Tropical Fish Forums

jackie · Members Joined: 03 Nov 2004 Location: Gran Canaria, Spain

she is my fav fish!

I love the long tail fins she has, I have looked in a few lfs and can't find even one with half the fins she has.

I should ask your guys opinion on plants. I need some top cover plants, which do you all prefer, Salvinia Minima or duckweed (lemna). I was also looking into ordering a mini lilly pad, but for now I just need something quick. I am constantly doing water changes!!! and if I let them slip, even a bit, my pond turns into pea soup!!!
_________________
33g long planted tank, 1 gold gourami, 6 albino cories, 8 pristella tetras, 7 cherry barbs.

SherryNE · Moderators Joined: 05 Feb 2003

Good luck keeping duckweed around...my goldies always ate it faster than I could get it to grow.

jackie · Members Joined: 03 Nov 2004 Location: Gran Canaria, Spain

^sherry, can you recommend a nice plant that will grow? do you think I will have more luck if I go with the salvinia?
_________________
33g long planted tank, 1 gold gourami, 6 albino cories, 8 pristella tetras, 7 cherry barbs.

dale · Advisors Joined: 10 Jan 2005 Location: Abbotsford Canada

Hi Jackie,
Shading will help your algae problem as will plant cover. Also a bigger filter helps. Depending on your temps I have heard of people putting plecos in ponds as well. Plants; water hyathinth, water lettuce, what about camboba? Cheap and your fish will eat it. Also watch out for wading type birds. I don't know about the Canary Islands but here we have herons and such that will clean out you pond if they find it. Racoons as well! If you have allen block there it can make a nice border for your pond. It is a decorative, stacking brick that does not require mortar.
Good luck Smile

_________________
Intelligence is not having all the answers; it's knowing how to think!

jackie · Members Joined: 03 Nov 2004 Location: Gran Canaria, Spain

They are on my roof terrace, so I don't need to worry about any critters getting to them. Very Happy

I am still waiting for an order of salvinia to come in for me to help with the shading. Until it arrives I and covering half of the pond during the day.
_________________
33g long planted tank, 1 gold gourami, 6 albino cories, 8 pristella tetras, 7 cherry barbs.

jynxy · Regulars Joined: 07 Dec 2004 Location: Scotland

I never knew you could keep fantails outside? I thought only Koi and Goldfish done well outdoors. If the summer I would LOVE to have a pond out in my garden, I have 4 Fantails, would they be able to be kept outdoors along with some goldfish, its just my goldsifh used to bully them because they where far slwer swimmers that the goldfish.

jackie · Members Joined: 03 Nov 2004 Location: Gran Canaria, Spain

I heard fantails and common gf should not be kept together because the fantails cannot keep out with them, for food etc.
_________________
33g long planted tank, 1 gold gourami, 6 albino cories, 8 pristella tetras, 7 cherry barbs.

Raggamuffin

You could add elodea. its really good in cold temps and limeted lighting. You could also try a spathyphilum, which is a lily and would grow below and above the water surface.

honmol · Guest

I keep a pond on my patio and keep a plant that I think is Water Hyacinth. It's a great floating plant with a vey pretty shape and both the fry and adults will occasionally hide in it. It's saved the pond from an evil cat who is determined to make my fish a midnight snack.

TJ · Regulars Joined: 26 Sep 2005

fantails arent the best to keep outside. they can't really compete for food if kept with other types of fish and are to slow to escape predators. they are best left in species ponds.