The Coolidge examiner., 1934-05-11

no" 10Y Flsnes Arr
Prepared by National Geographic Society
Washington. u. C.-WSU Service.
4 NSH aquarlums in American
II homes, once Inhabited only by
goldfish, now are stocked with
inny creatures OF strange colors
and shapes from many parts OF the
world. The toy fish merchant has
enlarged his stock 10 include fish
from far distant waters. and aquari-
ums are about as common in Amer
lean living rooms today as potted
plants.
Who started the fad OF aquarium
fish is bit Of a mystery. Rumor
names Egypt; but although the
fresh waters OF Egypt are replete
with curious and beautiful dwarf
fishes and the Egyptians developed
the art of glass-blowIng during the
Ptolemalc and Roman periods, about
800 b. c.. there Is no evidence that
vessels OF glass were used for
aquaria.
IL is well known. that the lure OF
breeding fishes I'm captivity took
possession OF the Chinese several
hundred years ago, spreading to
Japan. and thence over the western
world. with the goldfish as its orig
inal object OF interest. During the
past Is years, experimentation with
the balanced aquarium has passed
through various salt and fresh-wa-
ter phases until. with tropical toy
fishes, II has reached the peak OF
enthusiasm and success In Europe
and America.
Not that the goldfish has suffered
a loss OF popularity. Many millions
still are reared annually In the
United States. largely for martyr
dom in the quart globe, and there
Is little dlmlnution In the demand
for bizarre and costly varieties.
Among the cold-water species 1t has
no rivals.
Nevertheless, tropical fishes have
superseded goldhshes In many OF
the smaller hatcheries, and some of
the larger goldfish farms have
built conservatories for rearing
them.
Many shops In the larger cities
are devoted exclusively to their
sale, and a pet show without a dis
play OF the colorful mldgets would
be noticeably incomplete But 1t is
true. also. that while most Ameri-
can and European homes have been
ornamented at some time by the
presence OF a few goldfishes, the
majority have not as yet succumbed
10 the allurements OF the toy trop-
ical. though fish "fans" spring up
daily like mushrooms. entlced by
the fash OF color. the beauty OF fin
and form, the remarkable breeding
habits undisturbed by captivity, and
the use with which the aquaria are
maintained.
From All over the World.
Many kinds imported into the
United States are sold and shipped
almost the length and breadth Of
North America-from Florida to
Canada and from Massachusetts to
California-but hundreds as equally
beautiful and interesting are as yet
unknown to the fancier.
The happy hunting grounds for
toy fishes, explored and unexplored,
range In the western hemisphere
from the CarolInas south through
Florida, and from Mexico through
Central America, Panama and
South America TO the most south
erly point Of Argentina. In the
eastern hemisphere, Egypt and other
parts Of Africa. Australia and
Asia-including the island groups
OF the Malay Archipelago. India,
China, Siam and other countries
have been drawn upon for the sup
ply OF dwarf fishes appearing in the
home aquaria Of the Occident
Their habitat is chiefly the swamp,
the ditch, the rain pool, the rice
field, clear mountain streams and
stagnant lowland waters, ponds,
brooks, lakes, rivers and estuaries;
but some either make migrations to
the coasts or live perennially In
brackish or wholly salt water.
Oceanic species thus far kept in
American aquaria have been prin-
cipally gobies.
Tropical toy fishes are of many
genera and species and even
Of many varleties-sOme natural,
others cultivated. Their adult body
length measures from 1 inch to 5
inches.
The anatomy of the toy fish Is