Welcome to the Delaware County Aquarium Society. where fish-keeping hobbyists and professionals of all ages meet to promote and learn more about care, culture and propogation of all forms of underwater life. In the belief that a social approach to the aquarium hobby can brign a new dimension of depth and appreciation and open a door to new friends and possibilities, the club has available a whole host of proven programs open to you participation.

FEATURES AND PROGRAMS OF THE DCAS (A-Z)

Annual Auction. . .Auction. . .Bowl Beautiful/Mini Tank Show. . .Bowl Show Competition. . .Breeder's Award Program. . .Bulletin Board/Information Table. . .F.A.A.S.. . .Finfax. . .Home Tank Show. . .Horticulture Program. . .Kids' Auction. . .Library. . .Meetings. . .Membership. . .Members' Door Prizes. . .People. . .Percentage Auction. . .Programs. . .Raffles. . .Sales Table. . .Trading Post

ANNUAL AUCTION: This event is one of the largest events for the DCAS, and consists of an entire day of bidding on bargains and learning about the aquarium hobby. A fairly new addition to the club, the Annual Auction is already a big hit.

AUCTION: At the close of every meeting, the club auctions donations of fish and equipment the proceeds of which benefit the club. Many of the donations are fish from members who want to free up space in their tanks or have surplus fry from successful spawns. These fish are healthy, often unusual, and often available very cheap. Stick around to the end of the meeting and see how much your low bid can buy!

BOWL BEAUTIFUL/MINI TANK SHOW We close our season in June with this annual event. Members decorate small vessels (10 gallons max.) and bring the exhibits to the meeting where they are judged by all in attendance. The popular favorite wins! Creativity, humor, and a keen sense of scale prove to us that good things do come in small packages.

BOWL SHOW COMPETITION Members compete with each other as judges to determine who has the best fsh in the given categories. Points are accumulated towards annual awards. Over the year, a variety of fish are on display in the many categories. A lot of fun, talk, and recognition can be had as you contribute to the decor of the meeting room with your living aquatic jewels. Rules for participants are printed at the begining of each season (September), and can be requested during the year from the Chairman.

BREEDER'S AWARD PROGRAM Participants compete only with themselves to attain recognized levels of achievement in fish propagation. A "personal best" approach to an important aspect of the hobby. Register the spawn of each new species you breed and watch the points add up.

BULLETIN BOARD/INFORMATION TABLE Coupled with announcements from the floor, these tools keep you posted of upcoming events of interest to aquarium enthusiasts. This is your door to many unadvertised local events, speciality societies, hobbyist contacts, and product info.

F.A.A.S. Our Club belongs to the Federation of American Aquarium Societies, a nationwide coalition of clubs like ours, dedicated to our same principles of encouraging and promoting our hobby. FAAS gives us a picture of what other clubs are doing and acts as a clearing house for information relevant to our operation.

FINFAX Our monthly publication of articles, information, and news to keep you posted on the latest. Members receive it in the mail, but non-members may chance upon a complementary copy in any of the local sponsoring pet stores or at the meeting where we make it available as an advertising tool. Features include the "Trading post" where members advertise for the things they need, the things they want to swap, or items for sale. "Perusing the Periodicals" is a monthly feature that grants access to the information published in clubs like ours nationwide. The "Voice Box" provides a forum for members to make comments, suggestions, or ask fishy questions which are answered by the Board of Directors. There is a calender of timely events and club news called "Heard in the Fish Room", and reports on all programs listed here.

HOME TANK SHOW This event is help annually in May. Members' tanks are scored in their homes by a travelling team of judges. Pictures are taken and presented as a slide show in June, when the winners are announced. Emphasis is on the aquarium as a work of art. Rules are printed in April.

HORTICULTURE PROGRAM Propagate aquarium plants at your own pace and earn recognition in a botanical version of the Breeders Award Program. (This is currently an inactive program and a Chairperson is required).

KIDS' AUCTION The Auction begins each time with safe community fishes donated by members for kids only. This allows the wee ones an opportunity to bid without competing with the deep pockets of older members, and gives the youngsters a chance to get home earlier before they fall asleep.

LIBRARY Books are available for your perusal during the meetings.

MEETINGS Meetings are held the first Friday of every month at the Springfield Township Building on Powell Road near Springfield Avenue. Everyone is welcome and admission is free. Doors open at 7:30 pm and the meeting begins at 8:00 pm. A typical meeting begins with socializing while the free coffee brews. In the Lobby, the Sales Table sells raffle tickets, and people browse over the Library and Information Tables checking the Bulletin Board for important notices. In the Meeting room people are busy registering their auction items up front, or entering the bowl show in the back of the room. The membership table, also in the rear, is signing people up. Members find their names on the small cards spread out there and put them into the drum for the Membership Door Prize Raffle. The President calls the meeting to order at 8 PM and calls out the winners for the Door Prize drawing. The floor is open for special announcements and the Program or Speaker are introduced. The Program runs an average 45 mins, and we ask for quiet in the meeting room; the lobby is open for conversation. A question and answer session generally concludes the Program, and then we break for about 10 minutes. The meeting is once again called to order, Raffle winners are called and awards presented for the Bowl Show, etc. The Auction commences, beginning with the Kid's installment, and we are usually done by 10:30 pm.

MEMBERSHIP Can be sent by mail or applied for in person at the meetings. Seniors (over 16 years old) pay a $12.00 per year dues as single members. Junior (16 and under) pay $10.00 a year, and families pay only $15.00 for membership priviliges to all their children. Members who bring new members to the club receive 10 free raffle tickets if their guests join.

MEMBERS' DOOR PRIZES Members in attendance are eligible to win valuable prizes of aquarium merchandise just for showing up! A single "hit" in this members' only raffle can make back the dues you paid. Find your name in the cards laid out on the membership table abd put it in the barrel at the begining of the meeting. A great way of getting to try new aquarium products without the expense: An exclusive free raffle: our way of saying "thanks" for being a supporting member of the club.

PEOPLE Our people are the club's greatest resource. Turn to the person next to you and strike up a conversation about your aquariums. Every veteran member of the society started out not knowing anybody but gradually made friends among the people they met every month. Exchange phone numbers and stop by each others houses. The hobby you have in common can be a source of more pleasure when you share it with other enthusiasts. Finding key contacts among your peers at the meeting results in the individual tutelage that really enhances the hobby and solves hard to crack problems. Everyone has something to offer--don't underestimate what you can contribute!

PERCENTAGE AUCTION Donations to the club to be sold at auction are always welcome as they assist in helping us make ends meet. If you have nice quality fish that you'd like to let go, but not for free, then register them in the front of the room before the meeting in the members' percentage auction. Your fish are sold to the highest bidder with the club taking $0.50 or 20%, which ever is greater, and you keep the rest! This is a great way to turn over "tired" fish and open up space for something exciting, or sell some of your surplus spawns to recoup some hobbyist costs. Your excess fish are somebody else's happiness. There is a 14 bag limit per membership per night.

PROGRAMS The main course of the meeting is the slide show and/or lecture on topics of interest to all aquarists. Refresh old subject matter that needs updating, or open up new horizons with facets of this varied hobby that you may never be exposed to elsewhere. Many expert speakers from within our club or who have distinguished themselves in the hobby at large are happy to invite your interest in their specialities. Always a great learning experience, and its FREE!

RAFFLES Every month valuable aquarium products are raffled off to benefit the club. Tickets are 5 for $1.00, and can be purchased at the Sales Table. Prizes range from aquariums, power filters, fish food, heaters, to gift certificates, decorations, and medications. Our generous and loyal sponsors donate the products whose proceeds benefit the club. Support your society by buying the tickets that have put a lot of great stuff in the fishrooms of your friends! Special raffles often pop up, sometimes for a holiday, or to celebrate at year's end. For these the club makes the purchase and the raffle is a vehicle to return something to the membership. Chinese style raffles involve some unusual or top quality fishes either donated or purchased by the club. Tickets are usually $1 each or 6 for $5, and you may distribute your tickets as you desire; increasing the odds of getting the fish you covet most. This is a fun way of scoring fish for a cheap price.

SALES TABLE T-shirts sporting the DCAS logo are available in all sizes for $10.00 each. Tropical Fish Hobbyist and Aquarium Fish Monthly magazines are available at discount prices. Bagged bulk fish food is also available at a good price. Items are offered as a service to our members as well as enhancing the Club's finances.

TRADING POST Buy, sell, or trade. Seek the special hard to get fish. Sell the fish you've spawned. Compose your ad and mail it to the FINFAX if you're a member, or post it on the bulleting board.