Culling in a pond?

[Meyer Jordan]

I hear you aren't supposed to keep fish with a single anal fin.

This is what I was asking about. I thought that all common Goldfish had a single anal fin.

 

[Mmathis]

This is what I was asking about. I thought that all common Goldfish had a single anal fin.

@Faebinder And double-tail GF have paired anal fins. I read that this is a common "fault" with double-tails, to have uneven or missing anals. This would be something to cull for. But is normal for single-tail GF to only have one.

 

[Faebinder]

I see I see...

 

[Tula]

No baits, from Walmart, no sharp edges, it's round on both sides.

So they just swim into it? Hmmm, sounds way simpler, then lowering my pond and donning my suspenders!

 

[cas]

So they just swim into it?

Yep! But you have to check it often, because the fish can sometimes find their way out.

 

[Swamp Lady]

Old thread, I know, but I have a similar problem. My comets were very busy last spring and as a result I now have 30-40 4" extra comets. I have a local fish store that will take them, but I can't catch them. The pond is too wide to reach to the middle. I bought several different nets, but those buggers are too fast. Was going to wait until winter when the water is cold, but we've had a very warm winter, so that didn't work out. I see you talking here about traps for minnows and fry, but do those work for 4" fish as well?

 

[addy1]

@mrsclem
She has info here somewhere , made a neat fish trap out of pvc and netting. Works great for her koi and goldfish.

 

[Faebinder]

Old thread, I know, but I have a similar problem. My comets were very busy last spring and as a result I now have 30-40 4" extra comets. I have a local fish store that will take them, but I can't catch them. The pond is too wide to reach to the middle. I bought several different nets, but those buggers are too fast. Was going to wait until winter when the water is cold, but we've had a very warm winter, so that didn't work out. I see you talking here about traps for minnows and fry, but do those work for 4" fish as well?

4 inches is too big for my minnow trap that I bought.

 

[addy1]

https://www.gardenpondforum.com/threads/seine-net.19815/#post-314110

here is the thread about it

 

[Tula]

I really wish I could PREVENT my 4 koi from spawning!! I'm seriously considering going to a one sex pond. My poor females get so banged up, not to mention re homing the fry. At least female koi spawn once per season, don't think that's the case with Comets and Shubunkin.

 

[cas]

I'm seriously considering going to a one sex pond. My poor females get so banged up, not to mention re homing the fry.

Ditto. The trick now is for me to catch the 2 remaining females this spring.

 

[Tula]

Ditto. The trick now is for me to catch the 2 remaining females this spring.

First I have to figure out which are the females - ha ha! I know one is, as I purchased a female.....but not totally sure on the others. If I believe the spawning behavior, who chases who...I think I have two females and two males. Mine don't seem to have traditional body shapes that give their sex away.

@cas Are you hoping for an all female or all male pond?

 

[cas]

Are you hoping for an all female or all male pond?

Since I have more males, I was going with an all male pond. That would leave me with nine fish. Of course one of those nine is a baby that I didn't get caught last year and it may be a female. I will have to wait and see. I also am judging which are the females by who is being chased. I can't tell by body shape either!

 

[addy1]

I let my shubunkins snack on the eggs, when they start chasing I quit feeding. Doing that for years has kept the population under control I get a few fry surviving but not many.

 

[Tula]

I let my shubunkins snack on the eggs, when they start chasing I quit feeding. Doing that for years has kept the population under control I get a few fry surviving but not many.

I do the same thing and even refrain from using my beautiful floating baskets, as they provided perfect "fry nurseries"....but still, each year some survive It's such a pain to lower the pond water and catch the babies....but unless I go to a single sex pond, it's my reality.

I think if I had a dedicated koi pond, rather than my garden styled pond, they might not spawn....but I like the way my pond looks