Rosy spawn

[Shdwdrgn]

My rosy-red minnows are spawning today! Last year I saw a lot of females carrying eggs, but there was no activity like what we've seen today. And we found out that the males will mate with a number of females, keeping all the eggs in one rock cave, then the females swim off and the males take care of the eggs until they hatch. From what I can see, there are at least three large males trying to get the attention of the females, and plenty of females carrying eggs.

Looks like they've got a good spot... lots of floating plants and algae, gnats hovering around the water (the babies will eat the larvae), and fairly good cover from the larger fish. I'm excited to see schools of babies this year!

 

[addy1]

so neat!
I have some rosey's in my lotus tub, have been thinking of moving some to the big pond. Started out with 3 have around 15 now.
They have been in hiding since the toads became tads/

 

[j.w]

Do you guys find Rosy Reds at most pet shops? Could they live in a bath tub pond over winter as long as it didn't freeze?

 

[Shdwdrgn]

j.w - the rosies are sold as feeder fish in most shops, so they're dirt-cheap (13 cents each, here)... however I ran across mention of them while looking for other types of fish to keep in my pond. It turns out the rosies are native to Iowa streams and rivers, and are perfectly capable of wintering over in our cold ponds. Because they come from streams, it is my assumption that they prefer moving water, and in fact even the smallest of them seem to navigate up and down my little stream with ease - although the tiny ones can get trapped by the suction of a pump (I lost one today who could break himself free from the pump cage).

I've learned the hard way that while they are as cold-hardy as the koi, they do not tolerate dirty water. I lost dozens of them last month trying to keep them in a 40-gal tub with two very small koi (with filters running ful-time). If I changed the water twice a week, they did fine, but if I forgot for a week, large numbers of them started dying. I also lost all the new ones I introduced to the pond last Summer, however the new ones I dropped in a couple days ago are still doing great. So its a toss-up, but once you get them acclimated to your pond, they seem to be really tough... and when they are spawning, they will attempt to chase away full-grown comets. We've also seen them chase off S. American cichlids when some of the 'feeders' decided to spawn in our aquarium. We are anticipating that the babies will be very hardy in the pond, but I'm just not sure if they would survive in a tub over the Winter without some kind of circulation and filtration.

 

[j.w]

Hmmmmmmmmmmm, might not be good for the tub then. I do have a fountain bubbling in there and a small air stone too. Maybe best to just put in a few little goldies just for the summer and then stick them back into the big pond for winter. I wanted them in there for skeeter catching so doesn't really matter which fish I use. I'm gonna pick up some of those electric timers addy was talking about too and use one for the tub and one for the big pond to give a bit of new water each day from our well.

 

[addy1]

I stuck three rosies into the lotus tub (300 gallons) , last summer, no aerator, no water changes, no water movement, just well fertilized lotus tubs. Those three have become around 15-20. Over winter I did aerate the tub to keep it from freezing over, this spring is when I saw the increase in ##'s of the rosies. They have been hiding since the toads laid all the eggs and all those tads are everywhere. I see them every now and then.


I am thinking of catching a few and sticking them in the big pond, just have not done it yet.

So mine have done well with poor care, I actually thought the heron had eaten them all, didn't see them last fall. Kept the water from icing over just in case.

 

[j.w]

Interesting addy, I will have to think about it and see if they even have them around here.

 

[Shdwdrgn]

Maybe they're just more sensitive to the amount of ammonia that the koi put off. I guess it makes sense they would do well in the tub by themselves, I just know I haven't been able to keep any alive in a small filtered tub with my small koi. Give it a shot... either they won't survive, or you'll have lots of new ones

 

[j.w]

Do the rosy's eat goldfish eggs? Cuz if I bought some and they multiplied in the tub I could then put some in the pond but not if they are going to eat the goldies eggs. I'm not to the point where I don't want more babies............at least a few each year.

 

[addy1]

No clue jw, they are probably like any fish, eat what can fit in their mouths.

 

[Shdwdrgn]

From what I've seen, the goldies just spray their eggs and leave them. Usually there is a swarm of other fish following behind that suck up the eggs. On the other hand, the rosy males fiercely protect their eggs. One of my 15" koi approached the rosy male's clutch today, and the rosy was all over the koi. Reminded me of the little dog protecting the bridge in 'Labyrinth'... "rawr rawr you're not so tough, I'll bite you in the ankles... had enough?" This poor rosy was barely the size of the koi's front fin, but he irritated the koi enough to make him leave.

So there are two male rosies that have staked out rock caves, and there might be a third setting up shop between the other two. The males are all hot&bothered, but none of the other females seem to be getting in the spirit yet. However we're supposed to be in the 90's tomorrow, and the hormone levels in the pond are about to go crazy... I saw a lot of comets being chased around this evening, so I have this feeling all my new plants are about to be forcefully relocated...

 

[Shdwdrgn]

So the two males have been 'collecting' females pretty much every day since they started. The temperatures have dropped a bit over the last few days, though, and we are still watching for any sign that some of the eggs have started hatching. There should be a huge collection of eggs under the rocks by now. It is interesting that these two seem to be the only males actively trying to mate. We did spot one or two other males, but they have not picked out any rocks, and there are quite a lot of females in comparison. I just hope we get a lot of surviving babies, because that new batch of small rosies I got from the store have been dying off.

 

[j.w]

Hope they survive for ya Shdw and wonder why those ones are dying off? Maybe just not a healthy bunch. Hope whatever it was doesn't transfer to the new babies.

 

[brandonsdad02]

Do your comets make it thru the winter?

 

[Shdwdrgn]

j.w - I've had that assumption with pretty much all of the rosies I get from the stores. They're sold as feeders, so you know they're not kept in good conditions. But I figure anything that is born in the pond is going to be in much better health right off the bat.

brandonsdad - As far as I know, I've never lost a fish during the Winter. I have comets, shubunkins, koi, weather loaches, and of course the rosies. I do not add or plant anything that will not survive our Winter. Everything stays outside all year long.