Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1951-12-14
NATIONAL AQUARIUM
$500 Species of Marine Life
Maintained by National Aquarium

The present aquarium occupies
a floor space of about $4,000 square
feet, and has so tanks which hold
about 10000 gallons of water. The
water is changed on an average of
three times a day. Since the aquar-
ium is situated below the sewer
level, the water is drained into
underground reservoirs VIII C h
must, in turn be pumped out, an
expensive operation.
The heavily chlorinated city
water supply, which the aquarium
uses, is constant problem because
chlorine would mean overnight
death to the fish. All the water used
must therefore pass through car
bon filters. Temperature control
must also be watched carefully.
The hot Washington summers re-
quire complete refrigeration of the
tanks of northern fishes, and the
warm water of the tropics must be
duplicated in those tanks which
have fish accustomed to that eli
mate.
The aquarium now houses 1900
individual kinds of fish of which
the rarest is a collection of albino
catfish the only such collection
now in this country. Another great
attraction to the 250,000 visitors
each year is Siamese Sue, tiny
turtle with one body but two
heads. Sue is a perfect example
of turtle Illustration. Each brain
controls the set of legs on its side
so that indecision as to whether
she's going to move or stay still
is a major factor in Sues life.
Each head must be fed simultane-
ously or the other one will try to
grab the food. Sue has grown from
the size of a quarter to about the
size of a silver dollar IN the two
years that she's been at the aquar-
ium. A two-headed turtle usually
lives only a few months.
The NATIONAL Aquarium seeks
primarily to maintain an attractive
display of the principal fresh-water
game fishes which are propagated
and distributed throughout interior
waters of the country, John c.
Pearson, director of the aquarium,
says.
Reactions of aquarium specta-
the behavior of the fishes them
selves. 1t has been noticed that
women like the fancy Oriental gold
fish, the black Chinese Moors and
the multi-colored Shubunkins. Men
seem to prefer the rainbow and
brook trout while Siamese Sue re-
mains the favorite of most chill
dren. The most generally liked at
traction, however, is the shallow
pool filled with turtles of all vari-
cites.
Future improvements to tn
aquarium call for better lighting
effects in the display tanks. They
are all electrically lighted now with
the surrounding area kept just
bit darker so as to better show off
the displays. More naturalistic
backgrounds for the exhibits is
another aim. Real moss grows
in the tanks, but most of the green
cry used is bamboo because it re-
tains its color under water for a
longer period than most other
types of green's. Aquarium officials
also hope for a more complete dis
play of native food and game fish
so well appreciated by many mil
lions of American fishermen.
The attendants are occasionally
| offered brides by thoughtful Wis
itors who want to take a fancy
goldfish home to the children. A
"gem collector" once offered SIS
for a pearl-bearing oyster from
Hawaii. AS Mr.. Pearson says,
good motto for any aquarium man.
agement is: 'If it fits into pocket,
| keep it locked up"