





Tillaea Recur\)a and Other Notes 



H. E. FINCKH 



Rojtal Zoological Society of Kiev? SoutK Wales 



*> 



In Tillaea recurva, a species peculiar 

 to Australia, I have found a satisfactory 

 aquarium plant. It occurs in various lo- 

 calities around Sydney, in pools, from 

 which it creeps onto swampy banks and 

 even to dry situations beyond. I have 

 met it growing, much stunted to be sure, 

 in perfectly dry places, which, however, 

 are covered with water at times. 



As an aquarium plant it is useful as 

 well as ornamental. It is graceful, 

 grows freely, and forms dense masses 

 of a pleasing light green. Contrary to 

 expectations (being semi-aquatic), it is 

 always submerged in a tank eight inches 

 deep ; in shallow tanks but a few inches 

 deep it will, when it becomes dense, 

 appear above the surface. Roots form 

 on the stems, but generally where 

 branches occur ; when a stem lies hori- 

 zontally roots will appear throughout its 

 length. A small piece pinched off and 

 placed in the sand takes root rapidly. 



In a poorly lighted aquarium it will 

 not do well, and is apt to break up and 

 float near the top, where all the small 

 pieces will develop rootlets. In this con- 

 dition it will not protrude above the sur- 

 face. 



In my aquaria and ponds it shows no 

 change during the winter, when the tem- 

 perature may drop to 40 degrees Fahren- 

 heit. How it will do under colder condi- 

 tions I do not know. 



For two years I have had a small tank, 

 holding six gallons, at a window in our 

 sitting room. The position must be ad- 

 mirable. From the first the water has 



been crystal-clear, not even has the glass 

 been cleaned. 



A month ago our piano was tuned and 

 cleaned, naphthaline being employed to 

 destroy any moths. Two days later the 

 water in the tank turned milky. I left 

 it thus for fourteen days, and then 



Tillaea recurva 



changed the water. Again it turned 

 milky, the odor of the napthaline still 

 persisting in the room. Since I have 

 moved the tank to another room and 

 again changed the water the milky condi- 

 tion has not returned. The fishes, Gam- 

 busia and Orysias (Medaka), were not 

 affected. 



In my early fish days I was ever at a 

 loss how to keep the inside of the glass 



