Am I toxic?

[MarcusNZ]

I'm guessing not. I thought I'd check that it's ok to stand around in the pond for a few hours at a time killing aphids and snails. The fish seem to like me and they all gather around and nibble my legs.I must be tasty!

 

[mrsclem]

As long as you are not spraying yourself with a bug repelent first-

 

[MarcusNZ]

Definately not. I have been extra careful when treating the plants in my garden for pests too opting for squashing by hand rather than pesticides. I'm hoping all the hot weather is to blame for the huge bug outbreak this year. I have never seen so many Passion vine hoppers and aphids. They are everywhere!

 

[sissy]

maybe your fish love you to much . :razz: kissing fish :goldfish: :goldfish:

 

[j.w]

The fish are wonderful at defoliating dead skin off you tootsies too. Just sit by the pond and dangle your toes in the water and watch them nibble

 

[pecan]

I had a female comet the first summer that the boys seemed to LOVE. She was always being chased. I felt bad so I would jump in the pond and let her hide between my calves to give her a break. I would shoo the boys away with my hands and she would hover between my calves. It got to where whenever I stepped in the pond she'd come running and just hang out there with me. silly girl.
Sadly I did not see her after the middle of last summer, she either changed color while I wasn't looking (a lot of my comets look much different than they did the first year) or a bird got her.

 

[MarcusNZ]

I had a female comet the first summer that the boys seemed to LOVE. She was always being chased. I felt bad so I would jump in the pond and let her hide between my calves to give her a break. I would shoo the boys away with my hands and she would hover between my calves. It got to where whenever I stepped in the pond she'd come running and just hang out there with me. silly girl.
Sadly I did not see her after the middle of last summer, she either changed color while I wasn't looking (a lot of my comets look much different than they did the first year) or a bird got her.

I have 1 Comet named Halley (so original I know...) and it was patched white and gold. I went away for a weeks work during which time we had our first real couple of days of rain. On my return, I noticed Halley had turned almost fully white. It happened so fast.
Q1.How often do they change colour?
Q2.Do some fantails do this also?

 

[sissy]

I have notice mine change with the temps of the pond but the black ones never went back to black .One is a pink color and the other one is white with an orange dot on his head .My orange are white and orange now but mostly white .In the heat of the summer they get a little more orange and then in the winter they are mostly white .

 

[callingcolleen1]

The baby fish are black and sometimes for over a year, as black is their protective color, and the ones that are bigger than normal and turn all white are usually female. Some goldfish that are very small and orange, gold, white or red, that you see in pet stores are not babies, there were just grown together in tight quarters with limited food and so they are really just small underdeveloped adults. All baby goldfish are that are one year old or less, should still have some of their black color. Some of our pond babies that get very big and are still black, are still just really "big well fed" babies!

I do however have one fairly large koi crossed with goldfish mix, that fish is about seven or eight years old, and is all black, very velvet midnight black, and I don't think he will ever turn color now. I also think that the koi cross goldfish hybrids are not able to have babies.

 

[callingcolleen1]

Marcus why are you killing the snails? Large Goldfish should eat most of them, unless they are different type of "new Zealand" snail that I don't know about. Snails will eat the algae too, but some big snails can eat the Lillys too! I like snails in my pond but don't have many as the fish do eat mine.

If you can get "water striders" to live and colonize the pond, then you will not have a problem with aphids.... at least on the pond plants!

Ant's are most likely farming the aphids. Do you have lots of ants??? Drought will make bugs worse too!

 

[MarcusNZ]

Marcus why are you killing the snails? Large Goldfish should eat most of them, unless they are different type of "new Zealand" snail that I don't know about. Snails will eat the algae too, but some big snails can eat the Lillys too! I like snails in my pond but don't have many as the fish do eat mine.

If you can get "water striders" to live and colonize the pond, then you will not have a problem with aphids.... at least on the pond plants!

Ant's are most likely farming the aphids. Do you have lots of ants??? Drought will make bugs worse too!

The snails are putting holes in my Lilies and between them and the aphids, my lily leaves start dying off quickly if I don't stay on top of them. I also have Thalia which the aphids seem to love.
Re. Ants. There are ants here. They would have to walk on water to get to my plants and I don't see them walking around on the plants and hanging out with the aphids.

 

[addy1]

Nice pond construction photos you have. And nice pond
I spend hours in the pond grooming the lilies, messing with the side rocks, the fish love to nibble on your legs. That is one time I can reach down and just pick one up. They seem to forget that I am there. Just like the fresh flesh to nibble on, it tickles!

 

[callingcolleen1]

Ants are the biggest problem when it comes to aphids cause ants raise and farm aphids like we farm cattle. If your lilly pads have little holes and lots of aphids, the aphids are eating the lillys. If your lillys are touching the edge of the water, or a blade of grass is laying over the pond creating a bridge, the ants will be bringing more aphids.

Make sure your Lilly is totally surrounded by water and that none of the pads are touching the land or pond edge. Clip any overhanging blades of grass or shrubs as the ants are very smart and will use a blade of grass or bush that hangs in the water to gain access to the aphids they are farming. Set ant traps and try to get rid of the ants or bug the ants senseless with water and they will move. Wash the aphids off the pads or move the lilly to the deeper water.

Many people do not know that the ants are the biggest problem when it comes to aphids. If your vine is also attacked by aphids look at the base of the vine for ants crawling up and down the vine. Two way sticky tape can be placed abound the truck of the trees of vine to block access to the ants. If the vine hangs over the house, or trees, the ants will crawl up another route. You can goggle "ants farm aphids" and learn more about this problem.

 

[callingcolleen1]

Ants milk the aphids for their sweet sap like we milk cows

 

[MarcusNZ]

If your lillys are touching the edge of the water, or a blade of grass is laying over the pond creating a bridge, the ants will be bringing more aphids.

Make sure your Lilly is totally surrounded by water and that none of the pads are touching the land or pond edge.

They are surrounded by water. I have seen the aphids making their way around on the pond surface back when I first found them. The lilies in the centre of the pond were the first ones to show signs of being attacked. the closest plant I have to the waters edge (but not touching) affected by aphids is Thalia.

If your lilly pads have little holes and lots of aphids, the aphids are eating the lillys.

The pads riddled with aphids get lots of spots where they feed on the leaves. The death of the pad soon follows. I drastically reduced the number of aphids in my first cull but I left the snails not knowing if they were on "my side" or not. Since then, the holes have been showing up as the snail population boomed. This prompted my snail cull.