96 



&quattc ILitt 



Breeding the Goldfish 



(Continued from Page 86.) 

 The good eggs are somewhat transparent, 

 with a slight tinge of yellow, and are very 

 evident to the naked eye. The time of 

 hatching is governed by the temperature 

 of the water ; at 70 to 75 degrees the fry 

 may be expected in 5 or 6 days. Daily 

 examinations with a compound micro- 

 scope will be both interesting and instruc- 

 tive. Cool water during incubation, with 

 slow development of the embryo, and 

 high temperature and rapid development, 

 are equally undesirable. 



The first food of the fry, after the 

 absorption of the yolk-sac, consists of the 

 minute forms of animal life collectively 

 called infusoria by the aquarist, though 

 other forms are taken, including the roti- 

 fers, a higher group of animals. These 

 organisms are present in all water, but 

 not ordinarily in sufficient numbers to 

 meet the needs of our ravenous fry, as 

 we may have from several hundred to 

 several thousand. To this end several 

 tubs should have been previously pre- 

 pared — about two to three weeks. Any 

 method by which water is made stagnant 

 will answer. A little sheep manure, a 

 wisp of hay and a handful of dried leaves 

 of water plants or lettuce, placed in the 

 tub of water will cause a condition 

 favorable to the rapid development of 

 infusoria. Preparations are now sold for 

 this purpose, which need only be added 

 to the water. The "infusoria tub" should 

 be kept with that containing fry, that the 

 temperature of both may be alike. When 

 the fry are three to four days old, de- 

 pending upon the degree to which the 

 yolk-sac has been absorbed, remove sev- 

 eral quarts of water from the tub and 

 replace with an equal quantity of "infu- 

 soria water." This can be made a mere 

 exchange, and should be repeated daily 

 until the fry reach a size sufficient to 



warrant supplying the tiniest Daphne. 

 Meanwhile, powdered shrimp and pre- 

 pared foods, ground to the fineness of 

 flour, may be used sparingly. Spread a 

 pinch on a piece of cardboard with a 

 knife blade, incline the card and a whiff 

 of the breath will distribute the powder 

 evenly over the surface of the water. If 

 sprinkled from the fingers it will invar- 

 iably fall in clusters, and the tendency 

 will be to use too much. The yolk of a 

 30-minute boiled egg, diluted with water 

 to the consistency of cream, can also be 

 used. This is best squeezed through a 

 cheesecloth bag, to eliminate lumps. This 

 is more apt to pollute the water than the 

 prepared food or shrimp. 



In stagnant ponds it is sometimes pos- 

 sible to collect rotifers in quantity, skim- 

 ming them from the surface, where they 

 may collect in such numbers as to give 

 the water a decided reddish color. These 

 should follow the infusoria. Change to 

 Daphne as soon as the young are able to 

 take the smallest, and from this point on 

 use it persistently as long as obtainable. 



To rear fine fish the aquarist must be 

 absolutely ruthless. Just as soon as the 

 fish reach a size sufficient to permit the 

 detection of single-tails and cripples — 

 spiked dorsals, twisted tails and all mal- 

 formations — destroy them. They con- 

 sume valuable food and occupy the even 

 more valuable water space to the detri- 

 ment of the better specimens. If the 

 parents are transparent-scaled, also elimi- 

 nate all opaque-scaled young, unless you 

 have bred from a combination designed 

 to produce some black telescopes. In 

 sorting give preference to dark colored 

 youngsters, though others light in color 

 may later develop attractive hues and 

 markings. In thus proceeding the be- 

 ginner will undoubtedly throw away some 

 good fish, but until the knowledge in this 

 connection that only experience and study 



