I'm interested in breeding fish in my 45k gal pond in CA. Can anyone suggest fish?

[tomojsg]

sturgeons are also cool fish you can add.
as for algae i would cover the pond with
green house film and provide some kind
of shade. a uv will also help some what
with algae also.

 

[Catweed]

The outside of my wall is a giant undergravel filter, 4 foot of gravel. That sucks the water into one of the sides, into the gravel, then blows the water ouside the other side of the pond. It also has bottom drains and a skimmer that goes through a bio filter that's my water fall.

I'm planning on buying weather loaches again this fall. My last one lived 6 months, I fear my oh on that. What do you guys do for ph? I dumped in a gallon of vinegar, that did nothing. It's still 9.

As for nets and traps, I have every kind on the market! Yet have found no food so yummy that the guppies or bluegill will go in. I think the only way to catch my plecos is to drain the pond enough I can see them. I haven't found anything that reaches down 7 feet and out 12 feet. Such a waste to drain so much water in a drought. I know I won't use my bottom drain to drain the pond, nor is there a way to divet them anywhere but the water fall. It would suck in my fish! How do you guys do it? I giant sump pump? The contractor didn't put in a way to drain it. Can you rent giant pumps to do this?

@ the shade. Boy have I thought of this! But my monster is so long and wide, I have no way to support it. Even if I sunk massive posts, I'd need a center beam. What solutions have you guys found? Do water dyes work, and can you still see your fish? I wish there existed a long scope I could put in the water from the shore so I could fish watch and not need a snorkel and wetsuit. Lol

What do you guys do with your fish when they outgrow your ponds? I've thought about sturgeons, love that look, but guess they wouldn't do so well in a community pond. I took out my original catfish after almost stepping on him while I was swimming. :'(

 

[Deadliestviper7]

U need to place the traps in shallow water,u can catch plecos by snorkeling up to them and scaring them into a hand net with your hand,netting will likely be more successful at night

 

[Catweed]

Oh cool!! I just assumed they'd be off like a rocket if I tried this. ))
I've had my minnow traps out all summer, but only late this spring did I catch something. I put the trap where they hang out the most. Ice tried bread, koi food, bass food, marshmallows, and even dried chicken in there, hoping to entice guppies, bluegill, or cichlids into it. Nothing, not a single fish. I guess they like the martial food better. Have you found any bait that fish can't resist?

 

[Deadliestviper7]

I just place my homemade sofa bottle traps in a couple inches of water(no bait)and I catch 4 to 15 fish per bottle(bottle traps catch fish better than wire type traps)

 

[Catweed]

I have a few of those traps from the store, but nothing goes in them once the spring is passed and there is enough for them to eat well. Even my big goldfish don't beg for food, not eat it if I grow it in there. I'll find out stuck in the plants the next day, still easy to reach but uneaten.

On a good note, we caught one of the 3 Pleco today. Last week, friends snorkled for them and caught none, so today we got out the scuba gear. This fellow barely fits in a big bucket! There's two left to catch with water temps at 65... None of the tropical fish I can't catch are appearing lethargic or sluggish. I'm guessing my fingers the next week of low temps don't drop tells too much more.

I also ordered 4 more tall finned sharks, giving me 6! We officially discovered both of the ones from the summer still alive, not just one. A local shop ordered 4 more, $100. I'm keeping them in my aquarium and stock tank until spring.

Sadly, I'm going to have to drain my pond and pressure blast the algae covered walls or they well rot and create a dank mess next spring. I'm debating to hire done sort of pond service that will catch all of these fish. Then next summer, dye my water to prevent new growth. Any thoughts on this? I can't imagine catching so many fish, fearing the small ones will be caught in the rocks and die.

 

[Deadliestviper7]

Don't add chemicals to kill the algae(ever)!instead add water hyacinth and water lettuce next spring,u can also add Dutch iris,elephant ear and water arum in shallow areas,doing this will help u starve out the algae when u reset your pool next year,in the mean time think about what u want to do next year to make your pool better.

 

[Catweed]

I can't add floating plants due to the skimmer, sadly. Do you have any issues with deer eating these plants? 50% of my water is planted, yet the algae triumphs.

Where do you guys buy plants? There isn't a pond store anywhere within two hours of here.

 

[Catweed]

We caught both my sharks, tripled in size after 2 months, and all the plecos today. Scuba gear again in 61 degree water temps. All the fish were thankfully in the same warm shallow spot. )

My 4 new sharks arrive next week! I need something to feed these monsters until I figure out a place to service my pond for the winter. Then the sharks can go flourish all winter.

 

[Deadliestviper7]

Nice!,I some times collect my own plants,also a lot of shallow water plants r available in the garden section of most stores:look for the bulbs of:elephant ear, and Dutch iris,.if deer become a problem spread dog hair around your pond.