92 



aquatic %itt 



with a dark seam; spinous rays yellow 

 with web bright red ; rear or soft por- 

 tion, spotted ; anal similar. The ventrals 

 are light blue, the first ray orange. The 

 female is less prominently marked, with 

 a yellow cast over all. 



In breeding habits the species of Apis- 

 togramma do not differ from others of 

 the family observed in the aquarium. The 

 eggs will be deposited on a smooth stone, 

 or on a flower pot if one is provided, 

 and assiduously guarded and kept free 

 from silt until hatched. When the babies 

 appear they are moved into a nest, a mere 

 hole in the sandy bottom, being carried 

 in the mouths of the parents, this moving 

 process being repeated at intervals. 

 When about ten days old the young will 

 be swimming free, clustered in a school, 

 and still under the watchful care of the 

 adults. In another ten days it will be 

 well to remove them to another tank. 



The spawning tank should be well pro- 

 vided with infusoria, as also the tank to 

 which they are removed for rearing. The 

 smallest Daphne, separated from the 

 larger by sifting, or rotifers if obtainable, 

 should follow when the fry attain the size 

 necessary to master these larger foods. 

 Finely ground artificial food may also be 

 used. Larger fish may be given enchy- 

 traeids (white worms). 



For the welfare of Apistogramma it 

 should have an old established aquarium, 

 with clear water and a temperature from 

 75 to 80 degrees. Plant life will not be 

 disturbed by the fish, even during nesting 

 operations, so a luxuriant growth should 

 be present. 



The related species, A. cormnbae, pleu- 

 rotaenia and pertense, are similar in 

 habits and require the same treatment. 



The Water Fleas 



c. H. TOMPKINS 



There are many water fleas, the species 

 being widely distributed over the world. 

 Some will be found in almost any ditch 



or pond, no matter how shallow, and with 

 little regard for purity of the water. The 

 true water-flea (Daphnia) is oval in ap- 

 pearance and may be distinguished by the 

 two arm-like swimming organs (the an- 

 tennae) with which it jerks itself along. 

 The rest of the limbs and the whole body 

 are enclosed in a saddle-shaped, bivalved 

 shell ; the legs bear the gills. Daphnia is 

 so transparent that by the aid of a micro- 

 scope all the internal organs and the 

 action of the heart may be seen. The 

 eggs are laid and pass into a brood pouch 

 situated between the back and the shell. 

 The species are remarkably prolific, re- 

 producing their kind in remarkable num- 

 bers. During the spring and summer 

 months, in stagnant pools free from 

 fishes, they become so numerous as to 

 color the water reddish-brown. Such a 

 situation is sure to be the mecca of local 

 aquarists. 



With gatherings of water-fleas one 

 often takes Cyclops. This averages much 

 smaller and has a segmented, pear-shaped 

 body, with two pairs of long antennae 

 and five pairs of swimming legs. While 

 constant motion characterizes the true 

 water-fleas, Cyclops spends much of the 

 time at rest. On the front of the head is 

 a single central eye, from which its name 

 is derived. The females may generally 

 be seen carrying two comparatively large 

 bags of eggs. The young differ from the 

 adult form, and are known as '"nauplius" 

 larvae. 



Crawling and swimming about near the 

 bottom of pools one often meets the com- 

 mon ostracod, Cypris. These are little 

 brownish or greenish animals, more fond 

 of running about on the mud than Daph- 

 nia, and when swimming the motion is 

 steady and direct, not jerky. The body is 

 enclosed in a bivalved shell, between the 

 valves of which some appendages may be 

 partially extended when the animal is in 

 motion. There are seven pairs of limbs, 

 but only the last two pairs are used as 

 legs. The antennae are used for swim- 

 ming. Cypris is not much relished by 

 fishes, but at least does do harm. 



