The Inhabitants of the Aquarium 195 



An interesting peculiarity of the Snake- 

 head is the fact that it changes color under 

 the influence of excitement of any descrip- 

 tion. This hardy and easily cared for fish 

 well deserves a place in our aquarium, al- 

 though, being so voracious and pugnacious 

 as to attack everything in sight, it should 

 not be kept with smaller fishes. 



Striped Snakehead ( Ophiocephalus striatus) . 

 While this and the previous species are 

 alike in shape and in certain other points, 

 they differ in color; the back of the striped 

 Snakehead being brownish gray or brownish 

 green, with prominent cross bars running 

 down toward the white belly. The dorsal 

 and anal fins bear numerous white dots. 

 Around the black pupil of its very beautiful 

 eyes runs an orange-red stripe, bordered 

 with a white circle. This fish, like the for- 

 mer, changes its color under excitement. 



The Fighter, or Battle Fish (Betta pugnax) , 

 is a native of the waters of the East Indies, 

 Siam and the Sunda Islands and is a rather 



