BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 2hl> 



Vol. V, No. 19. Washington, D. C. Aug. is, 1*H3. 



86.— FISH.CITI.TURE AS A MEANS OF IIHPROI l"S«- THE RACE OF 



FISH.* 



By Baron VON K. 



The principal object of all animal culture is the cheap production of food, 

 but another object should be to produce the greatest possible quantity of 

 meat in proportion to those parts which are either worthless or of little 

 value for food. It should be the aim of the fish- curtarist to produce 

 races of fish having superior flesh. 



There are two ways of reaching this end : (1) A sufficient supply of 

 suitable food, furnishing enough food even beyond the actual need; and 

 (2) the most careful selection for breeders of such animals as< possess 

 all the desired qualities in an especial degree. To provide a sufficient 

 supply of suitable food presupposes an exact knowledge of the quantity 

 of food and of its nutritious qualities needed at every age of the fish 

 for its growth and development ; therefore, the laying down of standard 

 rules of feeding, such as, owing to the investigations of learned physi- 

 ologists, have long since been laid down for our domestic animals. We 

 Still know but very little, and opinions are greatly diVided, relative to 

 the food which a fish needs for its life and growth. 



It is true that endeavors are made by fish-culturists to raise The an- 

 nual increase in the weight of fish to a certain desired point. But the 

 experimental means are soon exhausted and the increase is but small. 

 The questiou as to the food of fish should be studied all the more as 

 artificial fish-culture tends to increase very largely the number of fish, 

 which when left to nature are during the early period of their life ex- 

 posed to a great many dangers. Although, owing to the depopulation 

 of the waters, there is no present danger that they will become over- 

 stocked with fish, there is no doubt that sooner or later the fish will suffer 

 from want of food, so that, in spite of all care and trouble, we would only 

 get skeletons instead of plump fish, unless we find ways and means for 

 procuring the necessary food or to increase the food at our disposal. 

 We should not leave to nature and accident to furnish the necessary 

 supply of food for the great mass of our fish. Pond-culturists especially 

 should be prepared to stock their ponds with a larger number of fish 

 than is the case at the present time; and they would by no means be 

 certain of reaching this end by using some food which here and there, 

 under different conditions, has answered the purpose. They must fur- 

 nish to their fish food which their water does not contain in sufficient 

 quantities and which they require at their different ages. 



* .. 



Veredelnde Fisclizucht" From tin? Deutsche Fischerei-Zeitung, V<>!. IV, No, -1. Stet- 

 tin, January 27, 1885. Translated from the German by Hickman JacOBSON. 

 Bull. U. S. F. C, 85 19 



