Written by Phantom Phish Atlanta Reef Club- General Meeting Minutes
Date: 10 August 2005
Location: Fish Store and More, Atlanta, GA
Minutes by: Chris Clark (Secretary)
1. 7:36 p.m.: Meeting called to order by Steve Shindell (President), who welcomed all in attendance, and gave a brief history of the ARC. The Fish Store and More was thanked for hosting this meeting, and was presented with a poster from SWU autographed by all the presenters, as a major sponsor for that event.
2. New club members (there were 6) were welcomed, and were given a bottle of coral glue as a gift.
3. Announcement was made that there would be a raffle conducted at this meeting, with tickets selling for $1, in addition to an auction.
4. <u>Red Bug discussion:</u>
Porter, well-known and very knowledgeable employee of the Fish Store and More, gave a brief presentation on “Red Bugs” and their control in home aquariums.
Red Bugs, as referred to in this hobby, are thought to be copepods of the genus Tegastes. They are thought to be possibly parasitic, and are seen in association with many sps corals, particularly Acropora species. In fact, they are so common in the wild, that some have commented that they may not be truly parasitic, but may instead be a commensal organism that reaches plague like populations if a coralÂ’s immune responses are suppressed from other causes. Red Bugs have been reported by hobbyists to be associated with color loss, growth retardation, poor polyp extension, and in some cases, colony death in spsÂ’s due to RTN/ STN like syndromes.
Over the last several years, several medications have been investigated to treat Red Bug infestations, with varying success. Treatment with Interceptor, the medication used to treat heartworms in dogs (milbemycin oxime) is currently thought to represent the drug of choice for this malady. Treatment with Interceptor typically takes about 6 hours, and will kill the copepods, which can then be blown off of corals with a baster. Interceptor will also kill any arthropods in a treated tank (such as shrimps and crabs), but echinoderms (such as starfish) will generally be unharmed. However, many believe that the best option is to isolate and treat an infested coral in a quarantine tank by itself, assuming that the infestation is localized to that coral only. An even better approach is to consider all new acquisitions as possibly being infested, and to treat them in a quarantine tank before introducing them into a display tank. Fish Store and More will, at the request of anyone buying a coral from them, place that coral in a quarantine tank and treat with Interceptor for 6 hours.
Porter also announced that for tonight only (during the meeting) Fish Store and More will offer 30% off of all frozen foods, and will be selling Kent salt for $38.99 per bucket.
5. <u>Auctions
</u>An auction for the following items was held:
a) Captive bred Banggai Cardinalfish, two bags of three fish, with proceeds going to Eric MauÂ’s classroom fund- winning bids $30 (Ray OÂ’Connor) and $24 (Todd Washowich.
b) Autographed copy of Scott Michael’s “Marine Fish”- winning bid $25.
c) Autographed copy of Anthony Calfo’s “Reef Invertebrates”- no takers at minimum bid of $40.
d) Autographed hardback copy of Eric Borneman’s “Aquarium Corals”- winning bid $60.
e) $50 gift certificate from Reefer Madness- winning bid $25 (Chris Clark).
<p style="text-align:left;">f) 200gpd Seachem RO/DI unit, with proceeds to go to ReefCheck- no takers at minimum bid of $200.
6. <u>Raffles
</u>The following items were raffled:
a) Set of “Reef Notes” books
b) Subscriptions to aquarium magazine
c) SWU T-shirts
d) Seachem products
7. <u>Treasuers report:</u>
The ARC currently has a balance of about $9,500 in itÂ’s accounts.
8. <u>Membership Report:</u>
The ARC currently has approximately 240 members.
9. <u>Dana Riddle Meeting: </u>
Next monthÂ’s meeting will be a speaker event, with Dana riddle coming to talk to the club. This meeting will be held September 20, rather than on our usual second Tuesday of the month. Location for this meeting to be announced.
10. <u>Georgia Aquarium visit on Opening Day:</u>
The ARC is investigating the possibility of getting a block of tickets for opening day (November 23) for the Georgia Aquarium. Interested club members should watch the boards for details and announcements.
11. <u>Photography contest for 2006 Calendar</u>
The photography contest for next yearÂ’s ARC calendar will be conducted soon. Watch the boards for details and announcements.
12. The business portion of the general meeting was adjourned at 8:05 p.m.
13. Sarah Kruger, professional photographer (http://www.sarahkrugerphotography.com">www.sarahkrugerphotography.com</a>) and wife of ARC member Simon Kruger, graciously provided her considerable expertise to all ARC members who brought their cameras to the meeting, and using the beautiful tanks of the Fish Store and More as photographic subjects, gave those present a head start in this yearÂ’s photography contest.
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Date: 10 August 2005
Location: Fish Store and More, Atlanta, GA
Minutes by: Chris Clark (Secretary)
1. 7:36 p.m.: Meeting called to order by Steve Shindell (President), who welcomed all in attendance, and gave a brief history of the ARC. The Fish Store and More was thanked for hosting this meeting, and was presented with a poster from SWU autographed by all the presenters, as a major sponsor for that event.
2. New club members (there were 6) were welcomed, and were given a bottle of coral glue as a gift.
3. Announcement was made that there would be a raffle conducted at this meeting, with tickets selling for $1, in addition to an auction.
4. <u>Red Bug discussion:</u>
Porter, well-known and very knowledgeable employee of the Fish Store and More, gave a brief presentation on “Red Bugs” and their control in home aquariums.
Red Bugs, as referred to in this hobby, are thought to be copepods of the genus Tegastes. They are thought to be possibly parasitic, and are seen in association with many sps corals, particularly Acropora species. In fact, they are so common in the wild, that some have commented that they may not be truly parasitic, but may instead be a commensal organism that reaches plague like populations if a coralÂ’s immune responses are suppressed from other causes. Red Bugs have been reported by hobbyists to be associated with color loss, growth retardation, poor polyp extension, and in some cases, colony death in spsÂ’s due to RTN/ STN like syndromes.
Over the last several years, several medications have been investigated to treat Red Bug infestations, with varying success. Treatment with Interceptor, the medication used to treat heartworms in dogs (milbemycin oxime) is currently thought to represent the drug of choice for this malady. Treatment with Interceptor typically takes about 6 hours, and will kill the copepods, which can then be blown off of corals with a baster. Interceptor will also kill any arthropods in a treated tank (such as shrimps and crabs), but echinoderms (such as starfish) will generally be unharmed. However, many believe that the best option is to isolate and treat an infested coral in a quarantine tank by itself, assuming that the infestation is localized to that coral only. An even better approach is to consider all new acquisitions as possibly being infested, and to treat them in a quarantine tank before introducing them into a display tank. Fish Store and More will, at the request of anyone buying a coral from them, place that coral in a quarantine tank and treat with Interceptor for 6 hours.
Porter also announced that for tonight only (during the meeting) Fish Store and More will offer 30% off of all frozen foods, and will be selling Kent salt for $38.99 per bucket.
5. <u>Auctions
</u>An auction for the following items was held:
a) Captive bred Banggai Cardinalfish, two bags of three fish, with proceeds going to Eric MauÂ’s classroom fund- winning bids $30 (Ray OÂ’Connor) and $24 (Todd Washowich.
b) Autographed copy of Scott Michael’s “Marine Fish”- winning bid $25.
c) Autographed copy of Anthony Calfo’s “Reef Invertebrates”- no takers at minimum bid of $40.
d) Autographed hardback copy of Eric Borneman’s “Aquarium Corals”- winning bid $60.
e) $50 gift certificate from Reefer Madness- winning bid $25 (Chris Clark).
<p style="text-align:left;">f) 200gpd Seachem RO/DI unit, with proceeds to go to ReefCheck- no takers at minimum bid of $200.
6. <u>Raffles
</u>The following items were raffled:
a) Set of “Reef Notes” books
b) Subscriptions to aquarium magazine
c) SWU T-shirts
d) Seachem products
7. <u>Treasuers report:</u>
The ARC currently has a balance of about $9,500 in itÂ’s accounts.
8. <u>Membership Report:</u>
The ARC currently has approximately 240 members.
9. <u>Dana Riddle Meeting: </u>
Next monthÂ’s meeting will be a speaker event, with Dana riddle coming to talk to the club. This meeting will be held September 20, rather than on our usual second Tuesday of the month. Location for this meeting to be announced.
10. <u>Georgia Aquarium visit on Opening Day:</u>
The ARC is investigating the possibility of getting a block of tickets for opening day (November 23) for the Georgia Aquarium. Interested club members should watch the boards for details and announcements.
11. <u>Photography contest for 2006 Calendar</u>
The photography contest for next yearÂ’s ARC calendar will be conducted soon. Watch the boards for details and announcements.
12. The business portion of the general meeting was adjourned at 8:05 p.m.
13. Sarah Kruger, professional photographer (http://www.sarahkrugerphotography.com">www.sarahkrugerphotography.com</a>) and wife of ARC member Simon Kruger, graciously provided her considerable expertise to all ARC members who brought their cameras to the meeting, and using the beautiful tanks of the Fish Store and More as photographic subjects, gave those present a head start in this yearÂ’s photography contest.
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