AQUARIUM MANAGEMENT 



Most aquarists, however slight their interest in this hobby, or how 

 humble their ambitions, are true lovers of their pets. Also many of them 

 have a keen appreciation of Nature, and would like nothing better than 

 to have in their homes a reproduction in miniature of a section of the 

 water world. 



Can an aquarium be made such a little world in itself, populated by 

 well and happy fish folk? Decidedly, yes. All we have to do is take a 

 few hints from Mother Nature Herself, and we will be able to change 

 what our insurance friends call the "life expectancy" of aquarium fishes 

 to years instead of months. 



In aquatic life we find four conditions of the first importance to 

 fishes. To emphasize that importance we will set them out in this fashion : 



Plentiful water surface 



No sudden temperature changes 



Growing plants 



Not too much food 



Now let us see just how these four conditions can be applied to the 

 management of a household aquarium so that its inmates will have no 

 just complaint against their masters or mistresses. We will consider these 

 major topics in the order named, and, as we go along, cover certain sub- 

 jects which are allied to each. 



WATER SURFACE 



To begin with, do you know that a fish breathes air, just as much as 

 we do ? Perhaps you know, friend reader, but most do not, so here is the 

 explanation : It is a natural physical property of water to contain a certain 

 amount of air. We might correctly say dissolved air. The cooler the 

 water, the more air it can hold. Please remember that. We will return 

 to it more than once. 



A good proof that air is in water is to let a tumbler of cold water 

 stand in a warm room. Everyone has seen how the bubbles of air leave 

 the water and adhere to the sides of the glass. Very many more, which 

 you do not see, escape at the surface. While this simple experiment 

 shows that there is air in the water, it also shows the fact already men- 

 tioned, which is that cool water has more capacity to hold air, and as the 

 tumbler warms, the air is forced out in the form of bubbles. A tumbler 

 of tepid water in a colder room will not develop bubbles. On the con- 

 trary, it will absorb and hold more air, but of course, this cannot be seen. 

 You may safely take science's word for it— it is there. 



This air is the breath of the fish. As the water passes through the 

 gills, air is mechanically extracted. The gills are equivalent to the lungs, 



