LIVING FISHFOODS 137 



daphnia should be kept only moist, or else in ample water. Drainage 

 could, of course, be had by placing small blocks on the bottom frame. 

 Cyclops. We list these crustaceans because they are so widely 

 distributed and because they are actually a food for those fishes that 

 can catch them. A little smaller than daphnia, they move through 

 the water in straight lines with a jumping motion. The shape is also 

 different, as will be noted in the illustration. The two tabs at the 

 tail are not always present, these being egg pouches which drop off. 

 Cyclops are carnivorous. They devour infusoria. It is also a well 

 established belief that they kill newly hatched fishes, possibly by 

 getting mto the gills, so that there is some doubt as to whether this 

 animal should be listed as a fishfood or an enemy. They are intro- 

 duced into the aquarium with daphnia and are seldom entirely eradi- 

 cated except by small, active fishes. 



Flies. While it is usually a difficult matter catching enough 

 flies to feed fishes" with, they are really a splendid food and should 

 be used if opportunity offers. Fishes soon get to looking for these 

 delicate morsels after sampling them a few times. Cutting the wings 

 off with scissors is undoubtedly painless and makes the fly "stay 

 put" on the water. Those freshly killed with "fly swatters" are as 

 good as live flies, except for feeding lizards, etc. 



Small crickets and small soft grasshoppers are also very accept- 

 able to fishes able to eat them. 



Mosquito Larvae. These are often known as wrigglers and are 

 familiar to those who have looked in rain barrels. Their bodies are 

 straight and about a quarter of an inch long. Most of them rest at an 

 angle to the surface of the water as shown in Fig 123 with head down, 

 and are always ready to "wriggle" to the bottom at the first sign of dan- 

 ger. From midsummer on they may be found in still water where there 

 are no fish. They are taken in the same manner as daphnia, except that 

 one has to get them with a quick sweep before they can get down into 

 the water. They can usually be seen floating together in black masses. 

 The city entomologist, whose duty it is to rid a community of mosquitoes, 

 will give information as to where they may be obtained and will be glad 

 to have his burdens lightened by the fish breeder. 



Mosquito larvae may be termed a special food. It can only be 

 had in large quantities towards the middle and end of summer, and is 

 only suited to the fish large enough to easily swallow it. As a food for 

 putting growth on fish an inch long or over it probably has no equal. 

 The main drawback to these larvae is that those not eaten quickly by the 

 fish are liable to turn to mosquitoes. This difficulty can be minimized 

 by proper management. Keep the stock of larvae in a tank covered by a 



