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THE AUSTRALIAN NATURALIST. 199 
easily obtainable are Vallisneria, Hlodea and Ceratophyllum, and 
these can’ be collected locally. 
Hitherto the obtaining of water plants has been a difficult 
matter, but the above plants, as well as other suitable varieties, 
can now be purchased from Milligan, Limited, AES, 
Mascot. me 
After much eepenmentite I find that in our part of the globe, 
where the day lignt 1s so strong, the best position for a fish-tanix 
js near a window, where it does not receive direct sunlight. ‘The 
disadvantage of an excess of light is, it causes the glass to be- 
come covered with confervoid growth which obstructs the view 
through the glass. This is its only drawback, for the growth of 
this minute algae is most beneficial as food as well as for the 
supply of oxygen. Stronger light still causes, besides this, 
such an excess of minute microscopic plant life throughout the 
water that it becomes quite green. Such waters usually teem 
with microscopic animal life, and such conditions are ideal for 
the rearing of young fish. 
Now that our tank is ready to receive fish we shall consider 
what fish to stock with. These we can divide into those of our 
own country and the imported. The latter we can split up into 
those which will endure our winter temperature and those which 
will require artificial heating during the winter months, and 
these again we can separate into oviparous and viviparous. 
For the beginner the Goldfish is not a good kind to start with, 
but being such a bright and showy fish the temptation cannot 
as a rule be resisted, so if you will have him, do not put more 
than two small ones into a tank of this size. If these are doing 
well, say after three months, another two can be added, but never 
more. Be certain that the new fish, are healthy; quarantine 
them, especially if they come from a dealer, otherwise you may 
lose both the new with the old, which is always sad after having 
succeeded in breaking them into tank life. 
A very good fish to begin with is the Paradise-fish (Macropo-. 
dus viridi, auratus), which comes from Japan, and can be bought 
cheaply from the dealers. Endeavour to get a true pair. It’s 
a beautiful fish with good colourings, becomes very tame, will 
breed in a tank. When one or two tanks’ have been mastered, 
take some of our Australians in hand. A better one still is the 
Gambusia affinis, of the viviparous Tooth carp family. Not 
quite so easily obtained, yet obtainable. Young of the vivipar- 
ous fish are much easier to breed and to rear than those of the 
