Cichlids in ponds
- Thread starter dent20
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I live in Tacoma, WA, and I have always thought it would be cool to have a large and deep enough pond to have cichlids in it. I have raised large tiger oscars years ago and they always got too big for my limited aqauriums. A 500 gallon or bigger pond would be awsome for oscars.
Like Iowa, the weather here would just be too much of a problem trying to control the enviroment for them to do well in the winter months.
Maybe the solution might be a pond that is set up with a aviary or greenhouse type structure that could be covered and closed in like a greenhouse in the winter months. That way you could have more inside climate control in the winter months of Iowa.
Happy ponding,
Rich (Married a girl from Iowa)
Like Iowa, the weather here would just be too much of a problem trying to control the enviroment for them to do well in the winter months.
Maybe the solution might be a pond that is set up with a aviary or greenhouse type structure that could be covered and closed in like a greenhouse in the winter months. That way you could have more inside climate control in the winter months of Iowa.
Happy ponding,
Rich (Married a girl from Iowa)
The bigger the pond the better as small ones can have significant temp swings. Be prepared in the heat of the summer to have very strong agitation to keep O2 levels adequate (as you may know, there is less O2 the higher the temp).
I have kept cichlids outdoors for years now, even during the winter (with one monster heating and filtration system!). Nothing I've done in the decades I've kept fish can come close to the colors and general health you see in pond fish!
Enjoy!
I have kept cichlids outdoors for years now, even during the winter (with one monster heating and filtration system!). Nothing I've done in the decades I've kept fish can come close to the colors and general health you see in pond fish!
Enjoy!
I raised Fronts and O's in 300 gal. stock tanks over the summer (when I was a bachloer) I wish I still had them, but I don't think wifey would like them on the patio. I used them for Fronts and O's. The O's def. grew faster than the Fronts. I think next time I would do Large Haps. and faster growing Peacocks. I would also set the tanks out earlier like end of April/early May and heat them. Summers in IL and Iowa are short and it would extend the growing season. Like stated earlier, the colors the fish get from natural sun plus plenty of room and food makes colors awesome.
I have fire mouths and Jag cichlids going on 2 yrs outside. I wouldnt call it ponds as the fire mouths are in 120 gallon pvc prefabricated "pond" and jewels in 70 gall.
I did have to bring them in for 4 weeks due to brutal cold spell .
The colors are amazing due to sun and they breed great but drawback in my case since they are not big cichlids like Oscars is that they mostly hide as I use flower pots and pvc tubes as caves,etc other than feeding .
If you enjoy breeding them and dont want to lose fry a tank is better .
The heat has never been an issue we had 2 months last yr off average 100 to 110 daily and no problem. They all get partial sun .The "ponds" are only buried up to 1 ft deep the rest of it has "sleeve".
It actually does help with keeping bit cooler . This is cory cat breeding "pond" pffffft it's 40 gallons only but the 3 pairs breed alot . It shows "sleeve" (thats what I call it lol).
I did have to bring them in for 4 weeks due to brutal cold spell .
The colors are amazing due to sun and they breed great but drawback in my case since they are not big cichlids like Oscars is that they mostly hide as I use flower pots and pvc tubes as caves,etc other than feeding .
If you enjoy breeding them and dont want to lose fry a tank is better .
The heat has never been an issue we had 2 months last yr off average 100 to 110 daily and no problem. They all get partial sun .The "ponds" are only buried up to 1 ft deep the rest of it has "sleeve".
It actually does help with keeping bit cooler . This is cory cat breeding "pond" pffffft it's 40 gallons only but the 3 pairs breed alot . It shows "sleeve" (thats what I call it lol).
Muske;3802011; said:
The 300 gallon stock tanks are great. I picked up a 75 and 120 gallon but nothing beats that 300 for mixed cichlids or big cichlids.
I was foolish not to have gone with that. Still might .
Louie - What kind of cories? are they they same sp. of different.?
Do you remove fry? That is a really sweet little tub.
Do you remove fry? That is a really sweet little tub.