The British Aquarist Festival (BAF) has continued its long tradition of finding the Champion of Champions in coldwater and tropical fish each year, reports Dr David Ford.
Held at Darwen in Lancashire on Sunday October 13, BAF is organised by the Federation of Northern Aquarium Societies (FNAS) and is an Open Show, but the Championship class is only available to fish that have won a first this year.
At the BAF2012 show a first was won by a (not so Common) goldfish by Sherridan Moores, Chairman of the NGPS (Northern Goldfish and Pondkeepers Society) — hence it became eligible for the C of C Coldwater and won the BAF2013 award…
The tropical award went to Bernard O’Neill of Rydale AS with a Hovering zebra loach (Yunnanilus cruciatus) — pictured at the top of the page. This rare fish (breeding unknown) is found only in Central Vietnam’s streams among very dense vegetation — hence its other common name of Vietnamese multi-banded zebra Loach.
The show had 58 entries in the 40 Classes; which is actually an FNAS OS incorporating the Champion of Champions from the original BAF show.
Firsts in each of these classes were won by members from seven of the Federation clubs: Club 2000, Port Talbot, CSG (Catfish Study Group), NGPS, Stamps, Ryedale and Workington.
The Best in Show was a Burmese loach (Botia histrionica) owned by John Egan of Port Talbot.
An auction was held, a raffle, hot food all day (pies and mushy peas) and a lecture by Dr David Ford of Aquatic Services on 'The History of the Aquarium' — for those who missed it last year!
The judging was by FNAS judges Bill Ward, Bill Drake, Barry Booker and Roy Johnson.
Full details will be available on the new FNAS website, where details of the FNAS OS and BAF2014 will also be published ASAP next year…
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