National Aquarium Conference

[coelacanth]

We were at the National Aquarium Conference (formerly the National Aquarium Workshop) over the weekend down at Bristol Zoo, as usual the number of presentations specific to freshwater was quite low, but still some interesting information. A vet covered surgery on Arowana jaw symphyses, with astonishingly good results even where significant bone loss had resulted, there was fascinating talk on the potential for interactive interpretation, the Big Fish Campaign had an update, coverage of fish food labelling and composition and how it differs from the typical natural diets of most of the freshwater fish we keep. Crayfish conservation in the UK had an airing (the zoo aquarium has a display), and the Horniman Museum had two talks around tropical frogs, one covering chytrid fungus and bacterial communities in captive populations, the other on tadpole diets. There was a poster presentation on aggression in Tropheus from the zoo aquarium team, and aalso a couple on technology as applicable to the aquarium environment.

Significant amounts of alcohol were also consumed during the Saturday evening dinner…

[Matt]

Would be interested to know more about the fish food debate. Was the overview generally positive or negative?

[coelacanth]

The talks were time-limited so there wasn’t really scope to go into too much detail. It covered the different requirements between the UK, Europe and the US, ingredients listings and analysis, products claims etc. 

Was by Donna Snellgrove from Mars (Aquarian and API), she’s really interested in trying to improve diets but cost and reliablity of supply always have to take precedence.

[Author]

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