We would like to bring your attention to our first special issue on temperature control. We’ve had special issues before on filters, lights, food, chemicals, tanks and so on, but temperature is an important topic worth discussing. It may sound trivial at first, but there’s nothing trivial about keeping your animals at a temperature that works for them because that’s a part of creating the right environment for your aquatic animals.
For some animals, keeping the right temperature is easier than for other animals, especially when lower temperatures are needed in reef tanks (just to take one example). You may also specialize in coldwater tanks that require a chiller. Chillers and heaters are the subject of Stephen Noble’s article called “Maintaining the Comfort Zone.” We also have a special Product Showcase this issue focusing not only on heaters and chillers, but also thermometers and other temperature-control devices.
We’d also like to bring your attention to a couple shows happening in the near future. First, there will be the American Cichlid Association convention in Cincinnati, which will be hosted by the Greater Cincinnati Aquarium Society. This show will run from July 28 to August 2, 2009. There will also be the Midwest Cichlid Association 2009 Expo in Kansas in September.
This month’s Aquabits also talks about a very interesting and potentially helpful program going on at the museum at Tokai University in Japan, which is a marine science museum. This museum is breeding clownfish, and not only are they offering them for sale, but they will even take fish back if aquarists cannot care for them.
This gesture is meant to keep people from setting fish loose in the wild. At the same time, it is important not to take advantage of this kind of generosity — never buy a fish that you do not think you can care for, simply expecting that you will be able to take it back. Bring new fish to your home intending to keep them!