New England Cichlid Association Information
The New England Cichlid Association is a club for those aquaria hobbyists who love cichlids. Cichlids have a number of qualities that separate them from other aquaria species. Whether it's their colors, their interesting behaviors or their parental care, you can join the group to discuss whatever it is you love about these fish. You don't have to join the club to participate on the forum. Everyone and anyone with an interest in cichlids is encouraged to participate and share their stories. The association part of New England Cichlids, is simply a group of people who enjoy getting together, face to face to discuss and share the fish we love. Whether it's a trip to a local shop, or a meeting at a member's home where we may have a speaker sharing their knowledge of a species or aquaria topics, the club gets together to have fun and enjoy each other's company, face to face. Because food for meetings, speakers, and other costs are associated in running a club, we charge a $10 dollar fee to join. If you want to attend an event or two, meet club members, etc, there's no fee to check it out, and the majority of the site here is open to members and non-members alike.
Featured Speaker (Coming in May 2012)
Jeff Cardwell
Jeff Cardwell has been active in the aquarium hobby for 40 years. He maintains over 70 aquaria and his interests and expertise extend to catfish, killies, rainbowfishes and cichlids. Jeff has traveled extensively to collect aquarium fishes in Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, Surinam, Uruguay, Mexico, the Bahamas and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
An enthusiastic keeper of North America's native fishes, his collecting trips have also taken him to many parts of the United States.
Both as a speaker and a judge, Jeff has been a familiar figure at shows throughout the Midwest for more than twenty years. He is an active member of the American Cichlid Association, the American Killifish Association, the American Rainbow Fish Society, the Apistogramma Study Group and the Cichlasoma Study Group.
Club Information
President: Jim Cormier (jmtrops) jimcormier@charter.netVice President: Ben Belancik (fish killer) benjaminsr@belancik.com
Treasurer: Gary Barrette (GaryB) gmbarrette@yahoo.com
Recording Secretary: Jim Kenniston (tangJim) jkenniston@sbcglobal.net
Board Member: Chuck Pixley (cpix3) cpixley3@verizon.net
The Club Board is made up of the people listed above. You can contact any of us through the forum for more information.
Other Members of Note:
ACA Liaison: Jim Cormier (jmtrops)NEC Delegate: Ben Belancik (fish killer)
Member Chair: Gary Barrette (GaryB)
Newsletter Editor: Jim Cormier (jmtrops)
Site Admin: Gary Barrette (GaryB)
Forum Moderator: Jim Cormier (jmtrops)
Meeting Schedule
Meetings are the first Saturday of each month. No meetings July/August.
Our club typically uses a meeting rotation schedule. Pot Luck Social Event at a members home, bring in a well known Cichlid Speaker, and organize some type of fish related trip.
March Meeting: (TBD).
April Meeting: 1st Annual NECA Auction, Sunday April 22! Stay tuned for further information.
May Meeting: Speaker meeting with Jeff Cardwell Saturday May 5. Meeting starts at 6:00 pm at the Lutz Children's Museum in Manchester, CT.
Club Dues
Dues are $10 paid annually
Dues help to cover the cost of snacks at the meetings, speaker fees and other expenses. We hold mini-auctions at every meeting. Club members are entitled to place items, fish, etc in the auction and receive a 70/30 split in favor of the club member. Non-members can place cichlids-only in the auction and receive a 50/50 split. Any member who makes at least 5 of the 9 scheduled annual meetings will have dues waived for the following year.
NEC Member
All NECA members are NEC members by default
Being an NEC member means that Breeders Awards Points for the club count towards the NEC BPP program. Articles written for the New England Cichlid will be automatically entered into the articles contest with awards given each year at the NEC convention. One club member will receive free admission to the NEC convention each year, so long as a delegate or Club President attends at least three out of four of the quarterly NEC meetings.