166 
Aquatic Lite 
The great majority of small specimens 
of aquatic animal life can only be seen 
microscopically, but there are a few suf- 
ficiently large to be seen with the naked 
eye. ‘These are the rotifers and the 
nematoid worms. They all have soft 
bodies, and therefore come under the 
common designation of “aquatic worms,” 
and are of special interest to those who 
study nature that is under the water. 
It is these animalcule that sustain the 
upkeep, the health conditions, and the 
procreative powers of the larger denizens 
of aquarium life. 
The economic value of these tiny ani- 
mals is of such vital importance that they 
should be studied more closely than even 
the other inhabitants of our tanks. Noth- 
ing that will aid the laws of nature 
should be passed over slightingly. Na- 
ture, who so tenderly looks after all her 
children, from the great “leviathan” to 
the smallest microscopic mite, must have 
all the conditions her requirements need, 
otherwise the result is always more or 
less a failure. Remember that all organ- 
isms wholly depend on other organisms 
for nutrition wherewith to support their 
physical existence. 
Rotifers are generally called wheel 
animalcule. In the first description given 
of them a rotifer was said to be “an ant- 
mal like a large maggot, on the tail of 
which appeared forceps like that of an 
earwig.” ‘The next description of it was 
“an animal with two wheels thick set 
with teeth, resembling the wheels of a 
watch.” These two descriptions taken 
together will help us to recognize them. 
The common rotifers are one-fiftieth of 
an inch long; still they are the giants of 
the race. Of other members of the fam- 
ily, it takes 100 of them to the inch. 
They increase very rapidly. The female 
produces fifty young every thirteen days. 
The males live only three or four days, 
but the longevity of the females is from 
twelve to fourteen days. Increasing so 
rapidly, they can afford to die off quick- 
ly. When once a few of them are put 
in an aquarium no further trouble need 
be taken. They breed in the mud, and 
unless an aquarium be overstocked with 
fish the supply of them is well maintained 
for the rearing of young fish in their first 
stage of growth. They will be constantly 
seen rotating in the water, and it is amus- 
ing to note the baby fish chasing and 
feeding on them. 
In appearance nematoid worms are 
very similar to the common earthworm. 
They fix themselves in the debris, live in 
colonies, and when once they make for 
themselves a home in the bottom of an 
aquarium they become extremely active. 
They have an oscillatory motion, and 
grow to about one and one-half inches in 
length; fully a third of their length is 
used as anchorage. They are various 
shades of red. Their appearance is by 
no means repulsive. 
Their chief advantage in an aquarium 
is that they are splendid food for young 
carnivorous fish, and indeed for any fish. 
When the plant anchorage is constantly 
disturbed their increase is checked ; there- 
fore leave well alone, and don’t disturb 
the plants—ALBERT GALE. 
All turtles are possessed of powerful 
jaws, and many of the sea-turtles are 
able to crush the clam and other hard- 
shell substance. But the loggerhead tor- 
toise is champion of the turtles when it 
One of these crea- 
tures has been known to crush a steel 
gun-barrel which a sportsman had thrust 
comes to hard biting. 
into its mouth, while another of these 
tortoises has been known to split the 
handle of an oar, three inches in diame- 
ter and made of hardwood. 
