Evening star., 1934-05-11
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

aquarium covers for tropical fishes
There are some fanciers whom time
alone will teach. These generally
keep the water level low, but that cuts
down the capacity Of the tank. There
Is not much use in having l0-gallon
aquarium, for instance, II one Is 60
ing to keep but five to seven gallons
of water in it.
The cover glass seldom fits tightly.
and. even If it did, there still would
be enough air between 1t and the
water surface. The fear that there
Is not enough air for the fishes is
mostly delusion. or, If true, based on
the inner knowledge of the enthusiast
that he is keeping far too many crea-
lures in q given body Of water.
The idea that tropical fishes do not
need as much oxygen as goldfishes Is
SO, but no doubt it is not as true as
many persons would like 1t to be,
with the result that one seldom sees
a tropical aquarium, large or small.
which is not overcrowded. Artificial
areatiOn, by means OF an electric
pump. air line and porus stone re-
leaser. will do q great deal toward
enabling one to overcrowd his tanks,
II he SO desires, but at the best there
is a limit. Time Is the great teacher.
Time finally tells an aquarist that he
must think first of his charges. not Of
himself, and when this wholesome at
titude arrives, he will see that a tank
with a few good fishes in it is Just as
good looking and just as interesting
as an aquarium in which the fish
almost literally have to push by each
other to get around.
x* X
At this time Of year, when really
warm weather first comes. the fishes
in the average home aquarium do
just q little better job Of gaSping than
usual. There can be no doubt that
the removal of the glass covers would
help 10 reduce the possibility of ex-
cessive temperature during the Sum-
mer, and would give complete con-
tact of the water surface with the
air. While this latter is not in any
way interfered with by a cover. it
would be helped somewhat, even If
the help were mostly in the aquarist S
mind.
The use OF screens, rather than
glass sheets, ought to be tried more
in Summer. 1t would be necessary,
of course. to use some screening ma
terial which would offer no chance
of water contamination, as aquarium
fishes are sensitive to the salts OF
various metals. Healthy fishes are
lively. and lively fishes often flop at
the surface, causing water to spaSh
up, and some times run over the sides
of the aquarium. This is when they
Jump out. if there is nothing there
to stop them.
This lively splashing comes about
through finny games Of tag, hide-and-
seek. and the like Every aquarist
has heard Some of his fishes hit the
cover lid with ''plop." at times even
rattling the lid, or actually moving
it bit.
Tanks which get a few hours of
sunshine a day will easily 60 TO IS
degrees. and much higher, If the tank
is under five gallons. Now IS is the
highest safe temperature. While
many fishes can stand 80 degrees, and
even 95 at a pinch. they should not
be subjected to it. Ordinarily this
may be averted by seeing that they
do not get too much sun in hot
weather, but a full exposure Of the
surface of the water to the air would
help a great deal. The life Of an
aquarist runs forever between ex-
tremes, trying to keep his tropical
fishes warm enough in cold weather
and cool enough in warm weather.
1t is all in the game. An aquarium
whose cover lid is removed will lose
1 or more degrees in few hours. To
take away the lid, however. without
putting on a screen. is to begin to
lose fishes regularly, as many of them
are lively in the dark, contrary to
popular impression. Never make the
mistake OF believing that because a
fish has not leaped out he cannot do
it. Most of them could hit the ceiling
~ fhey had Suf7ciept rlr0p