Evening star., 1934-03-28
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

! dncluding the taiD than the body
length of the angels.
This will allow a large margin of
safety. and give the owner no uneasy
feelings about the safety Of the smaller
| fishes.
1t will be noticed that we include
the tail There has been a DISPOSE
ton on the part of writer's about
aquarium subjects to follow tradition
| in omitting the tail from measure
ments, as if the caudal did not belong
to the fish.
Nothing about a fish. makes it so
much fish, one may believe, as the
tail.
The tail is distinctively a fish
property" the very one which
catches the human eye above all
others.
The loss of the tail means the death
of the fish, in almost all cases. While
many fishes can stand a good nip
taken out of the tail structure, few OF
| them survive the complete loss of the
appendage.
1t is not, indeed. mere appendage,
but a vital part of the whole animal.
/
self, even helps keep its balance with
it. Besides, the tail is veritable part
OF the backbone, and has an elemen-
tary connection with it.
**
In estimating the amount of water
which fishes in aquaria should have it
is the common practice to omit con-
Sideration of the tall
This permits the very thing the
speaker or writer, in most instances,
is trying to warn against, the over
crowding of the tank.
The general rule for goldfishes, for
instance, is TO allow one gallon of
water per inch Of fish, exclusive of the
tail
Inclusion of the tail would be bet
ter, We believe, because it would help
achieve the very thing desired, a re-
duction of the number of fish in the
average home aquarium.
The greatest sin of the amateur
fish keeper is overcrowding. This
comes about because, first, he is ig-
norant on the subject; second. because
he likes TO see a great many fishes
swimming around in his tank. third,
because he does not keep in mind the
native habitat of the creatures which
fate (and a little money! has placed
In his care.
We have said that the greatest sin
is overcrowding, but the real sin lies
in Understanding the amount of in
telligence it requires to take care of
fishes properly.
This is the basic sin against fish
life. 1t is committed by practically
every newcomer. In time he realizes
that he must read all he can get his
hands onto. and must use his intelli-
gence all the time in meeting and
overcoming the problems which come
up day by day.
The more he studies, the more he
finds out, the more he realizes that
there is yet great deal of studying
to be done, great deal to be found
out yet He must really see what he
looks at, he must make deductions. but
realize at the same time that his de-
duction, while correct under the given
conditions, may be all wrong under
different conditions. This is the first
and last wisdom of amateur fish cul-
ture, and happy is the fan" who real
ICES it early-and happy and healthy
will be his fishes.
A little honest study will convince
any one that angel fishes and guppies
do better apart. Amy fancier who
likes his finny friends, and who has
seen an angel fish swallow a guppy
head-first, with just its little tail
sticking out. will never willingly keep
them together. Nor will he breed
guppieS as fodder for other fishes.