ACA News, volume 7, #1

January 26, 2021

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Volume 7, #1, January 2021

Editor: Alan De Angelo

Publisher: Daryl Hutchins

Contact: [email protected]

Greetings and a New Year’s Salutation!

What a year 2020 was. I’m sure glad that it is over and that we can move on. Let’s just hope that 2021 isn’t smiling in the corner saying: “Hold my beer!”

It seems that the CoVid debacle is lessening, the vaccine is getting out and case numbers are dropping. That is all great news because it means that, unless unforeseen circumstances arise, we all have a convention to attend in St Louis. I believe that we are now at a time where we can focus on the future and we can start having a little bit of fun.

What better way to celebrate the new year than to renew your ACA membership with a Life Membership. Not only do you get BB, AN, CRC and the Trading Post for free but you get to be involved in research and conservation efforts across the globe with your donation. That additional money that you pay is used for these efforts and allows the ACA to do a slew of projects. And the best part is, it’s Tax Deductible. Go to cichlid.org > Store > Life Membership. You can even build your Life Membership levels as you go. You also have the opportunity to designate where you would like your funds to go. Donate to your choice of the Jordan (research), Loiselle (conservation) or General Operating funds.

Great News! It seems that the Trading Post feature provided to the ACA via the CRC is being used with much more frequency. There is no better way to convey what you have to sell or what you are looking to buy from your fellow ACAers than this feature. If you see this, “no reply@ cichlidae.com –Active cichlid offers” in your email Inbox, get ready to feast your eyes upon the listings. It’s also easy to use so don’t be afraid of posting your fish for sale there, too. It’s not just for the “other” guy/gal.

My high school Speech Teacher, Mr Hal Ross, would say, at the end of each student’s presentation: “Comments, criticisms or snide remarks?” trying to invoke a response from our classmates. Now, dragging anything out of a bunch 16-year-olds was pretty tough and usually no-one said anything about the other guy’s speech for fear of retribution when it was their turn but Mr Ross said it every time anyway. So, it is with the ACA and the ACA News, if you have any comments, suggestions, ideas, questions, criticisms, and yes, even snide remarks, let us know. Daryl and/or I will actually read your emails and either pass the info along to the appropriate person or respond ourselves using our infinite wisdom and knowledge. Okay, even I think that was laying it on a bit thick. Let us know what’s on your mind. Maybe we can use your email to respond in the AN. We will even keep you anonymous if you’d like. Of course, keep it clean and respectful. Also, provide your name and contact info so the pertinent members of the ACA cadre, can respond.

This issue begins my seventh year as the Editor of the ACA News. If you are new to the ACA, the ACA News was thought up by me over seven years ago when I and Rusty Wessel were talking at the first Aquatic Experience. The ACA was in disarray from some weak leadership at the time and we decided to rejuvenate it. Part of the problem was that the ACA had gone quiet, which is never a good thing for an organization. I suggested that we do something like we use in business, like Constant Contact, and the ACA News was born.

For the most part, it’s fun. I like to write and I usually get to convey my thoughts, experiences and bring you the happenings within the ACA and the world of cichlids, in general. CoVid has made it tough and I know that nothing much is going on when the world is shut down but I bring you what I can.

Speaking about what I can bring you, Tropheus fans will be excited to learn about an online event brought to you by the Ohio Cichlid Association. Don Danko invited me via FB. The International Tropheus Conference will be held Sunday, March 14 at 12PM CDT. The speakers listed are Ad Konings, Pam Chin, Laif Demason and Matthias Eberhardt. It’s free, too! Such a deal. Check out the Ohio Cichlid Association’s and The International Tropheus Conference’s FB pages for more info. It sounds like a great event.

Having kept 24 “flavors” of Tropheus, I can say that they are one of my favorite cichlids. As a kid, I would wait for the Trading Post to arrive in the mail and eagerly turn to the ad from Bill Nelson from Gig Harbor, WA who always had a slew of Tropheus listed for sale. I couldn’t wait until I got my hands on some. It took a while, until I owned my own home, but I plunged right in as a Tropheus keeper. They are great fish, oft misunderstood. The ITC should be a great presentation for novice and expert Tropheus keepers alike. By the way, Tropheus sp Kalambo is my favorite. What a great fish!

2021 CONVENTION NEWS

The 2021 ACA Convention will be held in the St. Louis area. Please go to convention.cichlid.org for information. You can also find information on the ACA Convention FB site.

AUTHOR, AUTHOR!

It would be jolly good of you [sic] to write an article for BB. The ACA even pays you to do it. If it seems like I mention this frequently, it’s because our grand old BB Editor needs your help to keep BB full of timely information. You do not need to write a long dissertation full of taxonomy, either. Share your experiences, good or bad, short or long. It’s all useful information to someone or to us all. Contact Daryl Hutchins at: [email protected]

Be healthy and be safe,