BREEDER AWARD POINTS
The purpose of the Breeders Award Program (BAP) is: to promote the keeping and breeding of aquarium animals, to recognize and motivate achievement in the hobby, to encourage research into the breeding of more difficult species, to share knowledge about different techniques, and to document accounts of breeding.
To further our purpose, various awards and titles are presented for achievements in breeding. These include: Individual Species Certificates, Class Completion Plaques, Target Species Plaques, Chair’s Awards, and titles of achievement.

EACH TIME AN INDIVIDUAL BREEDS A DIFFERENT SPECIES, A CERTIFICATE RECOGNIZING THAT ACCOUNT WILL BE PRESENTED TO THE BREEDER UPON THE COMPLETION OF THE FOLLOWING REQUIREMENTS
- LIVEBEARERS
- ANABANTOIDS
- BARBS
- RAINBOWFISHES
- RASBORAS AND MINNOWS
- CHARACINS
- CICHLIDS (OLD WORLD)
- CICHLIDS (NEW WORLD)
- MOP SPAWNERS
- SOIL SPAWNERS
- CATFISH
- SHARKS, LOACHES, EELS
- MARINE FISH AND INVERTEBRATES
- U.S. NATIVES
- OTHER SPECIES
- FRESHWATER INVERTEBRATES
CLASS 1: LIVEBEARERS (6 SPECIES)
- 5 points: Brachyrhaphis rhabdophora, Heterandria sp., Gambusia sp., Poecilias (guppy & molly types), Xiphophorus (swords, platys, and variatus), and All other Livebearers not listed in other point groups
- 10 points: All species in family Goodeidae, all species from genera Ameca, Belonesox, Chapalichys, and Xenotocas
- 15 points All livebearing halfbeaks plus all species with published brood records of less than 20 fry
- 20 points: Ataeniobius toweri, Skiffia lermae, and S. multipunctata plus All species with published brood records of less than 10 fry including: Allodontichthys tamazulae, Brachyrhaphus holdridgei, Gambusia alvarezi, Poecilia melanazona, Poecilia turneri, Poeciliopsis prolifica, and P. turraburensis.
- Target: Anableps anableps, Jenysia lineate, Skiffia francesae, Hubbsina turneri and all livebearing stingrays.
CLASS 2: ANABANTOIDS (5 SPECIES)
- 5 points: Macropodus opercularis (paradise fish, all varieties), Trichogaster trichopterus (all varieties such as 3 spot, blue, gold, Cosby and opaline gouramis)
- 10 points: Betta picta, Betta splendens, Trichogaster leeri (pearl gourami), Colisa sp. (dwarf blue gouramis, neons, and giant gouramis).
- 15 points: All species from genus Macropodus, except those listed in other point groups. All species from the genera Belontia and Trichopsis (croaking gouramis). All wild Bettas such as Betta smaragdina, Betta unimaculata and all other Anabantoid species not listed in other point groups.
- 20 points: Bettas in the coccina complex (coccina, tussyae, brownorum, livida, persephone, miniopinna, burdigala, rutilans) Helostoma temmincki (kissing), and Parosphromenus sp. (licorice & related sp.).
- Targets: Betta albimarginata, channoides and macrostoma, Ctenopoma sp., Sphaerichthys sp. (chocolate gouramies), and Osphronemus goramy (true goramy).
CLASS 3: BARBS (5 SPECIES)
- 5 points: None
- 10 points: All barbs not listed in other point groups, including Puntius sachsi (gold barb), Capoeta oligolepis (checker barb), and Capoeta tetrazona (tiger barb).
- 15 points: Barbodes everetti (clown barb), Puntius filamentosa, Capoeta arulius
- 20 points: Barbodes lateristriga (spanner T barb), and Any African barb species such as Barbodes fasciolatus, Barbodes macrops, Barbodes kerstenii, and Barbodes trispilos
- Target: Barbodes schwanenfeldii (tinfoil barb)
CLASS 4: RAINBOWFISHES (5 SPECIES)
- 5 points Melanotaenia splendida (including all subspecies such as inornata and rubristriata)
- 10 points All species of the genera Glossolepis, and Pseudomugil, Bedotia geayi (madagascar rainbow). All Melanotaenias sp. not listed elsewhere. Telmatherina ladigesi and Chilatherina heikobleheri
- 15 points All rainbowfishes not listed elsewhere
- 20 points Pseudomugil tenellus
- Target: Iriatherina werneri (featherfin rainbowfish)
CLASS 5: RASBORAS AND MINNOWS (3 RASBORAS AND 3 MINNOWS)
- 5 points: All minnows from genera Danio and Brachydanio, Tanichthys albonubes (white clouds)
- 10 points: None
- 15 points: All minnows not listed elsewhere, Rasbora trilineata (scissortail rasbora), and Rasbora borapetensis (redtailed rasbora)
- 20 points: All species of Rasboras not listed in other point groups
- Target: Rasbora heteromorpha (harlequin) and R. espei
CLASS 6: CHARACINS (5 SPECIES)
- 5 points: None
- 10 points: Inpaichthys kerri (royal tetra), Nematobrycon lacortei (rainbow tetra), and Nematobrycon palmeri (emperor tetra)
- 15 points: Gymnocorymbus ternetzi (black tetra) and All species not listed in other point groups.
- 20 points: Exodon paradoxus (buck toothed tetra), Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi (black neon tetra), and All species of genera Carnegiella and Gasteropelecus
- Target: Paracheirodon innesi (neon tetra), Cheirodon axelrodi (cardinal tetra), Micralestes interruptus (Congo tetras) Serrasalmidae sp.(non-piranha), Thoracocharax sp. (hatchetfish) and all Abramites and Anostomus.
CLASS 7: CICHLIDS OF THE OLD WORLD (6 SPECIES: 3 MOUTHBROODING + 3 SUBSTRATE SPAWNING)
- 5 points: All mouthbrooders from genera Sarotherodon, Hemihaplochromis, Tilapia, plus Haplochromis burtoni and other closely related Haplochromis species
- 10 points: Steatocranus casuarius, all mouthbrooding species from Lake Malawi and Victoria, plus all substrate spawning African and Asian cichlids except those listed in other point groups
- 15 points: Etroplus maculatus, Haplochromis moorii, all species from genera: Lamprologus, and Steatocranus, (except those listed in other point groups), and all substrate spawning species from Lake Tanganyika
- 20 points: Etroplus suratensis, Teleograma sp., (except those listed in other point groups), and all mouthbrooding species from Lake Tanganyika
- Targets: Cyathopharynx sp. and other Lake Tanganyika “featherfins”
CLASS 8: CICHLIDS OF THE NEW WORLD (6 SPECIES)
- 5 points: Cryptoheros nigrofasciatus (convicts), and Herotilapia multispinosa (rainbow cichlid)
- 10 points: Pterophyllum scalare (angelfish: all varieties) Geophagus steindachneri, ‘Geophagus’ brasiliensis, Gymnogeophagus balzanii, Apistogramma spp., Parachromis managuensis, Thorichthys meeki, ‘Cichlasoma’ octofasciatum, Archocemtrus spilurus, Nannacara anomala, Neetroplus nematopus, and all substrate spawning Central, North and South American cichlids except those listed in other point groups.
- 15 points: All species from genera Caquetaia, Cichlasoma, Crenicara, Crenicichla (unless noted elsewhere), Geophagus, Gymnogeophagus, Heros and Satanoperca (except those listed in other point groups), Astronotus ocellatus, plus all mouth brooding species of South American cichlids except those listed in other point groups.
- 20 points: All species from the following Crenicichla complexes: lacustris, strigata, and vittata. Symphysodon aequifasciatus, Teleocichla spp. and Uaru anphiacanthoides
- Targets: Acarichthys heckelli, Biotodoma spp., Biotoecus spp., Cichla spp., Pterophyllum altum, Satanoperca acuticeps, Satanoperca daemon, Satanoperca lilith, Symphysodon discus, Uaru fernadezyepezi, and Uaru sp. “Big Blotch”.
CLASS 9: KILLIFISH, MOP SPAWNERS (6 SPECIES)
- 5 points Fundulopanchax gardneri, Aplocheilus lineatus, Aplocheilus panchax, Epiplatys dageti, Pachypanchax playfairi,Oryzias latipes (rice fish)
- 10 points Aphyosemion cognatum, Aphyosemion christyi, Aphyosemion schoutedeni, Aphyosemion fallax, Aphyosemion gulare, and Aphyosemion australe plus All mop spawning species not listed in other point groups.
- 15 points All species from the Aphyosemion diapteron group including Aphyosemion abacinum, Aphyosemion georgiae, Aphyosemion cyanostictum, and Aphyosemion fulgen plus All species from the genus Procatopus.
- 20 points Pseudoepiplatys annulatus, and Rivulus marmarata
- Target: Lamprichthys tanganicanus
CLASS 10 : KILLIFISH, SOIL SPAWNERS (3 SPECIES)
- 5 points: None
- 10 points: Fundulopanchax sjoestedti (Blue Gularis)
- 15 points: All soil-spawning species with PUBLISHED* incubation times of five months or less
- 20 points: All soil-spawning species with PUBLISHED* incubation times of six months or more
- Target: Terranatos dolichopterus (sabrefin killie), and Nothobranchius rachovi
* Proof of publication should be copied and added to the BAP Form
CLASS 11: CATFISH (4 SPECIES)
- 5 points: None
- 10 points: None
- 15 points: Corydoras aeneus, and Corydoras paleatus, (including albino forms)
- 20 points: All species not listed in other point groups. Corydoras hastatus, Corydoras pygmaeus, Hoplosternum pectorale (dwarf hoplo), Ancistrus “temmincki” and “dolicopterus”.
- Target: Any species from the genus Synodontis, any species of “plecostomus” or “suckermouth” types (not otherwise mentioned), Dianema urostriatum, any of the “Wood Cats”.
CLASS 12: SHARKS, LOACHES, AND EELS (1 SPECIES)
- 5 points: None
- 10 points: None
- 15 points: None
- 20 points: Misgurnus anguillicaudatus (dojo or weather loach), Acanthophthalmus sp. (kuhli type loaches). All other species not listed in target group
- Target: Epalzeorhynchos bicolour (redtailed shark), Botia macracantha (clown loach), and Mastocembelus species (spiny eels)
CLASS 13: MARINE FISH AND INVERTEBRATES (ANY COMBINATION THAT AMOUNTS TO 40 POINTS OR 1 FISH)
- 5 points: Bristleworms, Aptasia species anemones, Copopods, and All other highly opportunistic species.
- 10 points: Tubeworms and mushroom anemones.
- 15 points: None
- 20 points: All shrimps, crabs, lobsters, and other crustaceans.
- Target: All marine fishes and all other species not listed in other point groups.
CLASS 14: U.S. NATIVES (2 SPECIES)
- 5 points: Gambusia affinis, Heterandria formosa, Poecilia latipinna and all livebearing species native to the United States.
- 10 points: All Cyprinodon species (pupfish), Elassoma evergladei (pigmy sunfish), Jordanella floridae (Florida flag fish), and all other egglaying species native to the United States.
- 15 points: All “sunfish” except Elassoma evergladei, and all “minnows”
- 20 points: None
- Target: All “Darters” and Sculpins
CLASS 15: ALL OTHER SPECIES (3 SPECIES: 1 LIVEBEARER + 2 EGGLAYERS)
- 5 points: None
- 10 points: All Badis and Dario species
- 15 points: Carassius auratus auratus (goldfish: all varieties) and Chlamydogobius eremius (desert goby)
- 20 points: Koi, Scats, Mogurnda mogurnda, all others not in other point groups
- Target: Brachygobius xanthozona (bumblebee goby), Monodactylus sebae, Pantodon buchholzi (butterfly fish), “mudskippers”, Luciocephalus pulcher and all gobies/gudgeons not listed elsewhere
CLASS 16: ORNAMENTAL FRESHWATER INVERTEBRATES (4 SPECIES)
- 5 points: All snails from the genera Ampullaria, Vivipara, Campiloma, and Marisa
- 10 points: All crayfish and shrimp that reproduce through direct development unless listed in other points groups.
- 15 points: All crayfish and shrimp that reproduce through primitive development and do not require saltwater for larvae developement
- 20 points: All shrimp and crayfish that reproduce by indirect development and require saltwater for larvae development
- Target: All freshwater crabs, mussels, and clams.