Upcoming events
PVAS ANNUAL AUCTION
Save the date- PVAS Annual Auction at Moose Lodge in Chicopee. More info to come in 2026.
PVAS February Meeting - Chuck Fittz - How to Efficiently Breed Fish in a Small, Insulated Basement Room
The Pioneer Valley Aquarium Society presents Chuck Fittz
How to Efficiently Breed Fish in a Small, Insulated Basement Room
Chuck has been in the aquarium hobby since 1996. He’s a two-time President of the Boston Aquarium Society and spent 22 years as a high school science teacher.
Chuck will discuss:
Breeding cichlids and catfish
Live foods and fry survival
Efficient fish room setup in a small space
Location:
Doors open at 6:30pm, talk at 7pm
Moose Lodge 244 Fuller Rd, Chicopee, MA
FREE ADMISSION – OPEN TO ALL HOBBYISTS
Mini Auction follows the talk
Mini auction. Pre register your lots at https://auction.fish/auctions/pvas-monthly-meeting-auction-february-2026/
PVAS New Year Kickoff & 2026 Planning Meeting
At the start of the new year, we’re taking time to look at where PVAS is headed and how we can continue growing together. This meeting will be a “State of the Club” conversation where we share exciting new initiatives, ask for your input on what you’d like to see in 2026, and discuss how we can better support our members and the broader aquarium community.
We’ll be introducing our new Breeder Award Program (BAP), officially kicking off the Adopt-A-Fish program, exploring ways PVAS can contribute to conservation efforts, reviewing club finances, and talking together about our short- and long-term goals. We’ll also hear a member pitch for a potential spring collection trip.
Whether you’re new to the club or a long-time member, this is a great chance to help shape PVAS’s future. We’d love to hear your voice!
Additionally, there will be some Betta species give aways for those of you that filled out the Adopt-A-Fish nomination forms.
Doors open at 6 PM. Hope to see you all there!
2025 PVAS Holiday Gathering
Please join us to close out the year with meal together. The club will provide the main course. Please bring a side or dessert to contribute if you’re able. There is no planned agenda at this time other than spending time with friends and eating good food.
SPECIAL November PVAS General Meeting
This will be a very exciting meeting where PVAS has partnered with NECA to sponsor Mati Garcia from Uruguay Fish Tours. See below for a little information about Mati.
My name is Matias Garcia. I'm 28 years old and have spent more than half of my life as an aquarium hobbyist. I enjoy nature and tranquility and devote as much of my free time as possible to exploring every freshwater body of water in Uruguay, capturing, admiring, and recording the diversity of fish and other aquatic species, including my favorites from the genus Gymnogeophagus or "naked eartheaters". In addition to exploring and collecting, I have kept and bred many species of fish - both from Uruguay and elsewhere. In 2021, some friends and I established "AUTÓCTONOS DE URUGUAY" ("Natives of Uruguay") (https://linktr.ee/autoctonosdeuruguay) to share pictures, and videos of our expeditions and the fish that we catch. To share our adventures with others, in 2024, we created "Uruguay Fish Tours" (www.uruguayfishtours.com) to provide a safe, fun, and fulfilling opportunity for people from around the world to experience my beautiful country and to legally and sustainably collect and bring fish home to their aquariums.
Lunch: 12:00 – 1:00 - Pizza and drinks will be provided
Mati Garcia Talk: 1:00 – 2:30
Mini Auction: 2:45 – 3:45
PVAS October General Meeting - Tom Ganley "Underwater Photography on a Budget"
Tom Ganley has been involved in the aquarium hobby since 1986. His long-time main interest has been new world cichlids though has kept and continues to keep just about everything else such as killifish, sunfish, livebearers, polypterids, goldfish & koi. Tom’s interests have taken him all over the United States and around the world. Tom has collected and photographed fish up and down the east coast & mid-west of the United States as well as Malaysia, Singapore, Belize, Costa Rica, Mexico, Panama & Uruguay.
Tom has many interests that align well with his aquarium hobby and his love of nature. Tom is an avid photographer (both above & below water); a fisherman, a mountain biker, gardener, hiker & explorer. Tom also likes loud music; quality IPAs and practices the fine art of sarcasm. Tom currently maintains about 60-70 aquariums, multiple large fish tubs and a koi pond. And he’s not entirely sure why…
September 2025 General PVAS Meeting “An Introduction to Killifish” with Rich Pierce
Killifish are among the most colorful and fascinating aquarium fish, yet they remain one of the least understood groups in the hobby. Rarely seen in aquarium stores and often overlooked in publications, killifish can feel almost impossible to find—until you know where to look.
In this talk, Richard Pierce will introduce you to the diverse groups of killifish and share practical guidance on keeping them successfully. You’ll learn how to set up and maintain aquariums for different species, breeding techniques, and even where to source these beautiful fish. Whether you’re brand new to the hobby or an experienced aquarist, this presentation will deepen your appreciation of these hidden gems of the fishkeeping world.
About the Speaker:
Richard Pierce has been keeping aquariums for as long as he can remember and has specialized in killifish since the early 2000s. He currently serves as President of the Tropical Fish Society of Rhode Island, President of the Southern New England Killifish Association, and Treasurer for the Northeast Council of Aquarium Societies. Maintaining around 80 aquaria filled with killifish, wild-type livebearers, and tetras, Richard brings a wealth of hands-on knowledge and experience to his presentations.
History of Fish Foods
Scott Craig has kept a variety of tropical freshwater and saltwater fish over a 50-year span. During this time, he started 2 independent fish stores, a wholesale distributor specializing in aquarium products, angelfish breeding room and has worked directly for: Sera, Omega One, Kordon and Hagen.
During his years as a wholesale distributor Scott sold products from Marc Weiss, Eheim, New Life Spectrum, Tropical Science, Omega One, Lifeguard, Dainichi, live plants from Belyjo, DT’s Phytoplankton, Miracle Mud and Piscene Energetics frozen Mysis.