ANOTHER "FRY" QUESTION...

[Mmathis]

I discovered fry (goldfish) about 2 weeks ago, after being away for a week. So I didn't see any spawning or eggs. Just a few babies here & there. I've been catching them and putting them in a mesh "cage" inside the pond, so they're in the same water as every body else, just protected.

Since the initial discovery, I've actually started noticing baby fish of several different sizes. They go from the almost-can't-spot-them-at-all (so teeny!), to the ones that are ALMOST as big as the Rosy Reds, to everything in between.

So, just wondering if these could be babies from different "spawns," or from 1 spawn, and they're just growing at different rates? It seems like every time I go out to look at the pond, I spot another baby, and they're all different sizes.

 

[dieselplower]

Some will grow much faster than others. Like triple the rate. Too hard to say if they are from different spawns or not.

 

[sissy]

mine grow differently also and seems same thing here every time I go out to the pond I see another one

 

[ChloeandClara]

I'm seeing new fish, different sizes, every day as well. We didn't have a single fry last year. I just assumed the previous owners must have put two sterile fish or two fish of the same sex in the pond. The fish have been here for a few years. I think adding the plants made my fish too happy, and now I wish they would stop procreating. I tried to talk to them about abstinence, but they are not listening. I am absolutely dreading the "culling" process, but I don't want my pond to be overloaded with fish either. I have no clue which koi to cull, so I now have a new research project to do. I had no idea buying this house with this pond would keep me up late at night researching so much. I did not see "culling" in my future when I bought the house, and it makes me so sad. I don't want to have to choose who gets to live and who has to go. Culling a fish just because it's "ugly" or deformed goes against my moral compass. I'm going to try craigslist first. Is it true that UV lights sterilize and prevent fry?

 

[CometKeith]

Mmathis, I had 25 fry born last year in my goldfish pond. 22 are still around and doing great. I have seen spawning behavior go on for several months this year and last year too so I think it is safe to assume that my different size babies were born on different dates. The adults are active spawning early in the morning so that is the best time to watch for it. So my fish count has tripled in just one year because of all the babies. I think you have to think twice about saving the babies in a mesh net and let nature take it's course otherwise you will be overrun with new fish and have Chloeandclara's problem. C&C tadpoles help in eliminating eggs and fry, and also not to overfeed. I have a uv light and that doesn't seem to stop the baby factory! Here is a picture of some of my babies that were born last year. Almost half were black originally and some are turning orange now. One went from black to orange to white!



https://www.gardenpondforum.com/topic/6742-my-goldfish-pond/

 

[koiguy1969]

goldies, like koi lay eggs by the 10s or 100s of thousands per female. and can spawn several times in a season. the first spawn will naturally have been around longer so had more grow time. the largest ones in a spawn are called "tobies". and its likely they have grown at a higher growth rate, due to eating smaller ones. but the majority of eggs are eaten before they have had a chance to hatch.by the vary adult fish that did the spawning. a female and the males will eat the eggs as they spawn. the first weeeks the fry look much like insect (miquitoe) larvae and are highly prone to being eaten by anything in the pond that can fit them in their mouth.
the eggs are laid with a sticky adhesive that fastens them to any surface avaiable. a UV will have no effect on spawning, the eggs or their fertilization.

 

[Mmathis]

Mmathis, I had 25 fry born last year in my goldfish pond. 22 are still around and doing great. I have seen spawning behavior go on for several months this year and last year too so I think it is safe to assume that my different size babies were born on different dates. The adults are active spawning early in the morning so that is the best time to watch for it. So my fish count has tripled in just one year because of all the babies. I think you have to think twice about saving the babies in a mesh net and let nature take it's course otherwise you will be overrun with new fish and have Chloeandclara's problem. C&C tadpoles help in eliminating eggs and fry, and also not to overfeed. I have a uv light and that doesn't seem to stop the baby factory! Here is a picture of some of my babies that were born last year. Almost half were black originally and some are turning orange now. One went from black to orange to white!
https://www.gardenpondforum.com/topic/6742-my-goldfish-pond/

Don't think I'll save all of them. Mainly just wanted to see how they transform. Was thinking of doing a culling this weekend, mainly as a chance to observe the babies, so I know the difference between healthy and unhealthy.

If I have the choice (IOW, if the fish "cooperated" ), am really only interested in having long-fin, double-tails, and/or Shubies in the pond. Obviously, the double-tails will be easy to spot from the beginning.

 

[CountryEscape]

As in "double tails" are you referring to fantails? And, if so, do you have fantail babies? If you do, you're the first I've heard that has fantail babies, and it gives me hope. I keep adding fantails to my goldfish pond, and although most of them are still pretty small, some are good sized, and have never seen any babies from them. In fact, this year I've not seen any babies period ... yet. Usually I spot them when I'm pruning the lilies, as they seem to hide under the leaves. Same with the koi pond. I let them fish and frogs and turtles and anything else that wants to feast on the eggs and fry to have at it. I, too, don't want to have to get rid of a bunch of fish. Seems to me that there are a LOT of backyard ponders that are thinking they are going to make a bunch of money selling koi, and I think soon we will be totally overrun by koi they will be very cheap to buy, unless you go to the big high quality breeders. Just saying .... :blueflower:

 

[Mmathis]

As in "double tails" are you referring to fantails? And, if so, do you have fantail babies? If you do, you're the first I've heard that has fantail babies, and it gives me hope. I keep adding fantails to my goldfish pond, and although most of them are still pretty small, some are good sized, and have never seen any babies from them. In fact, this year I've not seen any babies period ... yet. Usually I spot them when I'm pruning the lilies, as they seem to hide under the leaves. Same with the koi pond. I let them fish and frogs and turtles and anything else that wants to feast on the eggs and fry to have at it. I, too, don't want to have to get rid of a bunch of fish. Seems to me that there are a LOT of backyard ponders that are thinking they are going to make a bunch of money selling koi, and I think soon we will be totally overrun by koi they will be very cheap to buy, unless you go to the big high quality breeders. Just saying .... :blueflower:

Yes, Guess I should have said fantails. That's what I would like, but doubt I have any -- wishful thinking.