April 2006

GFSA Info

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 our editor, 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. The GFSA Board of Directors kicked off 2006 with a renewed effort to ensure that the society is undertaking activities and providing services that our members want. Tell us if there is something you really want (even better, volunteer to help us do it).

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.

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 a brief diatribe from the Webmaster:

Depending where you are in the northern hemisphere (assuming you are in the n.h.), your water in your outdoor ponds in warming rapidly. Fish may be just coming out of dormancy or even starting to breed. This is a critical time to be extra vigilant. Protozoa may also appear, female fish can can exhausted and beaten up from spawning, and you need to ease the fish back into regular meals. You also need to check all of your equipment: make sure filters, pumps and any other equipment are functioning correctly.

A fellow replacing my gutters last week related an interesting anecdote. He has a pond with goldfish, Koi and native species. He had a number of crappies in the pond (a fish in the sunfish family), and all but one jumped out of the pond mysteriously. He came out one day and saw the last crappie behaving strangely. It appeared to be falling over, but then two goldfish would push it upright again. He thought it was so amazing that the goldfish would help this poor sick crappie.

Can anyone figure out what was really going on? Answer next month J .