Evening star., 1935-03-19
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

urally characterizes many of our
| aquarium inmates.
He is one Of the few fishes which
possesses the ability to swim upside
down. The young man on the flying
trapeZe has nothing on him. In
coming out from behind clump OF
plants he otter finds it easier simply
to turn over his back and swim out
that way. The observer, on seeing
him do this the first time, will get
rather a shock.
Another trick Of his is to throw
himself around in short circles re-
peatedly, time after time. Occa-
sionally he will resent some particu-
lar fish in the tank and will pursue
it around and around, keeping right
after it with surprising agility. There
is nothing mean in his action, how
ever, and shortly he gives over the
chase and shows no more reSentment
In all these maneuVers he never
dislodges a single plant spray nor In
any way harms any fish or article In
the aquarium.
The only time he becomes belliger-
ent Is at spawning, when he Will
take complete command Of the tank
and chase away from his bubble nest
all and sundry, including his mate.
The three-spot Is easily bred, and
any one who wishes to see bubble
nest in operation had best choose this
creature. Some 500 eggs will be laid
and only about 4 to S per cent will
grow to maturity, but this is much
better than in Nature, where only
abolt l per cent of a hatch live to
grow up.
More of the baby fish might be
saved II the spawning were done in
20 to 80 gallon tank, but even in
a l0-gallon aquarium the amateur
fish culturist will find himself with
more baby Gouramis on his hands
than he knows what to do with.
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The three-Spot has curious habit
of darting to the surface of the water
for a drink of air from time to time.
He is, along with the Beta and the
Paradise, a labyrinth fish, that is, he
has, in addition to gills, an arrange
ment which enables him to breathe
air direct.
The Gourami, however, is the only
one of these fishes which takes his
air in literal dives.
He shoots surfaceward in a dash,
breaks the surface film, protrudes his
head and then suddenly turns over
and goes down, reminding the OBJ
server of the great porpoises.
In fQnR nj V0llnR
Gouramis, a sudden mob spirit will
seize upon them. and one after the
other they will dart to the surface.
like SO many piscatorial rockets.
y y y \
These interesting habits are Sec
! ondary, however, to the complete dis
posal of food which they make. This
is where they shine.
The favorite position of the three
spot in eating is mouth to the sur
face, where, by setting up currents
| in the water by suction, he draws into
his capacious mouth food from all
parts of the water table.
He will stand in this position for
minutes. gently waving his long
thread-like feelers in sort of rhyth-
mical motion.
We do not know Of other fishes ex-
cept the Gouramis which so feed,
and it is invaluable for the we'll
managed aquarium. since all finer
particles of food, which many fishes
| will not eat, are thus completely con-
Sumed.
Where will one find a prettier,
more interesting, better behaved,
more hardy or satisfactory fish than
this? To those who have not tried
the old-fashioned "three-spot Goura-
mi" we recommend it, with the hope
that they will get as much pleasure
from its possession as We and many
| others have.