May Program

Date: Sunday Evening May 14, 2006
Place: Room 101, Casa del Prado, Balboa Park
Time: 7 pm.  Arrive at 6 pm to sell items at the monthly auction; Auction begins at 6:30
Program: A great film on sharks.

May 2006 President’s Message

Charles Pratt

An era is passing as the advancing face of technology reaches the San Diego Tropical Fish Society. Debbie Lara has put out the last printed issue of the Tropical Breeze we will publish. Starting with the next issue communications from SDTFS will be via email. Many of us take this step with a measure of regret. I edited the BREEZE myself for two years in the 60’s and enjoyed it a lot. 

There are three basic reasons for this. First, the cost is much less expensive. Not having to pay the postage alone will help SDTFS finances a great deal. In addition there will be no printing costs. Second this will cut down on the amount of member volunteer time that has been devoted to collating, stapling, addressing, and mailing. This time has been gladly given and many of us have enjoyed getting together to do this over the years, but recently it hasn’t seemed as much fun, and the burden has fallen first on David Huie and now mostly on Debbie Lara. The third reason for this change is that the technology is so good. We can get you the information very fast, and with many colorful pictures.

This is a step that has been discussed by your board for years. We wanted to be sure that this was the way to go, and we are sure now. One reason for this is my own recent experience in editing and publishing the eBulletin of the International Fancy Guppy Association (IFGA). I began that eBulletin in January of this year, and we have found at IFGA that it has helped us out of a tough financial situation as well as increased our membership numbers and the amount of activity within the organization. I foresee exactly this kind of results with SDTFS. By the way, you can visit the IFGA website at ifga.org. The eBulletin is in a separate member area and you have to join as a member to view it.

As I write this I am just back from the East Coast Guppy Association show which was held in conjunction with the American Livebearer Association Convention April 28-30, 2006. This was a great show, possibly the big tropical fish show in the U.S. this year.  Holding it in conjunction with the ALA convention added a great deal of interest not only for IFGA members who keep other livebearer species, but for the ALA people also. I talked to many of them who were astonished at the guppies in our show, and I think many of them will be more interested in guppies than before. The two shows were in the same room, publicity for each show always seemed to advertise the other also, and the auction included both groups.

This is the kind of activity that provides maximum benefit to members of the organizations involved. It is on a larger scale the kind of thing we have done at SDTFS in combining the Annual SDTFS show and the San Diego Guppy Association show in November over the last two years. Previously it had been done between SDTFS and the Killie club. If you think of any combinations of this sort that would make SDTFS events even more interesting to you, let the board know.

As we say goodbye to the printed BREEZE we look forward to a future of exciting events at SDTFS. Visit our web site at sandiegotropicalfish.com for an updated list of what is happening at the San Diego Tropical Fish Society.

Mike's Aquarium & Pet Centers

Mike's at  651 Sweetwater Rd., Spring Valley Shopping Ctr., Spring Valley is totally redoing their tropical fish room. They will have new tanks and are beginning immediately to sell all fish at half price to clear them out while remodeling, and will sell all their used tanks at big discounts. Mike says the big sale starts Monday the 15th or sooner.