The penultimate month for yearly entries in the Breeder Award Program yielded several significant milestones. A good indication of the strength of a BAP is the variety of fish that the members are working with. Three members turned in eight entries of diverse species including mouthbrooding bettas, killifish, new and old world cichlids and a livebearer.
Matt DeGroodt entered Betta albimarginata, a small mouthbrooding anabantoid in which the male holds the eggs and fry. He also entered F1 offspring of several killifish whose parents he caught on a trip to Florida. These species were Lucania parva, the rainwater killifish, and the Florida flagfish (Jordanella floridae) which is often seen in pet shops. These entries pushed Matt over the 300-point plateau and earned him the Advanced Breeder Award. He also retained second place in the Breeder of the Year competition.
Chip Hildreth also entered the mouthbrooding Betta albimarginata and another species of mouthbrooding anabantoid, Betta rubra. Chip earned his Intermediate Breeder Award (150 points) with these entries and stands in third place in the BOY.
Larry Jinks entered the Central American cave spawning cichlid, “Cichlasoma” salivini, the Lake Tanganyikan mouthbrooding cichlid, Cyphotilapia frontosa, and the blue tailed goodeid livebearer, Ataeniobius toweri. Larry has now turned in over 150 species to the Raleigh BAP.
There are two more opportunities to enter BAP fish for 2016: the November monthly meeting and the November auction. Any entries in December will count for the 2017 BOY year.
Don’t forget our new specialty program which is outlined on our website under the BAP section. Any questions about the specialty program can be directed to BAP chairman Larry Jinks.