is it mating season ?

[Rivermist]

Hi

I was wondering about m fish's behavior since this morning...

There are two groups they are crazy agitated and chasing around 2 other fish.

Could the two chased ones be females ?

They don't look like they are being attacked, no missing scales or damaged fins... but they must be exhausted...


So are they busy trying to get me some babies for this year ?


Thank you

 

[sissy]

sure are and sometimes you can tell females have a bulging belly and males are long and slick .go figure women never win

 

[addy1]

Mine are on their third chase.............so far have not seen lil ones, but I am not helping ie spawn mops etc.

 

[Rivermist]

LOOOL yes when those poor chased ones end up pushed almost out of the surface the belly is obvious.


I now can tell proportions are not fair... for 18 goldfish... only 2 seem to be females... :s tough life for these boys ! lol

 

[sissy]

geeze poor guys they really have to make there case there .Geeze addy they keep it up you may need another pond or put a sign out by the road free fish .lol .Mine chased also but all i see so far are lots of tads ,LOTS OF TADS LOL I will be making my journey down to the creek with my bucket of taddies .

 

[j.w]

I think you need more females as all those boys will run the 2 females crazy all the time. Hope they have a little place they can hide for awhile to rest. You could place a floating ring w/ a netted bottom w/ some plants in it so they could be lifted and put in there for awhile if they really start looking tired.

 

[Rivermist]

yes I 'm gonna have to make some more hiding places for sure, even for babies and tadpoles.

But I think we're already pretty crowded in this pond. 1000g for 18 goldfish (even if they are not big... ).

That's Mother Nature's job BTW lol we just kept the fish that already were in this pond.

i'd move some of the males in another pond but the other pond is smaller... I feels like scamming them.

 

[addy1]

geeze poor guys they really have to make there case there .Geeze addy they keep it up you may need another pond or put a sign out by the road free fish .lol .Mine chased also but all i see so far are lots of tads ,LOTS OF TADS LOL I will be making my journey down to the creek with my bucket of taddies .

I quit feeding when I see chasing going on, if they are hungry they will eat a bunch of the eggs. I still have a lot of water room for more fish.

 

[Shdwdrgn]

My pond was just getting warm enough that the comets were starting to chase... and then we had some cold rains this weekend and everybody is just kinda relaxing again. At least for myself, right around 68 degrees seems to be the magic number that makes them go crazy. Today my pond was back at 60.

Just keep an eye on the conditions, and next year you'll have a good idea when to expect the chasing to begin. Oh and watch out for problems. Last year my largest female got pushed up in between some rocks and got stuck. She still has a white patch where all her scales were scraped off. I've also rescued one that came clear out of the water. When they start chasing, they pay no attention to anything else.

 

[addy1]

I watched mine sort of flop up on the few floating plants that have started to grow. My edging is high enough they would really need to do a leap to get stuck out of the water. One good problem the slope caused. I think most if not all eggs are being eaten, the plants have not provided enough egg hiding coverage. I watch the fish go crazy snaking when the chase is over.

 

[Rivermist]

ho yes I noticed they are pushed out of the water.... as for keeping an eye on them... we had a lot of rain yesterday... my water is troubled again... I guess if it all sttles normally i'll see my fish again in a few days pffff

But it's colder today and yes back to very quiet in there;

 

[j.w]

When mine start the chasing that's when they somehow end up in the plant rings where their not supposed to be. They do lots of flips and flings and go quite crazy at times and then I have to try and fish them out. Then the babies fit in between the screen holes when just hatched and end up living in there till I round them all up around the end of summer and evict them. I think I should just put all the fish in the plant rings come Spring and then let them all go nuts jumping out of it instead of in it! Reverse fish psychology!

 

[Rivermist]

looooool that sounds interesting hahaha reverse fish psychology ! lol

 

[sissy]

I cleaned filters yesterday a put my lava rock in new laundry bags as the others were finally falling apart .Did my usual collecting of tad poles and taking them down to the creek .Stock tank will soon be ready to put plants in it .Lots of slamanders by the pond that scare the day lights out of me ,they sneek out here and there to see what I am doing .Water has been doing pretty good this spring and I'm amazed at that considering the weather .Rainy cold then 80 degree days and 40 degree nights and even some 60 degree nights

 

[Rivermist]

You are lucky...

But I saw my mama fish yesterday... OMG their bellies are huge...