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Hi Everyone and Happy Valentines Day

Have you checked our “Hamilton and District Aquarium Society” on Facebook. If you haven’t you should. We will try to keep everyone just a little bit more informed with Facebook. The spring auction and show is set for Saturday, March 23. Remember to mark that date on your calendar and try to give us a hand. It takes many hands to make the auction and show work. There is a place for everyone that is willing to volunteer a few hours. And truly appreciated too.
Thank you Joe B for your presentation on your trip to Sri Lanka. It was really nice to see how the locals value the sea turtles and work to ensure their survival. Hope your taking more pictures on this trip. The program for this month will be presented to us by Adian Haigh on reptiles including the Ball Python. Adrian will be bringing a few of his friends for us to enjoy but no touching.
The Home Show Team is making plans to get your tank photos and judging your tanks. Its not too late to sign up so make sure you do at the next meeting. This presentation will be in April.
I have received some really wonderful pond photos from many of you. Please continue to do so. I’m putting the program together and I look forward to many pictures. Its so nice to see everyones ponds. We are also looking into visiting Moores Water Gardens in June. There will be a sign up sheet at the next meeting.

Hope to see you all at the meeting.

Carla

Hi Everyone!!!
 
 
I’d like to thank Jesssica for her presentation last month on Fish Health and Medications.  Great job Jessica.  The presentation for November is on Larry Johnson’s recent trip to Lake Malawi “swimming with the cichlids”.  I’m looking forward to seeing and hearing about his trip.  Our December meeting will be dedicated to Christmas.  Noel will be setting up a Fish related game for us to enjoy, pizza and wings, bring a desert to share if you will.  Sarah L is setting up a Fishy Draw table.  Please let Sarah know if you have a donation for her table.  These donations do not need to be about fish.  Tickets will be sold for the draw table.  We ask that everyone please bring a non parishable food donation.  All proceeds from the evening will be going to the Neighbour to Neighbour Food Drive. Christmas is such a great time to give.  
Please consider helping out the club and joining the executive.  We have an executive meeting on the Third Thursday of each month.  Everyone is welcome to come out to our meetings.  Come give some of your expertise to our club. The annual election of the executive will take place at the January meeting. All nominations must be presented to the members of the club by our December meeting.  Let me know if your interested.  
 
See you at the meeting!
 
Carla

hi Everyone and welcome to October!

 I’d like to thank Peter DeSousa for his presentation on “killie fish” last month.  It was very informative. Such beautiful fish.  This month Jessica will be speaking on “fish medications”.  I’ve had a number of people asking about fish health and what the y need to do for a successful tank full of healthy fish.  Let Jessica explain this to you.  Our fall auction on Sat. Sept. 22 was a great success. Thanks to Big Al’s and Angel Fins for coming out and supporting the club with their vendors tables.  Also, special thanks to Big Al’s for their kind donation of the 46 gallon bowfront tank fully decked out with a heater, filter and gift card.  It only took one ticket purchased to be the winner.  Just ask Eric.  Special thanks to everyone that come out and helped us out on Sat.  You all worked very hard and everyone helped to make it a great success. Thank you all 🙂

In the past we have had a fish growing contest with a winner of that batch of fish judged in June.  The executive has decided to change it up this year.  We will be having a 7 category fish show at our June meeting.  Please stay tuned to see what the classes will be.  Get your fish ready and see what prizes you could win.

Just a reminder that December is family fun night.  Pizza and wings unless you want to change it up.  Fish games, table raffle and neighbour to neighbour food drive.  All money from the fish table raffle also goes to support the food drive.  Elections take place in January.  If you would like to be part of the executive, please let me know.  All seats are open and ready for your participation.  If you just want to come and get involved, please come to an executive meeting.

Hope to see you all at the meeting.

Carla

Hi Everyone!!!

I just can’t believe that its already September.  Where did this absolutely beautiful summer go.  I know I spent most of mine at work where it was hot, hot, hot.  I also spent some time in my yard where my ponds did me proud.  I really love the feeling of peace in my yard.  The  12 shubumkins I put in my pond last year absolutely flourished.  I must have at least 150 fish now.  Its been really great watching everything grow and bloom.  I also got a beautiful lotus from a friend and it did really well.  I will be sad to see this season end and hope that everything comes back next year.

Welcome to a new season with the HDAS.  Our September speaker is Peter DeSouza and he is going to be speaking to us about Killie Fish.  I’m so looking forward to this presentation.  You have all seen his beautiful fish during our monthly auctions.  It will be so nice to find out some of the secrets of raising Killies.
Our Fall Auction is on Saturday September 22.  It is at the Legion in Waterdown.  I keep telling everyone about how many people it takes to run an auction. (min 25) This statement hasn’t changed.  We need runners, chit writers, computer help, hall set up, hall break down,  donation person, kitchen help, auctioneers, table organizers, etc, etc.  We are also offering vendor tables to local fish related businesses.  I hate to beg but if you can help out for a few hours – we could really use the help.
There are many other auctions happening this fall as well.  Sarnia – Sept 15. Toronto Reptile Breeders Expo – Sept 15, 16.  Sept 30 – London.  Oct 21 – St Catherines.  Oct 28 – Kitchener.  Nov 4 – Peel.
The October program is being presented by our own Jessica Bullock on fish medications.  Another interesting and informative speaker.  If you have any requests for programs please let Joe B know and he will do his best to arrange it.

I hope to see you all at our first meeting of the season Thurs Sept 13 @ 7:30.

Carla

Hi Everyone!!!Yup, I took this week off work so I could work on my pond and gardens.  So far all I’ve seen is rain and the weather just isn’t too exciting.  Not what I was hoping for but I’m sure it will get better sometime this week.  My ponds are looking great.  I got a few new plants for the pond but I’m looking forward to our June meeting to see if there is anything else I can pick up.  I have some watersprite that accidently got into my one pond and its flourishing like crazy.  The fish love it.  I will bring some of that for the auction.  Our June meeting will be a goldfish presentation by Frank Aguirre.

Please remember to bring one of your turquoise rainbows you are growing up for the fish growing contest.  There are prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place fish.  Of course, Charlie D will be judging our fish.

Our fall auction will be on Saturday, September 22.   Please try to mark this date on your calendar.  Let me know if you can help us out that day.  I’ve said it sooo many times but it takes about 25 people to make an auction work and we really need the help.  You don’t need to help all day but whatever you can do will be appreciated.

Over the summer send me some pictures of your pond.  They don’t need to be perfect pictures, its not a contest.  Lets see how many pictures I get and perhaps I can put a program together for next spring with all your pond pictures.  You can send pictures throughout the year with all the different seasons.  Lets see what happens.

I hope to see you all at the meeting on June 14.  If you can’t make it to the meeting I hope you have a terrific summer and see you in September.

Carla

~oops, there it goes raining again…

Hi Everyone!
I sure hope that May will be a beginning of a wonderful spring and summer. It seemed as though the spring was off to a good start only a month ago but then something happened and it got cold again. I think my pond fish are confused.
I’d like to thank Frank H, Charlie D, Albert V and Ryan B for the great job they did. The Home Show is getting larger each year. As a person that appreciates everything that is done to make a tank look that great and how much work you all do to make them look that way……..thank you all for participating. I can’t wait to see what you all have for next year.
Our program for this month on May 10 is on Zebra Plecos. Doug White will be coming to speak to us about his adventures in breeding these wonderful fish. This is a program you don’t want to miss. The program for June is being presented by Fish Sempai on Koi. June is pond month and the last presentation of this season. If you have any suggestions for the 2012-2012 season, please let Joe B or myself know.
How are your Turquoise Rainbows for the fish growing contest doing? Get them ready for the June meeting.
I’d like to congratulate Jerry and Barb Draper on their recent marriage.
It was a beautiful day. We wish you many happy years together.
I hope to see you all at the meeting.
Carla

Hi Everyone!

Wow, just look at spring.  Its been pretty crazy from what I hear.  I was in Florida for about 10 days and the weather was great there.  It was 28 when I left here but I understand it got cold here and rained, hailed………just crazy.  My ponds are looking for some love and I better be getting to work on that before the fish jump out.  The ponds are clear but need some help.  They have that winter haze to contend with.  I have some new rocks I want to add to the waterfall.  I just love the spring and how everything transforms so quickly.
I’d like to thank Walter Murfin for his great presentation on Salt water fish and tank set up.  I’ll give you a call for some help when I’m ready.  I’d like to thank everyone for their help with our spring auction on Sat. March 17.  It was a great success.  I wasn’t too sure how a Saturday was going to work out for us but it was great.  Thank you all for coming out and helping, buying and selling.  It was a totally great day.
Our presentation this month is the Home Show.  I’m looking forward to seeing everyone’s tanks.  Who will win the People’s Choice Award this year.  This has to be one of our most special presentations.  It is always very rewarding to see everyones hard work and beautiful tanks.  I hope to see everyone at the meeting.

Carla