Evening star., 1933-11-25

failure something touched with . small
nobility.
Now this spirit is . growth, some
thing which one cannot plunge into,
but must come into over the days
1t means that a certain sensitivity
toward life will be built up, II one had
1t not in the beginning. perception
of the triumph of living which is not
the attainment Of your average human
being.
Whether this keen appreciation of
lie, as living, Is good for one, is dis
tinctly another matter. but many Of
mankind's leading spirits have thought
AS applied 10 the all-guppy tank, it
works out this way, and We hope We
make it clear:
small size Of the inmates usS and 1i theie she
continuity, as group, gives the abSo-
lutte minimum of a sense Of loss, which
comes so accutely to the sensitive
aquarist with less hardy fishes, and
with those whose very demise is made
the larger because of their physical
size. comparatively speaking.
This Is a phase Of aquarium man.
agement Of which one will hear very
little. for obvious reasons, but 1t Is one
which Is keenly felt by many persons,
nevertheless.
II one will start with at least a two
gallon tank, and preferably hve-gal-
Ion one, and use only about half q
dozen guppies, in the beginning, and
/ months before the aquarium becomes
at all crowded.
In that time the inner walls will be-
cGme covered with green algae, not only
q part OF the inmates food, but also
necessary in order to help keep the
water clear. This latter feature of
aquarium management some day will
receive the attention 1t deserves. For
the present one can but say that no
one should be afraid OF these minute
plants. The inimical sorts are not COM
mon. The chances are large that the
good types will gather, and will be an
ever active aid toward that desired
balance which nature achieves, given
nall chance. Clear of the inner front
panel about once month with a small
piece OF absorbent cotton. In doing SO
take care not to crush one or more
members OF the community against the
glass, as they are very curious creatures,
Nano want to know just what Is going
on.
With plenty Of plants. most Of the
new guppies born In the tank will grow
up to take care of themselves. It will
oe several years, under good manage
ment. before the old ones pass away.
END these will 60 one by one. but the
tankful will remain. presenting always
inta
OF nature as she has been, is and SEEM
ingly ever will be.
While this growth Is taking place ir,
the tank there will be q growth of
receptive appreciation in the mind of
the human being who stands outside
from time to time. watching the bright
ccurting dances of the tiny males. and
the humble devotion to immemorable
outy OF their bulky spouses.
One happy feature of the manage
ment OF such tank is that no scaven-
gers are needed. There is a question
whether they are necessary in any tank.
given correct conditions, but certainly
they are not in the all-guppy aquarium.
ine members Of the community will
see to that, picking up of the bottom
all the food which falls down. provided
always that the person who feeds them
knows his business, and gives daily less
than they willingly would eat. In
natures great outdoors they never get
enough. and there is all the more rea-
son for such poverty in the artificial
confines Of glass.
Such an aquarium, once established
Is the easiest to care for. the most
pleasure to watch, and the happiest for
the fishes. This side of the eternal
swimming grounds, what more could
be asked?