12 GOLDFISH VARIETIES AND 
snail (Lymnaea auricularia) and the red variety of the European Rams- 
horn Snail (Planorbis corneous). These are all active in eating vegetable 
growth from the glass or particles of food which the fish have not taken, 
and in no case will they injure any of the aquarium plants. The Japanese 
snails are very interesting in that they bring forth fully developed young 
about the size of a pea. These snails are male and female, but a female 
once impregnated seems, like a queen bee, to remain fertile for the 
remainder of her life. The right horn of the male is somewhat the longer, 
this serving a sexual purpose. These snails are quite long-lived and grow 
to the size of a large walnut. Another snail resembling the Japanese 
species is the Potomac snail. This has two brown stripes on a horn- 
colored background running with the spiral. It is quite attractive and is 
frequently sold as the Japanese snail, but it is sluggish and should not be 
crossed with the Japanese. The latter can be identified by the slightly 
raised keels showing on the last spiral. The paper shelled snail is very 
prettily marked with brown spots on a horn-colored background, and is 
an extremely rapid breeder, but is of short life. The young hatching 
from the spawn of these snails make a food regarded by the fish as a 
delicacy, as is evidenced by the fact that none of these snails ever get 
beyond the early stages of development if kept among the fish. It is 
therefore apparent that to breed these snails successfully they need to 
be kept by themselves until the young are about half grown. With the 
Japanese snails no such precaution is necessary, as the young are fur- 
nished with a fairly hard ‘shell at the time they emerge. 
The European Red or Coral Snail (Planorbis corneous) is a recent 
introduction and is unique on account of the bright red coral color of 
the body. When seen in the sunlight this snail is quite an added attrac- 
tion to the appearance to an artistic aquarium, and is an active worker. 
The snail is easily bred if the young are kept away from fish. In breed- 
ing snails in small aquara or receptacles it is desirable to give them some 
extra food. Rice wafers, powdered fish food of almost any variety, let- 
tuce leaves dried and powdered, boiled catmeal or raw cream of wheat 
will serve the purpose. Eggs are deposited on plants and glass, and do 
best at from 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. , 
To those interested in identifying species of native snails we would 
recommend a very excellent work published by the State Department of 
Public Education at Albany, N. Y., entitled “A Monograph on the Snails 
of New York State,” by H. A. Pilsbry. The book is profusely illustrated 
in color and to all practical purposes covers the species east of the 
Rockies. 
The frog tadpole has been used by many as an aquarium scavenger, 
but its value is of considerable doubt. They dash about the aquarium 
