Club Information
Information for Aquarium Clubs Looking for a Speaker
I am available for speaking at aquarium club meetings and shows approximately one weekend each month. At least that is the travelling limit my wife has asked for. I do occasioanlly make exceptions, so please do not hesitate to ask.
All I ask for in return for speaking is to have my travel expenses, lodging and meals paid for. If possible, I prefer to stay with a host rather than a hotel room (unless the event is a show in a hotel). I am willing to drive up to six hours to get to a destination, and ask for a $.40/mile travel reimbursement (federal standard is $.44/mile).
If your club is further than a six hour drive I will need to fly. My home airport is in Madison, Wisconsin (Dane County Regional Airport - MSN). The airlines that seem to be the best for service out of and into Madison are United, USAir, Continental, Midwest and Northwest. These airlines will also allow me to check a box of fish, which is important!
If it is possible, I like to either arrive a day early or leave a day or two after the meeting so that I have the opportunity to see some of the fish rooms in your area. Staying an extra day to get a better air fare rate is a good idea. My schedule is very flexible since I do not have a real job. A weekend without adult supervision (or kids) is a welcome distraction for me.
I will always bring as many fish as I can to donate to the club for auction at the meeting. These are straight donations, and I have no desire to be monetarily rewarded for the fish or the talk. Just having the chance to visit and do a presentation is reward enough.
Here are the descriptions of the talks that I have prepared. If I have enough time (and I am qualified to do it) I can usually come up with presentations for other topics a club may need a speaker for. Do not hesitate to ask, at the worst I will not be able to accomodate the club… and I will probably know someone who can.
Aquarium Club Presentations
The Genus Pelvicachromis
This talk is an overview of the genus Pelvicachromis. All eight species of the genus are discussed, as well as closely related fish that are yet to be scientifically described. The slide show includes photographs of over 25 different Pelvicachromis species/geographic variants. The captive husbandry of the fish in this genus is discussed in detail, as well as strategies for spawning them and raising the offspring. This talk is approximately 1 hour long.
Color and Communication in the Genus Pelvicachromis
All Pelvicachromis species express a wide range of color patterns in response to different behavioral situations. This talk explains the anatomy and physiology of color as it exists in fish, and uses the genus Pelvicachromis to explain how fish use color to communicate. The information presented in this talk is derived from my investigation of how color patterns differ between the Pelvicachromis species, and how each species uses color in response to the same behavioral situation. This talk is approximately 50 minutes long.
Raising Fry from Egg to Adolescence.
This talk will describe challenges facing an aquarist when trying to raise fry from egg to adolescence and present several strategies that can be used to beat those challenges. All types of fish from cichlids to livebearers are covered. This talk is approximately 1 hour long.
Fish Rooms… Be Careful, or You Will Get What You Ask For
This presentation covers the issues that anyone planning to build a fish room needs to think about. The story is a humorous account of the how I built my fish room, and includes images and examples from some of the best fish rooms in the U. S. A. (and Canada). The specific topics include planning for use of available space, temperature control, filtration, water changes, electrical issues, and planning for the future. This program is approximately one hour long.
Aquarium Workshops
Making Water
This program is a lab activity based workshop designed to teach the participants about the use of reverse osmosis/deionization technology and reconstitution to create water with specific chemical parameters. At the end of this workshop the participants will be able to
- use test kits and meters to assess water samples for TDS, pH and KH.· plan a strategy to create water with a set of parameters they want to make.
- use commercial reconstitution chemicals and RO/DI water to make a water sample with specific chemical parameters.
This workshop is approximately 1.5 - 2 hours long, depending upon the number of participants.
Programs in Development
Cichlids of the West African Lakes
This talk will be first presented at the 2008 ACA convention in Atlanta, GA (July, 2008). The topic will cover the cichlid species that are found in the naturally occuring lakes of west Africa, the conservation issues affecting their natural habitat and keeping them in aquariums. (Summer, 2008)
Managing the Small Aquarium
This talk is about maintaining a small (less than 20 gallon) aquarium. There are many reasons why an aquarist may choose to keep small aquariums, and several of these reasons are addressed with specific strategies for each. The management of small aquaria is covered from the single tank to a fishroom full of them. This talk is oriented towards the less experienced hobbyist, and is approximately one hour long. (Fall 2008)
Five West African Aquariums
This presentation is an overview of the diversity of fish that come from West Africa, told from an aquarist’s perspective of maintaining five different types of fish communities: a 5-gallon ‘nano-tank’, a 20-gallon community tank, a 25-gallon dwarf cichlid tank, a 40-gallon planted community tank, and a 110-gallon non-planted aggressive/predatory fish tank. Images of 100+ species of fish are included, organized by the type of aquarium community the fish are most suitable for. This talk is approximately 1-hour long. (Winter 2009)
If you have attended one of my talks and would like to leave a comment about it here, please feel free to do so.
