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FAQs on Pondfish Livestock Selection
Related Articles: Koi Selection, Acclimation,
Koi Selection, Koi
Varieties, Goldfish,
Goldfish Varieties,
Dojo/Weatherfish Use In Ponds,
Turtles and Other Pond Animals,
Pond Snails 1, Pond Snails 2,
Plants:
Landscape Plants, Water
lilies,
Plant Care, Koi/Pond Fish
Disease, Pond Maintenance, Example
Ponds/Water Features,
Related FAQs: Pond
Livestocking,
Pond Acclimation, |
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golden algae eater and platys in outdoor pond
8/6/09
Hello
<G'day,>
I have a large terracotta pot (150 litres) with water lilies and other
plants in it.
I have nine adult Platys and probably about a dozen babies (4 different
sizes). I then have a golden algae eater.
<Is this Gyrinocheilus aymonieri? This is a fish I strongly DON'T
recommend. It's a lousy algae eater, particularly when mature, and
notorious for becoming extremely aggressive when mature. At 25-35 cm
when fully grown, it's also far too large for a 150 litre aquarium, pond
or anything else.>
The water is beautifully clear and we live in North Queensland so it
doesn’t get too cold at all. There is no filtration or aeration in the
pot but I change about 1/3 to ¼ of the water every 2 weeks.
<I have maintained Corydoras in similar conditions, with success. Does
assume the "pond" isn't overstocked, so remove surplus fish as and when
you can. Also give the bottom of the pond a bit of a clean every few
months to remove excessive amounts of detritus and decaying organic
matter.>
I seem to have some very fat fish. Will the algae eater (about 5cm long)
eat the new fry?
<No.>
There is no chance that I can catch and separate the pregnant ones.
<Fine.>
I LOVE my fish.
<And I'm sure they love you, too.>
Thanks for your help,
Jenny
<Cheers, Neale.>
Re: golden algae eater and platys in outdoor pond
8/6/09
Thanks Neale
<Jenny,>
I do do the vacuum thing every couple of weeks when I change some of the
water and add some barley liquid too.
<Barley liquid? Whatever for? In a pond this small, the Platies should
be able to handle any algae, and I'd be relying on water changes (or
rainfall) to swap out "old" water every couple of weeks.>
Should I catch the Gyrinocheilus aymonieri (yes, that is it - I checked
a photo) and take him back to the Pet Shop?
<If you can, yes.>
What should I replace it with?
<Nothing. Platies eat algae, it's their natural diet in the wild. You
could add some pond snails if you wanted, but otherwise wouldn't worry
about algae.>
Thanks again,
Jenny
<Cheers, Neale.>
Thanks Neale for your practical advice and quick response.
Much appreciated,
Jenny
<Happy to help. Cheers, Neale.>
Oranda fish, fancy goldfish breeds not for pond stocking
6/7/09
I have a 1000 gallon garden pond in my back yard. It has 11 goldfish and
2 Oranda fish in it. The biggest fish is 7", the smallest is 2".
<Oranda, and indeed most Fancy Goldfish, aren't suitable for ponds.>
Two weeks ago is when I purchased and added the 2 Oranda fishes.
Everything seemed fine. This morning one of the Oranda's was floating on
top. It was fine last night. After examining this fish, I don't notice
any type trauma or swelling.
<Without any symptoms, it's difficult for me to say what happened. Could
be a variety of things.>
The fish store assured me that these were hardy fish very similar to the
standard goldfish.
<You were assured wrong. Fancy Goldfish are far less hardy. There are
multiple issues, not least of which are their deformities, which prevent
them finding food, interacting with "normal" Goldfish, and avoiding
predators. Some people find these deformities attractive, which is fine,
but you can't escape the fact a deformed swim bladder, a crooked back,
and face covered with warts are all impediments. So Fancy Goldfish need
to be kept indoors, where humans can watch over them. I strongly
recommend Standard Goldfish be kept in ponds, i.e., Common Goldfish,
Comets, and Shubunkins. Apart from their odd colours, all these have a
single tail and a straight back, so they can interact (i.e., fight for
food!) normally as well as swim away from predators. Black Moors and
Fantails are a step down in terms of hardiness. They mix OK with
Standards in aquaria, but I wouldn't recommend them for ponds. All the
other Fancy Goldfish should be considered aquarium fish only, and
preferably mixed only with their own kind. In other words, Orandas
together, Pompons together, and so on. On top of this, the more inbred a
fish is -- which is always the case the more "fancy" a Goldfish is
compared to the Standard -- the less resistance it has to things like
disease and environmental stress. It's the same reason mongrel dogs live
much longer than pedigrees, and the same reason human societies have
taboos against inbreeding. For ponds, you really are best with
Standards, Comets and Shubunkins, all of which are rock-solid in terms
of hardiness, given adequate conditions and appropriate preventative
healthcare.>
One of the things I noticed about Oranda's is it seems difficult for
them to feed at the top of the water like the others. Because of the
shape of their faces they have to get in an straight up and down
position to take
food from the water surface.
<Indeed.>
Most of the time, coming up for a morsel and then retrieving back lower
in the water, without the food.
<In practise this means it takes them much longer to feed, and other
fish, the Standards, will likely out-compete them at dinner time.>
The water as always, tested perfect.
<Cool.>
Thanks so much for your help and the wonderful website.
Tonni
<Cheers, Neale.>
Albino Channel Cat (Catfish),
sel./use in ornamental ponds 12/4/08
I live in Southern
New Jersey. I have the opportunity to buy a 18 inch Albino Channel Cat (Catfish
- $30.00), will he survive in our outdoor pond with our goldfish ? ( the gold
fish are breeding, so I know they are doing well - no heater which the Cat is
use to) Thank you for you help. Bob
<Ictalurus sp. generally make extremely
poor pond residents. Not only do they get enormous (potentially over 130 cm,
about 4 feet) they spend all their time at the bottom of the pond, hidden from
view. So if you want to keep a huge fish you won't see, that will put a major
strain on water quality, and will very likely eat some of the Goldfish as well
as all of the interesting wildlife (frogs, dragonflies, etc.) in your pond, then
go ahead. Cheers, Neale.>
Handling of fish... koi,
pondfish... Mucus f' 10/21/07
Hi,
Too many times I see people that sell fish especially koi pick up and hold them
with their bare hands and then measure them. Correct me if I am wrong but
doesn't this remove the natural slime not to mention stress the fish out? I
figure netting the fish is enough trauma without going through all of the excess
torture. Am I wrong to not want to purchase from places that put their fish
through so much stress??
Thanks,
Doris
<Hello Doris. Indeed, most fish do not like to be handled, and yes, you can risk
damaging the scales and skin. Up to a point, the mucus will be re-secreted if
any is lost, and I'm not convinced that handling a fish is any better or worse
than netting a fish as far as losing mucus goes. It's probably six of one, half
a dozen of the other. Mucus has a low metabolic cost, so assuming a fish is in
basically good shape, loss of mucus isn't particularly serious (it's comparable
to mucus produced in our nose, mouth and throat, where mucus is constantly being
lost). What matters is minimising the time a fish is out of water. I have seen
aquarists handle large fish like koi in preference to using nets. Expert
fishkeepers at least may consider the relative softness and smoothness of their
hands kinder to the skin of their fish than the coarse netting used in large
nets. But that's probably a personal judgment call rather than anything
objectively tested. Anyway, to answer your specific question: a good fish
retailer won't be handling any fish out of water regularly. Indeed, the less
often, the better. If the fish are handled excessively and without care, it
should be apparent by missing scales, damaged fins, finrot, fungus, etc on the
fish in the store. On the other hand, koi are large fish with solid bodies and
heavy scales, and up to a point they tolerate handling well (their ancestors,
plain Carp, Cyprinus carpio, are incredibly durable fish). So while you're right
to be cautious, if the quality and health of the livestock on sale is good, the
fact the retailer handles the fish shouldn't be a reason to boycott the store in
and of itself. Cheers, Neale.>
Ridding pond of channel catfish – 08/17/07
Sirs:
Please excuse me for circumventing all the other paths on your web site; but,
I'm really up against a problem, and have spent weeks now searching the web for
an answer, to no avail. Then, by chance, I ran across your site.
Three years ago, I stocked my pond with 25 channel catfish. At the time, they
were fingerlings. Three of them died shortly after putting them in the pond. By
the next summer, the others had grown to about 8". I should tell you that I was
told by the fish farm where I bought the cats that they were all bulls...I
didn't want them reproducing. Being a novice, I had no way of knowing whether
they were or not. They weren't, and by the third spring, there must have been
300-500 baby cats in the pond.
This summer, we fished out all the remaining original fish, and the ones from
last summer will probably breed next spring. Short of draining the pond, how do
I get rid of all the catfish so I can start over? There are no other species in
the pond, and I don't need thousands of channel cats in a pond this size.
The pond is a rounded oval shape, roughly 55 ft X 85 ft, and an average depth of
10-12 ft; very steep sides, no weeds to speak of, and very little algae. It is
used primarily for swimming; and, as an emergency water source in the event of a
neighborhood fire, since most home-use water in this area is trucked in. Some
homeowners have wells, but the flow is very slow (avg 12 gph), and most have
iron in them.
Thanking you in advance for any advice you can offer.
Paul F. Shagnot
Ashtabula, Ohio
<Unfortunately there are no specific Ictalurid poisons... though there are fish
mostly types... I am hesitant to suggest their use however, due to the chance of
poisoning other wildlife... and the uncertainty of the disposition of run off
water here. My best advice is actually to drain AND lime AND dry this basin...
and refill. Otherwise, I suggest you check with your State "fish and game" re
their suggestions. Bob Fenner>
Thanks!
<Welcome! Please do write back re the outcome of your search, efforts. Bob
Fenner>
Schooling and spawning
I have a two-part question. First, I have a small pond (1500 gallons or so)
heavily stocked with about 30 feeder goldfish. The fish are getting quite large
- all appear to be 4-5 inches long, and some are a good bit larger. They've
lived together for the past three years, the first two in a much smaller pond
(200 gallons). They are exhibiting aggressive mating behavior since the weather
got warm. Is my pond getting too small for them? Second question: the two oldest
fish are now seven years old, but are still large and active. I didn't think
goldfish lived that long. How old can I expect them to get?
Jeff Resta
<Hi Jeff. As a rule of thumb, each goldfish should be given about 30 gallons of
water, so by my reckoning 30 x 30 = 600 gallons so you're fine. This assumes the
tank is filtered and basically well cared for. You might want to "thin the herd"
a little if you find water quality isn't as good as it should be. Sharing good
quality, pond-bred goldfish shouldn't be difficult given your fish will be far
healthier than anything available in the average pet store. As for age, the
oldest goldfish known are around 30 years of age. So yours are a ways off
drawing their pensions just yet! Cheers, Neale>
Mystery Fish
pond genesis? – 06/27/07
Hello Crew
<<Just a small part of it, Kirk. Tom here.>>
I have a strange question for you.
<<You’ve come to the right place.>>
In my backyard there is a small natural pond that dries up in the summertime.
This year, as the pond was shrinking, we found a 6" long sunfish. The pond is
not connected to any other bodies of water and is located in the middle of a
field. There has never been any other fish in this pond and nothing has ever
been added to the pond by people.
<<That you know of, perhaps?>>
I've also heard stories of ponds with minnows in them that also dry up in the
summer. Where do you think these fish come from?
<<In all likelihood, Kirk, a bird. Depending on where you live, I couldn’t
totally discount something as seemingly obscure as weather phenomenon such as a
twister/tornado but my money’s on the probability that a bird snagged your
Sunfish from another body of water nearby and “lost” it in your pond, which it
might have stopped at to dine on its catch. In my area of Michigan, we’ve still
got wading birds similar to Egrets/Herons that occupy our wetland areas – even
golf courses – and these creatures will snag “something” (frogs, crayfish, fish)
and fly off to another water hole to eat their prey. A six-inch Sunfish would be
a lot to hold on to and I’m betting a bird like I’ve described just couldn’t
finish (start?) the job. (It’ll be a 30” Pike when he tells his buddies, over
beers, about the “one that got away”. :) ) >>
Thank you very much
Kirk
<<No problem, Kirk. Have a good one! Tom>>
Myxocyprinus asiaticus, in Michigan pond? 4/8/07
I was wondering if I could winter one of these over in a pond? Have you
ever heard of this? I live in southern
Michigan. Thanks
guys,
Holden
<Mmm, I don't think so... this species is listed as subtropical on fishbase:
http://fishbase.org/Summary/speciesSummary.php?ID=12304&genusname=Myxocyprinus&speciesname=asiaticus
15-28 C... but do know that it gets much colder in your State. Bob Fenner>
Re: Myxocyprinus asiaticus, in a MI pond 5/10/07
Well, I'd figure I'd let you guys know that a couple guys that I know had 3
of these guys overwinter here in Michigan.
<Appreciate this>
They got pretty big over last summer and now they are big and happy. These are
roughly 30 inch deep plus ponds that have a ice melter to keep the surface open.
<Good idea... Fishbase still lists the species as subtropical with a lower temp.
range of 15 C...
http://fishbase.sinica.edu.tw/Summary/speciesSummary.php?ID=12304&genusname=Myxocyprinus&speciesname=asiaticus
Cheers, Bob Fenner>
Ponds and Platys 4/21/07
Hi,
<Claire>
I sent up a small garden pond in July last year, approx. 2m x 2m and about 1m
deep, no filtration just plants and some good bacteria from a swamp down the
road. It took about 6 months for the pond to settle and become clear.
<Okay>
I put in 2 platys and 2 goldfish, I now have about 500 platies!!!!!
<Neat!>
There are also about 1000 toad tadpoles, it's teeming with life!!. I have been
giving a lot of platys away but can't keep up, so last week I decided I needed
predators. I was hoping the kingfishers would take a few. Also had a visiting
helmeted terrapin who are supposed to be carnivorous but all he did was eat the
fairy moss and then left.
So now I have 2 Oscars, do you think that they will eat some fry and tadpoles?
<Are tropical species... will likely perish if your water is cold...>
Also there has been some changes in colour of some new platys, they are grey
with no red/orange pigment, could this be the inbreeding?
<Of a sort, yes... and "natural selection"... the colorful ones are likely
"standing out" against the background... getting eaten selectively>
Just in case you are wondering I live in Tanzania.
Many thanks
Claire
<Ahh! Then rather than a neotropical (South American in the case of the Oscar),
I might try a "native" cichlid species here... Bob Fenner>
Fishy <I'll say!>... Over bio-loaded pond... stop-gap measures 4/19/07
Dear Bob & crew
<Big D>
Last night, for no apparent reason, my white tip reef shark bit the fluke of my
bottlenose dolphin
I bet you wish you had a nickel from every time you've heard THAT, right?
(ahem - just kidding)
<Heeeee!>
Finally, my son's marine aquarium is stable, thanks in great part to your
wonderful site and expert advice.
Things are nice and quiet.
Yep. You guessed it.
Too quiet.
Nature abhors me having a nice, relaxing day.
<And a vacuum!>
So a woman I know called and told me she just bought a house with a Koi pond and
asked if I could come take a look. So I get there and it's a nice house and a
nice pond. There are six 22+ inch Koi and two 8 inch Koi in a 650 gallon pond
with a 800 GPH submersible pump emptying into a 30 gallon filter.
<Yikes... too much life, too little water, filter...>
OK, it was a nice pond when there were 8 fingerlings in it. So I whip out my
test kit and get exactly what I expected: 1.0+ Ammonia, 5.0 Nitrite & 8.1
PH. So I ask her: Are you sure they're not dead and it's just the current
blowing them around?
<Good one>
Well, no I didn't ask exactly that ... but now I'm under more stress than the
Koi.
Changing close to 650 gallons of water over 36 hours improved things
dramatically, but I swear, even as I'm doing this ... a couple of the Koi would
nose to me, head almost out of water and then turn and shoot poop out as if to
say "we've evolved, we LIKE ammonia!"
<Doubtful>
Anyway ... a bigger pond and less fish is the answer and we're working the
logistics on that ... but in the near term, what would you think about 4 litres
each of Purigen and Phos-Guard in the filter as an artificial assistant while I
dig the other hole, pour the other cement and beg the homeowner for the funds to
do all this?
<This and more or less constant water changing, very limited feeding... Bob
Fenner>
Pond Compatibility - 06/14/2006
Ok we have a pond.
<Ok.>
We would like to put catfish in it. Can we also put tilapia with the catfish in
the pond?
<Uhh, depends on the climate, the catfish species you intend, the size of the
pond, maybe more....>
I couldn't find any info on which fish could live together believe it or not. If
you have any idea would you please let me know. It would be greatly appreciated!
<Do please keep reading, researching.... There are more variables at play than
I/we know about your pond at this point. Wishing you well, -Sabrina>
New Pond Idea... New Show on Discovery -
"Monster Pond"! 11/11/05
Wet Web Crew,
<ZT>
I've come up with this awesome idea of creating a giant outdoor pond. It started
when I came up with the idea of trying to put some tropical fish in a giant pond
outside in my backyard. People told me that it would not be possible because of
the extremely harsh winters (I live in New York), and that it would take an
industrial sized heater and a too much $$$ to make it possible. I wanted to put
my 2 Red Bellied Pacu along with a couple other monster fish in there so I would
no longer have to worry about tank upgrades for life!
Well I decided that I should just wait until I get enough money to get a 300-400
gallon tank for my basement and put in the RB Pacu along with a few other nice
sized fish. ANYWAY, now I have this awesome idea of stocking a pond in my
backyard with monster pond fish. I am thinking the pond can be anywhere between
500-5,000 gallon depending on the $ and space. I want to stock it with some
monster fish. Keep in mind I live in NY, so I have some tough winters, but some
of the fish that I had in mind where possibly: Bass, Northern Pike or some other
pike species, paddlefish (*if the pond is large enough*), perhaps sturgeon,
trout, carp or other giants. I don't have a good idea of pond fish because I’m
more of a tropical fish guy so maybe a couple of ideas. Please help!
What other fish should I put in this pond???
<Help with? Please read here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/PondSubWebIndex/Pond%20Sub%20Web.htm.
This is the Index to our Pond Subweb... the articles, FAQs files are
arranged in series... from design, construction, stocking, maintenance... Bob
Fenner>
Re: New Pond Idea... more of a notion 11/12/2005
I just wanted to know if the stocking plan can be done? Could these fish fit
in this pond? What other should I add?
<... what plan? The list is not compatible... take a read on WWM re the species,
their compatibility, systems... BobF> Re: New Pond Idea 11/12/2005
There is no compatibility list on the site. In the pond section there are
only fish species of Koi, Invertebrates, and Goldfish. There is nothing
on Sturgeons, Paddlefish or any of the fish I mentioned. Which fish
aren't compatible?
<Ahh... the last two families... too large, non-competitive to live with
these others... Need VERY large systems, mostly by themselves, to
thrive. Bob Fenner>
Koi & bass, stocking a pond in NH
I have a manmade freshwater pond that has many frogs and tiny fish. It is
about 1/2 acre and 5 feet deep at the deepest. We're in NH so it maybe
freezes through in the winter?
<Maybe... you can find out from a few sources... neighbors, the local farm
groups associations with government... Hopefully not all the way to the bottom
(freezing, not the Gov>
It is spring fed and has runoff from a nearby road.
We'd like to stock it with koi and bass. Is that a good idea? Any other
suggestions?
Thanks for your help!
Candace Chopra
<Have seen this done. You may want to make a census of what is there, chat with
local "fish and game" re what they allow... Have seen koi (carp, Cyprinus
carpio) and Bass of various species (mainly Micropterus salmoides here in CA) in
the same basins... but one needs to be concerned with outflow... the fish
getting loose... as well as issues of overall dynamics in the system. It may
well be that other sunfish (the family the bass belongs to), like Bluegill,
Green Ear Sunfish, Pumpkinseed... would be a better mix. Bob Fenner>
Fish for pond
OK, guys, I've sent this three times now. I don't know if there is a bad
connection or you haven't had the time so here it is!
<I would chalk it up to internet gremlins. We have had a few emails never make
it to their destinations for no apparent reason. Sorry for the inconvenience,
it doesn't happen frequently, but when it does it is a bother.>
Hey crew!
Gage, thanks for your quick response last night; i already read over all of the
articles. I saw the biological filters page and the DIY suggestions. Could i buy
one already made?
<There are many hobbyists that make these as side jobs and sell them to other
people. You might want to check in local hobby groups in your area, or even on
eBay. I have found many of the more unique DIY items already made and ready to
go there for a lot less than I could build them for.>
I plan to settle my pond in sand tomorrow, on Sunday. I don't have a ton of free
time to make a filter, let alone find all the supplies. I would like to have the
pond running in maybe two months.
<That seems like a decent amount of time to get things situated and ready to
go.>
I don't want to do a in-pond filter, but then again my pond is 175 gallons.
There is a ledge level which concerns me. The top level is roughly (in feet) 6X3
1/2X 1. The bottom level is 4X3X1. This is about, oops, 200 gallons. Not
extremely large but i got it for free which beats spending several, several
grand.
<yeah, can't beat that price! I did like having a filter on my pond, gave me a
bit of comfort knowing that it was helping the water. Though it did get messy
pretty quickly, and cleaning took a while. But, I still think that it helped in
the health of the pond and fish.>
Another question: i live in North Carolina with the woods in my back yard. Would
raccoons, foxes, easily get my fish?
<Yes, they would. Raccoons love to get fish out of ponds like that. But the
real problem with out door ponds is Herons! These birds will settle on your
pond and not leave it until all the fish are gone. My aunt lost about 5000
dollars worth of koi from a single bird in one year from her pond! That bird
quickly became public enemy #1.>
If so, what if it was saltwater?
<The salt might deter many would be snackers, but not for long. I doubt a heron
would really care as long as it could get it's beak on tasty fish.>
And how much more would it cost to make it saltwater as opposed to freshwater?
<The cost of salt is the first major price increase. Not to mention that you
would need a filtration system, and possibly live rock if you to keep the water
looking nice. Salt water also evaporates quite quickly and leaves a salty
residue everywhere, so that might not be something you want. I have never
attempted an outdoor saltwater pond. And it might be something you should ask
about at ReefCentral.com. I always seem to find people trying some zany things
on that forum. You can also check out WetWebMedia's forum and ask people
there. It's sure to spark a good conversation!>
If i could make it salt water, Could i put a lid on it, like a plastic cover?
<You could, though it would hinder gas exchange at the surface of the water.
Thus effecting the health of the fish. Also, I'm not sure what sort of Lid you
would use for it. That might be another question to ask on the forum. My
personal belief is not to put a lid on it. Adding a lid will take away from gas
exchange, and run the risk of causing temperatures to rise and harm the fish.>
Also, you suggested an indoor cichlids pond. Could i just buy a good heater for
the pond outside and make it a cichlid pond? And since it is an in ground pond,
could you even see the cichlids that well? Thanks for listening to me.
<Many ponds in Florida have cichlids in them. Some have totally cichlid ponds,
other use a cichlid in their koi ponds to help reduce unwanted pest fish and
insects. The trouble with outdoor ponds is that they can become dark and murky,
nothing like the indoor aquarium. And unless you get some of the brighter
colored cichlids then it will be hard to see them.>
Thanks in advance, Ryan
<Good luck. -Magnus>
Fish for pond
OK, guys, I've sent this three times now. I don't know if there is a bad
connection or you haven't had the time so here it is!
Hey crew!
Gage, thanks for your quick response last night; i already read over all of the
articles. I saw the biological filters page and the DIY suggestions. Could i buy
one already made?
<Check aquatic ecosystems in Florida. They handle lots of equipment and filters
for almost any aquatic need. They supply the fish farmers in Florida so they
should have what you need at a reasonable price. Check it out then compare them
to what you could build yourself>
I plan to settle my pond in sand tomorrow, on Sunday. I don't have a ton of free
time to make a filter, let alone find all the supplies. I would like to have the
pond running in maybe two months. I don't want to do a in-pond filter, but then
again my pond is 175 gallons. There is a ledge level which concerns me. The top
level is roughly (in feet) 6X3 1/2X 1. The bottom level is 4X3X1. This is about,
oops, 200 gallons. Not extremely large but i got it for free which beats
spending several, several grand.
Another question: i live in North Carolina with the woods in my back yard. Would
raccoons, foxes, easily get my fish?
< Wild animals can be a major problem with ponds, especially if you live away
from the city. Ponds seem to attract every known animal within a 5 mile radius.
Raccoons sure, foxes maybe, add water snakes, frogs and birds such as herons to
the list too.>
If so, what if it was saltwater?
< While saltwater would be a deterrent to frogs and maybe snakes, the other
predators especially the bird would not be stopped at all.>
And how much more would it cost to make it saltwater as opposed to freshwater?
< salt water fish usually have a much narrower temperature tolerance than
freshwater fish. In you area the temperature can get quite high and you might
need a chiller too.>
If i could make it salt water, Could i put a lid on it, like a plastic cover?
< A lid would keep some predators out. Snakes probably still find a way in. A
solid plastic lid would retain heat like being in a car with the windows rolled
up and could get very hot. Probably too hot.>
Also, you suggested an indoor cichlids pond. Could i just buy a good heater for
the pond outside and make it a cichlid pond?
< During the summer months you may not need a heater at all, but during the
winter a heater would be needed. Do you really want to pay a high electric bill
for fish you probably won't be watching?>
And since it is an in ground pond, could you even see the cichlids that well?
< Some cichlids show up very well in ponds. In Lake Malawi in Africa there is a
fish collector whose house is right on the lake and keeps many cichlids in his
pond. They are mostly red zebras and looked very nice. But overall if it were
me, I would set the pond up outside where it looks good and is convenient to
watch. Add some pond plants to make it look nice and natural. Then I would add a
few cheap goldfish and watch them for a while and see how they do over a year
during the different seasons. If the fish are doing well and are growing and
thriving then I would add the filtration to the pond with an attractive
waterfall or fountain. I suspect the water will turn green with algae and it
would be difficult to see anything. Fish that are bright and attractive to your
eye will also look the same to a predator too. The indoor pond thing would work
but I think you would enjoy the fish in an aquarium better.-Chuck>
Thanks for listening to me.
Thanks in advance,
Ryan
Pond Fun
Dear Bob:
<Sabrina here today, hoping to help with your pond questions!>
My wife and I dug out a small pond in our yard last month - January. It's vinyl
lined, and has approx 25 sq ft area, and ranges 18" to 24" deep. We lined the
edges with various type rocks we have collected over the years: quartz from New
England, coral from the Keys, granite and marble from Texas Hill Country,
volcanic from Mexico, and local sandstone from East Texas.
<The only thing here that really concern me is the coral - this will affect your
pH and hardness, please test regularly, remove the coral from the pond if
necessary.>
All in all it looks pretty nice, and there are numerous caves and channels
between the rocks and pond edge. The bottom is also rock and pebbles, but much
smaller.
<Sounds fun!>
We planted some edge plants for shading, and are now collecting local lilies and
hyacinth for pond growth.
<Great fun, indeed! I love local collecting.... er, when/where I can do so
legally.>
We waited until late January to introduce some fish, and then added about 25-30
minnows from a bayou near our house.
<Any idea what kind of fish specifically?>
At this time the pond had taken on a greenish glow indicating some algae growth
which we felt was good.
<Well, good? Yeah, kinda, but it will continue to grow to nuisance proportions,
ultimately making your pond a tasty-looking "pea-soup" color. It would
definitely be of benefit to add more plants to help outcompete the algae. With
so much great local stuff, this should be a lot of fun.>
The minnows seem to like the pond, and we have some mosquito larvae that we dump
in from our bird bath.
<Yum!>
We live near Houston, TX, the water temp at present is around 55F, and we have a
small 200 GPM pump that feeds a waterfall that aerates the pond.
<Very good.>
We are looking for other fish to add, and this week, I bought 8 each Rosies
because they seemed to be a pretty hardy fish, and add a little color. They are
doing well, and I feed them fish flakes.
<Although these are quite hardy little fish, it is a real gamble whether you can
get 'em healthy; they are sold as feeders, and quite often kept in less than
adequate conditions, and tend to contract illness, which they could bring home
and spread to your other fishes. I would recommend implementing a quarantine
system to use prior to adding such fish in the future, if possible.>
Today is overcast and only 50F - all the fish seem to be laying low; i.e.,
hidden in the rock crevices. Yesterday was a bit sunny, and closer to 60F, and
they were more active in the open water. Is this normal?
<Yes, absolutely.>
Also, during the cooler nights, I cover the pond with a bubble wrap liner -
keeps in warmth, also keeps out leaves which are still falling.
<Excellent.>
When it gets a bit warmer, I want to add some more Rosies
<For reasons above, I would skip the Rosies. It is also best to have lower
stocking densities, to prevent organic waste buildup which would lead to health
and algae issues.>
and maybe 5 or 6 goldfish.
<These will probably absolutely love your pond, and then some.>
Probably in March - March 1st is frost free day here. We want low maintenance
fish - are we thinking correctly, or should we take another direction.
<Sounds good, to me - just do please be wary of adding too many fish; "less is
more", so to speak. As above, I would skip the additional Rosies. The goldfish
will be a much more colorful, substantial addition, anyway.>
Thanks for any advice you can pass on. I found your website yesterday, and
it's something we'll use for our reference - thanks for keeping it up. Marty
Husti
<And thank you for the kind words! We're glad you're enjoying it, and glad to
be of service. Wishing you well, -Sabrina>
Rosy Red Minnows & Northern Redbelly Dace
Hello,
<Hi there>
I apologize for bothering you guys so much, but I'm still on the hunt for
diversifying the fish in my pond. There isn't that much information for ponds
other than goldfish and koi. Also, since it's too cold to do much with the pond
right now I have to get my fish fix online.
<No worries at all.>
I have been reading a lot lately in search of new fish to add. I've come across
the Rosy Red Minnow, and wanted to confirm their usefulness in ponds. Apparently
they are more tolerant of temperature extremes than common goldfish, even
swimming below the ice in winter. Second is the Northern Redbelly Dace, I know
of someone in Maryland who has the Southern variety in her pond, and continually
survive winters. The Northern Redbelly can be found in waters much farther north
than here (southern Ontario). Again just wanted to confirm their compatibility.
<These should both work out just fine. I’m not familiar with them myself but the
webpages I was able to find said they are compatible with goldfish and Koi. I
found a lot of info on the Rosy Reds at
http://userpages.umbc.edu/~rrhudy1/rosies.htm This site also has a little
info on the Redbellies.>
Also, I have three Koi I'm about to add to my pond (my first). I have two
concerns, are Koi normally "high strung"? These don't let you sit and watch
them, they dart around for about a minute and then hide and won't come out. They
are also a lot faster than the goldfish, especially the two fantails I have in
the pond. Will they get picked on by the Koi?
<Give them some time to adapt to their surroundings and you should see them more
often.>
I apologize again for the questions, I can't sit outside and watch the pond
because of the cold, and the Koi keep hiding from me. You should watch out for
me next weekend it's supposed to be cold again.
<It’s been chilly here too (NW Montana) but probably not quite as cold as
there!>
Thanks again, Mike
<You're welcome! Ronni>
Re: Rosy Red Minnows & Northern Redbelly Dace
Hey Ronni,
<Hi Mike>
That's kind of funny, the page you mentioned is the person I was referencing.
I've been using her page for information for over a year now, and that's where I
got the idea to get those fish. Now I just have to find them. Hopefully some
bait shop or LFS just happens to have them.
<That page had some good info. They did say that those fish could be hard to
find but one of the plusses was that the Rosy Red are easy breeders so if you
get some you may end up being able to fully stock with just a few breeders.>
Also funny, I'm actually further south than Montana, and it should be a lot
warmer here, we just got hit with a cold snap.
<Can you tell that geography has always been a killer for me? *G* Oh well,
hopefully the cold spell won’t move this way, it’s cool enough here right now!>
Oh ya, I've been checking on the Koi and they do seem more relaxed, but still
don't stay out for more than a minute.
<That’s good. I think they’ll eventually come out more. Their whole world
changed when you put them in there and they don’t know what’s around that would
consider them prey.>
Thanks for the help. Mike
<You're welcome! Ronni>
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