Evening star., 1934-10-08
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

to use a floating thermometer to test
the result.
The result Of the use Of artificial
aeration, or the introduction of air
by mechanical means, is live one
with amateur fish keepers. No one
who has had the slightest acquaint-
ance with 1t ever disputes its good
points. What one may dispute, how
ever. is the necessity for elaborate
pumps and the like, with hose lines
and SO on. They are all right, If one
wants them, but some will not want
them. The truth Is that if one is
willing to put little time on tank,
mighty good results can be secured
with a bulb made for the purpose, a
foot or two of tubing, and a small
aerator stone TO break up the bubbles.
This will do the job. After all, air is
air, however introduced. Thus one
adds some oxygen, sweeps out carbon
dioXide, and ''peps up" the appetite
and metabolism of the creatures.
Common sense in fish feeding is a
chapter in itself, but briefly one can
secure very good results by purchasing
half a dozen of the better known
dried sorts and alternating their feed
ing, with perhaps one or two feelings
a week of some live food, such as the
so-called white worms" the most
practical for use in the home. The
food should float, and the fishes
should like it. A selection made on
such a basis is good common sense,
because foods which shower to the
bottom will contaminate the water,
and foods which the fish plainly do
not like are adding insult to injury.
4
There Is tendency to Sneer at the
standard aquarium as merely a glass
box, but the fact is that one need not
purchase an expensive cabinetmaker's
idea of what an aquarium should be,
but can secure a very pretty result
himself merely by taking care to
match his tank with the table he puts
it on. A tank must of necessity be a
glass box" no matter how one at
tempts to disguise it.
A great deal Of talk is done about
the plants to use in an aquarium
There are about a hundred different
kinds on the market, but 1t is Signifi-
cant that the experienced German
aquariStS use mostly anachariS and
valisneria. Even the much-praised
SaggltariaS cannot touch anachariS for
average day-by- day use. 1t is essen
tial, however, to get aquarium grown
plants that will not die down in
Winter.
There are elaborate methods of tank
illumination, but good results can be
secured by the simple expedient of
bringing the shade of a bridge lamp
over the aquarium. bulb of 75-watt
capacity gives good illumination, all
that the average exhibit demands.
The question of scavengers may be
solved by common sense. The vogue
right now is for the small tropical cat
fish, usually of the -Corydoras family.
II is, in any variety. an interesting
creature, but it kicks up the aquarium
The best "Scavenger," after all, is a
combination of restraint in feeding
plus the aforementioned use Of the
siphon.
Snails of the red ramshorn variety
are better scavengers than many peo-
pie give them credit for being. Above
all, if there are enough of them. they
consume the fishes which may from
time to time depart for happier
swimming ground.
Yes, a good, well-managed tank. on
a good table or stand Of Just the right
size and height, can be good-looking
proposition without recourse to some
eminent artist or a mass of machinery
Too close adherence to rules" some
times results in failure, whereas do
ing the common sense thing-the
thing which Is easiest, nearest. best
may lead to the perfect picture of
water life which all enthusiasts aspire
to set forth in their aquarium