,,tropical ,,fish ,,handbook ,,goldfish ,,and #ca ,,popular ,,tropicals ,,illustrated ,,and ,,described 8,twice happy is the man who has a ,hobby1 ,he has ,two ,worlds to ,live in40 ,,tropical ,,fish ,,handbook ,a book of practical information for the beginner1 containing illustrations and descriptions of ,tropical ,fish1 ,goldfish1 ,scavengers1 ,turtles and ,aquarium ,accessories4 ,illustration3 ,tropical lake scene ,tenth ,edition #aiec ,copyright #aide ,by ,,guenther ,l4 ,,schott ,new ,york1 ,n4 ,y4 ,,printed ,,in ,u4 ,s4 ,a4 ,for the beginner1 the happy family collection is of most interest4 ,here in one large tank he can observe the interesting habits1 shapes and colors of a great variety of fish4 ,if he desires he may remove them to separate tanks during breeding periods4 ,the danger of cross breeding in the community tank is practically eliminated by the presence of a pair of each species4 ,the following fish are discussed in this handbook1 those marked 99 being recommended for the community tank4 ,bad tempered fish may appear in some normally peaceful species and vice versa4 ,also fish which may make trouble in a small aquarium may be peaceful in a large well planted one4 ,live ,bearers 7young are born alive7 99,guppy1 99,swordtail1 99,moon or ,platy1 99,sailfin1 99,black ,mollienisia1 99,helleri1 99,mosquito ,fish1 99,platy ,variatus4 ,labyrinth 7breathe air taken from surface1 bubble nest builders7 ,paradise1 ,bettas1 99,dwarf ,gourami1 ,three-,spot ,gourami4 ,cichlids 7,egg layers1 guard eggs and fry7 ,jewel ,fish1 99,angel ,fish1 ,mouth ,breeder1 ,blue ,acara1 ,orange ,chromide4 ,danios 7,egg droppers7 99,zebra1 99,pearl ,danio1 99,giant ,danio4 ,barbs 7spawn on plants like goldfish7 99,rosy ,barb1 99,barbus ,oligolepis4 ,characins 7,deposit adhesive eggs on plants7 99,silver ,tetra1 99,tetra ,von ,buenos ,aires1 99,tetra ,von ,rio1 99,blood ,fin1 99,pristella ,riddlei1 99,head and ,tail ,light4 99,featherfins1 99,black ,tetra1 99,neon ,tetra4 ,cyprinodontidae 7,egg droppers7 99,medaka1 99,panchax4 ,cyprinidae 7,egg droppers7 99,rasbora4 ,illustration3 ,the above illustration will assist the reader in locating the markings of the fish described in this book4 ,,dorsal ,,caudal ,,pectoral ,,anal ,,ventral ,,preparing ,,the ,,balanced ,,aquarium ,much of the future enjoyment of your aquarium will depend upon the care with which it is selected1 and its proper location4 ,the aquarium should be rectangular1 and the depth should not exceed its width4 ,the larger the tank the more satisfaction you will receive from it--it is easier to balance1 maintains a more uniform temperature1 and allows space to add to your collection4 ,the principles of the balanced aquarium are very simple4 ,fish breathe oxygen 7which they obtain from the water7 and exhale carbon dioxide4 ,thriving plants absorb the carbon from the carbon dioxide and liberate the oxygen4 ,this maintains a high oxygen content in the water necessary to maintain healthy fish4 ,no balanced aquarium can be maintained without scavengers to consume bits of decaying food and plants4 ,fish1 plants and scavengers depend upon each other in the balanced aquarium4 ,aquarium should be located where it will receive one or two hours of direct sunshine daily and plenty of strong light all day4 ,when aquarium is located cover bottom with one or two inches of well washed coarse sand4 7,for practical purposes sand may be considered well washed when water runs clear47 ,be sure that aquarium has been carefully washed before introducing sand4 ,sand and aquarium may be washed in strong solution of rock salt--,,rinse ,,thoroughly4 ,now fill aquarium about half full of water and set in plants4 ,be sure that over one half your plants are excellent oxygenators4 ,vallisneria and ,sagittaria should not have crowns buried when planting4 ,plant tall plants in back or in corners and smaller ones in front4 ,you cannot use too many plants--,,but ,,only ,,growing ,,and ,,healthy ,,plants ,,liberate ,,oxygen4 ,fill tank1 pouring water on piece of paper floating on top or into cup submerged in tank to avoid uprooting plants4 ,allow water to stand #bd hours4 ,be sure it is the right temperature for fish it will contain4 ,add snails and scavengers4 ,,provide ,,glass ,,cover as tropicals are noted for their jumping ability4 ,some type of heater should be provided for the aquarium1 in order to maintain a uniform temperature during the winter months4 ,fish may now be introduced1 care being taken not to place too many fish in a new tank until plants have had sufficient time to multiply4 ,the dissolution of uneaten food1 dead snails1 plants1 etc41 frequently produces more food than can be consumed by the plant life present4 ,at this point ,algae frequently steps in and the tank becomes green or cloudy and foul smelling4 ,to avoid this condition1 avoid too many fish in aquarium1 siphon off dirt on bottom frequently1 remove plants that are not thriving1 cut down light when thread algae becomes a nuisance4 ,water in a balanced aquarium will remain crystal clear for months4 ,always keep glass cover on aquarium4 ,it helps maintain a more uniform temperature1 and keeps fish from jumping out4 ,it may be raised slightly but this is not necessary4 ,always use net in handling fish4 ,do not use pebbles in aquarium--food gets into crevices where scavengers cannot reach it--causing water to foul4 ,always keep a thermometer in aquarium4 ,avoid metals in aquarium4 ,lead is safe as it does not dissolve4 ,rooted plants should not have crowns buried when planting--,fig4 #a4 ,,keep ,,bottom ,,of ,,aquarium ,,clean--remove all sediment with dip tube--,fig4 #b4 ,to remove water--use either automatic siphon--,fig4 #c--or siphon with rubber hose4 ,illustration3 ,,fig#a ,illustration3 ,,fig#b ,illustration3 ,,fig#c ,illustration3 ,plants ,,anacharis4 ,,ludwigia4 ,,vallisneria4 ,,sagittaria4 ,,cabomba4 ,,duck ,,weed4 ,,hair ,,grass4 ,,southern ,,vallisneria4 ,,myriophyllum4 ,,salvinia4 ,,spatterdock4 ,,plants ,anacharis3 ,fair oxygenator--planted or floating--needs abundance of light4 ,ludwigia3 ,fair oxygenator4 ,leaves--top green1 underneath red4 ,sagittaria3 ,excellent oxygenators1 three varieties3 ,,natans--long narrow leaves2 ,,gigantea--broad stocky #h leaves2 ,,subulata--7dwarf7 #d to #f narrow leaves4 ,cabomba3 ,little value as oxygenator--fanlike green leaves4 ,hair ,grass3 ,fair oxygenator--rapidly covers floor with #d grassy needles4 ,southern ,spatterdock3 ,ornamental--broad bright green leaves4 ,vallisneria3 ,excellent oxygenator--#ae long--multiplies rapidly by runners4 ,myriophyllum3 ,ornamental--excellent for spawn of adhesive egg layers4 ,salvinia3 ,floating-- leaves covered with velvety hairs4 ,duck ,weed3 ,ornamental bright green floating plant4 ,riccia3 ,very fine bright green floating plant--valuable in spawning bubble nest builders1 especially ,dwarf ,gourami4 ,cryptocoryne3 ,leaves top dark green1 underside dark red4 ,needs some soil1 slow grower4 ,very decorative and necessary in spawning some species4 ,illustration3 ,scavengers ,,weather ,,fish ,,black ,,ramshorn ,,snail ,,pond ,,snail ,,american ,,salamander ,,clam or ,,fresh ,,water ,,mussel ,,african ,,snail ,,melantho ,,snail ,,scavengers ,melantho 7,trumpet7 ,snail3 ,very active--multiplies rapidly--consumes algae4 ,pond ,snail3 ,very active and useful--a fast moving fellow4 ,black ,ramshorn ,snail3 ,multiplies rapidly--excellent scavenger4 ,coral ,snail3 ,same as ,ramshorn with coral red body1 and shell4 ,african ,snail3 ,good scavenger--light yellow brown--dark spots4 ,australian ,snail3 ,similar to ,pond but bright scarlet in color--very active4 ,catfish3 7,corydoras ,paleatus7 most popular scavenger4 ,look for full description on page #bf4 ,american ,salamander3 ,brown with red and black spots--vest yellow and brown4 ,clam or ,fresh ,water ,mussel3 ,filters all floating matter from water leaving it crystal clear4 ,must have large tank or pool and several inches of sand in which to work4 ,snails will eat eggs of egg-laying fish4 ,to breed snails--place in separate tank and feed lettuce4 ,well fed snails lay an abundance of eggs1 resembling a gelatin like mass attached to plants and glass4 ,fish will eat snail eggs4 ,salt will kill snails--when using salt treatment remove snails4 ,,mosquito ,,fish3 ,,heterandria ,,formosa 7,southern ,u4 ,s47 ,illustration3 average size ,color3 ,numerous black bands adorn gray sides--black horizontal line extends from eye to caudal4 ,red edged dark spot on dorsal4 ,breeding ,habits3 ,live bearers--,females produce several young every few days during breeding season4 ,young are hardy and mature in about #f months4 ,temperature3 #fe to #ge ,f4 ,temperament3 ,peaceful4 ,,guppy3 7below7 ,,lebistes ,,reticulatus 7,venezuela7 ,color3 ,male--two males are never precisely alike4 ,every color of the rainbow is present1 intermingled with irregular black spots and bars4 ,female--dull grayish green4 ,breeding ,habits3 ,live ,bearers--mature females produce from #ce to #ej live young every #e weeks4 ,presence of young is indicated by darkened area anterior to anal fin4 8,heavy0 females may be removed to separate vessel1 heavily stocked with plants--particularly floating plants toward light4 ,when young are born they seek safety among plants4 ,remove female to prevent her eating young4 ,young are ready to take fine food in a few hours4 ,guppy seem to thrive under fairly crowded conditions4 ,temperature3 ,thrive and breed at #fe to #hj ,f4 ,maturity3 ,males #b to #c months--,females #d month4 ,males less hardy4 ,temperament3 ,very peaceful4 ,males very active4 ,,swordtail3 ,,xiphophorus ,,helleri 7,mexico7 ,illustration3 average size ,color3 ,male--body blue green1 red line on side4 ,large dorsal with reddish dots4 ,ornamental sword may be yellow1 orange or green1 edged with black4 ,female--resembles male in color1 lacks sword4 7,both male and female ,,crescent ,,swordtail have black crescent at base of caudal47 ,breeding ,habits3 ,live bearers--have #be to #ajj live young every #f or #g weeks4 ,when female is 8heavy0 place her in large vessel heavily stocked with plants4 ,young swim from mother1 seeking safety among plants usually at bottom toward light4 ,remove female--she will eat fry4 ,temperature3 #gj to #he ,f4 ,breed best at #ge ,f4 ,maturity3 ,breed at about #i months4 ,male resembles female until full grown2 then anal changes to reproducing organ and 8sword0 develops4 ,temperament3 ,very peaceful4 ,due to rivalry1 stronger male will bully others4 ,,helleri 7below7 7,gold1 ,red and ,black7 ,mating a virgin female ,swordtail and ,platy male1 the young inherit the general color of the male and body type of the female1 often becoming larger than either parent4 ,some males develop short sword4 ,a percentage of the offspring are sterile4 ,,platypoecilia ,,variatus 7above7 7,mexico7 ,illustration3 average size ,color3 ,large dorsal1 yellow with black edge1 caudal reddish1 body various colors intermingled4 ,female1 similar to female swordtail in color and markings4 ,male has spot resembling gravid spot on female4 ,color and markings vary4 ,breeding ,habits3 ,live bearers 7same as swordtails74 ,do not breed true to color4 ,temperature3 #gb to #hj ,f4 ,maturity3 #e to #h months4 ,temperament3 ,peaceful1 very hardy4 ,,moons ,,or ,,platy ,,platypoecilia 7,mexico7 ,color3 ,,red ,,moon--deep rich red4 ,,gold ,,moon--gold body1 red dorsal fin1 ,,blue ,,moon--blue body1 black crescent at base of caudal4 7,black ,crescent may appear on ,red and ,gold ,moons47 ,,black ,,moon--black body sometimes with greenish sheen1 also found with red heads1 7,black ,helmet ,moon71 ,,gold ,,wagtail--,gold body with black fins and black caudal4 ,,red ,,wagtails--deep red body with black fins and black caudal4 ,breeding ,habits3 ,live bearers--#ae to #cj young every #f to #i weeks4 ,breeding habits same as swordtails1 except most young moons come to top4 ,cross breeding with swordtail common1 producing beautiful hybrids 7,,helleri7 larger than either parent and assuming color of male 7,,moon74 ,temperature3 #gj to #hj ,f4 ,maturity3 #d to #f months4 ,temperament3 ,very peaceful4 ,fry must be kept very warm4 ,,sailfin3 ,,mollienisia ,,latipinna 7,southern ,u4 ,s41 ,northern ,mexico7 ,illustration3 ,about one half size ,color3 ,male--body olive green1 black stitching2 large dorsal fin 7sailfin7 lavender and orange spotted with black2 caudal1 orange and light blue4 ,female--similar to male but without large dorsal4 ,breeding ,habits3 ,live bearers--have #bj to #ajj young at irregular intervals4 ,all ,mollienisia are hardy but females must not be moved to another tank when young are expected4 ,this frequently causes young to be born prematurely and few will survive4 ,moving female or undue excitement at this time may cause death of female4 ,provide ample vegetation in tank4 ,sailfins are not very cannibalistic but it is always safest to remove fry for several weeks4 ,young are long when born4 ,temperature3 #de to #he ,f4 ,breed best at #gj ,f4 ,maturity3 #i months4 ,temperament3 ,very peaceful4 ,in breeding ,mollienisia1 no two varieties should be kept in the same tank as they will cross breed4 ,each variety should be provided with a separate tank4 7,this is also true of the moons74 ,only very careful intelligent selective breeding has produced the ,black ,mollienisia1 later the ,sailfin ,black ,molly1 and most recently1 ,black ,molly ,sailfin with an orange bordered dorsal4 ,,black ,,mollienisia3 7,southern ,u4 ,s47 ,illustration3 average size ,color3 ,both male and female coal black4 ,breeding ,habits3 ,live bearers--#ae to #be young born at irregular intervals throughout the year4 ,young when born are large and black4 ,turn gray in a few weeks and then gradually turn black4 ,female should never be moved when young are expected--as this usually results in loss of young and frequently loss of female4 7,see ,sailfin74 ,young are fairly safe with parents if ample floating plants are provided4 8,mollies0 are algae eaters4 ,black ,mollienisia have been crossed with ,sailfins producing the beautiful ,,black ,,mollienisia ,,sailfin4 ,temperature3 #fe to #hj ,f4 ,breed best at #ge ,f4 ,maturity3 ,good male becomes black in about #f months4 ,female about #ah months4 ,breed at #i months4 ,males less hardy4 ,temperament3 ,very peaceful4 8,mollies0 are heavy eaters1 and largely vegetarians4 ,some algae should be present4 ,,medaka3 7above7 ,,oryzias ,,latipes 7,china7 ,illustration3 average size ,color3 ,male and female light lemon yellow4 ,male slim like ,zebra--sometimes called 8,golden ,danio40 ,female--slightly heavier4 ,breeding ,habits3 ,egg layers--these interesting and attractive fish are the easiest of the egg layers to breed4 ,eggs cluster about anal region of female like bunch of grapes4 ,here they are carried for several hours and later brushed off on plants where they become attached4 ,eggs can be easily seen hanging to plants4 ,fish seldom bother eggs but it is safest to remove plants containing eggs to another jar4 ,fry hatch in #aj to #ad days4 ,feed fry infusoria4 ,never have snails in tank containing fish eggs4 ,temperature3 #de to #hj ,f4 ,spawn best at #gj ,f4 ,maturity3 ,mature in about #f mos4 ,temperament3 ,very peaceful4 ,,zebra3 ,,danio ,,rerio 7,ceylon7 ,color3 ,both male and female striped from eyes through tail with alternate lines of blue and silver4 ,underparts of male slightly yellowish--female silvery white4 ,female--deeper in body4 ,breeding ,habits3 ,egg layers--non-adhesive eggs fall to bottom4 ,cover bottom of breeding tank with several layers pebbles or glass marbles1 not over #c inches of water above marbles4 ,place male and female 7kept separate several days7 in prepared tank4 ,spawning usually takes place within #bd hours4 ,spawning is preceded by very fast swimming4 ,remove parents after spawning4 ,fry hatch in #b to #h days4 ,feed fry infusoria4 ,temperature3 #de to #hj ,f4 ,maturity3 ,breed when #d to #e months4 ,temperament3 ,peaceful1 swim in school1 constantly moving4 7,see ,pearl ,danio47 ,,pearl ,,danio 7above73 ,,danio ,,albolineatus 7,burma7 ,illustration3 average size ,color3 ,iridescent mother-of-pearl and opal tints4 ,dull red line through center of body and tail4 ,female--slightly heavier4 ,breeding ,habits3 ,egg layers--prepare aquarium same as for ,zebra4 ,long tank best for both4 ,as they snatch eggs when they turn1 long tank eliminates many turns4 ,advisable to use two males to one female4 7,see ,zebra47 ,temperature and ,temperament3 ,same as ,zebra4 ,maturity3 #f to #h months4 ,,giant ,,danio ,,danio ,,malabaricus 7,malabar ,coast7 ,color3 ,deep metallic blue with two horizontal stripes of yellow gold4 ,female--slightly heavier4 ,breeding ,habits3 ,egg layers--very small semi-adhesive eggs deposited on plants4 ,fry need great amount of food4 ,remove parents after spawning4 7see ,rosy ,barb47 ,temperature3 #fj to #hj ,f4 ,maturity3 #h to #aj months4 ,temperament3 ,peaceful1 but will attack small fish4 ,danios 7,zebra1 ,pearl and ,giant7 are always active1 and are large consumers of oxygen1 therefore are more susceptible to the effects of lack of sufficient oxygen in the aquarium4 ,being fast swimmers and especially fond of their own eggs1 water in the breeding tank should not exceed #f inches and they should be removed as soon as spawning is over4 ,,rosy ,,barb3 ,,barbus ,,conchonius 7,india7 ,illustration3 average size ,color3 ,silvery green1 dark spot at base of caudal4 ,male has black dash on dorsal and takes on rosy hue during spawning season4 ,breeding ,habits3 ,egg layers--lay eggs on fine plants similar to goldfish4 ,stock aquarium well with fine plants like ,myriophyllum or ,cabomba1 weight down ends with a stone4 ,separate male and female for a few days4 ,spawning usually takes place within #dh hours after pair is placed together4 ,after spawning is completed remove plants containing eggs and place in tank free from other fish and scavengers4 ,fry hatch in about a week and should be fed with ,brine ,shrimp4 ,the following ,barbs are prettily colored and easy to take care of4 ,their breeding habits are like those of the ,rosybarbs4 ,,barbus ,,sumatranus ,,barbus ,,everetti 7,,clown ,,barb7 ,,barbus ,,semifasciolatus 7,,half ,,banded7 ,,barbus ,,semifasciolatus var4 ,schuberti1 7,,gold ,,barb7 ,,barbus ,,nigrofasciatus ,temperature3 #de to #hj ,f4 ,spawn best at #gj to #hj ,f4 ,maturity3 ,mature in about #i months4 ,temperament3 ,peaceful4 ,,barbus ,,oligolepis 7below7 7,sumatra7 ,color3 ,male--,large scales with blue-black spot1 all fins orange-red with dark edge4 ,female--,duller in color with #d or #e black spots on sides4 ,breeding ,habits3 ,egg layers--,stock aquarium with ,cabomba4 ,male turns almost black during spawning period4 ,remove both parents as soon as eggs are deposited on fine plants4 ,fry hatch in about #gb hours4 ,temperature3 #gj to #hj ,f4 ,maturity3 #aj months4 ,temperament3 7,peaceful47 ,,blood ,,fin3 7above7 ,,aphyocharax ,,rubripinnis 7,argentine7 ,illustration3 average size ,color3 ,iridescent steel blue with deep red fins4 ,sex determined same as ,silver ,tetra4 ,breeding ,habits3 ,egg layers4 ,use large tank1 cover bottom with fine plants1 and ample tall ones4 ,fish spawn at surface1 some eggs adhering to tall plants1 others falling4 ,remove parents4 ,fry appear in about #bd hours4 ,feed ,brine ,shrimp4 ,fry grow rapidly4 ,temperature3 #gj to #gh ,f4 ,temperament3 ,peaceful4 ,,silver ,,tetra3 ,,ctenobrycon ,,spilurus 7,br4 ,guiana7 ,color3 ,steel blue body covered with very fine bright silver scales4 ,body very thin4 ,large black spot at base of caudal4 ,tetras are all easily identified by the small adipose fin between dorsal and caudal4 ,male slightly smaller with invisible processes on anterior tip of anal which catch in fine net4 ,sex is determined in this way4 ,breeding ,habits3 ,egg layers--lay great quantities of adhesive eggs on fine plants4 ,plants or parents should be removed as soon as spawning is completed4 ,fry will make their appearance in a few days4 ,be sure there are no snails in tank with eggs4 ,temperature3 #gj to #ij ,f4 ,maturity3 #f to #h months4 ,temperament3 ,very active4 ,not for community tank4 ,,tetra ,,from ,,rio 7above73 ,,hyphessobrycon ,,flammeus 7,brazil7 ,,tetra ,,from ,,buenos ,,aires3 ,,hemigrammus ,,caudovittatus 7,argentina7 ,illustration3 average size ,color3 ,,tetra ,,from ,,rio--body bright silver--#c black bars near head2 fins brilliant red edged with black2 black edge on anal of male wider than on female4 ,during mating season red runs well into body4 ,,tetra ,,from ,,buenos ,,aires--body bright silver1 fins blood red4 ,large diamond shaped spot at base of caudal4 ,sex determined same as ,silver ,tetra4 ,breeding ,habits3 ,egg layers4 ,use #ae gallon tank1 #f to #h inches of water4 ,stock tank heavily with ,cabomba1 ,myriophyllum1 or other fine floating plants1 also a thicket on bottom4 ,semi-adhesive eggs are deposited on plants1 some sinking to bottom4 ,best results are obtained with #b males and #a female4 ,remove parents after spawning is completed4 ,fry appear in about #c days4 ,tiny fry hang on plants and sides of aquarium about #c days4 ,tetras may not spawn immediately--have patience4 ,temperature3 #gj to #ij ,f4 ,maturity3 ,from ,rio--#h months4 ,buenos ,aires--#aj months4 ,temperament3 ,from ,rio--,very peaceful1 ,buenos ,aires--,fairly peaceful4 ,,pristella ,,riddlei3 7above7 7,venezuela and ,guiana7 ,illustration3 average size ,color3 ,silvery body1 caudal reddish1 anal and dorsal light yellow with dark spot4 ,difficult to distinguish sex4 ,breeding ,habits3 ,egg ,layers4 ,spawn on fine plants1 ,myriophyllum or ,cabomba--very small adhesive eggs1 expelled #f or #h at a time1 often fall to bottom4 ,sometimes as many as #bjj eggs at a spawning4 ,remove parents after spawning4 ,temperature3 #gb to #hj ,f42 best above #ge ,f4 ,maturity3 ,about #a year4 ,temperament3 ,peaceful4 ,,head ,,and ,,tail ,,light3 ,,hemigrammus ,,ocellifer 7,amazon ,river1 ,s4 ,a47 ,color3 ,body translucent green1 faint gold line through center of body1 thin black line toward caudal base broadens into diamond shape4 ,gleaming gold spot on tail and brilliant red eye give fish its common name4 ,male smaller1 more slender and has pointed instead of rounded dorsal4 ,breeding ,habits3 ,egg layers4 ,adhesive eggs are deposited on fine plants4 ,use #b males to one female for best results4 ,fry hatch in #b days4 7,see ,pristella ,riddlei47 ,temperature3 #gb to #hj ,f4 ,maturity3 ,about #h months4 ,temperament3 ,peaceful4 ,young fairly hardy4 ,,featherfin3 ,,hemigrammus ,,unilineatus ,color3 ,like above ,pristella ,riddlei but has a black and white line down the anal fin4 ,breeding ,habits and ,temperament3 like ,pristella4 ,,jewel ,,fish3 ,,hemichromis ,,bimaculatus 7,africa7 ,illustration3 average size ,color3 ,body bright scarlet blending to rich olive on back4 ,emerald dots 7jewels7 in irregular lines cover body and vertical fins4 ,frequently difficult to obtain mated pair4 ,breeding ,habits3 ,egg layers--eggs are deposited on smooth stone or flower pot1 to which they adhere4 ,during incubation 7about #cj hours7 one parent stands guard1 constantly fanning to circulate water over eggs4 ,fry are unable to swim first three days so parents make hollow in sand where fry are placed and guarded4 ,after fry can swim1 they form school with parents in center4 ,remove parents when fry are about one-fourth grown or sooner4 ,parents must not be excited or they will eat spawn or fry4 ,temperature3 #gj to #ij ,f4 ,fry above #ge ,f4 ,breed best at #hj ,f4 ,maturity3 #aj to #ad months4 ,temperament3 ,very savage--male frequently attacks carefully mated female4 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,to spawn ,cichlids 7,jewel1 ,angel1 ,orange ,chromide1 ,blue ,acara and ,mouthbreeder7 purchase several young fish--bring them to maturity together4 ,when ready for breeding a mated pair will be found associating together and separated from the others4 ,avoid disturbing ,cichlids1 any disturbance or noise may cause them to devour their eggs or young4 ,,angel ,,fish3 ,,pterophyllum ,,scalare 7,amazon ,river1 ,s4 ,a47 ,illustration3 ,reduced ,color3 ,bright silver1 black bars1 body very thin4 ,black bars disappear when disturbed or frightened4 ,difficult to distinguish sex4 ,breeding ,habits3 ,egg layers--very difficult to breed4 ,prefer sides of aquarium or ,sagittaria ,gigantea for depositing eggs4 ,eggs are fanned constantly by parents4 ,fry appear in about #h days2 guarded1 and transferred from one plant to another or depression in sand1 by parents4 ,fry swim in about a week and resemble thread like worms4 ,remove parents when fry begin to swim4 ,feed infusoria4 ,fry take shape of scalare in #c to #e weeks4 ,temperature3 #gj to #ij ,f4 #he for spawning4 ,maturity3 ,one to one and a half years4 ,growth depends upon quality and quantity of food and size of tank4 ,angel fish should have as much live food as possible1 largest tank available4 ,temperament3 ,peaceful4 ,easily frightened4 ,keep in large well planted aquarium otherwise they may dart against sides and kill themselves4 ,should be fed live food frequently4 ,large specimens are not recommended for community tank4 ,,blue ,,acara3 ,,aequidens ,,latifrons 7,central ,america7 ,illustration3 one half size ,color3 ,yellowish brown with several dark vertical bands4 ,one of these bands widens in center of the body into a spot4 ,lines of shining blue dots cover the entire body4 ,dorsal1 anal and caudal are wine red with rows of blue and blue-green spots4 ,both sexes similar1 female slightly subdued in color4 ,breeding ,habits3 ,egg layers--,mate fish of approximately the same size4 ,provide a clean flower pot for the fish to deposit their spawn4 ,the adhesive eggs are placed on the inside of the flower pot and are then fertilized by the male4 ,eggs are fanned by the parents and fry appear in #c or #d days4 ,parents prepare a depression in the sand and taking the newly hatched fry in their mouths deposit them into these holes where they are carefully guarded by the parents4 ,young live in a swarm in this 8nest0 for several days4 ,then they swim freely and must be fed infusoria4 ,parents may be removed soon after fry swim freely4 ,the ,blue ,acara is hardy1 prolific1 easily spawned1 and the fry are hardy and develop rapidly4 ,temperature3 #gj to #he ,f4 ,maturity3 ,breed in about #h months4 ,temperament3 ,not peaceful--except with very large fish4 ,,mouth ,,breeder3 ,,haplochromis ,,strigigena 7,egypt7 ,illustration3 one half size ,color3 ,body light blue gray--fins yellowish--head very massive4 ,breeding ,habits3 ,egg layers--deposit spawn in depression in sand4 ,after spawning is completed female picks up eggs and carries them in her mouth4 ,water is circulated over eggs by a chewing movement4 ,female refuses food during period she carries eggs4 ,male should be removed as soon as female picks up eggs as he may bother her4 ,fry appear in about two weeks1 but at the slightest sign of danger rush back into the mother's mouth4 ,this continues until fry are too large for the maternal jaw4 ,female should be removed when fry are about #e weeks old4 ,because of 8fast0 while carrying eggs1 should be bred but #b or #c times a year4 ,temperature3 #gj to #he ,f4 ,maturity3 #ab to #ad months4 ,temperament3 ,rather vicious4 ,,orange ,,chromide3 7below7 ,,etroplus ,,maculatus 7,india7 ,color3 ,golden orange1 #c blue-black dots on sides crossed by rows of small reddish dots4 ,dorsal brown1 anal and pectorals dark4 ,sex difficult to distinguish4 ,breeding ,habits3 ,egg layers--,spawn on flower pot or stones placed in the aquarium4 ,fry hatch in about #d days and are moved into pits in sand4 ,fry swim freely in about #f days4 ,remove parents in about two weeks4 ,temperature3 #gj to #hj ,f4 ,maturity3 about #f to #h months4 ,temperament3 ,usually peaceful in large well planted tank4 ,,three-,,spot ,,gourami3 ,,trichogaster ,,trichopterus 7,india7 ,illustration3 average size ,color3 ,silvery olive with black spot in center of body1 another at caudal base--the eye making the third spot4 ,breeding ,habits3 ,same as ,dwarf ,gourami4 ,temperature3 #gj to #he ,f4 ,maturity3 #aj months4 ,temperament3 ,not recommended for community tank4 ,,blue ,,gourami3 ,,trichogaster ,,sumatranus ,form and size like three-spot gourami but color light blue4 ,,dwarf ,,gourami3 7below7 ,,colisa ,,lalia 7,india7 ,color3 ,body light blue crossed by orange-red stripes4 ,large fins colored same as body4 ,female--subdued in color and fins 7dorsal and anal7 slightly rounded4 ,breeding ,habits3 ,bubble nest builders--male blows nest of bubbles on surface of water among floating plants4 ,female frequently assists1 weaving bits of plants into nest4 ,female is coaxed beneath nest where eggs are expelled and fertilized4 ,male catches eggs and blows them into bubble nest4 ,remove female4 ,eggs hatch in several days4 ,male guards nest1 blowing fry back into nest until they are able to swim freely1 to prevent their drowning4 ,remove male when fry are #d days old4 ,temperature3 #gj to #ij ,f4 ,maturity3 #h to #aj months4 ,temperament3 ,exceedingly peaceful and friendly4 ,labyrinth fish prefer shallow water--spawning tank not to exceed #f--tank for fry not to exceed #d4 ,,paradise3 ,,macropodus ,,opercularis 7,south ,china7 ,illustration3 average size ,color3 ,body dark with vertical bars of deep red against bluish green background4 ,fins similar in color1 caudal deep red4 ,female--shorter fins1 color very pale during mating4 ,breeding ,habits3 ,bubble nest builder4 ,when pair have mated 7frequently after the death of several undesirable females7 the male builds a floating nest of bubbles4 ,male coaxes female under nest1 winds himself about her1 a gentle pressure expelling eggs4 ,he then gathers eggs in his mouth and blows them into nest4 ,falling eggs and young fry are carefully blown back into nest by male4 ,remove female when spawning is over4 ,fry appear within #cf hours4 ,remove male in about #d days4 ,temperature3 #ej to #ij ,f4 ,maturity3 ,about #ab months4 ,temperament3 ,vicious1 keep pair separated except when spawning4 7see ,bettas47 ,labyrinth ,fish 7,gourami1 ,paradise1 ,bettas7 are air breathers1 coming to the surface every few minutes for a bubble of air4 ,for this reason they can stand crowding1 providing water is kept clear4 ,fry do not develop this characteristic for several weeks so must be provided with a large shallow container with ample oxygen4 ,,bettas3 ,,siamese ,,fighting ,,fish 7,siam7 ,illustration3 average size ,color3 ,this attractive group 7all hybrids of ,,betta ,,splendens7 have many color variations1 all exceptionally attractive4 ,,betta ,,cambodia3 gold colored body--bright red fins4 ,those with most red in body known as ,,betta ,,rubra4 ,,betta ,,cyana--body and fins iridescent cornflower blue4 ,others often have various shades of blue1 green1 red and purple predominating4 ,females--subdued in color and lack long flowing fins4 ,breeding ,habits3 ,bubble nest builders--,male builds floating nest of bubbles #c to #f inches in diameter4 ,female is coaxed and forced under nest1 male embraces her expelling eggs4 ,male catches eggs and blows them into bubble nest4 ,remove female4 ,fry hatch in #dh hours4 ,remove male in #aj days4 ,do not crowd fry4 ,temperature3 #fe to #ij ,f4 #hj ,f4 best for spawning4 ,maturity3 #h to #aj months4 ,temperament3 ,savage--two males will fight to a finish4 ,siamese wager on outcome of these battles4 ,not advisable to keep mated pairs together except when spawning4 ,separate pairs with glass placed diagonally across aquarium4 ,when spawning1 if male attacks female too viciously1 replace glass4 7,one of these fish may be kept in ,community ,tank--they seem to attack only their own species47 ,,panchax ,,from ,,madras3 ,,panchax ,,parvus 7,india7 ,illustration3 average size ,color3 ,male1 rich deep greenish olive1 sides covered with rows of gleaming red and green spots1 anal bright orange and red4 ,dorsal and caudal are of similar colors4 ,female--dull with light orange fins4 ,breeding ,habits3 ,egg layers1 spawn readily in small tank1 riccia being a favorite plant for this purpose4 ,temperature3 #gb to #hj ,f4 ,temperament3 peaceful4 ,,rasbora ,,heteromorpha3 7below7 7,sumatra7 ,color3 ,silvery copper with large blue-black triangle from dorsal to caudal base4 ,dorsal and caudal red4 ,scales above black triangle wider on male4 ,breeding ,habits3 ,egg layers--,difficult to breed4 ,female swims upside down against leaf of ,cryptocoryne1 expelling eggs1 most of which drop to bottom4 ,remove parents after spawning4 ,fry hatch in about #b days and resemble zebra fry4 ,swim freely in about #e days4 ,use #c males and #b females4 ,do not have aquarium in direct rays of sun4 ,temperature3 #gb to #he ,f4 ,maturity3 ,breed at #aj months4 ,temperament3 ,peaceful4 ,,catfish3 ,,corydoras ,,paleatus 7,south ,america7 ,illustration3 #a to #b inches ,color3 ,shining olive green1 towards the anal3 yellowish to white4 ,body covered with dark spots changing according to the surroundings4 ,average size3 #a to #b inches4 ,breeding ,habits3 ,egg layer4 ,distinguishing sex marks3 male smaller than female1 and has pointed ventral fins1 which are in the female1 rounded4 ,best breeding results are obtained in a large aquarium4 ,two to three males for one female4 ,temperature #ge to #hj degrees4 #fj to #ejj eggs are carried by female in her ventral fins to a clean spot which can be the glass of the aquarium1 a plant or stone4 ,babies hatch after #f to #i days4 ,the opinion of breeders is divided as to whether parents should be removed4 ,good results were obtained either way4 ,temperament3 ,paleatus ,catfish are the most peaceful fish and very essential for the maintenance of every balanced aquarium4 ,they are regarded as the officers of the 8,dept4 of ,sanitation0 among successful aquarists4 ,paleatus is a ground fish1 tirelessly picking up food remnants and left-overs which other fish do not eat4 ,through this activity1 ,paleatus helps to keep the food particles from contaminating the water4 ,catfish dart up to the surface to breathe atmospheric air4 ,,white ,,cloud ,,mountain ,,fish3 ,,tanichthys ,,albonubes 7,china7 ,color3 ,form and color similar to ,pearl ,danio but with gold and blue line from eye to caudal fin1 dorsal and caudal fins deep red1 male has white tip above red caudal fins4 ,breeding ,habits3 ,average temperature #hj degrees4 ,eggs not adhesive4 ,one female to two males1 eggs hatch after two to three days4 ,remove parents after spawning4 ,tiny fry must be supplied with infusoria or better still1 ,brine ,shrimp 7see p4 #bg74 ,temperament3 ,peaceful and hearty1 8called poorman's ,neon ,tetra0 since the bright colored babies closely resemble ,neon ,tetras4 ,,white ,,paradise3 ,,albino ,,paradise ,color3 ,generally white and the red bars show faintly4 ,like most albinos their eyes are pink4 ,breeding ,habits3 ,just like their original form1 the ,red ,paradise4 ,the albino color breeds true4 7,see page #bc47 ,,black ,,tetra3 ,,gymnocorymbus ,,ternetzi 7,paraguay7 ,color3 ,same size like ,tetra from ,rio but black in color4 ,breeding ,habits and ,temperament also like ,tetra from ,rio4 7see page #af47 ,,blue ,,molly3 ,,mollienisia ,,sphenops ,color3 ,sphenops are found in various color schemes varying from jet black to pure light blue1 very often blue body with scattered black spots4 ,the caudal of male adorned with bright orange border4 ,breeding ,habits3 ,heartier and more easily bred than ordinary ,black ,mollies4 ,,liberty ,,molly3 ,,var4 ,,sphenops ,color3 ,body color of male and female light blue1 but males dorsal shows 8red1 white and blue04 ,breeding ,habits3 7see page #aa47 ,,gold ,,fish3 ,illustration3 ,veiltail ,history3 ,the ,gold ,fish1 the oldest and most popular of our numerous ,aquarium ,fish1 was developed by the ,chinese during the ,sung ,dynasty 7#ifj-abgh7 from the wild ,carassius ,auratus to the various varieties now familiar to us4 ,in the year #agej ,madame de ,pompadour imported the first ,goldfish into ,france as showpieces for the ornamental waterpools in her vast gardens4 ,in #ahef1 ,p4 ,t4 ,barnum was sent by ,the ,american ,museum to search for oddities in ,europe and to study the then popular fad of keeping live fish in aquariums4 ,thus our now familiar ,goldfish made its debut in ,america4 ,with its golden beauty and its sturdiness1 the ,goldfish quickly became the ,parlor ,pet of our parents and grandparents4 ,today the sales of ,american-bred ,goldfish run into the millions4 ,it would be beyond the limits of this booklet to explain and fully describe all the various forms and color variations of our goldfish1 as there are ,comets1 ,fantails1 ,shubunkins1 ,black ,moors1 etc4 ,most ,goldfish do not reach their full life span of #d to #f years and often more1 because they are fed too much and are given too little 8,living ,space40 ,feed your fish only once a day during the morning and make sure that all food is consumed within #aj to #ae minutes4 ,any surplus food will fall to the bottom and will contaminate the water4 ,the surest sign of overfeeding is cloudy and milky looking water4 ,this bad water is poor in oxygen and the fish will hang on the surface and frantically gasp for atmospheric air4 ,any nationally known brand of ,goldfish food will be suitable for your fish1 but once more3 ,,do ,,not ,,overfeed4 ,the proper size of the aquarium should be comparable to the amount of fish or vice versa4 ,the happy medium is about #a small fish per gallon of water4 ,an aquarium of five gallons capacity can1 therefore1 hold no more than #d to #e small ,goldfish1 but fish of larger size must have much larger space4 ,the most suitable temperature is between #fj and #gj degrees1 ,fahrenheit4 ,breeding ,hints3 ,during the breeding season which falls during the first seven months of the year1 the male will show small warts of pin point size on his gill plates4 ,the female is shorter than the male but fuller in body1 more so1 when carrying spawn4 ,a mature fish is about #c-aj inches long1 depending on type and a pair must therefore have a breeding aquarium of at least #aj gallons4 ,the fish will spawn on myriophyllum1 long rooted water hyacinths1 or other soft bunchy plants and the eggs will hatch in about #d-g days4 ,since the parent fish like to eat their own spawn1 it is therefore advisable to remove either the parents or the plants with their adhering eggs4 ,the newly hatched babies are fed with infusoria and later on with fish food of a fine grain4 ,diseases3 ,fin ,congestion and ,fungus are the most frequent ,goldfish diseases4 ,their best cure is the salt treatment which is described on page #cc4 ,,turtles ,illustration3 ,turtle aquarium ,baby turtles are very easily kept as pets and require little care4 ,while in captivity1 ,turtles will forget their time schedule and will not hibernate4 ,any round or oval bowl1 an aquarium or a flat pan with a rim sufficiently high to prevent the turtle from crawling out1 is an adequate home4 ,in this container1 place white or colored pebbles1 and in the center a flat stone4 ,fill the container with clean water of room temperature 7#fj to #hj degrees1 fahrenheit7 but see to it that the stone is not covered by the water for it will serve as an 8,island0 and thus give the turtle a chance to leave the wet element when desired4 ,the best place for the bowl is in a light place1 but special care should be taken to see that the bowl is not exposed too long to the direct sun4 ,ant ,eggs1 commonly packed as 8,turtle ,food0 will mainly be their diet but lean raw beef1 which is finely scraped1 will be an appreciated change4 ,the same applies for green lettuce1 rainworms1 etc4 ,a variation in food and sunshine will prevent blindness1 but should a turtle get a white film over its eyes1 a few drops of ,cod liver ,oil forced by a medicine dropper in its mouth1 might help4 ,boric acid swabbed over the eyes will also be beneficial4 ,turtles will not feed 8on land0 therefore all food should be placed in the water4 ,water should be changed two to three times weekly4 ,,health ,it is much easier to keep fish healthy than to cure them4 ,disturb your fish as little as possible4 ,fish in good health are active and keep dorsal fin erect4 7,folded fins for a short period do not mean a sick fish47 ,most fish ills develop from chills4 ,keep fish above lowest safe temperature4 ,young fry especially should be kept warm4 ,avoid extremes of temperature4 ,avoid sudden changes of temperature4 ,provide some type of aquarium heater for cold months4 ,do not crowd fish--be sure plants are thriving and there is ample oxygen in water4 ,fish constantly at top indicate foul water and lack of oxygen4 ,remove part of water and replace with fresh of same temperature4 ,dying plants cause much trouble--be sure plants are healthy and growing4 ,it is much easier to keep fish healthy in a large tank 7above #e gallons74 ,a large tank maintains a more uniform temperature1 allows more air surface1 plants thrive better1 and water is not fouled so easily by excess food4 ,an aquarium can be maintained in healthy condition1 both plants and fish thriving1 under artificial lighting furnished by an ordinary light bulb4 ,vary the diet for the fish4 ,feed only as much as they will eat in ten minutes4 ,feed sparingly and several times a day if necessary4 ,use glass feeding ring4 7,fig4 #d74 ,all uneaten food drops to one spot where it can be easily removed with a dip tube4 ,health and growth of fry depend upon oxygen supply4 ,use tank with large air surface4 ,,be ,,sure ,,and ,,do ,,not ,,crowd ,,young ,,fry4 ,crowding stunts growth and frequently causes disease1 and loss of whole brood4 ,fry demand approximately same amount of water as adults--see page #ca4 ,illustration3 ,,fig#d ,illustration3 ,tropicals in poor condition1 7usually indicated by folded fins74 ,fish constantly at top indicate foul water and lack of oxygen4 ,illustration3 ,,several ,,hours ,,direct ,,sunlight ,,daily ,always keep glass cover on aquarium4 ,always keep a thermometer in aquarium4 ,illustration3 ,never give fish more food than they can clean up in ten minutes4 ,,food ,do ,not ,overfeed--,never give fish more food than they can clean up in ten minutes4 ,vary the ,diet--,have several kinds of food on hand at all times4 ,dried ,shrimp1 ,dried ,daphnae1 scrapings from raw beef1 bits of canned salmon1 bits of boiled spinach1 finely crumbed graham cracker1 bits of yolk of boiled egg1 and most of the prepared foods are excellent but should be supplemented with some form of live food4 ,once a week they should be fed chopped earth worms or ,enchytrae 7,white worms74 ,feed live bearer's fry small quantity of fine foods several times a day4 ,feed egg layer's fry ,brine ,shrimp twice a day the first couple weeks and then feed same as live bearer's fry4 ,several ,feedings a ,day--,feeding a very small quantity of food several times a day 7what the fish will clean up in several minutes7 is probably more desirable than one feeding providing great care is taken not to feed too much at one time4 ,tropicals ,will ,not ,overeat--,unlike goldfish1 tropicals will eat only as much as they need but great care must be exercised in order to allow no uneaten food in the aquarium to foul the water and cause disease4 ,tubifex worms are found in fresh water streams and rivers1 close to shore in soft loamy bottom4 ,they are an excellent live food provided they are fed to the fish with care4 ,keep in cool place in container having large air surface with just enough water to cover them4 ,since they bury themselves in the gravel1 it is best to feed them to the fish with a worm feeder4 ,the best type of feeder has a quantity of small holes through which the worms wriggle into the mouths of the fish eagerly waiting below4 ,for baby fish it is best to cut the worms into small pieces4 ,enchytrae 7,white ,worms7 multiply rapidly in a wooden box 7about #aj square7 filled with about #e of rich loamy soil4 ,portion of worms is placed in soil and whole mass kept fairly moist4 ,feed slice of bread soaked in sweet or sour milk every #c or #d days4 ,be sure all food is covered with at least #a of soil4 ,before feeding be sure all old food is consumed4 ,they may be fed cooked oatmeal or mashed potatoes ,,without ,,salt4 ,stir soil once a week to aerate it and prevent souring4 ,cover soil with piece of glass to keep moisture in4 ,keep in cool dark place4 ,,brine ,,shrimp--,to raise ,egglaying ,fish1 the use of ,brine ,shrimp 7fig4 #e7 replaces the old fashioned ,infusoria method more and more4 ,brine ,shrimp ,eggs are available in any good pet shop and are easily hatched4 ,directions for hatching ,brine ,shrimp ,eggs are found on package4 ,,disease ,tropical ,fish are naturally healthy4 ,if kept in a healthy aquarium1 fed properly and kept warm little or no trouble will be experienced4 ,in short--,,it ,,is ,,easier ,,to ,,keep ,,fish ,,healthy ,,than ,,to ,,cure ,,them4 ,practically all diseases are due to one of the following3 ,,unhealthy ,,tank--water too acid or alkaline--lack of oxygen--decomposition of food--plants not thriving4 ,,improper ,,feeding--,overfeeding1 lack of live food1 lack of variation in diet4 ,,chill--the cause of most fish ills4 ,fish is weakened and subject to diseases1 many incurable4 ,ichthyopthirius 7,ich73 ,a parasite that attacks the fish4 ,recognized by tiny white spot on fins4 ,fish have fins folded and scratch themselves on sand4 ,contagious4 ,treat whole tank 7plants and snails need not be removed74 ,raise temperature to #hj ,f4 ,add about two drops #b ,mercurochrome to each gallon of water4 ,if fish are not cured in #c or #d days repeat treatment4 ,shimmy3 ,a wagging movement without changing position is usually the result of a chill affecting digestive organs4 ,not contagious--give salt treatment4 ,dropsy3 ,body swells1 scales stand out at an angle4 ,fish act normal until a few days before death4 ,salt treatment sometimes brings relief4 ,cure doubtful4 ,wounds or ,ulcers3 ,wrap piece of cotton on toothpick2 hold fish in damp cloth and paint wound for #b minutes with ,mercurochrome twice a day4 ,do not allow ,mercurochrome to touch gills4 ,constipation3 #a tablespoon ,epsom ,salts to #e gallons of water4 ,air ,bladder ,trouble3 ,caused by sudden temperature change4 ,fish swim either at top or stay near bottom4 ,cure unknown4 ,blood ,shot ,fins--,tailrot3 ,condition caused by sudden temperature change or injury4 ,use salt treatment4 ,fungus--,white scum forms over fish4 ,use salt treatment4 ,fluke3 ,flat and sunken belly4 ,no known cure4 ,salt ,treatment3 ,use glass or enamel container1 raise temperature to #hj ,f41 #a teaspoonful rock or sea salt per gallon of water4 7,may be doubled in extreme cases47 ,salt 7,rock or ,epsom7 will kill snails and plants4 ,tropicals in poor condition1 usually indicated by folded fins1 should be isolated at once4 ,gradually raise temperature to #hj ,f4 ,feed live food4 ,give salt treatment4 ,frequently a cure is affected by placing ailing fish in tank of 8green water40 7see page #ca47 ,sick fish more easily cured in shallow water4 ,sudden changes of temperature may be fatal to weakened fish4 ,potassium permanganate solution is an excellent disinfectant and deodorant4 ,also destroys algae in aquarium and pool4 ,tint water faint pink1 repeat when color disappears4 ,avoid excess4 ,,enemies ,fish enemies are usually transferred to the aquarium by the introduction of new aquatic plants that are obtained from outside pools4 ,to avoid fish enemies--,,avoid ,,using ,,plants ,,and ,,sand ,,that ,,are ,,obtained ,,from ,,outside ,,pools ,,or ,,ponds4 ,if you are suspicious of source rinse for a minute or two through a strong solution of salt water4 ,this should kill all insects and not injure plants4 ,examine plants carefully for eggs4 ,fig4 #f shows larvae of ,giant ,beetle 7,water ,tiger74 ,fig4 #g1 larvae of ,dragon ,fly4 ,both attack fairly large fish and devour small ones in quantities4 ,illustration3 ,,fig#e ,illustration3 ,,fig#f ,illustration3 ,,fig#g ,,hydra--a polyp1 fastens itself to plants or glass4 ,it has a variety of shapes and is hard to distinguish particularly on plants4 ,it attacks and quickly drugs fish by injecting a poison4 ,hydra can be killed by removing all fish and scavengers and raising temperature of tank to #aae ,f4 ,,aeration ,replacing consumed oxygen by blowing a stream of very fine air bubbles through the aquarium water is frequently necessary in aquariums1 where plants receive insufficient light or are not thriving1 where the air surface is small 7depth greater than width71 where crowding is necessary1 etc4 ,even in healthy aquariums1 where plants are thriving1 conditions will be improved by an hour or two of aeration daily4 ,many types of aerators are available4 ,,control ,,of ,,acidity ,,and ,,alkalinity ,due to the fact that in some localities the natural water supply is alkaline1 in others neutral1 and in others acid much has been written about controlling aquarium water4 ,many aquarists believe that a slightly acid condition in the aquarium is desirable4 ,there are a number of reliable water testing sets available at very nominal prices4 ,most of the fish described in this book seem to thrive and breed better in slightly acid water 7about p,h#f4h74 ,,helpful ,,hints ,get your experience from the more common varieties first4 ,half grown fish are best to buy--you are sure of obtaining young fish1 and it is interesting to watch them mature4 ,fish ready to spawn3 ,females become heavier4 ,also on live bearers the dark spot near vent becomes larger and darker4 ,males chase females continually at spawning time4 ,labyrinth male builds bubble nest4 ,live bearers are easiest to breed4 ,eggs are hatched within the female's body and the young are born alive4 ,female live bearers seek secluded places to give birth to their young4 ,if one corner of the community tank 7toward light7 is heavily planted1 and ample floating plants provided1 quite a few young will survive4 ,these can be removed until old enough to return to community tank--in about #d or #e weeks1 dependent on growth4 ,female live bearers will eat their young4 ,if placed in separate tank remove female as soon as brood is produced4 ,female live bearers will produce several broods after being separated from male4 ,live bearer's fry are sometimes born with an 8egg sac10 usually the result of premature birth4 ,illustration3 ,tools ,,net ,,glass ,,feeding ,,ring ,,planting ,,tongs ,,thermometers ,,planting ,,snips ,,aquarium ,,cleaner ,,dip ,,tube ,illustration3 ,,avoid #a,,sudden ,,temperature ,,change4 #b;,,crowding ,,lack ,,of ,,oxygen4 #c;,,excess ,,food4 ,to save young live bearers1 females are frequently placed in a trap4 ,be sure female has ample room to swim freely4 ,many varieties of traps are available4 ,to breed egg layers1 male and female should be separated for several days before being placed in spawning tank4 ,all fish are more prolific during warm weather4 ,practically all fish will eat young fry4 ,algae--a fine green plant growth--is caused by an excess of light4 ,remove as much of the growth as possible and reduce amount of light4 ,floating algae--green water--is caused by the same condition4 ,cut down light and condition usually clears itself4 7,see page #d47 ,coloring water in tank a faint pink with a solution of potassium permanganate will usually clear this condition4 ,green water is actual healthy water for fish4 ,algae may be cleaned off glass by scraping with safety razor blade4 7,fig4 #h47 ,cloudy water usually caused by improperly balanced tank4 ,remedy3 more plants or less fish1 better light1 more scavengers1 less food4 ,illustration3 ,,fig#h ,cloud at bottom of tank is usually caused by decaying of excess food4 ,plants thrive better in deep sand2 roots spread and absorb decaying matter4 ,always use sea salt4 ,table salt is questionable since it is chemically treated to prevent caking4 ,tropicals thrive under more crowded conditions than goldfish4 #b or #c pairs per gallon in healthy aquarium1 about #f fish body per gallon4 ,always sterilize net with boiling water after handling sick fish4 ,slow leaks in aquariums will usually be sealed by painting all inside and outside seams with liquid aquarium cement4 ,to obtain number of gallons of water in tank--divide cubic contents in inches by #bca4 ,,index 99 ,subjects marked 99 are illustrated ,a 99,accessories #ce ,aeration #cd 99,aequidens ,latifrons #bj 99,african ,snail #f ,albino ,paradise #bg ,algae #d1 #cf 99,anacharis #e 99,angel ,fish #ai 99,aphyocharax ,rubripinnis #ae 99,artemia #cb ,australian ,snail #f ,b 99,barbus ,conchonius #ad 99,barbus ,oligolepis #ad 99,betta #bd 99,black ,mollienisia #aa 99,black ,tetra #bg 99,blood ,fin #ae 99,blue ,acara #bj 99,blue ,gourami #bb ,blue ,molly #bg 99,breeding ,trap #ce 99,brine ,shrimp #cb ,c 99,catfish #bf ,characins #b1 #ae1 #af1 #ag ,cichlids #b1 #ah1 #ai1 #bj1 #ba 99,clams #f 99,cabomba #e 99,colisa ,lalia #bb ,coral ,snail #f 99,corydoras ,paleatus #bf ,cryptocoryne #e 99,ctenobrycon ,spilurus #ae ,cyprinodontidae #b1 #ab1 #be ,d 99,danio ,albolineatus #ac 99,danio ,malabaricus #ac 99,danio ,rerio #ab 99,dip ,tube #d ,disease #cc 99,dragon ,fly ,larvae #cd ,dropsy #cc 99,duck ,weed #e 99,dwarf ,gourami #bb ,e ,electric ,lighting #cj ,enchytrae #cb ,enemies #cd 99,etroplus ,maculatus #ba ,f ,families #b ,featherfins #ag 99,feeding ,rings #ca ,food #cb 99,fresh ,water ,mussel #f ,g 99,giant ,danio #ac 99,golden ,danio #ab 99,goldfish #bh1 #bi 99,guppy #g 99,gymnocorymbus ,ternetzi #bg ,h 99,hair ,grass #e 99,haplochromis ,strigigena #ba ,happy ,family #b 99,head ,tail ,light #ag ,health #bi 99,helleri #c 99,hemichromis ,bimaculatus #ah 99,hemigrammus ,caudovittatus #af 99,hemigrammus ,ocellifer #ag ,hemigrammus ,unilineatus #ag 99,heterandria ,formosa #g ,hydra #cd ,hyphessobrycon ,flameus #af ,i ,ich #cc ,ichthyopthirius #cc ,infusoria #cb ,j 99,jewel ,fish #ah ,l ,labyrinth #b1 #bb1 #bc1 #bd 99,lebistes ,reticulatus #g ,liberty ,molly #bg ,live ,bearers #b1 #g1 #h1 #i1 #aj1 #aa1 #bg ,ludwigia #e ,m 99,macropodus ,opercularis #bi 99,medaka #ab 99,melantho ,snail #f 99,mollienisia ,latipinna #aj 99,mollienisia ,sphenops #bg 99,moons ,gold #i ,red #i ,blue #i ,black #i ,wagtail #i 99,mosquito ,fish #g 99,mouth ,breeder #ba 99,myriophyllum #e ,o 99,orange ,chromide #ba 99,oryzias ,latipes #ab ,p 99,paleatus #bf 99,panchax #be 99,paradise #bc 99,pearl ,danio #ac p,h #cd ,planting #c 99,platy #i 99,platy ,variatus #i 99,platypoecilia #i 99,pond ,snail #f ,preparing the ,aquarium #c 99,pristella ,riddlei #ag 99,pterophyllum ,scalare #ai ,r 99,rasbora ,heteromorpha #be ,riccia #e 99,rosy ,barb #ad ,s 99,sagittaria #e 99,sailfin #aj 99,salamander ,american #f 99,salvinia #e ,schuberti #ad 99,shrimp #cb 99,siamese ,fighting ,fish #bd 99,silver ,tetra #ae 99,siphon #d 99,snails #f 99,southern ,spatterdock #e ,sphenops #bg 99,swordtail #h ,t ,tanichthys ,albonubes #bg 99,tetra from ,buenos ,aires #af 99,tetra ,from ,rio #af 99,three-,spot ,gourami #bb 99,trichogaster ,sumatranus #bb 99,trumpet ,snail #f ,tubifex ,worms #cb ,turtles #cj ,v 99,vallisneria #e ,w ,wagtail1 ,platies #i ,water ,control #cd 99,water ,tiger #cd ,white ,cloud ,mountain ,fish #bg ,white ,paradise #bg ,white ,worms #cb ,x 99,xiphophorus ,helleri #h 99,zebra ,fish #ab ,transcriber's ,notes --,silently corrected a few typos4 --,retained publication information from the printed edition3 this e,book is public-domain in the country of publication4 --,in the text versions only1 text in italics is delimited by underscores4