Goldfish

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 114, 10 November 1934, Page 19

Goldfish

Thejlecorativeness of goldfish has grown into the national consciousness in proportion as aquariums, lily-ponds, and swimming-pools are tending y - towards an aquatic world, states the "Manchester Guardian." It is not enough now merely to have^a goldfish in a bowl. The goldfish with glass, coral, and-seaweed must be of special kind, and the pond in the garden, even if only 'made of concrete, must be a maze of gold and red and black of various sizes. Goldfish, where they will flourish, are even more ornamental "•,han flowers, and they have the advantage of.being natural to the water in which they have their being. It is, however, not as easy as all that to maintain them. Handfuls of ants' eggs or a sprinkling of vermicelli do. not | suffice. Goldfish have many enemies, beginning with themselves, and it is dangerous and putting temptation' in their way to encourage great differences of size. There are the foreign enemies, too. Herons have a remarkable knack of discovering the whereabouts :of : a /goldfish pond, and where there is a heronry there had better riot be gold-1 fish—indeed,' there will riot.be any for long. Some gardens, even in the suburbs, found that goldfish induce tlio kingfisher. They rejoiced in the flash of blue, murmured statistics on tho increase of kingfishers in the country, and the next morningVfound that there were vacancies in the pond which be- j fore had 'contained goldfish. King-' fishers are well worth sacrifices, but if I goldfish are wanted kingfishers must be. kept away. ■ On the whole, goldfish shines as an indoor decoration, and it is not necessary for its beauty to provide it-with a midnight sun. The colour and " r the movement 'together make of it one of the most charming features of a room, and its affections may, be retained at little cost.