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AQUARIUM IMPLEMENTS. 



I. Net. 2. Forceps. 3. Stick for Feeding. 4- Swab for 

 Cleaning. 5. Tube for taking up Refuse. 



celli is also good. Some of the ordinary house- 

 hold cereals are available as goldfish food, but 

 the beginner should experiment with them cau- 

 tiously. Other foods are, however, desirable at 

 times : Once a week, pieces of very small earth 

 worms, or bits of fresh beef should be fur- 

 nished. If they can be given to eacli fish on 

 the tip of a broom straw the chances of con- 

 taminating the water by waste food will be 

 lessened. All uneaten food must be picked, 

 dipped, or siphoned out, or foul water and a 

 disturbance of the delicate balance of the aqua- 

 rium will be the result. A milky appearance of 

 the water is usually a warning against careless 

 feeding. Nearly all diseases which appear 

 among goldfishes indicate that the aquarium 

 needs looking after. The unsightly growths 

 of fungus on fishes, caused by the plant para- 



sites, Saprolcgiiia and Dci'oca. indicate care- 

 less handling of the fishes, or bad conditions 

 prevailing in the aquarium. When the condi- 

 tions are right, diseases are not likely to ap- 

 pear. Too high a temperature favors the 

 growth of fish fungus. 



This disease is hard to deal with and infected 

 fishes should be removed at once and kept by 

 themselves, where, under proper conditions, 

 they may possibly recover. A pinch of salt put 

 in the water with them may arrest the disease, 

 but when in bad condition a teaspoonful of salt 

 to each gallon of water will be necessary. If 

 other fishes are obtainable, it is just as well to 

 kill diseased specimens, since the fungus roots 

 penetrate well into the flesh and can not be de- 

 stroyed if the growth is far advanced. Ani- 

 mal parasites on fishes should be picked ofif 

 after the fish has been carefully lifted in the 

 dip net. 



One of the first indications of trouble in the 

 aquarium, is the presence of the fishes at the 

 surface with their mouths out of the water, 

 showing that they are suffering from lack of 

 air. The water may be dipped up and allowed 

 to fall back slowly, but the relief afforded will 

 be merely temporary. The temperature of the 

 aquarium should be observed and some of the 

 fishes removed. It may be necessary to in- 

 crease the quantity of plant-life or stimulate its 

 growth by admitting more light. If the 

 weather is not cold and the window can be 

 opened, air blowing across the surface of the 

 water will be helpful, since it may only be 

 necessary to aerate the water and lower the 

 temperature somewhat. There may be refuse 

 on the bottom which should, of course, be re- 

 moved. 



In taking care of the aquarium, a few sim- 

 ple implements such as a half-inch rubber tube 

 for siphoning out the water, a glass "dip 

 tube" for removing small particles of dirt from 

 the bottom, a shallow dip net of cheese cloth 

 for lifting fishes and a cloth-covered pad or 

 rubber scraper, with a long handle for clean- 

 ing the glass, will be necessary. The dip tube 

 is operated by closing the top opening with 

 the finger to admit or exclude the water as de- 

 sired. A pair of long wooden forceps and 

 a slim stick are also useful for moving plants 

 and other objects without putting the hands 

 into the water. The accompanying cut shows 

 some of the implements used by Mr. Spencer 

 of the Aquarium staff. 



One other aid in the management of the 

 aquarium should not be overlooked : A reliable 

 book on aquaria and their care is essential, and 

 the amateur will need to refer to it frequently. 



