New-York tribune., 1896-12-06
REARING GOLDFISH.
THE LARGEST NURSERY IN THE WORLD

and one least known about By the average reader
fish Goldfish arc natural products and nave been
Known Tor many centuries. but the production of
oddities and freaks to attract and anluse is the
,rhc largest farm for the breeding and growing
OF goldfish in the world is the Sprirg Lake Fish
cry. whi is located In an out-of-tht way pert OF
Ilhery Township, Shelby County. Indiana near
try IS tais farm situated that persons who have
ir'd within four miles for years know nothing Of
reality two farms under the same mana cement de-
vUIod ,h to goldfish culture The upper farm IS under
mhtor OF the enterprise and the senior member OF
Twelve years ago Mr.. Shour imported directly
from The Royal Aquarums Of japan dozen small
goldfish. and from that small start. together with
he has accumulated thousands Of dollars and built
up a business which reaches out into every State
and Territory in this country. and some OF tn"
choicest specimens found in the government aqur-
RUINS of the old World came from this farm. The
ing and rearing fish Those fish are not always
golden. There are five large breeding ponds in the
upper part or the guch. protected from the winds
by high walls or entertainments Of earth. Below
these and connected with them are large numbcr
Of sm9lor ponds TO-. sorting and some still smaller
for feeding and coloring These latter not
larger tnan a small living room Twice every year
cleaned ard TIE bottoms allowed become per-
isctly dry. The fish are sorted at regular seasons.
the larger and more perfect being saved for broel-
ing; the Others divided into classes those ready
tho color to be sllable The reader must under
stand that the goldfish WA not always the color
he il when seen in AN aquarium. ;Or V ~ ~ nrst
Matched he Is silver color. ana u causht III a
stream would be easily mistaken for common
sinner sinner or bass mlnnow lndced some OF 'ne god
fish. for some unknown reason never reach any
other color. The write" was shown one pond In
which were severa! hundred hsh more man iour
years OLD. and thoy were still tn" colo' tlcy w'fr
hatcrcd. For these FISH there is OF cours' no mar,
kct. unless they arr desired to show variety OF
coors. sualIy. however. the fish are ready for
market the next SPRING after Matching. being hrst
Sometime entirely black aftcrward assuming the
golden or red color and the odd varieties of gold
ing of color Some OF the prctticst of fish are OF
moe than one color When perfectly waite they
se cash ps n n & S wa,n wr" SyhGa rcen at wn ali h the
colors Of the most beautiful moihcr,of-pcarl Thee
and consequently valuable Some are "A
clear red. others spotted, white and red or black
and red
clear body the entire skeleton and observe the
working Of the brain and III" blood vessels one
stripe running down its back and belly whie
the head is deep blood red; the body is a rich
body. Just back OF III" Kills are Two round red
spots which look l!ke extra eyes. The ar" aorne-
been raised which were purple. There l., popn-
lar Idea that the difference IA coloring l., dn. 10
IS mistake. for they al receive n" same food
exactly and yet there H. a vast difference In color
or shade between two FISH treated exactly alike.
The different colors are said to io due the action
OF the sun. In winter AN lhe fish In ponds bccome
much darker I'm shade while III summer they be-
come brighter and change color rapidly.
ENEMIES or THE FISH
1t looks easy matter to plant few goldfish
IN a pond Of water aud sit down 80 watch thcm
krowl"df" % ih"ir habits /" brt'd AN" 'i'ns "n'
into marketable shape. ~ this upper farm Mr
aboni 500, rcadg Tor th" holiday iraGc. II has
taken fou. years to proiuo" what is here. ana no
work h. has spent In eecuring and guarding his
treasures Enemies innumcrab" have 10 uc guarded
stand great exposure they are one OF the easiest
prey TO wild and q, m.atic animals OF any hsh
and kept clean q all --sh wherein other ISL could
hide when pursued. ~ la th'sc "n"'ni"s "hi'h pic-
dcntly rich in a fcw wears Snakes destroy q large
number each year. while cats. coons and an NON
bers Of the feline nib" are ray"nousy ionG ~ gold
fross sometime g,t into he ponds and eat up
emor,nou" numbers before di-covery Tho crawnsh
,.,rk ana - small fr"g win d.vonr fsh three
tnche,s i"nr a. certain seasons OF the year # Is
necessary 10 keep man and boy constantly cm-
ployed hunting and destroying th"s" maraudcrs IN
the various ponds one strange feature IN conn"c.
ton with this farm Is that. In smaller pond
near tho breeding ponds. Mr.. shoup raises tad
poles and on q small po, OF ground h. raises an
immense number of snails. The tadpoles and
snas the best-known scavengers for aquarums
that have been found, and they are raised 10 h'
sold with the hsh of course. 1t is risky busines,s
raising "tdds' 50 close 10 the goldfish. but II Is
one OF the necessary risks OF the trade
Goldfish are like all other animals. subject TO
diseases. and these attack them alike in IN" ponds
and In aquariums. The most common disease Is a
sort Of dropsy. which Is always fatal. and may de-
OF the belly will be- noticed small pun
or swelling OF n different shade from the surround
Ing skin. The fish which develops that pun Is
doomed. and the sooner it Is taken from the aqua
rum the better for the remainder. There IS par
asitic fungus. phcgm. due to the deposit OF Il
micro-organism. which attacks the fms and sls of
the gold FISH This phegm soon spreads over the
head and body. and Kills the fish Where the dis-
case comes from to what 1T is due no one seems
to know but the general belief is that 1t Is cause
by impure water In small aguarillms where me
FISH are crowded or large. the water should he
changed every day. but with "A large bulk OF water
and In a well-ventiatcd room that is not necessary
VERY SIMPLE FOOD.
Goldfish are queer animals. 1t is generally be-
matter OF fact they will stand more rough usage
responsible for the short life many OF Them I'VE
sr nSy are the sh Of %oy
irto new quarters is likely to do them harm. and
th"v do better II allowed 10 rest In a quiet part OF
,be room o9 At night it is better to cover the aqua
rum with cloth TO keep out the artificial hght
from gas or electicy TOR thry must maVG
iIlated for pure air is essential Always change
bles collect around the globe is sign FOR changing
The water Occasionally saltwater bath will be
beneficial. but it must be very dilute. In every
n while to swceten and clarity the water. lady
friend of the writer heard iha, sait.Wa BAN
tIon The consequence was she picked her hsh
and they died. When the hsh havn been NEGLECTED @
effects The water may be changed ana they seem
ali right but in a short time they droop and die.
the nonds or in the aquarium. Mr. Shoup feeds
only toasted bakers bread twice week, The
bread IL kept long while. and Is perfectly dry
when fed This together with small quantity OF
n oss is all they receive In the shape OF food
,rbis moss is the cabomba. small aquatic plant OF
Ne vater IIv family which has finely dsscccd
submcrgcd leaves and long pctate floating ones.
md small thrccpar yellow flowers: Mr.. Shoup
cvas to this moss great credit for his success in
raising fish The leaves grow long. thick. soft
stem sometimes FIVE or six yards in length Be
ui1ea serving az food aquaruns which use II re-
1ulre much less attention. because II oxysenizes
,be wafer and less air Is needed. In hitting and
,nrinr for an aquarium OF goldfish different varie
les Of FISH should he placed together. for the
norc neaccful Never leave food In the water until
L sours. ,,
The goldfish l. not so tender an animal as Is
r,gin,d for in handling and moving them from one
,nnd to another they dipped In and carried
bout in ia skets much like corn or potatoes Some