# Aquarium clubs



## kornphlake (Feb 12, 2004)

Our club has been struggling for the last several years to find new members. I know the hobby is pretty strong here because there are a large number of pet shops, I don't understand why more people haven't joined the aquarium club though.

1. Do you have a local aquarium club
2. Are you a member
3. If you're not a member, what would entice you to become a member
4. How much effort are you willing to put into helping the club function

Thanks


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## ZaireBlue (Jun 11, 2003)

IMO, in order to promote our hobby through the local club, the only way is *marketing* the club. :thumb:


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I am a member, but I maybe attend once a year. Speakers on topics more to my interest would get me there more often. I would not mind working to help the club if it was doing more topics of interest to me. It's hard when the club encompasses all types of aquaria to do more than one month on each topic.

My club is also a long drive in bad traffic with bad parking.


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## kornphlake (Feb 12, 2004)

> IMO, in order to promote our hobby through the local club, the only way is marketing the club.


I completely agree, we've been somewhat successful with advertising, but I feel like we're missing the interests of a significant portion of the local hobbyists. What kind of programs would you find interesting, what features of a club would interest you in joining?



> My club is also a long drive in bad traffic with bad parking.


That's too bad, we get a copy of the NJAS newsletter and its very good. I'm not sure if that's a very good metric of the quality of the club, but I'd visit a meeting if I were in the area based on the newsletter alone.

What programs would make it worth the long drive, poor parking or other obstacles to attend a meeting?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Speakers. I go every January when Paul Loiselle speaks.


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## cjacob316 (Dec 4, 2008)

alcohol here in louisiana


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## rarefaction (Aug 6, 2009)

I'm currently looking for one in my area, Internet searches have yielded some kinda sketchy stuff... I figure a decent club needs at least a decent website, right? Anyone in CT, know a good place to meet with local breeders? :-?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Try the Links menu item on this website. My fishclub has a website but I think they don't have the type of technical support CF has, LOL, and it's not always 100% up to date.


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## Jsuing86 (Oct 31, 2009)

Being from the Portland area... and working in Petshops around it... I can say I have heard very little about the GPAS... I think you guys need to reach out. I would love to make it to a meeting? Can I get some info? Also, I would update your website. It looks like an old website that may be left from a club that once existed... Email me at [email protected] with info! Thanks!
James


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## Tinga (Nov 27, 2009)

I'm from Oregon as well, just south of Eugene and North of Medford

Not sure if there is a big demand here for a fish "club" I'd just like to see local breeders and see some trading going on


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## Jsuing86 (Oct 31, 2009)

Tinga, I think those connections happen with a club...


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## indepfunnyfarm (Dec 6, 2003)

kornphlake said:


> Our club has been struggling for the last several years to find new members. I know the hobby is pretty strong here because there are a large number of pet shops, I don't understand why more people haven't joined the aquarium club though.
> 
> 1. Do you have a local aquarium club
> 2. Are you a member
> ...


We had a club that was averaging less than 10 people attending the meetings. 
We then got a FREE forum going and our attendance gradually increased.
We now average around 40 at our meetings.
We have around 380 forum members on our forum where we answer questions about the hobby. 
We have 3 auctions a year and just started having a swap meet once a year.
We have over 100 folks that come to our auctions. Some drive several hundred miles to attend.
We hosted the 2009 MCA Expo (www.midwestcichlid.com) this year and had a fish show with over 100 entries.
This was our first show in about 12 years
Speakers who spoke at the Expo were: 
Steve Lundblad - Aulonocara, Mbuna (Wetspot & Cichlid Exchange owner Portland Oregon) 
Ron Nielson - Lake Tanganyika Cichlids, Lake Victoria 
Ian Fuller - Corydoras, Live Foods (Cory expert from England)
Dean Hougen - South American Cichlids
Steve Thornton - Selling & Shipping Fish Workshop 
Glenn Minor - building aquarium backgrounds out of styrofoam and concrete.
We have a club picnic at a members house each summer. These are very popular
We have a program that we promote on the forum each month.
We try and bring in one or two well know speakers each year.
We have had a renewed interest in our Breeders Award Program.
We have mini-auctions at our club meetings where the BAP fish and other donated items are bid on.
Folks post on our forum as to what they are bringing. 
Starting this year it is my goal to have a store liaison, one of our members that will take that responsibility to report what new fish or special sales that are going on at their LFS. Only one member will have one store, preferably this person will live near the chosen LFS.
All in all these things have given our club new life.
It takes a good bunch of folks working together, which we have to have a strong club.
We are expecting new and exciting things for our club in the future.
Our web site and forum is located at www.kcfishclub.org
This is the home of the Heart Of America Aquarium Society. HAAS
The midwest cichlid association is a web based forum with local regional meetings. Mostly swaps and several auctions a year.
This would be a good plan for clubs members that are spread out.
It has worked out nicely for the MCA.
I hope this gives some clubs some ideas. 
Walter 
HAAS


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## kornphlake (Feb 12, 2004)

Tinga said:


> I'm from Oregon as well, just south of Eugene and North of Medford
> 
> Not sure if there is a big demand here for a fish "club" I'd just like to see local breeders and see some trading going on


It's a little far for you to drive, but we do have several breeders in the Portland area, mostly cichlids, livebearers and killies. The chairman of the AKA, Barry Cooper, lives near you, if you're interested in killifish I hear his outfit is impressive to see. Dave Soares, Apistodave, out in Sisters is another of the big names in the hobby who is fairly local.

You can register to join the discussion group at www.gpas.org for free and make some connections with the local breeders, most of us are pretty small time breeders and only have a couple tanks setup as a hobby rather than a business. There are a few members who are regular on the forums that don't live in the Portland area.


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