336 Fresh Water Aquarium 



fins wastes away leaving the rays or spines 

 bare. At this stage of the disease the fish is 

 unable to move at will and death will soon end 

 its suffering. 



It is so difficult as to be practically im- 

 possible to cure the maladies caused by the 

 previously mentioned parasites, and it is 

 therefore most essential to prevent infection 

 by the introduction of fishes and plants 

 taken from unclean waters. If the amateur 

 aquarist is not absolutely certain that newly 

 obtained inmates for his aquarium are 

 healthy and clean he should place them 

 temporarily in a separate vessel, that is to 

 say in quarantine. If after about two weeks' 

 observation they show no dangerous symp- 

 toms, they may be placed safely with other 

 fishes. 



Of the vegetable parasites certain fungi 

 are not infrequently found in our aqua- 

 riums. From our own observation we con- 

 clude that they seldom infest an absolutely 

 healthy, uninjured fish. The point of in- 



