Breeding tropical fish in Kiddie Pools and Stock Tanks - Year 3!

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henningc

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May 11, 2013
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Ok it is once again time to begin planning my summer project. For anyone who has followed these projects it is fun, interesting and a learning experience. I'd highly recommend trying this at least once.

My set up-This year I'll be going with 3 110gal stock tanks, 1P-1 Pool 6'x6'x12', 1P-2 Pool 110'x72'x15', 2p-3 Pools 8'x8'x14', at least one 40gal brooder tank and a few 20H. As in the past I'll be using sponge filters rated at 120gal and priming the containers with dried Oak leaves. The Oak leaves give you a rapid cycle and produce tons of micro organisms for fry to feed on.

My plan is to diversify by doing some egg layers and try my Blue Alleni Crayfish. The egg layers will consist of corycats one type of barb-either Cherrys, Gold or Rosy--one type of gourami -either Pearl or Dwarf.

Inverts will consist of Red Cherry Shrimp, Marble crayfish, Alleni Crayfish, Ramshorn Snails and some type of Apple Snails.


Livebearers will include Least Killies, 2-3 types of Endlers, Variatus, Swordtails and some form of molly most likely sailfin or gold dust.

This year I have new breeder traps made of PVC frames and 1/4" medium plastic mesh made for industrial fishfarms. I'll be selling some of the mesh material which works great for breeder cages fry just swim out of or to protect eggs that are scattered like barbs and danios as the eggs simply drop through. I'll setting up pools toward the end of March and will try to keep this updated weekly. Before you ask, I'll be taking photos from time to time and will post photos for the new breeder traps.


If you would like to try this type of project feel free to comment or P.M. me.
 
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wesleydnunder

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Dec 11, 2005
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I used to do pearl gouramis every year. Down here on the gulf coast we have a long hot season and I was able to grow several spawns out. I stopped doing this because I'd wind up with too many fish and no one to take them.

Mark
 

henningc

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May 11, 2013
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I hear you about getting rid of the extras. If I could make a serious profit Warren Buffet would work for me. I plan to keep the thread updated and we will see what happens.
 

henningc

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Just lucked into 30 red tux swords and a few trios of yellow jacket Endlers. My plan is to grow out the swords by breaking them up into 3-20L tanks, feeding live food plus flake 3 x daily and doing 5%-10% water changes daily. I'll likely get at least 3 groups of fry from the yellow jackets so I'll weed out most of the males and release all but one pre-hit females into the pool mid-late May. I already have a really nice group of Chilli Endlers so that will round out the Endlers for two of the pools. I also have blonds and black bar Endlers but may keep them indoors. I'm working on a deal for several trios of Peacock and orchard Endlers. If I can get the fish I'll put the peacock and orchards n two other pools and that will round out the Endles. I also have a healthy population of Least Killis and will add them to most of the pools as as they can go outside when he water temps hold in the low 60s. I will have one pool setup with marble crayfish, RCS and Least Killies. I'll add two pairs of blue Clarkii crayfish to one of the other pools and see what happens.

I plan to get 2 additional colors of swords, 2 types of platys and 1 type of variatus. Sunset and golddust mollys, the barbs and gourami to round out pool stock.
 

henningc

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May 11, 2013
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Went outside today and discovered the pond snails are still alive and doing fine in my P-1 Pool and the 175gal Vat. The water temps are in the high 40s and the bottom material, Oak leaves and broken down materials. This is good news as a little filtration and we are ready to roll when temps hold in the high 60s. I'll move the fist two sponge filters up and running in the pools and vat.

I checked and have approximately 30 female Least Killies (LK) and tons of males. Providing the weather cooperates I'll move some duckweed out at the end of next week and some hornwart the first or second week in April. Weather depending, I'll do a test group of LKs the first week in April. The LKs can thrive in mid 60s water temps. I'll also move the first test group of marble crayfish when the LKs go out. The ramshorn snails will go out with the test groups.


I'm always excited when I can start moving stuff outdoors but will take my time.
 

henningc

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May 11, 2013
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I'm off Good Friday and planned on getting two new pools up and running. Now they say we will get 2" of rain tomorrow and more on Friday. To add to the fun the temps go from the high 60s to the low 50s. So rain, low 50s = staying inside and building breeding cages. So, I 'll have some photos of the new cages next week. These are much larger than I've used before 42" 24"x18" deep. They are completely flow through with clearance underneath. Fry should just swim away and food will fall out to the scavengers.
 

pbeemer

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Apr 27, 2010
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i gotta say that the dimensions of the ponds threw me for a second; i finally figured out that 1p-2 couldn't really be two 110 feet x 72 feet by 15 feet pools, and reinterpreted the pools to more reasonable sizes for inflatable kiddie pools

it will be fun to "watch" how this goes this year.

good luck with the crayfish. i think you'll need lots of hiding places on the floor for them to survive when they molt. i'll be very interested in seeing how they do. i'm hoping top get my pond built this summer and intend to have some of them in it. they should over-winter here (So Cal)
 

verbal

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Where are you located?

I am thinking about doing some outside containers or at least something in the garage this spring/summer. I am in Northern Virginia.
 

henningc

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May 11, 2013
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Sorry to fall off the face of the earth, was diagnosed with cancer in late April and wasn't sure if the summer fish project was going to happen or not. Good news, I'm Ok and summer is not lost. I have some awsome 4" red sunset sailfin mollys stocked in a 8"x 8" Intex pool. Got LK's and Gold LK's stocked in other pools and vats. Have Chilli Red Endler in another pool and Black Bars in yet another. Going to stock some smoking Koi Swords and Paints to produce kois, showas and paints. I also have some Brick Tux females I'm going to toss in just to jump production. Next week platys and variatus and Dwarf and Pearl Gourami in the grow-out cages.
 
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