Members should have received the excellent Jan/Feb issue of the Goldfish Report magazine at the end of March. Take a look here for more info on upcoming issues and the publication schedule. We hope everyone is enjoying what is now our second year of publishing top quality content in a full color format!
Please note: the GFSA editors are seeking an individual with experience in Microsoft Publisher to help with the layout of the newsletter. Anyone interested in joining the dynamic team that puts out our magazine, please contact our editor.
If you have let your membership lapse or have been thinking about joining the GFSA, now is a great time - here is a form you can print. To submit material for the Goldfish Report to editor Matt Lyon, please see the updated society contact info. Articles and photos in electronic form are particularly appreciated.
The current line-up of people filling the GFSA offices is on the society officers page.
Seasonal Advice
Temperature and fish health: while goldfish do very well at 68 deg F (20 deg C), sometimes the effects of temperature are more complex. Goldfish that have a winter dormancy period of a month or two may live several years longer than fish that do not. On the other hand, illnesses like certain bacterial and protozoan problems may always be in the environment, but may only harm fish in the spring. What happens is that these one-celled creatures can rapidly multiply as the water warms, out pacing the immune systems of the fish still weak from hibernation. Outbreaks when the water temperature is 45 to 50 deg F are fairly commonplace.
Another aspect is that certain diseases may only thrive in a specific temperature range. Moving the temperature higher or lower than that range may dramatically enhance the ability of the fish to overcome the problem, with or without medication. The complexity here is to know what is the specific problem and how is it affected by temperature. If you find you have recurring problems, you might want to investigate this aspect to see if it offers an additional tool you can use to maintain your fishes' health.