PlanetCatfish.com

Hello all,

I am a member of the aquarium club at the school where I'm working on my PhD. This is an official school endorsed club, not a typical local aquarium club, so it has a few odd rules to work around.

The undergrads running the club wanted to try to get it to be more like a real aquarium club, but they struggle to keep up involvement or raise any funds so they are limited in what they can do. Previous club leadership (and probably also covid limitations) turned the club into more of an online chat than an actual club, which shows that there are many students interested in aquariums and in discussing the hobby, but the new leadership hasn't been able to entice any of the chat members back to in-person club events.

They let me know at the last meeting that they don't think the club will survive after next semester.

I know many (most? all?) of you are involved in your local aquarium clubs. Do you have any advice to try to breathe life back into this club before it goes kaput?

(Meetings are typically a speaker, food, and socializing. The club's ability to do some typical aquarium club activities are limited by either school rules or not having a large enough number of active numbers for them to be feasible.)

Emphasise the advantages provided by real person (face to face) contact that can't be obtained online.

Some obvious examples are; collection trips to creek/lake, invitation visits to aquaculture facilities, ornamental fish importer/breeders, behind the scene public aquarium or large aquarium retail, fish related scavenger hunt, group fish dissection or mystery disease research activities, some educational themed but hands on activities such as glass cutting & tank building, aquatic photography, etc.

My tip would be to mention these scheduled activities online BUT not provide detailed reports. People need to turn up to learn what happens. Delegate as much as you can as that's the best way to on-board interest and commitment. Treat failures as fun. Don't be afraid to tag along with other successful aquaium clubs.

Hold an event free of charge, make food available. advertise online, try to get local fishshops/petshops involved(free advertising for minor retail give-aways like fishfood etc.), people/organizations outside the university setting.