What other types of fish are good in ponds. I know that I'm going to try a DIY pond for growing out angel fry. I'd like a shallower pond too, possibly for small fish, danios,raspboras,etc....I'll home them for the winter inside...
I have kept my common pleco's in my koi pond
Hmmmm, I'll bet BN's would grow like crazy in a pond....???
I have a thing for Pearl Gouramis. They are beautiful when they're in their breeding colors. They're a very elegant and peaceful fish. They do quite well in Discus temps. I bet I could grow them in a pond.
I have a pond liner pond in the back yard. It is my attempt and making a kind of natural thing (meaning I don't put much time into maintaining it). Its about 12 feet across. From the edges it drops off to about 2 feet for most of it with a 3 foot hole about 4 feet deep where the pump is. It is full of elodea and has a breeding population of goldfish that started out with many colors but are now evolved to a population of must black with a shiny goldish color over the black. My sophisticated goldfish friend who has imported fancy goldfish from Japan thinks I need fancier goldfish but I may quite happy with a fairly normal fish I don't ever feed that reproduces every year.
I have also thrown in crayfish, local salamanders, and tree frogs (as tadpoles) with the help of my kids. I will probably put some sticklebacks in there this year since a friend has a a bunch of local sticklebacks in the lab he works in. I would like to establish a small local aquatic nitch in the neighborhood. At least we now have two or three species of dragonflies.
I have thought of growing some danios outside in some tubs I have, but then I would have to get rid of a lot of them fast when the temperature drops because I would not have the space to house them inside.
I have seen herons around the pond several times, but I don't think they get many fish because there are so many plants they would not be able to see any.
I used to have raccoons get in, tear up the plants and make a mess, but I put a little (~18") electric fence around it and they leave it alone now.
I've thought of a pond/pool liner too....How long have you been using yours??...and what kind of pump??...capacity??.....
I have hadthe pond going from probably 4 years now. The pump is pretty big, but I forget how big.
It is a submersible so it is at the bottom of the pond right now and I can't easily tell.
It is driving a water fall (about 2.5 feet) and a small fountain sprayer.
I will probably clean it out this spring some time. The wife is encouraging this activity.
Thanx, is the pump on a timer, or runs 24/7 ??.......
24/7
Thanx, Bill....water fall??...hmmmm..that'll work, perhaps with a light behind it...??
No lights.
I did put an old carpet on the bottom of the pond to let plants root. I also put old carpet under the liner to protect the liner from roots and stones and things like that. I am told that putting a carpet in the pond is not recommended for various reasons like it makes it difficult to clean the bottom (which I don't do) and it will rot away increasing the bioload in the water, but I have lots of plants growing rooting into the carpet and the fish seem to do well. Its more like an old pond with a mucky bottom than a nice clean koi pond. There's a lot of biology going on in it.
Ah, thank you for the explaination.... ;D