Minnesota Happenings

[OnlyGenusCaps]

Perhaps a bit early, but Happy New Year everyone!

This January's MAS meeting (Thu, Jan 06, 2022 @  7:00 pm Central) will be entirely online.  It will be a presentation by our own Stephan Tanner, which you may know as the publisher of Amazonas magazine and owner of Swiss Tropicals the source of Poret Foam for aquariums.  His talk is titled:

"Breeding and Care of Loricariid Species"

The description is:

"Beginning in the late 70’s, many new Loricariidae species began to be collected from the Amazon and exported into the hobby.  To manage the huge influx of new - and often unnamed - species, the German DATZ magazine (The Aquarium and Terrarium Magazine) began to issue L- (Loricariid) numbers to keep track of the new introductions before they can be described and named.   At first, just keeping these new plecostomuses alive was a challenge, much less trying to breed them.  Over time, much has been learned about their cultural and dietary requirements.  The presentation will discuss key parameters for both and how a study of their native environments led to many of these findings."

I suspect this talk will be of interest to many here.  Please know that all are welcome to MAS meetings!  They are public, and you do not need to be a member, live in Minnesota, or be associated with MAS is any way.  I would encourage you to register if you have interest.  You can do so at this link. 

I hope to see you all there!

[dasaltemelosguy]

I arrived late but I did see much of the second half, and I'd strongly recommend this to everyone. Seeing common fishes that we are keeping in the wild, juxtaposed against the villages where these waters stream though was incredible. Huge convicts, some 10" long swimming with impossibly yellow swordtails. Huge, really huge, beautiful cichlids too aggressive for tanks as well as so much that we all have kept. On the darker side, it also reveals the encroaching environmental problems in that area for these fish that of course is worsening. It was really very special, and I'd recommend it to everyone. This new one sounds very cool in that it's focusing on a new (to us!) pleco and may perhaps shed some light on keeping our plecos. Thank you @OnlyGenusCaps for helping us access this. Can't wait for this one!

[dmurray407]

(I hope it's OK to post this here since it's about a LFS-if not, let me know and I'll delete it) Minnesota folks, just FYI, Sea Level Aquarium shop (used to be in Hopkins) just reopened in their new location 10929 Greenbriar Rd in Minnetonka yesterday. The store was really nice and clean, the staff was friendly and seemed knowledgeable but they really haven't had a chance to stock many fish yet-and everything they had was very tiny.  I got some fish food because I want to support them so they stay in business-but the Coop selection and prices are better. There were lots of customers and a few even mentioned that they watch Cory's videos on YouTube 🙂 I'm sure they are really just getting set up so I'm not going to be too hard on them and will definitely go back. I'll have to try another store in Minneapolis next week if there's a "warm" day.  I'm looking for some Otocinclus, dwarf red platies and some Panda Cory's. I should have gone shopping a month ago when it was still somewhat warm out....does anyone do mail order fish to MN in the winter months-doesn't seem likely....and I had really bad luck with the last mail-order fish I got (about 5 years ago...), I just like to buy them in person.  I might just wait for the next MAS auction in February because I had so much fun with the last one.

Edited January 8, 2022 by dmurray407

[OnlyGenusCaps]

It's time for another MAS meeting.  This one for February is a bit different - it's about frogs!  Yup, in a deviation from fish and plants, we are going to explore keeping frogs in tanks.  I know there are paludarium/vivarium and terrarium keepers here who might be interested in this topic.

The speaker will be Zach Brinks of Josh's Frogs.  If you are familiar with the world of amphibian keeping, you'll know Josh's Frogs is a pretty big outfit.  So, I am sure Zach will have loads of experience and information on the topic.   Here is the summary:

"A quick overview on the challenges of captive amphibian reproduction, from a biological, ethical, and moral perspective. I'll discuss acquiring animals, acclimating them, breeding, and rearing of offspring. We'll also take a shallow dive into the ethics and morals, legalities, and challenges of amphibian captive propagation."

The meeting will be entirely online, at 7pm Central time on Thursday, Feb 3rd, and we use Zoom.  Use the "Register Now!" link on the meeting page I have linked above.  And remember, you do not need to me a member of MAS to attend.  We welcome everyone from everywhere!  I hope you'll be able to join us. 

[dmurray407]

Also, I believe the online auction starts on the 2nd?  I had so much fun with the last one, I can't wait!  

[OnlyGenusCaps]

It's that time again - MAS meeting announcement!

This month (well March), we will have Marcel Wuethrich talking to us about "Collecting Ornate Rainbowfish at Tin Can Bay", so it will be another discussion of wild collection of fish, probably with some really cool habitat photos of around beautiful coastal Queensland! 

Here is the description if you aren't already excited:

"Marcel Wuethrich is a Research Scientist in the field of microbiology and immunology at the University of Wisconsin, studying pathogenic fungi. He has been keeping fish and aquaria since his childhood and has actively bred fish for the last 20+ years. His primary interest and focus is in breeding rainbowfish, blue eyes (Pseudomugil species), hillstream loaches, and plecostomus.  Wuethrich currently maintain 75+ tanks for breeding and displaying fish ranging from 10 to 180 gallons. For the last 3 years he started breeding fish outside in 65 and 100 gallon tubs taking advantage of the conditions outdoor tubs offer for breeding fish during the summer months.  As Marcel attended and spoke at a scientific meeting in Brisbane, Australia in July 2019, he actively explored the outdoors. Joined by Leo O’Reilly, who collects, keeps and breeds 20 locations of Ornate Rainbowfish (Rhadinocentrus ornatus), the two went fishing with at Tin Can Bay."

This will be an online meeting over Zoom, and it is open to everyone, you do not need to be a member of MAS to attend.  I know there are rainbowfish keepers here who might enjoy learning a bit about their native habitat.  So, please consider registering (link here) and attending.  We'd love to have you there! 

[OnlyGenusCaps]

Currently enjoying a program by the BAP group at MAS by Rosario LaCorte.  He is 93yo and have been in the hobby for 70+ years.  He is telling personal stories about the folks fish were named after.  It's an incredible experience!  I just wanted to let everyone know:

1) Because he has books available, including "An Aquarist's Journey" his personal story.

2) And, I want to encourage people to join your local clubs.  They have some amazing resources and wonderful experiences.  Connecting to other fish keepers is a really incredible experience!  Here and more locally as well. 

[OnlyGenusCaps]

And, and, and!  @dasaltemelosguy, Rosario has apparently been preaching using "pholodendron" in aquariums to suck up nitrates in aquariums since the 1960's.  But he says that one species is better than the rest, which I thought might interest you - Costus fissiligulatus.  I'm intrigued!  

[drewzero1]

I could listen to Rosario talk all day. He's been featured on several episodes of the Aquarist podcast and tells some great stories on there, and a lot of wisdom from a lifetime of experience.

[dmurray407]

On 3/29/2022 at 9:22 PM, OnlyGenusCaps said:

Costus fissiligulatus

Popular plant-it's sold out everywhere I've looked online (except ebay). It sounds like it gets too big for my aquarium (from ebay seller Passiflorista)

"African Princess Spiral Ginger is a smaller growing variety of Costus, reaching only 4-5 feet tall. The individual pink crepe-like flowers are larger than most Costus blooms, born on green spikes that are cone-shaped, at the tops of the stems. The fleshy rhizome (creeping underground stem) sends up multiple shoots with soft green leaves growing out in a spiral. These stems form a clump 3 feet across or more within 1-2 years. Costus needs lots of heat and humidity to bloom. It requires fairly rich soil and regular or abundant water, and grows best in half shade or morning sun. It is a tropical plant, winter hardy only in zones 9-11. 

These plants are currently 2.5-5 feet tall in 5" (large) or gallon (jumbo) pots. We remove the soil from the roots, and cut off any shoots that are over 1 foot long. What we ship you is a large or jumbo rhizome clump that will begin producing new shoots within weeks after planting in a greenhouse in the north, or in the ground in the Gulf states."

Edited April 1, 2022 by dmurray407

[OnlyGenusCaps]

This Thursday is the MAS meeting.  It is fully online.  Register here.  The guy, Lawrence Kent, who is speaking is from Seattle, so some of you might already know him!

Title: "Seeking African Friends and Holy Grail Fish: Stories from Mauritania and Nigeria"

Description: "The presentation will cover Lawrence Kent's 2019 trip to the Islamic Republic of Mauritania and other forays into the wild world of Nigeria.  He has found some interesting fish in both of these strange and rarely visited African countries, including cichlids, killies, alestids, mormyrids, and catfish."

As always, the meeting is open to everyone.  You do not need to be a member.  Please join us!  I hope to see you there.

[dasaltemelosguy]

I love these meetings. I try to never miss one (but the time zones can be problematic). The last two saw fishes we keep in their natural environments, and they found some incredible variations on fishes we keep that may literally have never been seen before. It's always fascinating and enlightening, I wouldn't miss it.

 

[OnlyGenusCaps]

And so it begins...  Today was 36C here.  New state motto - Minnesota: the land 70C temperature swings 

In all seriousness, if you are in the area, it is now the time of year to drink H2O, and stay cool as best you can.  Also, make sure your tubs aren't overheating. 

I now return you to your regularly scheduled forum postings (while I go have a G&T and sit by the A/C). 

[dmurray407]

It sounds so much better in Celsius:) 

[lefty o]

On 6/14/2022 at 7:45 PM, dmurray407 said:

It sounds so much better in Celsius:) 

yup, sure beats 96!

[OnlyGenusCaps]

On 6/14/2022 at 7:45 PM, dmurray407 said:

It sounds so much better in Celsius:) 

Oh, if you like that, try reporting your weight in stone! 

[Flumpweesel]

On 6/15/2022 at 1:45 AM, dmurray407 said:

It sounds so much better in Celsius:) 

Come on people make the change. You'll like it once you try.

You should really check out litres as well your tank maths gets so much easier. 

Edited June 15, 2022 by Flumpweesel
Correction

[OnlyGenusCaps]

On 6/15/2022 at 1:32 AM, Flumpweesel said:

You should really check out litres as well your tank maths gets so much easier.

I'm all onboard with metric, but I refuse to call math, "maths".  There's just the one.  Unless you want to count what one of my high school math teachers called "gnu math" - which was just whenever someone got the wrong answer. 

[Flumpweesel]

On 6/15/2022 at 12:52 PM, OnlyGenusCaps said:

math

But mathematics isn't singular 😝

[OnlyGenusCaps]

On 6/15/2022 at 7:40 AM, Flumpweesel said:

But mathematics isn't singular 😝

Touché!  🤺 

However the equivalent would be "the sciences", but you don't study "sciences" in school; just science. 

Ha ha.  En garde! 🤺

I'm not sure there will be a winner trying to find consistency in English though.  That search has defeated many a linguist, and spelling bee participant, before. 

[Flumpweesel]

Let's escape this before we derail your thread completely. Language is great it lets us communicate without resorting to interpretive dance and mime.

 

[eatyourpeas]

I shall wilt imperially in a metric fashion at those temperatures!

[OnlyGenusCaps]

I've been quite lax in my efforts to keep this thread up to date recently.  My apologies to anyone who liked getting this updates. 

This month though, the topic of MAS seems like it will be of interest to many here:

Keeping and Breeding Shrimp by Grant Eder

"Grant will discuss what he thinks you ought to know about keeping and breeding shrimp.   A large part of the presentation will focus on cross breeding for Neocaridina and Caridina species of dwarf freshwater shrimp."

Meeting at: Thu, Sep 08, 2022   7:00 pm (central)

If the topic sounds interesting to you, please remember you do no need to be a member of MAS to attend our monthly online meetings - so please consider attending and register here.

 

[dmurray407]

I always enjoy your updates 🙂 As the gardening season is winding down, I’ll be more involved with MAS stuff. Thank you for the update!

[OnlyGenusCaps]

Tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow!!!

October's MAS meeting is at 7pm.  Register here.  As always, you do not need to be a member to attend the monthly meetings, they are open to all!  Please feel free to attend.  I hope to see you there! 

Meeting details:

"60 Tips in 60 Minutes" by the illustrious cichlid and livebearer legend Rick Borstein!

See and hear — in rapid fire fashion— tons of tips to make it easier, faster or more fun to manage and breed your fish. The presentation is picture-driven and offers tips on better ways to feed, change water, pack and ship fish and lots more. Some do-it-yourself projects are included. Best of all, all the tips are published in a concise PDF online for you to refer to after the talk. 

Rick Borstein is the webmaster of the Greater Chicago Cichlid Association (GCCA) and President of the Chicago Livebearer Society (CLS). Rick was the Chairman of the successful 2006 American Cichlid Association Convention held in Chicago, IL. Rick has spawned over 250 species of cichlids and is one of only sixteen people to hold the title of Master Breeder in the GCCA. Rick’s basement fishroom has 42 tanks ranging in size from 10 gallons to 240 gallons. Rick is primarily interested in cichlids and livebearers.