Greater Seattle Aquarium Society

Saturday, June 14th, 1:00 PM (noon Social/Setup)
Dr. Leandro Sousa: “How Do Our Plecos Live in Nature?”
SPU, Otto Miller Hall Room 109

Dr. Leandro Sousa from Altamira, Brazil, is an Ichthyologist and Professor of Biology at the Universidade Federal do Pará, right in front of the Xingu rapids, where he is doing extensive field trips with local fishers to try to understand the amazing Loricariid biodiversity there. Dr. Sousa uses SCUBA diving techniques to register the fishes, characterize the rocks they live in, as well as how fishers catch them. Since 2014, he has coordinated a Conservational Breeding Project of Xingu Endemic Species at the University. In 2019, the iconic Zebra Pleco was front and center in aquarium news as nations meet in Panama for the 19th Conference of Parties as part of CITES. Part of this effort created the IctioXingu Project to raise public awareness on social media about native ornamental fish and conservation. Facing up to an 80% reduction in flow as the result of the Belo Monte dam, the Volta Grande reach of the Xingu River and the species that live there face a highly uncertain future.

In 2023, Dr. Sousa teamed with Oliver Lucanus to release their book Xingu – Below Water, full of photographs of fish in their natural environment, that has become a must for tropical freshwater enthusiasts wanting to emulate the Xingu or similar biotopes in home aquaria.

Join us for a captivating presentation by Dr. Sousa on the mesmerizing world of plecos in their natural habitat! Discover the Amazon rainforest through Leandro's expert lens as he unveils the secrets of these armored catfish. With his deep passion and extensive fieldwork, Sousa will take you to the heart of the Amazon, where we'll witness the astonishing adaptability of plecos, from their remarkable body shapes to their ability to thrive in diverse environments.

After the main presentation, stay for the Monthly Auction (sellers, pre-register your stuff here).

There will be an informal gathering with the speaker Friday evening, the day before the main presentation. Contact us at info@gsas.org for more information, or look for announcements on our e-mail lists.

The GSAS board is collecting member input through the month of May.  Some of the important things we're evaluating for the next year: 1) whether to keep going with the Saturday meetings, 2) what sorts of speakers to hunt down for the next year or so, 3) a check-up on our contests and participation programs, and 4) whether we have the volunteer base to host a big convention in Seattle.

Please give us your thoughts by clicking the button below, or visit gsas.org/m

Thank you!

A big thank you to everyone who came out in force to our record-breaking general auction this year, especially to all our volunteers who worked tirelessly the whole day. And a special thanks to the sponsor stores and national companies.

Our big auctions still remain the primary source of income from the club, and their success means we can pay our rent and Internet video storage bills, bring in top quality speakers, and have nice prizes in our contests throughout the year. Thanks again!

The Greater Seattle Aquarium Society Spring Schedule is out now! All events are Saturday at 1 PM at usual SPU location, except as noted!

• January 11, 2025 - Caroline Estes, while mainly a cichlid specialist, has a new talk on the history of Women in the Aquarium Hobby.
• February 8 - GSAS member Thomas Lai-Fook, owner of Shoreline Aquatics LLC will talk about his history in the hobby, importing wild-caught Altum Angelfish, and how he keeps and breeds them along with other rare species.
• March 8 - Home Show presentation, video and awards!
• April 5 (DATE CHANGE!) - General Auction, at Gwinn Ballroom, starting at 9 AM
• May 10 - Randy Carey has a new talk on Pencilfish
• June 14 - Dr. Leandro Souza, world-renowned Pleco Specialist
• July 19 - Summer Picnic at Woodland Park, Shelter #3

Thanks to all who attended our record-breaking plant and fish auction this month, from the bidders and sellers, to the auctioneers, recorders, check-in table, runners and all the other volunteers. We hope everyone came home with something interesting for their aquariums. And a special thanks to the generous donations from Florida Aquatic Nurseries, and our sponsor stores Aquarium Zen, Aquarium Co-Op and The Arium Store!