# The Book of the Aquarium

CABINET AQUARIUM
THE BOOK
OF
THE AQUARIUM
AND
WATER CABINET;
OR
Practical Instructions
ON THE FORMATION, STOCKING, AND MANAGEMENT, IN ALL SEASONS, OF COLLECTIONS OF FRESH WATER AND MARINE LIFE:
BY SHIRLEY HIBBERD, AUTHOR OF “RUSTIC ADORNMENTS FOR HOMES OF TASTE,” &c., &c.
LONDON: GROOMBRIDGE & SONS, PATERNOSTER ROW.
1856.
W. H. COLLINGRIDGE, PRINTER, I, LONG LANE.
CONTENTS.
THE FRESH-WATER TANK.
* PAGE
* Chapter I.—What is an Aquarium?................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................6
* The Name and the Object — Philosophy of the Aquarium.
* Chapter II.—Proper Kinds of Vessels................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................10
* Rectangular Tanks—Construction of Tanks—Washington’s Stope-back Tank—Bell Glasses and Vases—Stands for Vases.
* Chapter III.—Fitting-up—Rock work................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................17
* The Bottom—Mould—Planting—The Water—Aspect.
* Chapter IV.—Plants for the Aquarium................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................21
* How to stock a Tank quickly—Selection of Plants—Water Soldier—Starwort—Vallissneria—Anacharis—Myriophyllum—Potamogeton—Nuphar Lutea—Pipewort—Utricularia—Isopelis—Subularia—Ranunculus—Hydrocaris—Alisma—Lemna, &c.
* Chapter V.—Fishes for the Aquarium................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................32
* Cyprinus Carpio, Gibelio, Carassius, Auratus, Brama, Leucisus, Rutilus, Alburnus, Phoxinus, Gobio, Tinea, Barbus, Barbatula, Cephalus—Percidæ—Gasterosteus.
* Chapter VI.—Reptiles, Mollusks, and Insects................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................44
* Chapter VII.—Selection of Stock................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................46
* Chapter VIII.—General Management................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................48
* Feeding—Confervæ—Uses of Mollusks—Objections to Mollusks—Use of Confervoid Growths—Periodical Cleansing—Exhaustion of Oxygen—Temperature—Dead Specimens—Disease of Fishes.
THE MARINE TANK.
* PAGE
* Chapter I.—The Vessel................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................53
* Points in which the Marine differs from the River Tank-Stained Glass.
* Chapter II.—Fitting-up................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................56
* The Bottom — Rocks, Arches, and Caves — The Water — Artificial Sea "Water — Marine Salts — Management of Artificial Water — Caution to the Uninitiated — Filtering.
* Chapter III.—Collecting Specimens................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................66
* Chapter IV.—The Plants................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................69
* Chapter V.—The Animals................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................71
* Fishes — Mollusks — Annelides — Zoophytes — Actinia Mesemhryanthemum — Anguicoma, Bellis, Gemmacea, Crassicornis, Parasitica, Dianthus, &c.
* Chapter VI.—What is an Anemone?................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................84
* Chapter VII.—General Management................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................91
* Grouping of Objects — Sulphuretted Hydrogen— Preservation of the Water — Aeration— Filter — Decay of Plants — Death of Anemones — Removal of Objects — Density of the Water — Green Stain — Feeding — The Syphon — Purchase of Specimens.
THE WATER CABINET.
* Chapter I.—Construction of Cabinets................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................101
* Distinctions between the Cabinet and the Aquarium — Construction of a Cabinet — Glasses.
* Chapter II.—Collecting and Arranging Specimens................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................106
* Implements for Collecting — Nets, Jars, and Phials — Pond Fishing.
* Chapter III.—The Stock................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................110
* Chapter IV.—Larva................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................114
* The Dragon Fly— The Gnat— The Case Fly.
* PAGE
* Chapter V.—Coleoptera................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................130
* Dytiscus Marginalis—Hydrous Piceous—Colymbetes—Gyrinus Natator.
* Chapter VI.—Heteroptera................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................139
* Hydrometra—Notanecta, Nepa, &c.
* Chapter VII.—The Frog—Notes on Management................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................143
Advertisements
LIST OF ENGRAVINGS.
* Cabinet Aquarium................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................Frontispiece.
* Tank containing Vallisneria Spiralis, Anacharis, Gold Carp, Roach, and Minnow................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................Page 11
* Vase Aquarium................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................15
* Callitriche................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................22
* Stratoides Aloides................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................24
* Vallisneria Spiralis................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................25
* Myriophyllum Spicatum................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................27
* Potamogeton Densus................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................28
* Eanunculus Aquatalis................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................30
* Hydrocaris Morsus Ranæ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................31
* Tank containing Gudgeon, Prussian Carp, Loach, and Bream................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................33
* Tank containing Minnow, Tench, and Perch................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................41
* Tank containing Planorbis Corneus, Paludina Vivipara, Lymnea Stagnalis, Unio Pictorum, Tumidus, and Anodon Cygneus................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................45
* Cleansing Sponge................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................50
* Actinia Mesembryanthemum, Dictyota Dychotoma................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................64
* Porcellana Platycheles, and Cancer Pagurus................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................72
* Carcinas Mænas................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................73
* Actinia Anguicoma, Trochus Ziziphinus, Ulva Latissima, Bryopsis Plumosa, Acorn Barnacle................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................75
* Actinia Bellis and Gemmacea, Delesseria Alata, Polysiphonia Urceolata................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................76
* Actinia Dianthus, Delesseria Sanguinea, Callithamnium Roseum, Griffithsia Setacea................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................83
* Edwardsia Vestita, Æsop Prawn, Enteromorpha Compressa, Ulva Latissima................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................86
* Dipping Tube................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................96
* Syphon................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................99
* Hand Net................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................107
* Diving Spiders and Nests................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................112
* Transformation of the Dragon Fly................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................120
* Virgin and Green Dragon Flies................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................122
* Larva of the Gnat................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................124
* Larva of Stratiomys................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................125
* Larvae and Imago of Case Fly................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................128
* Grating of Case Worm, Magnified................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................129
* Dytiscus and Larva, Reduced................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................132
* Hydrous Piceus................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................134
* Colymbetes................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................135
* Gyrinus Natator................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................137
* Gyrinus, Magnified................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................138
* Water Scorpion................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................142
* Transformations of the Tadpole................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................144, 145
* Pocket Lens................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................147
PREFACE.
Every day adds to the popularity of the Aquarium, but every day does not add to the accuracy of the published descriptions of it, or the perspicuity of the directions everywhere given for its formation and maintenance. Lately the periodical press has teemed with essays on the subject; but it does not require a very close scrutiny for the practical man to discern that a majority of such papers express the enthusiasm rather than the knowledge of their authors—a few weeks’ management of a tank seeming to be considered a sufficient qualification for the expounding of its philosophy, though it demands an acquaintance with the minutest details of the most refined departments of botany and zoology to do anything like justice to it.
I have done my best to explain and illustrate the whole rationale of marine and fresh-water tanks in my lately published work. Rustic Adornments for Homes of Taste; but since that work, owing to the expense incurred in its ​production, is published at a price which every lover of the Aquarium cannot command, I have thought it no less a duty than a pleasure to treat the subject more briefly, but still practically, and I hope profitably, in a volume of less dimensions and less cost, written for another class of readers.
The object of this little work is to teach the beginner how to proceed safely and pleasurably in setting up aquaria, whether for mere ornament or for the study of the novel forms of animal and vegetable life which these collections enable us to observe closely, no less for the increase of our knowledge of the world, than for the exaltation of our sense of the omnipotence and benignity of Him who created it.
    The Nursery, Tottenham.
This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.
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