October 24 General Meeting

[Fishnut]

Mark your Calendars!  Our October meeting is going to be great!  Our main speaker is Barry McKee from DRAS.  We'll also have a brief show and tell from one of the execs, a snack break and a mini auction.  There's a lot to pack into this meeting so we're starting at 7pm on the dot!

Barry's talk for the OVAS will be on a two week fish collecting trip to Uruguay.  He'll cover information about Uruguay, the various collection sites and the fish that he caught and brought home.  Barry will also cover how anyone can take a similar trip to Uruguay and the permits required for export and import into Canada.

He said he MIGHT be able to bring some fish for the auction, so get ready to see some amazing fish...and prepare a tank, just in case!

Barry McKee – A "Fishy" biography.

Barry started to keep fish when he was 12 years old. The first fish he kept were Black Mollies and Red Swordtails. Today, Barry looks after 25 tanks in his basement and his focus is mainly on Cichlids, Livebearers and Rainbows and the C.A.R.E.S. program.

The Cichlids from South and Central America have a special place in his heart. The favorite Cichlids he keeps and breeds today are the Cryptoheros Species, which include the common Convict. Wild caught Uruguayan fish are also current favourites.

Barry has 12 aquariums (700 gallons) on an automated system for lighting and water changes (50% weekly).  These aquariums and all the independent aquariums utilize "matten" filters (PORET foam from Swill Tropical). As food he uses a wide variety including New Life Spectrum pellets, newly hatched and frozen brine shrimp and bloodworms besides a good quality flake food.

But just keeping fish is not enough for Barry. He is a member of several organizations like DRAS, ACA and attends 2 to 4 Fish Conventions each year.  However, his most active involvement is with his home club DRAS were he has served in many capacities and is currently Secretary and CAOAC representative. "Join a local club and participate to share your knowledge and to gain more knowledge yourself" is his advice for all aquarium hobbyists.

Anybody interested in contacting Barry McKee can do so by sending him an e-mail at .

[Fishnut]

I have confirmed that Barry is bringing fish!!  He will email me the list tonight when he has a look at what he has available, but they are going to come from a few categories:

Rainbows
Catfish from Uruguay
Livebearers from Uruguay

Dinner with Barry is at 5pm at the Swiss Chalet on the corner of Kirkwood and Carling!  Please let me know if you're coming.

[Nerine]

awesome Joyce & I will be there for dinner!

[Fishnut]

Here's the list everyone!!

Rainbows – Chilantherina fasciatus location Kali Biru
Catfish – Rhineloricaria sp. Aguas Blanca, Uruguay
Livebearers – Jenynsia lineata, Laguna Arnaud, Uruguay

[Nerine]

Awesome turnout!!! Thank you Barry!!!
I really enjoyed looking at the new fish...though they went very fast!!! I had blown my lunch money on orchids earlier  hehe but I didn't have room for new fish anyways ( but loved seeing them and really really really hope the people who bought them will be BREEDING THEM RIGHT?? Or do their best?

I think it's time for an OVAS trip to Uruguay.....what say you??

[charlie]

Was seaching for this thread , but for some reason i missed it ( thanks Nerine ), so here goes my post in the shout box.
Kudos OVAS
Great meeting, special shout out  to Wayne for the switch up in food provided, it was indeed a welcome change
Thanks to Barry for allowing us to explore Uruguay through his experience from his trip.
Thanks to the Exec & the members that came out for making the evening enjoyable.
Errol

[Shawn84]

Hopefully i'll have some pleco available for the giant auction

[Nerine]

Shawn - I'll be waiting for those hahaha

And to the others who bought the livebearers too!! wanted!!!!

Yes I almost forgot - THANK YOU WAYNE for the wonderful switch up on the food!! wow it was delish!! I almost missed out as I was chatting with someone!!! got one piece yumm!

[Fishnut]

I missed out on the food, but it looked AMAZING!

Big thanks to Barry for doing a great talk and a thanks to the other exec members and attendees who helped set-up and tear down who are...as always...a big help.

BTW...that floating Rainbow wasn't floating this morning.  Swimming right side up, but still not looking quite right.  I'll see what he looks like when I get home

Cheers!

[washefuzzy]

I agree with Nerine nice twist on the food Wayne.

[old man]

Great meeting, very interesting, good food, great work by the exec.  Too bad about the auction but Rob really tried to salvage things. Hip Hip people.

[freshfishies]

The meeting was great! Huge thanks to everyone who made it happen. I really enjoyed Barry's presentation!!
Sorry I couldn't stay to help tear down...my little guy has been sick and it was late enough to keep him waiting to go to bed.
I am already in the process of setting up the rainbow tank to get them breeding (EXCITING!!) , and Diane is going to breed the livebearers, so keep watching Alysa! :p