The Coolidge examiner., 1934-05-11

not unique Swim bladders and
other organs common 10 larger
fishes are common to them. and
their fms are the same-caudal, or
tail, fms for swimming and propell-
Ing. fins beneath. called ventral and
anal, and pectorals (behind the
gills) for helping maintain the equi-
librium; also. dorsal fms ION the
back, which indicate moods and
physical states-health and content
ment when erect, Illness and depres-
sion when lowered The majority
have no sort of protection against
enemies except In such teeth as they
may possess.
Some are so peaceable that a
number OF species live amicably In
one tank; others so quarrelsome
that two males cannot occupy the
same aquarium, and a male may
kill his mate.
Some subslst largely on algae, but
most favor small water animals,
such as entomostracans (the mi
nutest OF crustaceans). annelids,
and insect larvae.
Raw beef. cereals, roe, and she'll
fish, also dried shrimp and other
desiccated foods, appear on their
bill Of fare, and many experiments.
have been made with concentrated
foods, such as cod-lIver meal and
other glandular products, TO ascer-
tain their response to vitamin nutrl-
tives-experiments which have con-
frmed their amenabllity 10 a for
eign diet and especially to substl-
tutes for the lime, minerals, en-
zymes and other catalytic agents
present in live food, which air d.
gestlon, purify the blood, and keep.
the skin lustrous.
Mouth OF Fish Incubator.
The majority lay eggs and leave
them TO their fate. but some carry
their eggs In their mouths, taking
no food while incubation is In prog
ress, and subsequently caring for
the young, which swim back into
the mouth at the approach OF dan
ger.
Some build nests and vigilantly
guard the eggs and fry; others
bring forth their young alive.
Nearly always when the fry re-
ceive any care 1t Is given by the ia
ther, but in mountaineering species
1t is usually the mother who gath
ers up the spawn, and among Ci-
chlids, which include the Brazil
Ian half-moon and Mesonauta, both
sexes guard the egg and fry.
In yet another species, the Chan
chito, the eggs are hatched in a nest
scooped in the sand by the male
fish. When able to swim, the young
rise and school, the mother leading
the procession, the father bringing
up the rear.
Hazards Of TropicaIs.
The only martyrdom to which.
the tropicals are subjected Is acci-
dental. Some expire from the cold
Occasionally an aquarium Is left
uncovered and the fishes, many spe-
cies Of which leap like salmon, clear
the rim with one jump and dry up.
on the floor; or an aquarist con-
cerned for their comfort may trans
fer their tank to radiator and
forget 1t until they are completely
cooked.
Expectation of toy fishes from
Germany into the United States be-
gan nearly 80 years ago, numerous
species having been first success
fully bred In that country from par
ent stock captured in its tropical
haunts. Though many thousands
now are propagated elsewhere, a
large percentage of those owned In
the United States being home
grown" considerable numbers still
are shipped from Germany and
South America.
Europe boasts permanent and
notable exhibits OF toy fishes In half
a dozen Of Its public aquariums-
those Of London, Amsterdam, Ant
werp, Berlin, Frankfort and Leip-
zig. The United States lays claim
to two. That Of the Lincoln parl,
aquarium, in Chicago, consists Of %
tanks, showing many brilliant spe-
cies' from the Orient and South
America. That Of the Steinhart
aquarium, in San Francisco, con
sists of 81 tanks of similar species
and. in addition, many brought from
Samoa and Hawaii, which display
the vivid colors and the fantastic
shapes that characterize the fishes
of those waters today.