Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1893-02-03
SOME STRANGE FISHES.
The Paradise Fish lts, Growth and
Habits-CRnpiLalistio Tendencies Of
tho Mother Fisl,-lIow 1t Should
Do Cared For,

Recently some very curious nest
building fishes. have been imported to
this country from Japan, where they
have been domesticated for many CEN
turies. The people of the milsado's en-
to keep ng tinny creatures as pets, says
an exchange; They may be said to
have created the goldfish and the silver
fish by propagating carefully selected
freaks from common carp In this way
not only did they originally produce
the btilliant hues which now adorn
these fishes, but by breeding for such
points they have obtained the varieties
with triple tails, exaggerated fins and
other pcculiaritics of high value in the
market, Left to themselves the gold
fish and the silvertish revert within
few generations to their pristine dull
ness Of tint and commonplace form,
and because they haye been cared for
so long they are no more able to look
out for themselves when liberated than
canary birds are,
Unlike goldfish, says the Chicago
News, the newly imported paradise
fish" breeds in confinement, to which it
secms to be much better adapted, being
very tams, surprisingly Intelligent and
recurring no change of water in the
globe OF aquarium, save q sufficient al
lowance to make up for evaporation.
However, It is chiefly remarkable for
its nest-building habit At the time OF
mating, the male, which is ordinarily
Of a dull-silver hue, exhibits brilliant
'tripes Of red, blue and green, its ven
tral fins showing streaks of bright
est orange. When the female is about
lay her eggs, he makes a. nest at the
bottom of the water, composed entirely
of air bubbles: For this purpose he
SWALLOWS air and elects it in the shape
of bubbles, which are held and made
permanent by glutinous capsules from
IL secretion in the mouth of the fish.
Thus mass of them is got together.
When the female lays her eggs she
would devour them Immediately, but
the male will not permit her to do so.
lie takes them in his mouth, and, going
beneath the nest, elects them, when
they rise and find resting place among
the bubbles. Or, sometimes, he will
conduct his mate under the nest, so that
the eggs as she lays them will ascend
| and lodge in the nest. The laying be.
ing concluded and all the eggs disposed
Of in this manner he keeps gpard at the
nest, not allowing the female to ap
proach It and even attacking her fierce
| ly if she attempts to do 30. At the same
time he occupies himself continually in
making fresl, bubbles to take the place
of those which burst, and at intervals hi
spouts streams of air around the nest
apparently for the purpose Of keeping
itrthoroughly aeratcd.
After about Eve days, during which
this performance is kept up, tho young
are hatched out. They cannot swim
but cling like little tadpoles to tho
bubbles. If one falls TO the bottom, a:
happens every now and then. the papa
fish darts after it, takes it in his moutl
and conveys it beneath tho nest, ant
then disgorgcs it among the bubbles
again, Thus he continues to take care
of his offspring for several weeks, unit
they are able to look out for themselves
They grow fast in globe and attain 4
length of about three or four inches Care
must be taken that the paradise fish be
not exposed to cold, which readily kill.
hem, whereas the goldfish is said to b<
30 hardy in this respect that it will re
over health and animation after hav
'g been frozen in ice. These finny
:cst=builders seem to be exclusively
arnivorous, chopped angleworms being
ohe most suitable diet for them, or, i
hey are not obtainable, raw beef Gu
inc Any fapcicr can procure q pair tx
'rdcr, IT he has them not to stocfe. ant
1hcy will breed rapidly, producing hal:
| dozen brOOds a wear