I'm working on putting a small pond (around 500-700 gallons) in my back yard in the Dallas fort worth area. I was wondering if some herichthys cyanoguttatus (true Texas cichlids) could over-winter without the need for heat. I've read that they can survive temperatures all the way down to 45 f and I know that their range comes within a couple hours south of my location. Don't know if they wold make it though. Does anybody have any experience trying something like this? I wonder if the water volume would be too low to hold temp. It rarely stays below freezing for an entire day and I could put a water trough de-icer in it if needed. Thought it might be cool, no pun intended, to have an actual year round cichlid pond, especially given the size is too small for koi and I don't particularly care for gold fish. I would also be open to any other cichlid ideas keeping in mind that they would also have to handle the warmer temperatures of a Texas summer.
herichthys cyanoguttatus in a pond?
- Thread starter Beardogcichlids
- Start date
I am pretty sure they would be ok. There is a breeding population in the lake at City Park in New Orleans. What are the lows like in the DFW area?
http://blog.nola.com/new_orleans/2012/03/fishers_get_chance_to_combat_i.html
http://blog.nola.com/new_orleans/2012/03/fishers_get_chance_to_combat_i.html
I agree,I think they will be fine.my cyanoX jag hybrid survived a power outage of 8 days if i remember correctly.i am in the NJ the temperature dropped quickly in all my rooms.I was reading low 50's in his tank.I believe his texas genes saved him.i wonder how much longer he could have made those conditions.it looked like he was beginning to enter hibernation
Thanks for the replies. We only had one day that stayed below freezing for the entire day this past winter. I was thinking about maybe placing some of the clear greenhouse panels across the top on the coldest days to intensify the warmth of the sun and act as an air barier to the wind. Digging 5ft deep isn't an option as I only have about 14" of good soil and even that is laced with some pretty big rocks. Digging through caliche rock and limestone is kicking my butt just to make it 2.5 feet deep using only a pickaxe and a shovel. I have some space in the fish room if absolutely necessary, but I'm pretty set on the idea of a year round cichlid pond. If it's only a grow out pond for the summer then that's what it will be, but fingers crossed it will work even in the winter. Any other ideas than the depth which I know would help, but isn't fesible would be appreciated.
Rent a small backhoe, it really isn't all that expensive and most places that rent them will give you a quick tutorial. Dig the hole in one day, wash it off and return it.
I am to the north of you in Oklahoma. The past two winters have been extra mild. Over the years, you will have times where the water temp will get too low. You will need some sort of artificial warmth for use during those sporadic times when you need it; or perhaps a makeshift emergency tank. There is a reason there are no feral TX cichlid populations in the vicinity. You know over the years some have been tossed into larger impoundments.
Those small bodies of water like a pond will cool down fast.
https://weatherspark.com/m/8813/1/Average-Weather-in-January-in-Dallas-Texas-United-States
The data suggests you will be OK when things are at or above average temps if 45 degrees is the lower limit.
http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliMAIN.pl?tx4597
This data suggests you are pushing it.
Those small bodies of water like a pond will cool down fast.
https://weatherspark.com/m/8813/1/Average-Weather-in-January-in-Dallas-Texas-United-States
The data suggests you will be OK when things are at or above average temps if 45 degrees is the lower limit.
http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliMAIN.pl?tx4597
This data suggests you are pushing it.
Well I finished the pond. Didn't make it too deep but it ended up around 700-900 gallons. Will need to remove the fish for the winter but loving how it is going now. Stocking: 8 midevils from 4 to 9 inches. 1 gorillus blue umbee around 8 inches. A couple of small mayan growouts, two cyanoguttatus, a common pleco, a random thoricthys (think maculopinus or something) and a handful of Gambusia. It's fun to watch the cichlids interact with each other from above in a more natural setting. Already a couple of pairs forming with the midevils.
