Pond Build

[Bas Pels, posts: 1919]

Corydoras paleatus is said to survive under ice in winter. But I don't think your average Norwegian winter is acceptable

Gastromyzon is often kept too warm. Hillstream loaches might swim to the glacier - and even in the tropics, that's cold

[Shane]

Watch out for the natives carrying something that the exotics may not have the immune system to cope with, even if you shift them out well in advance there could still be something wicked this way comes.

Truth be told, I am far more concerned with store bought fishes introducing a disease than healthy wild fishes. All the years I spent collecting my own fishes I only very, very rarely had to treat for disease. Now that I am buying fish from stores again I had to dust off my aquarium disease handbooks and buy several medications.
-Shane

[Shane]

I'll get an updated pic posted soon, but the pond has been a smashing success. The surface is covered with darting fry from two species of native cyprinid as well as cherry barbs and white cloud minnows. I added a group of Corydoras paleatus and expect fry to show up soon (there is a summer downpour forcasted for this evening). The bottom and sides now have a nice coat of algae, so I'll soon be adding a group of Ancistrus hoplogenys.

The emersed and aquatic plants have been growing like mad and I plan to move several more aquatic plants from the fishroom out for some summer sun.

Last night there was a lot of very loud frog activity coming from the pond. Went down and checked this morning and spotted a dozen clusters of fresh frog eggs, so we'll have pollywogs too.

-Shane

[2wheelsx2, posts: 924]

Wow, this is a very neat little project. Seems so little when you see it relative to the space, but in reality, 200 gallons is probably a lot of work to keep neat and tidy. It would be so neat to have frogs and other creatures spawn in the spawn but alas, the raccoon, crows and coyotes would have a field day in my neighbourhood. You don't have any wildlife "fishing" expeditions in your backyard?

[Shane]

Here it is.
-Shane

[Scleropages, posts: 425]

Looks great. I'll bet your back is feeling better by now too. Keep taking those rum drinks, as needed, for prophylaxis.

I bet if you keep small enough species of fish, nothing as far as raccoons, bears, nor piscivorous birds are going to try to eat them.

[indiCa, posts: 8]

Awesome fish room and a porch with a pond right outside of the door, very nice!

[scientist0724, posts: 17]

It looks great Shane! I'll bet you are enjoying that new addition by sitting next to it with a cold cocktail in hand.

Arlene

[Janne]

Last night there was a lot of very loud frog activity coming from the pond. Went down and checked this morning and spotted a dozen clusters of fresh frog eggs, so we'll have pollywogs too.

Maybe you should take out the frog eggs if you want to save the fry from your fish... I like frogs but not with fish

Janne

[Shane]

I am thinking the same thing Janne. That said, these are from tree frogs so I am not sure that they will have a negative impact. I would feel much different if they were from bullfrogs (Rana catesbeiana).

Check out this really cool link for Virginia's frogs and toads.

http://www.virginiaherpetologicalsociet ... rginia.htm

-Shane

[Shane]

The pond keeps attracting life and the first predator showed up. The pond is now full of 100s (1,000s?) of cherry barb and white cloud fry. Yesterday I went down to check and found a small water snake cruising the pond. I am hoping he was just after the frogs as there are now two spp of frogs that have taken up full time residence. I can go down to the pond at night and spotlight the frogs sitting on the pond's edge. I am not sure if the frogs will eat the fish, but am not really worried as there are more fish in there than I could ever figure out what to do with. We are loving the sound of frog calls at night while on the back patio.

The Corydoras have not been seen in several days. I am hoping they are ok. I need to clean the pond filter today so plan to have a look around for them.

Plants are growing like crazy. The Hyacinth especially. I started with two bunches and it now covers half the pond.

-Shane

[Shane]

Cleaned the filter and came across the Corydoras all looking very fat and happy. I searched long and hard and saw some bottom "hopper" fry but could not be sure if they were corys or something else.

I placed all the hyacinth in a tub to get to the filter. When I put the hyacinth back in, the small amount of water left in the tub held a massive amount of small creatures. The concentration of live foods must be crazy in there. The oldest white clouds are easily .5" (1.25cm) and have adult coloration. Keep in mind that their parents were just added to the pond three and a half weeks ago! It would be impossible to get that kind of growth rate rearing them in an aquarium.

The guy below could not be bothered to move the entire time I worked on the pond.

-Shane

[jp11biod, posts: 130]

probably the baby sitter--

[bigbird, posts: 225]

wow it has turned out really well for you.
Remember do not kiss the frog, it is only a kids story
cheers jk

[Shane]

Took a couple of scoops from the pond yesterday.
-Shane

[2wheelsx2, posts: 924]

Wow, if a couple of random scoops netted you that, I can't imagine how many fish are in there.

[Scleropages, posts: 425]

Shane, do you have a thermometer on your pond? We've been having some very hot weather here. I imagine it's similar by you. Any idea what the temp is going up to during the day?

[Shane]

I can't imagine how many fish are in there.

Me neither. I took two bags of about 50 fry (which did not make much of a dent in the population) to the auction this weekend and made $22.00. I have now added two big male and seven female Congo tetras, which should turn an even better profit. I figured the remaining 100s of minnow fry would fatten up the tetras for spawning, but they have not eaten any of the fry. Go figure.

Shane, do you have a thermometer on your pond? We've been having some very hot weather here. I imagine it's similar by you. Any idea what the temp is going up to during the day?

I sure do. Yesterday was warm. Ambient temperature was 104F (40C). The pond at 1700 hrs was 84.2F (29C). At 0700 this morning it was down to 80.4F (26.8C).

-Shane

[crkinney, posts: 318]

Thats a fine looking bullfrog and they are good eats. I have a little snake problem in my outside pound can you say cottenmouth.I can. had three come to visit sofar .
mule

[danoar, posts: 5]

My friend and I are actually thinking of starting a similar thing which I think will be great and all that.

But looking at how they are going to be made and all that, it would be great to be able to make them work just like that.

And interestingly, all the other components needed to run a pond would be that easy ti make sure and contend with.