April 2008 Photo Contest Winner:
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Oklahoma Aquarium Association
Meeting Minutes, April 19th, 2003
Our main order of business was to elect Michael Dennis as treasurer (congratulations). A possible new meeting location near/at the OKC airport was also discussed. The highlight of the meeting, however, was a delightful slide show documentary on Larry Lampert's latest fish collecting adventure. The presentation lasted about an hour and a half. Dean and Cynthia were kind enough to host this presentation in their very cozy living room. (Thanks again!) Larry described several sites his 13-17 person team (the size varied at different points in the trip) visited on their trip to exotic Mexico, including Half Moon Lagoon, the Rio Nalta and the Rio Antigua, among others. During his travels, Larry crossed a volcanic ridge and shared the interesting factoid that cichlids are not usually found over 3000 feet in elevation due to the corresponding low temperature found there. Attendees were also shown an authentic bat cave, inhabited by an awe inspiring and voluminous host that created a "wind of bats blowing [Larry's] hair back". According to Larry, fish collecting, at it's most basic level, is "hours and hours in a car going to the next collecting site". Caught fishes were placed in large coolers where they were kept healthy via copious water changes (about once an hour). These water changes had to be performed until the fish "cleaned themselves out", unless as Dean suggested, you managed to convince the fish to stop eating about three days before your trip. Polyfilters were another important key to water quality, as was periodically removed all perished specimens. Some of the specimens Larry described included (please forgive my spellings) were several labridens (blue, green, yellow and white), flexapina fatatus, and herichthius deplai. Other specimens described on this trip (for those of you, who like me, aren't so into the scientific names) were Mexican Tetras, Mexican Mollies and various Swordtails (Pigmy, Nesaquatal and Montezuma). It was also noted that the Montezuma swordtails were observed to vigorously defend their territory from other cichlids.) Perhaps the most delectable catch Larry described was a freshwater lobster, netted at a local restaurant. At the close of the presentation, we had a fish and plant auction moderated by Brian Carson. The auction netted twenty-eight dollars, all of which went to the club. Featured specimens included donated plant specimens (Cryptocorne and others) as well as Cichlids (Lamprologus Bicardi, N. Multi), two species of Damselfish and an Apistogramma. Several varieties of flake and powdered food gobbled up at rock bottom prices.
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