September 27, 2024 – Mark Duffill
• Presentation topic: Loaches
• Speaker: Mark Duffill
• Mark Duffill was born in 1972, and his trade was originally that of a fully qualified electrician, although, he had an interest in fish from a very young age. He got his first fish when he was 6 years old and was “hooked” immediately. As soon as he was old enough he became a junior member of the local fish keeping club that his parents ran and got the bug for showing fish and winning prizes! Eventually he became a valued committee member of the club and eventually was club secretary.
This aside he also advanced to become an A-class judge for the North East Federation of Aquarist Societies. The hobby of fish keeping took a back seat for a while due to work commitments, however unfortunately his career as an electrician ended in 1999 when he was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and spondylosis in the spine. Since then he channeled his time, energy and passion for fish keeping, breeding or catching and collecting them.
Mark works primarily with Loaches, Rasboras and other Asian species, although he has periodically diverted his attention to other fish including African Rift Cichlids, Characins, Corydoras, Discus, Livebearers of all descriptions and even at one point had nothing but Rainbow fishes, but no matter what he kept he was always drawn back to Loaches and Rasboras. Mark owns and gives time to several websites and forums including Northeast Aquatics, Seriously Fish and Rasboras.com to name just a few, more recently he began working alongside Mr. David Marshall who is owner and editor of The Aquarium Gazette, Mark looks after the website and contributes articles and photos to the publication.
In 2009, Mark became the founder of the International Loach Association, formerly Loach Association of Great Britain. Mark has also had his articles published in several magazines around the world and had them translated into numerous languages and has been invited to travel to clubs within the UK and now around the world to give presentations on Loaches.
Mark’s passion for Loaches has seen him successfully spawn numerous species, which for some time Loaches were considered unbreedable but thanks to Mark and people like him, this myth has been dispelled. Species include Yasuhikotakia sidthimunki, Sewellia, and Acanthocobitis zonalternans, also firsts such as Botia kubotai, Botia histrionica, Acanthopsoides species and most recently a major breakthrough with the first recorded spawning of Yasuhikotakia splendida.
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.