THE CARE OF FISH.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 37, 30 September 1914, Page 2

THE CARE OF FISH.

Sir,—To those who are fond of fish as, pets, I should like to say a lew words. Many people keep goldfish in glass globes. This is cruel, hut the poor little fish may have their lives made pleasanter by attending to a few' of their wants. Change the water often, the more often the better, if in doing so the fish are not too much disturbed. It is very necessary to give them a little shade of some kind, watercress for instance, or a piece of bent tin is even less trouble as it does not need renewing like the former. It is much better not to feed goldfish on bread, which, when stale, taints the water, making it bad. I find that the little fellows become very fond of wheat-meal or a little crushed macaroni ; sometimes they will eat tiny worms. Recently, when visiting a lady, I was surprised to see throe small goldfish in a flat glass dish, with no dark corner or shade of any description for the poor creatures to rest beneath. The water was barely three inches deep, and on asking a few questions, to my astonishment, she told mo she never fed them at ail, as some person had informed her that it was injurious. When I heard this 1 at once dropped in a few crumbs of sponge cake, as it was the handiest. They were as I thought cruelly starved, for no sooner had it dropped to the bottom than everyone made a dive, caught a piece and swam around the dish trying at the same time (to swallow or gobble it up. 1 think-'the last word was more suitable to their ravenour movements. Many people have the idea that fish live on water. Of course I need hardly say this is not so, they certainly live in it, but need feeding regularly in place of the natural foods they could otherwise gather if free in Nature’s pond with weeds and insects, etc. I would not think of putting my goldfish in a globe, as I know they must gasp for air after a time, when the water has not even a ripplo on the surface to aerate it. I strongly advise anyone who keeps these pets to dig a small pond in the ground, oven as small as two feet square by two feet deep, with running water—they hero have a place to disport themselves. T)o not forget some shade. A good plan is to place an arum, lily in a flower-pot and set it in the pond, it will not only give the required shelter, but also encourage natural food. I am sure some people would not be so heartless if they understood a. little more about the lives and habits of these interesting little pets. In conclusion, I can say, should Miss Pussy find our little pond and taste its inhabitants, it is goodbye to our little fishes, if necessary precautions are not taken to keep her away. I am, etc.. AN INTERESTED ONE.