Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1934-09-27

themselves upon the care they take
of their pet fishes. They are in such
hurry to see them as they would
have them that they dump them out
| Of the paper bucket without taking
the temperature Of either bucket or
tank.
This is q matter that ought never
to be hurried. But it Is preliminary
| only to the maintenance of the crea-
lures in quarantine for several days.
In this comparative isolation their
fms and tail may be examined closely
I for white spot" or other evidences
| of possible disease. Often such spots
may be detected after having been
wholly overlooked in the shop. The
parasite which causes this affiiction of
tropical fishes is very prevalent. Some
one has said that the man who says
he never had case OF 1t never has
kept tropical fishes. However that
may be, there can be little doubt that
| far fewer cases of it would aff1ict
fishes II the quarantine method here
advocated would be carried out
strictly.
To detect this disease the tank is
best kept between IA and rs degrees.
This is low enough to permit the spots
to show themselves, If there, whereas
If the water is kept higher they may
be held from development.
New fishes so kept may be given
individual care and fed properly,
which means plenty but not too much
Often in the aquarium filled with
fishes the more backward inmates do
not get enough TO eat. A period OF
| 10 days to 2 weeks In feeding up
newly acquired varieties will do
great deal to insuring a healthy,
happy life for them after they are
placed in their permanent quarters.
| In all ways there is little to be gained
by hurry, much good in watchful
waiting. which Is the watchword OF
good aquarium keeping.
Care should be taken that the
quarantine tank be made q real aQuar-
ium, not just a hastily put together
jar, some sand, few plants and newly
drawn water. There Is no question
that fresh water, even the best, has
something about 1t which is not good
for fish in confinement. A certain
amount Of it may be added to any
tank with benefit, but an entirely new
batch Of water is something to which
fishes must adjust themselves through
complicated chemical changes.
Members Of the Cichlid family OF
fishes like q complete change of
water, from time to time, If 1t is
Of exactly the same temperature as
the old, but most Of the small exotic
fishes kept in comparatively small
tanks resent too great a change OF
water. When the water is as neutral
and clean as the supply of this vi
cinity, up to one-fourth or at most
one-half Of q tank may be changed
with some benefit. If the old water is
left to season" the new.
1t is for this reason that too much
care in keeping a tank "spick and
span" in the human sense, is not
reliShed by aquarium fishes. 1t is not
necessary, and it does harm to the
medium in which they live. So the
quarantine tank Is best kept as q
permanent part Of the household
aquarium. always ready to receive new
fishes. and to hold them until the
keeper is quite sure they are fit in
every way to be added to his perfectly
healthy communities. II he is sure,
then the small tank may be kept
intact, even If 1t has no fishes in it
for a time, because the magic of fish
life has done something to the entire
tank, and it will 60 along by itself
in good shape for a long time.