BREEDING GOLDFISHES 49 



BREEDING METHODS 



As spawning time approaches the fish should be well fed on nour- 

 ishing food. Finely chopped earthworms are excellent. Live daphnia 

 are as good. Scrambled egg, alternating every other day with regular 

 fish-food, is a fair substitute for live food at this time. When the 

 breeders have been selected they should be placed together by them- 

 selves. If possible there should be three males to one female. This 

 insures a higher percentage of fertilized eggs than if only one male is 

 used. If the definite results of a certain cross are wanted, then use 

 only one male. A second female not spawning should never be pres- 

 ent, as she will devour the spawn. 



Papier mache tubs are very nice for spawning in, but seasoned 

 wood tubs or tanks will do. The aquarium may be used, or the spawn- 

 ing net shown on page 232. 



Should there be no spawn after the fish have been together several 

 days, remove about a quarter of the water daily and replace by fresh, 

 slightly cooler water. This is very stimulating. Some intimation of 

 an approaching spawning may be had by the fact that the males 

 occasionally "drive" the ripe female for several days before the spawn- 

 ing takes place. This usually increases in intensity the evening before, 

 and when spawning is in full swing it develops into a wild chase 

 punctuated by short periods of rest. So vigorous is the swimming at 

 this time that fishes with large fin development generally have their 

 fins torn and frayed. Males with shorter caudal fins (tails) are the 

 more rapid swimmers and their fins become less torn. As these are 

 visually also the young, vigorous males, they are to be preferred for 

 breeding purposes. Spawning usually starts at daybreak and lasts till 

 mid-afternoon. It may be repeated every few weeks until the first of 

 August, but the first spawn of the season is the largest. 



Goldfishes deposit their eggs preferably on floating aquatic plants, 

 and these should be freely provided (first making sure they contain no 

 snails or other enemies to fish eggs). The best are water hyacinths 

 (with as large roots as possible) and bunches of myriophyllum. The 

 female will swim over the plants and drop the eggs. As they fall the 

 male passes over and fertilizes them by the ejection of spermatic fluid. 

 They are of a mucilaginous character and adhere where they touch. 

 This tgg adhesiveness is one of Nature's interesting little secrets. 

 Man has never succeeded in making a substance that will "take hold" 

 under water and yet not dissolve. 



The eggs are about 1-16 of an inch in diameter and are at 

 first of a pale amber hue, becoming still paler and more difficult to see 



