8 Aquatic Lite 
An Emergency Heater 
CHARLES M. BREDER, JR. 
When the aquarium heater fails, and 
the tropical fishes are in danger, float a 
shell-glass tumbler in the tank with a 
sweet oil night-light in it. Place a num- 
ber of lead shot, or other weight, in the 
bottom of the glass; just enough to pre- 
vent it from capsizing. Pour in sweet 
oil until the glass settles to a point where 
The Heater in Use 
Drawing by Author 
the water is about one-half inch from the 
brim. After the correct quantity of oil 
has been ascertained a rubber band may 
be passed around the glass as a marker 
LOGMAuMcUTe nm nllides wel | rounde that mathe 
average glass floated in this way holds 
enough oil to last for twelve hours or 
more. 
Fifty wicks for these night-lights, to- 
gether with a float for them, can be 
bought at almost any drug store for ten 
cents. They are designed to furnish a 
dull light for the sick room. Additional 
floats may be made of a piece of tin and 
a few bits of cork, patterned after the 
one supplied with the wicks, if more 
than one heater is to be used. ‘The cover- 
glass directly over the light should be re- 
moved, as the heat arising from the lamp 
would cause it to crack. A corner may 
be cut from the cover if the heater is in- 
tended to be semi-permanent. It is not 
safe to use this device with large or very 
active fishes as they might upset it, but it 
is just the thing to save Danio rerio, or 
other small species, when things go 
wrong with the regular heating appar- 
atus. The fishes always congregate about 
one of these heaters, being attracted by 
both the heat and the light: 
Milwaukee Society 
Milwaukee Aquarium Society 
held its regular meeting on Wednesday 
evening, August Ist, in the Public Mus- 
eum. Mr. C. G. B. Schenk read an inter- 
esting paper on Goldfish, which was foi- 
lowed by a spirited discussion. 
The Society contemplates holding a 
competition in the near future for house- 
hold aquaria. A lively interest is indi- 
cated, so there should be a full represen- 
tation of the membership in the contest. 
The recent resignation of President 
Roth has necessitated several changes of 
officers, the following appointments re- 
sulting: President, George J. C. Steffen; 
Recording Secretary, W. R. White; 
Treasurer, George Hemsing—ArTHUR 
Simon, Corresponding Secretary. 
The 
Truth is stranger than fiction! “A 
copy of your interesting publication with 
subscription rates will be appreciated. 
Your postage will not be wasted as I in- 
tended to subscribe for it. I have an 
aquarium, but never dreamed that there 
was a publication for the aquarist. I 
picked up a copy in the street, and al- 
though it was full of dirt, I was able to 
distinguish your address. It is strange 
how one gets things sometimes.—Joseph 
Stern. 
