My goldfish pond

[CountryEscape]

I don't have any brown ones, Keith, and unless your fish have been in there for more than 10 years, I would guess they will change colors. The black ones tend to change to all orange/red. I have one that finally changed from last years batch, and is a light orange right now, but will get darker. The other black one finally has an orange belly, so in a couple of weeks, it will be orange. The ones that are red and white with some black will usually stay those colors, or they do in my pond, although the black tends to disappear after about 4 months. I put 3 really nice Shubies in this year, so hoping they will keep their black and pass it on to next generations. I also have a tri colored fantail, Speck. She loves to swim into my hand when I'm pruning the lilies. I'd guess your tri colored babies will be really pretty! I'll have to try to sit by the pond and take apic of the black babies with orange heads. It's really different how they are marked, nothing like my goldies last year, that's why I'm wondering if they are koi. There are two alike in color. I have one that is mostly white, one mostly orange, two or three red and white, and then the two black with light orange heads. I'll turn off the water movement and see what type of pics I can get. At least maybe get good enough to show how they are marked. Very hard to get clear pics of fish underwater. ... unless your name is Addy.

 

[CometKeith]

okay, thanks CE/Addy, I won't worry anymore about the brown ones staying brown. The babies I had from two years ago changed colors a lot and one of them went from orange to white. A raccoon last night knocked one of my lilies to the bottom of the pond. I tried getting it out but keeps disturbing the muck on the bottom and is really hard to get to with all the floaters. I am thinking of just leaving it until fall, but am unsure if there is any harm to that. Okay here are some baby photos I took today! The black ones are really hard to see, but the last picture has at least three of them. All of the pictures have at least 5 babies and some have up to 10!

 

[addy1]

Lilies do fine down to around 4 feet depending on the type, mine are from 2 feet to 3.5 feet or so deep and grow like weeds.

 

[CountryEscape]

Beautiful babies, Keith! Wish I had shallower area to take good pics like that! Mine tend to stay pretty deep, unless they are in and among the lilies, then hard to photograph in between the leaves.

 

[cajunmeme]

Awesome pond

 

[CometKeith]

Thanks addy, I'll leave it then. Every time I tried to bring it up with my net I bring up a bunch of baby fish instead. CE, most of my pond is shallow. It's 9 ft in diameter but at least half of that are shelves. The babies will hang out in the big open section after feeding so they are easy to see. Some are getting braver and going to the top of the water for food now. I am constantly removing floaters otherwise there would be nothing open after about two days!
Cajunmeme, Thanks for the compliment. It has been a work in progress. I started out with a $150 pond kit 4 years ago and just kept improving it! oh and by the way....Welcome to GPF!

 

[addy1]

You could always go swimming/wading and pick it up, but it will do fine in the bottom of the pond.

 

[Fishylove]

Your fish are beautiful! I love the long fins.

 

[CountryEscape]

My babies tend to stay on the bottom, at 3-4' depth. They have not come up for food yet, although they stay right under the koi when they are feeding, so they get up to about 2', but with the koi eating frenzy, no way to get a clear pic. I think in the winter, when they are moving slower, the plants are all dead, water clear, I'll be able to get some better pics. So, will just have to be patient. In the meantime, I'm truly enjoying seeing your pics! Thanks for sharing.
Oh, and WELCOME Cajunmeme!!!

 

[CometKeith]

Addy, Thanks I think I'll just leave it. The swimming idea sounds good with another 100 degree day again today, but there are too many plants for me to try it! CE I'll try to get some more baby pics for you. I think because I only have goldfish they aren't as scared. Also the red rosie minnows are very daring and will swim with the bigger fish. Thanks fishylove, the long finned ones are all store bought. The most I paid for any of these fish was $6. I have a white one that was born in the pond that you can see in some of the pics that does not have a long tail. I took a few more pics yesterday that show the fish up close and am including them now. They don't show the babies as much but some of the pics are nice. I think I am going to upgrade my phone and get a better camera soon so i can take some better pics.

 

[callingcolleen1]

Good pictures of pond, fish look just awesome Keith!

 

[CometKeith]

Thank's Colleen, In the spring when I was having such a rough time you wouldn't think they would all be looking so good 3 months later, but every tail and fin is perfect now. Knock on wood!

 

[callingcolleen1]

Did you say you take your fish inside for the winter? Sometimes moving those big long tails in net can damage them, specially if net not extra soft and pre-soaked. I think I forgot to tell you that.

 

[CometKeith]

Nope, they all stay outside for the winter. If I took them in then I would be outside! I never net them or anything like that. When I net out stuff that falls in the pond I have to be careful not to take out the fish because they don't know what fish nets are really for and think I am playing with them!

 

[addy1]

mine stay outside also, I would never want to go through the effort of catching those suckers. I spent over two hours trying to catch some small fry for a friend, last year. The fish are fast, the pond is big, I am slow, even tried a helper with another net.