sediment. At the first glance one may 

 be disappointed as sharp eyes are 

 needed. The eggs while comparatively 

 large for such a small fish, and heavy, 

 are very transparent. A shallow dish — a 

 soup plate is good — should be at hand, 

 and into it is poured the remaining 

 water, swirling the water to remove 

 eggs from the sides. If no eggs are dis- 

 covered, the tank should be reset. Place 

 where it will have good light, but avoid 

 much sunlight as it will cause too great 

 fluctuation between night and day 

 temperature. Care should be taken to 

 avoid too large crevices between the 

 rocks lest the fish become imprisoned 

 with fatal results. Under proper con- 

 ditions, the same pair will spawn at 

 intervals of two or three weeks for 

 several months. 



Presuming that we have the eggs, the 

 dish is placed where it will get a little 

 morning sun and an even temperature 

 maintained. In from three to seven 

 days, depending upon conditions, very 

 minute fish wriggle forth equipped ap- 

 parently, with a sort of hook under the 

 lower jaw by which they attach them- 

 selves at the surface to floating plants, 

 such as Riccia Jiiiitans, which should 

 then be provided, Anacharis {Elodea) 

 will do, but I prefer the Riccia. About 

 four days after hatching I transfer the 

 fry to a larger tank, previously prepared, 

 containing both Riccia and Anacharis 

 and about two inches of water. Here 

 they may remain until developed. They 

 must now be fed abundant infusoria 

 until large enough to eat Daphnia. 

 Growth is slow until they are large 

 enough to take the minute Crustacea. 

 All food should be strained through 

 medium weight lawn to avoid the in- 

 troduction of obnoxious life. Larger 

 fish may be fed dried shrimp, Daphnia, or 

 dried water plants rubbed through wire 

 gauze having about 100 meshes to the 

 inch. 



As the fish mature the water may be 

 made deeper. An aquarium of about 

 four gallons is a good size for the per- 

 manent tank, and well planted or 

 artificially aerated, will be sufficient for 

 quite a number as they are small, the 

 illustration showing them about life 



An Aquarium Cement. 



JAMES D. HEOKWITH, Hammond, Ind. 



RECENTLY, while looking through 

 a magazine devoted to general 

 natural science, I came across a formula 

 for a cement for small tanks that I do 

 not recall noting in any contemporary 

 books on the subject. The preparation 

 is most simple and worthy of a trial. 



The ingredients, an egg-cupful of 

 linseed oil, four ounces of tar and a 

 pound of resin are placed in a small 

 pot, and melted and thoroughly mixed 

 over a gentle fire. The cement is to be 

 used in a liquid state, but not when 

 boiling, or it will break the glass. The 

 compound becomes firm in a few 

 minutes and the aquarium may then be 

 tilted and another angle treated. It is 

 said to adhere firmly to the glass and to 

 be very firm, yet pliable enough to be 

 pressed into any shape with the finger. 

 Personally, I would recommend the sub- 

 stitution of pitch for the tar. 



I have not as yet used this cement, 

 but intend to try it in my next small 

 tank. If any reader of The Aquarium 

 is familiar with this recipe, and has 

 tried it, I would be glad to know what 

 success attend its use. It has at least 

 one point to recommend it to the busy 

 man (and the impatient man), it is 

 easily prepared and sets quickly. 



Patience, diligence and the capability 

 of bearing a fair amount of fatigue, are 

 necessary qualifications for all who 

 undertake the study of nature. 



Selected. 



m 



