Texas heated tropical pond ideas

[bobblehead27]

My dad and I are planning on building a pond at his house in Texas. We aren't sure the size yet but it'll be in the thousands of gallons. We are thinking half underground half above, maybe with a viewing window. Here's the catch. We are going to try and keep tropical fish. As we're in Texas which is subtropical, i don't think it'll be too crazy to keep it heated in the short mild winters.

The reason I'm here is for any tips anyone might have. Especially if someone here has done it or can point me to someone who has. As I'd like to see how they insulated/heated it. Any input would be appreciated. For stocking I'm not sure what I want. I was originally thinking Archer fish could be awesome with some low laying branches for bugs to be shot off, but I feel keeping salinity levels might be difficult outdoors. Especially since it rains nearly on a daily basis it feels like. Now I'm thinking arowanas but keeping them from jumping out might be difficult. I've also thought colorful Malawi predators might be cool or peacock bass. There's too many ways to go lol.
If anyone has suggestions for keeping salinity levels good for Archers or keeping arowanas in the pond, I'm all ears. Or any other fish that'll make good pond fish other than koi and goldfish (had a pond with them in NY and I'm bored of them)

Thanks,
Michael

 

[sikoko]

You could always put a net over the top to keep the aros in. Too bad you don't wanna do Ray's they'd thrive and eventually you could train them to come up for feeds.

 

[duanes]

Natural looking fish often disappear in large outdoor ponds, most of the colors they have developed, are to help against predation. Those reflective colors that you see easily from the side in a tank, allow the fish to become one with sunlight, almost disappearing from above, protecting them against bird predation from above. The light colored underbelly allows fish to become semi invisible from below

The reason koi are used so much in ponds, is selective breeding to make them visable to us.
I have kept cichlids in ponds for years, and find there is only a small window during the day, when the sun is just right, so they can be seen, other times, they are simply dark fleeting shadows.
There are hundred of fish in those dark areas between the rocks in the photo above, and I have had to edit the photos quite a bit to make the cichlids in the photos visible.
The best way for you to see your natural fish in a pond, will be to snorkel with them.
As boring as koi may seem, at least you will see them. Their original form as carp, are usually quite invisible, except when spawning in very shallow water.

 

[duanes]

The fish you can hardly see in the photo above, are Herichthys carpintus.
The same fish as bellow in a tank.

 

[bobblehead27]

Natural looking fish often disappear in large outdoor ponds, most of the colors they have developed, are to help against predation. Those reflective colors that you see easily from the side in a tank, allow the fish to become one with sunlight, almost disappearing from above, protecting them against bird predation from above. The light colored underbelly allows fish to become semi invisible from below

The reason koi are used so much in ponds, is selective breeding to make them visable to us.
I have kept cichlids in ponds for years, and find there is only a small window during the day, when the sun is just right, so they can be seen, other times, they are simply dark fleeting shadows.
There are hundred of fish in those dark areas between the rocks in the photo above, and I have had to edit the photos quite a bit to make the cichlids in the photos visible.
The best way for you to see your natural fish in a pond, will be to snorkel with them.
As boring as koi may seem, at least you will see them. Their original form as carp, are usually quite invisible, except when spawning in very shallow water.

Thanks, for as always demonstrating your point with pictures, they help really understand just how invisible they are, I mean yeah I figured they'd be a little difficult to see. That's why my dad wants Africans for their bright colors ( but to me most of the colorful ones don't grow large enough to enjoy in a pond), or arowanas or Archer fish since theyre top dwelling species for the most part and have extremely interesting hunting techniques.


I would love to do Ray's as well although I'm sure they'd be difficult to see unless theyre massive, but unfortunately they are illegal in Texas as far as I understand. (probably because they would thrive, like you said)

I was thinking about a net, but that takes away from the naturalistic feel of the pond, I might try it if I can get one that is hard to see. But I don't know if they could get hurt trying to jump and ending up hitting the net. I was definitely hoping for a more natural way of confining them. I was thinking slope up the sides but idk how high i would have to build the sides to prevent them from getting out without falling back in.

 

[bobblehead27]

Although maybe if I make like a one foot perimeter around the pond where the water is less than a foot deep, they wouldn't be able to jump from there, and probably can't get out from the deeper center.... Hmmm something to think about and research maybe.

 

[duanes]

Africans might be the exception with their bright blues and yellows, its the Central and South American silvery types that disappear, My first pic above is Mesoheros uropthalmus, but in shallow water can be seen, below.

Where I lived, if I made my ponds with 2 ft or less depth sides the raccoons would come in at night and eat my cichlids, and occasionally get predatory birds.

 

[bobblehead27]

Damn forgot about predators. Even with my fenced in yard racoons and the sort can get in I'm sure. There goes my ingenious plan hahaha

 

[spencer0t]

I have two very large ponds in south Florida one with larger fish/predator other with African cichlids the African cichlids pond is much more entertaining in my opinion just watching them with there colors and there interaction/breeding it stays warm in winter with warm water being put into it and if the water gets to cold there are heaters the insulation also helps

 

[bobblehead27]

I have two very large ponds in south Florida one with larger fish/predator other with African cichlids the African cichlids pond is much more entertaining in my opinion just watching them with there colors and there interaction/breeding it stays warm in winter with warm water being put into it and if the water gets to cold there are heaters the insulation also helps

How cold does it get there?