Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-07-02
To be continued.
THE GOLDFISH.
Where 1t Comes From and How 1t Should
Be Cared For.

Be Cared For.
Authorities differ gre atty in regard to
the goldfish. There are those who main
tain that it can stand almost any change
of temperature, and instances have been
recorded ii which goldfish found frozen
in d solid piece of ice has 50 far re
covered on being gradually thawed DIS to
swim about pond again as though moth
ing had happened. But hardy as in its
natural state, one of these little creatures
may be, experience has proved that, once
traneplanted TO aquarium or globe, much
of this vigor is lost. 1t then becomes
sensitive to almost any change. Too much
sun or heat of any kind will kill it, and
during a thunder storm a globe must be
removed from the window and the water
changed almost Immediately. Not only
after a storm, but every day as well, the
water in the globe should be changed
While doing this the fish should be care
fully removed with the hand and placed
in basin of water, a net is apt to injure
the scales, and so destroy their brillancy
of color While in the basin-and the
fish should remain there for half an hour
in order that the globe may be thoroughly
cleansed-they may be fed with bread
crumbs or biscuit. In this way the danger
of having the water in the globe made i'm
pure by the bread becoming sour is avoid
ed 1t is altogether wong to suppose that
the water Of the globe supplies all the
nourishment necessary to goldfish. 1t
must have something to eat once every
| day. It is quite satisfied with bits OF
bread and biscuit, though it's wise oc-
casionaly to vary this with duck weed,
lemma. aquatic plants, and small fry. A
banch of box ought to be placed in every
globe, against which fish may RIB, and SO
rid itself o. the slime that collects and
clogs it gills. The globes should be large
enough to allow free movement to the
fish. In a globe of twelve inches in
diameter only two fish, each of four OF
FIVE inches in length can live comfortably.
For three fish of that size the globe should
! be at least sixteen inches in diameter. A
wide mouthed globe is by all means best,
and a quartar or oblong tank Is best of all.
Efforts should be made to introduce a
small jet Of water into the globe Or tank.
! thereby introducing a constant supply OF
| fresh air, without which no fish can keep
we'll; for water has the power to absorb &
given amount of atmospheric air, and a
current of fresh water is in reality then a
current of fresh air. Without this air no
fish can live. One that is healthy has
power in its giIls to extract this air
while under the surface Of the water. A
sure nd:cation of disease in fish is its con-
stantly rising to the surface to breathe
Another symptom of disease is the Ian
guild, undulating movement of the fish
the loss of briiliancy in color, and the
lying motiioniess at the bottom of the
globe Such fish should be Immediately
removed from their fellows and placed IL
basin OF fresh running water. Generally
a few days will affect cure. Keep the
globe not more than four-ffths filed with
water Let it stand in the cool part Of
the room, near an open window. Protect
it from the sun. Of all things have plenty
of pure water and room. N purchasing
fish the greatest care should be taken not
only in regard to their being absolutely
healthy, but also that no fish from differ.
ent localities should be compelled to live
together, for fish, like almost all animals
dislike outsiders. The oldest inhabitant
will always hunt stranger, sometimes
even to death, just as one that is strong
will destroy another that is sick. In 1851
the first goldfish from China arrived in
England. Now they are found every
where; even in Portugal they abound sc
largely that yearly importations take place
When we'll cared for, as at Hampton
court, thsy grow to an enormous size.