Keeping and Breeding Aquarium Fishes

Keeping and Breeding Aquarium Fishes deals with the aquarium as a going concern, on the factors which enter into the maintenance of this state, and on fish breeding. Cold-water and goldfish enthusiasts may complain that the tropicals 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 special conditions for maintenance or breeding. The book opens with a chapter on the elements of a balanced aquarium, covering tanks, plants, and aquarium snails. This is followed by separate chapters on anatomy and physiology of fishes, fish foods and feeding, the principles of aquarium keeping, the process of setting up a tank, lighting and heating; and the aeration, filtration, and circulation of the water. Subsequent chapters deal with and aquarium rooms with breeding batteries; the breeding of livebearers, egg scatterers, anabantids, and cichlids; types of fish disease, and keeping saltwater fishes.

Chapter I—The Modern Aquarium

The Rectangular Tank

The Balanced Aquarium

Aquarium Plants

Mollusks

Other Tank Inhabitants

Fishes

Chapter II—The Anatomy and Physiology of Fishes

Fins

Body

Peculiarities of Fish Anatomy

Swimming and Balancing

Metabolic Rate and Oxygen Need

Growth, Age, and Size

Salt Tolerance and Excretion

Temperature Tolerance and Adaptability

Reproduction

Chapter III—Feeding Fishes

Natural Foods

Dried Foods

Other Prepared Foods

Live Foods

Antibiotics

Feeding

Chapter IV—The Principles of Aquarium Keeping

Shape and Size of Tanks

Fish Capacity of Tanks

Modifying Factors

Water Quality

New and Old Water

Cloudy Water

Removal of Mulm

Removal of Fixed Algae

Routine Checks

Chapter V—Setting Up a Tank

Sand or Gravel

Stones, Rockwork, and Ornaments

Planting

Heating and Lighting

Covers

Introducing Fishes

Catching Fishes

Chapter VI—Lighting and Heating

Light Needed by Plants

Artificial Light

Lighting Intensity

Fluorescent Lighting

Heating

Types of Heater

Thermostats

Multiple Circuits

Controlled Differences in Tank Temperature

Chapter VII—Aeration, Filtration, and Circulation of the Water

Aeration Stones

Factors Affecting Efficiency

Types of Air Pump

Other Aeration Methods

Pumping Water

Filters

Circulation Systems

Chapter VIII—Aquarium Rooms and Breeding Batteries

Heating and Heat Conservation

Lighting Arrangements

The Tanks

Aeration

Water and Drainage

Quarantine Tanks

Breeding Batteries

Chapter IX—Breeding Livebearers

Sex in Livebearers

Fertilization

Development

Saving the Young

Feeding the Young

Strains

Hybrids

Breeding Outside

Culling Livebearer Young

Forced Growth

Chapter X—Breeding the Egg Scatterers

Sex in Egg Scatterers

Cleaning Tanks

Setting Up Tanks

Spawning

Aberrant Types

Incubation of the Eggs

Hatching

Chapter XI—Breeding the Anabantids, Cichlids, and Some Others

Sex Differences

Suitable Tanks

Anabantid Courtship and Spawning

Cichlid Courtship and Spawning

Other Species

Chapter XII—Feeding and Rearing the Fry

Foods and Food Sizes

Infusorial Feeding Methods

Later Feeding

Space Requirements and Culling

Ridding of Pests

Chapter XIII—Diseases and Parasites

White Spot or Ich

Fungus

Mouth Fungus

Fin Congestion and Tail Rot

Flukes

Fish Lice and Anchor Worm

Rust, or Velvet Disease

Neon Tetra Disease

Ichthyophonus

Dropsy

Tuberculosis

Pop-Eyes

Egg-Binding

Swim-Bladder Diseases

"Shimmies"

Melanosis

Constipation

Abrasions and Wounds

General Treatment

Weights and Measures

Stock Solutions

Chapter XIV—Marine Aquaria

The Salt Tank

Artificial Sea Water

Plants, Rocks, and Sand

Maintenance

Fish Capacity

Suitable Fishes

Marine Invertebrates

Feeding

Diseases

Index