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The Potomac Valley Aquarium Society is pleased to announce its All-Aquarium Catfish Convention 2010! You've heard about these conventions, maybe even been to one or two. We're back for another edition of this fantastic event that you don't want to miss.

October 21-24, 2010
New Location!
Hyatt Fair Lakes, Fairfax, Virginia

Speakers:

Ad Konings gives his first-ever talk on catfishes of the Rift Lakes, with pictures and videos from his diving adventures.

Lucia Rapp Py-Daniel comes to the US from Brazil for the first time as an aquarium speaker. She'll tell us about the beautiful plecos of the Rio Xingu.

Ian Fuller returns from the UK with new material on Corydoras.

Jeremy Wright tells us about his revision of Lake Tanganyika Synodontis species and how to tell them apart. He'll also be telling us about his studies on catfish venom.

Brian Walsh, also from the UK will be here talking about Doradid catfishes.

Ian and Brian will also tag team on a new presentation on the mouths of catfishes. If you know anything about cats, you know they have a lot going on at the front end. See pictures of skeletons and the live fish with discussions of how they use their mouths from feeding to fighting, to brood care and just hanging on in the river.

Of course, the speakers are just a start with this event. We'll have a catfish show, all-species freshwater fish show, all-day auction and tons of great vendors and fish breeders selling their wares. For fun, there's field trips, happy hours and tons of socializing with fellow aquarists.
http://www.catfish2010.com

[Mod edit: remove redundant tags --Mat

Sounds amazing, but unfortunately there's no chance of me being able to make it

I'd be interested if there are hard copy of presentations/speeches available for the rift lake cats in particular?

I wish the event every success

Registered and payed!!

Haha, Dave! Barbie and I beat you! (and everyone else, too!)

Barbie ran down registered and paid at the close of the last convention.. We wanted to be sure that the convention knew we'd be there no matter what! Got our room reserved, too... so see you all there!!!

AACC10 Update: New Speaker
Tuesday, August 24, 2010 7:52 PM

Catfish conventioneers, we have some bad news and some good news. Since I like to leave the room happy, the bad news first: Lucia Rapp Py--Daniel is not able to join us for the convention as originally planned. She is extremely disappointed not to be meeting all of you this year and we hope that we'll be able to get her up from Brazil in a future edition of the catfish convention. We sincerely apologize to those who were excited to meet Lucia and hear her presentation.

The good news: Our good friend Hans-Georg Evers was eager to step in for Lucia. Hans is one of the truly great catfish minds in the world, and is great guy to hang out with for a weekend too. This will only be his second trip to North America as a speaker, the first being our convention in 2008 when he spoke about Amazon habitats and Corydoras catfishes. Hans has edited or written at least ten books on catfishes in the aquarium hobby including the Mergus Wels (Catfish) Atlas, volumes 1 and 2 and Identifying Corydoradinae Catfishes with co-author and convention speaker Ian Fuller. He's written hundreds of articles and is editor-in-chief of the German aquarist magazine Amazonas. Hans is an eager explorer and has collected fishes from across the tropics.

Hans' talk, Rio Xingu, Lost pl*co Paradise, will discuss the Loricariid catfishes from the Rio Xingu and other nearby, fast-water tributaries of the Amazon, the ecological challenges these fishes face, and care and breeding information of these spectacular plecos.

We're extremely grateful to Hans for stepping in on short notice and can't wait to see him along with the rest of the great panel of speakers who have graciously agreed to come talk to all of us at this year's convention.

Thanks to everyone for your understanding. We look forward to seeing all of our old friends and meeting a bunch new ones at this year's event!

Andrew Blumhagen, Program Chair
All-Aquarium Catfish Convention 2010
and
Sherry Mitchell
Co-chair, AACC10

I'm finally registered and going. It'll be one of the highlights of my year. Can't wait!

I have attended all three conventions and do not want to break the chain. I can't wait to see everyone.

Mark Soberman

I am all booked, even going a couple days early just for fun and to do some exploring...any "must see" places in the area?

Birger

Birger

I will be there on Thursday morning and Staying until Monday. We can visit some shops on Thursday if you like.

Mark

Thanks Mark

PM sent

There are field trips on Friday and one of them is shop hop thing.

From the pvas web site.


Field Trip 2: Local Fish Store Shopping Spree, $40

PVAS president, Sherry Mitchell led this trip back in 2008 when she was just the club's "cake lady" and a good time was had by all. The long bus trip was fun with a quiz by "teacher Sherry," games, crazy prizes, and snacks. This year Sherry and the gang will head back to Discus Hans to get a look at his expanded operation. All discus lovers should come ready to buy! Participants will also trek to Exotic Aquatics and House of Tropicals up near Baltimore for shopping, shopping, and more shopping! Lunch is on your own during one of our stops. Book early as this trip always sells out quickly!

There are field trips on Friday and one of them is shop hop thing.

I am sure it will be fun but I am not missing the collecting trip this time, always nice to get out and muck about, especially when back home here things will be icing up already at that time.

Birger