140 



LIVING FISHFOODS 



grown fishes and should be taken as opportunity offers. They are found 

 principally in small streams, under stones and around decaying wood. 

 Placed in a large aquarium or tank with plenty of vegetation they will 

 multiply rapidly. 



Water-Asel (Asellus) is found in still or slowly moving water, 

 usually in the mud or clinging to vegetation. It cannot move rapidly 



Fig. 130. Water Asel (Enlarged three times) 



like Fairy Shrimp, but both are enemies of very small fry and both are 

 greedily taken as food by larger aquarium fishes, although the shrimp 

 move so rapidly that highly developed goldfishes have trouble in catching 

 them. 



Infusoria and Rotifera. Of prime importance as food for very small 

 fishes are the Infusoria and other microscopic creatures of still water. 

 Some idea of their minuteness may be had when it is pointed out that 



'^^^S^ 



Fig. 131 

 Asplanchnopus myrmeleo 



Fig. 132 

 Pterodina patina 



Fig. 133 

 Notcus quadraeornis 



Typical Rotifers (Greatly magnified) 



they are the natural food of cyclops and other small crustaceans. All 

 except the very largest of the infusorians will pass through ordinary 

 cheesecloth nets, but silk bolting-cloth of fine texture will hold those 

 which are large enough to be of real use. Further information on this 

 point is contained on page 51. Other infusoria are shown in Fig. 223. 



Enchytrae. These are thread-like small white worms usually bred 

 in winter as a substitute for daphnia for feeding to tropical fishes. Gold- 

 fishes are also very fond of them, but it is a difficult matter to cultivate a 

 sufficiently large quantity to satisfy the appetite of several goldfishes. 

 For some of the smaller fishes requiring living food they are almost 

 indispensable in winter. 



