j.w
I Love my Goldies
- Joined
- Feb 1, 2010
- Messages
- 32,513
- Reaction score
- 19,951
- Location
- Arlington, Washington
- Showcase(s):
- 1
- Hardiness Zone
- USDA 8a
- Country
Will be fun watching them grow!
Our new winter pond
- Thread starter Somethin' Fishy
- Start date
@Telion - Actually, I put together this little nano tank so that I could keep some sprigs of anacharis, hornwort, water lettuce, and frog bit over winter, so that I could have fresh starts for next season. Finding healthy hornwort and anacharis around here is especially difficult.
I figured on stocking the tank with some shrimp and tetras for our entertainment, but I did not expect that the few plant clippings I took from the pond would have fertilized eggs on them! But, it has been a total blast watching these little guys develop! I hope they survive, and I can't wait to see what colors they will turn. I am pretty sure the female that laid the eggs is this one:
This was the only fish that looked fat with eggs, and EVERYONE was chasing it in about the right time frame to produce these fry. And who the baby daddy is, is anyone's guess! There are various comets and shubunkins in the pond, so we may end up with something interesting out of the mix.
I moved the fry to an "upgraded" habitat, which happens to be a small cheapy aquarium kit from Wal-Mart. We are leaving for vacation soon, and I'll be leaving the tank with family members while we're gone. So I had to come up with as simple a system as I could, and we'll just have to hope that they'll still be alive when we get back!
I figured on stocking the tank with some shrimp and tetras for our entertainment, but I did not expect that the few plant clippings I took from the pond would have fertilized eggs on them! But, it has been a total blast watching these little guys develop! I hope they survive, and I can't wait to see what colors they will turn. I am pretty sure the female that laid the eggs is this one:
This was the only fish that looked fat with eggs, and EVERYONE was chasing it in about the right time frame to produce these fry. And who the baby daddy is, is anyone's guess! There are various comets and shubunkins in the pond, so we may end up with something interesting out of the mix.
I moved the fry to an "upgraded" habitat, which happens to be a small cheapy aquarium kit from Wal-Mart. We are leaving for vacation soon, and I'll be leaving the tank with family members while we're gone. So I had to come up with as simple a system as I could, and we'll just have to hope that they'll still be alive when we get back!
- Joined
- Mar 4, 2018
- Messages
- 580
- Reaction score
- 818
- Hardiness Zone
- 6b
- Country
That's the exact reason we are setting up our tank, and to house our tropical plants hoping that they will over winter. I am looking forward to see what your fry become too.@Telion - Actually, I put together this little nano tank so that I could keep some sprigs of anacharis, hornwort, water lettuce, and frog bit over winter, so that I could have fresh starts for next season. Finding healthy hornwort and anacharis around here is especially difficult.
I figured on stocking the tank with some shrimp and tetras for our entertainment, but I did not expect that the few plant clippings I took from the pond would have fertilized eggs on them! But, it has been a total blast watching these little guys develop! I hope they survive, and I can't wait to see what colors they will turn. I am pretty sure the female that laid the eggs is this one:
View attachment 115693
This was the only fish that looked fat with eggs, and EVERYONE was chasing it in about the right time frame to produce these fry. And who the baby daddy is, is anyone's guess! There are various comets and shubunkins in the pond, so we may end up with something interesting out of the mix.
I moved the fry to an "upgraded" habitat, which happens to be a small cheapy aquarium kit from Wal-Mart. We are leaving for vacation soon, and I'll be leaving the tank with family members while we're gone. So I had to come up with as simple a system as I could, and we'll just have to hope that they'll still be alive when we get back!
- Joined
- Jun 24, 2018
- Messages
- 1,063
- Reaction score
- 1,019
- Location
- Massachusetts
- Hardiness Zone
- 6
- Country
@Somethin' Fishy you may just have inspired me to set up an indoor aquarium. I have plants to move inside and an old 20 gallon tank, that just sits doing nothing. I may just go for it this weekend.
- Joined
- Jun 23, 2010
- Messages
- 44,105
- Reaction score
- 28,793
- Location
- Frederick, Maryland
- Showcase(s):
- 1
- Hardiness Zone
- 6b
- Country
Mine comes back every year. I don't bring any in for the winter. It grows back gang busters.
One month fry update:
Fry #1 - First born and the largest - color clear/brown
Fry #2 - Second to appear - color clear/brown
Fry #3 - 3rd. - White/Pink with dark around eyes
Fry #4 - 4th. to appear and the runt - color clear/brown
(Also had four freebie baby cherry shrimp in the tank)
At three weeks all 4 fry were active, eating, and developing fins. Fry #1 and #2 had fully formed fins, and Fry #1 was already more than double the size of the others. (Baby shrimp disappearing one by one... One day I'm pretty sure I spotted EYES in the digestive tract of Fry #1!)
A day before our vacation I cleaned the baby tank so that it would be all set for the fish sitter, (fish sitter would be feeding only, and not cleaning). I counted all four fry, one remaining shrimp, and thoroughly inspected the dirty water before throwing it out to make sure I didn't siphon anyone up! But, a few hours later, Fry #4 - the smallest, was missing! No evidence of it anywhere, inside or out!
So we go on vacation.... A day or so into our trip the fish sitter reports only 2 fish in the tank. Hmmm.... Upon returning home, I expected the missing fish to be the next smallest, #3. Oddly, it was Fry #2 that was missing, and the last shrimp was gone! Again, not one trace of a body anywhere.
Currently, Fry #1 is a fully developed fish, baby bronze, and is 3 to 4 times larger than Fry #3. Probably about the size of a small neon tetra. Fry #3 is turning whiter, and still developing fins. The bottom fork of its tail has a kink in it, but I can't tell if its a deformity, or just still developing.
So, my assumption is that Fry #1 has attained its size by eating baby shrimp and two of its siblings! And maybe the only reason Fry #3 has survived is because Fry #1 prefers dark meat!
It has sure been interesting!
Fry #1 - First born and the largest - color clear/brown
Fry #2 - Second to appear - color clear/brown
Fry #3 - 3rd. - White/Pink with dark around eyes
Fry #4 - 4th. to appear and the runt - color clear/brown
(Also had four freebie baby cherry shrimp in the tank)
At three weeks all 4 fry were active, eating, and developing fins. Fry #1 and #2 had fully formed fins, and Fry #1 was already more than double the size of the others. (Baby shrimp disappearing one by one... One day I'm pretty sure I spotted EYES in the digestive tract of Fry #1!)
A day before our vacation I cleaned the baby tank so that it would be all set for the fish sitter, (fish sitter would be feeding only, and not cleaning). I counted all four fry, one remaining shrimp, and thoroughly inspected the dirty water before throwing it out to make sure I didn't siphon anyone up! But, a few hours later, Fry #4 - the smallest, was missing! No evidence of it anywhere, inside or out!
So we go on vacation.... A day or so into our trip the fish sitter reports only 2 fish in the tank. Hmmm.... Upon returning home, I expected the missing fish to be the next smallest, #3. Oddly, it was Fry #2 that was missing, and the last shrimp was gone! Again, not one trace of a body anywhere.
Currently, Fry #1 is a fully developed fish, baby bronze, and is 3 to 4 times larger than Fry #3. Probably about the size of a small neon tetra. Fry #3 is turning whiter, and still developing fins. The bottom fork of its tail has a kink in it, but I can't tell if its a deformity, or just still developing.
So, my assumption is that Fry #1 has attained its size by eating baby shrimp and two of its siblings! And maybe the only reason Fry #3 has survived is because Fry #1 prefers dark meat!
It has sure been interesting!
- Joined
- Jun 24, 2018
- Messages
- 1,063
- Reaction score
- 1,019
- Location
- Massachusetts
- Hardiness Zone
- 6
- Country
I need to hurry up with my tank. I am researching minnows for mine, as I love those fish. Want something to watch for the winter, and it sure sounds like a tank will be interesting. Thanks for the update.
Today I transferred the two remaining fry that I've been raising indoors into the original tank I found them in (where the eggs/fry came in on the plant I put in there). I also managed to catch three babies from the pond. My "guess" is that the babies from the pond are a couple months old.
The three pond babies (floating in the bag), checking out "Hitch" on the outside.
This is "Shmoo" - It is maybe 8-10 hours younger than the brown one above, but is developing and growing slower, and has a kink in the lower fork of its tail.
I'm thinking one of our shubunkins were involved in this spawning.
Size difference in the month old vs. the pond babies
All those speckles!
The three pond babies (floating in the bag), checking out "Hitch" on the outside.
This is "Shmoo" - It is maybe 8-10 hours younger than the brown one above, but is developing and growing slower, and has a kink in the lower fork of its tail.
I'm thinking one of our shubunkins were involved in this spawning.
Size difference in the month old vs. the pond babies
All those speckles!
Attachments
That will be neat! There are so many interesting, and really colorful "minnows". Can't wait to see what you come up with!
@Tara - Did you ever put together your tank? I'd love to see what you came up with!
I evicted the babies from our tank, and got them transferred into the pond before it gets any colder. They're doing well out there, and swimming around with the adults.
I did some plant work in the little tank and added some celestial pearl danios (tank raised). They are absolutely fascinating! Pretty active though, so its difficult to get good pictures.
I evicted the babies from our tank, and got them transferred into the pond before it gets any colder. They're doing well out there, and swimming around with the adults.
I did some plant work in the little tank and added some celestial pearl danios (tank raised). They are absolutely fascinating! Pretty active though, so its difficult to get good pictures.
- Joined
- Jun 24, 2018
- Messages
- 1,063
- Reaction score
- 1,019
- Location
- Massachusetts
- Hardiness Zone
- 6
- Country
Still working on it, I have the tank, a table I fixed up and lights. However every time I think I will have a free day something else has to get done. My tank is a twenty gallon long tank so I'm a little concerned that it may be too small, and also trying to find minnows for sale near me is proving difficult, as no one stocks them. I must say your tank is looking good, the plants have filled in nicely and those are pretty fish you added. I am hoping for some active fish myself that can also be added to a pond if they multiple, as I may build a small nature pond next spring.
The CPD's are beautiful with an amazingly long life span for such a small fish. I have kept mine in a species tank over the years. Great photos! Those little guys are fast movers. I found switching to manual focus really helps capturing images of them.
Maybe once the long days of Winter roll in you'll find time to play with it. I have always loved the long tanks, and I'm sure you'll come up with something great for your 20 gal.
Thank you. I'm really enjoying this little tank, probably more so than any other set up I've ever had. Years and years ago, before "nano tanks" were a thing, I set up a 3.5 gallon tank as a salt water. It was really neat, but I like having the plants.
I'm just fascinated with them! When I was a kid I fell in love with butterfly fish, but I think these little CPDs are now the favorite for tank fish. Active, and so much personality. Perhaps as they mature, and the males start to color up, I'll try for more photos.
They are amazing fish. I always get a kick when a visitor looks into their heavily planted tank and says, "Hey, there's little fish there!" It sounds like you are 'all over it' but here is a link that you might enjoy: https://www.petcha.com/keeping-the-celestial-pearl-danio/
If you feed them live baby brine shrimp the males will 'pop' in color. So vivid.
One thing I learned is they breed like rabbits. But the nice thing about them is pet shops will eagerly accept them.
I wish you success!
Stephen
If you feed them live baby brine shrimp the males will 'pop' in color. So vivid.
One thing I learned is they breed like rabbits. But the nice thing about them is pet shops will eagerly accept them.
I wish you success!
Stephen
- Joined
- Jun 24, 2018
- Messages
- 1,063
- Reaction score
- 1,019
- Location
- Massachusetts
- Hardiness Zone
- 6
- Country
I finally decided on a placement for my tank @Somethin' Fishy, it turned into something of a process as it was moved all over the house before I was finally happy with its location. So between been busy and moving the poor tank all over the house these weeks, I'm excited to finally be putting it together next week.
I'm excited to see what you do with it @Tara !
I've been slowly re-modeling my little tank. I pulled the anacharis, pruned stuff back, and removed one of the large rocks to replace it with a driftwood piece. Just waiting for the wood to waterlog so I can add it along with the new plants I ordered. Looks pretty boring in there right now, but the fish don't seem to mind.