17 replies to this topic

[Rainbow]

Hello,

I live at Torbay near Albany and have a 4000 litre fish pond.

I like to have variety in my fish so I am always looking for different species that can survive a southern winter.

I currently have;
Comets,
Shubunkins,
Rosy Barbs
Rainbows
Murray River Rainbows,
White Cloud Minnows
Golden White Cloud Minnows
Algae eaters (Various)
Paradise Fish




If any one has suggestions for other fish for my pond they'd be most welcome

[dazzabozza]

Nice looking pond. The bush in the background really sets it off!

How low is the water temp getting down in that southern part of Oz?

Daz

[Rainbow]

Hello Daz

Last winter the water was down to around 10 degrees C but we didn't lose any fish although I have to admit they weren't highly active.

The bush in the background does set the pond off but it also tries to take the over the pond.
There's actually a creek and waterfall coming down from the top area but it's not easy to see.

[anchar]

That is truly beautiful! What about pygmy perch or some of the local goby species? For exotics, how about golden medakas (Oryzia latipes).

Andrea

[Rainbow]

Hello Andrea,

Thank you for the kind words

We did try medakas for awhile. We really liked them and they seemed happy in the pond as they started breeding.
But they started disappearing and we think it was birds as the medakas always swam on top of the water.
Birds haven't been a problem with the other fish as they swim a lot deeper and use a cave that we set up in the bottom of the pond for protection.

We haven't tried pygmy perch because we don't think we would be able to see them in the pond due to their size an colour.

But I haven't heard of local gobys, where can I find out about them?

[Sazabi]

Welcome to the forum

Nice pond pictures

So you dont have any tanks? Or consider any other fish apart from natives or goldfish?

I used to go to Albany once every year for a holiday and probably 2 times a year when I auditing, I never did have a chance to visit the LFS there, how is the selection of tropical fish down there?

[Scat]

Hi Rainbow and welcome to the PCS Forums

Theres lots of good information to be found on here and plenty of helpful people.

Cheers
Craig

[anchar]

Pretty sure the Swan River goby ( Pseudogobius olorum) inhabits streams as far south as Albany. There is also the Southe western goby (Afurcagobius suppositus). Not sure but I think jollytails (Galaxias maculatus) are native to your area too. Might be hard to source these unless you asked fisheries for a permit to catch some. I think I've seen G. maculatus and Ps. olorum on fish lists for sale. There is also the nightfish, but it would be difficult to see like the perches.

Andrea

[Rainbow]

Hello Sazabi,

I have no tanks, just the pond.

I have other fish beside natives and goldfish in the pond and am quite happy to consider any fish as long as it can survive in the pond.

The selection of fish in Albany is not very large and I have actually purchased most of my fish in Perth and carted them down.
They travel remarkably well and I have had no losses to date.

[anchar]

Given what you already have surviving, then I'm guessing gold barbs and danios might work.

Andrea

[Rainbow]

If gold barbs have the same requirements as rosy barbs they will definitely survive.
Zebra danios survive too because I have those but left them off my list above.

I'm not sure if other danios have the same requirements

[Sazabi]

The selection of fish in Albany is not very large and I have actually purchased most of my fish in Perth and carted them down.
They travel remarkably well and I have had no losses to date.

I see, as long as they have sufficient water and air, they can survive for quite a number of hours, but if you fly them over in the morning's Skywest Fokker 50 it will arrive in less than an hour

[rwillox]

Welcome to the forums.

Great looking pond you have there.

Ross

[Arcturus]

Hi Rainbow, awesome looking pond.

Very interesting what fish you've got to survive an Albany winter. I was thinking of setting up a similar pond myself - so thanks for the tips

As for other fish, what about more natives? You're right, pygmy perch won't be seen easily, but they are perfect for your pond conditions.

Western minnow could be a good one as well, not sure where you'd buy them tho, would like to get some myself

[Rainbow]

Hello Arcturus,

My husband thinks he may have a source for Western Minnow, but he'll have to check and make sure if the fish really are Western Minnows.

One tip I will give to people buying fish for a pond. Fish look very different when you are looking at them in a tank ,as you see them "side on" where their colours and markings are very easy to see. However when you put them in a pond you tend to look down at them and what was a very coluorful fish can suddenly become very dark and hard to see.

So my tip is always try to view a fish from overhead (which isn't always easy in a pet shop) as this is what you mainly see in the pond.

My best example of this is the Paradise fish. I can always see the albino and he's beautiful but my standard coloured one is very hard to pick out as from above he is just a brown slightly speckled fish who blends in beautifully with his background. Occasionally, when everything is just right you can see his colours.

[dazzabozza]

standard coloured one is very hard to pick out as from above he is just a brown slightly speckled fish who blends in beautifully with his background.

Can be the case with quite a few fish. Unfortunate for us but a bonus for them since they have better camouflage against birds etc. Is also another reason why albino strains aren't as prolific in the wild.


Daz

[Rainbow]

Hello Daz,

I realise why the fish have their colouring, but there doesn't seem to be much point having fish if you can't see them !!

We have allowed as much as possible for the birds by giving the fish a lot of hiding places, the pond is completely lined with rocks which creates lots of hiding places and there is a large "cave" right at the bottom for the bigger fish. The pond is also quite deep which helps as well.

We lost all our medakas to birds because they swam on the surface of the pond but the little golden mountain minnows have no problems because they swim well below the surface but their bright colour makes them highly visible.

If you build a pond just to have one in the garden, it doesn't really matter, but if you want to sit a watch the fish antics, which I do, then you need fish you can see

[Sazabi]

My husband thinks he may have a source for Western Minnow, but he'll have to check and make sure if the fish really are Western Minnows.

Watermark Kilns in Northcliffe is licensed to sell the local pygmy perch and western minnow, a bit far for me to go down there to buy some lol