The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1860-05-30
From the New York Commercial Advertiser
The History OF the Aquarium.

We doubt not the following experience in the
perfecting OF a salt water aquarium will interest
a large class of our readers. We are fully justi-
fed in saying that it il strictly true, there being
no "poetry" in it, beyond that which is inhe.
rent in the subject Of the narrative:-
"The prevalent idea that an aquarium ID diff
cult to keep in order and preserve in beauty is
a mistaken one. To get one into high degree
of perfection requires only experience and the
patience which pleasant experience begets.
have had q salt water aquarium for several
months. At first fell into the common error OF
overcrowding it with animal life. But passing
over my comparative failures, let me show to
your readers, that there is no purer or more
instructive indoor pleasure than an aquarium.
EARLY in February last, deeming that bad suf-
fciently learned wisdom from experience. re-
plenished my tank with sea water, resolving that
this should be "permanent investment" In
the bottom of tho tank were few pebbles, ana
upvu Ihe.u pieces Ur rv.h So'si~d With the COM
mon sea lettuce, which can be obtained in abun-
dance between high and low water marks, wher-
ever the ocean laves the shore, and is the best
of all the alga for the purposes Of the aquarium,
its capacity OF evolving oxygen being very great.
La q couple of days, SO soon as the lettuce began
to send up its streams OF oxygen, like 20 many
strings OF delicate pearls, ] added three fine &C.
tinn, some hermit crabs, shrimps, snails, and
FIVE sticklebscks-three female and two male.
Since then, the water has not been changed or
renewed, and is now as transparent and spark
ling as water can possibly be.
"About a month ago, the male sticklebacks
began to assume very brilliant coors, q vermil-
lion red underneath, ands q deep sea green on the
back, and then to form nests in the sea lettuce,
and the females spawned. For day or two the
nests we're viglantly watched by the males, but
subsequently were abandoned. Suspecting that
the hermit crabs had been fllibustering upon
them, l removed those gentlemen from the tank,
with everything else likely to disturb the inter-
esting process l was anxious to observe, leaving
in it, in fact only the actina, and few shrmps
and sea-snails. then procured another pair Of
s,icklebacks from the Museum, the female being
near spawning. Within twenty -four hours the
male was busy in his pleasant work of nest ma
king. his little body glowing with vermilliou and
all the hues of the rainbow, and can describe
from personal observation facts in natural history
which but for the aquarium could never have
been known.
1.-The nest Is made Of fragments of sea weed,
and the whole duty devolves upon the male.
| The construction occupied him about two days.
! His activity was wonderful On the third day
| Judged BY the action Of both fishes that the nest
was complete and the moment Of spawning at
hand. The opening in the mes! was not quite
so large as three cent piece. Taking . last
survey Of the new donicile, the male then drove
the female into it, and she remained there about
20 seconds When she eutere ed the nest the ex-
citement Of the male was 20 intense, that bis
back changed from dark green to pure silver.
The moment che had passed through the nest
and came out denuded Of her spawn, his colors
resumed their full briIliancy, and he renewed his
activity in adding fibres Of sea-weed to the nest,
carving them in his mouth. adjusting them with
the utmost care, and keeping them in place by
the aid OF particles Of gravel diligently collected
from the bottom of the tank. In couple Of
DAYS removed bis companion and left him in
full possession of the tank, the actinia, &c, eI
cepted.
.sI should ike 10 picture before your read
ers nv aquarium As il now appears. The water
is as transparent as light. The brown rocks and
bright green sea lettuce finely contrast with each
other. The actinie, white, red and brown, are
in full bloom the delicate lace work Of their for
escence expanded. Shrimps, with their beauti
fully transparent forms, are ceaselessy travelling
across the area of the tank, and Mr.. Sucklebacl
! from rosy morn to dewy eve" il necessarily
dar,ing into the miniature caves, searching fo
anmalcule, or small crustacea, radient with yer
million, and blue, and emerald, his eyes glowing
Ike carbuncles, and ever and anon lowering owe
: his nest, a. humrning bird autters around {
flower, and woe 70 the shrimp that approache
tha. sacred and well guarded spot. In ffteei
DAYS eIpec; 10 see a shoal Of young sticke
backs in his company"
So says our correspondent. We shall be gat
if his description leads others to acquire thi
pure and instructive home pleasure.