Outdoor pond which cichlid will do best?

Hi
I am putting in an outdoor pond . Bought it today. Its only 2 feet high and 5 feet wide .
The pond will be buried . However the temps are going to be in high 80s to mid 60s over the course of the year (Florida)
The pond will have floating plants to shade the water and provide cover (water lillies,water lettuce) pond has a water fall that simply circulated the water in the pond.
I will add water daily or as needed to keep it full. I like firemouth cichlids but not sure if they will flourish in such temps if not will go with convicts?

Any suggestions would be great as goldfish I can't use .

Thank you

 

How big is the pond(gallon wise)?
Tom

 

In that location, with those kinds of temperatures, and that water depth, pretty much any kind of cichlid would work.

When the air temperature is in the low 60s the surface water may feel cool, but the deeper water (6 inches and deeper) are much warmer, sometimes a variation of 20 degrees farenheit between surface temperature and deeper water temperatures, even in small depth changes such as 2 feet.

Firemouths would do just fine, I do believe. Infact, if they had that much space to roam they would be more than happy.

Best of luck.

addendum: Herons could conceivably be a problem, but the water lettuce and lilies should help that.

 

Or maybe depending on the size, maybe an oscar and a common pleco.
Tom

 

As the oscar grew larger than the firemouths it would probably eat them. A common would probably be fine though. The good thing about the pond setting, usually it is a larger body of water than the common fish tank, which means the water is more stable and it is easier to enjoy without overstocking.

 

I meant or not and. My mistake, I fixed it though.
Tom

 

You'll need to incorporate some kind of waterfall or other strong aeration due to the high temps that will be reached.

A cichlid pond - lucky you!!!

 

Thanks everyone for the advice.

I put it in the ground today and filled it with water . I did leave about 4 inches above the ground otherwise it will get soil in it going to add bricks around that.
I need to put mesh (large hole type) a foot or 2 over the pond as an hour after it was full I had a white heron , 2 ducks in it just like someone here mentioned.

I never thought of that as recently moved here to Miami and not familiar with all the birds also forgot about the bowling ball size toads I see everywhere after it pours . So will get the outdoor mesh before fish go in and put that in place.

The pond came with a waterfall that goes on the side but the pump is to weak and it just drips I prefer faster water thus going to upgrade the pump and need to do a few things to pump housing so fish won't come in contact with it . As post here suggested best to circulate the water .

Will add some driftwood in it and few plastic pots as "caves" . I am getting fire mouths as post said they should be fine (I wasn't sure of temps as its warm here) I was thinking of them or cons so firemouths it will be.


Thanks everyone

 

How big is the pond(gallon wise)?
Tom

I don't know . It wasn't listed . It just said fish safe plastic just let water sit few days than remove water and refill .
Its a well made pond but I should find out the overall water capacity.

 

https://www.pool1.com/pool_gallon_calculator.htm

Enter your width, length, depth there. That should tell you how many gallons the pond is.

 

Great link thanks put it in favorites. The "pond" is only 295 gallons to bad thought more as it looked bigger .

That's not to much water for outside hope the floating plants and am hose squirt before work on hot days holds the heat down for firemouths

Ordered the 6 fry today

thanks

 

Even at only 2ft deep the water should stay cool enough and warm enough at the bottom for them.

The first 6 inches will change temperature a lot throughout the day, but like 7th inch deep to like a foot deep will probably change temperature a little throughout the day, where as a foot to the second foot deep shouldn't change temperature all that much. The ground temperature stays a constant 53 or 56 degrees, Dino tells me, but I forget. (Ground temp as in the ground as a whole, not the first couple inches of surface ground.) So the 50 some odd degree ground temp will keep the pond cool and warm at the deep points.

If you are concerned perhaps get a thermometer that will sit on the bottom and leave it in for a day or two and check it at various times of the day.

I hope this works out for you, the fish would love to have that much space.

 

Its a good thing I buried it otherwise it would have been hot as soup . Your right few inches make a big difference.

It was cool when I left for work today at 5am in the mid 60s now its mid 80s and water is 80 and was 80 early this am before I left.

The fish arrive next week as guy was out till than (6 tiny firemouth fry- its impossible to buy cichlids in this area ) and going to pond place now to buy water lilies,etc as it will get hotter here than just low/mid 80s need more shade

thanks for all the info it was needed

 

Oh, by the way.

Swimming pool thermometers sink to the bottom and have a handy-dandy string attached for easy retrieval, so that you don't gotta fish around for it.

 

The pond has 6 fire mouth fry impossible to see . If it wasn't that I saw a few eat some tubifex worms I added today over a white dish would have never seen them. I bought them through this site from someone who contacted me
They hide in and around the driftwood as ordered pond plants should get them by FrI

Good thing I opted to buy a buried pond as again your so right about temps staying nice . This pond model can be buried or not . I wasn't sure at first but good thing I did
The temp ranges from mid 80s during the day to mid 60s ('chilly" season) at night the water has been steady mid 70s early in am the fish are thriving .
The afternoon temps should be better once I add plants
Granted the fish are impossible to see lol but using a white tubifex dish and waiting close to 40 minutes (its possible I have to much free time after work)I caught glimpse of a few it was either that or snorkel mask lol.
When they get bigger well big enough to actually show in a pic will post them

thanks again

Thanks again