Fish Pond people...

[Dakota]

no need to blush... I just swept acrossed article hoping had info you needed. It looked informative.

I was blushing because you said my backyard was beautiful.

But yes, the article is informative which took me to youtube again. Some of the previous videos I have viewed have updated comments and it seems the largest anyone posted they had was 19 inches, which was about 6-7 years old. I was enjoying the videos until I came across some a-hole who fed his dead hi fin to his snapping turtle.

When I bought these hi fins, the store manager was very disappointed. It took nearly 2 months to get a shipment in and if I wasn't waiting for them, he said he would have rejected the shipment because of their very small size. I took them even though the manager was concerned they wouldn't survive being under the desired 5-6 inch size (only 1.5 inches at the time) but after 9 months, they are at 5-6 inches. The next couple months will be critical, and I really hope they do survive. They do seem happy so far and eating well. (crossingmyfingers)

 

[Roman]

And thanks for this article actually - there were a few take-aways here....

1. A large environment will allow them to grow to their potential, usually topping out at about 3’ for very large specimens.

^^It sounds like they won't just grow 3 feet unless the environment will allow it, which is good... a 3 foot fish in a 7 foot pond might just suck badly... but the 1st comment under the article might mean I'm worrying for nothing because that person's fish died at 6-9 months.

2. Some of the foods you can feed them like seaweed sheets and quartered raw zucchini sticks which are things easy to find and not something I would have thought of feeding them.

I feed my gold fish shelled raw peas. They love them. They have to be shelled because the shell of the pea can obstruct their bowels.

 

[PJay]

"I really hope they do survive. They do seem happy so far and eating well. (crossingmyfingers)"

Hoping with you....

 

[Dakota]

I feed my gold fish shelled raw peas. They love them. They have to be shelled because the shell of the pea can obstruct their bowels.

It is good to know that I can feed them food I already make in my house - just to give them variety and in may places I have read, it says variety can help brighten their colors.

I will come back and post updates on the hi fins even if I have bad news to report later. If for any other reason, it might help the next person searching for information on them or deciding if they should or should not pond these in Maryland.

Also since I found very little on Hornwort (or Coontail) I'll post an update on that as well. Apparently these plants don't have roots and can be dropped right into the pond to control algae. They are said to grow fast and also something the fish can nibble on.

I did have a picture of our pond with the umbrella. I paid maybe $50 for that umbrella, found it on clearance at Wayfair last year. It is a P.O.S. but I've rigged it to be more stable and it is there just to shade the pond from the scolding sun. Also, for those that remember my foster kitty that moved in, that is him watching the fish. He hasn't bothered any of the fish, yet, and I hope he continues to view the menu but not sample.

 

[General Lee]

Is that water Hyacinth? My first year with it thrived. The past 3 years I couldn't get it to flourish.

 

[desertrat]

I feed my gold fish shelled raw peas. They love them. They have to be shelled because the shell of the pea can obstruct their bowels.

Mine liked worms from the yard.

 

[Dakota]

Is that water Hyacinth? My first year with it thrived. The past 3 years I couldn't get it to flourish.

Yes.... Last year was my 1st year and it also thrived. In fact, it thrived a bit too well. I ended up throwing much of it out.

Desertrat,

Did you cut the worms or just toss them in whole?

My fish are still juveniles and I wondered if the worms would be too big for them.

 

[Lilypad]

http://www.petsmart.com/fish/live-plants/hornwort-zid36-15153/cat-36-catid-300070

 

[Dakota]

http://www.petsmart.com/fish/live-plants/hornwort-zid36-15153/cat-36-catid-300070

I got my shipment yesterday and dropped it in last night but will check Petsmart over the next few months and see if they get any in.... (Petsmart doesn't ship - either it is in the store or it isn't) because I think I might want some more..... the fish seem very interested in it.

 

[MetroPonds.com]

If they get too big, I am hoping I'll know somebody willing to take one of them and put it in their pond.

First of all - nice job on the conversion! Never see that before. And second, if you ever want to get rid of the Hi Fin's, let me know - I've been trying to find some for a year! Thanks. Mike

 

[Dakota]

First of all - nice job on the conversion! Never see that before. And second, if you ever want to get rid of the Hi Fin's, let me know - I've been trying to find some for a year! Thanks. Mike

I'll keep that in mind Mike

They are still hanging in there and getting very colorful now. I think the added plants and worms I'm tossing in might be helping thier colors along.