9781422274941

INTRODUCT ION

Who could dispute this fish's claim to being the queen angelfish, Holacan- thus ciliaris? The elec- tric-blue markings of the juveniles are replaced by vibrant golds and yellows as the fish matures.

P eople have kept fish in captivity for almost as long as they have recorded history. The ancient Romans raised fish in ponds and tanks. Although these creatures were destined not to be cared for as pets but for the table. The city of Naples was noted for its elaborate system of ponds, both freshwater and marine, which were home to many large, and presumably edible, fish. It was probably the Chinese, however, who first kept ornamental fish about 1,000 years ago. Their favorite was the goldfish, which they kept in large bowls or opaque tanks (goldfish look attractive from above, so the lack of glass aquaria made little difference). The Japanese also enjoyed keeping goldfish and perfected the art of breeding them in strange and beautiful colors. By the middle of the 17th century, goldfish had been introduced into Europe but were still kept in bowls or ponds and viewed only from above. Many varieties were available, all of which looked interesting from above, with their bright colors, strangely shaped heads, and flowing fins; the more bizarre they appeared, they more popular they were. By the middle of the 19th century, relatively cheap glass aquaria hadbeendeveloped, andmore fishspecieswereavailable tocollectors. Amateur fish keeping was still a somewhat expensive privilege of the upper classes, but many homes had one or two goldfish that they kept in bowls. Public aquaria were established in Britain and on the Continent, and some of the earliest books on the subject

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