Exhibiting at an FBAS Open Shows

by Paul barrow

PRESENTATION; DON'T GET CAUGHT OUT.
In their 'wisdom?' the FBAS have decided that from this year (2008) fish will no longer be judges out of 20 for size but have this reduced to 10, a further 10 marks be given for the way fish are presented. This caught out many exhibitors as the rules and regulation governing the change was not ready until May of 2008, and introduced only a few weeks before the first show in the TTAA region.
The new rules on presentation can be summarised thus:

WATER

Qualities
Depth

-Size of Fish
-Natural Position in Water

Clarity
Colour
Suspended Particles

GLASS

Distortion
Colour
Scratches

TANK

Size of Tank
Sealant
Leaks
Covers
Tapped Edges
Bottom Treatment
Painting the Base
Internal Fitments
Finger Marks
Water Marks
Old Stickers

The FBAS states that the age of the tank should not be consider when pointing, only the condition and presentation.
WATER
This should be clear, colourless, except in the case of acid loving fish such as killies where slight tanning in allowed, free from detritus and deep enough for the fish to exhibit properly.
Depth of water
This depends on two factors; the size of the fish and its natural position in the water.
Size of Fish
Fish come in all shapes and size so a little common sense is needed here, tall fish such as Angles need much deeper water than a similar sized, normal shaped cichlid of another species. Fish need to be able to full display their fins; failure to do so will result in loss of point in Deportment, Fins & Presentation.
Natural Position in Water
Does the exhibit inhabit the bottom, top or mid-water? All require deep water for different reasons; top and bottom fish are easier to judge if the judge does not have to bend down to see them, while mid-water fish tend to hug the bottom if the water is not high enough, necessitating higher tanks
Clarity of Water
A good power filter or undergravel system should produce clear water which can be given a final polished by removing enough to another tank and running it through a activated charcoal/diatom earth filter for 12 hours plus.
Colour of Water
Activated charcoal will also remove staining from the water.
Suspended Particles
These cannot be fully dealt with by filtration alone, as the act of catching your exhibit will disturb sediments from the bottom. One method is to have separate water for your exhibition tanks, as described in the Clarity and Colour of Water sections. To prevent transferring suspended particles from your main tank to your exhibition tanks, it is best to catch you fish with a wide mess net, then put them into a smaller without dipping the sediment laden net into the water. Within a short time the very little sediment in the secondary tank will have settled and a clean, wide meshed net can be used to transfer the fish into the exhibition tank - do not dip the net into this tank.
GLASS
Glass Distortion
Good quality, distortion free glass is readily available so there is no excuse for tanks to be built with anything else. Frosted & patterned glass is only acceptable in commercially built aquaria but best avoided if possible.
Glass Colour
Most modern glass is actually green of blue but these colours can only be seen if the glass is vied edge on. Any other colour would be deemed against the rules.
Scratches on Glass
Glass is very hard and equally hard to scratch. Unfortunately, gravel and sand contains quarts, which is hard enough to scratch glass, renderings the show tank liable to down pointing. By washing-out the tank thoroughly and cleaning the inside with a non-sponge material, scratches can be avoided.
TANKS
Size of Tank
The size of a show tank depends on the fish being shown - a fact quite often forgotten by the exhibitor. Long, eel-like fish need tanks that are longer then themselves when stretched out. It is not unknown for these types of fish to be shown in tanks where the fish has to bend in the middle to fit the tank. Height depends on the outstretched fins and the fish's position in the water as explained above. Tanks must also be wide enough for the fish to turn.
Sealant
The minimum of sealants should be visible. It is possible to build smaller show tanks with silicon sealant of the edges only. Careful masking and use thinned lollipop sticks to drag the silicon along the joints can achieve very small internal silicon fillets. Certain remedies can dye silicon blue or green, this is unacceptable to the judges and could lead to disqualification if it is felt it gives the exhibit an unfair colour advantage.
Leaks
Tanks will be down-pointed for leaks.
Tank Covers
Only clear, uncoloured removable tops are acceptable
Tape
Taping along the joints is encouraged, but the tape must be black, not too wide - about ½ inch or 12 mm, firmly fixed and must not mask the exhibit. Vertical taping of this nature can encourage mid-water fish from the bottom.
Bottom Treatment
Most fish show best on dark substrates. Black gravel cannot be used, only natural brown.
Painting the Base
Black painted bases show off fish well but tend to produce a mirrored base which fish look into and it is also prone to wear. Siliconing a ceiling tile to the base will stop the paint being removed when moved around the bench.
Internal fitments
Black Fablon is a popular internal fitment to the base, but it tends to lift resulting in lost points or even disqualification. Solid black plastics are becoming more popular and have the advantage they don't have to be stuck down. Black Perspex, when combined with a painted base gives an excellent result when fitted snugly.
Finger Marks & Water Stains
Finger marks and smudges can be on the inside and out side of the tank and should be removed for judging. Internal smudges are best removed before filling the tank with water by using a vinegar solution and cloth to remove them. Vinegar will cut through greasy marks, but needs to be rinsed out of the tank before adding fish. External marks should be removed on the show bench with the same solution and a polishing rag.
Old Stickers
Old stickers from previous shows must be removed. This is best achieved with warm water and a razor blade to scrape them off. Alternatively, the rough side of a sponge pan scrub and warm water will remove stickers with a little more effort.