January meeting
1/5/2019
1 - 5 pm
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Green Acres Center
4401 Sideburn Rd
Fairfax,VA
1 pm Socialize, announcements
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1:30 Lightning presentation: Matt Chambers "Breeding the Yellow Cat"
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1:45 pm Feature presentation: Linus Chen "African Tetras: Out of Africa and into your tanks"
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2:30 pm Raffle and Mini-Auction
February meeting
2/2/2019
1 - 5 pm
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Green Acres Center
4401 Sideburn Rd
Fairfax,VA
1 pm Socialize, announcements
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1:30 Lightning presentation: Michael Barber "Stinky Creek"
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1:45 pm Feature presentation: Dr. Emily Cornwell "Fish Health: A veterinarian's perspective"
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2:30 pm Raffle and Mini-Auction
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Group Buy (Members Only): Buce Plant and Planted Aquarium Fertilizer
March meeting
3/2/2019
1 - 5 pm
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Green Acres Center
4401 Sideburn Rd
Fairfax,VA
1 pm Socialize, announcements
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1:30 Lightning presentation: TBA "TBA"
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1:45 pm Feature presentation: Kurt Johnston "2017 Goodeid Study Tour in Mexico"
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2:30 pm Raffle and Mini-Auction
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Group Buy (Members Only): Drs. Foster & Smith Frozen Food, Seriyu Stone, Spiderwood
Spring All-Day Auction * SUNDAY *
4/7/2019
10 am - 4 pm
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Green Acres Center
4401 Sideburn Rd
Fairfax,VA
9:30 am Registration opens
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10:30 am Tag Sale opens
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10:45 am Bidding opens
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1 pm First Raffle
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3 pm Second Raffle
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Bidding continues until all items are sold, generally ending around 4 pm
May meeting
5/4/2019
1 - 5 pm
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Green Acres Center
4401 Sideburn Rd
Fairfax,VA
1 pm Socialize, announcements
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1:30 Lightning presentation: Alex Aydogan "How I Raise Show Quality Angelfish"
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1:45 pm Feature presentation: Bryan Rhodes "Keeping and Breeding Rarer Breeds of Goldfish"
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2:30 pm Raffle and Mini-Auction
June meeting
6/1/2019
1 - 5 pm
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Green Acres Center
4401 Sideburn Rd
Fairfax,VA
1 pm Socialize, announcements
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1:30 pm Lightning Talk: Patricia Garverick "Why I Love Clown Loaches"
1:45 pm Feature presentation:
Christine Neumeyer "A Journey Downriver: From the Amazon to your Aquarium"
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2:30 pm Raffle and Mini-Auction
July Bowl Show & Indoor Picnic
7/6/2019
1 - 5 pm
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Green Acres Center
4401 Sideburn Rd
Fairfax,VA
1 pm Register fish
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1:30 Indoor potluck picnic
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2:30 pm Judging fish
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3:30 pm Raffle and Mini-Auction
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4:00 pm Awards
August meeting
8/3/2019
1 - 5 pm
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Green Acres Center
4401 Sideburn Rd
Fairfax,VA
1 pm Socialize, announcements
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1:30 Lightning presentation: John Mangan "Goodeids"
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1:45 pm Feature presentation: Greg Sage "Selective Breeding"
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2:30 pm Raffle and Mini-Auction
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Group Buy (Members Only): Swiss Tropicals
September meeting
9/7/2019
1 - 5 pm
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Green Acres Center
4401 Sideburn Rd
Fairfax,VA
1 pm Socialize, announcements
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1:30 Lightning talk: Mark Kaprow "Breeding Tanganyikan Cichlids"
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1:45 pm Feature presentation: Charles Clapsaddle "Hatchery Operations"
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2:30 pm Raffle and Mini-Auction
Fall All-Day Auction * SUNDAY *
10/6/2019
10 am - 5 pm
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Green Acres Center
4401 Sideburn Rd
Fairfax,VA
9 am Registration opens
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10 am Tag Sale opens
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10:30 am Bidding opens
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1 pm First Raffle
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3 pm Second Raffle
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Bidding continues until all items are sold, generally ending around 4 pm
Annual Meeting & Workshop
11/2/2019
1 - 5 pm
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Green Acres Center
4401 Sideburn Rd
Fairfax,VA
1 pm Socialize, announcements
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1:15 pm Election of 2020 Officers and Directors
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1:30 pm Lightning Talk: Raychel Upright "A Living Will for Your Fish"
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1:45 pm Workshop: Scott Fellman "The Botanical Style Blackwater Approach: Blurring the lines between nature and aquarium"
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2:30 pm Raffle and Mini-Auction
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Group Buy (Members Only): Tannin Aquatics
Holiday Party & Potluck Dinner
12/7/2019
1 - 5 pm
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Green Acres Center
4401 Sideburn Rd
Fairfax,VA
1 pm Socialize, set out potluck feast
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1:30 Holiday dinner
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2:30 pm Raffle and Mini-Auction
Speakers
Matt Chambers
Breeding the Yellow Cat
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January Lightning Presentation
Linus Chen
African Tetras: Out of Africa and into your tanks.
January Feature Presentation
Michael Barber
Stinky Creek
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February Lightning Talk
Dr. Emily Cornwell
Fish Health: A veterinarian's perspective
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February Feature Presentation
Kurt Johnston
2017 Goodeid Study Tour in Mexico
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March Feature Presentation
Bryan Rhodes
Keeping and Breeding Rarer Breeds of Goldfis
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May Feature Presentation
Christine Neumeyer
A Journey Downriver: From the Amazon to your aquarium
June speaker
Greg Sage
Selective Breeding
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August Feature Presentation
Charles
Clapsaddle
Scott Fellman
The Botanical Style Blackwater Approach: Blurring the lines between nature and aquarium
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November Presentation & Workshop
About Matthew Chambers
Matt has kept fish on and off since he was a child in Jacksonville, Florida. He got back into the hobby when his daughter asked Santa for an aquarium and guppies. Currently he has about 20 tanks with a variety of fish, mostly South American.
About Linus Chen
Linus is an Attorney-Advisor with the Office of the Solicitor, Division of Parks & Wildlife (2008- present). Before attending law school and becoming a lawyer, Linus worked for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS). Linus also works with FWS on the Endangered Species Act, Migratory Bird Treaty Act, National Wildlife Refuge, the Coastal Barrier Resources Act and the National Environmental Policy Act.
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Outside of the office, Linus enjoys picking up after his three-and-a-half year old son, new infant son, and two large dogs; taking care of his three freshwater fish tanks; gardening; food (cooking and eating); classical music (cello and voice); scuba; and environmentally friendly hedonism. Linus is illiterate in multiple languages and is fluent in danish (pastry eating).
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Linus has kept aquariums since he was 8 years old. He does freshwater (softwater) aquariums as his orchids like the fertilized water from water changes (and he was spoiled as a volunteer at the New England Aquarium where salt water was on tap; also he hates salt-creep). His three tanks are a discus tank, a "nano fish" tank, and a community tank featuring South American and African tetras and rainbow fish.
About Michael Barber
Fish keeper for nearly sixty years, parents started the journey with the gift of a fivegallon stainless steel slate bottom aquarium with box filter and stainless incandescent hood. Oh, the joys of spun fiber glass filter media and unexpected electrical groundings. Graduated from live bearers to egg layers before ten years of age, first egg-layer bred and raised was the Pearl Gourami and Discus before fifteen.
Passion is Calichthydae and Apistogrammas (& Apistogrammoides pucallpaensis). At one time had over 100 fish tanks in a dedicated fish room. Last rebuild downsized tanks to about a half-dozen.
Blessed to venture to the Amazon basin to collect most of the fish kept and thoroughly enjoy introducing others to the collecting experience; especially mentoring them while they prepare for their first Amazon expedition. Co-leader, with Devon Graham of MT Amazon Expeditions fish collecting trips. In 2014, with the collaboration of a few friends in the DC area, began facilitating the trans-shipping of fish caught on these trips. In 2015, in partnership with Ian Fuller, established a new fish collecting venture,GoWildPeru based in Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios, Peru. GoWildPeru LLC was dissolved at the end of 2018.
Member of the Potomac Valley Aquarium Society (PVAS), Greater Washington Aquatic Plant Association (GWAPA), the Capital Cichlid Association (CCA), James River Aquarium Society (JRAS) and the Catfish Study Group. Also of note is membership in the American Begonia Society and the Potomac Branch thereof. Currently serve as Treasurer and Past President of PVAS (2008 & 2017). Past Co-Chair of the All-Aquarium Catfish Convention (2008) and a member of operating committee of all since.
About Dr. Emily Cornwell
Dr. Emily Cornwell kept freshwater fish as a child and became enthralled with the challenge of fish health while working at the Oregon Coast Aquarium during the summer after her first year of college. She spent the following two summers researching ways to mitigate mortality during the transport of ornamental fish and the physiology of osmoregulation (salt balance) in fish. After graduating from college, Dr. Emily spent a year in Australia as a Fulbright Scholar studying osmoregulation in mollusks before entering the combined DVM/PhD program at Cornell University.
Dr. Emily studied the health of all animals in veterinary school but her PhD research focused on the epidemiology of an invasive virus in the Great Lakes that affects more than 28 fish species. She also helped with all the fish diagnostic cases that were presented to the veterinary school. Shortly after graduation, Dr. Emily also became a Certified Aquatic Veterinarian.
Dr. Emily has published over 30 scientific publications on fish health and frequently gives oral presentations at regional, national, and international conferences. She currently enjoys helping improve the lives of dogs, cats, and fish as an Associate Veterinarian at Muddy Branch Veterinary Center in Gaithersburg, Maryland.
Dr. Emily lives with her husband and their very rambunctious dog and enjoys any activity that tires out her dog – especially exploring the local hiking trails and running.
About Kurt Johnston
Originally from Pittsburgh, Kurt's interest in the aquarium hobby began in 1968 when his mother won a 20g high setup that was raffled by the Greater Pittsburgh Aquarium Society at their annual show. Up until the past year, he has always had at least 1 aquarium in his place of residence as he moved from Pittsburgh to Cleveland to Virginia and then to York, PA where he currently resides with his wife. Kurt's interest in Goodeids began about 15 years ago after hearing a talk by Rit Forcier and then shortly thereafter attending an ALA convention. Although he currently does not maintain any aquariums, his interest in the conservation efforts of Goodeids is still strong, and he still follows the progress of the dedicated people in the Goodeid Working Group.
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Kurt was part of the first NAGWG (North American Goodeid Working Group) Study Tour of Mexico in February of 2017. The group spent 7 days observing Goodeids in their native habitats and becoming familiar with the threats to the fish and assisting the Mexican scientists in their efforts to conserve them. You will see the survey sites Kurt visited as well as the Morelia Aqualab and the Museo de Ciencas Ambientales. You may even see some of the non-fish related fun they had during the week.
About Bryan Rhodes
I have been keeping fish for most of my life, but never got seriously into the hobby until I returned home from university about 10 years ago. I could not have pets in college because I was away so much with my research. So when I returned home I decided to get back into fish. I chose goldfish because they had a deep history in Asian culture, and I have a strong interest in genetics. I did not want to keep any of the commercial breeds, so I have focused my efforts on Veiltails and Bubble eye goldfish.
About Christine Neumeyer and Freshwater Exotics
Christine Neumeyer and Jamie Smith are co-owners of Freshwater Exotics, importers of wild caught South American fish. Jamie has been importing for over 25 years, and Christine joined him 12 years ago.
They have always been dedicated to supplying the U.S. market with wild caught fish. A strong belief in supporting the wild caught ornamental fish industry has taken them on a lifelong journey of discovery and continuing education.
By sharing their journey and business endeavors with hobbyists, breeders and enthusiasts, they hope to enlighten people as to why wild Amazon fish are not only sustainable, but how this industry actually supports the environment and economy in the Amazon.
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About Greg Sage
Greg Sage, MEd., began selling guppies from his bedroom as a young boy in Ohio, and today runs selectaquatics.com, a fishroom of 120 tanks, specializing in rare livebearers, goodeids, and wild swordtails. Select Aquatics has also become known for the Green Dragon Plecostomus - an Ancistrus developed and bred here since 2011, and a line of Puntius (Pethia) padamya "Odessa" not available in the hobby.
Chairman of the American Livebearer Association from 2000 – 2004, Greg has published numerous articles in hobbyist publications on livebearers, livebearer husbandry, selective breeding and automatic water changing systems. He also produces a regular half hour presentation on Youtube - "Select Aquatics Presents" on each of the species at Select Aquatics, and answers questions from customers with videos from the fishroom.
Greg resides in Erie, Colorado and can be reached at selectaquatics@gmail.com.
About Charles Clapsaddle
Charles began his fish-keeping career about age 6 (lots of years ago) when he won some goldfish at carnival. After growing them up, he successfully spawned them and was hooked on fish forever. Shortly after the success with goldfish, he turned his attention to livebearers, the first of which were locally collected Gambusia affinis, mosquito fish, and Poecilia latipinna, sailfin molly. By junior high he had graduated to fancy guppies. His fascination with livebearers continues today. Charles paid his way through college raising killifishes and Bettas. Although his family hatchery (www.goliadfarms.com) breeds many other fishes, it’s the development of new livebearer and cichlid strains and the improvement of existing strains that occupies his best efforts. Charles has spoken to aquarium clubs across the country on various topics relating to the hobby. He is a prolific writer on aquarium topics and authored the livebearer column for Tropical Fish Hobbyist magazine for three years. Charles has a BSc in Zoology from The University of Texas at Austin.
About Scott Fellman
My name is Scott Fellman, and I’m the consummate “fish nerd/entrepreneur/provocateur!" I’ve been keeping freshwater and marine aquariums literally since I was a pre-schooler, and during that time, I have maintained all sorts of aquariums, fish bowls, plastic boxes, and just about anything that can hold water. My lifelong passion is creating natural-looking and functioning aquariums which represent unusual ecological niches. I love this hobby and the crazy, talented people in it!
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I’ve written many articles for numerous publications and many online venues, including Amazonas, Reef Builders, Reef2Reef , Coral, and elsewhere as well as my daily blog, “The Tint”, on my Tannin Aquatics web site, where I cover a variety of aquarium-related topics.
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In addition to my writing, I’ve racked up the frequent-flyer miles, traveling all over the U.S. and internationally, speaking at clubs and major events (MACNA, RAP, etc.) about all sorts of reef-and now freshwater aquarium-related stuff. I keep threatening to complete a book before this century is over…
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I was co-owner of Los Angeles-based online marine livestock retailer, Unique Corals, which specializes in sustainably-collected, aquacultured, and captive propagated corals, fishes, and invertebrates to the hobby. We enjoyed amazing growth and developed a large fan following in the four years I was with the company. Following my lifelong passion to embrace and replicate unusual aquatic niches, I sold my interest in Unique in 2016 to launch Tannin Aquatics, which specializes in providing natural materials for creating blackwater and brackish aquariums.
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And it’s happening all over again!
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We have curated a collection of all sorts of natural materials, ranging from seed pods to branches, as well as other goods and ideas for specialized aquatic hobbyists. We’ve enjoyed some pretty meteoric growth, and have turned on many hobbyists to this exciting speciality since we’ve been in operation! A community has exploded…a movement is happening!
And I’m really just getting started!
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Stay Wet!