The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1919-10-09

essary information, and Mt the same
time may make this business one Of
the most fascinating of hobbies.
There are a few aquaria left in the
home, and a mosquito plant with a
capacity of many hundreds of millions
of mosquitoes is still working, but Mr..
Pullen has decided to dispose of the
aquaria and give up the study TO
| which he has devoted more than 30
years.
And he has come TO know water life.
Interested in his hobby, he ventures
even to interpret the language of the
fishes and recently, explaining the pc
culiarities of the life that has so long
been under his sympathetic observa-
ton, he illustrated many of his. points
by hypothetical fish dialogues.
Bubble Nest of the Hellerie.
He told of the bubble nest building
of the little hellerie-a species of fish
that brings its young into the world
alive-and told of Mr.. Hellerie's fussi-
ness about this business. Pa Hellerie
blows bubbles for the nest, he said,
without taking ma into his confidence,
and when he does invite her to see
the work his surprise goes for naught
Ma Hellerie turns to and bursts his
work all to bits. This always, accord
ing to Mr.. Pullen. annoys Pa Hellerie
81 that he forgets himself and chases
ma in and out among the seaweeds I'M
til one or the other breaks down. lie
is then brought to reason and docilely
follows his wife's advice as to the
proper site and architecture of the
nest-when he begins his work anew.
Mr.. Pullen showed an aquarium
with many hundreds of those little
fish. He said that the water in this
aquarium was % years old and, for
the purposes of growing healthy and
vigorous fish, was invaluable. 1t was
planted thick with seaweed, and it
showed through the glass the same
thick green that water scooped from
a natural pond would show. 1t was evil
IDENTIFY the same sort of water that ma
ture uses for the growing of fish, and
not the crystal clear water of the con
ventional aquarium.
Most fish in captivity are starved"
to death by their unnatural surround
ings, Mr.. Pullen says. The economy
of nature is ignored and the result is
that fish in captivity die after short
keeping and are always sickly. The
glary white sand, the crystal water
and a limp conventional weed or two
spell a prolonged death for the regu-
lation aquarium denizens.
Rules for Aquarium Keeping.
These rules are given by Mr.. Pull
len for the success Of the home aqua
rum: In the first place, never change
the water of the aquarium. Be sure
that the circulation of oxygen through
the water is sufficient and thorough
by planting seaweed and grass reach
ing from the sand in the globe above
the surface of the water. Allow life
''rneding decay to accumulate in the
F'ter-cut UP, ROW and then, lettuce
leaves and let these oxidate 10 form
a base for microscopic food for the
fish. If a fish falls sick take him out
of the tank and wash him with salt
water. This, Mr.. Pullen explained
somewhat after the theory of a delous-
ing process. And do not feed the fish
too often or too much. One should
feed goldfish, the fancier said, twice
a week, and not oftener.
Mr.. Pullen has installed aquaria for
people in all parts of the world. There
are, however, probably few collections
of fish in captivity as well cared for
as his own. Few who keep an aqua
rum take the trouble of growing fresh
meat for their pets in the shape of
mosquitoes and other insects. Mr.. Pull
len grows not only fresh meats, he pro-
duces fresh eggs" for his fish. He
breeds a small insect, which he puts
into the aquaria by the hundreds of
thousands. The females of these in
sects, while swimming in the water,
lay microscopic eggs, one by one, in
their wake, and the little fish follow
these insects and eat the eggs as fast
as they are laid. These, together with
mosquito larvae or cut worms, are
their bacon and eggs for breakfast.
SULTAN'S NIECE GOES TO