Breeding Labyrinthine Fishes 



DEAN LIBORIUS SEMMANM 



Polyacanthus cupanus Var. Dayi 



Original Painting by Francis H. Goodby 



Among the most interesting of the 

 many fishes that may be bred in the 

 home aquarium are those of the genera 

 Macropodus, Betta, Trichogaster, Os- 

 phromenus and Polyacanthus of the 

 group Labyrinthici — the labyrinth- 

 gilled fishes. More so than with many 

 other fishes it is necessary to understand 

 the conditions that favor the successful 

 rearing of the young. We all know that 

 they build a foamy nest of bubbles ; that 

 the eggs are placed in this nest ; that they 

 and later the fry are guarded by the 

 male ; that the female must be removed 

 immediately after the eggs are expelled, 

 and the male when the fry begin to leave 

 the nest. That is all. More than this is 

 not generally known, and these bare 

 facts are not sufficient to insure suc- 

 cessful propagation. 



The first essential requirement is a 



large tank, as these fishes cannot be bred 

 in a small one. An aquarium not less 

 than 30x15x12 inches should be allowed 

 to stand over winter without fishes and 

 containing a good growth of plants, algae 

 covering a part of the glass, plenty of 

 Riccia or other floating plants, and but 

 four inches of water. When spring ar- 

 rives give the tank plenty of sun, but 

 do not introduce the pair of fish until 

 May or the beginning of June. With 

 abundant sunlight it will develop suf- 

 ficient Infusoria for 300 to 500 baby fish 

 until they are large enough to devour 

 the smallest Cyclops and Daphnia. The 

 tank can easily be kept in condition by 

 occasionally throwing a little dried and 

 powdered lettuce into it. As soon as 

 the fry are large enough to take small 

 live food, sifted Daphnia and Cyclops 

 are to be given, later large Daphnia, 



