2023 Ultra-Aqua Winners
Special Awards | Sponsored by: | Winner |
Best of Show Livebearer | Jeff Plazak | Mark Allar – Birchmanni Swordtail |
Best of Show Egglayer | Northeast Ohio Fish Club – NEOfish | Tom Rizzo – Panda garra |
Best of Show Cichlid | Fish City Pets – Barberton | Tony Martina – Amphilophus labiatus Red devil Thor |
Best of Show Goldfish | Youngstown Area Tropical Fish Society | Dan & Karen Guman – Lionhead |
Best of Show Catfish/Loach | All Oddball Aquatics – Eric Bodrock | Wayne Toven – Traccatichthys pulcher |
Best of Show Display | Cain Accounting | Mike & Elsie Swanson – Quilled Red Betta |
Best of Show | Wayne Toven | Tony Martina – Amphilophus labiatus Red devil Thor |
Catfish & Loach Championship | The Greater Akron Aquarium Society | Wayne Toven |
Kobayashi Goldfish Championship | The Greater Akron Aquarium Society | Dan & Karen Guman |
President’s Trophy | The Greater Akron Aquarium Society | Dan & Karen Guman |
Challenge Award | The Greater Akron Aquarium Society | Youngstown Area Tropical Fish Society |
2023 Class Winners
Class | Class Description | Sponsor | First Place | Second Place | Third Place | Number of Entries |
1 | Decorated Aquariums | Dave Williamson | Amy Mullens – Decorated Aquarium | Mark Allar – Desk Aquarium Setup | Kristen Kodish – Minimalist Mixed Media Tank | 4 |
2 | Aquarium Plants | Adam Fox | Adam Fox – Samolus parviflorus Red | Dave Williamson – Cryptocoryne nuri ‘pachang mutated’ | Mark Allar – Crypt. pontederifolia | 12 |
3 | Photography – Digital Media | Brian Shrimpton | Wayne Toven – Paracanthacobitis rubidipinnis | Wayne Toven – Mesomecheilus triangulari | Wayne Toven – Hillstream Loach | 8 |
4 | Photography – Prints | Nicki Hufford Photography | Roberto Prati – Paracyprichromis nigripinnis | Roberto Prati – Epiplatys annulatus | Roberto Prati – Cyathopharynx foai | 19 |
5 | Arts & Crafts – Fine Art or Hand Crafts | In memory of Teri Seufert | Mike & Elsie Swanson – Quilled Red Betta | Roberto Prati – Fish Remix | Wayne Toven – Fish Knife | 7 |
6 | New World Cichlids 5” & Under | John & Theresa Baad | Bill Chandler – Electric Blue Ram | Dan & Karen Guman – Black Ram | Dan & Karen Guman – Electric Blue Ram | 6 |
7 | New World Cichlids over 5” to 9” | Ohio Cichlid Association | Emilie Myatt – Gold / Lemon Severum | Tony Martina – Amatitlania nigrofasciata marble Convict | Emilie Myatt – Tiger Severum | 5 |
8 | New World Cichlids over 9” | Lorain County Aquarium Society | Tony Martina – Amphilophus labiatus Red devil Thor | Bill Sensor – Geophagus brasiliensis | Bill Sensor – Geophagus brasiliensis | 4 |
9 | Angelfish & Discus | John & Diane Tesar | Mark Allar – Marble Angel | Mike & Elsie Swanson – Orange Koi Angelfish | Douglas Singer – Silver veiltail | 11 |
10 | Mbuna (Pseudo., Mel., Labeo., Labido., Cyno., etc.) | RMS Aquaculture | Tom Rizzo – Pseudotropheus elongatus Mpanga | Bill Sensor – Cynotilapia zebroides | Dave Williamson – exasperatus | 5 |
11 | Hap. types (Cyrtocara, Copadi., Tyranno., Dimido. | Christopher McCracken | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A | 1 |
12 | Aulonocara sp. (inc. Trematocranus) | Mark Kazanoff | Ed Bush – Marleri Yellow | Ed Bush – Blue Walteri | Ed Bush – Marmela Lemon Jake | 4 |
13 | Julido., Chalino. & Telmatochromis species | David Girard | Dave Williamson – Julidochromis marksmithi | Wayne Toven – Julidochromis transcriptus | #N/A | 2 |
14 | Lamp., Neolamp. & Altolamprologus species | fatfish Aquatic | Mike & Elsie Swanson – Lamprologus ornatipinnis striped Kigoma | #N/A | #N/A | 1 |
15 | All Other Old World Cichlids | Joel Antkowiak | Dave Williamson – Buffalo head | Bill Sensor – Pelvicachromis kribensis indenau | Don & Rene Guman – Kribensis | 9 |
16 | Guppies – Males, Solid Color Tail | Guppy Associates of Greater Cleveland | Patrick Sabourin – Japanese blue double tail | Dan & Karen Guman – Male guppy | Gary Schuster – White Platinum | 11 |
17 | Guppies – Males, Variegated Color Tail | Justin Bahil | Patrick Sabourin – Variegated Japanese blue deltatail | Dave Williamson – Blue snakeskin | Gary Schuster – Blue/Green variegated color tail | 3 |
18 | Guppies – Females | Justin Bahil | Dave Williamson – Yellow ribbon fin | Mike & Elsie Swanson – Half black yellow | Gary Schuster – Bluegrass female | 4 |
19 | Swordtails – Common Finnage | Mike & Elsie Swanson | Dan & Karen Guman – Swordtail | Dan & Karen Guman – Swordtail | Emilie Myatt – Calico Swordtail | 11 |
20 | Swordtails – Fancy Finnage | Pam & Ron Sundin | Dan & Karen Guman – Swordtail | Dave Williamson – Pineapple Wag Lyretail male | Dan & Karen Guman – Fancy Swordtail | 4 |
21 | Platies & Variatus – Common Finnage | Rich Bierbower | Dave Williamson – Blue Mickey Mouse female | Mark Allar – Red Wagtail Platy | Dan & Karen Guman – Platy | 6 |
22 | Platies & Variatus – Fancy Finnage | Steve Brunn | Mark Allar – HiFin Red Tux Platy | Mark Allar – HiFin Platy | Dan & Karen Guman – Fancy Platy | 6 |
23 | Mollies | Kim & Jeff Rodburn | Dan & Karen Guman – Liberty Molly | Tom Clinton – Sailfin Red Molly | Dan & Karen Guman – Molly | 7 |
24 | Goodeids | George Hollister | Wayne Toven – Chapalichthys encaustus | George Hollister – Chapalichthys peraticus male | Dan & Karen Guman – Xenotoca lyonsi | 10 |
25 | All Other Livebearers | Rich Serva | Mark Allar – Birchmanni Swordtail | Mark Allar – Brachyrhaphis roseni | Dave Williamson – Priapella compressa | 5 |
26 | Loaches – Botia species | Adam Fox | Dave Williamson – Munki loach | Wayne Toven – Botia macracantha | Wayne Toven – Botia kubotai | 7 |
27 | Loaches – All Other Varieties | Adam Fox | Wayne Toven – Traccatichthys pulcher | Wayne Toven – Nemacheilus guntheri | Emilie Myatt – Albino Gold Dojo Loach | 10 |
28 | Synodontis Catfish | Ron & Amy Mullens | Wayne Toven – Synodontis waterloti | Tony Martina – Synodontis lucipinnis | Dave Williamson – Synodontis petricola | 6 |
29 | Corydoras Catfish | Zoogari Pets – Norton | Mike & Elsie Swanson – Corydoras elegans | Mike & Elsie Swanson – Corydoras imitator | Mark Allar – C123 | 9 |
30 | Aspidoras & Brochis Catfish Species | Gary Mendez | Mark Allar – A. poecilus | Mark Allar – A. menezesi | Wayne Toven – Aspidoras ramundi | 6 |
31 | Suckermouth Catfish – Pleco Types | Zoogari Pets – Norton | Wayne Toven – L240 Vampire Pleco | Tony Martina – L333 | George Hollister – L400 Pleco Hypancistrus sp. | 16 |
32 | Suckermouth Catfish – All Other Types | Zoogari Pets – Norton | George Hollister – Rineloricaria sp whiptail | Wayne Toven – Rineloricaria hasemani | Bill Sensor – Parotocinclus haroldi | 10 |
33 | All Other Catfish 6” & under | Boggs Aquatics – Cuyahoga Falls | Wayne Toven – Lophiobagrus cyclurus | Tom Rizzo – Microglanis | Dan & Karen Guman – Leptho. beni | 16 |
34 | All Other Catfish over 6” | Boggs Aquatics – Cuyahoga Falls | Emilie Myatt – Raphael Striped Catfish | Tom Rizzo – Lisomadoras morrowi | Wayne Toven – Platydoras armatulus | 3 |
35 | Betta splendens – Males | Agnoquatics; Broadview Hts. | Gary Schuster – Turquoise & Copper Halfmoon male | Dave Williamson – Blue dragon Plakat | Tony Martina – Male Crowntail | 15 |
36 | Betta splendens – Females | Ralph Grammer | Dan & Karen Guman – female Betta | Dave Williamson – Copper Halfmoon | Gary Schuster – Copper female | 8 |
37 | Gouramis (Trichogaster and Colisa sps.) | Ray Bierbower | Mark Allar – Dwarf Gourami | Mark Allar – Powder blue Gourami | Don & Rene Guman – Gold Gourami | 5 |
38 | All Other Labyrinth Fish | Paul Woodward | Wayne Toven – Betta balunga | Dan & Karen Guman – Betta dennisyoungi | Dan & Karen Guman – Black Paradise | 5 |
39 | Killifish | Joe Doyle | Patrick Sabourin – Fundulopanchax gardneri Innidere male | Joe Doyle – Nothobranchius eggersi kigongo TAN 05-24 | Don & Rene Guman – Fundulus chrysotus | 12 |
40 | Characidae (Tetras & their relatives) | Agnoquatics; Broadview Hts. | Bill Sensor – Anostomus nijsseni | Bill Sensor – Nematobrycon lacortei | Dave Williamson – Cardinal Tetra | 13 |
41 | Barbs | Bill Chandler | Bill Sensor – Pethia nigrofasciata | Bill Sensor – Oreichthys crenuchoides | Dave Williamson – Cherry barb female | 11 |
42 | Danios | Paul Woodward | Don & Rene Guman – Blue Danio | Mark Allar – LF Zebra Danio | Justin Bahil – Galaxy Rasbora | 7 |
43 | Minnows & Rasboras | Linda Wallrath | Dan & Karen Guman – White Cloud Mt. Minnow | Dave Williamson – Pork chop Rasbora | Mike & Elsie Swanson – Rasbora trilineata Scissortail | 4 |
44 | Rainbowfish | Susan Everett | Justin Bahil – Dwarf Neon Rainbow | Dan & Karen Guman – Mel. tanaka | Dan & Karen Guman – Mel. trifasciata | 5 |
45 | Native Fish – Continental US | Dave Williamson | Dave Williamson – Metallic shiner | Dave Williamson – Fundulus rubifrons | Dave Williamson – Black spotted Gambusia | 5 |
46 | All Other Species | Boggs Aquatics – Cuyahoga Falls | Tom Rizzo – Panda garra | Dan McMonigle – Redtail Shark | Justin Bahil – Senegal Bichir | 6 |
47 | Oranda Goldfish | Agnoquatics; Broadview Hts. | Dan & Karen Guman – Oranda | Dan & Karen Guman – Oranda | Dave Williamson – White Oranda | 5 |
48 | Lionhead and Ranchu Goldfish | Dan & Karen Guman | Dan & Karen Guman – Lionhead | Dan & Karen Guman – Lionhead | Dan & Karen Guman – Lionhead | 3 |
49 | Ryukin, Ribbontail & Veiltail Goldfish | Dan & Karen Guman | Dan & Karen Guman – Ryukin | Dan & Karen Guman – Ryukin | Dan & Karen Guman – Ryukin | 4 |
50 | Pearlscale Goldfish | Don & Renee Guman | Dan & Karen Guman – Pearlscale | Dan & Karen Guman – Pearlscale | Dan & Karen Guman – Pearlscale | 4 |
51 | Bubble Eye & Celestial Goldfish | Paul Woodward | Dan & Karen Guman – Bubble eye | Dan & Karen Guman – Bubble eye | #N/A | 2 |
52 | All Other Eyetype Goldfish | Bud White | Dan & Karen Guman – Moor | Dan & Karen Guman – Demekin | Dan & Karen Guman – Demekin | 4 |
53 | Single Caudal Goldfish | Paul Woodward | Gary Schuster – Single caudal goldfish | Dan & Karen Guman – Shubunkin | Dan & Karen Guman – Shubunkin | 4 |
54 | All Other Goldfish Varieties | Jeremy Harsh | Dan & Karen Guman – Jikin | Tony Martina – Fantail | Dave Williamson – Red & White Wakin | 5 |
55 | Invertebrates – Freshwater or Marine | Adam Fox | Dan McMonigle – Electric Blue Crayfish | Dan & Karen Guman – Apple Snail | #N/A | 2 |
56 | Amphibians | Lisa Reel – Fancy Fins Aquatics | Emilie Myatt – Copper Xanthic Axolotl | Emilie Myatt – Albino male Axolotl | Dave Williamson – African Dwarf Frog | 3 |
57 | Pairs – Male and Female | Griffis Aquatics | Tom Rizzo – Girardinus metallicus | Mike & Elsie Swanson – Nanacara anomola pair | Don & Rene Guman – Pair Cherry Barbs | 11 |
58 | Group of Six – Adult fish | Paul Woodward | George Hollister – Barbodes semifasciolatus Gold Barbs | Bill Sensor – Astyanax xavante | Bill Chandler – Red GLass Ruby Tetras | 7 |
59 | Family Class – Parents and min 6 fry < 3 mo | Mike & Elsie Swanson | Dave Williamson – Lima vitatta family | Mike & Elsie Swanson – Platinum blue & red tail guppy family | Emilie Myatt – Calico Pleco family | 3 |
60 | Junior Class | Dan & Vi McMonigle | #N/A | #N/A | #N/A | 0 |
Ultra-Aqua 2023 Was a Success
Thanks for all the volunteers, auctioneers, and participants who made the Ultra-Aqua weekend a great success.
A list of show winners can be viewed by clicking here for a Word document or here for an Excel file.


Thanks to All of the Ultra-Aqua Swap Meet Vendors!
- Larry Secaur
- Kosheen Aquaculture (Joel Spencer)
- Tommy Frasz
- Joe Doyle
- Herb Kinney Click Here for List
- Awesome Aquatics (Rob Williams) Click here for List
- Adam Fox Click here for List
- Beautiful Aquatics (Brian Shrimpton)
- Nerd with Fish (Claire Tran) Click here for List
- Jenns Lil Lots—Axolotls and other items
- Eric Bodrock
About the Ultra-Aqua: Swap Meet, Show, and Auction
The Akron Ultra-Aqua is a TWO DAY EVENT that occurs during the second weekend in June. Held at the Tallmadge Community Center, 80 Community Road, Tallmadge, Ohio 44278. The Ultra-Aqua encompasses a whopping 60 Classes of an All-Species Show competition! Everyone is welcome to come and compete for awards and prizes—or to just see some amazing fish and other aquatic entries! The Sunday auction is a fish and plant only auction. The Swap Meet is on Saturday, noon to 5 pm.
All Cash Prizes
Cash prizes will be awarded $10.00 for first, $7.00 for second, and $3.00 for third place in each class. The cost to register each show entry item is $1.50. Registration is Saturday June 11, from 10 am to 5 pm. Entry forms and fees are to be brought to the registration desk upon entry to the Tallmadge Community Center. All forms or changes must be received by 5 p.m. The Show Area closes at 7 p.m. See the Show Rules for more details.
Saturday
Show Registration Starts at 10 AM on Saturday. Bring your fish and set them up. Water and air supply are provided. Please bring your own show tank or bowl, tank covering, air stone, and air valve to control air flow to your show tank. Registration closes at 5:00 pm. Entrance fees are $1.50 per for the first 20 animals you enter, each animal after 20 is free. Entries are judged Sunday morning.
The Table Swap Meet will be open from 12:00 pm until 5:00 pm on Saturday, with various Independent Vendor tables selling their animals and hobby-related supplies.
Dinner hosted by GAAS, along with a Speaker and Presentation, begins at 7:00 pm. All Ultra-Aqua show entrants are invited to attend for free. (Walk-ins are welcome and can join us and purchase dinner for $5)

Sunday
The Ultra-Aqua Auction registration begins at 10 am and the Auction starts at 11 am. This is an animal, plant, and live foods only auction—no hard goods or aquarium supplies will be auctioned.
All other typical Auction features Such as Rare Fish Raffle, 50/50 Raffles, Vendors, and Food & Drinks will be available.
The Ultra-Aqua Award Ceremony Presentation begins at 5:00 pm.
It’s an amazing weekend for an aquarium hobbyist! Whatever your interest, if you’ve come to compete, view, shop, sell, try your luck on the raffles, enjoy our dinner and presentation, or even simply to socialize with other aquarists, there truly is something for everyone to enjoy!
Click on the image below for the 2023 Ultra-Aqua Fish show classes:
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Bud White (330) 848-3866 E-mail
Wayne Toven (330) 256-7836 E-mail
Rich Serva (330) 687-5495 E-mail

