2 Aquatic Lite 
otic cichlids more familiar to the aquar- 
ian. ‘The sexes present little or no dif- 
ferences. In disposition the species vary 
from the timid and inoffensive Black- 
banded Sunfish to the voracious black 
basses; all are carnivorous. In the wild 
live food is taken exclusively by all— 
small fishes, even their own fry, molluscs, 
crayfishes, entomostracans, water bugs, 
5 8 6 Ps OS BS OSS PS 8 5 Os PP 
Photograph by Dr. R. W. Shufeldt 
§ Rs 8 8 Oa 0 OS 6 OS 0 Ps OS 0 9 6 9 6 Or 0 OO 8 Oa SP 8 OO 
aquatic larvae, ete. In the aquarium 
some species can be accustomed to dry 
prepared foods, while others demand liv- 
ing material and require that it “wiggle” 
to be worthy of notice. The provident 
aquarist can meet the call by maintaining 
a supply of enchytrae, earthworms and 
mealworms during the winter months. 
Chopped lean meat will often be found ac- 
ceptable. It will be found quite amusing 
to feed flies. The fishes will almost leap 
for them and soon learn to anticipate the 
morsels. Ordinary household tempera- 
ture suffices for the sunfishes at all times, 
Eupomotis gibbosus, the Common Sunfish, in an Aquarium 
and probably the warmth of summer wili 
cause more discomfort than the cold of 
winter, particularly if the aquarium be 
small and therefore subject to a rapid 
rise during the day. 
Every aquarist seems to have an indi- 
vidual conception of the most attractive 
aquarium insofar as the assortment of 
fishes is concerned. Mine is a collection 
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Courtesy The Nature-Study Review 
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of sunfishes. There seems to be but one 
requirement to ensure a happy, or rather 
non-quarrelsome family; all the speci- 
mens should be alike in size, the more 
voracious perhaps a little smaller. A big 
fellow becomes a bully, and will pester 
his smaller congeners. Individuality 1m 
temperament will also crop up, so a little 
watchfulness and the removal of offend- 
ers is advisable. The larger the aquarium 
the less trouble in this respect—and all 
others. ‘To the person of limited means 
the sunfishes solve the problem of an at- 
tractive aquarium at the minimum cost. 
