Fish expert to speak at Sisters Library

Sisters resident and cichlid expert David Soares will host a program at the Sisters Library on Wednesday, October 12, at 6 p.m.

David Soares has been keeping tropical fish for thirty years. For the past 12 years he’s dealt exclusively with the fresh water fish known as the Apistogramma or dwarf cichlid.

Found in the wilds of South America and Africa, cichlids are also well suited for aquarium life. Soares says that dwarf cichlids are beautiful to look at and surprisingly easy to care for.

“They are easy to maintain, even in Central Oregon,” said Soares. He says that, “unlike goldfish, cichlids demonstrate complex behaviors and are fun to watch.”

Soares’ goal of building and operating a hatchery came to pass when he converted his garage into a 900-square-foot hatchery. Over the past 12 years, he’s managed to spawn about 40 different species of Apsitogramma in his hatchery. Soares partners with fellow cichlid devote, Uwe Roamer, who is from Germany.

Their collaborative efforts have produced several publications, including a guide to the fish called “Cichlid Atlas 1” as well as an online business that sells the fish from Soares’ hatchery.

For information about this or other library programs, call 312-1032 or visit http://www.dpls.us.