Cichlidae Communique (PCCA Journal, bi-monthly)
Each month, the club alternately publishes its award winning journal, the Cichlidae Communique, and its newsletter, the Cichlid Blues. Cichlidae Communique disseminates information about both the science and hobby of cichlids; the Cichlid Blues features membership services, club news, a calendar of events and random special features. Research and observational articles are featured in each issue of the Cichlidae Communique, which is published during the even numbered months of each year. Here you can find information on specific species, general or cichlids and aquariums science in general. Over the years, the Cichlidae Communique has covered a broad spectrum of topics, from aquarium water quality to travels of collectors to faraway lakes and continents. Articles are submitted for publication to the Cichlidae Communique editor, who is always looking for new authors. If you are interested in submitting material, contact any of the publication editors and they will be happy to assist you.

Cichlid Blues (PCCA Newsletter, bi-monthly)
News about the club, and non-scientific aspects of the hobby, can be found in the Cichlid Blues, the clubs' semi-monthly newsletter. Issues of the Cichlid Blues are sent to all members, with the exception of foreign members, in the odd numbered months of the year (i.e., January, March, May...etc.). Announcements, committee reports, Board meeting minutes and other club related news make up the bulk of the newsletters' content. Additionally, a meeting notice and a "Fishmarket" ad section are included in each issue. Articles, editorials and humorous musings round out the Cichlid Blues' offerings, making the newsletter both entertaining and informative. As with the Cichlid Communique, article submissions are always welcome by the Cichlid Blues editor, but articles are not confined to a scientifically oriented vein.

Free Fishmarket Advertising (Both Publications)
As a PCCA member, you have the opportunity to place up to ten lines of items for sale, or items you are looking for, without cost, in each in a member advertising section included in each publica-tion, called the Fish Market. Additional lines may be purchased at the rate of $.50 per line. When you wish to place an ad, please contact the Fish Market chairperson, who will give you an Ad form to complete and return. Please be sure to observe submission deadlines listed in each publication.

Participation in all PCCA Activities
Contests and special events are held throughout the year and are governed by the coordinated efforts of the Contest Committee and Special Events Committee. Although new contests and events are conceived each year, several are held on a periodic basis.

Breeders Award Program (BAP)
The purpose of this program is to promote not only the spawning and rais-ing of cichlids, including the dissemination of fry, the sharing of information and pictures of cichlids, and also recognizing the persons participating in the BAP program through awards. Awards will be given at the 350, 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000, 6000, 8000, 9000, 12000, and 15000 point levels. Special BAP awards may be given annually at the discretion of the BAP Chairperson and the Board of Directors. The BAP Chairperson is responsible for handling all questions and all decisions are final. All "first spawn" fish will stay in the first spawn category for three months. This means that if someone else had the first spawn, you will still collect the first spawn points for the duration of the three months after the first spawn has been turned in to the BAP Chairperson.

An article that summarizes your observations on keeping the species is worth 50 points. A publishable photograph of the species taken by you is worth an additional 50 points. Each entry must be accompanied by the donation of at least two fry. All fry that are donated must be 3/4 inch or larger in length. Points will be awarded for the number of fry donated for auction up to a maximum of six fry per species. Two or three fry will give you 1 times the category points, four or five fry will give you 2 times the category points, and six fry will give you 3.5 times the category points. Half points will be rounded off to the higher number. Special consideration will be given for spawns that are small, and/or the fish are expensive, to receive the maximum number of points (i.e. Tropheus). To receive your points, you must have the Auction Chairperson initial in the ap-propriate spaces on the BAP Report Form.

If you do not think that you are receiving enough points for a fish, you may "Challange" the BAP Chairman to prove your case. This means that if you think that the water conditions required more work to maintain or the fish took longer to grow than normal or that the size of the fish was bigger than first thought. The BAP Chairman's ruling is final.

Please enter as much information as you can on the BAP Report Form to allow the BAP Chairperson to properly categorize each fish. To help identify the fish, include a photographic reference (if possible) on the Report Form. For the reference include the book's or magazine's name, page the photo is on, and the date of publication. If this fish is from a known source (i.e... I got them from Joe Fish, or I collected them at Rio Lobo), then include that information as well.