What variety of fish can be kept?

[neptunesgardener]

@catfishnut - There are certainly a lot of different reasons to keep native fish. While I do enjoy my goldfish and koi, to me the pond felt very unnatural just having the one type of fish in it, and you can't generally go to your local fish store and pick up much that would survive a full-blown Winter. I'm crossing my fingers that the weather loaches do well and are much more visible this coming year. And now that the pond is really established, I'm going to try and really get stocked up on more rosy-red minnows. If I can just find a source for something like those greenside darters, and pick up a batch of leopard frog tadpoles, I think I'll have a good variety to watch in the pond.

@mmathis - Mostly its a matter of research. I read up first on what temperatures a species can survive, and then on what they like to eat. Finally you want to check out how their native waters correspond with your pond. For instance, part of my interest in the darters is that they are bottom-dwellers from rivers. They would likely be found in areas on my pond that the goldfish are not interested in, and their movement in those areas will help stir up any decaying matter that might try to settle in. The same for the rosy-reds... they like hiding under the larger rocks and clean out those areas. Without the rosies, I would have a mess of decaying plants in my rocks around the edges. This is the thoughts behind my desire for a variety of fish -- different species will occupy different regions of the pond, eating different types of foods, and hopefully helping to establish an even more natural overall balance.

Here are a few places that sell NA native fish. I've only personally dealt with the first link, and will give them the highest marks for product and service.
www.aquaculturestore.com

http://www.btdarters.com/

 

[neptunesgardener]

The pond goes right under that sun room floor there and the room has a heated floor so in winter all the fish congregate under there to enjoy the warmth! Here is a newer photo and she's done a lot w/ plants around the edge now,did some grass landscaping and adding some side pool areas and that big gray tub is gone now and she's got some kind of big huge dug out filter system w/ big brushes and panels w/ an underground connection to the big pond. Settlement chamber maybe? She's planning a big stream and an area for her turtles outside the pond area w/ a place all there own. A bobcat pen is just a short way from the pond.

A friend of a friend used to keep big cats in upstate PA. My hand has never been the same since it was practically crushed against the bars of the tiger's cage. I found out the hard way that you have to be careful when you scratch a tiger behind the ears!

 

[j.w]

Yikes I don't think I'd even try that one neptune...............not on a tiger!
This bobcat was a rescue and the people that had her declawed her so she cannot climb trees. She still has teeth tho! My friend made ledges around the trees in her enclosure so she can jump up from one to another so she can perch up high like cats like to do. The weird thing is that she is fed rabbits alive and dead but one day my friend who had always given her white rabbits gave her a big fat black one that wasn't producing for her anymore and the cat would not eat it! They play together and have been friends for quite awhile now. Course one day the cat I suppose could change her mind easily and no more rabbit!

 

[Shdwdrgn]

@Harriett - We have a 55-gal aquarium set up as a river tank, and have been trying to raise some Florida Flags in it. We had four, but two of them got caught in the filter a couple weeks ago. One of our local stores started carrying them, so we picked up another pair last weekend. Nice looking fish, but I'm pretty sure they wouldn't survive my Winters outdoors

 

[neptunesgardener]

He had bottle raised her and she was extremely affectionate. When I scratched her she really liked it so she did what any cat would and leaned into it. Unfortunately she was 400 lb +, with a head the size of a beach ball and the bars didn't cut me any slack! The owner was startled when I screamed but couldn't stop laughing when he saw that my hand wasn't in her mouth and what was really going on! And to add insult to injury she licked my hand as I pulled it away. Actually it added injury to injury since it was like coarse sandpaper being rubbed on me! All in all very sweet but not my idea of a pet!

 

[j.w]

Lol, I feel your pain but it is funny! Nice that she gave ya a lick on the hand too...................guess you will be more careful next time if there is a next time. The Bengal tiger is one of my favorite animals..........so beautiful! Not my idea of a pet tho! I'll take my two small black cats as my buddy's!