Evening star., 1933-01-17
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

s., the so-called tropicals is that the for
! mer demand more oxy gen, and the lat
/ ter more warmth.
/ 1t is better to have two goldfishes
/ doing well in given aquarium than
half dozen Of them doing poorly,
| yet this latter condition is the common
one. While the tropical fishes do not
demand SD much oxygen, there is no
/ question that the belief of many that
| these can be crowded Is false. They no
more like crowding than the goldfish.
| although they will stand more of it.
They show their discomfort at last, not
4 by gasping at the surface for air. but
| by developing a variety of diseases and
| other troubles.
| Those who have not entered this
interesting hobby literally have no idea
! of the great interest which exists In It,
Like all hobbies, it has had its addicts
/ for years, until at last there comes q
/ time when 1t reaches the ears of the
man in the streets" That point has
now arrived with tropical fishes in this
country.
Here is an interesting little world
of endless fascination, where exper:-
ence is secured II the doing but where
theory and facts do perpetual battle,
with the victory often to him who can
! talk the loudest.
/ All the books advise water tenn
perature of 10 degrees and above for
/ the beautiful angel fish," Pterophyllum
! scalare.
Yet here, in front of 5-and-10-cent
/ store display, Is a large man with Ger
manic countenarce, who Is holding the
crowd of enthusiasts cpollbound
IT'S all the bunk about these fellows
needing 10 degrees" he says. Why,
had 18 inches Of snow on my tank the
other day. The water wa3 so cold that
/ it hurt my hands.
/ And you ought to see my angel fish,
I They enjoy it. It's all nonsense. about
/ 70 degrees Why, you can't get 1t too
cold for 'em. except freezing, Of course. i"
\ A small gentleman with eyeglasses
waits until the big man goes away and
/ turns to another enthusiast
what do you think Of him?" he
4 asks.
7 think he is liar, that's ALL" says
/ the other.
But was he?
1t is a whole little world of fact and
| fancy, of theory and practice, In which
every newcomer has a great deal to
1 learn and that is one of its joys.
He will find out, of course. that in
/ the main, the old hands are right.
4 llCy tNl1 liam w PtetAiS AAAH VAIN AAA ~
4 and let 1t stand week or SO before
| he puts his fish in, but he is in too
big a hurry for that.
But taey are right.
They tell him to put IN few fishes,
and see how they get along, before add
| ing more.
He wants more, SO he Grams the tank
full and then suffers at the sight OF
his sick and diving fish.
They were right.
He plants his aquarium too sparsely
and huddles it over in a dark corner.
He discovers that a green tank" as
an aquarium is called whose sides are
covered inside with algae, Is far better
| for his fishes than one without them.
He finds that variety OF foods, fed
| alternately, are better than just one
| food. no matter how convenient the
/ latter may be.
He finds that nothing takes the place
of sunshine, no matter if it does grow
algae. You have to take the green
algae with the sunshine, and the little
fishes love them both.
! Millions Of men are out OF work and
/ worthy establishments have closed, but
/ tropical fishes are selling like hot cakes
all over this dear land Of ours. II you
want to know the reason, look into the
minds and hearts Of men.