| In the eyes of the non-diving public, the | | | | Anywhere there's water there's life, and much |
| underwater hunter is a guy who walks out of | | | | of it can be transplanted to the aquarium |
| the water with a spear, a mask, a big wide | | | | environment with great success. Actually, the |
| grin, and a big dead fish. To a degree, the | | | | limitations are more often set by |
| picture is an accurate one: certainly | | | | preconceptions than by nature. To the average |
| big-game hunting has always been and | | | | aquarist, the only fish that seem appropriate |
| continues to be an important aspect of the | | | | for life in a glass tank are fresh-water |
| sport. | | | | topicals. Period. |
| | | | |
| But in recent months there has been an | | | | The skin-diver is just as likely to think in |
| enormous upsurge of interest in small-game | | | | terms of a few marine species only. Both |
| hunting for specimens that are caught and | | | | frames of reference are unnecessarily narrow. |
| kept, and not killed. Not too long ago only a | | | | Good aquarium fish can be found in most of |
| few of the hundreds of aquarists' clubs in | | | | the coastal areas of the U. S., and even the |
| the U. S. had one or two divers as members. | | | | inland waters contain interesting and |
| Today there are several societies composed | | | | beautiful candidates for the home set-up. |
| entirely of diver-aquarists, and several | | | | |
| thousand unaffiliated collectors who have | | | | There are a few factors to consider before |
| found that the aquarium hobby opens up a big | | | | you start bagging tenants for a tank. Most |
| and practically virgin territory in the | | | | species that swim out in the open do |
| underwater world. | | | | relatively poorly in restricted aquarium |
| | | | surroundings, and should generally be |
| No one has a better opportunity to see and | | | | avoided. Choose varieties that swim close to |
| collect exceptional specimens than the skin | | | | the bottom, in the protective cover of kelp |
| or scuba diver. In fact divers whose contact | | | | or coral, or in and around submerged objects. |
| with underwater life has sharpened their | | | | |
| interest and observation sometimes know more | | | | Consider also the fish's size. Really big or |
| about the subject than land-locked marine | | | | even fairly big species are unsuitable, of |
| biologists; more than one diver has come up | | | | course, but young examples of medium-sized |
| with a new species that's totally unknown to | | | | species are sometimes more appropriate than |
| the professionals. Anyone who spends his time | | | | they may seem: aquarium life has the effect |
| exploring down under gets an intimate | | | | of stunting growth, because fish tend not to |
| knowledge of submarine life that translates | | | | outgrow their environment. |
| into a head start in learning the arts of the | | | | |
| aquarist. | | | | The equipment used to collect fish can be as |
| | | | simple as a wide-necked glass jar or a small |
| Divers discover through direct observation | | | | hand net. Best of the latter is a |
| what environment various species require, | | | | long-handled butterfly net made of nylon |
| what they eat, how they nest and spawn, what | | | | marquisette or mosquito netting, and held |
| kind of cover they like to live in, and so | | | | still in the water so that it flows out with |
| on. | | | | the current. |
| | | | |
| Still, the diver who wants to maintain his | | | | When fish swim into it (which they're more |
| underwater acquisitions in an aquarium has a | | | | likely to do if there's some |
| number of new skills to learn. Killing fish | | | | crushed-shellfish bait nearby), the trap is |
| is usually easier than collecting them; and | | | | locked by turning the handle 90 degrees. |
| collecting them is often easier than keeping | | | | Another tool is the slurp gun, which consists |
| them alive. But the result is worth some | | | | of a piece of metal or plastic tubing about |
| effort. As trophies go, a well-kept aquarium | | | | two feet long and with a 1 1/2-inch bore, |
| stocked with beautiful, thriving fish can't | | | | with a tire-pump rod and plunger added to |
| begin to be matched by taxidermy's best. | | | | provide vacuum and suction. |
| | | | |
| Where, What and How to Collect | | | | Many beautiful species of fish can be caught |
| | | | and kept alive using this equipment. |