80 THE AQUARIUM, OCTOBER, 1896. 
For the small sum of one dollar in ad- 
vance, which pays for a year’s subscription 
to THE Aquarium, you are entitled to ask 
information on any point regarding the 
aquarium or the window garden. We offer 
no other premium to our subscribers than 
that of putting over 25 years of practical ex- 
perience in these branches at their disposal. 
Ask as many questions as you please, but 
please to enclose postage for reply. All 
questions are answered by mail, and we 
publish only such in these columns as are 
of general interest. 
<— 
Dr. B.——B.—The disease is caused by a 
microscopic parasite called [chthyophilurius, 
which means fish destroyer. It is a parasite 
similar to the one that causes the disease 
known as itch. Its presence is first indi- 
cated by small white spots that appear 
here and there on the body of the fish and 
also upon the fins. The parasite spreads 
rapidly, working its way below the fish’s 
skin, destroying this completely, the fins 
soon appearing like bristle brushes. Soon 
after this stage, a white fungus growth 
makes its appearance upon the decaying 
parts, which is the beginning of the end. 
If a daily bath in strong salt-water, to 
last a few minutes each time, is given the 
affected fish when the disease is in its first 
stage, the parasites will be destroyed. 
In a communication to THE AQUARIUM 
‘see p. 14, Vol. IV.) a lady states that she 
has completely cured her goldfish, which 
were badly affected with the disease in 
question, by putting them on a diet of 
young snails, keeping the fish in a properly 
stocked tank by themselves. Many people 
in certain districts of Europe eat snails, 
claiming that they purify their system. 
Snails may possess some medicinal prop- 
erties. We wish that some of our readers, 
should they have the misfortune of having 
their fish affected with this disease, would 
try the snail diet on them and report the 
results to the Editor of THz Aquarium for 
the benefit of other goldfish fanciers. Our 
own fish are not troubled by this disease ; 
it may be due to our [XL fish food, which 
is medicinal to some extent and keeps them 
in prime condition and therefore less liable 
to any kind of disease, and much more able 
to resist the contraction of disease than if 
they were in poor condition. 
Mrs. F. E. J.—When you speak of 
‘* Japs,” we presume that you mean the 
double-tailed Japanese goldfish. These, be- 
ing a great deal slower in their movements, 
are easier injured by their enemies than 
the single tailed species. 
Most species of sunfish are terribly savy- 
age; they will pick out the eyes of other 
fish. We have proof that a sunfish picked 
out and ate both eyes of a medium sized 
telescope fish. The telescope fish was after- 
ward placed where it could be fed sepa- 
rately and lived for years after that acci- 
dent. 
Regarding the fin trouble, this may be 
caused by the sunfish also, or you may have 
young eels in your pond; both will injure 
fish by biting off their fins. 
Mrs. H. V.—To make a success of any- 
thing nowadays requires that one becomes 
a specialist. You must find out what species 
and what varieties of fish do best in your 
locality under the conditions you have at 
hand. These you must cultivate with the 
utmost care, bringing the characteristics of 
the variety, whatever these may be, to per- 
fection. You should find out whether color 
or shape is most in demand with the people 
among whom you expect to find customers; 
whether small, short, slender, plump, 
round or flat shapes are preferred. Accord- 
ing to these demands, you must breed your 
fish, always keeping your eye on the pro- 
duction of a novelty in the shape of an in- 
teresting cross-breed. 
In order to do this successfully, it is 
necessary to keep a stock book wherein the 
pedigrees of your fish are carefully re- 
corded. Aim for quality not quantity, and 
you are sure to succeed. We have never 
had too many choice fish yet. 
Subscriptions to THE AQUARIUM are now 
due. Those who know themselves to be in 
arrears are politely requested to remit. 
