22 



THE AQUARIUM, JANUARY, 1893. 



their size and the nature of the treat- 

 ment they have received before they 

 came into your possession. If, for in- 



stance, they were kept in running water, 

 or were newly caught in a large pond, 

 they will naturally require a much 

 larger quantity of water than if they 



had already been accustomed to a life 

 of ca23tivity. Some fish need a great 

 amount of ox3^gen while others get 

 along with remarkably little. An 

 aquarium will stand as many fish 

 as the plants can supply with 

 oxygen. 



The only way to ascertain the 

 ability of a tank is by beginning 

 with a few specimens, adding 

 from time to time until you see 

 Ijy the action of the fish that you 

 have arrived at the limit. 



Fish, in order to be objects of 

 study or enjoyment, should above 

 all things feel comfortable and 

 happy; they must feel ''at home," 

 and it is much the better plan to 

 keep only a few choice specimens 

 (of a noble type and good habits) 

 and make real pets of these, than 

 to crowd the tank with indifferent 

 stock. 



For an aquarium holding from 

 twelve to thirty gallons of water 

 and kept for ornamental purposes, 

 two handsome specimens of equal 

 and projoortioned sized sunlish, 

 for instance, strawberry bass ; or 

 a pair of brook trout ; or two 

 gorgeous Japanese fringe tail gold- 

 fish, make a striking effect. A 

 similar good effect is obtained if 

 such a tank is stocked with about 

 five fish of different colors, shapes 

 and sizes. Tanks of the author 

 were seen by millions of people at 

 the various industrial expositions 

 durnig the last twenty years where 

 we had them displayed and we 

 bad good opportunities to notice 

 which arrangement was the most 

 :i(l mired. Such a tank as mentioned 

 above brings the arrangement of the 

 rockery and the plants to full notice. 

 The fish appear like so many cattle in 



