morgan Ruttle. Welcome! Thank you to the outgoing executive who have worked hard to put our club in the best position its been in years; with increased membership, finances & fun! We had a great Mini Auction with a lot of donations from a long standing member, Debbie. 'Guess The Fish' were a rainbow shark & bumblebee platies won by Andrew & Anne respectively, with monies donated back to the club. Thank you everyone & hope to see you all at the Summer BBQ
Bowl Show Results, June 2015 Open Class
1st Place Glen Smith, Red Grass Guppy
2nd Place Denise Antler, Black Dragon Betta
3rd Place Glen Smith, Fundulopanchax amieti
May 2015 Meeting — Election Nominations, "Ask The Experts" & "Show & Tell"
Nominations were accepted for all executive positions. We will also be accepting more nominations at the June meeting, before the Elections begin. The positions are: President, Vice-President, Treasurer & Secretary. A few noteworthy items were brought in by some longtime members.
Bowl Show Results, May 2015 Invertebrates
No entries
April 2015 Meeting — Live Food Collecting Discussion
A great presentation on Live Foods, including Culturing & collecting by Haydn Pounder, our April Speaker & President of our club. Hadyn has been keeping tropical fish for over 30 years. His vast knowledge & many talents in the hobby are a great asset to our club. The Peel Regional Aquarium Club hosts a club field trip open to all members for Collecting Live Foods during the month of April. Early Spring is the best time of year to forage for live foods in the still waters located right here in Peel region. What type of live foods are available to us right in our own backyard? Glassworms, Mosquito Larvae, Fairy Shrimp, Daphnia & more. Would you like to see Photos of Live Food Collecting Trip on the PRAC Facebook Page?
Bowl Show Results, April 2015 Tetra
1st Place Scott Vanderfleet, Phenacongrammus interrutpus - Albino Congo Tetra
2nd Place no entry
3rd Place no entry
March 2015 Meeting — Shrimp Keeping
The Peel Regional Aquarium Club proudly presented Tommy Lam , our March Guest Speaker. Tommy is presently the proprietor at Shrimp Fever & the unofficial expert on freshwater shrimps & invertebrates in the GTA. Shrimp Fever was a very generous sponsor of our Fall Auction last year.
Bowl Show Results, March 2015 Guppy
1st Place Scott Vanderfleet, Delta tail Male
2nd Place Scott Vanderfleet, Delta tail Male
3rd Place Scott Vanderfleet, Blue Female
Feb 2015 Meeting — Amphibious Killi? Fish out of water?
The Peel Regional Aquarium Club proudly presented Andy Turco , our February Guest Speaker. Andy is presently a PhD student at the University of Guelph and is focusing his studies on the Mangrove Rivulus, Kryptolebias marmoratus. He also holds a Master of Science (MSc) in Animal Physiology and a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Marine and Freshwater Biology. Andy has also authored several publications on Killifish. Andy's talk focused on the Mangrove Rivulus. Wow! Did you know this fish is amphibious and spends up to 80% of its entire life out of water? This was a very informative presentation. Again, a great turnout by members.
Bowl Show Results, Feb 2015 Killifish, Rivulus
1st Place Scott Vanderfleet, Fundulopanchax walkeri Kutunse GH2/74
2nd Place Hayden Pounder, Chromaphyosemion bitaeniatum ijebu ode
3rd Place Hayden Pounder, Chromaphyosemion poliaki bolifamba
Jan 2015 Meeting — Rainbowfish, Really Easy Care?
A colourful presentation by Dave Pauls at our Jan 21st PRAC fish club meeting. Dave is an active Rainbowfish breeder right here in Ontario. He also has a great Facebook Group , RainbowFish Aquarium. Very anticipated & impressive talk with a great slide show. Amazing turnout by club members. We also had 3 new visitors, whom all joined the club! Thanks for a great night Dave. Lol
Bowl Show Results, Jan 2015 Swordtail / Platy / Molly
1st Place Scott Vanderfleet, Xiphophorus nezahualcoyotl a.k.a. Nezzy Swordtail
2nd Place Scott Vanderfleet, X. helleri lyre tail Swordtail
3rd Place Scott Vanderfleet, X. helleri 'Pineapple' Swordtail
Nov 2014 Meeting — Costa Rica Fish Collecting & More
Tom Mason gave us a great presentation on his expeditions into Costa Rica. He has found or
collected many varieties of fish, birds, plants, reptiles & other animals.
Bio: Tom has worked in zoos for more than 30 years. 20+ years at
Toronto Zoo.
Traveled and collected on 5 continents. Lead tours for fish and reptile enthusiasts to Costa Rica.
Worked on three recovery teams for Ontario endangered species.
Have bred over 50 species of reptiles and amphibians.
Worked on conservation projects in Cuba and Costa Rica.
Bowl Show Results, Nov 2014 CICHLIDS
No Entries.
Oct 2014 Meeting — Pre–Auction
Members had a chance to see the inner workings of the MyGroupAuctions.com, which we will use for The PRAC Annual Auction Nov 2, 2014. We used this auction system for our meeting mini auction & it worked like a charm.
Bowl Show Results, Oct 2014 PLECOSTOMUS
1st Place Denise Antler, Hypostomus plecostomus.
2nd Place Scott Vanderfleet, L144 Ancistrus Blue-Eyed.
3rd Place Scott Vanderfleet, Long–Fin Green Dragon.
Sept 2014 Meeting — Lo-Tech vs. Hi-Tech Planted Tanks
We had an awesome Guest Speaker at the meeting on Sept 17, 2014, Kirk Gibson, who
talked & shared with our club member attendees a keynote presentation on the Pros & Cons of
Lo and Hi-Tech Planted Tanks. He showed us the products & plants available & necessary for
each and did comparative studies on them. Great job Kirk! Thank you.
Bio: Kirk Gibson is a member with PRAC & has successfully grown & propagated
100+ species of aquatic plants, & has over 25 species of Cryptocorynes. Kirk also maintains
an active blog at Toronto Plant Man.
Bowl Show Results, Sept 2014 PLANTS
1st Place Hayden Pounder for his spotless (no algae anywhere!) Bolbitis heudelotii fern.
2nd Place Scott Vanderfleet for his Microsorum Pteropus sp. 'Trident' fern.