Evening star., 1933-07-05
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

one small fish per gallon Of water, or
one small fish to each 80 square inches
OF air surface, which is better rule
Thus tank with a top measurement
of 8 by 26 inches would hold no more
than half a dozen, or seven at the
outside, and these fishes would be small
ones, not much more than an inch of
body length.
When one sees the same number OF
fishes crammed into tiny aquarium no
better than a jar, one knows that they
are doomed.
He who would keep fishes happily
usually needs about a year before he
comes into the full respect for the
necessity of much water per fish.
He Is told that he can crowd small
tropicalS numerically, and so he can,
If he knows what he is doing.
Even the exotic fishes, however, are
much better of in plenty of water. And
a gallon per fish is not much after all,
as one comes to see, in time-but not at
first.
1t is this first experience which so
often Graves goldfishes, when they
should be the last Of all to be taken up.
Begin with the worlds most popular
fish, the Guppy.
It is hardy, interesting. easy to keep.
M. Guppy Of Trinidad never knew
his name would be a household word
the world around, but such it has be-
come.
| 1t Is possible to keep guppies we'll in
few quarts Of water. Two gallons will
house number of them Scientists
tell us that they tend to "standardize
themselves at nine per gallon and a
half,' but we know 2-gallon aquar-
ium that has in it half dozen mature
guppies, "a babies. medakas. medaka
fry and 3 Brazilian catfish, all doing
very nicely, and enjoying life, especially
meals.
II you give them the conditions they
like tropicals will do well in spite of
limited quarters. SO the secret of this
success Is experience, in order to find
out what they need and must have.
Now 1t is easier to discover these
rules, or laws of nature, with the So
called tropical fishes, than with gold
fishes. We would reverse the old pro-
cedure therefore, and instead of per-
mitting fish beginner to take up gold
fishes, we would start him off with
tropicals, let him get his experience
with them. and at last come back to
goldfishes when he has learned some
thing about fish life
| After all, there is no more brilliant
aquarium inmate than the popular gold
/ fish. in any of its forms.
Its bright, glistening scales keep 1t a
perennial favorite. If casual spectator
interest is all one desires. no fish gives
1t more than this faithful creature.
/ In a good light, in really balanced
aquarium. with proper planting few
! good goldfisheS make about as pretty a
! spectacle as one will find along this
! line.
| The most enthusiastic tropical fish
| fan must admit this.
! The happy thing is that this spectator
| interest, as it may be called. can te
secured with few fishes just as well
as with great many. 1t is the bane
OF tropical fish keeping. as we'll as of
| goldfish keeping. that most of us desire
too many fishes per tank.
The brightness of the old universal
| favorites makes it possible to secure
good results. as far as spectacle is con-
cerned. with few fishes. A properly
balanced aquarium needs no changing
! of water and is what one should aim
at, for his own sake and that Of the
! fishes. 1t cannot be obtained with too
many fishes.