Practical Hints for Displaying Show Fish

by Pat Hartman
SouthWestern Michigan Aquarium Society.  From SWAM, September/October 2001 Issue
Aquarticles

As a hobbyist that has been showing fish for about 20 years, and historically has been fortunate enough to place quite well at fish shows, I was encouraged to provide some insight on how I prepare fish for show. To me there are two basic aspects in showing fish, one is selecting good quality fish and the second is displaying them properly.

Selection of fish is rather straightforward. Every hobbyist tends to “judge” his or her own fish when deciding which fish to bring to the show. As a I discussed in a previous article (1), fish are usually judged according to the following general criteria:

Size - how large is this specimen compared to the known size for this fish?

Coloration - how does the color of this fish compare to the known coloration of this fish?

Finnage - overall condition of the fish’s fins? splits, knicks, or other fin damage are faults.

Deportment - is this fish swimming or displaying as it is supposed to, or is it hovering all clamped up at the bottom or hiding in the corner of the container?

General Condition - this is a “catch all” for the general appearance of the fish, which may include factors such as scales or other body damage, scars, hollow bellies, curved spines, old age, unnatural appendages, or other unappealing aspects of the overall fish.

Once the selection decisions made, it is time to begin preparation of the show containers and acclimation the fish to their temporary surroundings. With the exception of size, all of these factors in judging can be influenced by the manner in which the fish is isolated, transported, and displayed. Proper display of the fish can have a significant impact on deportment and condition.

Adequate room. First and foremost, the show container, albeit a bowl or tank, should be large enough to provide sufficient space for the fish. Most Show Rules usually specify a “flat sided container”. I generally use 2 quart or 1 gallon glass drum bowls since those are what I have. The smaller plastic tanks with corresponding covers also work quite well for smaller fish. Larger 5 - 10 gallon glass tanks are suitable for larger fish. Years ago, there was one person at another club that would consistently put an adult size Angelfish in a two quart bowl. The poor fish was barely wet and could not move, which from some judge’s perspective, is grounds for disqualification. I personally do not like to disqualify any entry unless the fish is obviously diseased or deformed. However, I have a very low tolerance for this type of cruelty.

Acclimation and Clean water. Another significant factor is to provide adequate time for the fish to acclimate to their show container, and to display the fish in as much clean water as possible. I realize that some hobbyists simply take some water from the tank, put it in the bowl, add the fish, and off to the show they go. I prefer not to do it that way. I try to isolate my potential show entries in their show containers, bowls or small tanks, during the middle of the week prior to show weekend. I fill the bowl about half full with water directly from the tank, and try to catch and transfer the show fish as gently as possible using my hand or a soft net. Each day, I do a partial water change on each of the bowls attempting to remove the ugly waste and refill with clean fresh water. I usually do not use any chemical additives in the water in my permanent tanks. However for show and auction fish, I will prepare a mixture of a small amount of Stress Coat™, some AmQuel™ (liquid ammonia absorbent), and salt in a gallon jug of water. I add about one turkey baster of this mixture per half gallon of water in the show container and/or auction bags.

Do not feed. Proper diet well before show time is essential. However, my show and auction fish are not fed after being isolated, and especially not at the show. This will only cloud and pollute the water. Being fasted for a few days does not harm healthy fish.

Transporting to Show Site. For fish that are to shown in bowls, I will transport the fish to the show site in the bare bowl. I have had bad experiences with fish jumping through Saran Wrap type covers, therefore I use clear plastic fish bags for bowl covers and secure the plastic with rubber bands. I then use a needle to poke several small holes in the cover for air exchange. Gravel and/or any other decorations in the container only increase the chance that the fish will injure itself during transport. Even with these precautions, one of the major risks is that the fish will bash its nose into the side of the container during transport. This does happen on occasion. For fish to be shown in tanks, I will bag the fish separately and release them in the tank at the show site. I place the show containers containing the fish in Styrofoam lined boxes in attempt to minimize exposure to excessive heat and light while in the car. Upon arrival at the site, I unpack the boxes, inspect each container, and perform any additional water changes as necessary.

Final Preparation. Once at the show, then and only then, I add gravel to the bowls. It is my experience that the gravel or some other sort of bottom cover darkens the light reflection from the glass, which hopefully tends to make fish more comfortable which in turns, tends to make the fish display better in regards to color and deportment. I use larger round pebble gravel, which usually has no sharp edges for the fish to injure itself.

Next, I add the background, usually cut from construction paper in a color that will enhance the appearance of the fish being displayed. The entries are placed in their class location and finally I’ll hook up the air as deemed necessary. Many fish do not require any supplemental air or filtration during the relatively short duration of the show, and actually will show better without the disruption of an airline. For fish that do require air, I place the air diffuser near the top of the tank, just sufficient to provide adequate air exchange. Air outlets that are jammed to the bottom of the container serve no purpose, and tend to provide the fish with something extra to crash into, thus the added potential for damage. For fish that tend to crap a lot, such as Goldfish, I will use an air driven sponge or box filter inside the tank to help maintain good water quality and appearance.

I do not use heaters. I simply allow the show containers to equilibrate to the ambient room temperatures of the show site. I have not experienced any significant problems with temperature extremes, either too cold or too warm, at the various show sites, with the exception to avoid exposure to any direct sunlight from windows or skylights, which can heat small containers of water much faster than you might think.

As a final check, I wipe off the bowls with a paper towel. To me cleanliness is important. While the judging should be of the fish, not the container, if it comes down to a close call, many judges will naturally favor the nicer and cleaner display container.

During the show weekend, I will usually check on my entries for general appearance of the fish and container, water quality, and airflow; then make the corresponding adjustments including a partial water change, if necessary.

I must admit I am not nearly as careful and meticulous in taking the fish home from the show as I was in bringing them. I’ll remove the airlines, but not the gravel, put the covers back on the bowls, and put the containers back in the boxes of the ride home. Once home, I re-acclimate each show fish to this home tank by putting it in a plastic bag with some of the water from the show container and doing the usual “float” routine. I dump the gravel into a bucket for washing and reuse, and rinse the bowls with hot water. With this bit of extra work, my show containers are clean and ready to go for the next show, when it is then time to repeat this same process all over again.?

Reference

“Another Crapshoot – An Inside Perspective of Showing and Judging at Age of Aquariums 99” by Pat Hartman, SWAM