THE CARE OF HOME AQUARIA 



la 



YELLOW PERCH. 



of persons have had similar experiences with various kinds of 

 fish globes and other improper aquarium apparatus. 



Another prevailing notion is, that the small aquarium is 

 simply a plaything serving to amuse the children or to afford an 

 outlet for the energies of an occasional crank and that its only 

 other excuse for existence is found in the fact that the green 

 plants and goldfishes make a bright spot in the room. Even if 

 this were all, who will deny that its existence is justified? But 

 excuses are not necessary. Let it serve for the one as a play- 

 thing or a bright spot in the room, but for the person who cares 

 to study the life in the aquarium — and there is a constantly 

 increasing number — the aquarium becomes a piece of scientific 

 apparatus from which can be learned many of Nature's laws 

 that regulate the outside world. 



The unbalanced fish globe with its occasional renewal of 

 w^ater is unnatural — as unnatural as the attempt of a person to 

 live in a closet by opening the door once a day, filling the space 

 with fresh air, then shutting off all ventilation until the next 

 day. The cases, as far as respiration is concerned, are exactly 

 parallel. 



It is possible to supply oxygen to fishes in the small aquari- 

 um by pumping air into the water and a great many kinds of 

 apparatus have been devised for this purpose. Some of these 



