Catfish Convention 2006

[Chuck & Veronica]

Hey All,

I'm the registration chairman for the All-Aquarium Catfish 2006 Convention, to be held in Maryland this coming October. It's being run by the Potomac Valley Aquarium Society.

The speakers include:

Jon Armbruster, Ph.D. - Loricariids
Chuck Davis - Banquet speaker
Lee Finley - Auchenipterids
Ian Fuller - Corydoradines
Shane Linder - Bagrids
Mark Sabaj, Ph.D. - Doradids
Mark Soberman - African Catfishes
Peter Unmack, Ph.D. - Australian Catfishes

For more information, visit http/www.catfish2006.com/.

Register early to get a good price. Be sure to book your room too. You can register for the convention online too.

Chuck

 

[Chuck & Veronica]

REGISTRATION Q&A #1:

QUESTION On 4/18/06:
My husband and I are coming to the Catfish Convention, or I should say, I will
be accompaning my husband the fish enthusiast! In registering for the
convention, do we have to do one for him and one for me and pay twice? Just
want to be sure.

ANSWER:

Thank you for your message, and thanks especially to you and your husband (the fish enthusiast!) for planning on joining us in October at the All-Aquarium Catfish Convention 2006! We really do appreciate your interest and support.

In answer to your question, the fish-show viewing and auction are the only activities at the Catfish Convention where a convention badge is not necessary. All other activities, including speakers' presentations, vendor room and food services, require registration. If it's only your husband who plans to attend these activities, then only he needs to register.

However, if you plan on joining him for:

The Banquet (which features the Fish Show Awards, and a special presentation by Chuck Davis), or the Friday Night Buffet (which includes Salad Bar, Lasagna, Assorted cakes, Beverage), the Saturday Lunch Buffet (Deli express: Roast beef, ham, tuna salad, cheeses, assorted breads, relish tray, cookies, beverage), or the fabulous Sunday Lunch Pizza Fest, then I recommend that you register using the a la carte option (see http/pvas.com/catfish/register/paypal_reg1.htm).

Please feel free to contact me again if you have any further questions. I, along with the rest of the All-Aquarium Catfish Convention 2006 staff, want to ensure that the Catfish Convention 2006 is both an outstanding and fruitful experience for all.

See you in October!

Chuck Miro, Registration Chair
All-Aquarium Catfish Convention 2006

 

[Chuck & Veronica]

Registration Q&A #2

QUESTION (4/21/06):
With catfish being my favorite fish to keep (along with U.S. natives) and a native collecting trip being planned I would love to go, the problem is that it's friggin expensive as hell!! All well, maybe next time.

ANSWER:
Good news! It's not as expensive as you think. The Early-Registration Convention Package is $100 (which includes the convention fee, the Friday Night Buffet, Saturday Lunch Buffet, Saturday Banquet, and Sunday Lunch Pizza Fest), but you can also register a la carte.

Under the a la carte “menu”, the early-registration fee is only $30 (which entitles you to all the speaker seminars, the fish show, entry to the Vendor room, and other convention activities). You can purchase separately (or decide not to) the planned meal activities.

So, if you plan to hit the McDonalds for meals, the cost for the convention is only $30!!

Of course, that doesn't include hotel stay, but you can double or triple up with someone and save a bundle there too!

Visit http/pvas.com/catfish/register/paypal_reg1.htm to register online.

Chuck

 

[Chuck & Veronica]

Registration Q&A #3

QUESTION (4/24/06):
I got a question for you..... are they getting wilds shipped in again this year?

ANSWER:
You bet! There will be a great variety of FW fish and plants at the All-Aquarium Catfish Convention 2006. Arrangements are being made to have some fish imported exclusively for the auction that will be held at the convention. In 2004, these fish were all varieties of freshwater fish, and were not limited to catfish. And we plan to have even more non-Catfish fish there this year!

The Fish Show is an all-species Fish Show too! In 2004, there were over 220 entries in the fish show and competition. Gerry Hoffman, chairman of the Fish Show does a tremendous job of organizing, setting up, having judged and displayed many varieties of fish.

The All Freshwater-Species Show has five freshwater classes, in addition to a catch-all category for everything else:

Class I: Livebearers
Class II: Killifishes
Class III: Anabantids
Class IV: Cichlids
Class V: Goldfish and Koi
Class VI: All Other Freshwater Fishes
Class VII: Photography, Arts and Crafts

And there are three awards that all freshwater, not-catfish fish are eligible to win:

* Best Freshwater Fish in Show (Classes I-VI eligible)
* Reserve Freshwater Fish in Show (Classes I-VI eligible)
* People’s Choice Award (all fish entries eligible)

Even though the speakers are on various species of Catfish, they have all kinds of fish. With our initial registration we have attendees from 13 States and 4 countries coming. We expect over 200 in attendance. There will be much at the Catfish Convention that will include other kinds of fish, and you will gain much information from everyone there.

See you in October!

Chuck

 

[Chuck & Veronica]

Registration Q&A #4

Question on 6/29:

I was wondering if someone could advise me as to the cost of the Catfish Convention Field Trips so that I can include it in the money order with the money for our convention tickets. We have already reserved our room at the hotel and are anxious to send in our money before the end of July.

ANSWER:

Excellent question!

With the end of July, so ends the special, early-registration discount for the All-Aquarium Catfish Convention! Now is the time to register!

There will be two Field Trips:

Field Trip One: Collecting Native Fishes

This field trip is an opportunity to collect and observe some of the fishes local to the Central Maryland/Washington, DC metro area. The collection sites are located within ten miles of the convention hotel. Previous collections at these locations have produced tadpole madtoms, rosyside dace, blacknose dace, fantail darters, and tessellated darters. Also observed in these spots are various sucker, sculpin, sunfish and trout species. At least two technical advisors including a representative of the North American Native Fishes Association (NANFA) will be on hand to assist in identification of any specimens collected. This collection trip is under the auspices of a scientific collecting permit obtained for the purpose of observing local aquatic fauna. The leaders of this trip will have final say on permanent removal of any specimens collected. Collection methods include dip nets and seines. Angling is not permitted at these locations.

Trip Cost: $20.00. This fee covers the cost of collection permit, collection equipment and reimburses volunteer drivers to the collection sites. Depart, 9:00am from the convention hotel, October 20, 2006.

Bring cash for lunch at local restaurants. Availability of the field trip will be limited to a manageable group of collectors.

Field Trip Two: Catfishes at the Smithsonian

A motor coach will bring a group of conventioneers to the heart of Washington, DC. The first stop is at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History. Dr. Stanley Weitzman, Curator of Fishes, and Marilyn Weitzman, Research Associate, will accompany the group on a private tour of the Division of Fishes, a research facility inside the museum. The collections, library and research offices are available to the group as well as the opportunity to discuss the science of ichthyology with these renowned scientists. Information about the Division of Fishes can be found at: http/www.nmnh.si.edu/vert/fishes/

The second stop is the Amazonia exhibit at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Zoological Park. Staff biologists and keepers will be on hand to discuss the exhibits, the animals on display and the challenges of keeping large-scale aquatic displays. Information about Amazonia can be found at: http/nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/Amazonia/

Trip Cost: $35.00. This fee covers the cost of the bus rental.
Depart, 9:00am from the convention hotel, October 20, 2006.
Bring cash for lunch at museum cafeterias. Availability is limited.

Chuck, Registration Chair
Catfish Convention 2006