XVII. Congress of the Czech Cichlid Club

Meeting of the Members of the Czech Cichlid Club

Just like every year, this year's morning was dedicated to the members of the Czech Cichlid Club. Right after the opening, the honorary membership for Miloslav (Míla) Kolařík from Úvaly was unanimously and enthusiastically approved. During the discussion of further agenda items, it was clear that all members were eager to participate in the discussions. Above all, they are already looking forward to the planned events of 2025, about which we will keep you informed on ForAquarist.

Afternoon Lecture with MUDr. Bydžovský

The highlight, however, was the afternoon, when so many visitors came to the lecture by MUDr. Bydžovský that they easily filled all the seats.

The World of Discus and Angelfish

The lecturer took us on a journey around the world. So we could admire photos from the Amazon for a while, with an explanation of where angelfish and discus live. In the blink of an eye we were transported to Peru, then just like that to Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and further to Hong Kong. There was something to talk about everywhere, and not just about discus and angelfish. The doctor interspersed the information with local specifics and interesting facts.

There was no lack of information and photos from important discus and angelfish exhibitions, for example from 2009 in Česká Lípa. By the way, Zdeněk Dočekal has won many awards from these exhibitions over the years, and more than once first place.

South American Dwarf Cichlids and Red Species of the Genus Nannostomus - Biotopes and Breeding

The second part of the afternoon was focused on South American dwarf cichlids and red species of the genus Nannostomus. We admired all those beautiful dwarf cichlids. We were particularly interested in the information, which clearly confirmed that we have had top-class aquarists in the Czech Republic for many years. For example, Dr. Bydžovský presented a kind of "panelák" (apartment building) in a single aquarium. I counted 24 pairs of Microgeophagus ramirezi at the flower pots. This ingenious work by Zdeněk Dočekal was presented at lectures all over the world and everywhere it aroused admiration for how the Czech aquarist dealt with the territorial behavior of the fish.

There were countless photos of various species from the wild or aquariums. Dr. Bydžovský only exceptionally mentioned specific details that could be considered purely professional. Thus, the lecture also captivated visitors who came just out of curiosity or as companions. As I looked around the hall, I saw mainly well-known personalities from the world of aquaristics.

There was so much information that you could listen to such a lecture again and it would still be full of interesting facts.

Raffle and Evening Entertainment

In the evening, the traditional raffle followed, which mainly appealed to active breeders. They had so many tickets that I'm not surprised that none were left for me, busy with discussions. Luckily, Honza Burzanovský gave me a few, so I too could enjoy aquarium plants and quality food for cichlids.

It is also worth mentioning the pleasant free entertainment in the evening, which lasted until the closing time of the Hotel Hejčman, and if it had been possible, the discussions would have lasted even longer.

Conclusion

For me it was a congress in every sense of the word. I am glad that I am a member of the ČCK, and not only because of the professional lectures. Above all, I appreciate the opportunity to be in contact with people for whom aquaristics is everything in the best sense of the word.

You should definitely not miss next year's autumn ČCK congress in Žďár nad Sázavou!

Thanks to Luděk Zicháček for sharing the photo documentation