Protecting baby fish

[archimedes]

My fish just recently had babies and they are beginning to grow. It's been fun watching this happen for the first time (for me).

However, I noticed that the older fish are starting to chase the babies in a very aggressive way. I don't have many plants in the pond and it's too late to start anything now.

Has anyone build, or bought, some sort of enclosure to protect the baby fish until they are old enough to fend for themselves.

I'd like to keep them inside the main pond but just partition off a section away from the big fish. I have a rectangular formal style pond so it might be possible somehow . Just curious what, if anything, other people have done.

Thanks.

 

[callingcolleen1]

Gets lots of plants that live undewatering like Horn wort, for them to hide in..

 

[Dave 54]

archimedes once your younglings get to around an inch in length the they are safe however until then the old fish will try to eat them , its a process called survival of the fittest only the strongest youngsters will survive .
Some people decide to give them a helping hand and net them out prefaring instead to feed them up indoors in an aquarium .
Even as fry they are in a sort of race to grow with the ones that get the biggest soonest eating the smaller

Dave

 

[archimedes]

Right now I've got 5 newbies ranging in size from 3/4 " to 1.25" (maybe 1.5").

But the two 10" Shubunkins I have are chasing them all over the pond. I don't know how they all haven't been eaten. I did have to rescue one of the five out of my settlement tank, but it took me about 45 mins to catch him - fast little sucker.

My hardy water lilies are starting to loose their leaves (even here in FL) and that is the only plant cover I have. So they will be pretty exposed unless I add something soon. I was thinking of using plastic poultry fence to make some sort of enclosure so they can get away from the bigger fish but still be in the same pond water. I have not come up with a design that I'm happy with yet though.

I have separated the one fish that I pulled out of the settlement tank. I've got him/her in a 10 or 15 gallon bucket. I don't have a filter yet, maybe do that tomorrow. How long can a 1" fish survive in a 10 gallon tub with no filtration? Will he be ok until tomorrow morning?

 

[addy1]

I have separated the one fish that I pulled out of the settlement tank. I've got him/her in a 10 or 15 gallon bucket. I don't have a filter yet, maybe do that tomorrow. How long can a 1" fish survive in a 10 gallon tub with no filtration? Will he be ok until tomorrow morning?

It will be fine.

 

[Dave 54]

It will be fine.

archimedes I had a goldfish that lived in a bowl with just some oxygenating plants weighed down by lead back when I was a youngster of about 7 that was 50 years ago now.
The only food available ack then was dried ant eggs , he got the occaisional water change and we knew nothing about chlorine back then.
He lived a grand total of 10 years and was my first ever fish so I think over night in a bucket should be ok , I remember on my first visit to Florida in the Rooyal Navy Aboard the Aircraft Carrier HMS Ark Royal surf canoeing and a guy walking his dog thought us nuts it being winter we were doing it .
We pointed out that to us it was like a british summer tempeature wise , he still went away shaking his head in disbelief as we we were in shorts and tee shirts as wet suits back then cost a fortune


Dave

 

[Lisaebetten]

I was thinking of a plastic fencing also, Milk crates that they sell at wal-mart, hardware stores, would make a nice little cage for them if they are smart enough to stay in or near it! I had some plant baskets on a ledge that the small ones liked to hang around the backs sides where the bigs couldn't get to.

 

[archimedes]

I hadn't thought of milk crates. That could be a good temporary reef like sanctuary for the babies.

 

[addy1]

I let it be survival of the fittest, ow the pond would be overrun with fish. During the summer they have plants, roots, lilies to hide in.

 

[Dave 54]

How is the protection of your younglings going archimedes did you get those milk crates or did you decide to take them out of the pond and place them indoors ?
You said they were shubunkins , do you happen to know which i;e Bristol London or American shubunkins ?
If you dont know how to tell them apart just ask , no infact its in a thread somewhere already , I'll have to hunt it out for you saves me typing it all out again

Dave

 

[Dave 54]

archimedes do you have you younglings protected yet if so did you get those milk crates or did you move them in doors either way we hope they all make it .
Do you know what type of shubunkins you have in the pond are they London, Bristol or American Shubunkins heres how you tell them appart (taken from another thread :-

"Please let us extend a warm welcome from across the big pond from Plymouth UK .
We just love your pond and the statue too , may we ask how deep it is taking into concideration that Chicago has cold winters ?
One question what type of shubunkins do you have ?
Confused there are three differing varients of the shubunkin that you can buy for your pleasure .
The London shubunkin this type have stout bodies with short, rounded finnage that is similar to the common goldfish.
Next we have the Bristol shubunkin this type are slim bodied goldfish with well developed finnage possessing a tail that is large, moderately forked, and rounded at the end making a shape similar to that in our eyes of the comet
Last but not least there is the American shubunkin they have a slimmer body shape than the london shubunkin with deeply forked, pointed tail fins, with longer finnage all around"

We hope this helps you figure which variety you have ?

Dave

 

[Mike in Vermont]

Has anyone build, or bought, some sort of enclosure to protect the baby fish until they are old enough to fend for themselves.
.

I have thought about placing netting across my pond, so I could keep the young fish separate from the larger ones. I was going to use floating material at the top of the net and weights at the bottom, so it would form a barricade from top to bottom. Then anchor it at both edges of the pond.

 

[Dave 54]

I have thought about placing netting across my pond, so I could keep the young fish separate from the larger ones. I was going to use floating material at the top of the net and weights at the bottom, so it would form a barricade from top to bottom. Then anchor it at both edges of the pond.

That in principle is a darn good, idea Mike however we can foresee one problem though with your design , what are you going to do about the sides of the net nearest the ponds walls.?

Dave

 

[Mike in Vermont]

That in principle is a darn good, idea Mike however we can foresee one problem though with your design , what are you going to do about the sides of the net nearest the ponds walls.?

Dave

I was going to cut the netting to fit the bank, and continue with the weights up to the anchor (s) It may need 2 on each side. One at the surface and another in the water. Keep in mind I have trout. They are kinda claustrophobic, and generally don't try to force themselves through tiny areas. I expect some little ones would escape and no big ones would be able to get through.

 

[j.w]

Floating nets work good for the babies. They let the little ones in and out but bigger ones can't fit. Just watch out for any fish that might think they fit through and then get stuck. Just take some black tubing, stick it together at both ends securely and zip tie some netting all around. Put some floating plants, Anacharis, Hornwort, Duckweed, Azolla or whatever to help make them feel secure.