200 ; THE AUSTRALIAN NATURALIST. 
a 
egg laying varieties. During one season up to one hundred of 
these would be an easy matter to rear, and being a small fish, an 
ordinary tank would accommodate twice this number. 
There is our beautiful little Blue-eye (Pseudomugil signifer) ; 
you could not wish for anything prettier than twelve or eighteen 
ot these little fish in a nicely-arranged tank. Another is the Gal- 
axias. If we go a little further north we get the Chanda Perch 
(Ambassis agassizi) and the Atherines. Neither of these four 
kinds have been bred in Aquaria, so there is your chance to en- 
lighten us on their breeding habits. 
- Coming back to Sydney, we further have Carassiops compres- 
sus and Carrassiops galii, both beautiful Aquarium fish, but these 
cannot be classed as ideal Aquarium fish. An ideal fish for the 
Aquarium should be a free-swimming fish which is always on the 
move. Both the Carassiops are sluggish, remaining for hours 
in the one position; they certainly become lively when approach- 
ed to feed. : 
Further north again the beautiful Krefitius adspersus is met 
with, also a slow fish, but the fine colouring makes up for these 
shortcomings. This finishes our own fish fauna suitable for the 
Aquarium. , 
After successful working you may heeome like I am, “all fish,” 
and then you can go in for the eream of Aquarium ‘fish, the more 
delicate viviparous Tooth carp. Some of these are gorgeous in 
colouring, well shaped and finned, their habits and breeding 
eharming; breed easily, and are easily cared for—the hardiest 
fish I know of. The only conditions are that the water must not 
go below 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Of the six kinds of the vivi- 
parous Tooth carp, which I have been successful in landing, only 
one will stand our winter temperature. Gambusia affinis. 
Incidentally, IT might mention here that during the last three 
years I have been fortunate enough to land eleven ‘species of 
fish new to Australia, both from America and Singapore, of 
which I have only lost three species, and these had arrived in . 
poor condition, and I have succeeded in breeding eight species. 
The Feeding. 
I should almost say that the reasons of non-suecess—if your 
tank is well established—are mostly due to improper feeding, 
improper food, and rather overfeeding than underfeeding; by 
averfeeding I wish to express more than the fish will eat. 
Live foods are by far the best, such as earth-worms, water- 
