Category: GCKA Library

By Donna M. Recktenwalt         Peat moss is a staple ingredient of our hobby – as most killikeepers are well aware. But just what is peat – other than a water treatment/ acidifier and a cushioning and antibacterial storage media for killi eggs?         Peat is the partially decayed, moisture absorbing plant matter found in…

By Donna M. Recktenwalt         Killikeepers know that many killies, particularly the Aphyosemion species, prefer softer, more acidic water. Many killikeepers collect rainwater; some have invested in Reverse Osmosis units to assure a continuing supply of suitable water for their fish. But might there be another answer?         The question of using water from dehumidifiers has been…

By Donna M. Recktenwalt         A number of different aquarists who have kept Rivulus species have noticed that many of these fish seem to actually like being out of the water – even when there is no apparent reason for them to be.         Some Rivulus species (and some tetras, as well, particularly Copeina arnoldi) are known to…

By Donna M. Recktenwalt         As amateur aquarists, we keep our tanks clean, our fish healthy, and often breed and raise them. But the route from egg to adult fish is a perilous one, filled with potential problems. Many of us find that raising fry is a skill we need to work on.         “The…

By Donna M. Recktenwalt         Recently Dave Price loaned me several archive notebooks filled with documents from the early years of the G.C.K.A. It has been an interesting and educational experience, reading that old material meeting notes, newsletters and show reports. What came through most clearly was the dedication and active participation of our members,…

By Donna M. Recktenwalt         We’ve all heard the advice that regular partial water changes are the best way to keep our fish healthy, happy, and (hopefully) breeding. We’re encouraged by the “experts” to change tank water regularly and often.         But are there, perhaps, times when this advice is not wholly correct? when a…

  Many aquarists have found that using a “natural” killifish setup (a tank filled with plants such as Java moss, Watersprite, etc., and several pairs of fish) results in better fry production with less work, but some aquarists have taken the practice a step further.        Here’s a suggestion that a number of breeders have found…

 In a previous article we discussed scientific names, those tongue twisting Latin/Greek constructions that are used to identify all described living things. However, no mention was made of the three letter abbreviations, such as AUS, GAR, etc., that occasionally show up in reference to various killifish.        Very simply, the three letter abbreviations are a technical…