Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-04-15

Washington, d. c., April II. The
center of attraction in Philadelphia
pet store few days ago was an aquar-
ium filled with brilliantly colored little
fish, whose abnormally developed tails
and fins f1oated and wavered about
them like fairy draperies. So perfect
were they, and so purely decorative
their beauty, that they seemed less like
products Of nature than Of some fan
tastic imagination. 'e
Presently a man who was gazing at
them with rapt attention indicated
that he had chosen the one he wanted
to buy. 1t was carefully captured and
put in little tin bucket. The on
lockers then gasped with amazement
as they saw the purchaser count ont
one hundred and fifty dollars as the
price Of his two ounce fish.
AS matter Of fact the price was
nothing unusual The gold fish has re-
Gently been taken up by fanciers all
over the United States, and his popu-
larity and his value are growing rap
idly There are plenty of gold fish in
the country worth more than their
weight in gold, and some of the prize
winers in fish shows are valued at $500
each. The growth of the fad may be
gagged from the fact that the Amerl-
can Federation of Gold Fish Fanciers,
which was organized in 1918, now lit
orally covers the country with its
local organizations. This organization
distributes literature on the care or
gold fish, and otherwise does every
thing that it can for their improvement
and propagation.
The variations of form and color
that scientific breeding has produced
in the gold fish are startling and al
most incredible. No other animal mas
ever been so swiftly and completely
changed by mans, control of the prln-
ciples of selective reproduction. Gold
fish are really of very plebian origin
being near relations Of the carp. AT
first they were distinguished only by
their brilliant red color. Now their
tails and fins have been developed TO
extraordinary proportions. Lace tails,
fringe tails and ribbon tails are among
the varieties judged separately at the
shows. Their heads and bodies nave
been strangely distorted, the "tele-
scope" eye which projects sometimes
half an inch from the head being. the
most striking variety. r&- e-s~=rss-.
The Japanese deserve credit for
some of the most unusual effects IN
gold fish. They have produced one
variety whose immense tail and bril-
liant coloring gives him the appear
ance of sort of aquatic butterfly. To
the brilliant red from which the fish
derives it's name, the Japanese have
added blue, purple, yellow and notified
fish. The so-called calico fish Is just
now a fayorite with breeders, who are
constantly trying to produce new color
combinations "The Lion head Celes-
tial" is another creature recently add
ed to creation 1t has fringe about
it's neck which gives it fancied re-
semblance to lion.
The increasing popularity OF FISH
shows, where the pets are judged by
fixed standards, like dogs and cats, and
medals, ribbons and cash prizes award
ed, has brought into being a class OF
champion fishes with considerable rep
utations. Thus the gold fish Prince
Kusa is known to every fancier in the
country. He is Japanese broadtail,
and his mother who had been mated
with famous fish, brought a record
breaking price. Prince Kusa and his
brothers and sisters are remarkable
family. They have brought their own
err several hundred dollars in cash
prizes and number of ribbons and
medals.
The form and color of gold fish
NAV be changed with an ease that sug-
gests magic. and likewise, if neglected.
he will revert quickly to his primitive
type. though perhaps retaining here
and there freak characteristic. This
was illustrated by the collection of
retired Chinese merchant in New York
who built home on Long Island, with
a splendid ishspond in the yard.
Breeding gold fish was his hobby and
he spent his declining years producing