ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN 91 
Southeastern Asia and Africa have supplied 
the Occident for fifty years with this interest- 
ing species, which naturally inhabits the swampy 
bottoms of rice fields and evidently feeds on flies 
and such other insects and live food as are 
available, since its preference is for fish and 
meat. 
The paradise fish is hardy and breeds often 
in captivity, sometimes rearing several broods 
in one season. 
of nest builders. 
summer began to build a nest the very next day 
after arrival. This feat is accomplished in a 
curious manner, the male fish blowing a bubble 
nest at the surface of the water, held intact by 
a buccal secretion and anchored to the floating 
plants. It may be a quarter of an inch thick, 
and measure six inches in circumference. When 
It is one of the most captivating 
Some received from abroad last 
SLEEPER OR DORMITATOR 
Photograph by Dr. E. Bade. 
his work is complete, he urges the female under 
the nest, and as she lays the eggs, fertilizes them. 
The eggs are so light they rise into the nest. 
In all there may be from two to five hundred 
eggs, and to preserve the female from the vigil- 
ance and ferocity of the male it will be nec- 
essary to remove her as soon as the spawning 
is completed. Occasionally a male will eat the 
eggs, but as a rule he is safe with his offspring 
until they become free-swimming, when from 
five to eight days old. The female becomes 
almost white during the spawning operation. 
The eggs hatch in from twenty to thirty-six 
hours, according to the temperature of the water, 
and with a magnifying glass the fry can be 
seen emerging. They retain the yolk-sac for 
several days, and require a little sun daily. The 
father fish keeps the nest in constant repair 
until it becomes necessary for the fry to seek 
food. At this juncture he must be removed, 
else he will break the fast he has maintained 
while on duty, by feasting upon the very babies 
PYRRHULINA 
Photograph by Dr. E. Bade. 
AUSTRALIS 
he has theretofore so jealously and_ fiercely 
guarded. 
Like all fishes born with a yolk-sac, the young 
do better on infusoria than other foods. They 
should be fed the same as goldfish fry, except 
that as early as two weeks they can eat chopped 
beef, worms, small crustaceans, etc. The young 
must be sorted to prevent cannibalism. 
The paradise fish matures at about four 
months, and will breed when a year old, or 
sooner, and often when the young of one spawn- 
ing are about ten days old, a new nest is built 
and another family long as the 
temperature remains favorable. The male, the 
larger of the two, attains a length of three and 
a half inches. 
reared, so 
Like killifishes, they watch for their owner, 
peering through the glass and following his 
movements with lively curiosity, prompted, of 
course, by an ever-present hunger. 
They have lived for eight years in captivity. 
Paradise fishes, fishes, not 
blessed with heavenly dispositions, despite their 
sweet-sounding names. By malicious poking and 
driving, one will prevent another from feeding 
like angel are 
PARADISE 
Photograph by Dr. E. Bade. 
FISH 
