AQUARIUM MANAGEMENT IS 



IN GENERAL 



Temperature. Try to keep a goldfish aquarium within the limits of 

 SO to 80 degrees. From 60 to 70 degrees is the preferred range, but in 

 winter, which is the natural rest period of all fishes of the temperate zone, 

 a little cooler water will do no harm. Floating thermometers with red 

 or blue spirits are easily read and are of value in all aquarium man- 

 agement. 



Water. We sometimes hear that certain water is too pure for fishes 

 to live in. This is "pure" nonsense. Extremely small, newly-hatched 

 fishes eat some of the microscopic life commonly in water, but as they 

 grow larger they are unable to strain out such fine matter. 



Distilled water, on account of its lack of desirable mineral content, 

 is not beneficial to fishes, and, on the other hand, some natural waters 

 are so heavily charged with minerals (sulphur and lime mainly) that they 

 cannot be successfully used for aquarium purposes. Ordinarily the city 

 water is satisfactory unless an extra heavy charge of germicide has been 

 placed in it. If one has aquarium troubles and the water is suspected, it 

 is a good plan to refill the aquarium from a stream known to contain 

 fishes. While muddy water is unsightly, it is not harmful. 



Water, as might well be surmised, can be adversely affected by the 

 character of the vessel it is in. Copper, brass, zinc, galvanized iron, new 

 wood and new concrete all have their dangers to fishes. Even a brass 

 drain pipe in the aquarium should be nickeled. Wood and concrete are 

 not safe, even for a few hours use, until they have held water for several 

 weeks, unless seasoning has been somewhat hurried by running water. A 

 moderate amount of iron rust is not injurious but is unsightly. A few 

 aquaria have iron bottoms inside. It is a good plan to lay a sheet of glass 

 over the iron, and sand on top the glass. This will confine the rust. 



Green Water. A popular question by beginners is, "Why does my 

 aquarium water turn green?" This is easier to answer than to remedy. 

 Floating everywhere in the air are spores or cells of many forms of life. 

 Only those develop which chance to come into contact with conditions 

 favorable to their particular needs. Some of them like a cool, moist rock 

 in the depths of shaded woods. This turns out to be moss. Others like 

 to get at Mother's jars of preserves when they are not perfectly sealed. 

 Here we find mold; likewise mildew on bread stored in a warm, damp 

 place. A number of spores like the conditions found in an aquarium. 

 Some of these are lower forms of animal life which when developed are 

 mostly too small for the unaided eye to detect, but which are eaten by 

 young fishes. Many others are aquatic-vegetal, which develop in such 

 numbers in certain kinds of water as to render it green. Although these 

 belong to the vegetable kingdom, some of them at one stage of develop- 



