Hi-Fin Banded Sharks in ponds?

[thepitclub]

Has anyone ever had experience with other types of fish than goldies and rosies in ponds?
What do you make of this?

http://cgi.ebay.com/8-LIVE-Hi-Fin-Banded-Shark-KoiEnthusiasts-MICH_W0QQitemZ220120587569QQihZ012QQcategoryZ3212QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem

[JohnInFlorida]

He'd probably do quite well in a large pond in south Florida/Texas ... In Michigan? strictly an annual, IMO  re: where would one keep him in the winter?

http://www.aquariacentral.com/species/db.cgi?db=fresh&uid=default&ID=0543&view_records=1

Keep Smilin'
John 

[thepitclub]

Yes, I thought of that (I remove my fish and keep them inside during the winter), I wasn't thinking for my small pond; I was surprised in general that it was being sold as a pond fish. I guess I wasn't thinking of you lucky folks who live way down there in the sunshine (while I'm stuck in the frozen tundra) where he'd probably flourish. 

I was thinking more on the lines that he looked like a tropical, which I didn't think did well with goldies. But I'm a Class A amatuer at this point though.......

[Ky Kim]

There was someone on here last year that had 2 in his pond.  I can't think of his name, but he lived a state that stayed warm.  Wish I could remember his name.

Kim


Ok, I went searching on the Old Forum and his name was Blind 'Too.  He lived in Sun City, CA.  He said he had 4 in his pond along with goldfish, wakin's etc.  CA, warmth.

I wonder where he went too, I looked to see if he had an email address but he doesn't....guess he got lost when it was hacked way back when.

Ponding / Pond Chat / Re: Chinese Hifin Banded Sharks  on: June 11, 2006, 10:42:58 AM 
I'm in zone 7, no 8...or 9...one of those, it depends on who you ask.  I'm not sure if they'd survive the temps in a zone 5...might be too cold.

Here's some info:

http://www.aquariacentral.com/fishinfo/fresh/hifin.htm

http://www.csupomona.edu/~jskoga/Aquariums/myxocyprinus/myxocyprinus.html

http://www.aquascapeonline.com/store/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=86

information varies slightly, but from what I've read they are very slow growers (1-2 inches per year, and will only reach their full size in the wild, probably only 18-24" in captivity, and can live about 20 years give or take a few.  My ph is about 9, but what I read is that they need lower.  That statement is true for almost all pond fish, but most people I know have ph in the 8-9 range.

Hope this helps...
 

[Ky Kim]

Ok, I found a way to make contact with him.  He said he lurks here from time to time, but hasn't posted.  I told him to come on in and get his feet wet again.  His pond is cool.

Kim

[thepitclub]

Well I hope he does! I too read up about the High-fin Banded Sharks, and now I think it might be a neat fish to have in the pond. Since I bring my fish inside for the winter, it wouldn't be an "annual".
I couldn't imagine having annual fish- how cruel.  :'(

[mascot]

Hi...yeppir, it was me that Ky Kim was talking about and I decided to drop by to tell you that they do very well in my pond.

I have four and they are very docile...the koi brush past them and they just go with it.  Someone once told me that they stay on the bottom, and that's not true at all with mine.  They have come to the top, and they've ventured all over the pond and even swam around with the other fish from time to time.  They don't get to the sinking pellets fast enough, so all I can do is see if they survive on the algae and other 'stuff' on the bottom, and so far they have.

I've seen a few larger ones and they were about $70 for a 10-12 inch hi-fin, so the link was pretty close to what I paid locally...then you have shipping to contend with.  I was told they like to be in groups of three or more, however, I rarely see all four of mine in the same place.

These pictures are at the shallow end of the pond...so they're definitely not stuck to the deep parts of the pond.



These smaller ones that I got in Calif were about $25 for a pair.  They are slow growers, but will get to about 24-30 inches in larger ponds, and they also lose their high dorsal fin when they get older. 

[thepitclub]

I appreciate your input! They look quite content in your pond. I'm not planning on purchasing any until I have a bigger pond established; as a complete greenhorn to proper ponding, my lil' ponds are overstocked. But I'm looking forward to researching them until the time is right. The ebay seller mentioned above is only about an hour from me, so I'm hoping they will still have some when I'm ready. I browsed around the local pet shops, but no one around here had ever heard of them. Have you had your for some time now?

[mascot]

Local is good, that makes the price more feasible!  The first two that I got were small and about $20 each, then I found two larger ones about an hour away for $25/pair.  I thought about getting two more, but I've got enough for now, typical overstocked pond, I guess.

I've had two of them for almost two years and the larger ones for about a year, so they've made it through our one cold winter this past year.  The pond is about 26-28 inches deep in the center, and I didn't get any ice despite the sub 20's temps we had a couple nights.  The pond circulates about twice an hour, so that helped.

I like the hi-fin better than the plecostomo~saurus (sp?) because I've heard other say they go after the koi and suck their scales off, but others say they never had a problem so I went with the hi-fins.

You'll like them...very unique looking and mild mannered.  I can only speak from experience so I can't give you any specifics other than what I've encountered, but anytime you have a question feel free to ask.