The Inhabitants of the Aquarium 185 



pares favorably with other members of the 

 same family. 



It may not be generally known that all 

 catfish carry in their fins, either the dorsal 

 or pectoral, sharp spines which are not al- 

 ways very noticeable. By careless handling 

 these spines frequently enter the tender parts 

 of the hand, and while the injury is in no 

 way dangerous, it is exceedingly painful, the 

 pain lasting for several hours. Larger 

 fishes are often tempted to attack and swal- 

 low the catfish, a process made almost im- 

 possible by these spines and frequently re- 

 sulting in the death of the aggressor. 



Few fishes introduced from foreign coun- 

 tries for aquarium use have given more sat- 

 isfaction and pleasure than The Paradise Fish 

 (Macropodes viridi-auratus) . Brilliant, 

 with colors only comparable to those of the 

 beautiful tropical butterflies, as hardy as any 

 of our own native aquarium fish, willing to 

 mate and to spawn in the most primitive sur- 



