Most of us have a similar story of our introduction into the aquarium hobby. It usually begins with a stroll through a pet store or interest in a display tank at an office or friends home. Before long, we have our first tank and are seeking out information on all things aquatic. This information comes via books, the internet or, the best of all, joining an association. The wonderful thing about an association is that you are in the company of others who share your interests. Collectively, a group of people are usually able to accomplish more than an individual. I ask you to keep this in mind as you read further.

I am very proud of my home aquarium society the Hill Country Cichlid Club. This is a little more than a group of friends who simply enjoy the hobby. We are in a good part of the country with a strong brotherhood of other aquarium clubs including the Texas Cichlid Association, Houston Aquarium Society, and Oklahoma Aquarium Association. We all operate under an umbrella organization called the Federation of Texas Aquarium Societies (F.O.T.A.S). Other areas of the country have similar organized structure. Our little area contains a high concentration of people who enjoy the cichlids from in and around Lake Victoria. Most cichlid aquarists are aware to some degree of the problems associated with Lake Victoria and the endemic cichlids there. In a nutshell, there are a number of man made problems that have been occurring in the area for decades. The end result is that many of the 600+ species (estimates at 200) that inhabit the great lake have gone extinct and many more are in peril of suffering a similar fate. There has to be something that we as hobbyists can do collectively to protect the fish we are captivated by from this region.

In January of 2008, The HCCC members were treated to a talk by the premier scientist concentrating on the cichlids from Lake Victoria, Dr. Les Kaufman. In his talk, Dr. Kaufman expressed his frustration in that many of the perils in the region could be rectified if only people would take serious notice in the situation. He explained how a little money in the right hands could create a huge difference. Dr. Kaufman introduced us to a former graduate student of his, Dr. William Ojwang. Dr. Ojwang is a research scientist with the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute in Kisumu Kenya. Dr. Kaufman explained how Dr. Ojwang had begun purchasing aquariums to be used in the schools of the region. These aquariums hold native fish from Lake Victoria and are used as an educational tool showing the children what beautiful creatures live in the massive lake. Educating the people populating the region is a major step forward to the eventual goal of saving the native fauna. Dr. Ojwang is making a huge impact with very little money. If he had more capital to work with, one could only speculate what could be done. The Hill Country Cichlid Club is taking this opportunity to "change the world" very seriously. What makes this different from any other charity? Dr. Kaufman has set up a currency transfer to seamlessly send funds to Dr Ojwang. There is no administration fees, no hands involved in money distribution, just one man, who knows better than anyone, where funds could be best spent. We are presently involved in fund raising to support this fantastic cause. This is just the beginning and we hope to have a website up soon to keep the world abreast of our efforts.

The support that has been relayed in such a short period of time has been outstanding. From the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), Moody Gardens are exploring ways to become involved as are other institutions. It's my hope that the aquarium hobby can lead the way with fund raising for this cause. We have a phenomenal role model to follow. The B.I.T.C.H.'s (Babes in the Cichlid Hobby) have been highly successful in their efforts involving cichlid conservation. If we could enjoy just a fraction what their efforts yield, a huge impact could be made. I would like to call on all organizations, local, regional and national, to generate efforts aimed at supporting this project. The first venture of the Hill Country Cichlid Club involved members donating items to our February auction. We were able to net over $400.00 to the cause with little effort.

As many of you are aware, the C.A.R.E.S. (Conservation Awareness Recognition Encouragement Support) program is involved with cichlid conservation. Under the guidance of Claudia Dickinson, we hope to integrate the Kenyan institutions with schools in the United States that have already initiated a curriculum that includes the maintaining and breeding of endangered cichlid species, many from the Victorian Basin. The Aqua Havens project has been a huge success thus far and will be our first US school involved in exchanging dialogue with their Kenyan counterpart.

Aside from the good feeling of helping to make real progress with the situation in Lake Victoria, what's in this for the cichlid hobbyist? There are hundreds of beautiful cichlids Lake Victoria that have never made it into the hobby. This is a shame as these fish make ideal aquarium residents. They are relatively small, extremely colorful, and most take well to living in captive conditions. What a tragic loss it would be if more of these animals were to sink into oblivion without us ever having a chance to enjoy them. So long as they are being maintained by someone, and hopefully propagated, there is always a chance these fish will make it into the aquarium trade. These students are the next generation of caretakers for this region. If enough children are educated in the pitfalls of what destructive activities holds for their precious waters, they will be the ones to innate reforestation, sustained fisheries, industrial pollution accountability and a host of other problems the region sees today. This is our best chance.

It is said to take one step at a time. That being the case, the first step is doing what is needed for Dr. Ojwang to continue his efforts. There are other associates in Tanzania and Uganda who share Dr. Ojwang's vision and are willing to do what they can to make a difference in their countries as Dr. Ojwang has in his. The exchange of information between the African and Western schools will enhance the educational experience of students in both regions. This is a win-win situation for all parties involved. There exists a ready made infrastructure for the exchange of funds and information. We the hobbyists are the fuel that can really make this run. I urge you, the individual, the club, the regional and national organization, to make this happen. If any additional information is required, please contact any of the people listed below.

Hill Country Cichlid Club
C.A.R.E.S.
Aqua Havens

Greg Steeves
JB Edmunston
Claudia Dickinson

We keep a variety of African Cichlids from the three main African lakes: Malawi, Tanganyika, and Victoria. We have a special interest in Victorian cichlid conservation efforts. Here you'll find pictures and articles on the species we keep and other articles written by people who share our passion for these wonderful fish.

Please visit our site, AfricanCichlids.net. We have a plethora of articles, over 500 pictures in our gallery, an active forum, puzzles, shopping and more!