Evening star., 1934-01-02
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

| electric heater, but the use of this in
strument is accompanied by some dan
ger, and, above all, it puts into the tank
something foreign which has no place
! there, many enthusiasts will feel. The
ideal is to keep the tank free for the
fish, water, plants and SAND These are
the four essentials in the tank, and
anything else mars its perfection.
A small floating thermometer ought
| to be given with every gift tank, if the
donor wishes to do the thing right, be-
cause temperature is everything here.
! There are some, of course, who never
bother with it. they say, and yet point
to successful tanks, but surely that is
good fortunate which they scarce
! deserve.
Right temperature gives healthy,
happy fish, with good color and plenty
of activity, and chance to live their
lives, though handicapped by small
quarters. with some chance Of COM
| pleteneSs.
The only way to get right tempera-
! ture Is to know, and the only way to
| know is to use thermometer.
/ Here again, although the instrument
may be kept permanently in the tank,
it is far better kept out, except when
| in use.
Just as the amateur fish fan" in
| time comes to see that castles, mer-
maids. and other "adornments," really
! have no place at all in tropical fish
aquaria, so in time he works up a
| positive feeling of dislike against any
thing, no matter what, which is kept
permanently in the tanks other than
the Aforementioned quartet - water,
| fishes. plants and sand.
This rules a heater out, for him. no
matter how good. also rules out the
! thermometer as permanent lnStltu-
| ton He uses it, however, as often as
he thinks necessary. No mariner scans
| the heavens more than he to see how
| the weather is, no meteorological expert
conSultS his outside thermometer more
to see how cold it is.
y X X
If his tank has gone down below his
theoretical IA degrees he warns it up
again.
And he does it with lamp, a plain
ordinary lamp
A small lamp with a so or so watt
bulb in it, preferably with a metal
shade which tits. is placed against one
end of the tank, the bulb as low as
/ possible
This heats the water gradually and
in no way is inimical The so or &c
watt bulb is recommended for a A.
gallon tank or larger. A smaller bulk
should be used for a smaller tank
The idea is to heat the water very
gradually, rather than with a rush.
x X x
Temperature is not all, however. for
the beginner to keep always in mind.
Location and feeding are the other
sides Of the triangle of care.
Sunshine is essential, because il
makes the plants grow and builds VI
an algal covering on the inner walls
The more plants, in the beginning, the
better, in almost all cases. One should
emulate the oldtime goldfish fans anc
give over at least half Of the tanI
to plants.
If the tank is smaller than 4 gal.
Ions, care must be taken that the
sun does not heat the water too high
Eighty-flve degrees is not too high
but 80 is better, as a maximum.
Feeding can be learned only by eX
perimenting but it may be said thai
a variety of foods is better than JUS
one food. and it is safe to give th'
fishes only what they will eat in about
10 minutes. Do not pour all the foot
in at once, but give it bit at
time. Two feelings of minutes each
a day probably are better than one O
10 minutes.
If the tank has been in the SUI
and close to a hot water radiator ant
covered with glass it will keep its hea
nicely all night if covered with folded
papers or other insulating material.
If all this strikes the beginner a
too much trouble" we can but say
that the keeping Of tropical fishes il
the home is, indeed, for him, too mucl
trouble. He will do better to give then
up for something else.