Join us for the Match SWMAS Club Meeting! Eric Maxson will be giving a talk about freshwater stingrays.

Saturday, March 25th, 2023

In-person: ReCast Church 25120 Front Street Mattawan, MI 49071

Can’t make it in person? Register for the Zoom option here.

Get to know Eric Maxson:

I am from Lakeview, Michigan, and I started keeping fish in the early 90’s focusing on Discus and Apistogramma’s.  In 2012, I joined Grand Valley Aquarium Club.  In GVAC I have accomplished HAP Rookie-of-the-Year, Horticulturalist of the Year, and Aquarist of the Year.  In 2021 I became a fellow which is my biggest highlight and honor. 

In 2013 I bought my first pair of Freshwater Stingrays and I have been keeping them ever since.  In 2020 I was awarded Spawn-of-the-Year for Potamotrygon Motoro Stingray.  Right now, I am keeping a 1300 and 900 gallon pond, 180, 120 and various other aquariums.  I also keep livebearers and other oddball fish.    

Join us for the March SWMAS Club Meeting!
Saturday, March 19, 2022 at 7 PM (Est.)
In-person: ReCast Church of Mattawan: 25120 Front St, Mattawan, MI 49071
Zoom option available (Register here)

In-Person Speaker: Josh Cunningham presents Breeding African Cichlids.

Josh is offering 10% off for pre-sales with the code SWMAS10. You must be present in-person at the meeting to pick up your pre-order. You do not need a membership to place an order but you will need a SWMAS membership to pick up your order. Memberships are available online or in-person at the meeting.

Check out the selection: Josh Cunningham Cichlids Website

RSVP on Facebook

Get to know Josh Cunningham-

Josh Cunningham has been keeping and breeding African Cichlids for over 20 years. He started with African Cichlids from Lake Malawi and a couple from Lake Victoria in a 400 sq ft basement. During this time he was mainly breeding four to five different kinds of cichlids and trading the fry back to the pet store for food and filter media.

At some point a decision was made to move to a different area and a bigger house. Once the move was completed he was without cichlids for a couple of years and then acquired a 55 gallon tank. Once the tank was set up and stocked, multiple tank syndrome kicked in again. He then expanded to some different species and kept a few tanks on the main floor of his house. At this point, he decided he wanted a fishroom in the basement.

Designs were made and tanks and fish purchased and a 'Fish Alcoholic" was born. Today he has spawned over 200+ kinds of African Cichlids and has achieved Master Breeder status in the Michigan Cichlid Association and Ohio Cichlid Association. He was also named Grand Champion Breeder of the American Cichlid Association in 2015 for most spawns in a year.

Josh has spent six years on the Board of Directors of two local fish clubs. He served on the Board of Directors of the Ohio Cichlid Association for two years and on the Board of Directors of the Michigan Cichlid Association for four years, serving three of those years as President including Chairman of the 2017 American Cichlid Association Convention that took place on July 13-16 in Novi, Michigan. After his time as President of the Michigan Cichlid Association, Josh served two years on the Board of Directors for the American Cichlid Association.

He spends his time in the fishroom doing more changes, working with different species and trying to find ways to better the hobby.

Josh is now serving as Vice-Chairman of the American Cichlid Association and runs a company called Cunningham Cichlids, LLC which has been in business since 2012. Cunningham Cichlids specializes in African Cichlids and is now branching off to carry other categories of fish and plants as well as a complete line of quality fish foods.

Join us for our February Club Meeting
February 19, 2022 at 7 PM (EST)

Location: ReCast Church of Mattawan: 25120 Front St, Mattawan, MI 49071
Speaker: Dr. Anthony Mazeroll
Can’t join in person? Join us virtually with this Zoom registration

This month's meeting is only available for paid SWMAS Members. You can buy a membership online or in person at the Holiday Party.

Existing memberships will require renewal by Jan 1, 2022. You may pay for your 2022 membership at the Holiday Party. 

SWMAS Holiday Party

Friday, December 3, 2021, at 7:00 PM (EST)

Location: ReCast Church of Mattawan, 25120 Front St, Mattawan, MI 49071 (Google Map Link)

Zoom: The Board Election portion of the holiday party will be available via zoom, Available for paid members. Register via the following zoom registration. 

Holiday Party Details

• Dinner: SWMAS will provide the main dish, drinks, and chips.

• Please bring a dish to pass (side dish, salad, dessert, etc.). 

• Board elections We will be voting on the new 2022 SWMAS Executive Board and Committees 

• New and rare fish silent auction. Fish will be from WaterColors Aquarium Gallery in Grand Rapids.

• Mini-auction will be 100% to the seller.

  • Each seller can have up to 50 bags/dry goods per seller ID.

  • No more than five bags of any given species/variety of fish or plants.

• You need to be a paid member to attend, you can pay for membership at the Holiday party, online as of 11/16/2021, or download the membership form and mail in the fee and form.

Memberships

• $15 Individual

• $20 Family (2 or more living at the same address)

• $10 Junior (17 and under)

About SWMAS

Southwestern Michigan Aquarium Society (SWMAS) is a non-profit non-commercial organization, whose objectives are the study, culture, and exhibition of aquatic life; the encouragement of greater learning, the research of all forms of aquatic life, and the promotion and betterment of the aquarium hobby.

Becoming a SWMAS member helps to not only keep the club going, but it allows for an organized group of hobbyists in and around SW Michigan. To support SWMAS and become a member to please visit the Membership Details page or send us an email.

SWMAS Speaker Day

Location: Portage Senior Center: 320 Library Ln, Portage, MI 49002 (MAP)

Saturday, October 2, 2021, from 9am- 6:30pm

Details and schedule: The SWMAS speaker day is a free event that features multiple speakers presenting on various subjects.

• Mike Hellweg presents Adventures of Fish Breeding-Tips & Tricks and Dwarf Cichlids 

• Gary Lange presents The Most Amazing Rainbow Fish and Building the Best Fish Room in the World

• Chuck Bremer presents TBS

• Dave Hemmerlein, DJ Hemmerlein, and Ron McNeil present Collecting in Mexico

Lunch and dinner will be provided.

RSVP: Click “Going” on the Facebook Event found here:

Join us for our September Club Meeting in person or via zoom. Details below. RSVP here!

Friday, September 10, 2021
7:30 PM- 10 PM (ET)

• Presentation: The Methodology to Freshwater Breeding by Jeremy Deroos.

• Location: ReCAST Church of Mattawan: 25120 Front Street, Mattawan MI, 49071. Please RSVP via Facebook here.

  or join us via Zoom with the registration link below

• Zoom Option: Presentation begins at 7:30 (ET). Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMkdO-rqzsjGNdBanO9d7g2l_K-saLGyzfY