Dinner time for the pond fish

I had to do some repairs to the pond today that required draining most of the water. It provided a great opportunity for this video. 

Pond Fish

Young of the year pond fish. These were from spawns in the spring (5/10/13) and raised in the recirculating system in the greenhouse. Today (7/29/13) I moved these fish back out to the pond to fatten up and overwinter. 

Pond Fish Fry and Nursery

Goldfish fry just after hatching

Temporary goldfish nursery

Close up of nursery

I eventually took the fry out of the 30 gallon tank used the 50 gallon stock tank that is pictured underneath. The one issue that I had with this set-up was that there was a lot of muck build-up in the fry tank. Next year, I will flow the fry tank with water coming out of the filter to hopefully reduce the muck. 

Pond spawning event

5/1/13

The water in the pond is very green. We have been having unseasonably warm weather with temps in the mid to upper 70s. The pond fish started spawning during the approach of a weather front that brought a touch of rain.

Spring Spawn

I put spawning mops into the pond and tubs in the greenhouse on Friday as a noticed some chasing happening in the pond. On Saturday, pond fish have spawned and Calico Egg Phoenix have spawned. I can't ID any males in the Calico Phoenix fish so hopefully they eggs are fertile.

BEPs in the greehouse

3-17-13

BEPs and Calico Phoenix into the greenhouse. The plan is to feed them bloodworms and try and get some spawns out of them. The greenhouse was 78 F when I was working in there yesterday. More to come...(hopefully)

These are the final selected fish from the pond spawn. There are a few double tails. Most of the double tails are brown. The other single tails have magnificent colors. Almost all of the colored fish are nacreous lacking guanine. 

Pond fish -Hatch

On Sunday, one week post fertilization, almost all of the embryos have hatched. The fry cling to the sides of the tank and to the spawning mops. I plan to start feeding with newly hathced brine shrimp in a few days.

Pond Fish - Spawning Mop

Spawning mop. These were used for spawning of Spotted Gar in Louisiana. I think that they are pom poms.

I used twine and a rock to anchor the mops. The mops are tied a different depths. The fish spawned like crazy in these mops. The only bad part is I don't know who the parents are. Next spring I will isolate pairs with the same setup.
This is my hatching tank and fry raising tank. The mops are covered with embryos. I started with a low flow but learned that a lot of crud and debris accumulates on the mops and embryos so I turned up the flow and periodically shake out the mop.

Pond Fish

Mass spawning in the pond over the past few days. It has been in the 80s and the pond has probably warmed inducing the spawn. I added spawning mops and collected embryos although I'm not sure who the parents are.

Pond Fish

4/3/11, pond fish coming out of hibernation. I have been feeding them very lightly over the past few days.