Evening star., 1934-02-27

have every chance Of survival, since
they can eat the smaller bits of food
fed their parents.
X
The discovery of these first young
guppies usually brings the tropical
fish fan back to his first love. After
that event he is inclined to watch the
guppy tank and to give it some at
tention.
In time the larger fishes tend to
become temperamental, suffering
from just plain nerves and also from
a lack. in all too many instances. Of
live food in their diet.
With increasing age, as among hui
man beings. they become cranky"
difficult to feed and likely to attacks
OF the blues" in the ordinary sense.
The truth is that the better they
are cared for and fed the quicker
they outgrow the size tank which the
average fan" is able to provide for
them. One cannot contemplate the
accidental breakage of even a 15-gal-
Ion aquarium in the living room
without a shudder.
The guppy at all times, and at all
stages in its career. is thoroughly at
home in the artificial surroundings Of
the glass aquarium. no matter how
small.
Practically all of the millions of
specimens in the United States are
now tank bred. They do not pine
for waters they never saw. They know
nothing but tanks and tank life.
That is one reason why the guppy
Is SO contented In its glass domain.
Another reason is the apparently
happy disposition of the creature.
Those who have spent any time look
ing at guppies will agree with this
there Is something at once so naive
and SO misunderstanding in the face
OF a gupPy. Those who have no
1ondness for aquarium fish will call
this the bunk" and a wild stretch
/ OF the imagination. You have to
know guppies to be able to talk about
| them.
The guppy Is easily fed. and seldom
II ever suffers from too much food, as
so many other fishes do at times. II
Its tank Is kept between "a and IS
| degrees 1t can eat an astonishing
amount of food. in variety with MOTH
ing but good to it. 1t will spend an
hour or more, after eating of the
surface. cleaning up what may have
| fallen to the sand 1t seldom gives
any evidence Of suffering from lack
Of oxygen, although it may be in
tank with hundreds of its mates. Its
curiosity is interesting: it never suf-
fers from fright. and is never given
/ hidtnU All L. ol,rr,v
IS SO small that it never stirs up the
sediment or mulm. Given half q
chance. it seldom becomes i'll. and
then responds beautifully to proper
treatment. Few fishes give more evi-
dence OF appreciating proper treat
ment OF all types. in water. air. food.
warmth, etc. A point in its favor is
that even the amateur cannot mis-
take the sexes. Every one admires
the males. The females require some
time before one becomes accustomed
10 them and Is able to see their
points OF real fish beauty. Given
water uniform in temperature. the
mortality In a guppy tank will be
negligible for several wears The
guppy always minds its own business.
seldom nips the fins of other fish and
never destroys plants 1t likes algae
and helps keep its own tank clean.
One dip Of net usually brings up a
dozen or more. so that even the anna
teur has no trouble catching them
when necessary. A guppy tank of
small size can grace any table with
out appearing cumbersome. In homes
which have a house cat. guppies are
the best of all tropicals. since they
are so small that cats seldom pay any
attention to them. and this is q real
| advantage, as only those know who
have tried to keep both-at the same