I definitely would like to join the aca...There is much more i would like to know...but the $$.
$25 a year is a relative number. compared to local club membership it may be twice as much. compared to a cichlid I would like to keep it may be 5% of total I spend on one group of Tropheus or lamena.
Tangible benefits of ACA membership are:
1. recieve six issues of
Buntbarsche Bulletin.
this alone is a better deal than subscription to any other magazine for cichlid keepers. the only other publication that comes close is
Cichlid News. there are articles that appeared in BB first then were later modified and reappeared in
Cichlid News.
ACA members are encouraged to submit articles to BB editor. Editor will help with grammer and such. Editors can even find images to go along with article. it can be fun to become published.
2. Access to ACA C.A.R.E.S.
this program is designed for cichlid keepers to house endangered fish. learn more about a species from fellow cichlid keepers
3. access to all BB back issues kept on ACA website
these back issues are password protected. soon there will be an index of all authors, title words and selected text words.
4. attend ACA convention.
currently to attend this convention, one must be either a member of ACA or a member of host club.
typically there are 6-12 cichlid experts speaking at a convention. there maybe more in attendance. it is a chance to meet a favorite author and discuss aspects about cichlids. this expierence cannot be overrated.
also while at convention, there is a special auction to raise money for research. fish are donated from Florida fish farms. There may be rare fish or fish ready to breed in these auctions.
of course there is the party atmosphere that pervades the entire convention.
5. there may be benefits I have overlooked, if i remember more I will repost.
Previous benefits that are now available to everyone:
use of ACA forum
Trading Post is where members buy and sell cichlids. This was a members only benefit but as of July 2007, it is now open to all.
All of this is put together by volunteers that love cichlids. Other magazines may love cichlids but are they created and published by volunteers? This is where the $25 goes, it goes to pay for a color journal that is first class.
I suspect ACA Board of Trustees may have a some other member only benefits down the road. Wait for futher tangible benefits and may miss something in BB that would make a difference in cichlid keeping. Do not wait, join now. Hope to see you in Atlanta Davis.