THE GOLDFISH AND ITS CULTURE. 69 
this, a light location is more beneficial to the color of the fish, and 
also affords a better control of the contents. Such a store-tank may 
consist of a large aquarium with glass sides, or it may be a wooden 
trough thirty (30) inches in width, ten (10) or twelve (12) inches in 
depth, and of any convenient length. The frame to form the sides 
and ends is made of one and one-half (134) inch stuff, the bottom 
being formed of flooring boards, as they are fitted with tongue and 
groove. To make a tight job, pieces of flag leaves, such as are used 
by coopers, are laid upon the edge of the frame, and the strips of 
flooring board nailed down securely, one at a time. The groove 
in each piece is thickly painted with pure white lead ground in oil, 
the tongue of the next then being tightly fitted into it, and so on, 
piece after piece, until the bottom has been completed. The best 
way, probably, is to nail the flooring crosswise upon the frame, as 
that makes the trough very strong and capable of carrying a con- 
siderable weight of water, the smooth side of the boards is of course 
turned towards the inside of the tank. 
Such a tank, however, when in operation should not contain a 
greater depth than six (6) inches of water, rather less probably, both 
for the convenience of catching the fish and the better admission of 
light. The trough must be kept clean, every now and then removing 
all the contents and thoroughly sponging the interior. 
This may appear to contradict the author’s method of managing 
an aquarium; it may be said in explanation that dealers’ tanks are, as 
arule, overstocked, and therefore require a somewhat different treat- 
ment; they are, in comparison with a regular aquarium, the same as 
a hotel is, compared with a private residence. 
While in the hands of the dealer the fish should receive a limited 
but regular supply of food, and should disease make its appearance, 
the sick fish are at once taken out and put by themselves. 
