Evening star., 1933-04-05
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES Z. TRACEVELL.

| listlessly coming to the surface, where
folded dorsal fms may be noted
The main thing to watch for, OF
course, IS fungus, that peculiar coating
OF grayish- white which not only makes
the nsh look poorly, but even more
makes him very Ill.
Perhaps the best thing to do, II one
or more fishes are found in this ccndi-
ton, is to take the animals out and
separate them into two patches, the Ill
ones and those which seem all right.
Two receptacles must be fixed for
them, and both filled with water OF
approximately the same temperature as
that Of the pool itself.
Neither goldflshes (nor their more
tender cousins, the tropicals) can be
changed from water Of one temperature
to water Of another temperature with
out endangering the life Of the ami
mails.
Both patches of creatures should be
treated with salt, two teaspoonfuls to
q gallon, and left In this for several
hours. The salt water acts as q tonic
to the fishes, while at the same time 1t
tends to kill the fungus and cause
certain larvae to drop Of.
While the fishes are in their bath
the pool should be thoroughly cleaned
If the little pond is only q few feet
each way, the job is not so difficult,
but If it is larger it assumes the pro-
portions Of task.
All leaves and foreign matter should
be removed, and some good is achieved
If a fresh layer Of sand Is spread over
the bottom. The matter Of the lilies
may be. left until later, because mostly
these are planted In boxes, which may
he taken up and replanted at any time
\ \ \
Some one may say that all this is
too much bother, that they know pools
where no human hand touches q thing
from one years end to the other, and
yet the lilies bloom in their season
and the fishes disport themselves gayly.
This, happily, Is true, but at the
same time it may be pointed out that
since the owners do so little, they do
not know, either, Of the disease which
may be present, or OF their bright
small fishes which succumb.
Perhaps such persons are more for
tunate than they deserve! At least the
more careful owner may be inclined to
feel 50; he will not, at any rate, relax
his vigilance In the interest Of his
swimmers.
Apparently healthy fishes, after a
few hours bath IN salt water, may be
placed back in the pool, care having
been taken to keep the water at ap-
proximately the same temperature as
that Of the freshly filled pool.
This will mean that thermometer
must be used.
A thermometer, one may feel, Is per-
haps the first necessary implement in
the care Of aquarium fishes, and by
all means 1t should have q place In
the culture Of outdoor specimens.
Yet nothing is more common, alas,
than for intending aquarists to know
nothing Of the value Of this well-known
instrument.
As to the plainly infected fishes,
they may be left In the salt bath for
several days, II care Is taken to make
1t no stronger. A new solution should
be made up every day. If the fish do
not respond to this, one Of the various
fungus remedies may be tried. Per-
haps the owner will be fortunate, in
sense. II he can toss away q fish
which Is plainly headed for piscatorial
oblivion. If one does not happen to be
Of that disposition, q chance may be
taken by putting the sick creatures
back In the pool. Nature knows no
pity, but she does work by laws, and
II the laws of healing can get a toe
hold on sick fish, the chances are
that 1t may recover, and better in its
own pool than elsewhere.