240 DESCRIPTIVE KEY TO BREEDING, ETC. 



COBITIDiE— LOACHES (No. 7) 



The family of Loaches is a large one, and its members are found 

 over Europe, Asia, the East Indies, and Northeast Africa. They are 

 close to the Carp family, though their barbels make them externally 

 similar to the Catfishes. The eggs of Misgurnus are deposited on the 

 sides and plants of the aquarium, remaining there until hatched in a few 

 days. The young swim in a school around the old fishes. 



The Loaches are valuable as scavengers. They are entirely harmless 

 to other fishes. (See figure 11.) 



CYPRINID^— CARPS (No. 8) 



The Carps in general are of peaceful disposition. They seldom 

 fight and when they do they cannot hurt each other, for they have no 

 teeth in the jaws. The pharyngeal teeth in the throat are used for 

 chewing their food, which consists in most cases, contrary to common 

 belief, almost entirely of animal matter such as worms and insects. 

 Certain species, such as the Carp itself, are to a large extent herbivorous. 



Goldfishes belong to this family, but their habits are covered else- 

 where. 



Of the species considered, only the Brachydanios are known to have 

 non-adhesive eggs. These are bred by placing the ripe adults together 

 in a fair sized aquarium, the bottom of which is covered with large pebbles 

 or small marbles. The eggs are dropped between the pebbles and are 

 there safe from the appetite of the parents until the latter can be removed. 

 (See also figure 104.) D. malabaricus has adhesive eggs. 



The Barbs, and most Carps, drop adhesive eggs upon water plants. 

 (See page 200.) The aquarium should be provided with a mat of 

 Myriophyllum, Nitella or other bushy plant, over the bottom, weighted 

 down with a few pebbles. The eggs are deposited on this mat and the 

 parents must then be removed. 



Rasbora heteramorpha places eggs on the under side of leaves such 

 as Cryptocoryne, paying no further attention to them, nor to the young. 



Many American brook minnows build "nests" of little stones but 

 such species cannot, in general, be bred in aquaria. 



Bitterlings by means of an ovipositor place their eggs within the shell 

 of a live freshwater mussel. The young duly emerge from this protective 

 refuge. 



GASTEROSTEID^— STICKLEBACKS (No. 9) 



The Sticklebacks cannot be kept with other fishes. They are carniv- 

 orous and build an actual nest out of bits of plants. For more detailed 

 description, see page 168. 



GOBIIDiE— GOBIES (No. 10) 



This large family is sparsely represented in our aquaria. The species 

 are carnivorous and little is known of their breeding. 



