168 



Aquatic JLtte 



aquarists as nominal species, the only 

 one. The ground color of the common 

 form of this little fish — the largest speci- 

 mens never exceed two inches in length — 

 is olivaceous, shading to pearly white on 

 the belly. At the base of the tail is a 

 dark crescent-shaped patch, and several 

 similar marks about the middle of the 

 body, all of which may be prominent or 

 indistinct and in some specimens wanting. 

 In the male the dorsal fin is russet-mark- 

 ed; other fins clear save that the anal 

 of the female has a narrow black bor- 

 der. The first two or three rays of 

 the anal of the male are modified to per- 

 mit it to function as an intromittant 

 organ. Some handsome males show a 

 patch of metallic turquoise blue on the 

 sides and occasionally a female is so 

 marked. 



Meek remarks that the color markings 

 of this species are more variable than 

 any other species he had examined. This 

 is substantiated by the several forms 

 now so well-known and distinct as to 

 have been given names. The red form 

 (rubra), is the most attractive. The 

 bodies in both sexes are orange-vermil- 

 lion in color, and most intense in the 

 male. Specimens not marked with tiny 

 black dots are considered most desirable. 

 In nigra (sometimes incorrectly called 

 pulchra), a velvety-black blotch, varying 

 in size, appears on the sides, otherwise it 

 is similar to the common form. In the 

 aquarium it contrasts splendidly with 

 rubra. In the spotted form (pulchra) 

 the body color is cold straw overlaid 

 with black spots more or less evenly dis- 

 tributed. Brunning, in his Ichthyolo- 

 gisches Handlexicon mentions but one 

 species, P. maculatiis, the others being 

 considered mere color variants, and in 

 this the writer concurs. The forms inter- 

 breed indiscriminately, and transient 

 forms of all sorts are common in collec- 

 tions. 



All the varieties are excellent aquarium 

 fishes and will thrive and breed if the 

 temperature is maintained between 70 

 and 80 degrees, Fahrenheit. The pro- 

 cedure is the same as with other live- 

 bearing species. Merely place the fe- 

 male, when she indicates by distended ab- 

 domen that a brood may be expected, 

 alone in a small) aquarium, providing 

 plenty of plants. Make observations at 

 frequent intervals, and remove the fe- 

 male when the fry arrive. 



For the young the food par excellence 

 is Daphne, following later with enchy- 

 traeids, but it is entirely possible to raise 

 the young on prepared foods, making 

 certain that the granules are suitable in 

 size. 



In some sections the aquarists call 

 Platypoecilus the moon-fish, the forms 

 being distinguished as red, black, blue 



and spotted. 



♦- 



Philadelphia Exhibition 



The recent public exhibition of the as- 

 sociated aquarium and goldfish societies, 

 of Philadelphia, held in Horticultural 

 Hall, was quite equal to those of past 

 years as far as the goldfish was concern- 

 ed, while a new mark was established for 

 exotic fishes, both in number of species 

 and in the general excellence of the spec- 

 imens. 



Considering each aquarium as a unit 

 originality was lacking save with one. 

 This tank, with a simple, polished ma- 

 hogany frame, was the gem of the show. 

 In it several black-banded sunfish, Meso- 

 gonisteus chaetodon, swam unobtrusively 

 among well arranged plants of several 

 species, making a picture not to be for- 

 gotten. 



. The newspapers of Philadelphia were 

 quite generous and not a small part ot 

 the attendance was due to this form of 

 publicity, augmented by window posters 

 and cards. 



