# The Pond is Ready for Fish!!



## notho2000 (Dec 8, 2012)

After a slow start, I finally have my pond ready to take some fish. I had to replace my filter and pump this year and now they're in place. So tomorrow, the fish go in. I'll be adding some sunfish along with several species of cichlids and probably a few goldfish. My Green Terrors did so well last year, I'm going to try them again ... one male and two females. This time I'll collect some fry. By the way, I have a mallard duck on a nest in the yard, just back and to the right of the pond. She's been sitting in the ferns on her clutch of eggs for about a week now. About three weeks ago, I found her swimming in the pond, and since she stayed, she must have liked what she saw. Here are a few pictures.


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## smitty814 (Sep 27, 2012)

Glad to see the ice is off your lake. I really liked your setup last season. Were you able to home all of your pond fish over the winter or just some?


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## notho2000 (Dec 8, 2012)

smitty814 said:


> Glad to see the ice is off your lake. I really liked your setup last season. Were you able to home all of your pond fish over the winter or just some?


Yes, it's off my 'backyard' lake. Actually, Lake Winnipeg will have some ice on it until at least the middle of June. This was the scene on the May long weekend.

Thanks for the kind words. I ended up selling 5 'beani' to a gentleman in Alberta and most of the Cichlasoma dimerus went to a local wholesaler. The rest I found a place for in my fish room.
Once the duck eggs hatch, I hope mother duck doesn't take the 'kids' for a swim. I put a few fish in there that could "take out" a newly hatched duckling. Fortunately, there is a 10" jump up required for them to get in. So unless they get lifted in, that won't happen.The fish I put in today were 2- 12" male Paraneetroplus melanurus, 1- 10" male Nandopsis beani, 3- 8 to 10" Green Terrors (1M, 2F), 2- 8" male Cichlasoma portalegrense, 1- 8" female Paraneetroplus breidohri, and 11-3" to 4" Spotted sunfish (Lepomis punctatus). I'll probably put in a few more fish once I see how the dynamic looks. Right now, the 'beani' is the assertive' one, mainly chasing the 'rivulatus' around ... no harm done though. Here are some of the fish that went in today. By the way, the water temperature is a balmy 25.5C (78F).


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## CjCichlid (Sep 14, 2005)

Looks good, thanks for sharing. How large is the pond?


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## notho2000 (Dec 8, 2012)

CjCichlid said:


> Looks good, thanks for sharing. How large is the pond?


You're welcome. It's between 1100G and 1200G, with dimensions 12'x5'x2.5'. There are two shallower 'stepped' ends for marginal plants. I've got a Little Giant 3500G/hr pond pump and a TetraPond Bio-Active Pressure Filter BP2500 w/UV operating.


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## Swimmy (Jun 4, 2014)

The pond looks wonderful. And that is amazing about the duck - I never would have thought she would have come so close to your house when she was hatching. Either she is very brave or you garden is very hospitable!


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## notho2000 (Dec 8, 2012)

Swimmy said:


> The pond looks wonderful. And that is amazing about the duck - I never would have thought she would have come so close to your house when she was hatching. Either she is very brave or you garden is very hospitable!


Thanks 'swimmy'. A little of both, I think.


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## notho2000 (Dec 8, 2012)

I have a beautiful pair of Lepomis megalotis megalotis that I have been wanting to get a spawn from. They are descended from WC parents that I obtained about 10 years ago. I was going to spawn them indoors, which I've done with this species (and others) several times before. But we are going away for the summer and I didn't want to have young fish (of any species) unattended to. So I decided to put them outside today in a 100G Little Giant stock trough. Hopefully they will have spawned a few times by the time I get back into town, and I'll be able to retrieve some young for the next generation. Here are a few pictures I took as I was putting them outside.


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

I've caught Longear Sunfish before. Beautiful fish.


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## Matt- (Jul 14, 2014)

Looks great! I love green terrors. Good luck with everything. I don't usually like the way ponds look but you pulled it off.


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