Tropical Fish Forums

[invertaman]

I just started a 30 gallon pond. its in a half whiskey barrel. and I have paprys, dwarf catail, elephant ear, unbrella palm, lettuce, hyacinth and parrots feather. there all small of course but I really don't know what kindof fish I should get my daughter really likes koi and shubuinkins but I'm shure my pond is to small any ideas?
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I n v e r t a m a n

[dale]

Hi invertaman,
One thing about whiskey barrels is that they sometimes leach out whiskey for a while so you should check on that (not sure how but it could be fun )
That aside, Koi grow to be too large for a half barrel and probably so to goldfish, particularily long term. A neat idea though would be to have a small school of White cloud mountain minnows. Small, colourful and a unique pond fish. They would look great swimming amongst the plants.
Just a though,
Good luck.
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Intelligence is not having all the answers; it's knowing how to think!

[invertaman]

OK, yah that is a good idea thanks. but what do ya think about misito fish and guppys?
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I n v e r t a m a n

[dale]

Hi invertaman,
Mosquito fish sound good too, but check around as some places may have regulations re. stocking them. There is some concern about accidental release into the wild. (Perhaps someone else has more knowledge they could share?).
Guppies are tropical and won't do well with the cooler weather or the dips between nite and day temps. They may survive the hot summers in the deep south but you would have to have a plan for the winter months.
Good luck.
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Intelligence is not having all the answers; it's knowing how to think!

[honmol]

I am simply stating my opinion. It is limited but may help. I am warning you because the only fish that I am relly familiar with is guppies. I breed them and the fancy guppies are fascinating fish. They do need warmer water though, so it's pbobably not the best idea but these fish are fascinating and excelent is you want to observe breeding habits since every month I get about 40 bouncing baby guppies. They're gorgeous fish so if you are interested in something like that it is my reccomendation

[nonamethefish]

I'm not too sure where in the deep south you happen to be but you if you are in the Southeast you may have Heterandria formosa living in your area. Excellent little fish and works great in outdoor ponds. Gambusia holbrooki or affinis should be native in your area too. A possiblity would be any Fundulus(the best mozzie eaters you can get) around your area. Also any small sunfish such as some Lepomis, Elassoma, or perhaps even Enneacanthus.

[Oscer]

What about a Chinese Sailfin Sucker, they
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Years of fish keeping = Good advice

[TONY60]

I know a lady that has mollies in a pond. Would that be of intrest?
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Most fish caught for sale die before we see them. So, let's make shure our fishes die of old age. We owe that much!!

[Oscer]

Where do you live invertaman, because mollies generally need warmer water? But then, in a pond your size you could probably use a heater
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Years of fish keeping = Good advice

[TONY60]

The sailfin molly is found in fresh, brackish, and coastal salt water in coastal lowland habitats from North Carolina to Texas and the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. Prefering marshes, lowland streams, swamps, and estuaries, the sailfin molly is very common in peninsular Florida. Non-indigenous populations are established in the western U.S. and in Hawaii. Sailfin mollies introduced to California have caused a decline in populations of the federally endangered desert pupfish (Cyprinodon macularius).
http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/Gallery/Descript/SailfinMolly/SailfinMolly.html
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Most fish caught for sale die before we see them. So, let's make shure our fishes die of old age. We owe that much!!