Evening star., 1934-01-02

The gift aquarium-what shall be
done with it?
What is the person to do who woke
up Christmas morning to find himself
the unexpected owner Of an aquarium
of tropical fishes?
This was present which Santa
Claus brought. in all too many cases
to those who neither wanted such gift
nor knew exactly what to do with 1t
after they got 1t.
1t is to be expected. however, that
most of them realized that a little spe-
cialized knowledge is necessary in such
cases. that these curious and interesting
creatures are not to be handled like
goldfishes.
The fundamentals of tropical fish
care in the home have been so dis
torted by half-knowledge that even
many who keep them successfully do
not know exactly how they do it, es-
pecially they are not able to tell others
how to do it.
Even the latest book upon the sub
iect fails utterly to mention the proper
water temperature an absolutely vital
point. The man who wrote the book
was so familiar with it that he failed
to realize that others would not be.
Temperature is fundamental.
Those who cannot or will not keep
the water in the tank at IA degrees
or better "a hours around had better
give their tanks back. or fill them with
goldfisheS, those rem - 'e glistening
fellows whose cult Is On the Wane for
the time being, but. who. in the passage
of time. will once more be the vogue,
as surely as fadS rise and fall, and then
rise again.
A minimum of IA degrees is not
ideal, however 1t is too low. A steady
temperature Of 78 degrees would be
about perfect, but. like all projections,
difficult of attainment. Electrical heat
erS submerged in the water require. in
most instances, a wire draped over the
edge, a distinct drawback
The best way for the average home
to keep tank of tropicals at a good
temperature is TO put it near a radia-
tor of a hot water heating system.
Four inches is not too close. The heat
ing effects of this are not as extreme
as might be thought by one who has
not tried it. If the house is kept warm
the tank will range between 20 and 80
degrees. according to its size, since
larger tanks vary less than smaller ones
x X =
Night, however, causes most OF the
trouble TO owners of new tropicals. II
the furnace is banked, or the house
temperature cut back by thermostat
there is a likelihood that the tank, es-
pecially if small, as most gift tanks are
will go down to temperature below
our set minimum.
The only way to take care OF this is
to cover the tanks at night. This may
Z l. Of
paper, carefully folded to fit. and
placed completely over the aquarium
which previously has been fitted with
a glass cover over the entire top.
This glass cover is an essential, but
one which, like the thermometer, non-
pluseS the average newcomer. who
thinks that his fishes will not be able
to get enough oxygen. He may sci
himself a. rest on that score. A glaS:
| cover can fit down tight, If necessary
| or may be supported at each corner BY
a small pad Of felt or other material
enough 10 raise it about one-fourth 0.
an inch from the rim.
The cover is absolutely necessary. i
helps keep heat in, keeps dust out. and
above all, prevents lively fishes from
/ eaping out Of the aquarium. The anna
teur who refuses to provide his tam
with this essential comes TO IL at last
after he loses several fishes by the leap
! ing route, finding them stiff and drlet
on the floor in the morning.
X y 4
The cover of glass, and the protec
tive box of newspaper or other materia
are essentials in the home where III
heating radiators do the bulk OF th'
necessary warming. -,
Those who do not wish to bother Will
them had better give up tropicals a
quickly as possible. The only othel
course K the thermostatically controlled