8 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 



jar containing water just salty enough to be noticeable to the taste 

 and kept there until cured, the salt water being changed daily. This 

 treatment is good for run-down fish as well as for those that are dis- 

 eased. 



To overcome constipation, dissolve a tablespoonful of Epsom salts 

 in a gallon of water and allow the fish to remain in the solution for a 

 few hours if necessary. Then let them rest a day or two in a mild 

 solution of Epsom salts with a little sea salt added. Constipation 

 can be prevented by the use of live foods, such as Daphnia, at intervals. 



Fish subject to a higher temperature than that which they were 

 accustomed to are apt to develop fungus or other diseases. When 

 fish are brought in from the open the temperature should be gradually 

 lowered and overcrowding should be avoided. At the first indication 

 of fungus (white spots on the fins) the fish should be given a salt 

 treatment, after which they should be kept apart from the healthy 

 ones in well-aerated water. 



Fungus is a parasitic plant, and species of it are always more or less 

 abundant in the water. Healthy fish usually have the strength to resist 

 them, but fish that have been injured by injudicious handling are 

 liable to become affected. The fungus will be observed as black and 

 white spots, or the fish may have most of its body covered with slime. 

 A strong salt solution applied with a cotton swab will effect a cure in 

 one or two treatments. There are preparations on the market that 

 are sometimes used for painting spots made by fungus. These prepa- 

 rations or balsams are msoluble in water and act as a covering while 

 the wound is healing. In their use the affected parts are cleaned and 

 dried and the balsam freely applied with a small brush or a piece of 

 cotton and permitted to dry for about three minutes, the head and 

 gills of the fish being wrapped in a wet cloth while the operation is in 

 progress. If properly done this will not endanger the life of the fish. 

 The following methods of salt treatment are in common use : 



TREATMENT WITH STRONG SALT SOLUTION. 



A solution containing 13 ounces of common table salt per gallon of water is pre- 

 pared. The fish are dipped up in a deep net and lowered in the salt solution where 

 they should remain for two or three seconds. The fish are then transferred to another 

 vessel containing well-aerated water of the same temperature as that from which 

 the fish were taken. This treatment may be profitably repeated daily for two or 

 three days. 



TREATMENT WITH DILUTE SALT SOLUTION. 



In this case the fish are placed in a 3 per cent solution of common table salt, } pound 

 to a gallon of water, and allowed to remain in the bath with aeration of the solution 

 for 30 minutes. The fish may then be placed in another vessel containing well aerated 

 water. If the fish show signs of distress during the half hour, by turning on one 

 side, they should be removed to fresh water. The treatment may be repeated daily 

 on the following two or three days. 



On cloudy days even in well-conditioned aquaria fishes will come 

 to the surface of the water to breathe, but ii they do this in clear 

 weather it is a sign that something is wrong. The trouble may be 

 from one of the following causes: Too few plants, too high tempera- 

 ture, or decomposition of unconsumed food. The cause should be 

 found and removed as quickly as possible. 



Goldfish are subject to many diseases not described in this publi- 

 cation, among them being inflammation of the eyes, an affection 

 of the swimming bladder, dropsy, and consumption. The last two 



