IN A FISH TANK

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 22, 26 January 1924, Page 16

IN A FISH TANK

MARKED CLASS DISTINCTIONS.

A striking array of live fish formed an attractive feature of an exhibition held under the auspices of the School Nature Study Union at the London Day Training College recently, says "A.E.H." in the "Daily Chronicle.' The exhibits were brought from all parts by members of the British Aquarium Society, which gave a similar display two years ago—the first public exlijbition of tho kind in Great Britain.

Fish have very marked class distinctions and cajinot be mingled indiscriminately. Surrounded by .bait-cans containing finny occupants varying from tyrannical pike to. miniature minnows, Miss Glover, the hon. secretary of the society, found her work cut out in assorting her charges according to size and disposition. Carp, tench, minnows, bitterling, and roach presented no difficulties, but when these had been satisfactorily housed there remained a formidable array of sun fish, rock bass, diamond bass, and perch, each spoiling for a chance to use a spiny dorsal fin on some defenceless neighbour. As for the pike, he would have loved nothing^ better than to have shared a tank with some toothsome minnows. Finally, the pike was given a fine large sunfish as companion, well able to take care of itself, whilst a pugnacious rock ba^ss was given a sporting chance with a perch of its own size. The bass and perch were so evenly matched that instead of engaging in mortal combat, as was feared, tlfcy eased their tempers by cli.irgiiig their reflections in the glass 9l their tank!