My goldfish pond

[CountryEscape]

Neat idea, Shoestring. My toads laid all their eggs in the ponds, goldfish and koi. TONS of toad tadpoles, but I can't say I have seen a one baby toad. I never saw a fish go after the tadpoles either, but when I had Aris in the goldfish pond (painted turtle), I noticed him scooting along the bottom one day, and wondered what he was so intent about doing. I suspect he was eating the toad tads. I have a larger painted turtle in the koi pond now (he/she found my pond) and have noticed some of the lily pads and flowers nibbled at, but not sure if it is eating anything else. I know they are plant eaters, so I'm hoping it will munch on the algae on the bottom and sides. There is also a smaller turtle in the same pond. I have lots of bullfrogs in both ponds, and a pair of leopards were spotted there yesterday. Smaller frogs in the stream and goldfish pond, and I've spotted a couple Northern Cricket frogs this year now, too. It's possible the smaller frogs (bigger than peepers, but smaller than small bullfrogs) are really small bullfrogs, but can't tell for sure, as they jump usually pretty quickly. The bullfrogs, at least the bigger ones, are pretty friendly, not as quick to jump as the little guys. Cricket frogs will hang out with me all day, too.

 

[CometKeith]

Shoestring nice story, but i don't think I'm going to feed any of mine to the goldfish. Okay well I cheated and got the tads from a friend. They didn't show up in my pond. It looks like I have hundreds of tiny tads now so I don't know how or what I am going to do with them as they get bigger. I think they are green frogs and not bullfrogs. They move really funny almost like an accordion or slinky. It's hard to explain. Even my wife got excited when she saw one of the baby fish today. I think they are large enough so they won't get eaten but some of my goldfish have really big mouths so I am keeping my fingers crossed. I have read that when babies start to show colors the other goldfish recognize them as goldfish and leave them alone. One of them has really bright spots so I think that one is safe.

 

[callingcolleen1]

Keith your pond picts look very good, plants and fish look happy. Haven't had much time these days, been busy in yard trying to get things done. Working on the front yard these days, putting new side walk blocks to house. Love that tree in your pond too!

 

[CountryEscape]

Can't wait to see your new sidewalk, Colleen! I watered with Weed-B-Gone in my back yard yesterday a.m. before work, just dragging the hose, spraying, and was literally dripping in sweat. Glad you have cooler temps in Canada to work by. I have a sidewalk to finish, but in no hurry until the temps decide to get below triple digits and stay there!
Keith, good luck with your fish. I think once you spot them, they are in the clear. While still tiny fry, they are in the danger zone yet. And, the tons of tads, could they be toad tads? I had soooo many tiny black ones when the toads were laying eggs. Saw numerous strings of eggs in the goldfish pond. Someone said toad eggs are safe as they taste bad, so fish don't eat the eggs or the tadpoles, but something surely must have eaten my tadpoles, as I never did see any babies. I know they are really tiny, too, but I looked several times in the bog, etc. and never spotted even one! Hoping you get lots of frogs from your tadpoles.

 

[callingcolleen1]

It's little more than half done to the house, now my husband points out to me that they are upside down! Then I went yesterday to get five more heavy stone blocks, I had to get the biggest 100 pound one's cause they are the same size as some of the old ones that I am reusing. Should be done in the next couple days, have to work at noon, then I off tomorrow. Worked on the sides of the city laid cement walk, to fix the stones in the flower bed their and replant the stuff the city people had to walk on and dig up to get the big sidewalk done. Used some pea gravel next to the edge and pressed stones in with some hens and chick plants. There is also some very old woodland buffalo bones used by the old Indian people years ago too that I found walking in the badlands with the puppies. Here's what it looks like so far..... still working on it....

 

[addy1]

Keith, I have thousands of tads every summer, there must be good natural selection going on, we are no way overrun with frogs.
I do see a ton of tiny toads, but never see a ton of large toads. I would not worry about having too many tads.

That looks great colleen!

 

[callingcolleen1]

Oh yea, the pea gravel is left over from the flood last year that almost got me! Or was it the year before.... old age setting in... notice the small heart that I carved into the city's sidewalk just before it dried with my husband name in it, that's so when he comes home from work he will see that I wrote my love in stone just for him! Going to find cement paint and paint the heart red so that it won't weather so bad. City people wanted to complain, but when I told him what it was for, think he forgave me cause he has a wife who gardens like me to he said.

 

[Shoestring Ponder]

Oh NO!!!! Are you going to turn them right side up? Does it matter? Are the other sides(correct sides) roughened a bit for traction, if so my may want to turn them. So sorry Love what you have done Colleen. The bones are pretty cool, but I would not have them where people walk, they may "walk" with them and then you would not have them anymore. Now-a-days people think that something left out is theirs for the taking...even though it clearly is on private property. Common ground is ok, but your pretty garden walk, your neat ideas should stay yours. It is simply lovely though and what a labor of love! So neat you were able to catch the cement in time to leave your :heartpump: note!

:goldfish:

 

[ididntdoit99]

Oh NO!!!! Are you going to turn them right side up? Does it matter? Are the other sides(correct sides) roughened a bit for traction, if so my may want to turn them. So sorry Love what you have done Colleen. The bones are pretty cool, but I would not have them where people walk, they may "walk" with them and then you would not have them anymore. Now-a-days people think that something left out is theirs for the taking...even though it clearly is on private property. Common ground is ok, but your pretty garden walk, your neat ideas should stay yours. It is simply lovely though and what a labor of love! So neat you were able to catch the cement in time to leave your :heartpump: note! :goldfish:

Or the nieghborhood dogs... they cant resist a good chew toy.

 

[CometKeith]

Colleen, That looks really nice. You have so many really great ideas I am really impressed. Even with the really hot temps here the pond and it's inhabitants have been doing good. It is supposed to hit 100 the next two days and it has been mid 90's for the last week here. I took a picture of the father's day gift I got a few weeks ago. They have worked out well and even my wife sits there sometimes now to watch the fish. Also besides the two baby fish I found the other day in the pond I found this one about a week ago in one of my small pots in the pond. It was so small I didn't know if it was a tadpole or a fish but it has been growing a lot and now I know it definitely is a fish. He got a new home today and I took a picture. At some point he will go into the pond but I think I'm going to wait a little bit until he gets bigger.

 

[callingcolleen1]

Looks like a little goldfish to me, how cute! You saved him! Now your a goldfish daddy!

 

[CountryEscape]

Cute baby fish, Keith, and your hyacinths make me soooo jealous!!! What is that very tall plant with the yellow flower? Your father's day chairs are really sweet! They look comfy as well.
Colleen, OMG, that is so gorgeous! I always get such great ideas seeing other's plantings. I love what you have done. And, if the stones are similar on the other side, or if you like the side you put UP, then leave them! It's your construction, after all. And, 100# blocks??? Wow, you are some Super Woman to move them around! I also have a leg bone from I guess a cow, although I call it an elk bone (LOL - from the mountains in UT visiting my daughter last summer), and it's on my waterfall. I found it in the yard today, so either the wind blew it down (it is pretty light weight) or the dogs got it down. Put it on the inside waterfall ledge, so they can't get to it anymore. I can't believe you were gutsy enough to carve into the cement. LOL But, what can they do after the fact! You didn't make it huge, just a small heart with meaning. Now, painting it, too? Guess what can they do? It's in front of your house, so you should be allowed to decorate it. Go Colleen!!!

 

[CometKeith]

CE, It's water primrose. It looks pretty but it can be invasive. Here is a link to it. http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/plants/weeds/waterPrimrose.html . Re water hyacinths, they love my pond. I'll be tossing out extras of those soon too. It's just a matter of time... The chairs are great and they were a really nice gift from our three daughters. They are from World Market. Now instead of dragging a chair over I have two of them sitting there. The first day I got them I sat there with my 18 year old daughter and we talked about bands that she likes that I used to follow when I was her age. Bands like the Who, Rolling Stones, and Bob Dylan. It was a special moment.

 

[CountryEscape]

Dang, your daughter has good taste in bands, Dad! Anytime you can sit and have a nice conversation like that with teenagers or 20-something kids, it's a special moment that should not be wasted nor put off! Good for you.

 

[j.w]

Nice sitting chairs Keith next to your pretty pond and love your cute little baby fish. Nice that you had a good day spent w/ your DD. I agree she has good taste in the music!

CE that's the water primrose w/ the yellow flower that I sent you that runs wild if you are not careful. The one you can't remember the name of all the time,lol! I had to get it all.............well most of it anyways off the top of the pond surface where is was running rampant and stick it in a floating holder so I could control it better. It does get some nice thick roots that suck up nutrients really well from the pond and the fish I bet lay their eggs in there and the babies hide for safety.