Habitat - Outdoor :: Adding mosquito fish, guppies, goldfish, etc.

[reptilegrrl]

Those of you who have outdoor ponds- how long do your fish last? I want to add some fish to keep the mosquito population down, and I know that Al will eat them. Will they breed prolifically enough to keep ahead of his appetite? Which fish are best at controlling mosquito larva?

I am excited about my forthcoming pond! It's been a long time in the planning.

[Andrew7769]

any fish think of them as a tasty treat maybe some bass? that are small enough for you pond and big enough so your turtle dosent eat them or if you have a small pond maybe some small sunfish

[missibsu]

Anything you put in there is likely to become food. No matter the size of the fish, your turt can put a big enough gash in one to kill it. I would think it would be best to put something in there that you don't mind getting eaten, as well as something that you know is safe for your turtle to eat. That would mean not putting in goldfish. I don't know about the bass or sunfish. I don't know if the guppies would eat the larvae or not.

[reptilegrrl]

Goldfish are actually safe to eat. They just shouldn't be eaten all the time.

[missibsu]

Goldfish are fatty, and as an occassional treat that would be one thing, BUT they also carry parasites, and all it would take is one fish with parasites. You can't tell by looking at them, so why risk it?

[reptilegrrl]

ANY fish can carry parasites. Goldfish are not unique in their parasite-carrying ability. If you feed guppies, minnows, mosquito fish, etc, all of those may be carrying a parasite.

In addition, when one buys fish from a large pet store or fish-breeding operation, all the water from all the various tanks is filtered through one large filter system. Any water-borne illness or parasite that one fish has, all the fish have been exposed to and therefore might have. So, the guppies in that store have been exposed to whatever the goldfish are carrying.

You are right, goldfish are fatty, which is why they should not be fed all the time. But being fatty does not make them unsafe to eat in general, and they are no more likely to be parasitized than are any other fish.

[Andrew7769]

if your pond is bog enough my advice is to go fishing catch some wild sunfish and let them go in your pond ur turtle probly wont have the energy or the will to chase down one of those sunfish will eat anything and they LOVE larve they are really to fasy for your turtle and they are pretty prolific breeders so if you get a population goin in there u will prolly have 2 take some out just my opinion

[missibsu]

It isn't recommended that you take any living thing out of the wild and place it in your own habitat. It isn't good for the living creature and it may not be the best for the environment in which it is being placed.

[reptilegrrl]

I would definitely not go get anything from the wild. I think it's cruel, and it's also a way to introduce diseases and even more parasites

I wonder if I can purchase sunfish at a pet store? And how big do they get? My starter pond will be about 100 gallons; I will make a bigger one when we own our own house.

[steve]

If your water surface is agitated sufficiently, I think that will help keep down the mosquitoes. I do agree that most fish will take the opportunity to get them as well.

I hope you take plenty of construction pics

[steve]

One more thing... I think if you add dark colored fish, like guppies and certain types of minnows, then they will have a better chance of evading your turtle in a pond - especially with additional hiding areas.

[reptilegrrl]

Wow, dark-colored fish are a really good idea. I had not thought of that at all. I'm not a fish keeper so it hadn't even occurred to me!

I will indeed post pics, but don't expect any major construction. I am a renter, so my first pond will be in a stock tank in the back yard I do plan to build my own filter, though- I am a DIY kind of girl.

[fric]

Hey Reptilegrrl ... thanks for the compliment in the other post about my pond. Maybe some day I'll learn how to post pics so everyone can see it.
Regarding fish, I've had goldfish in my pond since day one and some in there as long as seven years. One was a pet ... Wishes (as I called her) and she would eat out of your hand. She grew from a 12 cent feeder to 7 or 8 in long and probably at least a half pound. I've probably got a dozen or so right now and in all sizes and that's because I'll buy feeders every six months or so. I also remove some of them from time to time too because they get so big after several years.
The turtles don't catch them as easily as everyone thinks either. My old Fric chased his fish 24/7 and rarely if ever got one. There were bites in the fins and tails though. I think this is what kept him so healthy and why he lived for so long.
The two turts I have now aren't even interested in the fish ... they are no more than competition for the food and the bigger fish will even slap them around when it's dinner time. The goldfish like reptomin better then their fish food.
The boys will eat them though if I hand a feeder to them, but I've never seen these two chase them like Fric did. They all just seem to co-exist.
A learning experience for me that happened when I had a bunch of babies turts in the pond a few years ago was that some of the bigger gold fish I had at that time tried to eat them!
I just so happened to see one of these quarter sized babie's head in the mouth of about a 5 in goldfish and of course the fish was removed immediately. Thank goodness the baby was OK.
As far a mosquitos, larva etc ... I've never had them. It may be the fish and it maybe the fountain/filter I have in the pond that keeps the water moving. I think fish are good for ponds ... they eat everything and I think between them, the fountain/filter and my big palm, the water stays clean. I don't use chemicals other than the chlorinated water from the hose to keep the pond to it's level and I have to do this every two or three days.
One other thing about the goldfish I've experienced is from time to time they will lay eggs and the funny part is they will be stuck on the backs of the turtles! Mother nature is truly amazing isn't she?
Good luck with your pond! Fric

[Andrew7769]

i saw a cross breed bass/sunfish at a pet store once omg it was nuts

[KyleRasmussen]

I'm not sure about this, but wouldn't the turtle eat the mosquito larva since they float on the water? Or maby they are to small for him to eat?