For those of you who did not see it, we have a report on August's Mid-Atlantic Koi Club goldfish show at Koi America 2005, see our write up.
For info and updates on the Goldfish Report, take a look here for info from the editor on upcoming issues of the Goldfish Report and the publication schedule.
If you have let your membership lapse or have been thinking about joining the GFSA, now is a great time - here is a form you can print. To submit material for the Goldfish Report to editor Matt Lyon, please see the updated society contact info. Articles and photos in electronic form are particularly appreciated.
The current line-up of people filling the GFSA offices is on the society officers page.
Interested in joining the GFSA but still not sure? We have two sample Goldfish Reports available to download, to demonstrate that every issue is packed with thought provoking information and pictures available nowhere else. We are also promoting an electronic membership option that significantly lowers the cost of membership.
October 2005 is the first month of the sixth year of this Web site. The site actually was started up in May of 2005, to promote the 2000 GFSA convention and show, but the www.goldfishsociety.org domain was not launched until October. A lot has happened in the last 5 years, both in the goldfish hobby and in the world in general. It is heartening to see that people remain strongly interested in goldfish and that some of that enthusiasm spills over and benefits the GFSA in the form of articles, volunteers and, of course, members. Thanks to all who have helped with this Web site!
Lessons Learned "Quick Hits"
We are soliciting short lessons-learned from hobbyists: events that possibly left you sadder, but measurably wiser. Have a good one? Please send it to the . Here is yet another submission from the Webmaster:
For most of us, our outside tropical water lilies are about to kick the bucket, as the nights get colder and the water temperatures drop. There are various ideas about how you can preserve the roots semi-dormant to try to start them up again in the late spring. For example, some people suggest preserving them in moist sand in a cool spot in the basement, or wrapped in damp newspaper. Seems like that could work for a few months, but those of us who have water that is too cold 8 months of the year, this is probably a futile quest.
An interesting variation is possible with certain tropical lillies. Varieties like "Dauben" are viviparous, which means they produce little plantlets at the joints of the leaf and stem. These can actually be planted and they will eventually grow into a full sized lily. I have planted them in a small cup and have kept them indoors as aquarium plants. Amazingly, they seem to spend a year as submerged plants with very un-lily-like foliage before finally starting to send up little lily pads to the surface. Once they start to do that, they can be moved to a larger container and placed outside. Under proper conditions they will quickly become full sized pond plants.