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THE AQUARIUM BULLETIN 



55 



Richard Dorn, President of the 

 Society gave a short talk on the 

 history and objects of the Society; 

 the maintainence of home aquaria and 

 descriptions, accompanied by shdes, 

 of many of the aquarium fish. This 

 was followed by a series of motion 

 pictures of microscopical animal life 

 of the fresh-water aquarium, and a 

 reel of excellent pictures of various 

 semi-tropical marine fish. 



A Few Observations 



By E. A. Morrow 



Fish frequently change their colors 

 not only the young but also adult 

 specimens. I have purchased beauti- 

 fully marked calicoes and then within 

 about eight months had them fade to 

 almost a milky white, and in the same 

 connection it will be equally interest- 

 ing to know that sometimes they 

 regain their colors after a period. 



I would not discourage the use of 

 the Balanced aquarium. It is one of 

 the easiest ways to maintain fish but 

 should not be carried too far. 



Several years ago a friend who had 

 a small acjuarium prided himself upon 

 the length of time he could keep the 

 balance with high-bred goldfish. 

 There were placed there in Septem- 

 ber and went through the Winter in 

 a very satisfactory manner, but when 

 Spring came around the fish were in 

 a very poor condition, and until the 

 water in the tank was changed his 

 difticulties continued. Within twenty 

 minutes after the fresh water had 

 been placed in the tank the fish 

 showed great signs of activity, and 

 although the water in the balanced 

 tank was as clear as crystal and the 

 plants grew finely it was heavily 

 poisoned and insufficiently oxygenated 

 for their wants. 



Spring is the most difficult time to 

 keep fish, for like humanity, it is the 

 time of the year when the vitality is 

 lowest and they are subject to numer- 

 ous ills if not cared for. 



Furthermore, the Balanced aquari- 

 um is not a reproduction of nature. 

 Compare it with the outdoor pond. 

 The pond is replenished with the 

 rains, aerated by the winds and the 

 htmius is worked down into the 

 earth. In the tank this is impossible 

 because when the decaying matter 

 reaches the bottom of the aquarium, 

 usually of slate or glass, it can go no 

 further and must therefore decom- 

 pose and throw off foul gases. 



While it is generally believed that 

 Tropical fish will exist in Balanced 

 Tanks better than those where the 

 water is changed, my own experience 

 has been to the contrary, as it will be 

 found that they will grow faster and 

 larger where the water is occasionally 

 replenished. 



I do not recommend the beginner 

 to purchase high priced fish for his 

 first venture, but after he has the basic 

 principles of the game he will find it 

 will pay him far better to purchase 

 one fairly good pair of breeders than 

 a number of poor ones. 



The subject of the temperature of 

 the water during the winter time has 

 been brought up. The scaleless fish 

 of course will not stand as low a 

 temperature as the scaled, nor the 

 finer bred ones as low as the more 

 common specimens, but at 50 to 60 

 degrees or even as low as 45 they 

 will exist comfortably and practically 

 without tail congestion. 



Some of our fanciers have been 

 very successful in keeping fish in 

 cellars with little or poor light, but of 

 course plants cannot be grown under 

 those conditions. 



