
THE PROPAGATION OF THE GOLDFISH 

As it is the purpose of this volume to treat the subject not from the 
business point of view only but to interest the amateur and professional 
breeder alike, it is desirable to describe the breeding methods separately 
beginning with the simplest. The suggestions given should be modified 
to suit the conditions. 
Aquarium AND Tank Cutture. This method is usually employed 
by amateurs and fanciers with limited facilities, and undertaken as a 
pleasant diversion. ‘The requirements are an open space, good light, one 
or more tanks, sawed-off barrels or similar clean and seasoned vessels of 
varying depth of water, which have been thoroughly scalded, scoured, 
frequently watered, filled and left standing for one or more months, and 
on which a growth of alge has formed, success always being surer the longer 
they have been in use for this purpose. They should be placed in a bright 
and sunny location, accessible to water; clean potted plants placed therein 
and permitted to stand to accumulate oxygen and the minute animal life 
which is not only beneficial in removing the refuse, decayed particles of 
plants and excrement, but also serves as food; care being necessary in the 
establishment, seasoning and maintenance of the spawning and rearing 
tanks, which often require more than one season’s use to be in perfect 
condition. When let into the ground they maintain a more equitable tem- 
perature, but set above the ground are not so accessible to some of the 
enemies, frogs and cats among the number. It is advisable to cover the 
_ tanks with wire screens as a protection from the larger enemies. 
As elsewhere stated, either the parent fishes may be placed into the 
tanks to spawn and then removed, or the plants to which the spawn ad- 
heres placed therein and permitted to hatch, the former being the better 
method as then none of the eggs will be lost. 
Basin AND Poot Cutture. Basinsand pools may be built of bricks laid 
in cement or mortar and lined with cement, of cement concrete, or on a 
good clay bottom with the sides of boards backed by well puddled clay. 
Their proportions should be such that a careful observation of the entire 
contents is possible and when based on a factor of 4 or 5 feet many advan- 
tages will be manifest; that is, a breadth of 4 feet and a length of 4, 8 and 
12 feet; or a breadth of 5 feet and length of 5, 10 and 165 feet, so that 
glass sashes, wire covering, etc., are interchangeable, the capacity and the 
number of fishes for each size easily kept in mind, and the available space 
well occupied by this systematic arrangement. 
An easily constructed basin is one of circular form with sloping sides, 
as the earth may be evenly excavated, the bottom leveled off, and brick or 
concrete sides built directly againstand upon them. The action of frost 
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