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AQUARIUM APPLIANCES 



Live-bearing Traps. With most varieties of viviparous (live- 

 bearing) fishes it is desirable to promptly separate the mother and 

 other fish from the young in order that they will not be eaten. One 

 simple method is to take a glass funnel about six inches across the 

 top, file a nick where funnel joins stem, break off tube and place a 



Fig. 216. Funnel Trap for Live-bearing Fishes 

 The obstruction in neck of funnel represents a piece of bent wire, and is, 

 therefore open on either side. 



small piece of U-shaped wire in the opening, so that the wire divides 

 the hole in half. The funnel is then placed in a cylindrical jar or other 

 aquarium of a size that will suspend it by the edge, bring the water as 

 high as possible in funnel, place female fish in funnel and cover over 

 with screen, so she cannot leap out. The small wire previously men- 

 tioned will prevent the mother fish from becoming jammed in the 

 outlet, but will allow the young to pass through and collect in the 

 lower portion of jar. 



Another very simple and effective arrangement is shown in 

 Figure 217 being merely two pieces of glass laid in an aquarium at a 

 sloping angle and set into two blocks so cut as to leave a slight space 

 between the glasses at the bottom of the V. This opening should be 

 just large enough for the young fish to pass through. The plan 

 has the advantage of giving the female plenty of space. In fact several 

 females could be kept in such a "maternity ward" at one time. Unless 

 feeding on daphnia, a small butter dish or similar object should be 

 placed across the bottom of glasses to catch the falling food until the 



