Evening star., 1932-11-19

/ One of the queer Birds for tae home
aquarium is the weather fish.
This small, eellike creature is guar
anteed to give lady spectators the
, creeps," as 1t writhes its way through
! the water.
At the same time, however, it re-
mains of the greatest interest. owing
/ 10 It's odd appearance and unusual
habits. ~
It has tail and fins resembling
those of a genuine fish, at least what
NOS persons like to think of as fish;
but there the resemblance ends.
1t has small vhiskers, something like
those of a catfish. very small. round,
black eyes. and 1.-THE body of extreme
f1exibility.
When it wants to it can tie itself
into a knot, almost, being able to
slther it's way through the water at a
speed almost beyond detection by the
human eye.
Whether it conports itself quickly or
slowly. however, seems to depend upon
its mood
Ard its mood. like its habits. are un-
usual. Where it gets its name we have
no idea and none Of the works Ve
have consulted seems to have any
idea. either. but there Is one thing to
be said for this fish-it is not like other
fishes.
Now. this is well. for the miniature
world of the aquarium responds to the
touch of the unusual, just as the great
er world of human beings SO responds.
If anything. however, the 'finny in
habitantS accept the unusual. both in
creatures and conditions. with bit
more practical philosophy. .
Whatever is, is right. with them J:
they do not resent the different. as SO
many human creatures 90.
Fish do not sneer. or mock, or de-
ride. or do any OF the other despieabie
and entirely senseless things which SO
commonly mar human conduct.
:; 4 = =
Hence a weather fish some inches
long finds itself righttully at home In
the siX-gallo1 world with the angel
fish, the red moons. the pearl danlo5
and the other tropicals one finds In the
well equipped aquarium.
It makes no apologies to any other
fish. bit keeps on its own way. ITS
curious, snake-like way, sometimes It's
frantic. lashing way.
One of the so-called scavengers. use
full for cleaning up the bottom. 1t taxes
sand into its mouth. busily separating
the edible from the lleQlpIe, Will HluCli
shaking of its whiskerS. and then e1ects
the sand and other unwanted portions
through its gills.
This is a feat unique in the aquarium,
and as such invariably proves of inter-
est to watchers Various members OF
the goldfish tribe, including the lively
shubunkins, or calico fish. take SAND
into their mouths, but they eject 1t VIA
the same. ....... .,f,,, 81,
Tropical fish ordinarily pay little at
tention to the sand, SO the introduction
of such a creature as the weather flsh
is helpful in various ways.
:; = ;; :;
We have seen our friend, the tadpole.
naliened by we'll meaning writer's, VINO
have asserted that his value as scaven>
ger is largely overrated, due 10 the TACT
that he soon learns to eat 'fish tooo
with the fish. ..,-
The truth is that the weather hsh
learns even quicker, and. once he ac-
ouires the taste. proves himself a master
at sweeping the surface of the water LOT
crumbs. ,.-,-.-,...s
Standing on his tail, his bewhiskereo
mouth elides over the surface or unoer
the surface of the water. This all nm
portant water surface" as aquarium
fans" like to think of it. proves ltseu
exceedingly handy for weather nsh.