Livebearers In Ponds

[Lynn78too]

I keep reading/seeing that you can put platies and mollies in the smaller ponds. It sounds sweet and all but let's be honest, they breed. If you've ever put them in your outdoor pond, what do you do in the winter or are all of these outdoor ponds warmer climate ponds and they're not mentioning that. I'm not talking about the adult fish, those would come inside, I'm talking about the fry. How do you catch them all and what do you do with them? Or do you just get all males when you go to the store? I'm really torn on goldfish or other fish. It's a 100 gallon pond, I just got it yesterday for $60! Now the ground needs to thaw so I can install it.

 

[APColorado]

Yeah, you would have have scoop them all out for the winter if you want them to survive.

I knew a guy who put Neons in his outdoor pond and they bred naturally. Before it got cold, he would drain the pond and net all the fish to overwinter inside.

 

[AJE]

I keep reading/seeing that you can put platies and mollies in the smaller ponds. It sounds sweet and all but let's be honest, they breed. If you've ever put them in your outdoor pond, what do you do in the winter or are all of these outdoor ponds warmer climate ponds and they're not mentioning that. I'm not talking about the adult fish, those would come inside, I'm talking about the fry. How do you catch them all and what do you do with them? Or do you just get all males when you go to the store? I'm really torn on goldfish or other fish. It's a 100 gallon pond, I just got it yesterday for $60! Now the ground needs to thaw so I can install it.

I don’t have to worry about winter , my mollies I have in my pond don’t breed because of the cooler temperature

 

[Lynn78too]

I don’t have to worry about winter , my mollies I have in my pond don’t breed because of the cooler temperature

Really? What temps would they not breed? I'm not going to purposely make them cold but if it's not the right temp for breeding that would be ideal. I would actually prefer mollies or platies over goldfish.

I would still scoop the adults out and put them in the tanks inside. Goldfish will not be as easy to manage though in the winter.

 

[AJE]

Really? What temps would they not breed? I'm not going to purposely make them cold but if it's not the right temp for breeding that would be ideal. I would actually prefer mollies or platies over goldfish.

My pond is at 67-70

 

[aussieJJDude]

You could stock with minnows and the like if you're not sold on the goldfish. Or do small natives?

 

[Lynn78too]

You could stock with minnows and the like if you're not sold on the goldfish. Or do small natives?

If I did livebearers I was definitely going to do rosy red minnows. I think they're adorable and are so easy to keep, they're also native which I do appreciate. I just was looking for something with a little more substance to them and mollies are bigger than the minnows. I was also looking at getting 1 mosquito fish or 1 Siamese algae eater but I'm not sure how they'd all work together.

 

[Jimmie93]

Platies need to be a certain temperature or they will die and guppies/mollies is the same way you will need to live in a warm place for this to work. A place like Chicago they would die in the winter and probably before winter.

 

[Lynn78too]

Platies need to be a certain temperature or they will die and guppies/mollies is the same way you will need to live in a warm place for this to work. A place like Chicago they would die in the winter and probably before winter.

I would bring the adults in but I don't want the fry to die because they're breeding all the time. If the water is a bit cooler though and they're not breeding then I won't have to worry about accidentally missing any. I'm not planning on leaving any fish out in the winter, the pond isn't deep enough.

 

[Jimmie93]

I would bring the adults in but I don't want the fry to die because they're breeding all the time. If the water is a bit cooler though and they're not breeding then I won't have to worry about accidentally missing any. I'm not planning on leaving any fish out in the winter, the pond isn't deep enough.

It might work but I would wait until around June if you are going to try it night temperatures could also be a issue. You should look into pond heaters.

 

[Mr. Kgnao]

If I did livebearers I was definitely going to do rosy red minnows. I think they're adorable and are so easy to keep, they're also native which I do appreciate. I just was looking for something with a little more substance to them and mollies are bigger than the minnows. I was also looking at getting 1 mosquito fish or 1 Siamese algae eater but I'm not sure how they'd all work together.

With a few SAEs in there you probably wouldn't have too many fry to worry about, those things are fry consuming machines.

As far as substantial pond fish go, paradise fish are something you can actually see looking down at them.

 

[Lynn78too]

Thanks for the suggestions I think I’ll keep the tropical fish in the tropics then and try some hardier.

I feel like June is so far away. I just started my seeds yesterday.

 

[CleaHelena]

Gambusia, also know as the mosquito fish is cold tolerant and offers some benefit to the water. I breed gups outside and usually give the fry for food. Sometimes I sell my strain.

My personal suggestion for you is the White Cloud Mountain Minnow. A fun little peppy fish. Although it is an egg layer.