February 24, 2023 – Speaker: Joel Antkowiak
• Presentation: Experiences with CARES Priority List Species
• Speaker: Joel Antkowiak
• Bio:
Born on the Southside of Pittsburgh in 1962, Joel's first brush with the organized hobby came in
1976 when he found an ad for the American Killifish Association in an old aquarium hobby
magazine. Having always appreciated the beauty of these fishes from the color plates in the old
"Innes book", and not seeing them in local stores, he joined in order to acquire some. A few years
later Joel found the Greater Pittsburgh Aquarium Society, where he was a member for a few years
before graduating from the University of Pittsburgh and moving out of the area. Joel is now living
in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania where he is an active member of the Aquarium Club of
Lancaster County. Joel has earned many of the club’s annual awards, and was the FAAS Author
of the Year for 2012. Joel has been awarded the club’s annual “CARES Member of the Year”
award for each year from 2011 thru 2016, and in 2019 and 2022. Joel was recently honoured with
lifetime membership in the ACLC for completing the highest level of the club’s Writer’s and
Artist’s Award Program. Joel has maintained anywhere from a few to about 60 tanks at any one
time throughout his adult life and has kept many different species of fish. He is often amazed at
how some species were once very common and now seem to be non-existent despite their
attractiveness and ease of care and husbandry, seemingly pushed out of the hobby by the “next
great thing.” Joel has most recently been added to the official CARES speaker list and is honoured
to be able to work with some of the greats in the hobby in this capacity.
Meeting Location:
Crafton Volunteer Fire Department
8 Stotz Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15205
Doors open at 6:30 PM; meeting starts at 7:30 PM
Turn in your BAP/AHAP
Breeders Award Program (BAP) and Aquatic Horticulture Awards Program (AHAP) will be accepted.
RAFFLE
Support your club and potentially win prizes donated by our sponsors. Support our sponsors by visiting their web pages listed on this web site.
50/50 to help cover cost of event venue
50% of the winnings go to a participant, 50% goes to club to help pay rent for facilities.
Mini-Auction
There will be a mini-auction. Sellers will receive 70% of sales. 30% goes to club to help pay for expenses and supplies.
Comradery
There will be plenty of time to mingle with members and guests throughout the evening.