
SOME FRESHWATER AQUARIUM FISHES 

THE CATFISH 
This fish is so well-known that little need be said in its description. 
Several species are most generally distributed, the White Catfish, dmezurus 

FIG. 52—Stone-catfish or Little Mad Tom, Schi/beodes insignis 
catus, the Horned Pout or Common Bullhead Ameiurus nebulosus, and the 
Little Mad Tom, Schilbeodes insignis, Fig. 52. They are very annoying 
to goldfishes and should not be put into aquaria with them. Small parti- 
cles of animal food, dessicated meat, mussels, etc.,together with boiled cereals 
are the best food. 
THE EEL 
Eels abound in all the waters of the temperate and torrid zones, but 
it has been established that they always visit brackish and salt water to 
spawn. They are very tenacious of life, a modification of their gills en- 
abling them to go considerable distances overland in their Spring migra- 
tions or in search of food. The Common American Eel, Anguilla 
L—_=> 




FIG. 53—Common Eel, Anguilla chrysypa 
chrysypa, Fig. 53, is of slow growth, rarely exceeding 12 inches during the 
first year, but attaining a length of over 4-feet and a weight exceeding 5 
pounds. Its food consists of all insect and animal life as well as putres- 
cent vegetal and animal substances. They are good scavengers but de- 
structive to the spawn ofall fishes. In the aquarium they will nibble at 
the fins of other fishes and should not be kept with goldfishes unless they 
are of very small size. Eels will eat almost anything and everything fed 
to them. 
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