Our 56th Year • Volume LVI • Number 11 • #628
70 Selecting Layout Materials for the Nature Aquarium
The celebrated aquascaping virtuoso imparts his method for selecting natural materials such as rocks
and driftwood for a riveting planted tank layout. Takashi Amano
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Danionellatranslucida: A Micro Glassfish
Calling them tiny would be an understatement! Learn the origins and breeding habits of one of the
smallest vertebrate organisms on the planet. Ted Judy
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Worlds in Collision: Fishes of the Costa Rica-Panama Border
Our authors take you on a journey to this complex Central/South American divide, home to diverse and
fascinating species that evidence the region’s geological changes over time.
Ron Coleman and Samantha Hilber
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Tilapia in the Aquarium
The author encounters a mix of six different tilapia species in a show tank at an international fish show,
and describes what makes each of these African treasures so eye-catching and interesting in tanks of
their own. Iggy Tavares
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Gymnogeophagus: The Glittering Eartheaters of the Far South
The fearless explorer-collectors are at it again, this time tromping through Uruguay to bring you their
adventures with the colorful and endearing species of the genus Gymnogeophagus.
Stan Sung and Ivan Gonzalez
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Breaking the Norm: My Experience Breeding Parachromisdovii
This big, usually nasty predator does occasionally have a gentler side. Read about this chance
encounter that seems to deviate from the normal experience aquarists have with this Central American
bruiser. Seth Gibson
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Stuart M. Grant (1937–2007), Lake Malawi’s Ambassador
We owe great thanks to Stuart M. Grant for bringing new and exciting cichlids from one of the Great
Lakes of Africa, helping to evolve the tropical fish trade over decades of collecting and export.
Ad Konings
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Pelvicachromis taeniatus: The Bandéwouri Conundrum
Collection locality troubles getting you down? A master aquarist with a love of smaller species explains
why this West African cichlid population is so hard to keep track of—and why you should keep your eye
out for it. Mike Hellweg
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Inside the Black Hornet’s Nest: Breeding Tilapiabuttikoferi
Cichlid spawning encounters are always interesting and even exciting, but the successful breeding of
this notoriously aggressive West African species represents a particular challenge. Harry Piken
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2
Swimming With Cichlids
A consummate Venezuelan photographer and nature lover takes us on a tour to see some cichlid
species up close in their native habitats—an experience you won’t get in any home aquarium!
Ivan Mikolji
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8
ACA Convention Schedule
Don’t miss out on this year’s American Cichlid Association Convention, hosted by the Atlanta Area
Aquarium Association in Atlanta, Georgia, July 17–20.
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The Georgia Aquarium
Take an armchair tour of one of the world’s premier public aquariums, an actual tour of which will be
one of the 2008 ACA Convention’s many fun and educational activities. The giant aquarium’s amazing
marine exhibits include a huge whale shark and a unique coral reef wall. Ted Judy
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Q: Who Was That Masked Answer-Man? A: Dick Stratton!
Before becoming TFH’s Q&A expert—a role in which he served for well over 20 years—Dick Stratton
was responsible for the founding of the ACA, among many other great accomplishments.
Wayne S. Leibel
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Babes In The Cichlid Hobby
Learn how you can help support cichlid research and cichlid conservation—any effort, big or small, can
help the cause. Pam Chin
Thou
ON THE COVER:
gh they look a lot like tasty, wriggly worms, these ne wly free-swimming
Parachromis managuensis F1 fry elicit only tender feelings from their huge,
predatory parents—a wild pair collected in La Ceiba, Honduras in 2006.
Complex parental care is only one of several appealing characteristics of
the fishes of the family Cichlidae, and this month we celebrate this major
segment of the aquarium hobby with our special annual cichlid issue, in
conjunction with the American Cichlid Association convention.
Photograph by Mo Devlin
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Our cover photo, free of any text or graphics and suitable
for framing, etc., is reproduced in full size on page 69.
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