SUITABLE FISH FOR WATER LIFE

After the plants and rocks are arranged the former must have time to become accustomed to their new home before the fish are put in. A fortnight is none too long for the aquarium to remain tenantless. If a green film overspreads the glass it shows there are too many plants for the water, and they have had too much light. It is a good plan to paste thin green paper on all sides of the glass up to the water-line, excepting in front, even when the fish are put in, because it subdues the light, and gives the fish a more natural home, and makes it more healthful.

In selecting fishes for the aquarium, gold and silver fish will of course have the first choice, and after that the minnows. The beauty of these fish, their habits and the management they require are too well known for an extended notice in a necessarily brief article. The perch is a suitable fish for a fresh water aquarium, for a reason that may not be well known. It is one of the few fishes that may be trained, and made to show its docility by taking food from the fingers. The pike, which is the shark of fresh water, may be put into an aquarium with gold fish and perch, but not with other fishes. Even with the gold fish it is not fully to be trusted, as when hungry it has been known to eat its own species.

The trout is a handsome fish, with its crimson, spotted sides, but, like the pike, it must be well fed and kept away from smaller fishes. The eel may be used with safety — a small one, and frogs may be kept with larger fish.

The merot may also be added to the happy family, notwithstanding the antipathy against it on account of its resemblance to the lizard ; it is perfectly harmless. During the breeding season it exhibits a variety of shining colors — orange, olive, green, with a mottling of brown and scarlet. The water spider is a curious insect, and, if possible, should be secured for the aquarium. It spends the greater part of its time beneath the water, coming to the surface to seize its prey, and to obtain a fresh supply of air for its sub-aquatic home. Reclining figures of plaster may be added, and if the tank be a large one, an artificial island of stones, mosses and ferns, with a siphon fountain, may be in the middle.

Feed your fish all the worms, meat or fish spawn that they will eat. Take great care to take all that they do not eat out of the aquarium ; any decayed meat or vegetables in water have the same smell to fish that it has to you in the air. Two snails added will act as scavengers.

4 AQUARIUMS.

Do not handle, the fish, but take them out with a net made of mos- quito netting. An aquarium properly stocked and managed is hardly any trouble, and it affords a great deal of pleasure.

Never feed the fish crackers or other food, for it fills their gills and suffocates them. With the above hints, nearly every one can make a home for the fish and keep them, if they do not neglect them, for many years.

The best position for an aquarium is in a window looking towards the east, where it will not have more than two hours of the morning sun. If such a location cannot be given, put it in a southern window, but shade from the noonday sun. A western or northern aspect is never desirable for an aquarium. The temperature is also of impor- tance. It should range from 45 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. If the water becomes too warm the fish will die. If it freezes, the tank may burst,

' "care of gold and silver fish.

Take a bell glass that will hold about two gallons of water , qjid set it into a box two feet long, twelve inches wide, and eight or ten inches high, or of any dimensions desired. Fill the box with a mixture of silver sand, leaf mold and earth, placing your inverted glass in the cen- ter of the box ; around this place ferns and lycopodium ; cover the box with glass, so that it will be nearly air-tight, to retain the moisture. The plants will require water about once a month ; in the bell glass make a thick bed of sand, pebbles and small shells, and fill with per- fectly pure water, and two gold fish or minnows, and a few aquatic plants, as they, under the action of the light, consume the carbonic acid gas given forth by the fish, and restore to the water the oxygen neces- sary to the maintenance of life. Snails are useful also to act as scaven- gers to consume the vegetable matter thrown off by the plants, and render it unnecessary to change the water so frequently, which would otherwise become greenish and untransparent. A change once a week will keep the fish in good health ; but an aquarium fairly established with a proper proportion of plants and fish will preserve its healthfulness without change of water, more than to fill it up as the water evaporates. A still more desirable plan is to invert the bell glass in a thick block of wood, in any way that will hold it firmly ; the block may be planted, and decorated according to taste, and may be made very ornamental ; then for " stocking " follow the directions given above.

For a marine aquarium the " sea coast " affords many a " treasure trove," the sea anemones, those strange and fascinating existences, half fish and half blossom, may be found on the coast of Maine. Each shore has its specialty. The bay abounds in sea weeds of a lovely tint, while the beaches are rich in shells — all of which contribute to make an aquarium an object of interest and source of enjoyment. They

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should be kept in a cool place — never exposed to a burning sun or the heat of a fire. Too many should never be crowded into one glass. A few branches of box should be kept in the globe for them to rub against, which should be changed once a week. Many persons fancy that gold and silver fish need no food. It is true that they will subsist for a long time with nothing but water when it is pure and frequently changed. They are best pleased with such diet as bread or biscuit ; but these should be given sparingly, lest, turning sour, they corrupt the water. They will also feed on the aquatic plant called lemna, or duckweed, and also on small fry. Fine gravel should be strewed at the bottom of the vessel that contains the fish ; and they should be fed on bread and gentles, and have their water frequently changed.

You can easily tell when a fish is falling off in his health by observing him frequently coming up to the surface of the water for air. This shows he has not sufficient power in his gills to extract the air from the water. He also looks dull, and his motions are languid ; a hazy or cobwebby appearance likewise seems to envelop his body, and per- haps some of the scales will drop off. When a fish goes into this unhealthy state, he should be immediately removed from the others, who should have fresh water given them several days in succession. The best remedy for diseased fish is to put them into a pond for a few weeks ; and it is especially necessary for female fish, which, if not so treated, frequently die for want of spawning. A fish is sometimes saved by being placed in a little artificial dam, made from some running stream in a garden, for two or three days ; but their diseases are at all times very difficult to remedy. The best way is to prevent them by pre- cautionary measures — plenty of room and pure water.

"WOODSY" HANGING ONES.

Take a piece of the rough tree bark with the moss clinging to it ; cut it out into a pretty shape and use it for the back. Make the front of birch bark and sew to the back with fine wire, which can be done by punching fine holes for the wire ; if small twigs are put at the side and corners, it will look " woodsy " enough to satisfy the most ardent lover of nature. This can be filled with moss, dried grasses and leaves.

Among trees that have just been felled some may be found with slen- der trunks. Cut a piece from one of these about a foot long, more or less, as you choose, remove the bark, saw off the top fiat on th-e lengthy side and scoop out the interior, leaving about one inch or less of thick- ness on the sides and bottom ; paint of a brown color and varnish, tack

6 BASKETS.

on the sides either a chain, ribbon or card to hang it by ; fill the trunk with artificial moss and flowers, and you have a hanging basket unique in its way.