My goldfish pond

[j.w]

More pretty pix of Chicago and boy your plants in your pond are really taking over in there. They look nice and healthy. Water looks clear and can see your fish swimming around in there. Looks like hen and chicks in your new basket you bought..............cute!

 

[addy1]

Looking great there! Feed the fish less they will eat the eggs as they are laid, I still have not see any fry in the big pond.

Your floaters do love your pond, they never did well in mine last year.

 

[CountryEscape]

Man, if those hyacinths and lettuce would live in my pond, I'd drive up there or pay you to ship the extras to me, but I know they will die. :-( Yours look wonderful, Keith. I'm very envious. I have about 6 babies in the koi pond for sure, and have seen 3 in the goldfish pond, so there are more, just have not spotted them. The ones I spotted in the koi pond (remember, the goldfish were in there until Memorial Day weekend, so possibly or likely the parents) are 3 that are mostly white, with variations of red on bodies and 2 have black tails, one that is black with orange belly and red head, and one that is mostly orange, with a little bit of white, and one or two that are solid black. The one that is black with red on head is one that is totally different coloration and I'm wondering if it's koi. Does anyone know a way to tell if koi or goldfish by looking down at them, other than waiting for whiskers to appear? I think they have pretty much same body style, or close enough looking at them through the water I'll never be able to tell. Probably will catch them next year, set up the 55 gal aquarium, and observe them that way.

 

[CometKeith]

Thanks JW. The basket is actually made of concrete. I bought it at a roadside gallery. I still have one more plant I need to put somewhere. Addy, You are probably right about feeding less, but I have only had 2 babies in the last 4 years so it has been a novel experience seeing the new additions. Also by the time I saw the first couple babies I saw another 10 or so a few days later so I had no idea beforehand I would be getting this population explosion. They were still chasing each other this morning. Usually that behavior lasts a few weeks and that's it. Now it's going on 2 months. CE, Offer still stands for free floaters if you know anyone passing through Chicago! That's exciting about your babies. I wouldn't know how to tell the difference when they are that small. A bunch of mine have orange heads and back tails so maybe that is common for goldfish. Most of mine have really interesting coloration which makes me think they are from the shubunkins. I have quite a few that are black and orange spotted.

 

[addy1]

Neat, I have some real pretty second year shubies from the spawning orgies last year. A lot of orange and white fish, with nice fins, some just plain old comets, but still pretty colors. I have seen a bunch of pure whites, one that is pure yellow

 

[CountryEscape]

It seems that when my goldfish babies were young last year, they were either black (turned solid orange later) or orange and white with either black spots or black tail. This year, same thing, except that one or two that are black with orange bellys and solid orange/red head. Also, I have one that is mostly orange, and the dark yellow koi is the one that was spawning. It's also possible that they are combo fish - koi/goldfish, so we shall see. I suspect if they were put in an aquarium so a person could see them from the side, it would be easier to detect koi or goldies, but I'm not that worried. Not like I'm raising some special, just special to me.

 

[CometKeith]

Plan your summer vacations now to come to the Chicago area for the pond tour! It is going on the next two weekends. I guaranty you will not be disappointed!!! http://www.mpks.org/calendar/pond_tour.htm

 

[CountryEscape]

Well, darn it, Keith! I would have come hands down, but already have plans this weekend to go camping/horseback riding down in Shawnee and then next weekend going up to Quincy area to try to sell the last of my puppies. :-( Will you please let me know next time, I assume next year? I would love to come up and see some of the displays, especially if you and your wife were going and I could tag along, as I'm awful at driving in the city. LOL I'd rather pay for the gas and have someone chauffeur me ... or maybe there is a bus. Didn't read it, just disappointed I have to miss it. Thanks for sharing, though!

 

[CometKeith]

Okay, Maybe next year! They always have it at the end of July. Yes that would be interesting to get my wife to go. Every year she gets closer to saying yes and that would be fun to have a pond friend come with.

 

[CountryEscape]

Haha, I have "liked" too many things today, and reached my quota, so I have to "tell" you instead, Keith, that I like that idea. It would give me an excuse to come see my sisters in WI, and I could get maybe one of my sisters to come with me and we could all go on the tour. I would die to see all the beautiful ponds in your area. That would be just super! I remember seeing a picture you posted once of a pond "on the tour" so I imagine there are some fabulous yards to see.

 

[callingcolleen1]

I'd love to go see the big pond tour, but I would have a hard time getting there and a harder time leaving my pond here, not to mention leaving the puppies! OK so there seven year old puppies, I still can't leave them, Poppy needs me always, and they have a scheduled walk every day, couldn't bear to leave my Poppy and Bear! So I'm needy, I admit it, I need the puppies, rush home after work to them every day, they say when you get a dog, you get what you need.... cause you create what you need, and I needed a needy puppy to love, so I got Poppy, and boy is she needy!

 

[CountryEscape]

Your Poppy is very lucky to have her needy owner need her! I can tell you love your dogs and your fish and your yard, Colleen. You are a very caring person, and it shows in all you do and those around you.

 

[CometKeith]

okay, I have an idea...like the wine train in Napa valley, We can all rent a trolley bus to see all the ponds and have refreshments aboard so things don't get too dull! Maybe we can get Herz to come and some of the other ponders near here as well. Maybe there would be room on the trolley for a few puppies too. Oh I can see that now. Some trolley with a bunch of rowdy people and their dogs pulling up in front of someones house that is a member of the Midwest Koi Society.

 

[j.w]

Wish I lived closer to you all, sounds like fun!

 

[callingcolleen1]

That's a cute idea, but I don't have a passport for Poppy or Bear, and mine is out of date. Just can't get used to the idea that I need a Passport to get into the states now, years ago me and the hubby would go almost every weekend to Great Falls, Montana, which was great for shopping, and was not too far away. Ah.... the good old days!