Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-06-13
How to Make a Fresh Water Aqua
rium.

| The fresh water aquarium or drawing
room fish pond is pleasing and inter-
esting ornament for city or suburban
town. 1t is chesply and easily made,
and requires but little care. Compar-
atively few persons can adorn their
homes with costly pictures and statues,
but almost any one with love Of ma.
ture and art can have an aquarium, full
filling in miniature realities the glow
ing and poetic water legends of North
ern and Oriental climes. It is the
expression of the cultured taste, more
than the establishment of wealth, that
makes charming home.
A tank for saltwater aquarium
may be constructed of four plates of
glass, with large piece of slate, mar
ble or metal for the bottom or the tank
may be made wholly of metal and set
like large sink in bay or oriel win
dow. We have seen an aquarium Of
this kind surrounded with growing
plants, in the midst of which is min
iature cottage covered with MOSES, a
perfect living picture, as it were, of the
charms Of rural life. The successful
fresh water aquarium is thing of re-
cent date, and we cannot better give a
view of its requisites than by showing
how it was perfected by the English
naturalist, Mr.. Warrington. 1t used to
be found difficult thing to keep even
gold and silver fish alive for any con.
siderable length of time in the common
glass globes. Fish emit carbonic acid
gas, which soon poisons confined body
of water, destroying animal life. 1t
was, however, at last discovered that
plants consume this gas, using as food
the noxious vapors emitted by animals.
Starting with this principle, Mr.. War
rington set about breeding fish in tanks
with the aid of marine plants. He sue
ceeded admirably at first, but, after a
time, O change came over his little
world. The water became impure and
the fish persisted. BY the aid of the
microscope he discovered vegetable
poison arising from the decaying
plants. But in rivers and ponds plants
decay without destroying animal life.
What was the reason? The expert
mentalist went to pond in the vicinity
and explored the bottom with care.
He found decaying vegetable matter,
but, likewise, water snails doing duty
as scavengers. In constructing your
aquarium you will, therefore, supply
the water with growing plants, such as
delicate grasses, MOSES, ferns, and
with snails and mussels to consume de-
caying vegetation. If the windows sink
is used for the aquarium, it is we'll to
surround it with growing plants like
Gala lily, and to cover the bottom
with clusters OF pebbles and marine
shells.
In selecting fishes for the aquarium,
gold and silver fish will OF course have
nows. The beauty of these fish, their
habits and the management they require
! aretoo we'll known for an extended no.
| tice in u necessarily brief article. The
perch is suitable fish for fresh water
aquarium, for reason that may not be
we'll known. 1t is one of the few fishes
that may be trained, and made to show
its docility by taking food from the
fingers. The pike, which is the shark
OF fresh water, may be put into an
aquarium with gold fish and perch, but
not with other fishes. Even with the
gold fish it is not to be fully trusted, as
when hungry it has been known to eat
its own species.
The trout is handsome fish, with its
crimson, spotted sides, but like the
pike it must be we'll fed and kept away
from smaller fishes. The eel may be
used with safety--a small one, and frogs
may be kept with larger fish.
The merot may also be added to
the happy family, notwithstanding
the antipathy against it on account Of
its resemblance to the lizard it is per-
fectly harmless. During the breeding
season it exhibits variety of shining
colors -orange, olive, green, with u
nothing of brown and scarlet. The
water spider is curious insect, and, if
possible, should be secured for the
aquarium. 1t spends the greater part
of its time beneath the water, coming
to the surface to seize its prey and to
obtain fresh supply of air for its sub
aquatic home. Reclining figures of
plaster may be added, and if the tank
be large one, an artificial island of
stones, MOSES and ferns, with siphon
fountain, may be made in the middle.