Whats this fish?

[barryian]

Thank you that is good news. I think I put some guppies in the pond a long time ago and thought they had not wintered in there. They must have survived! That must have been about 3 years ago. And they were small. I haven't seen guppies this big before so didn't recognise them. Thank you. I know they wouldn't have killed fish. So it must be as addy1 and peter hillman said. It just died and they others saw it as a meal. Thanks Marshal Smaug and barryian. I may go and get a few more for company for them. There are only about 3 in the pond.

How would the guppies overwinter for 3 years being they're tropical? What zone are you in?

 

[peter hillman]

Dinner fork, fish fork, or dessert fork?
John

Well if it is a guppy, that would be a desert fish fork.

 

[Smaug]

How would the guppies overwinter for 3 years being they're tropical? What zone are you in?

The OP is Australian. Hot there year round right?

 

[Lucy52]

The OP is Australian. Hot there year round right?

Yes I am in Western Australia. And I have been able to keep "some" tropical fish in the pond including over wintering. I usually check where they originate from and the temps in their natural habitat. Others I have just taken out to overwinter in a tank if I see they seem to be struggling in the colder weather. The pond also gets shelter from the wind and has brick walls of two sides of it which give out a certain amount of heat at night.

 

[Lucy52]

Yes I am in Western Australia. And I have been able to keep "some" tropical fish in my pond including over wintering. I usually check where they originate from and the temps in their natural habitat. Others I have just taken out when the colder weather comes if I see them struggling. The pond also gets shelter from the wind and has brick walls of two sides of it which give out a certain amount of heat at night.

Here are some new photos of the fish. I slipped a ruler under the container and waited for it to settle down over it. As you can see its is 9 1/2cm (3 1/2"). Don't worry, the fish is OK. It is not blood. The bowl was placed on a red counter top.

Just found the one below on the net, it is a female swordtail. My others are a lot smaller which is why I was so doubtful. But they are only about a year old. Where as the big ones if they are swordtails could be 3 years old, cos that was the last time I had them in. I have never seen them this size ever. If they are perhaps its because they are living in the pond and are able to grow to their full potential.

Anyway its beginning to look like I have my answer, what do you think? See attachment below.

 

[Lucy52]

It looks a lot more like a guppy than a molly, shape wise. As an FYI, though I'm a koi guy, I've had indoor tanks years back. Female guppies can grow to 2 inches assuming the tank is 20 gallons or larger ... Other than that, it up for grabs ....

It looks a lot more like a guppy than a molly, shape wise. As an FYI, though I'm a koi guy, I've had indoor tanks years back. Female guppies can grow to 2 inches assuming the tank is 20 gallons or larger ... Other than that, it up for grabs ....

Hey Barryian The picture you posted I thought straight away it looks more like a molly and then noticed the one you have has two lots of fins underneath. Hope these pictures are good enougth for someone to ID. There are only three that I can count in the pond so I would like to give them some more friends. I am still not ruling out female swordtails as its been years since I had guppies in there.

 

[Lucy52]

The OP is Australian. Hot there year round right?

Yes Smaug I am in Australia. Perth, Western Australia to be precise. Its a huge country and has a whole range of temperatures. Most people tend to live in coastal regions as most of the interior is desert. Out east they even have snow in the mountains in winter. But in Perth where I live the temperature is around 30+C or above (85F+) during peak summer and about 8C or below (46F or below) in peak winter. This week has been a scorcher though and has seen us with temperatures in the 40s+ (105+) in the hills where I live. As we do not get cooled by the ocean like those in the flatter areas.

 

[HARO]

Female swordtail. Definitely! They CAN get big. I knew a man years ago who bred them for show, and his were at least that size.
John

 

[Lucy52]

Female swordtail. Definitely! They CAN get big. I knew a man years ago who bred them for show, and his were at least that size.
John

Yay thank you so much. So glad I have an ID on them. I can look forward then to all the babies growing nice and big and fat. I have moved hundreds of them to a separate pond to give them a chance can grow up. Nice to know too that they have survived three winters. Some of their offspring were left to winter it out last winter too so they will be hardy.