Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-01-22
Gold Fish.

WVIu rIbHs
Some time during the seventeenth
century, about two hundred years ago,
portuguese sailors saw swimming in
| the lakes and rivers of China and
Japan very beautiful variety of fish.
which glistened like gold. They can,
tured some specimens and brought them
to. Portugal. The little fish found the
lakes OF Europe as pleasant to live in as
the lakes of China. and they Mt once
domesticated themselves, and raised
their little families, until the European
streams became well stocked with these
beautiful creatures. They are also
found in many brooks and streams in
the United States.
The glistening gold-color of these
hshes made them much sought for ms
household ornaments, and the demand
for them became so general that estab-
ishments were opened tor raising them
for the market. One of the largest and
most celebrated OF these places for gold
fish breeding is in Oldenburg, Germany.
where more than hundred small
ponds contain the fish in all the stages
of growth, from the tiniest baby to the
big stout fellow eight and even ten
INCHES long. The little ones are care.
fully kept apart from larger ones, for
the goldfish is n wicked cannibal. and
aevours its little brothers and sisters.
and even its own children, whenever it
has an opportunity. At the same time
it is great coward, and will hide away
from fish much smaller than itself that
have the spirit to attack it. A gentle.
man who possessed an aquarium in
which were several large gold fish, once
placed. tiny "pumpkin-seed," or sun
fish, about the size of IA silver half-dol-
lu.. tt.t Ia
to see that the goldfish did not iniure
it, what was his astonishment to see
the "pumpkin-seedn dart furiously at
the larger fish, which huddled them
selves in a corner. or scurried hastily
through the water to hide among the
stones and mimic grottoes of the
aquariumi From that moment the
pumpkin-seedn remained lord of the
field, scarcely allowing his companions
to come TO the surface, as they are fond
of doing or to take mouthful of food
until he had satisfied his own hunger.
Finally he had to be removed from the
aquarium to save the goldfish from
dying of fright.
The enormous demand for goldfish is
shown by the fact that from the estab-
lishment Mt Oldenburg alone over three
hundred thousani fish are sent TO mar
htt tNtlJ ythi. lutll pIiCt varies aC-
cording to their size and beauty, for
there are grades of beauty in goldfish
as well as in all other things. They are
very pretty household ornaments, and
by caring for them and carefully watch
ing their habits, boys and girls may
learn their first lesson in natural his
tory. IL kept in n glass globe, nothing
can be more interesting than to watch
them, for, as Mr.. White saws, in Sci
borne, THE double refraction of the
glass and water represents them, when
moving. in a shifting and changeable
variety of dimensions. shades and col
ors, while the two mediums. assisted by
the concavo-conveX of the shape of the
vessel, magnify and distort them vastly
Still, the fish may be healthier If kept
in an aquarium, as it allows more sur
face to the water, and consequently
more air and ventilation. In any caset
fresh water should be given the fish ae
least every other day. and if tho globe
or aquarium be ornamented with rocks
and water grasses, the fish should be
carefully dipped out once week, and
the rocks thoroughly cleansed from all
impurities.
Although the fish draw nourishment
from animalcules supplied by water, and
will live long time without other food,
it is advisable to feed them by throwing
bread crumbs, or flies and other small
insects, on the surface of the water.
The eagerness with which they dart for
them proves them to be welcome. Care
should be taken not TO scatter more
bread crumbs than will be Immediately
eaten. for bread sours very quickly, and
renders the water impure. In changing
the water the fish should never be sub
jected to any sudden variation of tenn
perature, as the shock produced by
violent change from water of medium
temperature, which Is always best, to
ice-cold might ruin the whole stock of
an aquarium in an instant.
The ingenious Chinese make great
pets of their goldfish. and with patience
teach them many tricks, such as eating
from their hands, or rushing to be fed
at the tinkle of bell.
The goldfish belongs to the genius
Cyprinus, or the great carp family, and
is sometimes called the golden carp
Harper's Young People.