# Cichlids in pond?



## Paleo fish (Feb 21, 2008)

I was wondering since i live in south texas near corpus christi, If i could have a pond year round stocked with african cichlids?


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## jschall (Apr 2, 2009)

It would absolutely 100% have to be heated.

You think a 2.2 quadrillion gallon, half-mile deep lake in a tropical region fluctuates in temperature significantly?


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## BRANT13 (Feb 18, 2009)

ntm id be afraid of critters getting in there and eating all my fish


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## smellsfishy1 (May 29, 2008)

If it was deep enough temperature wouldn't be the biggest problem.


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## CSchmidt (Apr 15, 2004)

Like how deep?

I built one that is 13'L x 6'W x 3'D. I'm just finishing up with the water fall feature and plan on growing out my haps and peacock in there. I will have to make a separate holding container so I can set it in the pond maybe use screening material so I can get good water flow through it. Plus have koi in there and a live bearer like butterfly goodieds for algae control and mosquito control.

Thanks.


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## CSchmidt (Apr 15, 2004)

Well I don't have rocks in it so if they want to try and fish they are getting wet.


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## Paleo fish (Feb 21, 2008)

jschall said:


> It would absolutely 100% have to be heated.
> 
> You think a 2.2 quadrillion gallon, half-mile deep lake in a tropical region fluctuates in temperature significantly?


Hm i was more worried about the pond getting too hot lol. But yeah in the winter it can get to the 40s. And for the cats i would just put a screen on it. We don't really have to many ***** around, But i know we have a few.

I wonder what a cat or a **** would do if i put one of the really aggressive big cichlids in there and When the cat or **** reached for the fish the fish bit it lol.

I can see people on tv saying "Got trouble with cats or raccoons eating your pond fish? Well if you put this fish in your pond it will act a guard fish protecting the other fish.

And for only $19.99 you could have this fish in your pond protecting your beautis.

Warning don't stick your hand in the pond with the guard fish failure to do that might result in loss of hand or one or more fingers."


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## josmoloco (Aug 23, 2008)

I would do new world fish such as jags, red devils, texas, cichlids and convicts and still add a source of heat for winter nights


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## Paleo fish (Feb 21, 2008)

Well i wanted something colorful like yellow labs and american cichlids just ain't colorful enough for me. :?


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## Paleo fish (Feb 21, 2008)

How cool would i have to keep it in the summer? cause the average temp is 80-85 and sometimes it gets to 95.


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## football mom (Feb 19, 2006)

I have thougt about cichlids in an outdoor pond, also. I live in the same area as Paleo fish.
Definitely would need a heater in winter, and I'm not sure it could be kept cool enough in the summer, unless it was quite deep.
We have a 12,000 gallon swimming pool, at deepest point about 5.5 feet deep. It gets cold in the winter, even if we don't get much below 45 degrees here in winter. And at times in the summer, it feels like bath water when you jump in.
There is someone in a more northern part of TX, that has a big pond and grows out his juvie frontosas over the sommer. On his website, he says that they really grow fast like that.


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## Paleo fish (Feb 21, 2008)

Hey,

Well i wouldn't be leaving it in full sun. Their are a lot of oak trees around and it would block a lot of the sun plus i will probably have it under something to make it more shady

So that would keep it cooler in the summer


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## joshmonica (Feb 1, 2008)

just got back from walt disney world. in the animal kingdom they have a huge cichlid tank/pond. They probably do heat it not sure if they would also need to cool it. i guess expense is not much of a concern however for disney.

josh


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