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THE PROPAGATION OF THE GOLDFISH 

means of discriminating the sexes is the appearance of the fishes near the 
anal region. The female shows a slight protuberance above the anus, the 
protrusion of the oviduct; while the male has a 
CE. depression in this region as though a tiny piece of 
Ce the flesh had been pinched out with the nails of the 
E a ke se 
finger and thumb, Fig. 56. ‘These latter differences 
FIG. 56 Difference at anal eal led 
region of female and male Gold- are noticable at all times. 
fishes, for determ ning the sex. 
The conduct of the male in pursuit of the female shows unmistakable 
evidence of courtship; swimming beside and around her, rubbing her sides 
and pressing on the ovaries with the head and tubercles, aiding her in 
depositing the spawn, often fairly forcing her on the spawning bed. 
At this season the enlarged ovaries of the female give to her a de- 
cidely fuller and more distended appearance and also aid in the discrimina- 
tion of the sexes, though the otherwise general conformation of body and 
fin may be alike. It is generally recognized, however, that the males of 
finely bred goldfishes incline to longer bodies than the females. 
The female deposits the spawn, Fig. 54, on the leaves and roots of aquatic 
plants, its mucilaginous covering causing an adhesion thereto, where it is 
covered and fecundated with spermatic corpuscles by the male. To the 
breeder the preferable plants for spawning are Myriophyllum, introduced 
in loose bunches, and the Water Hyacinth whose finely spiked floating 
roots are well adapted to this purpose. Previous examination is advisable 
that they harbor no snails, insects, larve, or other enemies that may de- 
vour the spawn or injure the fry, if introduced with them into the hatch- 
ing dishes. Preferably the plants should be placed in water for some time 
so that the larve will hatch and then thoroughly cleaned in a weak solution 
of Phenol-sodique before use for spawning. 
When the fry has reached the stage of development that the yolksac 
entirely disappears, feeding is necessary and this consists of the tiny water 
plants known as Alge, and of minute aquatic animalcule which abound in 
quiet pools and still water, entomostraca of the genera Daphnia, Poly- 
phema, Ceriodaphnia, Sida, Cyclops and Cypryis; also mosquito larve and 
those of harmless insects, of which more will be stated hereafter. Great 
care must be taken in the selection of this food that injurious insect spawn 
and larve, or the protozoa and fungi which produce diseases, and parasites 
are not introduced with it into the rearing tanks. ‘This will also be treated 
of elsewhere. 
If the breeding is undertaken in a small way, a fine net of cheese 
cloth and a jar containing a little pond soil and a water plant are required 
gl 
