The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1874-08-13
Tho Aauarium.


ONE of the first principles in construct |
ing tank for an aquarium is to give the
water the greatest possible exposure to
the air. The simple rectangular form is
the best. This is generally constructed
of iron and glass; the iron should be ia
PANIED and the glass French plate to In
sure brilliancy and strength. The
breadth and height Of the tank should DC
about one-half Of the length. Cheap
tanks can be made Of wood and glass,
the frame and bottom being OF wood ana
the sides of glass. In order to make the
joints water-tight care must be taken to
get proper aquarium putty or cement.
The following is good recipe: Put an
eggcupful Of oil and four ounces tar to
one pound resin; melt over gentle lire.
Test it to see if it has the proper consist
ency when cooled; if it has not heat
longer or add more resin and tar. Pour
the cement into the angles in heated
state, but not boiling hot, as it would
crack the glass. The cement will be firm
in few minutes. Then tip the aqua
rum in a different position and treat
second angle likewise, and SO on. The
cement does not poison the water. 1t
is not advisable to make the aquarium
Of great depth; about eight inches Of
water is sufficient. In regard to the
light great care must be taken. Too
much often causes blindness, and is COM
mon source of disease. The light fish re-
ceive in rivers comes from above; and
an aquarium should be constructed SO as
to form no exception to this rule. All
cross lights should be carefully avoided,
at least if the light is very strong Never
place the aquarium in front of window
SO that the light passes through it; for,
when viewing an aquarium, the source
Of light should come from behind us
Not enough light is as injurious as too
much, and causes decay of the vegeta
ton. Having constructed a watertight
aquarium, the bottom is strewn over
with clean sand to the depth of one to
three inches; on this little gravel is
spread; then a few stones or rock work.
Heavy, large rocks should be avoided;
they displace large amount of water
and increase the danger of breaking the
glass sides. Pumicestone, well washed,
is the best kind, being light and with a
rough surface suitable for the roofing of
plants, etc; and if fancy forms are de-
sired bridge work, etc., the pumicestone
can be cut quite easily 90 the desired
shapes. The plants are rooted in the
sand and the vessel left at rest for a
week for the plants to vegetate. The
following plants will be found useful:
Urieularia infato, Mrteularia culaaris,
| myaiophytlum spicatun, daurchoris Can-
ddeasis and hottonia tntatu.
In obtaining plants procure all the
roots and see that they are well rooted.
If fungus should form add snails
| (plano,bis riyolris); they will completely
| destroy it, After the plants are well
started add the shells and amphibious
animals The following shells will be
found desirable: Planorbis t,ieolrts, physa
heterostrupho, mic complonatus. Many
shells are not needed. Snails act the
part Of scavengers; and where the
different elements of an aquarium are
rightly balanced two or more snails will
be found sufficient.
| If amphibious animals are introduced,
the rock work must extend above the
surface Of the water, or float OF some
kind must be substituted. It's impossi-
BILE for them to live under water all the
time, and they would die without some
such arrangement.
The turtles claim first rank The enys
punctata, or spotted water turtle, and the
chrysemys picta, or painted water turtle,
will be found to be the best for the
aquarium, and should be procured when
very young, as they are very destructive
when old The tritons (triton tigr1nus,
triton nigey), the red salamander, the
cray fish (astacus Bartoai), are all suita-
BILE, and present very odd and yet a
very natural look to the aquarium.
In selecting the fishes there is no
boundary to the number to be obtained,
but experience has proved that compar-
atively a few only thrive in confinement.
Among these, and the first, is the gold
fish. He can live for months without
introduced food and is, without compar-
ison, the most hardy, standing remark
able changes in the temperature; and he
is the most gaudy and attractive. A
large number Of the fishes prey upon
each other and will only do for the
aquarium when in the young state
Among these may be mentioned pontotis
cugaris, or sun fish, esor reticuldtus, or
common pickerel, and peru .tioresceas, or
yellow perch. The 9ucts chs pygnnus,
or rock fish, is a great addition and is
found very plentifully in our streams
The pihaelodus atrdrius or common black
catfish, is another worthy of a place. SO
also is the hydrargia didphdHo, or
transparent minnow. But few fish
can live in an aquarium; and the needless
crowding together so often seen, is very
hurtful to health, and causes sound,
strong fish in short time to become
weak and poor. The great difficulty in
keeping an aquarium is to secure enough
oxygen for the fish To Slight degree
it is the duty Of the plants to supply this;
but if too much vegetation be present
decomposition takes place and ruin fol-
lows 1t has been demonstrated that
only small amount is necessary to
absorb the carbonic acid given off by the
fish and and amphibians; consequently,
if the water be daily aerated with
syringe, it will absorb an abundant supply
of oxygen for the animal life, and the
trouble arising from the decay of much
vegetable matter will be lcssened or
altogether avoidcd.-Scientifc American.