The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-04-16
BUSH TAIL GOLD FISH.
Very Rare and Are Only Bred In
Jauan


'Apropos of the $1,000 bushtail gold
fish" said the keeper of the aquarium,
that is all brought about by the most
clever method of grating. We really
know very little about the breeding
and raising of goldfish in this country
progressive as we think ourselves
compared with the Japanese.
"A wonderful little sap who was over
here during the worlds fair used to
drop in frequently, and told me many
interesting things connected with their
production in Japan-the real center of
the goldfish trade
The first step in the process is to
place glass globe holding perhaps not
more than quart of water in a tank
containing some two or three gallons.
The two fish are put into the smaller
globe. in which the water is not changed
during breeding, and in the center of
which plant-usually the umbrella
plants placed. Here the eggs are
laid to the number of fifteen hundred or
more, and are tWined in and out around
the fronds of the plant like a string of
beads. Nearly all the fifteen hundred
eggs hatch out, but they are by no
means all of equal value. Some come
under the head of 'freaks'-that is,
have two, three or more divisions to
usually brilliant colors, while the great
majority are of the everyday sort.
When they are few days old, hun
dreds of these tiny things slip over the
globe into the larger tank, and then,
while they are still little wigglers, you
may see skillful old Japs. wearing
spectacles-the magni-
Tying lenses of which are an inch or
more apart-and carrying long glass
Gr1 crnc Il =,
PlacinS finger over one end of the
tube, they thrust the other into the
tank, and, of course, it speedily fills
with water, carrying any amount of
1ninitesimal life. These old experts
then bring their powerful lenses to bear
upon the little fishlings, and proceed
to classify the whole lot, grouping into
separate globes those of differing val
ues. The freaks are carefully kept
by themselves and receive special care
and treatment. After this follows the
operation of grating. 1t seems that
When goldfish are very, very young
their flesh is entirely transparent, so
that no Roentgen ray is necessary in
order to see every bone of the spinal
column-that is to say, if one has
pair of good magnifying glasses. 1t is
during the time that the flesh is thus
transparent that the grating must be
one, and must, of course, be done under
water, and with nicely adjusted instru-
ments. The tail is cut off, and two.
three or four more are grated on in
its place. Many die during the opera
ton, but sufficient proportion live to
make the business a paying one. A fish
with four or five tails is worth several
hundred dollars, as there are likely to
be many rare specimens among it's Off
spring. Generations of this kind of
culture in Japan has made its goldfish
superior to those of any other country.
The climate also favors their
growth, as abundant air and sunshine
are OF the utmost Importance to their
health and coloring. All along the
banks of some of the streams in japan
may be seen little shed-like places
merely light roofs supported by bam-
boo poles-where the business of rear
ing goldfish is carried on. They are
fed principally upon a preparation of
rice. The cereal is boiled and boiled
until it forms thick paste This is
rolled out into sheets and dried. when
it is ready to be crumbled into the
tanks for the little inhabitants"
DELLA Z. DAVIS.