illegal to sell mosquito fish?

[Louie]

IMO, its hard to beat the mosquito-eating abilities of aggressive killies/topminnows. Any of the topminnows (Fundulus sp) are great at eating mosquitos and even the smaller, very aggressive killies like bluefins have tremendous appetites. Depending on winter temps, bluefins may be an option for your pond (plus they are beautiful). Since you are not going to be catching fish yourself, you can always order fish. Also, look into the pygmy sunfishes (Elassoma sp).
However, if you do not want to spend the money on bluefins, or pygmy sunnies, mosquitofish will be the cheapest option.
Just keep in mind, if you have other fish in the pond that you want to spawn, the Gambusia will try to eat eggs and will compete with the young.

I would mosquito fish by far could handle colder temps than any of the pygmy sunfish and imagine than most topminnows/killies.

 

[WahooWillie]

I totally agree that Gambusia handle way colder waters than coastal plain and coasal fishes like pygmy sunnies and bluefin killies and the like. But I only mentioned them b/c of their mosquito appetite and was unsure of Austin, TX winter temps and unsure of Warborgs plans with the pond (heated, taking fish inside int he winter, etc etc.). The larger topminnows like blackspotted, blackstriped,N. studfish, etc should do fine in a pond overwinter - given it is insulated enough and doesn't freeze.

 

[Moontanman]

I would mosquito fish by far could handle colder temps than any of the pygmy sunfish and imagine than most topminnows/killies.

You would be mistaken

 

[Moontanman]

I made the mistake of adding some mosquito fish to a pond where I had ghost shrimps breeding by the drones.
They kill small ghost shrimp and just leave them don't eat them. Granted they eat some but they kill for sake of it.

What temps can the black banded sunfish handle?

I understand what you are saying, it does appear to be killing for the sake of killing but the reality is the fish bite off and eat the legs and and kill the shrimp or other animals do to feeding behavior not for fun or the thrill of it.

Just because they don't eat the entire animal doesn't mean they kill just to be killing. Their feeding behavior will indeed kill far more than they eat but all fish do that small fish especially. Dwarf Sunfish are very bad for killing crayfish, they cannot eat the entire crayfish so they bite off the easily swallowed parts.

Mosquito fish should never be introduced out side their natural range.

I live in NC, black bands here live in ponds that ice over infrequently for short periods and the black banded sunfish do quite well here. In NJ black bands would seem to have to live in even colder water then here during the winter.

 

[Warborg]

I totally agree that Gambusia handle way colder waters than coastal plain and coasal fishes like pygmy sunnies and bluefin killies and the like. But I only mentioned them b/c of their mosquito appetite and was unsure of Austin, TX winter temps and unsure of Warborgs plans with the pond (heated, taking fish inside int he winter, etc etc.). The larger topminnows like blackspotted, blackstriped,N. studfish, etc should do fine in a pond overwinter - given it is insulated enough and doesn't freeze.

The pond will be 15 feet in diameter (2 feet deep). The fish will stay in there all year. About 1 in 4 years we do get a winter freeze that lasts for about 3 days. But have had time periods of 3-4 weeks without temp going above 50. I do want to buy a heater that at least stops it from icing up.

My lfs told me to buy rosey reds to replace the Gambusia but I don't know anything about them.

 

[Moontanman]

The pond will be 15 feet in diameter (2 feet deep). The fish will stay in there all year. About 1 in 4 years we do get a winter freeze that lasts for about 3 days. But have had time periods of 3-4 weeks without temp going above 50. I do want to buy a heater that at least stops it from icing up.

My lfs told me to buy rosey reds to replace the Gambusia but I don't know anything about them.

Rosy reds are just a mutation of a common minnow, they will live in ice covered ponds and will eat mosquito larva every bit as good as gambusia.

 

[Warborg]

I'll just stick with them then, thanks.

 

[Louie]

I understand what you are saying, it does appear to be killing for the sake of killing but the reality is the fish bite off and eat the legs and and kill the shrimp or other animals do to feeding behavior not for fun or the thrill of it.

Just because they don't eat the entire animal doesn't mean they kill just to be killing. Their feeding behavior will indeed kill far more than they eat but all fish do that small fish especially. Dwarf Sunfish are very bad for killing crayfish, they cannot eat the entire crayfish so they bite off the easily swallowed parts.

Mosquito fish should never be introduced out side their natural range.

I live in NC, black bands here live in ponds that ice over infrequently for short periods and the black banded sunfish do quite well here. In NJ black bands would seem to have to live in even colder water then here during the winter.

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"I understand what you are saying, it does appear to be killing for the sake of killing but the reality is the fish bite off and eat the legs and and kill the shrimp or other animals do to feeding behavior not for fun or the thrill of it. '

That is exactly what they do bite off legs . As you know some of the old females get very large .

Thanks all this time I thought it killing for sake of it .

I didn't think black bandeds could handle such cold even if for brief time .

I keep 1 M/2 F Florida sunfish in outside 40 gallon planted "pond" (no mosquito fish only rosy reds) but they have not bred yet however in 6 months that have had the adult male temps have never gone below 80 even at night.

 

[Louie]

The pond will be 15 feet in diameter (2 feet deep). The fish will stay in there all year. About 1 in 4 years we do get a winter freeze that lasts for about 3 days. But have had time periods of 3-4 weeks without temp going above 50. I do want to buy a heater that at least stops it from icing up.

My lfs told me to buy rosey reds to replace the Gambusia but I don't know anything about them.

Rosy reds will love your pond and unlike mosquito fish look much nicer because the white/albino version will stick out nicely .

I heard they breed great outside . Mine have not bred in 6 months that I have had them but its due to unreal heat even in shade that we had till yesterday.