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Pond success


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#1 littlen

littlen
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  • Washington, D.C.

Posted 26 November 2019 - 09:36 AM

In the interest of stirring forum conversation during the slower months of the year....

Those of you who move fish outdoors during the warmer months, or keep them out all year, did you have any spawning success that you discovered in your ponds/tubs?  What species?  How many fry did you recover?  What did/will you do with them?


Nick L.

#2 gzeiger

gzeiger
  • NANFA Guest

Posted 26 November 2019 - 12:35 PM

I used to try breeding melanistic Gambusia, with some of the fry kept in outdoors ponds. Never got any melanistic offspring though.



#3 gerald

gerald
  • Global Moderator
  • Wake Forest, North Carolina

Posted 26 November 2019 - 05:53 PM

Mudminnows are the only ones I leave outside through the winter, in above-ground tubs.  Breeding success varies from year to year.  Haven't yet cleaned out the leaves this year to check for reproduction.  The mudminnow pool has plastic shelves raised on bricks with potted plants on top; fish stay mostly under the shelves so i never see them until I clean it out in fall.


Gerald Pottern
-----------------------
Hangin' on the Neuse
"Taxonomy is the diaper used to organize the mess of evolution into discrete packages" - M.Sandel


#4 littlen

littlen
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  • Washington, D.C.

Posted 27 November 2019 - 07:10 AM

Are you both just keeping self-sustaining populations?  Do you ever introduce new genetics?  How long have these ponds been running?


Nick L.

#5 MtFallsTodd

MtFallsTodd
  • NANFA Member
  • Mountain Falls, Virginia

Posted 27 November 2019 - 08:16 AM

I have a 300 gallon stock tank buried to the rim. It is stocked with goldfish but also has a large school of flathead minnows bought from the pet shop as feeders. Started with a dozen and has grown to at least 50 over the last two years. This tank stays frozen over a few weeks every year with no loses. All the neighbors get free goldfish each spring, they breed like guppies.
Deep in the hills of Great North Mountain

#6 Michael Wolfe

Michael Wolfe
  • Board of Directors
  • North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage

Posted 27 November 2019 - 11:49 AM

In 100 gallon stock tanks here in Georgia:

  • I had Bannerfin Shiners (C.leedsi) breed one summer but only once.
  • Raised multiple years worth of American Flag Fish but just gave them all away and never kept up with them
  • Have gotten good reproduction from Bluespot Sunfish (Enneacanthus) sometimes up to 20 young from just a few adults
  • Got a few, but never very many Golden Topminnows (F. chrysotus) when I was trying to generate melanistic ones... but never anything sustaining and they dies out one year.
  • I have not checked on the mudminnows that I put out last year from Gerald

I need another few days of indian summer to inspire me to get out there and clean up the tanks and maybe bring a few fish in... otherwise I may just wait until spring.


Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin

#7 gerald

gerald
  • Global Moderator
  • Wake Forest, North Carolina

Posted 30 November 2019 - 09:45 PM

Mudminnows:  you wont see them until the last handful of leaves and last quart of water is taken out.


Gerald Pottern
-----------------------
Hangin' on the Neuse
"Taxonomy is the diaper used to organize the mess of evolution into discrete packages" - M.Sandel


#8 littlen

littlen
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  • Washington, D.C.

Posted 02 December 2019 - 09:06 AM

Michael, do you operate your tubs under a 'set-it-and-forget-it!' mindset?  Basically minimal maintenance?  I have a HDPE 55 gallon drum I'd like to bury and would love to do the same as far as operations go.  Hence the inquiries as to what folks have kept and had successful recruitment year after year.


Nick L.

#9 Michael Wolfe

Michael Wolfe
  • Board of Directors
  • North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage

Posted 02 December 2019 - 06:46 PM

Yes. Low stocking density, no circulation, and water lilies or water shield are my main keys to success. There are several conversations here on the forum about the latter two factors so I will not bore everyone with my strong opinions there (unless you have something specific to ask).
Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin

#10 gerald

gerald
  • Global Moderator
  • Wake Forest, North Carolina

Posted 17 December 2019 - 08:57 PM

I cleaned out the mudminnow pool.  Four adults from last year, but no young-of-year.  The adults are 2 to 5 years old.  Looks like three males and one female, based on anal fin shape and color (longer and with silvery iridescence in males).

Attached Files


Gerald Pottern
-----------------------
Hangin' on the Neuse
"Taxonomy is the diaper used to organize the mess of evolution into discrete packages" - M.Sandel


#11 littlen

littlen
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  • Washington, D.C.

Posted 18 December 2019 - 08:09 AM

Gerald, do you think they breed, but prey on the fry?  That seems like a simple and effective setup for the MMs.


Nick L.

#12 Michael Wolfe

Michael Wolfe
  • Board of Directors
  • North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage

Posted 18 December 2019 - 10:12 AM

Surprised you are doing this in the winter. Is thus your suggested time of year? I think I got some in one of my outdoor setups. If temps stay high enough maybe I should do a cleanup of that one next week when I am off?
Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin

#13 gerald

gerald
  • Global Moderator
  • Wake Forest, North Carolina

Posted 19 December 2019 - 10:49 AM

Nick -- the pool is full of Elodea and Hornwort around the edges, so in most years some fry survive; I typically find ~10 to 30 in late fall/early winter.  Not sure why there were none this year, or if they even spawned.  Hauled out a couple dozen dragonfly nymphs with the leaves, but no more than usual.  Michael -  I wait for the trees to finish shedding so I can get the leaves out before the pool freezes over (which it did last night). Goal is to minimize BOD under the ice.  My willow oak isn't finished until early-mid December.


Gerald Pottern
-----------------------
Hangin' on the Neuse
"Taxonomy is the diaper used to organize the mess of evolution into discrete packages" - M.Sandel


#14 Michael Wolfe

Michael Wolfe
  • Board of Directors
  • North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage

Posted 19 December 2019 - 12:20 PM

BOD under ice

Im thinking Scott and Brian are scared... but Fritz and I should be immune.
Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin

#15 Matt DeLaVega

Matt DeLaVega
  • Forum Staff
  • Ohio

Posted 21 December 2019 - 07:30 AM

Biochemical Oxygen Demand I assume? Took me a while and a Google search. :biggrin:


The member formerly known as Skipjack


#16 gerald

gerald
  • Global Moderator
  • Wake Forest, North Carolina

Posted 21 December 2019 - 10:46 PM

Yes, fancy wastewater treatment term for rotting stuff.


Gerald Pottern
-----------------------
Hangin' on the Neuse
"Taxonomy is the diaper used to organize the mess of evolution into discrete packages" - M.Sandel


#17 littlen

littlen
  • NANFA Member
  • Washington, D.C.

Posted 22 December 2019 - 12:18 PM

Have you tried other species than MM? Similar success?
Nick L.

#18 gerald

gerald
  • Global Moderator
  • Wake Forest, North Carolina

Posted 22 December 2019 - 03:59 PM

Eastern mosquitofish are the only other species I've tried over winter -- they died.  The pool is only 10 inches deep, and sits on a concrete driveway.  Too shallow to preserve the "magical" 4C (40F) max water density layer that keeps things alive under ice.  I've kept Fundulus chrysotus and Enneacanthus in there from Apr to Nov, but i'm pretty sure they would not survive over winter.  


Gerald Pottern
-----------------------
Hangin' on the Neuse
"Taxonomy is the diaper used to organize the mess of evolution into discrete packages" - M.Sandel





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