Fish that won't breed

[Lisak1]

She's weakening... she's weakening... it was inevitable!

 

[Tula]

I thought I had all male koi, but apparently not. I wish I could get an expert to sex mine, I'd just keep the males.

 

[addy1]

I did like jw, hardly ever feed to never feed the fish. They made very few babies, they were great at eating up the eggs. I have been feeding a little this year, getting some fry, still not a lot.

 

[Tula]

I thought my koi had eaten all the eggs, but my coating plant nets, harbored some. I love the floating baskets, but might wait to get them started till fish done spawning nest summer.

 

[fishin4cars]

@tbendl I can help sex goldfish but even adults may or may not have the stars or pimples on the heads if they aren't actively breeding. My suggest is see if you can find someone with Hybrid Goldfish koi cross. They are usually if not 99% sterile, Some may get to 16-20" long but most usually stay smaller than that. Another fish you might consider if your pond is deep enough is a Hi fin banded shark, great algae eater, will get quite tame, and very rarely ever breed in captivity. If you go with that I would only get one. They do get larger than goldfish but the don't attract predators and they don't usually bother plants. If you are interested in a hybrid goldfish koi cross and can't find one I have one, maybe two that I will be looking to rehome very soon. I plan on seining my pond around Oct. 15-30th and will be pulling @Mmathis fish, along with a few others that have already been sold or spoken for then as well. Looking to re-home about 16-18 fish by the end of next month.

 

[tbendl]

Thanks Larkin, I will let you know. Since they are hybrid's do they require the additional aeration and filtering of standard koi or are they like the goldfish that are much hardier. I am a little concerned with my water temp during the summer months. I was reading up on the shark but they don't seem to be tolerant of warmer water. I will do some homework on the hybrids today. That sounds like the way to go though. I appreciate the offer.

 

[fishin4cars]

My thoughts on aeration and filtering, The better you filter the better your whole pond will perform. Oxygen is a benefit in any pond. Hybrids can take on the form of a koi, or it could take on the form of the goldfish. IMO, per oz. of body weight Goldfish put off more waste than Koi. Some feel differently. I have notoriously had more difficult keeping goldfish than Koi. So to answer the question, filtration should be enough for the amount of fish plus what they will become if you can get them full grown. If you can follow those guideline even if a baby or two come along, It's no big deal.

 

[Lisaebetten]

get fish with the pimple (called Breeding stars) then you will have all male fish. ebay normally have good enough pictures that you can see the pimple on their gill plate.

Oh my goodness you have just shed a ton of light on my angry gold fish!!! I have had "it" by itself because of is personality disorder for about a year now. I saw the white spots and thought it was a sickness!! Treated for nothing. I put him in the pond and he was pulled out for non stop harassment. I must have 4 lovely ladies in my pond He is now in a 40 gal with a couple bottom feeders who hang in their caves most of the time.

 

[addy1]

Oh my goodness you have just shed a ton of light on my angry gold fish!!

Geez the poor guy was just trying to carry on his lineage!

 

[tbendl]

Personality disorder... heheee. Get that fish some darn sexual harassment classes.

 

[Nepen]

haha I think you should let him be for a few days then he'll just get used to it

Oh my goodness you have just shed a ton of light on my angry gold fish!!! I have had "it" by itself because of is personality disorder for about a year now. I saw the white spots and thought it was a sickness!! Treated for nothing. I put him in the pond and he was pulled out for non stop harassment. I must have 4 lovely ladies in my pond He is now in a 40 gal with a couple bottom feeders who hang in their caves most of the time.

 

[Lisaebetten]

haha I think you should let him be for a few days then he'll just get used to it

I felt bad for the other fish who are just lovin their fish lives outside a 40 gal. inside! Plus I'm not ready for babies!!!

 

[addy1]

My crazy fish are still chasing, not sure if successful though. The water is 61 degrees now.

 

[Nepen]

I had like 5-6 spawned this year. No baby in the pond at all. They all got eaten. I kept two in the inside tank just to see how they transform but one mysteriously went missing so I only have one left.
there was a time when I felt bad for the fish who got chased so I rounded the chasers and locked them up, but then when I let them go in the evening they started chasing again. So I decided to observe them a bit and my boys only chased from around 5- 9AM and if I let them do the chase it stopped by itself but if I intervene they continued the chase after I released them back. So I let them do their thing from then on.

But if you do have a place to keep them separate I think that's good too, I don't have the place (permanent place that is)

 

[tbendl]

No, no place to keep them separate and I don't want to bring them in for the winter. I just really don't want to get into a situation that I can't take care of them or get in over my head. That's why I want to not have breeding fish.