Magic fish

[Esther]

OK, I haven't had a split tail fish for maybe three years. I do have mutt goldfish along with the Koi. Some came from a wedding reception where the people had them in bowls on the table. I asked what was going to be done with the ones that weren't being taken home and they looked embarrassed and said they'd probably "flush them". So I brought home about a half dozen of them to put in the pots separate from the ponds. In the winter, we put them in the big pond. There is only one fish in the pond that could have been there back with any of the Wakin or split tail fish. That one I'm sure is spawn from my pond. It looks more like the off white of a white goldfish but has the tail and fins of a butterfly. I did have a pearl white scaleless butterfly and when this one appeared, figured it was fathered by Pearl. All the rest of the fish died three winters ago.

So this spring I turned the pots over and moved the plants and a small waterlily out of the pond into each pot. At some point I discovered babies in one pot. So today I was feeding them and discovered there were several split tails or ones with the three piece tail. Not only was I amazed to find babies but figured there were eggs on the plants, but wondered how the split tailed fellas got there.

[Mike S.]

Glad you did the "rescue" and eventually found something good in it. Personally, I have a very strong dislike for anyone who considers "flushing" to be a method of culling. To many other more humane methods available.

You, on the other hand, seem to be a much kinder sort of person and forward looking, in that eventually, you found something that appealed to you. As my Aussie friends would say, "Good on 'ya!"   

Mike S.
Spring Hill, FL

[Kittyzee]

I wish I could help you figure it out Esther, but like Mike S. I'm glad you took the fish.  If I was there, I would hug you for it!   

Unlike a lot of people, I think any fish is a fish worth saving.  They are all beautiful to me.  Can't help who your parents were or how we turn out looking like.....

[Esther]

LOL @ Luann.

[Vickie]

I cannot kill them either. And  now my koi spawned and we have baby koi.  Maybe later you cn post a pic.

[LynneNY]

Unlike a lot of people, I think any fish is a fish worth saving.  They are all beautiful to me.  Can't help who your parents were or how we turn out looking like.....

My sentiments exactly!

[Mike S.]

Just so I don't get the rep of being a "softie," my comments were for those of us keeping and enjoying fish in our ponds. They are decorations, pets, and quite often, friends of some sort. And that is as it should be.

But when it comes to breeding fish, I have a whole different approach. Breeding fish, and I do mean when the breeding is intentional, comes with a responsiblilty to the breed itself. And to live up to that responsiblilty, culling is absolutely required. Anyone who calls themselves a "breeder" must have and understand the ethics of breeding and be able to cull the fish in order to improve the breed. That culling most certainly can be done humanely.

This is why I usually advise people to stay out of breeding unless they understand what it entails.

Not talking about the chance spawing that will often take place in the backyard ponds. The only warning I give when that happens is to be aware of the danger of trying to "save them all." If your pond cannot support an exponentially growing population, you could easily loose all the fish in the pond.

Most ponds will take care of a chance spawn. Fish in the pond will eat a majority of the eggs, the filter system will "eat" some too. Fry will be eaten by dragonfly larvae and other aquatic insects. Very few will likely survive to grow and become a problem. The numbers that do can often just fit in with the population. If there's more than you can deal with, find them new homes.

Mostly, you can sit back and enjoy watching the process. Just be aware of what an increase in the pond's population can do to the balance. Maintaining that balance is a large part of pondkeeping in the first place.

Mike S.
Spring Hill, FL

[Julles]

That's cool that you found pretty fish, Esther.  I just found a baby survivor in my fantail enclosure, and it's just a dull brown toby with an ordinary tail. 

[Esther]

I feel both ways. I see nothing wrong with euthanizing fish (culling) by breeders. Their goal is for specific colors or body shapes to keep the breed true and pure. But on the other hand, I now have probably 2-3 dozen baby fish that can't possibly fit in my pond. I really don't want to bring them in for the winter. Besides we gave away our 55 gallon tank and all the equipment. Supposedly we aren't supposed to put them in local lakes or rivers but I'm not sure why not. Guess because they are not natural for this area. Our local fish and water garden store is out in the country and they have a farm too. She has told me I can put fish in their farm swamp ponds. So maybe come fall, I'll do that.

I don't think people should buy fish for decorations and flush them when they are no longer needed. It bugs me when people buy fish for their kids and it isn't long and the kid isn't taking care of it and then they call me to see if I will put them in my pond. On one hand I want to but on the other hand, it won't be long and I will have too many fish and have to figure out what to do with their fish after all.

[Mike S.]

The farm swamp ponds offer sounds like a good place for you excess fish.

There are numerous post on many forums about humanely culling fish. Some of the methods I've used include higher than norm exposure to MS-222 (buffered with baking soda,) and oil of clove. Very small fry can be culled very quickly in a bucket of heavily iced water.

What I haven't done with larger fish is to bag them (sedated,) and put in a freezer. That, or even rapid decapitation is far kinder than "flushing." The later is a slow, horrible death. What it actually does is get the poor fish out of the owner's sight quickly.

Under no circumstances should any of our pond fish EVER be released into anything but another hobbyist pond. NOT into any other pond, lake, river or stream. For one thing, I don't think you'll find a single state without laws against this practice. Most of the time, ornamental fish that do get into the wild die quickly due to predators. But those that live to reproduce can, under some circumstances, displace the native fish population.

This can and will lead to banning of the offending species for any purposes. Don't do it, it is just plain irresponsible.

The same is also true of watergarden plants. Most seem to be more aware of that, than with the fish.

Mike S.
Spring Hill, FL

 

[perplexed ponder]

Not to start a big THING, but NO, you should never put any non native species in rivers, lakes ponds etc. Sure, goldies seem harmless enough, but they can upset the natural order of things in ways we may not be able to predict.

"scuse me while I climb back down off my soapbox now.

Maybe you can give the fishies to a local shop. We have done that in the past.