Lectures at FISU 2008 – Aquapress

Finland – Helsinki, 26-27 April 2008
On 26-27 April 2007 Heiko Bleher was holding lectures in Helsinki. The event itself is known as „FISU 2008“ and is a joint effort of: the Union of Finnish Aquarium Associations „Suomen Akvaarioliitto“, the Association of Finnish Cichlid Hobbyist „Ciklidistit ry“ (http://www.ciklidistit.fi /) and Helsinki Aquarium Society „Helsingin Akvaarioseura ry“ commonly known by the abbreviation „HAS“ (http://www.has.fi/). Section dedicated to FISU 2008 can be found at http://www.has.fi/FISU2008/

The event took place in Helsinki in the a building of HAAGA-HELIA University of Applied Sciences is:
Ratapihantie 13
00520 Helsinki
FINLAND
Programm of lectures:
Saturday 26.4.2008

10.15 – 11.00 Heiko Bleher: Discus and angelfishes and their best tank mates

11.15 – 12.00   Willem Heijns: Travel report from Nicaragua, cichlids from the crater lakes
Lunch break
13.15 – 14.00    Kenneth McKaye: Behaviour of fishes
14.15 – 15.00    Markku Varjo: „Characoids in nature and in aquarium“
Sunday 27.4.2008
10.15 – 11.00    Heiko Bleher: Rare and fascinating fishes from Southern India

11.15 – 12.00 Pertti Rassi: „50 years, 500 species, 5000 pictures – a variety of catfishes“

Lunch break
13.15 – 14.00 Kenneth McKaye: Cichlids of the Lake Malawi
14.15 – 15.00 Willem Heijns: Breeding Central American cichlids at home
Finnish lecturers gave their presentations in finnish and thus are included their titles in the program in Finnish.
In addition to abovementioned program there was a dinner party on Saturday evening at 18.00 in the restaurant of the Finnish National Theatre at Läntinen Teatterikuja 2, 00100 Helsinki.
For additional information contact the Secretary of the Helsinki Aquarium Society Mr. Ilkka Tuunainen, e-mail sihteeri@has.fi

Simultaneously to FISU 2008 there was a rather large pet exhibition in the proximity at the Helsinki Fair Centre (Messuaukio 1). This exhibition „PetExpo 08“ was attended by Helsinki Aquarium Society presenting about a dozen aquariums with sizes up 720 liters. Information concerning PetExpo can be found at: http://www.finnexpo.fi/petexpo/?code_language=en

_{The most famous building of Helsinki, the Cathedral, was completed in 1852 from the design of the German architect C. L. Engel (1778-1840). In front stands the monument of Alexander II (1818-1881), the Grand Duke of Finland. This Scandinavian country was from 1809 to 1917 under the rule of the Russian Empire and it was the official title of the head of the Grand Principality of Finland, for the Emperor of Russia}

_{C. L. Engel’s neoclassical design dominated Finnish architecture for a hundred years (left). The Helsingin rautatieasema, the main railroad station. Built from Finnish granite it was completed in 1919, after 15 years of construction of this Jugendstil design from the Finn architect Eliel Saarinen (right)}

_{Heiko gave his first lecture on April 26th, at 10:30. A PowerPoint presentation of…}

_{Discus & Angelfishes and their tank mates. With a detailed clarification of the three angelfish species (often confused in popular literature and throughout most of the worldwide web), followed on April 27th by New Fishes of the Western Ghats, India}

_{The famous Malawi Biologist and researcher (as well as Central America Cichlid Expert) Kenneth MacKaye, also gave two very interesting presentations on the Malawi cichlids, their behaviour, and their connection with the Aids problems of the native fishermen and their families. His research is in part sponsored by WWF Finland}

_{The editor of the Finnish aquarium magazine Akvaristi and author of Finnish aquarium fish books, Markku Vario, gave a interesting talk on Charciformes (left)}

_{The Finnish Corydoras expert, author of the book Panssari Monnit, Pertti Rassi, gave a talk with the title: 50 years, 500 species 5000 photos – on catfishes (right)}

_{Members of the FISU (the Union of Finnish Aquarium Associations) were rewarded at the beautiful building of the Finnish National Theatre (founded 1872) with certificates. On the photo left is the beautiful chairwoman of HAS Satu Riihilahti and right Mikael Westerlund (blue clothes) gets a reward of the chairman Antti Rasila of Ciklidistit Society.}

_{Also Willem Heijns (right), the well known collector of Central American Cichlids, and specially known for his great underwater films of the Nicaraguan Cichlids, gave also two presentations. Here with Kenneth McKaye and Heiko Bleher}