68 



THE FAMILY AQUARIUM. 



The Brook Trout { Salmo fontinalis). 

 The Common Pickerel {Esox retictUatus.) 



FEEDING THE FlSH. 



Before we leave this portion of our subject^ it may be 

 as well to indulge in a few remarks relative to sup- 

 plying the fish with food, now that we are supposed to 

 have gotten them, with the plants and mollusca, into the 

 Aquarium. The spawn of the mollusca serve in a measure, 

 it is true, to furnish the daily table of our favorites, and, 

 in peculiar circumstances, this might be enough to satisfy 

 their hunger. But, we desire to do more than this. It 

 is our wish to render them plump and hearty ; to bestow 

 on them all the beauty of shape and brilliancy of color- 

 ing, of which they are susceptible. To effect this, 

 they must be made happy and contented ; they must be 

 so well fed as to make life an enjoyment to them ; their 

 wants and necessities must be so anticipated as to rob 

 them of all disposition to forage upon each other, or thin 

 themselves in their endeavors to hunt up a banquet. In 

 short, they must be fed, and fed daily; but never with biscuit 

 or breadj both of which are always perilous to their health, 

 and never nutritious. Common red worms, cut up small, 

 form the best food for them. As an occasional change, you 

 may give them well-scoured gentles and millet seeds. 

 The worms are best, at any time, for small fish, and may 

 be easily kept through the winter, by placing them in a 



