Poor little fish.....

[Mmathis]

We [son & I] were clearing out some space in the back yard, and I was moving plants out of their temp containers. I had a small black tub that you mix concrete in that has been housing a few day lilies, a sun-tolerant fern, and some dwarf mondo grass pots until I have a place to plant them. You might say they've been there a while.

Anyway, after I got the plants out, I tipped the concrete tub and dumped the semi-putrid water out into the grass. My son said, "Mom, there's a fish!" There was a baby Shubunkin that he had picked up! Then he found a second one [a "normal"].

I couldn't believe it! That tub was only occas. watered [and mostly by rain fall]. It sit's in full sun. Gosh, it's only about 8" deep, too! All I can figure is that this past spring, I must have transferred something into that tub that had either eggs on it, or fry tangled up in it [roots].

The pics aren't very good -- using iPhone camera. This little survivor is going to live in my indoor tank over the winter. The other survivor is going in the pond.

 

[JohnHuff]

Two thoughts:
- Why is one going in the pond and the other indoors?
- Have you considered the fact that these two might be the strongest survivor out of many and they ate all the others to be the last 2 left standing?

 

[Mmathis]

Two thoughts:
- Why is one going in the pond and the other indoors?
- Have you considered the fact that these two might be the strongest survivor out of many and they ate all the others to be the last 2 left standing?

First question: I started doing this last year when I had my very first ever baby fish! I had a Shubie and a calico fantail-type [possibly a Wakin] that I over-wintered indoors, for no other reason(s) than I wanted to observe their growth and to see how/if their colors transformed. Call it an experiment. But I also wanted to have some indoor fish so I'd have something to care for and admire during the winter.... I have 2 other babies picked out for the tank this year, so I decided to add this little guy -- the pics don't do him justice, but he's a pretty little fishy!

Second question: Hadn't really thought about it.

 

[Dave 54]

An amzing story Maria somewhat like a story I read some years ago now in the PFK magazine , where this family had to move home to a smaller home and because of this they closed down their fish tank stowing it in the garage of their new home .
About two years their finances where such that they could acctually buy a house over renting and the husband decided to bring out the fish tank which was left with gravel in the bottom which was a putrid mess .
Anyway he cleaned the gravel and set the tank up again filling it with tropical fish.
Then one day whilst feeding them he noticed they had a black and white loachin the tank, now this is where it gets weird "he hadnt bought any when he re-stocked the tank", so this loach has survived two years of living in a shut down tank in an unheated garage then being washed with the gravel only to pop out again when the tank was up and running Wierd as this story was is it sort of mirrors yours .

Dave

 

[ZmanArt007]

First question: I started doing this last year when I had my very first ever baby fish! I had a Shubie and a calico fantail-type [possibly a Wakin] that I over-wintered indoors, for no other reason(s) than I wanted to observe their growth and to see how/if their colors transformed. Call it an experiment. But I also wanted to have some indoor fish so I'd have something to care for and admire during the winter.... I have 2 other babies picked out for the tank this year, so I decided to add this little guy -- the pics don't do him justice, but he's a pretty little fishy!

Second question: Hadn't really thought about it.

See, this is what bothers me the most -- the comment that, "I realize that some of the fish probably won't make it. Call what I'm doing an experiment."

Since when are our pets an experiment!

I'm not trying to start a fight with this I just wanted to poke some fun on something you said to me in another thread, Turtle Mommy

Anyway, I'm glad you relocated the fish, I'm sure they will be much happier now I'm guessing since they survived in those less than perfect conditions they will do fine in the pond over winter, or in your indoor tank.

 

[j.w]

That is a neat story and glad they made it.............But but but they have been together from the beginning living side by side fighting to survive....................you really gonna separate them............they are best buddies by now

 

[Nepen]

cute fish with red cheeks!!

 

[Mmathis]

cute fish with red cheeks!!

Those are gills.

 

[Nepen]

Those are gills.

yes, but they still looks like red cheeks

 

[Mmathis]

You can tell that this fish has had to struggle for food -- when I feed, he GOES ABSOLUTELY CRAZY, swimming around, trying to catch every bite! At first, I thought he was flashing, 'cause he was diving and going around at all angles. Then when I watched his more closely, I realized he was only chasing food!

 

[bettasngoldfish]

How cute! How come finding fish like this never happens to me?

 

[Mmathis]

Well, my son, Phillip, has done it again -- just call him the "Goldfish Rescuer"!

He was emptying and cleaning some tubs for me this afternoon -- these tubs had previously held my water lilies until they went in the pond last week. I heard him say, "Mom, there's a fish!" As with the concrete mixing tub, there weren't supposed to have been fish in these tubs either...... This goldfish was HUGE compared to the others that were spawned this spring.....at least 2-3 times larger, at a good 3" long (excluding tail)! He was eating well! He's in the pond now. Still olive-colored.

 

[j.w]

Wow how long had that tub been set up? If only since Spring then that fish grew a bunch!

 

[Mmathis]

Wow how long had that tub been set up? If only since Spring then that fish grew a bunch!

Yep!

 

[Nepen]

I want to see some more pictures of your babies