Ocean Gardens. The History of the Marine Aquarium: and the best methods now adopted for its establishment and preservation.Humphreys, Henry Noel
History
Ocean Gardens. The History of the Marine Aquarium: and the best methods now adopted for its establishment and preservation.
Humphreys, Henry Noel
Aquariums
A marine Aquarium may be rendered very interesting without the
introduction of fish, and as their presence requires that the water
should be once each day aerated by means of additional water, introduced
by the syringe or by a drip, continuing for some time from another
vessel, many may prefer the lovely Sea-Weeds, curious Zoöphytes, and
beautiful Molluscs, alone; as, if the balance between the amount of
animal and vegetable life be felicitously balanced, and the natural
scavengers, in the shape of Periwinkles and other Sea-Snails, for the
consumption of decaying vegetable matter, and a few Prawns to perform a
similar office for perishing _Infusoriæ_, or any other animal matter, be
properly supplied—the tank may remain for a long time undisturbed, the
supply of oxygen being ample for the lower classes of animal life
alluded to. The beautiful _Actiniæ_, indeed, will exist in apparent
health for a considerable time in water in which no vegetable growth has
been introduced. Mr. Gosse describes instances in which the water in
glass Aquaria, containing Sea-Anemonies, has remained perfectly pure for
more than a year.
The addition of fish, however, undoubtedly enlivens the general aspect
of an Aquarium very considerably; and many may not grudge the task of
daily aerating the water, in order to enjoy the cheerful spectacle of
their agreeable and ever-active movements. One or two young Flounders,
very small, and the young of other species of flat fish, add much
interest to an Aquarium, in consequence of their mode of swimming being
so different to that of the class of fishes with whose movements the eye
is more familiar.
Among the fish mentioned by the most experienced in the keeping of Sea
Aquaria as best suited to that purpose, the first is the pretty little
Tansy, _Blennius pholis_, with its bright scarlet eyes, and the many
changing hues of its body. This little fellow will live and flourish in
a tank with a poorer supply of oxygen than any other fish yet tried.
The fifteen-spined Stickleback, _Gasterosteus spinachia_, does well, and
is very cheerful and brisk in his movements. Three or four would be an
improvement to any tank.
Young of the gray Mullet, too, do well; for if the supply of oxygen be
rather inadequate, they are observed to put their heads partly above the
surface of the water, and obtain an artificial supply in that
surreptitious manner. The black Goby, _Gobius niger_, has also been
tried with success; but his voracious character—devouring without
scruple even his own congeners—renders him on the whole not a very
desirable tenant; and yet it is a fine sight to see the little warrior
turn black when he seizes his prey, his turquois-coloured eyes dilating
with fury.
Several other kinds are mentioned, in a previous page, in the list of
animals placed by Mr. Gosse in his first experimental Aquarium.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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