JIVISION OF FISHES Se NATLONAL MUSEUM PRICE, TEN CENTS ISSUEDSIN THE INTERESTS OF THE STUDY, “CARE AND BREEDING OF AQUATIC LIFE VEILTAIL TELESCOPE GOLDFISH Half Life Size Carassius auratus, var. chinensis pendulibi¢attdalis Photograph Copyright, 1912, by Wm. T. Innes, Jr. MAY 1912 PUBLISHED AT PHILADELPHIA, PA. BY THE AQUARIUM SOCIETIES = 0F THE CITES OFE NEW YORK : BROOKLYN CHICAGO : PHILADELPHIA + Ratatat feteteteteteteptet= t= t= t= f= t= te fe et ate te te tee te ee at FRANKLIN BARRETT 4815 D Street, Olney, Philadelphia, Pa. Largest Greenhouses in the World Devoted to the Breeding of Fancy, Chinese and Japanese Goldfish and Propagation ot Aquarium Plants WHOLESALE AND RETAIL FISHES PLANTS COMMON | CABOMBA SCALED MYRIOPHYLLUM SCALELESS ANACHARIS SAGITTARIA COMET BS aPAGE LUDWIGIA VALLISNERIA FRINGETAIL HORNWORT TELESCOPES POTAMOGETON CELESTIALS SNOW FLAKE LION’S HEADS WATER POPPY SHUBUNKINS WATER HYACINTH PARADISE SALVINIA WATER FERN -OR GOLDEN-ORFES eee GOLDEN-TENCH GAMBUSIA-AFFINIS STICKLE-BACKS WATER LETTUCE UMBRELLA PALMS CYPERUS PAPYRUS CY PERUS SNAILS ALTERNIFOLIUS GRACILIS >OMMON eoM LAXUS FOLVA RAM’S HORN VARIEGATED POTOMAC d BOSTON FERNS AFRICAN Drawinc By H. T. WOLF PTERIS FERNS JAPANESE WATER LILIES Submerged and Semi-Submerged Plants FOR PONDS ON ESTATES Manufacturer of the Celebrated ‘‘SUPERIOR’’ AQUARIUMS Rustless corner pieces. Marbleized slate bottoms. Made in galvanized sheet iron, wrought iron and brass nickel plated. Manufacturer of the Celebrated “AMERJAP”’ FISH FOOD Made from the purest of materials. For fish only. Keeps your fish in good condition, keeps your aquarium pure and sweet and does not injure the plants in the aquarium. Eaten by the fish with avidity. Once tried, always used, We carry the finest line of aquarium ornaments in the country. No rough, sharp edges to injure and maim the fish, but every ornament glazed with a smooth and beautiful finish, and in harmonious colors, creating an artistic eftect in the aquarium. Globes, Nets, Pebbles, Sand, Foods, Etc. Everything Pertaining to the Aquarium and Pond Send for Price Lists Fo ee EE EE EE oF es SE Ee I I ET BE a SS ETI oF BE SE a Se Ee Bs SS Es HE ES ES Ee Ee TE EE EE PE St EE Ee BES FE TEI From Our Exchanges We have received the Forty-third Annual Report of the American Museum ae Natural History, New York, February 5, 1912, and take from it the following ee 34): “The exhibit of the Aquarium Society, the first of its kind, was held under various disadvantages, but attracted much interest, and was visited by over 5,000 people.” And again on page 51: “In this connection (aquarium exhibits) we should mention the annual meeting and exhibition of the Aquarium Society, which under the was held in the Museum, auspices of the department. This was largely attended, and its contributors de- serve great praise for the interest and im- portance of their exhibits. Many tropical fishes were shown which apparently had never before been brought living to America.” It should be noted, however, that this was the second exhibition of the New York Society, the first having been held in No- vember, 1910, at the New York Aquarium im, ‘BatteryPark; N.Y. Among our exchanges is the Nature- Study Review, the official organ of Ameri- ean Nature-Study Society, a monthly pub- lished in Chicago, and edited by Elliot R. Downing, University of Chicago, one dol- It covers the entire field of nature study. In the May number is an article on “The Insect Life of Pond and by Paul S. Welch. lar per year. Stream,” We have just received word that there has jbeen formed Milwaukee, an Aquarium Society in Wisconsin. A wedding or birthday present of an aquarium will be very acceptable. Get it from one of our advertisers. Visitors are welcome at all meetings of the societies. This isthe W. L. BRIND, F. Z.S. Estab’d. 1896. Importing Aquarist and Fish Breeder Exclusive U. S. Agent for Aquarium Air-Pumps Tropical Aquaria Nature’s Own Fish Food (Registered) Aquarium Supplies Latest Inventions and Books. on Fish and Aquaria [554 W. 185th STREET |NEW YORK CITY, N. Y. I IMPORT AND BREED all the most desirable TROPICAL and DOMESTIC FISHES also the CHOICEST GOLDFISH German Chinese and Japanese Prize Collection of Fish KDA” It saves changing water. It keeps all Fish healthy. Ask oa it, a) eal eae ae ”?> TROPICAL AQUARIUM Scientifically Heated. Ask about it Paradise Fish Wholesale and Retail DG iHe->. CREES 3744 North Thirteenth Street, Philadelphia Goldfish! Aquatic Plants! We buy, sell, exchange, import and breed all kinds ot scaled and scaleless Chinese and Japanese Goldfish and Dragon Eyes. This is the day of specialists and we specialize in Balanced Aquaria and Fish, Snails, Plants, etc. A Clearing House for Fish Full instructions on setting up an aquarium for months without changing the water, 35 cents per copy, postpaid. We make our own fish food and are not afraid to tell you what isin it! IT FEEDS AND DEVELOPS! 15 cents box, postpaid. Fresh herring roe for Breeders, per large can, 55 cents, postpaid. Special prices per dozen or case. Big double bunch of Aquarium plants, 25 cents, postpaid. ORIENTAL GOLDFISH COMPANY 924 Gates Avenue, Brooklyn, N.Y. S, CHICHESTER LLOyp, Manager Terminal Pet Shop Aquaria and their Maintenance A Specialty Pets of Every Description Birds, Seeds and Cages Burnett’s Japanese Fish Food Booth No. 18 Concourse, Terminal Building NEW YORK Factory, 259 North 5th Street, Newark, N.J. RR ee EL AT Rosy-sided Dace Leuciscus Vandoisulus Probably the most satisfactory wild fish ever intioduced in the household aquarium. Brightly colored, harmless, very active, hardy, and tame. Length, 2 to 3 inches. Stands tem- perature 35° to 85° Fahrenheit. TWO PAIRS FOR FIVE DOLLARS WM. T.INNES, JR. 129-135 N. 12th Street, Philadelphia, Fa. MULERTT’S FISH FOODS Established 1869 BE Sia os TESTE BA? 2X All goldfish and other carp-like fishes, also paradise and some catfish, are best fed regu- larly on ‘*I1XL*’ and occasionally on ‘*Nero’’; sunfish, eels and other carnivorous fish, also salamanders and turtles, should be fed regularly on ‘*Nero”’ PRICE—IXL 25ca box, § for a dollar, trial size, toc. Nero 15¢ a box, 2 fora quarter. Prepaid by mail upon receipt of the price Ask your dealer or direct of the manufacturer HUGO MULERTT 289 Fenimore Street 21 Lehrstrasse BROOKLYN, N.Y., U.S.A. W IESBADEN, GERMANY Aquarium Book Herman T. Wolf’s work ‘“‘Goldfish Breeds and Other Aquarium Fishes’’ or is the standard authority. ‘Tells all about breeding fancy goldfish and treats in a practical way on all aquarium and terrarium subjects. 240 beautiful illustrations. Price, postage prepaid by us, $3.00 INNES & SONS Twelfth Street, Corner Cherry, Philadelphia, Pa. DVERTISING pays. in It is the only publication of its kind in this country. b “THE AQUARIUM’ It goes to the very people interested in all kinds of aquarium supplies. in the Union. It reaches every State Rate card on application. W. F. De VOE, Business Manager, P.O. Box 383, Baldwin, L.I. VOLUME I THE AQUARIUM MAY, 1912 NuMBER 2 epee in Yor, Set. BALL FISH OR FROG FISH—( Tetrodon cutcutia) Illustration Copyright, 1912, by W’. L. Brind The Ball Fish or Frog Fish ( Tetrodon cuteutia Watter Lannoy Brinn New York This truly remarkable fish was first in- troduced into this country by me in the autumn of 1911, when a pair were shipped from Germany by a fishculturist who had bred them from parent fish which he had imported from India. My pair bred in the summer of 1911, in Germany, before being shipped to me, and bred twice after I received them in Chicago, where I for- Unfortunately my ball fish and the male eventually merly resided. ate their egos 55 killed the female, so that I will have to import another pair and try again this coming summer. ‘This fish is of a voracious nature, and must only be kept with his Thereafter In India this fish is found in salt or brackish mate at actual spawning time. the female must be at once removed. water, but lives and breeds happily in fresh water if kept at a uniform summer temperature—(75 to 80 degrees Fahren- heit). My wash-drawing shows exactly what the ball fish looks like. were about two inches long and were one My pair vear old. There are no scales whatever on the skin, which is exactly like a frog’s skin in texture and in color, a shade of olive green varying to olive brown, with black blotches and mottlings on back and sides, which markings become paler or darker at the will of the fish. The under There The rays in the tail parts are snowy white. are no ventral fins at all. are more suggestive of the toes in the hind feet of a frog—uneven in length— and when the fish is excited at breeding time he expands his tail, and it looks just like a pair of frog’s feet held close to- gether. The mouth has two projecting teeth in each jaw in front, like a rabbit or squirrel, with which the fish seizes and crushes small snails which are his favorite He waits until the snail sticks his head out, and will then grab it and shake food. it from its shell like a terrier worrying a rat! Then there will usually be a bit of snail-meat left in the bottom of the shell, and to get this he will crush the end of the shell. Ordinarily the ball fish swims with his pectoral fins—not with his tail as do most fish, he carries his tail curled up sideways. Only when alarmed will he straighten his tail, making a rapid rush If taken in the hand he makes a peculiar chatter- away by flipping out his tail. ing noise by drawing in air rapidly through his teeth, and in a few seconds he has inflated himself as round as a ball If laid on the water he will float back downwards (owing to the weight of the backbone, ete.), and as soon as he thinks that the danger is past, he lets out the air rapidly, and lies on his back motionless. turns over and dives head foremost to the bottom. The of the ball fish bronze-blue, large and are moveable inde- One will look up at you when you feed him a snail, eyes are pendently of each other. eye while the other may look downwards or sideways. His breeding habits are very interesting. At spawning time the water should be warmer than normally—an ideal tropical aquarium should be used for 10 breeding this fish, and the bottom should be covered with clay. There should be some large, smooth, flat stones provided and some small flowerpots (say three) laid on their sides, facing in different directions A few plants (—Sagittaria) should be planted of the aquarium. If the ball fish will eat raw beef, fresh and finely scraped. Feed for hiding places for the female. along the sides snails are scarce sparingly and be careful to remove with a dip tube any food that is not eaten at once. The eggs are large, clear, like glass, with a bright brown embryo clearly visible through the shell. They adhere to the surface of the flat stone on which they are deposited, being scattered all over its up- per surface. The male fish hovers over the eggs, and fans the water over them constantly with his pectoral fins, so as Ac- cording to temperature the young ones to keep up a fresh supply of oxygen. hatch out in from six to ten days, and are then carelessly swept aside by the fins of the parent fish, who do not bother about them at all. The adults may then be set together in another aquarium to breed again. I am not in favor of breed- ing them more than twice in a season, and as soon as the eggs are laid, I would re- move the female or she may be bitten to death by the male. The young ones eat finely powdered fishfood. This fish is un- questionably the greatest curiosity among all known aquarium fishes, and it is to be hoped that will breeding some this summer, and will re- some one succeed in port his success in an article to this maga- zine. About one hundred species of submerged aquatic plants, most of which are fit for U. Si east, “of Closer exploration aquarium use, occur in the the Rocky Mountains. of the Southern States will add more to this number. Types of Goldfish (The Veiltail Telescope) Wm. T. Innes, Jr. Philadelphia Among the advanced goldfish breeders today, the veiltail tele- scope rules king. It combines a greater number of points than any other fancy-bred fish, and in spite of the great numbers raised, per- In the centres where these fish are in de- fect specimens are rare. mand the fancier possessing a fair- sized collection of fine specimens has an asset of positive value, for it can be converted into cash to better advantage than most per- sonal belongings. It sounds like a figure of speech to say that a cer- tain fish is worth its weight in gold. I have never gone into the matter accurately, but I am sure I have known a number of cases where twice the weight in gold would not match the price brought by these aristocrats of the aquarium. Fifteen to twenty-five dollars buys a fish considerably out of the ordinary class. These are prices frequently paid, but for fish which are perfect in all points and possess extraordinary coloring, one hundred dol- lars is by no means an unheard-of price, especially if the purchaser has the begin- ner’s fever in violent form. The veiltail telescope has been evolved independently in the United States and in Germany. The telescope fish was. first bred in China or Korea, the peculiar mon- strosity of protruding eyes being originally produced, it is believed, by shaking the eggs at a certain period of their develop- ment. The standard to which the Chinese worked was that of a body of moderate colored or very black, length, brilliantly eyes protruding — violently, moderate length tail, fully divided, anal fins double. The fish was altogether grotesque, well in keeping with Chinese fancy, yet having a kind of beautiful ugliness not to be de- nied. The Japanese mind runs more to VEILTAIL TELESCOPE GOLDFISH Half life size Carassius auratus, var. chinensis pendulibicaudalis Photograph by the author 11 elegance and grace. They originated the type known as the fringetail, a fish with short body and extremely long fin develop- ment. The creation of a type of animal, like the making of a flower, is somehow deeply connected with the artistic genius The Ameri- cans and Germans are somewhat lacking in a definite national artistic life, but they or temperament of a people. have a genius for experimenting and for doing the difficult thing, whatever it may be. This has brought them to cross the Japanese fringetail and the Chinese tele- two fish of very different charac- scope teristics—and try to retain all the points of both fish! well indeed, but it is doubtful whether so They have succeeded very much as one fish has ever appeared pos- sessing the astonishing eye development and the vivid coloring of the originally imported Chinese telescope, together with the extreme fin development of the Jap- anese fringetail or veiltail, the latter being the name given the type with very broad, full tails, and which are the more difficult to are termed ribbontails. breed. Those with long narrow tails The illustration accompanying this ar- ticle was made from one of the best veil- tail telescopes I have ever seen, yet expert judges will recognize that it is not perfect. The body is not as deep from top to bot- tom as it should be. Otherwise it is a re- markable fish. The dorsal fin is high and always erect. In being judged on points by the American system the dorsal fin would receive 15; the tails which are very broad, long and fully divided, 20; anal fins double 5; eyes protrude like small mar- bles from the head, and both of same size, 20; color, 20. It was extremely variegated in black, white, cream, yellow, lavender, The photograph can give no idea of this gor- blue, brown, red and pale gray. geous yet delicate sprinkling of color. Body 16 out of a possible 20, giving 96 out of a possible 100. does not take into account the length of The American system anal and pectoral fins, as they usually cor- respond with the tail. The fish was trans- parently scaled, but I have noticed that the scales show more in a photograph than they do to the eye in this type of fish. This was a male two years old, and was photographed in breeding season, as can be seen by the fact that the tubercles on the gill plate are plainly visible. The illustration is about half life size. The Household Aquarium (ConcLUDED) Sam’t McCrary, 3p, M.D. Philadelphia The scavengers should be watched care- fully, as dead ones pollute the water and cause trouble. Snails should be examined occasionally and mussels if toppt when alive will close their shells. About once a week or oftener, it is wise to use a dipping tube or siphon to remove the humus and precipitate, which collect on the bottom, and it will nearly all be found in the de- pression previously mentiond, so it is eas- ily removed. Tadpoles and snails remove a large amount of this material. I believe we 12 should have at least one good-sized snail for each fish and preferably two or three. Tadpoles are not lookt upon very favor- ably by me, as they stir up the lower layers too much and scatter the debris but if used, one for every two or three fish is sufficient. Mussels keep the water clear of small particles and to a certain extent act as a constant filter. Feeding is a very import- ant matter and should be taken up in detail in a subsequent paper. Most foods are too concentrated, that is they have not enuf bulk for the amount of nutrition containd, I find the following recipe makes a very satis- food. flour, one pound; Bethlehem oatmeal, one and frequently cause constipation. factory general Take cornmeal pound; shredded codfish, one pound; four eggs, table salt, a tablespoonful; epsom salts, a tablespoonful; mix thoroughly and add enough water to make a paste, steam four hours, then dry thoroughly in the oven after it has been spread out in thin layers in pans. After it is dried it may be ground up in an ordinary kitchen food chopper. in pans, after it is dried it may be ground up with an ordinary kitchen food chopper. One food should not be used constantly, but should be varied by using other foods at too much and too often, once every other intervals. Most people feed entirely day is enuf in Winter and once a day in Summer for fish over six months old, No food should remain fifteen minutes after It should not be allowd to float A good plan is to younger fish should be fed oftener. it is given. around promiscuously. have a large circular piece of cork directly above a bare space on the bottom and drop the food into this so that when it sinks it will not lodge on plants or be hidden to ferment and decompose. Live food such as daphnias should be fed whenever it is possible to get them. I have already mentiond the dipping tube and siphon. The net is very im- portant, those commonly sold in stores are too rough and often injure fish, bobinet makes a good soft material for this use. The net should always be used slowly and carefully, as many beautiful tails, fins and even eyes are injured by careless handling of the net. Scissors are useful to trim plants and it is much better to cut than to break or tear them. Thermometers are al- most a necessity, in order to regulate the temperature of the water, especially when transferring fish from one receptacle to another. Fine fish should not suffer a sud- den change of more than four or five degrees. In closing I wish to emphasize two points: Be clean, sterilize everything pos- sible. Disinfect all plants and animals before adding them to the aquarium, and even then, if possible, use a quarantine for a week or ten days on new inmates. Sec- ond, Get all conditions as near nature as possible and you may expect success. Feeding Aquarium Plants (ConcLUDED) S. Cutcuester Lioyp Brooklyn, N.Y. I washed all the plants and emptied The gravel I boiled in big washboilers—about half a ton of it. take such a big job all at once if I could help it. every tank of its gravel. I also decided to never again under- I next bought a lot of shallow fern dishes of red pottery, about two and and a half inches deep, some deeper, and inches across the top. Into these, after giving them a thoro soaking over night, I put a piece of broken pot over the hole in the bottom, and then a thin layer of gravel, on top of which I spread a full (not heaping) teaspoonful of dry pulverized sheep manure, then filling to about five the top with boiled gravel. Into these pots I inserted my plants as closly as possible avoiding crowding. These pots I placed as closely together as each aquarium would hold, and scattered a thin layer of gravel 18 over the floor of the tanks, so that the fish could not empty the pots. Now here is the point for the wise aquarist who wants healthy fish and beautiful growth of plants: In three weeks after the re-planting, the glass of the aquariums exposed to the sun- light had a magnificent growth, over an inch long, of beautiful green alge, Tanks without a vestige of sunlight ever reaching them did the same in a slightly longer period, while the pots themselvs were covered with this long moss, the red color entirely hidden. The floating anacharis had thrown down a perfect forest of white roots and the tanks are today in an ideal condition and the fish apparently never in better health, Even the Japanese Snails are growing moss on their backs, and the Sagittaria is sending shoots from one pot to root in the next. Each week I pour into each tank a half glass of the water from a tablespoonful of sheep manure dissolved in a quart jar of water, every third week I omit it. I can- not recomend this too highly for anybody who wants alge, and oxygen. daphnia it cannot be exceld. For raising A tub of water with some anacharis, a couple of quarts of sheep manure water and about a glass of daphnia will be alive with daph- nia in ten days. The excess of alge on the front glass of aquaria can be rubbed off with cotton or a piece of rough toweling on an old toothbrush attached to a long handle. I regard sheep manure as stimulating and nourishing for both plant, insect and fish life, and find that I am no longer troubld with black soil or decayed roots. Once a month I siphon off the refuse on the bottom of the tanks and replace with fresh water, if I happen to have the time. I have tried soil and all kinds of sand and mixtures, but soil from ponds frequently contains leeches and garden soil generates too much gas. I am very much pleasd with the results of the use of sheep manure, and if my experience may be of help to any fellow members I shall be glad to hear of it. THE AQUARIUM Issued in the Interests of the Study, Care and Breeding of Aquatic Life Publisht monthly except July and August at 12th Street, Cor. of Cherry, Philadelphia, by the Aquarium Societies of Brooklyn, Chicago, New York and Philadelphia Send all manuscripts, exchanges, books for review, etc., direct to the Editor-in-chief; all other matter to the Business Manager Epiror-1in-CuieFr, EUGENE SMITH Bank for Savings Building, Hoboken, N.]J. Business Manacer, W. F. DEVOE Box 383, Baldwin, Long Island, N.Y. SupscrIPTIONS, $1 SINGLE CopiEs, 10c Advertising Rates upon Application MAY, 1912 Vot. I No. 2 Our first number was issued in April, and judging from results up to the present day, was well received, not only by our membership, but also by others interested in the subject. So far no adverse opinions have been heard. It is, of course, entirely too early to say more at this time than that Hard work on the part of all concerned, though is of first importance to make the venture a the outlook is most flattering. success. A matter of which brief mention will be made is the adverse stand taken by some of our members and friends on the “new spelling” used in some of the articles. References to this feature under the re- marks of “Josh Billingsism,” ete., have in- variably been put into the waste basket, as no person with the slightest regard for truth can compare new spelling to any such oddity. Only ignorance, both of changes of language and of history is excusable for doubt “mal- such expressions, and there is whether many people who abhor treating the language of Shakespeare” are even capable of reading that same language as written at the time of the Tudors. But as we are an aquarium magazine we cannot go into any extraneous matters, and as we want to reach the schools, we are 14 compelled to return to orthodox spelling, trusting the time may not be far off when the Anglo-Saxon type of mind can see the wisdom of spelling reform and of thereby placing English in the forefront for the claim of the coming world tongue. Some of our articles having been already set up, will still appear in the newer form in this number, but hereafter it will be regular school style. Owing to the removal of our publishers, Messrs. Innes & Sons, to their new quarters, at 12th and Cherry Streets, as well as for other reasons, the issue of the magazine for this month has been somewhat delayed. We will do better next month. A Simple Aeration Apparatus Frep. G. Orstncer Chicago Since it is essential, in many instances, to aerate an aquarium, the description of a cheaply constructed outfit will doubtless prove of interest to many. Such an ap- paratus can be made by taking a new five- gallon oil can, re-soldering its joints and then soldering into the side near the bottom a bicycle tire valve. To the spout of the ean attach a piece of rubber tubing of a length sufficient to reach the bottom of the aquarium from wherever the can is set. Into the other end of the tube insert a short piece of lead tubing, the free end of which has been squeezed together, leaving a slit-like aperture. To operate the apparatus, connect a bicycle pump to the valve, pump in a rea- sonable amount of air (not enough to burst the rubber tubing) and then regulate the the obtained. flow of air by contracting the slit in lead tip till a fine mist-like spray is A can full of air should last for half a day. About 400 species of fresh water fishes occur in North America, (United States, Canada, and temperate Mexico). Society Statistics According to a list published in the 1912 “Kalender fuer Aquarien—und Terrarien Kunde, of the Kosmos Society of Nature Friends, of Stuttgart, Germany, the follow- ing number of aquarium societies are known in Europe: EMIS een QO.” WE ATY, Sic. al Belgium a... -. Luxembure 1 Wenn cge as «lee FRUSSIA® sot. 3 Germanys us... % 2 soweden-s., 5.2. 1 Folland: ys ehers:. 5 Switzerland i This list is evidently incomplete, as no societies are mentioned from the British Empire, France, ete., although these na- tions are known to be great friends of nature and out-of-door life. Aquarium Fish Food C. J. HEEDE Brooklyn Many of the prepared fish foods now on the market I have found to be as good, if not better, than any imported foods, but in feeding, it must be taken into con- sideration that they are very rich and con- centrated, and that they must be used sparingly. If many large snails are kept with the fishes it will be necessary to allow some food for the snails. The natural foods, Daphnia, Cyclops, Cypris, Polyphemus and worms are of course the best, but aside from these, fish eggs, raw or boiled, finely scraped fish flesh, of either the fresh or salt water va- rieties, oysters, clams, shrimp, or lobster such as herring, white- meat, smoked fish, g, fish or salmon, can be used with more or After these foods such as beef, veal, and lamb, or game less success. come animal of any sort, used either raw or boiled, but in all cases scraped, or dried and_pul- verized. A good food for all small fish or fry that have past the yolk-sac stage is the yolk of a very hard-boiled egg, fed in a fluid or powdered state. When fishes are fed with meat care must be taken to have it cut or scraped into 15 minute particles, otherwise some fish too eager for it will try to swallow big pieces and choke to death. Along the Morris Canal Eucene Smita Hoboken, N. J. The Morris Canal runs across the State of New Jersey from tidewater at Jersey City to the Delaware River at Phillips- burg—Easton. It ‘was one of the first canals constructed in the United States and has become an elephant on the hands of the State, since its abandonment by the canal company. Several railroad com- panies have been pulling wires to get con- trol of it and there was talk of turning it into a speeding course. There is also a proposition to make of it a public park- way and course for water sports. It is the last proposition which appeals to many of us of the metropolitan district who have fished and picnicked along it. Many a holiday have we passed along its quiet banks from Newark, past Paterson and Little Falls and up into Morris County. At all seasons of the year from early spring till the ice shut us out, as long as there was water in the canal, we have visited it and gathered of its treas- ures. It is remarkable how different the results of collecting are at various places and on different days, even in so placid a For northward of Newark mostly common sun- stream as this canal. some miles fish (Lupomotis gibbosus) the most plenti- ful of all the sunfishes, and, I may say, of all our local Eastern fishes, as well; shiners (Abramis crysoleucas) common, but the killifish (Fundulus diaphanus), ever active, and beautiful ; freshwater the hornpout or catfish (dmeiurus nebu- losus), with each mile further on the num- ber of fishes increases as they may enter the canal, perhaps from some small] streamlet, or the overflow of a pond situate at about the same level. The horned dace (Notropis cornutus) of the beautiful fin, also, though very rare in the canal, the dainty satin fin (N. analos- tanus) and the little minnows N. bifrena- tus and N. procne if these two be not one and the same species. Here also occurs the Oswego or large-mouth bass (Microp- terus salmoides) in occasional isolation; its nearest cousin the small-mouth black bass (M. dolomieu) is very scarce, even for while a perch (Perca flavescens) is caught, while the rock bass (Ambloplites rupes- tris) is almost as common as the ordinary sunfish. Along the weedy edges is found in plenty that little gem, the brown or spotted fin sunfish (Enneacanthus glorio- sus). Not so common is the tadpole, (Schilbeodes gyrinus) and indeed very rare S. insignis. stone cat or “mad tom” The long-eared sunfish (Lepomis auritis), fairly plentiful and one of our most beau- tiful fishes, is always welcome its keeper by its robustness. The coppernose or blue gill sunfish (L. pallidus) is found only as a rarity, and while other fishes from the interior of the State come down the canal, this fish, for and repays some reason, travels this way only excep- tionally. The summit level of the canal is Lake Hopatcong, 926 feet over tide, the main feeder next to this comes from Green- wood Lake, some twenty miles away. All fishes therefor which occur in these two lakes are likely to be found in the canal, though some appear very rarely. Among these chub (Semotilus cor- poralis) and the creek chub (S. atromacu- latus ). lar too common are the pickerel, the are silver bloodhounds of the rivers, Lucius reticula- The little tesselated darter (Boleosoma nigrum olmstedi) flits tus and L. americanus. like a ghost over the sandy inclines, ocea- sionally associated with very young brook Cal- ico bass, blacknosed dace, mud minnows suckers (Catostomus commersonii). and several other fish are hardly ever found in the canal though they occur in 16 neighboring waters. Turning from the fishes we find the frisky little newt, our only truly aquatic salamander (Diemycty- lus viridescens), usually among the plants, and what fine plumes of milfoil (Myrio- plyllum spicatum and M.. verticillatum one may find in the spots which originally were swampy places and now are pools, often quite deep. The pond weeds, especially the broad- the perfoliate (P. perfoliatus) and others soon grow to dense thickets, also the Anacharis leaved ( Potamogeto n amph folius ), and Vallisneria spiralis, affording shelter and spawning fields for all sorts of ani- mals. Besides the common floating and climbing snails Physa, Lymnaea, Planorbis and others, are also found the burrowing ground snails, of which Melantho decisa and Goniobasis virginica are the most usual. Mussels, too, are common in the muddy bottom. After walking and fishing along the canal for many an hour, the close of day would find us often miles away from railroad or trolley car, and steps had For ease of operations in fishing, the canal can- not be excelled, so that ladies on occasion to be retraced along the same path. were in the parties, enjoying the outing as much as the men. On such trips, of course, lunch is part of the outfit, and a plain meal under such circumstances never lacks flavor, and is eaten with such relish as would make dyspeptics envious. But then no true lover of nature has time ever to become dyspeptic. The New York Brooklyn societies would regretfully see members of the and the old canal used for anything but a waterway, and would use all their good en- deavor to help along the movement to it. fleets of the canoeists glide over the canal on a bright Sunday morning, or who has preserve Anyone who has seen the seen the lovers strolling on its banks, will agree with the aquarists, that the old canal should for all time become a public pleas- ure ground. Mechanical Helps in Aquarium Work The Spawning Net Wm. T. Innes, Jr. Philadelphia In selecting topics for this series of arti- cles, efforts will be made to have them appropriate to the season as far as possible. The most important thing in the calen- dar of the average aquarium enthusiast just now is the spawning of goldfish, and we are taking up in this issue a very in- genious and useful device to be used in this connection—the spawning net. This is the idea of Mr. A. T. Coles, of Glenside, Pa., and is designed principally for the use of those not having an abun- dance of spawning tubs or other vessels. It is simply a cheesecloth bag, open at the 3 Poy2 Vi e4Ld of Srawme. : : gee S 477 20stl12 7 O72 FCT ARE * werght> fs RE SPAWNING NET top and suspended by a frame in the aqua- The bag is tied to the frame by and the For this purpose I use rium. bow knots four lower corners weighted down. lead skirt weights which may be had at department stores, but any weight of about half an ounce will do. The suspending frame may be made very simply of any light sticks, either nailed or tied together. When goldfish are preparing to spawn they usually give fair notice of that occur- rence. The drives’’ the female occasionally male as a_ rule for several days and almost always increases the driv- ing the evening before spawning takes place. At this time it behooves the inter ested fancier to go to bed early, for he ean hardly arise before the real business of spawning has. started. earlier is the fishes’ Daybreak or favorite time. At this season have plenty of water hand. When the fish are found to be spawning, sink the net in the water, allowing the hyacinths or myriophyllum on wooden frame to be supported on the edges of the aquarium. Put plants in plentifully and then introduce the female and such males as are selected. Here they will con- tinue to spawn. As fast as the plants are somewhat covered with eggs they should be removed to water of equal temperature, allowing, of course, a few minutes for them to become fertilized. When the fish cease to drive and spawn- ing is complete, which is usually about eleven in the morning, remove fish from net, put plants with eggs in hatching pans, 7a PP. LE o/ Tr Cc alae untie net from frame and if there are eggs adhering to that, turn it inside out and place it into the hatching pan also. It is well to have other nets in readiness, as other spawnings may occur before the first lot of eggs are hatched out. Some of the advantages of this method besides saving space are these: There is no risk of changing tempera- ture on the breeding fish. The usual dirt stirred up by spawning fish and which settles on the eggs is elimi- nated. | No spawn. idle females are about to eat the No eggs are lost by dropping to the bot- Those falling to the bottom of the net are as good as those on the plants. tom. Brooklyn Aquarium Society vu Regular meetings are held on the Fourth Friday in every month except June, July and Au- gust, at Fairchild Building, 702 Fulton St., at 8 P.M. Initiation Fee, $1.00 Annual Dues, $2.00 SOCIETY BULLETINS Officers for 1912 Corresponding and Recording Secretary Owen H. Smirtu, 52 Wall St., New York Treasurer Financial Secretary Harry RoessLe THEOoporE P. Fritz Local Business Manager, Owen H. Smitu 702 Fulton Street President W. F. DeVoe, Box 383, Baldwin, N.Y. Vice-President Dr. Ruporrx C. Liznau Local Editor, Sytvester C. Lioyp 924 Gates Avenue At the April meeting, Friday, April 26th, the following prizes were awarded: 1st Prize (Blue Ribbon), Herman Rabenau for Xyphophorus helleri; 2d Prize (Red Rib- bon), Dr. Rudolph C. Lienau for Gambusia holbrooki; 3d Prize (White Ribbon), Mrs. Meyer for Mollienesia formosa. At the May meeting we vote on changing the meeting day from the last Friday to the last Tuesday of each month, so that members who belong to other societies may be enabled to attend the meetings of our society. May 24th Competition: Labyrinth Fishes, Old-fashioned Telescope Goldfish; also awards to be made for best balanced Household Aquarium and best arranged and stocked Terrarium An auction for the benefit of the Society development fund will be held on this date, the object be- ing a completely stocked all-glass aquarium, fish, plants and tank; a gift from two members, This being the final meeting of the season, a large attendance is desired. _ The Society expects to have as its honored guest at the next meeting, May 24, 1912, Mr. Hugo Mulertt, the well known authority and pioneer on ‘Aquarium Fish Culture in America.”” Chicago Fish Fanciers Club Officers for 1912 President 5. 3) —.. FS. YOUNG, 4 26eWiest OOtmmoiiees Vice-President . Dr. G. A. Preusker, 457 North Avenue Secretary F.G. OrsincER, 123 South Oakley Boulevard Regular meetings are held on the Second and Fourth Wed- nesday of each month, at 729 Stock Exchange Building, La Salle and Washington Streets, at 8.30°/P2 M1. Treasurer Cart Fosserra, 1500 Diversey Buulevard Librarian. Tracy H. Hotmes, 2816 Logan Boulevard Local Editor Tracy H. Houmes, 1522 Rockwell Street Local Bus. Mgr. J. G. Preser, 3800 Grand Boulevard Wednesday, May 22, at 8.30 P. M. Live Food,’ by W. A. Poyser. Subject : **Microscopic Initiation Fee, $1.00 Annual Dues, $1.00 Fune 12, at 8.30 P. M.- .Subject: <*Devices for Collecting Specimens.’’ Both meetings to be held at Rooms 809-12 City Hall Square Bldg., 127-139 N. Clark St. New York Aquarium the Second Thursday at the School, Sherman Ave., Jersey City, and on the Fourth Friday at the Am- erican Museum of Natural His- tory, 77th St. and Central Park West, New York, each month German - American except July and August. Initiation Fee, $1.00 Dues, $2.00 Officers for 1912 President Isaac Bucuanan, 143 Liberty Street, New York Vice-President, RicHarp Dorn,7 Norman Rd., Upper Montclair, N.]. Recording Secretary, ARTHUR OsBorn, 42 South St., Jersey City,N.]. Cor. Sec’y, Rev. Henry S. Corrin, 129 East 71st St., New York Treasurer, H. A. Ricurperc, 85 South 16th St., East Orange, N.]. Librarian, Hermann HoremetsTer,165 Webster Av., Jersey City, N.J. Local Editor, Joan TReapwett NicHors, Am. Museum of. Nat. Hist. Local Business Manager, Cart P. Orpinc, 1931 Broadway, New York May 24th: New York Meeting. Mr. I. Buchanan will show slides of his Tropical Fishes, photographed by Dr. E. Bade. Explanatory remarks by Mr. Richard Dorn. Fune 13th: Jersey City, last business meeting of the season. Philadelphia Aquarium Society vuwuy Initiation Fee, $1.00 Annual Dues, $1.80 Corresponding Membership $1.00 Annually Scaled fish, (Blue Ribbon), to Mr. Scurack (Red Ribbon), to Mr. BausMan (White Ribbon), to Mr. Bausman Officers for 1912 President and Local Editor, Wm. T. Innes, Jr., 1 2th & Cherry Sts. Vice-President Cuar.es Paxson, 2521 N. gth Street ‘Treasurer Frep ScHakEFER, 1610 N. 2d Street Secretary and Bus. Mgr., Howarp S. Crees, 3744 N. 13th St. AWARDS APRIL, 24, 1912, (Fringetails under one year) Scaleless fish, ( Blue Ribbon), to Mr. ScHAEFER (Red Ribbon), to Mr. Wap (White Ribbon), to Mr. Scurack Next meeting, September 25 eed Cc. ‘Caauel 915 Arch Street, Philadelphia, Pa. Manufacturer Aquariums Aquarium Ornaments Floral Terra ‘Cotta; te. Goldfish Fish Globes and all aquarium requisites Fish Food Send for Catalog and Trade Prices Self-Sustaining Aquaria Gold Paradise and FISHES Live: Bearing = FOR SALE Large Variety of Water Plants HERMANN RABENAU 1143-1153 LIBERTY AVE., BROOKLYN Grant Avenue Station, end of City Line Elevated Co ere LER DEALER IN Fancy Japanese Gold and Silver Fish Aquaria, Fish Globes, Foods and Plants, Birds and Cages, Bird Seed, Mocking-Bird Food, Etc. THIELER’S SONG RESTORER Very Best in the Market 33 FrarsusH Avenue, BROOKLYN, N.Y. Telephone Connection FISH FOOD DRIED DAPHNIA WM. L. PAULLIN Goldfish Hatchery Fancy Japanese Fantails and Telescopes Common and Fancy Water Plants Live Daphnia shipped within 100 miles of Philadelphia WHOLESALE RETAIL 425 WOLF ST. PHILADELPHIA, PA. Greenriver Fish and Baby Fish Food will develop fine fins and color; also makes your fish healthy and robust; will act as a laxa- tive and is the best substitute for Daphnia. It will not sour or cloud the water. This food is used by the New York and Philadelphia Aquaria ; also by many breeders in Philadelphia and other large cities Ask your dealer for it or send to HARRY P: PETERS 1210 North Warnock Street PHILADELPHIA, PA. IMPORTER AND BREEDER Young Scaleless Telescopes, all colors from $7.00 per hundred up Imported Goldfish Aquarium Plants of all kinds Aquaria Tanks Fish Globes Ornaments, Etc. Auburndale Goldfish Co. (Not Incorporated) 920 West Randolph St., Chicago, Ill. Send for Catalog and Trade Prices PL TAP AN Dealer and Breeder of Rare and PANCY -HISH Chanchitos, Gambusia, Paradise Fish and Goldfish Send $1.00 for my new book, AQUARIA FISH. A practical work on care and breeding of fish in the aquarium. 92 SEVENTH STREET, SOUTH MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. AQUARIST Phone, 9635 Riverside BIRD SPECIALIST 102 West ro6th Street, New York City “ENUF SAID" A O LN RIA | E-C- VAHLE, 315 N. Madison St., Chicago Wholesale and Retail Dealer in SUPPLIES BIRDS and ANIMALS ——————_— | PARROTS), MONKEYS AND PET STOCK We are Specialists. Singing Canaries and Song Birds ATLANTIC AND PACIFIC BIRD STORE 307 W. Madison Street, Chicago, Ill. Birds, Cages, Seeds, Etc. If you know any one who only has one ? KAEMPFER’S BIRD STORE goldfish in a globe, induce him to subscribe 114 N. State Street ‘ k ; : CHICAGO, ILL. to this magazine; he will soon have a whole , eee, aquarium. Write for Price List comms PS FS EOS 9 SS PS a SO 9s 9 SPs Pa Ss PS William Bartels Company Now in Their New Store Hudson Terminal Building New York l ; : | | : ) : EVERYTHING FOR AQUARIUMS | | | | : 42-44 Cortlandt Street | | | PETS OF ALE KINDS >, LL SE SF ST 9 SS Pe SF 6 1 6 9 ng PR 9 4 PS 5s