274 FISH CULTUEE 



and partly out of the water, they are sick, and 

 that the water needs changing; but this is not 

 necessarily the case. Healthy fish often come 

 to the surface on a cloudy, dull day, and are 

 simply seeking minute food, vegetable or ani- 

 mal, which may be on the surface. Neither is 

 a sluggish movement a positive or certain sign 

 that they are ill, nor is activity always a sign 

 of health. When the dorsal fin droops, and 

 other fins become opaque, or seem to be coated 

 or inflamed, or closed, or held close to the body, 

 or when the colour of the sides fades, and the 

 gill-covers expand above swollen gills, then the 

 fish is sick and needs treatment. If the disease 

 is an incurable one, kill the fish at once. 



At the first signs of distress they should 

 promptly be given a salt bath. Under no cir- 

 cumstances use table salt, as the process used 

 in its preparation for the market is unhealthy 

 for fish life. The best is crushed rock-salt, 

 which can be obtained from any grocery store, 

 and is the same as that used when making ice- 

 cream. 



The Hospital Tank. — Sometimes other meth- 

 ods are necessary. In that case the sick fish 



