Keeping and Breeding Aquarium Fishes

213 Pages·2013·10.29 MB·English

Keeping and Breeding
Aquarium Fishes
BY.
e.
'V. E,\l.\lf·::\,S, D .. '" PII.
Professor of V Crail"lr." l'bysi%gy
Ul1h·eT.dry (If ydnl'Y
ydTlt'y, e'U: S01fr b II' Il/es, A7I.frra/ia
CAD 11 PR · I '., PUBLI H'
EW YORK
1953
KEEPING AND BREEDING AQUARIUM FISHES

ACADEMIC PRESS INC.
125 EAST 2JRD S-nlJ-:ET, NEW YORK 10, .Y.
All Riglm Reserved
NO PART OF THIS Il00K MAY liE REPROIlVO:I) IN
ANY FORM, UY PI-IOTOSTAT, MICROFlr.M, OR ANY
onlER MEANS, WlnlOl'"!" WRJrJ"EN I'ER;\IISSION
FROM n1E I' III..ISHERS.
LibrlJTY of CongTtJS CatllJog ClJTd Number: (52~12267)
PRINTED IN THE 0 ITED STATES OF AMERICA
Preface
A
BOOK on the care and breeding of fishes needs no
apology in the United States, which has over J 0,000,000 aquarium
keepers. It is surprising that so few books on the subject have been
produced and that the greater part of nearly all texts on fish kc ping
is concerned with species and varieties, their recognition and pecu
liarities, rather than with fish keeping as a whole.
In the present \'OIUllle, attention is focused on the aquarium as ,1
going concern, on the factors which enter into the maintenance of
this state, and on fish breeding. The feeding and breeding of fishes
is the subject of considerable discllssion and argument in all "fish"
circles. There is much yet to be learned, but on the other hand there
arc Illany straightforward simple principles which arc often forgotten,
and there is also much prejudice wi1ich oftcn operates ro makc a
simple job complicated and a failure.
Cold-water and goldfish enthusiasts may complain that the tropica[s
seem to get an overweight share of the text. This is because they
need it. This book is not concerned with fancy varieties or show
standards, except so far as they need sp cial conditions for main
tenance or breeding. Thus, goldfish breeding is only a special case of
carp breeding in general and needs no extensive treatment. The same
applies to their general Care.
The figures on pages 96, 98, 99, L08, 109 and I J2 were supplied by
the Aquarium rock Co. Inc., of ew York, and are reprinted from
the Twentieth . dition of their catalog with their kind permission.
My best thanks are also due to Mr. . R. Austin and Mr. R. M. Penn,
who between them produced all the rest of the figures .
. \\'. EM tF.N
eptember, 1953
v
Contents
Chapter I- THE MODERN Q ARIL\I ··· .... ···.···
The Rectangular Tank. . . . . . ..... , , ., ... .., .... ,.
The Balanced Aquarium. . . . . . . . . . .. . . . .. .. ....... .~
Aquanum Plants ...... , ,. .... .. .,... . ... -+
i\lollusks ............... . , ... ...... .. ,. .... R
Other Tank Inhabitant~. . . .. .. 1( )
Fishes .. .......... , ..... , ....... .. .. .. ,... ...... 1( )
Cbapter 11- TilE NAHl.\IY 1\:-;1) PIIYSIOLOC;Y OF FI~IIES .. .. , . . 20
Fins ...... .. .... .... ... ... . ,.... ... . , .... , 20
Body .. , .......... ... ,.,," ............ ,.,." . 21
Peculiarities of Fish natomy ... .. , ......... . 21
wimming and Balancing .... . .... ..... , .... .. . 22
Metabolic Rate and Oxygen eed . ...... .... . 2~
Growth, Age, anel Size . .......... , ... , .. , .. . . 24
alt Tolerance and Excretion . .. ... ....... , .. , , 25
Temperature Tolerance and Adaptability. , ... . . 27
Reproduction .. , .. . , .... " ...... " ..... , ...... ,.. . 30
Chapter 111- FEEDll'G Fl HE ......... ... ....... , ....... , ... . 32
atural Foods ... , , , . , .. , ... . , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. ... . 33
Dried Foods . . . . . . . . .. ......... ..,.".,..... .. ,. 35
Other Prepared F ods ....... . , ... ...... ......... ... , 37
Live Foods ..... , , .... . , .. ...... .... ............. .. , 37
Antibiotic . .... ...... ..... ...... , .... , .. . . , ... .... . 54
Feeding .................................... ... .. . . 55
Chapter IV- THE PRJ. CrPLES OF AQ ARI I KEEPJ]sG ... . , .. . 57
hape and ize of Tanks. .. .., .................... . ,. 57
Fish CapaCity of Tanks .. , ..... , ... ... ... , ........ , , .. 5
Modifymg Factors ............. . , .. , .. .. ....... , ... . 61
Water Quality ...... ............. , . ...... .. ... " .. . 63
ew and Old Water . ....... , . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .. . ... . 66
loudy Water . . . . . . . . . . . .. .., .. 67
Removal of Mulm .... .. . ... , .. 68
Removal of Fixed Algae .. 70
Routine Checks .. . . 71
VII
Vlll CONTENTS
Chapter V- SE1TING Up A TANK ....... . . ..... . 72
Sand or Gravel ... ... ... ... ......... . . 72
tones, Rockwork, and Ornaments .. . 73
Planting .... ......... ... ..... ............. . 74
Heating and Lighting ..... .... " . . . . . . . . .. . .. . 77
Covers .. .. ..... ........................... . 79
Introducing Fishes ... ......... . ............ . 81
Catching Fishes .... ......... .. . .... ..... . . 83
Chapter VI- LIGHTING A 0 H EATINC: . ...................... . 86
Light Needed oy Plants. . . .. ". . ................... . R7
A rtificial Light ..... . ........ ..................... . 88
Lighting Intensity .. . ...... . ........ . 90
Fluorescent Lighting ............... ............ ... . 91
Heating ... ..................................... . 92
Types of Heater ...... .. ................ .......... .. . 9.5
Thermostats ................... .............. . 97
Multiple Circuits ......................... ... .. ..... . 99
ontrolled Differences in Tank Temperature ............ . 102
Cbapter Vll- ERATION, FILTRATION, AND CIRCUI.ATION OF' THE
WATER ...... " . . .... ........ .. .......... .... . 104
Aeration Stones . . . . . . . . . . . . ............ ......... . 105
Factors Affecting Efficient'\· ......... ... .. ... . ..... . 105
Types of Air Pump .. ............................... . 107
Other Aeration 1erhods ............. ........... ... .. . 109
Pumping Water ...... ....... ..... .................. . III
Filt rs ....... ...... ............... ... ...... .... ... . 112
Circulation y terns ..... ... .................... .. ... . 115
Cbapter VIll-AQUARI 1\1 ROOMS A '0 BREWING BATTERIES ... . 117
Heating and Heat Conservation. . . . . . . .. . ............ . 117
Lighting Arrangements .................... ... ....... . 119
Th Tanks ........ ... ...................... ....... . 120
eration .... .. .............. ... ......... ... ....... . 123
Water and Drainage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . ....... .. ..... . 123
Quarantine Tanks .. .... .. . . . . . .. . ............. .. . 124
Breeding Batt rie. .......... '" 12
Chapter IX- BREEDI G LI\'EBE RER. . . . .. ..•.....•.......... 127
e. in Livebearcrs. . . . .. . ..... . 127
Fertilization ..... ............. .. . .. 12
Development ...... . ..... ...... ... .. .. 129
Saving the Young. .. ....... ....... ..... .. 130
Feeding the Young ........ ............. ... .......... . 131
CONTENTS IX
Strajns ..... ............. ....... . .... . 132
Hybrids ....... . . 134
Breeding Outside . . 134
Culling Livebearer Young .. 135
Forced Growth . . . . . . .. .. ........ .. 136
Cbapter X-BREEDING THE E. SCA'ITERI':RS. . 137
ex in Egg Scattcrers. . . .. .. 131-1
Cleaning Tanks ..... ..... . DR
Setting Up Tanks. . . . . . . .. . .... ... .. .. ....... ..... . . 141
Spawning ....... ... .................... ........ . . 142
Aberrant TYrc~ .. .. .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .... . ........... .. 14-+
Incubation 0 the Eggs ....... ......... .. .......... ... . 147
Hatching ............. ............. .. .. .. ... ...... . 14R
Chapter XI-BREEOl~(; THE ANARA 'TIns, !CHLIllS, A. () , ) 11-:
OTHERS .. .. ............................. . .... ISO
Sex Ditf erenccs ..... 150
uitable Tanks . . . ........ . 151
Anabantid Courtship and Spawning .... 152
ichlid Courtship and Spawning. . . .. . . . .... . . 153
Othcr Specic ................ .. ..... . 155
Chapter XII- FEEDC 'G A..\iU REAR! G THE Fny ... ............. . 157
Foods and Food Sizes. . . . . . . . . . .. . .. 15
Infusorial Feeding Je rhod~.. . ...... . 160
Later Feeding ... ....... " . 162
Space Requirements and Culling. . ....... . ., 164
Ridding of Pests. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. ., .. .. . ........ . 166
Cbapter XIII-DISEASES AND PARASITES ...................... . 169
White Spot or Ieh. . . . . . . .. . .. ......... ......... ... . 169
Fungus ....... ....... ..... ..... ...... ... ..... ..... . 172
Mouth Fungus ... .................................. . J73
Fin Congestion and Tail Rot ... .. ..................... . 173
Flukes .. .... ... .. .... ... ......................... . 173
Fish Lice and Anchor Worm ..... .. ............ .... .. . . 174
Rust, or Velvet Disease ............... .. ....... ...... . 175
eon Tetra Disease ........ ...... .. ..... ....... ..... . 175
Ichthyophonus ........ ... ......................... . 175
Dropsy ...... .. .... .............. '" .............. . 177
Tuberculosis .. ..... ........ .. ..................... . 177
Pop-Eyes ....... ...... .................. .. .. ...... . 177
Egg-Binding ....... ....... . .. ......... ... ........ . 177
wim-Bladder Diseases .... ..... ............ .... ... .. . 178
x CONTENTS
"Shimm.ies" .... .......... .... .. .. .... ..... .. ...... . 178
Melanosis ..... .. .... ...... .................... .... . 178
Constipation ..... ........... ............ ...... .... . 178
Abrasions and Wounds .. ....... ... ...... ........... . 178
General Treatment ........... ..... ................. . 179
Weights and MeasUl'es ..... ... ........ ....... .. ..... . . 179
Stock Solutions ... .. ...... ................ ......... . 180
Cbapter XIV- MARINE AQUARIA ..... . . . . .. ..........•...... 181
The Salt Tank ...... .... ................. .... . .... . . 182
Artificial Sea Water. ..... ............ ... .. .....' ..... . 183
Plants, Rocks, and Sand .... ..... ..... .. ... . .... ...... . 184
Maintenance ............ .......... ...... ... .. .... . . 185
Fish Capacity ... .. .... ... ... ................ ...... . 186
Suitable Fishes . ......... ......... ... .... ........ . 187
Marine Invertebrates ... .... ..... ........ ....... .. ... . 189
Feeding .... ........ .. ......................... .. . . 190
Diseases .... .. ..... ... " .. ,',.,.... ....... ......... 191
Index, . , ... , ........ ..... ... . , ........... , .......... . 193
CHAPTER I
The Modern Aquarium
A QL',\RIUi\1 keeping in the \\'estern \Vorld is a fairly
recent hobby. The keeping of fish in small indoor tanks was seriously
undertaken only in the middle of the last century, when both in
Britain and on the Continent of Europe a considerable interest in the
subject developed. It is not surprising that the hobby as practiced then
was short lived, as the principles governing sllccessful aquarium main
tenance were little understood and their practice confined to few.
At the beginning of the present century aquarists both in the
United States and in the Old \i\ orld began to keep tropical fishes.
and it was perhaps the essential artificiality of so doing that started
a new wave of more successful fish culture. The older aquarists were
obsessed with copying nature in their tanks-or rather with the at
tempt to do so- whereas the keepers of warm-water fishes had to ex
periment with their charges and create suitable environments for
them. Often they started only with the knowledge (or assumption)
that the fish muse be kept warm, and this in itself raised problems of
quite new types, including the death of favorite weeds and water
snails at higher temperarures and the more rapid fouling of water with
excess food.
Thus the aquarium gradually came to be regarded as most of us
see it today, as an artifact, not a mirror held up to nature. Many had
pointed out that it was a far cry from even the largest home tank to
the pond or stream, and that a tank set up to resemble the latter might
contain several hundred gallons of water, an old boot, a few decaying
weeds, and perhaps one small fish. However, until the keeping of
tropicals, it seems that aquarists in .general thought that the proper
aim of an aquarium keeper was to reproduce a segment of nature.
1