The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-30
SAVING A FINE SALMON.
n Treatment That Gave vitality and New
strength to Q Feeble Fish.


The liveliest OF the three fine Atlantic
salmon now at the Aquarium, the property
Of the New England Forest, Fish and Game
Association. was. when it came in, the
weakest and the one most likely to succumb.
IL had been lately stripped Of its eggs. at the
United States fish hatchery at Craig Brook,
Me-, and then it had made a journey OF some
hundreds OF miles out OF Its native element,
over the land. in the necessarily cramped
quarters Of a transportation can In a rail-
road car.
When placed in a tank here it a 30
weak n exhausted that it was unable to
keep itself righted up, but it lay down on
it's side on the bottom Of the tank, a posi-
ton likely soon to prove fatal TO a fish In
It's condition, owing to the obstruction OF
The fish's gilIs are practically its lungs,
through which it absorbs from the water
the air needed for its life. By opening and
closing it's gill covers the fish permits and
controls the passage over Its gills OF con-
tracts the air; and IL a fish in the condition
Of this salmon were deprived of half Of it's
respiratory power and benefits, as IL would
be by lying on its side and so closing me gill
cover, 1t could not long survive. SO they
set about treating this salmon as often they
ALLN ~ AgoOSt OtAAtA AAEAACo ~ N O1oos
They righted the fish up into its natural
position, resting on its under body on the
bottom OF the tank, and propped It up and
held it in that position between two dip nets,
one on either side, with the netting OF each
thrown over in front OF its ring, to make
something In the way Of a cushion. With
h fish thus propped up both Of its gill
covers could have full play and its gills on
either side get a full supply Of water and
thus OF air.
Then they lowered the water in the tank,
30 that the water remaining around be-
ocme more highly charged with air from the
water flowing in, and then besides water
from the n X regular intake they in
troduced water from a hose which could
be delivered at any point in the tank. All
living water contains more or less air, and
this hose was put down not far from the
salmon s nose, as it lay there propped up
on the bottom, where the fish could derive
the greatest benefits OF the flow from II,
before it was mingled genera lily with the
whole body OF the water in the tank.
And Under this treatment the salmon
revived sufficiently after a time to make
il want to move around a little, and then il
slid out from between the supporting nets
INC started to look out for itself.
But it's ambition was greater than its
strength, and soon il was down again, once
more lying on it's side. Then they picked
il up and propped it up again. This went
on for a day, the salmon every now and
then getting to feel pretty perky. and
sliding out to go it alone, but only to fall
down.
1t did this a dozen times or more in the
course Of the day, to be brought pack again
and as many times propped up. But still
il was gaining all the time and on about the
fifteenth effort in this way II proved really
able to take care OF itself, and IL has been
gaining strength ever since; and now the
salmon that was the weakest is the strongest
one of the lot.