FISH AND FISHING. 



HOW TO MAKE AND CARE FOR AN 

 AQUARIUM. 



Milwaukee, Wis. 

 Editor Recreation : 



In one issue of Recreation Mr. E. L. 

 Dupuy, of Blackston, Va., asks about the 

 care of fishes and how to make an aqua- 

 rium. The aquarium I will describe has 

 the 2 long sides made of glass and the 2 

 ends and the bottom of wood. 



The ends and bottom are made of I inch, 

 well seasoned deal, dovetailed together. 

 They are grooved, the grooves running 

 with the grain. These grooves are % inch 

 deep, about the same wide, and Y<\ inch 

 from the edge. The ends are held firmly 

 in their places by 2 bars at the top of the 

 aquarium. These bars are 2 inches broad 

 and one inch thick. They are dovetailed 

 into their places, and have grooves to cor- 

 respond with those in the bottom and the 

 ends. The ends are lined with window 

 glass, and the bottom is lined with slate. 

 The sides are formed of plate glass *4 i ncn 

 thick. These must be put in their places 

 before the crossbars at the top of the aqua- 

 rium are fastened, the grooves into which 

 they go having previously been half filled 

 with cement No. 2, described farther on. 

 Cover the bottom with a thin layer of the 

 cement just mentioned, and press the slate 

 or glass firmly and gently into its place. 

 Fix in the same way the glass linings for 

 the ends. Fill up the corners with a ce- 

 ment of red and white lead to the depth of 

 % inch. When it is somewhat hard, put 

 over it a coating of the cement which was 

 first used. The junction of the glass lin- 

 ings with the ends, and the dovetailing of 

 the crossbars can be hidden by 4 strips of 

 wood, 2^2 inches wide and % inch thick, 

 neatly mitred together. The corners of 

 such framing may be decorated with small 

 ornaments. The woodwork will look well 

 either stained or varnished. 



The following cements are useful in the 

 construction of aquaria : 



(1) Red and white lead, the 2 being 

 mixed together into a stiff paste. The bed 

 of this cement ought to be painted with 

 gold size. 



(2) One pint each of plaster of Paris, 

 b'tharge, fine white sand; and 1-3 pint of 

 finely powdered resin. This mixture 

 should be kept in a well stoppered bottle, 

 and when wanted the necessary quantity 

 should be made into a puttv with boiled 

 oil and driers. This is a quick drying ce- 

 ment. It becomes, if anything, too hard. 



(3) The same as No. 2, with the excep- 

 tion of the plaster and the driers. 



(4) The best Portland cement. 



(5) One part pitch and X A part gutta 

 percha, applied when warm. These 

 should be melted together in an iron ladle 

 over a gas flame or a lamp. This cement 

 is especially useful for an aquarium made 

 of wood. 



The following rules, when properly car- 

 ried out, will save trouble and will keep the 

 fish from dying : 



No one should keep an aquarium who is 

 not willing to bestow on it a little daily 

 attention. This necessary attention will be 

 hardly any trouble. Sometimes all that 

 will be required will be a glance to see that 

 nothing is wrong. As a rule there will be 

 little to do but to supply some of the in- 

 habitants of the tank with food. The food 

 should be given at regular times, and 

 never omitted. 



The breadth of the pond should always 

 be greater than its depth. The strength 

 of the tank ought to be considered before 

 i/s elegance. 



The sun should never be allowed to shine 

 lirectly on the water, and a North aspect 

 s the best. 



Unless it be very small, an aquarium 

 should be placed in the position in which 

 it is intended to remain, before it is filled 

 with water. An attempt to move a fair 

 sized tank full of water will be certain to 

 do some, if not great, damage to the vessel 

 or its contents. 



Everything which is placed in the aqua- 

 rium should be perfectly clean, whether 

 gravel or sand, water or weed. 



The aquarium ought always to be filled 

 with water by means of one or more small 

 siphons. 



All aquaria, except very small ones, 

 should contain aquatic plants. These plants 

 ought, of course, to be healthy, of the right 

 kind, and set in the right way. 



All aquatic animals should be wisely as- 

 sociated. 



No strange fish should be put into the 

 aquarium until it has been some time in 

 quarantine. 



Aquatic snails should be put into the 

 tank; especially those that feed ci conferva 

 and decaying vegetable matter. 



Feed your fishes at regular times. 



No discarded food should be left in the 

 tank. 



All garden worms should be killed before 

 giving them to the fish. Dip these in wa- 

 ter before putting them into the tank, so 

 all impurities will be washed off. 



A dead plant or animal should be at 

 once removed from the tank. A glass tube 

 about }4 inch in diameter ought to be used 

 for that purpose. Operate it in the follow* 



478 



