
FOOD AND FEEDING 

gle for food can only tend to the elimination of the finest fry and the sur- 
vival of the better adapted but undesired long-bodied, single-tailed fishes. 
To achieve most certain results, a careful observation of the following 
suggestions is advisable :—Experience has proven that it is best to take 
the spawn and the plants to which it adheres from the spawning bed or tank 
and place them into filtered water to hatch, thus largely avoiding the danger 

of the presence of fungus spores and enemies; but it is well to introduce a few 
pots of clean growing plants to supply the necessary oxygen and prevent 
the asphyxiation of the hatching fry. Immediately after hatching, the 
alevin is still attached to the umbilical sac and requires no other food than 
is furnished by it and that present on the plants and inthe water; but 
after its absorption young fishes may be fed on rice flour scattered on the 
surface of the water, or a little of the broth of oat meal, but the best food is 
the natural pond-life food, and this should be continued until it is 34 to 1 
inch long, when prepared foods may be fed, if natural food is no longer 
to be obtained. 
Together with the plants a small dish containing clean soil should be 
introduced,as it contains substances necessary for nutrition and willstimulate 
the development and propagation of infusoria, the minute animal life which 
is the natural first food of the newly hatched alevin. ‘This is manifested 
by the greenish color of the water, which is also in part due to the presence 
of tiny vegetal life, the diatoms and other small alge. After the fry have 
reached the age of a week, a half pint of water of pronouncedly green 
color, taken from a tank in which a considerable growth of alge has col- 
lected, should be added every few days, then after a week live food should 
be fed. 
It should be here repeated that a low temperature of the water and 
insufficient light will seriously affect the survival of the fry, as the gener- 
ally accepted opinion that fishes do not feed freely when the weather is 
cloudy and the water cold applies to young goldfishes; but strong sunlight 
must be avoided, as that also is injurious. 
When the stage of feeding live food has been reached, it should be 
given in liberal quantity about three or four times a day, carefully screened 
that only the smallest entomostraca are introduced into the rearing tanks; 
and though it has been observed that when very abundant the larger may 
prey upon the young fishes, it is always the weaklings which are attacked 
and these can be dispensed with; the healthy and vigorous young fishes 
escape these attacks or but few succumb. 
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