"These fish have wonderful flowing tails with colors that change as though by magic from week to week. In the case of the variety known as the telescope fish the color to begin with is velvety black and gradually becomes silvery, then white, and after three years a wonderful orange red. Nearly all varieties of goldfish are constantly changing their colors, which range from black to silver and many shades of amber and golden red.
"There is an almost endless variety of these beautiful Japanese fish to choose from, the more common of which include the fantails, fringetails and comets. Good specimens of these varieties may be bought at from 25 cents to $5 each. The bulgy eyed telescope fish, the aristocrats of the aquarium world, will cost from $5 apiece up, according to size, color, shape and eyes.
"In addition to the Japanese fish there are many other rare varieties suited to balanced aquariums. Among the most popular are the banded tench, the banded sunfish, the paradise fish, the bitterling and the golden tench. Besides these I have orders for many varieties of our own native waters.
"Such orders usually come to me singly, and the one giving the order is quite willing to pay the cost of having his taste suited. These people, usually men, want an aquarium with the fish of their boyhood days. They candidly admit that they wish them as reminders of the happy days long past.
"Where native fish are wanted I usually use sunfish, dace, catfish, minnows, sticklebacks, chub, mirror carp, rockfish, small eels, alligators, newts, frogs and turtles of all sizes and shapes and colors. I always when possible have a snail, tadpole or a few newts in my aquariums, as they are scavengers and will consume much of the decaying matter thrown off by the plants, besides preventing the green scum that will form in still bodies of water.
"Beginners must be particular not to mix their fish indiscriminately. They must always remember that goldfish cannot live in peace with catfish, sunfish, eels, turtles, crawfish, rockfish or sticklebacks. If this rule is not observed, the goldfish will eventually lose the battle for life and be killed.
"Goldfish if properly cared for live to a great age. There is an aquarium in Washington where the goldfish are known to be more than fifty years old.
