132 THE GOLDFISH AND ITS CULTURE, 
SLIME OR ITCH. 
This disease generally appears during the colder season of 
the year, seldom manifesting itself when the weather is warm 
or hot. 
The body of the fish becomes coated with a layer of some 
whitish substance, the deposit beginning on the back near 
the head. 
This white, slimy substance, when examined under a pow- 
erful microscope, reveals a number of parasites darting about 
hither and thither across the field of the instrument. These 
minute organic bodies, technically termed Jdacterte, resemble a 
wood-tick in general shape. They appear to eat into the skin 
of the fish, destroying that structure, and in consequence in- 
terfere very much with the function the skin performs in 
throwing out poisonous substances that form in the tissues 
inside. The beautiful colors of the fish disapear from the 
tainted parts, they becoming quite black. The result of the 
disease is the death of the fish. 
When afflicted with the trouble, the fish can be observed 
rubbing itself against the plants, the rocks, or in the sand 
upon the bottom of the aquarium. 
The cause of the disease may be found in the usual over- 
feeding, in which case the remnants of food remain in the 
water until decomposition sets in. The temperature not being 
favorable for the production of water-purifying insects, the 
bacterie make their appearance greatly to the detriment of 
the fish. 
The name “slime” has heretofore been applied to this 
description of disease, but without any apparent reference to. 
the cause producing the trouble. In the author’s opinion, it 
is the presence of the parasites that makes the whole diffi- 
