Breeders Awards Program

I.   Purpose

A.    To encourage member of GPAS to breed fish and share knowledge concerning the spawning and rearing fish.
B.    To recognize the achievements of GPAS members concerning the breeding of fish.
C.    To promote an interest in and make available a wider variety of fish.
D.    To encourage more members to be active participants in the society.

 

II.  Lifetime Achievement Award

A.    The program is made up of six levels of achievement. The levels and requirements are as follows

B.    Certificates or Plaques will be awarded to breeders in the following categories:

Novice — five qualified spawnings
Breeder — fifteen qualified spawnings
Intermediate — twenty five qualified spawnings
Advanced — forty qualified spawnings
Master — sixty qualified spawnings
Grand Master — one hundred qualified spawnings

C.    Attainment of any level will be recognized at the next general meeting after official verification.

D.    Participants achieving the level of Grand Master will be awarded Lifetime membership in the GPAS.

E.    Uncommonly spawned species may be considered by the BAP for special recognition.

 

III.   Special (non-point) Awards

A.    No fish may be entered for a special award that has not also and/or separately been entered in the Lifetime Achievement program.

B.    A species may be used in more than one Special BAP Program. Each programs submission must be submitted separately, although they may be submitted at the same meeting.

C.    Breeder-of-the-year — An award will be given to the BAP participant who has the highest BAP point total in any given calendar year. The award will be given in April. Species previously used for Lifetime Achievement may be respawned and entered in the Breeder-of-the-Year once each year. However they only count once towards the Lifetime Achievement Award. In case of a tie, the breeder with most new Lifetime Achievement spawns wins.

D.    Specialization Award — An aquarist must spawn 6 different members of one family of fish, (e.g. Cichlidae, Anabantidae, Callichthydae) or 6 different and distinct trade recognized colors and/or fin types, (e.g. Angelfish – Koi, Gold, Black, Blushing, Silver, and Clown), or six fish that spawn in a similar manner, (e.g. bubble-nesters, mouth-brooders, cave-spawners, etc.).

1.    Before an attempt at a specialization award, the BAP chair, or their appointee must approve it.

2.    When obtaining a Specialization Award for a similar spawning method, at least two families must be represented.

3.    The participant is responsible for maintaining records to show the six species spawned for a Specialization Award.

4.    A brief list of possible spawning methods follows. This list is not all-inclusive and a participant may use other categories with BAP chair approval. Upon approval of a category the BAP chair should update this list.

a.    Mouthbrooders

b.    Bubblenesters

c.    Cave-spawners

d.    Livebearers

e.    Mop Spawners

E.   Diversification Award — An award will be given for diversity in breeding once all ten families/orders have been turned in. To receive this award, the participant must have turned in a BAP, for Lifetime achievement, of at least one fish from each of the following families/orders:

1.    Poecilidae or Goodeidae

2.    Anabantidae

3.    Cypriniformes

4.    Characiniformes

5.    Cichlidae

6.    Aplocheilidae

7.    Siluriformes

8.    Atherinidae, or Bedotidae, or Pseudomugilidae

9.    Gobiidae

10.  One other family not listed above

 

IV.    Rules and Program Definitions

A.    Eligibility

1.    Any GPAS member whose membership is current, and not in arrears, may participate in any BAP function.

2.    A species may only be turned in once for Lifetime Achievement points.

3.    The name of a fish scientifically recognized as Genus-species-subspecies and population/collection data (if known). If a subspecies or population is later raised to full species status, you may enter a different subspecies and obtain points for Lifetime Achievement. If a species hasn’t been assigned a scientific name, the name should contain the Genus and the temporary name, (e.g. Arcocentrus sp. “Red Point”), should the species later be found to be a previously described species, points will be deducted from the Lifetime Achievement Award, but not from other awards.

4.    Eggs and/or fry must be obtained by spawning your fish in your tanks.

B.    Awards of Points:

1.    To receive points for a fish, 5 fry must be turned in as a donation to the BAP committee. The fry must be auctioned at a regular meeting, or at the annual show auction. For species whose spawn is normally less than 5 fry, special arrangements must be made with the BAP chair in advance.

2.    The participant must turn every spawn in with a completed BAP form that is signed by both the participant and the BAP chair or appointee. Registration of BAP fish for points is via the BAP form ONLY. No exceptions are allowed, even with permission from the BAP chair.

3.    The participant is responsible for obtaining, completing and turning in all forms required. The BAP chair is responsible for making all current forms available, online and at the general meeting.

C.    BAP Auctions:

1.    To get BAP points and recognition, at least five (5) fry must survive to 60 days post hatch, or birth if a livebearing fish, and five (5) fish at least 60 days old must be auctioned at the General Meeting. Auctioning of BAP spawns at the Annual Show Auction is allowed if approved by BAP committee.

a.    Fish who normally have less than 5 young, (i.e. Rays), should be consulted with the BAP chair prior to submission.

b.    Members are encouraged to use common sense when submitting fry for BAP, as some fish need to be much older than the 60-day minimum to be easily identified by the BAP committee as to species, and also to be safe to bag and sell to others. Please do not bring in fish that are not large enough that you would not feel comfortably buying them yourself. The BAP committee reserves the right not to accept fish that are deemed too small to auction.

2.    The proceeds of all BAP submissions shall go to GPAS. The money shall be used for awards, and other GPAS expenditures, and put in the general fund.

D.    The BAP Committee, with whom resides final authority, will settle any disputes, regarding the BAP.

E.    The BAP committee consists of the BAP Chairman, and their appointees. The GPAS President appoints the BAP Chairman and the appointment expires at the BOD meeting prior the April general meeting, unless reappointed.