12 GOLDFISH VARIETIES AXD 



snail (Lymuaea auricnlaria) and the red variety of the European Rams- 

 horn Snail (Flanorbis corneous). These are all active in eating vegetable 

 growth from the glass or particles of food which the fish have not taken, 

 and in no case will they injure any of the aquarium plants. The Japanese 

 snails are very interesting in that they bring forth fully developed young 

 about the size of a pea. These snails are male and female, but a female 

 once impregnated seems, like a queen bee, to remain fertile for the 

 remainder of her life. The right horn of the male is somewhat the longer, 

 this serving a sexual purpose. These snails are quite long-lived and grow 

 to the size of a large walnut. Another snail resembling the Japanese 

 species is the Potomac snail. This has two brown stripes on a horn- 

 colored background running with the spiral. It is quite attractive and is 

 frequently sold as the Japanese snail, but it is sluggish and should not be 

 crossed with the Japanese. The latter can be identified by the slightly 

 raised keels showing on the last spiral. The paper shelled snail is very 

 prettily marked with brown spots on a horn-colored background, and is 

 an extremely rapid breeder, but is of short life. The young hatching 

 from the spawn of these snails make a food regarded by the fish as a 

 delicacy, as is evidenced by the fact that none of these snails ever get 

 beyond the early stages of development if kept among the fi'sh. It is 

 therefore apparent that to breed these snails successfully they need to 

 be kept by themselves until the young are about half grown. With the 

 Japanese snails no such precaution is necessary, as the young are fur- 

 nished with a fairly hard shell at the time they emerge. 



The European Red or Coral Snail (Planorbis corneous) is a recent 

 introduction and is unique on account of the bright red coral color of 

 the body. When seen in the sunlight this snail is quite an added attrac- 

 tion to the appearance to an artistic aquarium, and is an active worker. 

 The snail is easily bred if the young are kept away from fish. In breed- 

 ing snails in small aquara or receptacles it is desirable to give them some 

 extra food. Rice wafers, powdered fish food of almost any variety, let- 

 tuce leaves dried and powdered, boiled oatmeal or raw cream of wheat 

 will serve the purpose. Eggs are deposited on plants and glass, and do 

 best at from 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. 



To those interested in identifying species of native snails we would 

 recommend a very excellent work published by the State Department of 

 Public Education at Albany, N. Y,, entitled "A Monograph on the Snails 

 of New York State," by H. A. Pilsbry. The book is profusely illustrated 

 in color and to all practical purposes covers the species east of the 

 Rockies. 



The frog tadpole has been used by many as an aquarium scavenger, 

 but its value is of considerable doubt. They dash about the aquarium 



