CDAS runs a breeder awards program to recognise the accomplishments of members who take up the challenge of responsibly breeding aquarium species. It also provides a mechanism to promote the preservation of native and endangered species, and an avenue to assist members to locate species that are otherwise difficult to source through traditional channels.

How It Works

• CDAS keeps a register of species with assigned scores that define how many points are awarded for the successful breeding of that species. Hybrid species are not recognised in the breeding program.
• Successful breeding is defined as raising at least 5 fry to an age of 30 days.
• Successful breeding is only recognised once per species. i.e. no additional points for continuing to breed the same fish repeatedly.
• Images of parents, eggs, and the subsequent fry at 5 day intervals, preferably as the fry grow out, are required to prove successful breeding
• Awards are broken into several categories:
  1. Junior
  2. Bronze
  3. Silver
  4. Gold
  5. Master
• Awards are judged at the Annual General Meeting, based on points accumulated since the last Annual General Meeting or the last time an award was recognised, whichever is earlier.
• Only a single award can be earned per calendar year and each level will only be recognised once. So for example if you start without any award recognition, and accumulate enough points to qualify as a silver breeder in a single calendar year, you will not receive bronze award recognition, you will advance straight to silver.
• The program is for current CDAS members only.
• All decisions relating to breeding recognition reached by the committee are final.

Points and Point Requirements

The points allocated to each species is defined in the species register. If you are attempting to breed a species not on the register, please contact us and let us know.

The following is a general guide to breeding difficulty, although there are not rules requiring species from any particular category for any particular award level:

• Easier Species - 1 - 25 points
• Moderate Species - 30 - 40 points
• Difficult Species - 40 -50 points
• Extremely Difficult Species - Greater than 50 points

The points required to achieve recognition for each award level are as follows:

• Junior: Any species successfully bred (ie 1 point or more by a member less than 18 years of age)
• Bronze: 75 points
• Silver: 195 points
• Gold: 360 points
• Master: 720 points

Additional points will be awarded for the following activities:

• 5 bonus points for breeding a species never before bred by a CDAS member
• 5 bonus points for breeding a native species (claimable twice per award level)
• 10 bonus points for documenting your breeding experience in a journal for Tank Talk magazine (claimable once per level)
• 10 bonus points for presenting your breeding experience as a talk at a monthly meeting (claimable once per level)
• TBC bonus points for breeding a rare or endangered species

Awards

Each of the award categories will result in the following awards:

• A CDAS polo shirt with the appropriate breeder award level embroidered on it
• A listing on the CDAS breeder honour list based on the level achieved, published on the website in the members area
• For the most points accumulated in a calendar year, or for exceptional breeding achievement, as judged by the committee, listing on the CDAS breeder hall of fame published on this website in the members area.
• The adoration of fish lovers everywhere!