PVAS members:  If you enjoy the great PVAS presentations, auctions, and other activities please consider volunteering!  We need your help!  If you would like to nominate yourself or someone else to be a PVAS officer or board member (https://www.pvas.com/officers-and-directors) or have questions about the process, please contact the 2024 Election Chair John Satterlee (john.satterlee@gmail.com) as soon as possible. The election will be held at the Nov 2 PVAS meeting.

I will put in a full spawning report later. My Tequila splitfin goodeids have not been very productive. I have only obtained a couple fry by colony breeding. It may be a combination of low numbers of offspring coupled with fry predation. Recently I put a pregnant female in her own 5.5 gallon tank and obtained a grand total of 6 fry on Oct 6, 2023.

Spawning Report:  Gambusia vittata   Name:    John Satterlee Scientific Name of Fish:  Gambusia vittata Hobby Name of Fish:  Gulf gambusia Method of Reproduction:  Livebearer Number and Gender Distribution of Parents: 5 juveniles I reared Origin of Parents:  Tank raised   Approximate number of fry:  At least 20 Date of First Hatch or Birth:  Sept 25, 2023 Date of Free Swimming If Hatched:  N/A Approx. Number of Fry at 60 Days:  >15   Aquarium Conditions: pH:  7.2 General Hardness:  150 ppm Average Temperature (72-76 F) Salinity:  none Average Nitrate:  < 40 ppm Aquarium Size:  5.5 gallon Water Source:  Rockville MD tap water with Seachem Prime Water Changes:  80% once a month Filtration System:  sponge filter Additives:  Crushed coral Décor: Live Plants:  Valisneria, hornwort No hardscape   Substrate:  Home depot pebbles Lighting Type and Timing:  Home Depot light, 12 hrs on/12 hrs off Food Fed to Parents and How Often:  Tetra Color Tropical Flakes morning and evening.  Freshly hatched baby brine shrimp every 1-2 days.    Food Fed to Fry and How Often:  Finely ground dry fry food (Aquarium Coop) morning and evening, freshly hatched baby brine shrimp every 1-2 days.   Additional comments:  They are colony breeding, and the adults for the most part do not appear to eat the fry.  The adults and the fry are extremely skittish making them tough to photograph and to catch.   According to Fishbase: “Etymology: Gambusia: Gambusia: From the Cuban term, Gambusino, which means "nothing", usually in the context of a joke or a farce. Fishing for gambusinos = when one catches nothing (Ref. 45335)(https://fishbase.mnhn.fr/references/FBRefSummary.php?ID=45335).”

PVAS members:  If you enjoy the great PVAS presentations, auctions, and other activities please consider volunteering!  We need your help!  If you would like to nominate yourself or someone else to be a PVAS officer or board member (https://www.pvas.com/officers-and-directors)(https://www.pvas.com/officers-and-directors)please) (https://www.pvas.com/officers-and-directors)please)or have questions about the process, please (https://www.pvas.com/officers-and-directors)please)contact the 2023 Election Chair John Satterlee (john.satterlee@gmail.com)(mailto:john.satterlee@gmail.com) as soon as possible.

Does anyone have suggestions for local stone/rock suppliers that might have nice rocks for fresh water aquariums?