The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-05-30
THE CARE OF CAPTIVE FISHES.
Diuturbance or Them Always TO ne Avoided
Tho Practice Mt tho New Work Aquarium.

III bl bhI thihhp u.s.
avoided as far as possible; and especially the dis
turbancc of handling. After a fish has once been
placed in q tank IL Is kept there rs long as posi-
BILE. Many fishes nro very sensitive, and they
are liable to injury merely from tho shock or
moving them; and oven with the most expert
handling n fish may sustain some bodily injury
In removal from one tank to another. 1t
may split n fin in its struggles in the net,
or some OF the slime with which all
fishes arc covered may be rubbed off In handling
1t in the transfer. Upon the spots thus donudod
parasites are likely to settle. resulting perhaps
in fungus growths which may finally kill the
fish or nocessitatc careful treatment for its cure.
SO a fish is never taken out OF a tank unless
thcrc is important reason for it.
There are fishes in the New York Aquarium
which have now been in the same tanks with
out removal for thirteen months. with n likeli-
hood OF remaining in them very much longer.
Under such circumstances tho tank becomes the
fsh's home. Wounds received. perhaps when
the fish was taken, heal up here and the scars
disappear. The fish increases in size and weight;
1t gets tame enough very likely to take food
from the hand: and it settles down moro or less,
but 1t remains always sensitive. and though this
is its home, there is never n moment when 1t
would not escape IL II could.
1t is not unusual in an aquarium to see n fish
ANU o. III Nv NatSi VIII ITO ioec tlOso
to the glass in front. Apparently it is looking
out at the people; but moro probably it sees IN
the glass a reflection of itself, which it takes for
another fish, and a reflection which it takes
likewise for anothe: body of water. II visitors
were permitted to come close to the tanks, some
visitor, with no desire or thought of frightening
the fish. would be sure to place his finger on the
outside of the glass in front of the fish's nose,
with the result of frightening the fish away.
Sometimes visitors seeing a fish lying notion
less near the glass try TO start it up to have the
frightened. To avoid, as far as possible, dis
turbance of the fishes from the front, it is Gus
In large aquariums, TO set up a rail-
ing ut a distance of about four feet from the
tanks. At the rear of the tanks the fishes are
always treated with the greatest possible care.
While the fishes are never removed from O
tank when removal can be avoided, the tanks
are nevertheless constantly kept clean. There
is a great difference in the habits Of flshes-some
keep q tank much cleaner than others. Grabs,
including horseshoe crabs. are about as clean as
any marine animals; they cat pretty much any.
set refuse afloat in that way, perhaps. to flow
off through the overflow pipes. There are
most anything. dead food as well as live; and
sometimes small animals, such as shrimps.
which are scavcngers, are put into n tank to
There are fishes, however. which will eat only
ragged and Struggling and that don't suit their
fancy, which sOme dainty fishes arc very apt to
do. Or it may be that the fishes appetites are
not so good rs usual and they don't eat all that
is fed to them. Some of this may be eaten later,
but there are some fishes that will not pick up
stuff that, has once. fallen and been neglected.
There is likely TO DO in all the tanks more or less
refuse food. and this, with the sediment depos-
tied oven from filtered waters, the dust that set
ties in tho tanks. and whatever other refuse
there may be, must be removed: Some OF the
tanks in the aquarium are at least partially
cleaned daily; all are cleaned at least once a
week; oftener than that il 1t is necessary to pre-
serve a slightly appearance
tied. but run down, or lowered TO a level that
may depend upon how the fishes in the tank be-
ed by straincrs. There is an inlet, which is in
the end Of the tank and near the bottom,
through which comes a constant supply of new
water, keeping the water of the tank all the
time In circulation. the surplus flowing Off
steadily through the overflow pipe. which is
tank there is a discharge pipe, by which the
tank can be emptied; the strainer OF this pipe is
commonly visible. though soInctimco fishes or
other animals in a tank dig away the gravel, as
it may happen, over the bottom straincr, and 30
When n tank is to be cleaned the bottom pipe
Is opened. and the water is run down until it is
will permit it the water Is run down to about a
of its usual depth. II the fishes arc
the work is suspended for a time. it may be
in an hours time they will have become
Quoted, 50 that the work can be resumed or it
work deferred until the next day. Some OF the
fishes that have become more accustomed
the tank while work is going on at the other
and look on. and when cleaning operations are
to the otherthey move to the cleaned
end and look on from there.
The flow of waite: through the inlet, pipe is
maintained, and in cleaning, water is brought
being at such a height that the water has a con:
fall. With, this easily manipulated
thoroughly washed; the end of the hose may, OF
course. be placed below the surface Of the water
in the jet TO turn tho gravel over, ii that is de.
sired. With n long.handled brush and with the
aid sIdr Of the eva water c Jet the refuse use IN the tank is
with u square net that fits in Il corner, or it is
washed TO and through tho strainer Of the dis
Of the tank is cleaned on the inside mt this time.
When everything is thoroughly, clean the dis
and the fish are left once more In undisturbed
possession of a clean house,
of the Aquarium the water jet used is sometimes
critics: Salt water kills some Of ne parasites that
fishes are treated with salt water baths.
Sometimes the fish are taken out of a tank, he
is never done when it can be avoided, and it is
very rarely necessary. The weekly cleaning is
& ho sh9G o9 iEe & StHsn!inE; T wRich i"f IKE p %sny on on the the
wall tanks. are lined with porcelain tiles. are
without sand or gravel upon the bottom. From
commonly, 1t is siphoned Off, Work upon
ths,,do wall ~ =, T. tanks, being done from a
work upon the pools IS done before the
closed days. The siphon used is a piece OF rubber
hsps nifty, feet in length. The long, or lower, end
or The sSiphon Is attached to a drain pipe
Of the siphon in the pool is attached
to the end Of q light wooden rod OF about twenty
in length, by means Of which the end OF the
is placed upon the end of the siphon. this nozzle
being three or four inches wide and perhaps an
inch in diameter, and lying fiat when used.
Oftcncr the siphon hose Is used without a sue,
tiOn tip. Walking around OH tho broad stone
coping Of the pools. with the siphon rod in one
hand and the hose carried in the other, the tank
man guides the end of the siphon where ho will. |
The pools are cleaned daily IL need be; for n
thorough cleaning tho oval pools are lowered
about once in ten days. tho great central pool
about once in thirty days. Into the great CEN
trial pool gets a man in tall boots, descending by
ladder. This pool is swept with u broom. Tho
outlet in the bottom of the pool is large and tho
body OF water flowing through il makes current
swept toward Il; This pool Is circular, thirty.
eight feet In diameter, and about eight feot In
depth. The wafer in this pool is usually at a
depth OF six, feet. When the pool is nearly
empty IL looks much larnpr than H. 1nea whan