46 NEW YORK AQUARIUM NATURE SERIES 



For removing inanimate objects from the aquarium or for 

 readjusting them, a strong pair of wooden forceps is advisable. 

 The hands should not be put into the water and on no account 

 should the fishes be taken into the hands. If it becomes neces- 

 sarv to remove the fishes, a small net of cheesecloth should be 

 employed and great care should be taken not to injure them by 

 loosening their scales, as any such abrasion offers a foot-hold to 

 the deadly fish fungus {Saprolegma) . 



MARINE AQUARIA. 



As most of what has been said of the fresh water aquarium 

 will apply with equal force to the salt water aquarium, a detailed 

 account will not be necessary. The factors governing life are in 

 general the same in both. The best plants for aerating are the 

 species of green algae known as sea-lettuce {Viva). The most 

 convenient of these to use is the common broad-leaved form. The 

 best means of arranging this is to float each portion at the sur- 

 face by a small piece of cork placed beneath it. The cork should 

 be just large enough to float the plant, which should be aflowed 

 to hang down in the water as far as possible. The species of 

 marine plants are numerous, and the various red, green and 

 brown forms with strap-like or with finely divided fronds may 

 be placed at the bottom to give variety and color, as well as to aid 

 in aerating the water. Very often pebbles with these plants at- 

 tached may be secured in shallow water. 



Unfortunately the salt water aquarium is a practical impos- 

 sibility for most persons who are unable to make occasional 

 visits to the sea-shore. Artificial sea water can be prepared 

 easily at a trifling expense, if the formula of Gosse is followed : 

 chloride of sodium (common table salt) eighty-one parts, chlor- 

 ide of potassium two parts, chloride of magnesia, ten parts, sul- 

 phate of magnesia, (epsom salts) seven parts, total 100 parts. 

 A pound of this mixture is sufficient to make about three gallons 

 of artificial sea water. It should be filtered before placing in the 

 aquarium. 



To be sure, natural sea water contains many other salts, but 

 they have been found unnecessary for the plant and animal life 

 of the aquarium and may be omitted. The sea water part of the 

 problem is thus readily solved, but very little marine material is 

 ever handled by dealers in this country and the diflficulty of ob- 

 taining the necessary animals and plants for the purpose of 



