Got a huge surprise last week. 1 of the rather small fish in small pond a black with orange head was being chased horribly by all the others. I called my son and suggested we take her out and into a small round pond by herself. By next day all had calmed down in the pond so I put her back in. The small round pond was loaded with what looked to me like eggs. Son said because she was alone they couldn't be fertile so next time we'll put a male in with her. We both got so excited it was pitiful. This fish was only about 10 inches long. BTW does the water usually smell when spawning. If so there was also something going on in larger pond.
Next day odor was gone from both ponds. Maybe there's hope for us after all. If we ever get babies I will flip.
Bonnie
Fish today
Bonnie
Yes, there is an odor after the fish spawn. There is usually more foam on the pond as well. Both are gone by the following day.
It would be exciting if you had some babies!
We'll be waiting to hear if you get fry.
Won't get fry this time but hopefully I will be better prepared next time with place for them to stay.
Question: When you put spawning female by themselves don't you have to put a male in with her to fertilize the eggs. I'm thinking it would be hard to keep them from eating the eggs??
That's what I figured the odor was Carolyn. Foam and odor were gone next day.
I'd get so excited if I ever get babies. I keep hopping.
Bonnie -
You will have fry babies at some point. Of that, I have no doubt!
Yes, you have to have a male, as the fertilization takes place outside of the body. As the female drops the eggs floating down through the water, the cloud of male milt/sperm fertilize them. There will be a definite odor from spawning, which dissipates within a day or 2.
Thanks much.
HAPPY 4TH TO ALL. ENJOY FAM. AND FRIENDS AROUND A BBQ.
Happy 4th to all!
Hope you all had a wonderful 4th! :)
Haven't posted for a while. Been staying with friend Audrey as she had heart surgery and needs some care for a while. Thank God she is doing well. Going back to her house tomorrow.
Hope all your ponds and fish are doing well.
Bonnie D.
I don't think anyone has posted in a while, Bonnie. Putting your friend Audrey in my prayers.
Take care.
I thought I would share the product I have been using the past few weeks to a month. My pond water has never been so clear for so long.
It is in powder form and only takes a little scoop/1000 gals. so I expect this pound to last along time.
This message was edited Jul 13, 2015 9:33 AM
Sorry I forgot the picture.
I've used that one too. I always add healthy bacteria to my pond water. I switch every now and then, because different brands use different types of bacteria. I don't know if it really makes any difference at all to switch. :)
Good point MerryMary, to switch brands to probably get different strains of bactria. I would think it might make a different.
Thank you Carolyn for prayers. She is going for tests tomorrow to make sure wire put in is working properly.
Check out Fl. Gardening forum. Finally put some picks of what's blooming now in chit chat forum.
Also, cleaned all filtration material on ponds today. Good thing fish can function without a lot of attention. They all were looking healthy today.
Helen's fish look so happy. I think I see one smiling. LOL
Bonnie D.
Audrey's doing good.
Now I'm taking Charlie for heart tests. We sure keep these drs. busy and profitable.
Hope everybody's fish are doing well.
I hope Charlies' heart tests come out alright. You seem to have your hands full, Bonnie.
Keeping Charlie (and you!) in my prayers!
Thanks all. I just take each day as it comes and pray. Better to not get frustrated.
It is great to have the fish to talk to and feed and watch their graceful movements through the water. I call them my cheap tranquillizers.
MM, have you got all your fish situated now in their new pond? We have been getting plenty of rain daily which keeps the ponds full and the plants growing wonderful.
Charlie's going in for 7 weeks of EECP treatments to see if that helps. It's about 1 hr. ride ea. way which isn't very convenient but it's a pleasant ride. Some days I will go with him to check on his progress with tech. He's done it 2 years ago so he knows what it's all about.
Hopefully will put more oxygen into his heart. We'll see.
Wishing all of you good health and happy days.
Bonnie D.
Oh goodness Bonnie! Prayers for Charlie (and you too!) Let me know if you need anything. I'm so far behind this year I can't even see the light of day, so nothing is pressing for me and I can help you if needed.
MM, thanks for the offer. We are doing fine.
Helped Jeff load a few fish this morning he is giving to friend that he often swaps with over near Oveido. He has given us many fish at times.
When you can come over I have a fish I just love. We named it butterscotch. It's a butterfly and is white with pale yellow accents. I bought it from fish farm a while back. I'm thinking it will be a beautiful fish if it keeps it's color.
Sure glad I bought a fish sock. Comes in real handy and prevents them from getting hurt when moving them.
BTW that bluish one you gave me a long time ago just graduated and went into larger pond.
Jeff said I should get all blue ones for that pond. He knows my mind. He said we are fish and plant snobs. Guess that's a good thing. LOL
Bonnie,
Praying for your husband, I hope he does well
Belle
Thanks Belle
Bonnie
I am praying for you and Charlie. Sorry to hear he is having health problems. Let us know.
I like the idea of an all blue pond. Years ago, when I was growing up, I always had an aquarium in my bedroom. One of my 'motifs' were black aquarium rocks, I always had a large mirror behind my aquarium, which made it look huge and I put black angel fish into the aquarium. It was one of my favorite motifs with my aquarium.
Take care
Carolyn
I have a couple of blue-ish ones that are only an inch big, so no clue what they'll eventually turn in to as they grow!
I get the turquoise guppies from the pet store, and they are gorgeous sparkling in the sun! Talk about blue mettalic!
Bonnie, we ARE plant and fish snobs! Aren't we fun??? :)
Helen, Belle, Mittsy, Peg, Oberon,and Carolyn....Haven't heard of any issues, so hope your ponds are going well this summer! :)
My husband is building a wooden cover because the PVC toppled last winter due to snow. It is taing long because his priority is golf. I will post when finish.
I bought 5 5 inch butterfly a month ago and they are growing fast.
I have an orange and while koi that is not growing , not good genes I guess. It is 4 years old and she is maybe 7 inches.
Bonnie,
Praying for that they find the right diagnosis so the Drs can deal with it.
Happy ponding!!!
Belle
Here is our new cover
It will be netted
I m sorry for the lop sided pictures!!
This message was edited Aug 2, 2015 11:23 AM
Belle,Thats a good idea. I'm hoping to have a leaf falling solution in place before it start this coming winter.
Your fish are beautiful. Hope they grow good for you.
While vacuuming out skimmers this morning a very small gold fish was inside and I couldn't catch him so I sucked him up, he went through the vac. came out hose and then I put him back into pond. Just a little one that somebody gave to Jeff and he put him in my small pond.
MM, those guppies sound beautiful. If I ever get that round little pond water tight that would be a good idea for some fish in there.
Can't say I have paid much attention to fish lately other than feeding them twice a day. Also, checking their bodies for sores etc. Lately they have been doing fine. Looking forward to seeing the little blue ones. MM wait until you see the size of one bluish one you gave me long ago. Take care all.
got rid of the gold fish, so instead we have lots of platy fish and some blue gourami.
Its starting to get cool, 70's
Is it unusual that my koi did not spawn this year?
Happy ponding
Belle
My small koi did but the big ones didn't. Guess they weren't in the mood.
I'm just glad nobody is sick right.
Happy Labor Day all.
I didn't have a spawn this year, but I think mine are too young yet. They were all new this year for me. I am thinking next year a few of mine should spawn. Isn't it 3 years old for a female to spawn and 2 years old for a male?
is it too late for spawning?
Belle
For the most part, yes. Doesn't mean it still can't/won't happen, but they are usually triggered by water temp changes and length of the day. It a "natures's trigger". They can always be injected with a fish hormone at any time, if you think you have one that's egg bound.
Merry / merry
Actually I don't even know a female from a male and been ponding for over 15 years LOL!!!!
Perhaps I can try the hormone injection next year
Belle
It's always better to just let them do their own thing. I only inject mine if I feel one is egg-bound ( I lost a 20 inch fish one year) or really want to pick 2 specific fish to breed together. Otherwise, I'm really not in the fish "biz" and have waaaaay too many fish in my pond as is, so don't need more! :)
The females have a squarer shape, sort of a square belly area....and the males are longer slimmer torpedo shapes. Mature females will get wider and bigger bellied in the spring as they fill up with eggs, and then drop to half the width after spawning.
Several years ago two of my fish spawned in August. It wasn't a group activity as it usually is in the spring. I thought it was strange but then a while later I noticed three young koi. They survived and are now about 12 inches. I still have the mother but the father died. :-( They are nice fish but not super lookers.
The three smaller ones on the right are the ones that were born in my pond. Their mother is the farthest away. The one in the front has had that swollen abdomen for years and when the others were spawning this spring she didn't participate. I was hoping the males would chase her around and get her to expel some eggs but no such luck.
