Youngstown Area Tropical Fish Society (YATFS)

10/22/2026

Notice to All YATSFS Members.
No Meeting on Nov. 20th at the church.
We will meet the following day at the Best Western Plus around lunchtime. Food and Refreshments will be provided. You do not need to stay at the hotel or attend the Extravaganza to attend this meeting. You may also find a few fish that you want at a reasonable price. More details to follow.

10/17/2026

Youngstown area tropical fish society’s Fall auction going strong!

10/16/2026

Fish meeting night!! It’s going to a blast! C U there!

10/13/2026

New and Rare for the Y.A.T.F.S. Fall Auction 2026

The auction will be held on Saturday, October 17, 2026, starting at 11:00 AM (Buyers and Sellers can register starting at 10:00 AM).

The auction is held at:

Lake Milton Baptist Temple
415 S Pricetown Rd
Diamond, OH 44412

Park in the back or on the right side of the building.

Next up the Zebra Platy (Xiphophorus maculatus) is a selectively bred color and pattern variant of the southern platyfish, a peaceful and beginner-friendly freshwater livebearer.

• Care Level: Beginner-friendly and hardy.

• Temperament: Peaceful, social community fish.

• Size: Males reach about 2 inches (4–5 cm); females grow up to 2.5–3 inches (6 cm).

• Minimum Tank Size: 10 to 15 gallons (approx. 54 liters or larger).

• Water Temperature: 20°C – 26°C (68°F – 78°F).

• pH Level: 7.0 – 8.0 (prefers slightly alkaline, medium-hard to hard water).

• Water Hardness: 10 – 25 dGH.

• Diet: Omnivorous; accepts high-quality flakes, micro-pellets, vegetables (spinach, cucumber), and live or frozen foods like brine shrimp and bloodworms.

• Breeding: Livebearer; females gestate for about 4 to 6 weeks and can drop up to 80 fry per batch. Maintain a ratio of 2 to 3 females per male to reduce breeding stress.

Photo Credit:

Zebra platy and over 2000 aquarium species on stock with 24 hours express delivery to your door. Buy fish, corals and inverts online.

10/13/2026

New and Rare for the Y.A.T.F.S. Fall Auction 2026

The auction will be held on Saturday, October 17, 2026, starting at 11:00 AM (Buyers and Sellers can register starting at 10:00 AM).

The auction is held at:

Lake Milton Baptist Temple
415 S Pricetown Rd
Diamond, OH 44412

Park in the back or on the right side of the building.

Next up Dwarf Anchor Catfish (Hara jerdoni)
a tiny, peaceful freshwater fish native to slow-moving rivers and streams in northeastern India and Bangladesh

• Size: Grows to a maximum of about 1.25 to 1.6 inches (3.2–4 cm).

• Appearance: Features a cryptic mottled brown and beige pattern that resembles a twig, bark chip, or river stone, with anchor-shaped pectoral fins used to stabilize on the substrate.

• Minimum Tank Size: 8 to 10 gallons (best kept in a small group of 5 to 6 or more).

• Water Parameters:

• Temperature: 64°F to 78°F (18°C–26°C)

• pH: 5.5 to 7.5

• Water flow: Prefers gentle to moderate, well-oxygenated flow.

• Temperament: Shy, nocturnal, and completely peaceful. Good tank mates include small, peaceful fish like Dario species or Celestial Pearl Danios.

Avoid aggressive or fast-swimming bottom-feeders that will outcompete them for food.

• Diet: Micropredators and scavengers that prefer live or frozen foods such as baby brine shrimp, bloodworms, daphnia, micro worms, and grindal worms.

Photo Credit:

Expert facts, care advice, feeding tips and breeding information about the Dwarf Anchor Catfish (Erethistes/Hara jerdoni) for freshwater aquarium enthusiasts.

10/13/2026

New and Rare for the Y.A.T.F.S. Fall Auction 2026

The auction will be held on Saturday, October 17, 2026, starting at 11:00 AM (Buyers and Sellers can register starting at 10:00 AM).

The auction is held at:

Lake Milton Baptist Temple
415 S Pricetown Rd
Diamond, OH 44412

Park in the back or on the right side of the building.

Next up Spadetail Checkerboard Cichlid (Dicrossus maculatus) is a rare, peaceful dwarf cichlid native to the Amazon basin in Brazil (such as the Rio Tapajós and Rio Maués).

It is larger and more intensely colored than its relative, Dicrossus filamentosus.

• Adult Size: 2 to 3.5 inches (5 to 9 cm), with females staying slightly smaller than males.

• Appearance: Features a slender, silver-grey body with a distinct row of dark, square checkerboard blotches along the flanks. Males develop vibrant red, wine-colored, or blue-tinged fins and a spade-shaped caudal tail, while females display striking red a**l fins and bright yellow ventral fins.

• Water Parameters:
• Temperature: 75°F – 84°F (24°C – 30°C)

• pH: 4.5 – 6.5 (soft and acidic)

• Hardness: 0 – 5 dGH

• Aquarium Setup:

• Minimum tank size of 10 to 20+ gallons (larger like 55–75 gallons is recommended if keeping a group).

• Replicate a blackwater/clearwater biotope using a fine sand substrate, driftwood, botanicals (such as catappa leaves), and dense planting or caves for cover.

• Temperament & Diet:
• Peaceful, gregarious, and best kept in groups (8 or more individuals) or in harems (2–3 females per male).

• Carnivorous micro-predator; feed a staple of quality micro-pellets, frozen or live foods like daphnia, brine shrimp, and bloodworms.

Photo credit:

This splendid dwarf cichlid is known to science since 1875, but almost never found in home aquaria. This is a great pity, because there are hardly any species that are as beautiful as this one and simultaneously as peaceful! Males become around 9 cm long, females about 6 cm. The animals we currently...

10/13/2026

New and Rare for the Y.A.T.F.S. Fall Auction 2026

The auction will be held on Saturday, October 17, 2026, starting at 11:00 AM (Buyers and Sellers can register starting at 10:00 AM).

The auction is held at:

Lake Milton Baptist Temple
415 S Pricetown Rd
Diamond, OH 44412

Park in the back or on the right side of the building.

Next up is Orange Fin Flammicomantis Killifish (Nothobranchius flammicomantis)

• Common Name: Kisaki nothobranch / Orange Fin Flammicomantis Killifish

• Size: Maximum length of about 4.7 cm (approx. 1.8 to 2 inches).

• Appearance: Males feature a distinctive red-toned head, orange-coloured filamentous extended anterior a**l fin rays, and banded dorsal and a**l fins. Females are smaller, plain, and silver.

• Lifespan: Short lifespan of about 1 to 2 years, as they are annual fish adapted to temporary water bodies.

• Aquarium Setup:
• Minimum tank size of 10 gallons for a pair (or larger if keeping multiple males).

• A tight-fitting lid or net is required because they are active jumpers.

• Water parameters typically lean moderately hard and alkaline to soft depending on specific breeding/care preferences, with temperatures around 20–27°C (68–80°F).

• Breeding: They spawn in peat moss or a similar soft substrate to mimic dry-season mud. Harvested eggs generally go through a dry incubation (diapause) period lasting a few months before being re-wet to hatch.

Pictures vary quite a bit on line.

https://killis.org.uk/nothobranchius-flammicomantis/

Photo credit:
Nothobranchius flammicomantis “Mwakanga” FTZ 10/21 Photo: Martin Evans

10/13/2026

Have you seen our line up for NEW AND RARE? Counting down the days till this Saturday!!! See you there!

10/11/2026

New and Rare for the Y.A.T.F.S. Fall Auction 2026

The auction will be held on Saturday, October 17, 2026, starting at 11:00 AM (Buyers and Sellers can register starting at 10:00 AM).

The auction is held at:

Lake Milton Baptist Temple
415 S Pricetown Rd
Diamond, OH 44412

Park in the back or on the right side of the building.

Next up is the Two Stripe Killifish, or Lagos Red Killifish, Aphyosemion bivittatum "Lagos" (Reclassified as Chromaphyosemion bitaeniatum "Lagos")

• Common Names: Lagos Red Killifish, Two-Banded Killi, Two-Stripe Lyretail

• Origin: Coastal rainforests and slow-moving streams around Lagos, Nigeria

• Adult Size: 1.5 to 2.5 inches (approx. 4–6 cm)

• Appearance: Males feature glowing orange-red fins, bluish-green sides, and two dark horizontal stripes along the body; females are smaller with more subdued, brownish-gray tones.

Aquarium Care Requirements

• Tank Size: Minimum of 10 gallons (or 40+ liters), ideally well-planted with driftwood and floating cover.

• Water Parameters:
• Temperature: 22°C – 28°C (72°F – 82°F)
• pH Range: 4.0 – 6.5 (soft and slightly acidic)

• Temperament: Generally peaceful, though males can display mild sparring or fin-nipping when establishing dominance.

• Diet: Carnivore / micro-predator; accepts live, frozen, or small flake/pellet foods like baby brine shrimp, daphnia, and bloodworms.

• Special Note: A tightly fitting aquarium lid is essential because these fish are prone to jumping.

Based on the available photos, most are red; there appears to be a blue version. Picture credit to Aquarium Glaser.de and Nano Tanks Australia.com

https://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/18-toothcarps-killis-and-livebearers/chromaphyosemion-bitaeniatum-lagos-2/

https://nanotanksaustralia.com.au/products/aphyosemion-bitaeniatum-lagos-sold-as-pair-1m1f?srsltid=AU7gw4UrsPaABDZbkDSSUA47pXFKiRGU4zS3vWPmUvIzT3j-ChB09VTL

10/11/2026

New and Rare for the Y.A.T.F.S. Fall Auction 2026

The auction will be held on Saturday, October 17, 2026, starting at 11:00 AM (Buyers and Sellers can register starting at 10:00 AM).

The auction is held at:

Lake Milton Baptist Temple
415 S Pricetown Rd
Diamond, OH 44412

Park in the back or on the right side of the building.

Next up is a Pleco catfish, Orange Seam L106
(Hemiancistrus guahiborum)

• Adult Size: Usually tops out between 4 and 6 inches (12–15 cm).

• Minimum Tank Size: 20 to 30 gallons for a single adult.

• Water Temperature: Prefers warm waters ranging from 75°F to 82°F (24°C–28°C).

• Water Chemistry: Ideal pH is 6.0 to 7.5. They thrive best in well-oxygenated water with a moderate to strong current, mimicking their natural river habitats.

• Aquascape: Requires plenty of hiding spots, such as caves, smooth rocks, and driftwood, which allow them to establish territories and feel secure.

🍽️ Diet & Behavior

• Dietary Needs: Unlike pure algae-eating plecos, the L106 is an omnivore with carnivorous leanings. While they will graze on natural algae, they require a protein-rich diet.

Feed them sinking carnivore pellets, gel foods, and frozen treats such as bloodworms or brine shrimp, supplemented with occasional blanched vegetables (such as zucchini).

• Temperament: Generally peaceful and nocturnal community fish. However, they can exhibit territorial aggression toward other plecos or bottom-dwellers if the tank is too cramped or lacks sufficient caves.

Photo by Joel Sartore of National Geographic Photo Ark. He is the founder. The goal is to photograph every animal cared for by people, regardless of size.
https://moe.nationalgeographic.org/en/whats-on/animals-of-earth?utm_campaign=DigitalTabby_MOE&utm_source=Google_Ads&utm_medium=Grant_Search&gad_source=1

https://www.joelsartore.com › photo-ark