A ERA TING LA KG E AQUA RIA . ^ \ 



CHAPTER VI. 



THE AQUATIC GARDEN AND ITS PLANTS. 



UNTIL within a year or two ago the circulatory 

 system of aerating large aquaria was confined to 

 salt water. After Mr. Lloyd applied it thus, at 

 Hamburg, in 1868, Mr. Saville-Kent applied it to 

 the fresh-water tanks in the Manchester Aquarium 

 with some success. The chief means of aerating the 

 water was either by means of fountains, or through 

 the agency of aquatic plants. Of course it will be 

 impossible to amateur keepers of aquaria to aerate 

 their small reservoirs by mechanically circulating the 

 water. Such a process would be troublesome, and 

 would hardly repay the large expense and outlay 

 of labour by the small returns that would be afforded. 

 Moreover, one reason for keeping aquaria in rooms 

 is on account of their pretty and attractive appear- 

 ance, and this would not be so effective without the 

 greenery of aquatic or semi-aquatic vegetation which 

 they usually possess. It is true Mr. Kent found that 

 fishes suffering from the attacks of a white fungoid 

 growth quickly recovered when placed in tanks 

 aerated by circulation. Mr. Kent is of opinion that 

 the fungoid growth is due to the lime in the water. 



