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Robert (Bob) Fenner is a content provider to the pet-fish (ornamental) aquatics hobby and trade, dive/travel adventure and underwater natural history genres; writing, photography and videography. Though retired since 1994, he continues to produce in this field as well as consult on aquaculture and public aquarium installations. Bob has "lived" the science, hobby and business of aquatics in the Philippines, Japan and United States. All phases; collector, wholesale, jobber, retail, design, construction and maintenance. All levels; manager, owner, hatchery worker, retail clerk, technician. Except for a stint teaching high school sciences for four years, he has worked all his life in the field of ornamental aquatics. Academic experience includes fifteen years of college, a couple of life science degrees and a teaching credential for chemistry, physics and biology. Published works include several studies on aquatic biological and chemical questions, and an extensive book and article publishing (helped author a few books, The Conscientious Marine Aquarist, Fishwatcher's Guide to the Tropical Marine Aquarium Fishes of the World, Natural Marine Aquariums Reef Invertebrates...) and photographic background in aquatic industry and hobby fields. Have taught High School sciences and Marine Sciences and Aquariology courses at the State University, University of California levels. Bob has been an avid aquatic hobbyist since day one and is active in hobbyist and scientific organizations. He has served on numerous Boards, judged shows and given many programs. Helped form and run (President) of the employee-owned corporation, Nature Etc., Inc. in San Diego, started in 1973; a turn-key operation in the field of ornamental aquatics, designing and building ponds, lakes, fountains and waterfalls (Aquatic Environments), designing, installing custom aquarium systems and maintenance (Aquatic Life Services), and operating retail outlets (Wet Pets).... currently does consulting, content provision to the trade, sciences and hobby of aquaristics. More? Nah.
Bob, RMF Birthday wishes
8/23
Fenner Speaking Availability 6/20/07
Re: Forward to Bob Please 6/19/07
Re: Please help, Leaf Scorpionfish has gotten worse 9/30/06
Speaking schedule for 2006??? 1/17/06 Congratulations - 12/11/2005 Happy birthday to you Bob!!! Re: Speaker Blurb (for upcoming MACNA in Baltimore)
The Many Talented Robert M. Fenner by Richard F. Stratton You would think that after nearly six decades in the fish hobby that I would be tough to stump, but that is hardly the case. The fortunate thing is that I have an ace in the hole. Living in the same town with me, even if he is half an hour away, is Robert M. Fenner. I can always call him in regard to aquaristic problems that have me stymied, and I have yet to stump him. That is partly understandable because Bob is a smart guy, and he has spent almost as much time in the aquarium hobby as I have. Since Bob is twenty years younger than me, he can’t match me on time of experience, but his variety and full-time devotion to the aquarium trade has given him a most decided edge. Besides that, he has taught biology and even aquarium science at the college level. Perhaps it is not so surprising that he is a veritable cornucopia of information. The reader will understand better once I give the full range of his experience. Most hobbyists know of Bob from his book The Conscientious Marine Aquarist, a book that I consider a candidate for the best book on the marine hobby ever written. I am not alone in my praise for this book. It is typical Fenner, bristling with information in easy-to-understand terminology. While you may have read his fish books, one of them is of the type that you might not think would originate with him. That would be his book on sushi bar etiquette called, If you Knew Sushi like I Know Sushi. As it turns out, in addition to his other talents, Bob is an accomplished chef. I have noticed that whenever I visit the Fenner domicile, I not only learn about new developments in the aquarium field, I also get information about real estate or low-flush toilets. Burning with energy and enthusiasm, Bob has about fifty rental houses in the area, and he takes care of most of the maintenance himself. Although he has been married for ten years to the beautiful Diana Fenner, he takes care of the cooking and housework himself, enjoying his own vacuuming and yard work. When Bob does hire on help, though, he apparently goes first class, as the last time I was over there, the gardener had a law degree! A skilled fish and underwater photographer, Bob is almost as well known for his photographs as for his writing. And the man actually understands computers and all the peripherals that go with them! This is the type of thing that only teenagers and very young nerds are supposed to know! I stand in awe of his skill in this area alone—and I know where to go if my computer crashes! The source of some of Bob’s skills will become apparent in the telling of his life story. Born in Rhode Island, Bob was the son of a career navy plumber. When he was eleven years old, his family moved to Japan for three years. While there, Bob got a job in a strange type of establishment that was sort of a combination restaurant and aquarium shop. Bob had already taken an interest in fish as practically a toddler when he acquired some guppies. He learned to accommodate his growing collection by use of the old time large-mouth pickle jars. Obviously, Bob gained some knowledge about cooking and fish keeping from the aforementioned establishment, but his first job at a bona fide fish shop assigned him to the duties of changing betta bowls. The crew mixed their own malachite green solutions for cleaning the bowls. One time they miscalculated and produced too strong a solution, whose residue killed all the bettas. But Bob learned from his mistakes and went on to jobs in fish shops and aquarium maintenance. During a stint in the Philippines, Bob worked for the famed fish exporter Earl Kennedy. Although primarily assigned to packaging and shipping, Bob also collected marine tropicals from the coral reefs. Having survived learning scuba diving, on his own, by trial and error, Bob later attained advanced certification at the YMCA scuba program. Winding up eventually in San Diego, Bob worked at various aquarium shops and pond maintenance facilities while attending school. Mullet physiology, of all things, was Bob’s thesis on his way to attaining an advanced degree in marine biology. He later taught high school chemistry, biology, and physics. And, as a matter of fact, his countenance has a certain resemblance to famed physicist Richard Feynman, to my perception, at least. I told Bob about that, and he took it as a compliment—as he should, of course! Although I count Bob as a much-valued friend, I haven’t known him long, as we seem to accidentally have evaded one another, even though we belonged to the same clubs and even spoke at some of the same groups. A “sliding doors” type of coincidence kept us from meeting one another, although I would occasionally hear about him, and I read his writings, of course. I do recall that we met casually at a local marine group and chatted for a bit a couple of decades ago. But it was not until famed explorer and fish collector Ross Socolof sent me an inquiry about him that Bob and I really made close connection Because most of Bob’s writings have been about marine life, few people are aware that he has equal enthusiasm for freshwater fish. He is quite familiar with all of them, of course, from his work, as well as his hobbyist interest in them. As a matter of fact, Bob was friends with cichlid maven Guy Jordan, one of my dearest friends. The “sliding doors” phenomenon was still in effect, obviously. In any case, I am often astounded by his knowledge of relatively obscure freshwater fish. Fluent in Japanese, Bob seems to be quite at home with the scientific names, too. In fact, I am always about half a sentence behind with Bob because I spend half my time figuring out what organisms he is talking about. In my own defense, I would point out that most of us pronounce the scientific names differently. Hence, if the subjects are switching around, it is easy to get left behind a few steps. But I don’t think that Bob ever gets behind when I am talking! While I have been all over the world snorkeling and scuba diving, I am a real piker by Bob’s standards, as he still spends several months a year on scuba trips. I can’t think of many people who have Bob’s experience in the area of exploring the ocean. Most of us with worldwide experience in scuba diving are asked to name the best place in the world to dive. Most of us equivocate and give amorphous responses. After all, the diving in the southern California area can be good if you travel out to the islands away from all the runoff from rivers and sewers. As a point of fact, the undersea life near Monterey is world famous, so it is difficult to pinpoint the very best diving, as it depends on the interests of the diver. If pinned down by tropical fish enthusiasts, I usually recommend the Indo-Pacific. I think Bob would agree with me, but his favorite is the Red Sea. He has me trumped there, as I have not been to that area, but other divers who have been have been equally full of praise for the area Despite many offers and contemplated trips, we have not been diving yet together. That is my fault, as I am harder to get off the dime in regard to trips these days, but it is foolishness on my part, especially since our wives both enjoy diving, too. The next time a trip to the Red Sea is planned, I am going. After all, why shouldn’t I make the most of the multi-talented Bob Fenner? Having him as our guide to the Red Sea would be almost as ostentatious as Bob’s lawyer-gardener! fyy@aol.com>Date : Sun, 9 Nov 2003 21:09:49 -0500 Subject : Re: Fenner Family Bob I am helping compile all the descendants of Captain Arthur Fenner. I saw in an e-mail in which you mentioned you have a sister who is into the family genealogy. Could you put me in touch with her? <Sure. Her name is Brenda (Ellen) Fenner, number 760-731-3116> I suspect we are "cousins". Any chance you are the son of Milton Alexander Fenner? <That is our fathers name> We have some interesting parallels. Both Fenners from the East Coast living in Southern CA, about the same age (I was born in 1948). I have my degree in Biology because of my interest in Marine Biology, but never worked in the field. I was certified to dive in 1969 and became an Instructor in 1971. Have a trip planned to Nicaragua in February and Papa New Guinea in August. Salt water aquaria has been a hobby of mine on and off for 30 years. Would love to hear from you. Richard Arthur Fenner <Neat... indeed some amazing parallels. Bon voyage on your upcoming trips! Bob (Robert Milton) Fenner> |
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