NATIVE FISHES H^ 



patches is most striking. Even when not in color there is an 

 interesting bronze-green effect to the scales at the lateral Hne. This 

 is always visible by reflected light, and seems to show mostly at 

 night. If the light is turned on them at night they show very little 

 red color, but in a few minutes it is quite plain. 



The Rosy-Sided Dace is a large minnow and takes kindly to the 

 aquarium arid is perfectly harmless, but unless plenty of room is pro- 

 vided it will slowly decline. Found in clear cool brooks, from the foot- 

 hills of the Alleghenies, from Pennsylvania to the Carolinas. 



THE BLACK-NOSED DACE 



Rhinicthys atronasus 

 The Black-Nosed Dace is one of the best of our native fishes for 

 aquarium purposes. Found in abundance in small swift-running 



Fig. 111. The Black-Nosed Dace (Life size) 



streams of the Delaware Valley, and is widely distributed over Eastern 

 North America. It is an extremely active swimmer and not easily 

 caught unless cornered in a small pocket. From constant swimming 

 against the current it has developed some specialized kind of balance, 

 so that when introduced into the still water of the aquarium, the for- 

 ward part of the body continually drops so a level position is only 

 maintained by an effort. This condition disappears in a few weeks 

 and a new equilibrium becomes established. 



The Black-Nosed Dace is well rounded and full of body, the belly 

 is clear white and the black band encircling the body is quite intense. 

 It is perfectly harmless and will take almost any food. It is quite sub- 

 ject to a parasite which embeds itself deeply in the sides of the fish, 

 producing an appearance that can best be described as looking like 

 "fly-specks." This is common to many of the small wild fishes, and 

 while it is not known to have any serious results it is unsightly. 



