diffgirl Posted December 19, 2007 Report Share Posted December 19, 2007 I am looking for info on what may be termed a mosquito fish. My parents have just moved rural to a 2 1/2 acre property in pukekawa mercer, and on the property is a huge pond, largely populated with eels, but when the water is high it does have the option to flow into the next pond and the next as there is a whole line of them from property to property, so I know the likes of oranda and commets are not allowed, so what on earth would these guys be? As the name sugests they are to help keep the populaton of mozzies down to a less irratating level. Anyway any info is appreciated and if any one has some fish that would do the job and be ok to go into such a pond could you please let me know as we would love to get some and save our selfs from being dinner to our flying pestty neighbors!! thanks guys I look forward to hearing your ideas!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OscarBoy Posted December 19, 2007 Report Share Posted December 19, 2007 mosquito larvae maybe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coelacanth Posted December 19, 2007 Report Share Posted December 19, 2007 mosquito fish are Gambusia. They are an unwanted organism in NZ waterways. They are illegal to keep, sell or release anywhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim r Posted December 19, 2007 Report Share Posted December 19, 2007 Mosquito fish are taboo some people call them killer guppies they are quite widespread and illegal. These fish are most definitely an unwanted organism. If they are on the property you would do well to eradicate them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coelacanth Posted December 19, 2007 Report Share Posted December 19, 2007 google "gambusia new zealand" and you'll get lots of pages on them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted December 19, 2007 Report Share Posted December 19, 2007 Haha, Yeah, why not just get some Koi? At least they're nice and big, the fine for introducing them is the same, up to $200,000 or something like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingart Posted December 19, 2007 Report Share Posted December 19, 2007 mosquito fish aren't that good at eating mosquito larvae, just killing tadpoles, fry of goldfish and native fish and inverts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diffgirl Posted December 19, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2007 thanks for all your info guys, I had a feeling it was not on the up and up and for me I keep tanks of tropicals so ponds are new to me though I had always thought you were not allowed to introduce non natives into the water ways, but now I know they are pests, that idea can get scrapped! If anyone has a good idea as to how to keep the mozzie population down, legaly with fish or other good pond ideas please let me know. Thanks everyone :oops: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carla Posted December 19, 2007 Report Share Posted December 19, 2007 White Cloud Mountain Minnows are good for that as are ordinary goldfish (comets). Or put some guppies in in the spring and fish them out before the temp drops below 15 degrees. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
owen Posted December 19, 2007 Report Share Posted December 19, 2007 I have a friend who has a farm with a pond system like that. He caught inanga from his creek with a bait catcher baited with bread and released them into the ponds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whiskas Posted December 19, 2007 Report Share Posted December 19, 2007 Wouldn't releasing goldfish or White Cloud Mountain Minnows be illegal? Especially since the pond overflows into other ponds which would mean an uncontrolled spread of these fish? I would probably go with catching some native fish, or inanga, and putting them in, at least if they spread they are a native and will help out the native fish population. You could contact your local DOC and ask if they have any fish species that they would like to relocate or something...? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
repto Posted December 20, 2007 Report Share Posted December 20, 2007 where you are etc I would be very suprised if there were none in the ponds already??maybe Koi as well? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jn Posted December 21, 2007 Report Share Posted December 21, 2007 Yea.. a bit tricky since it's basically the extension of a water way and not just a sefl contained pond.. maybe you can get s ome natives from somewhere... I think Stella is the resident native fish expert She'll probably pop in at some point soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carla Posted December 25, 2007 Report Share Posted December 25, 2007 Wouldn't releasing goldfish or White Cloud Mountain Minnows be illegal? Especially since the pond overflows into other ponds which would mean an uncontrolled spread of these fish? Sorry I didn't read your post properly. Of course you CANNOT use the fish I suggested above in an overflow system like you describe. I thought of an isolated pond in a paddock surrounded by grass only. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devon Posted December 25, 2007 Report Share Posted December 25, 2007 Gambusia Affinis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purplecatfish Posted December 26, 2007 Report Share Posted December 26, 2007 I'm involved with mossie control at work and from what I know the best fish for mossie control in NZ are the natives e.g. inanga. But you need permission from DOC to release anything into a waterway even if they are native fish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted December 27, 2007 Report Share Posted December 27, 2007 Yes, inanga would be ideal and yes technically you do need DOC permission. It probably is fairly easy to obtain, I need to find out one day... Thing with inanga though is they need the marine stage (whitebait) and easy access back up the stream to develop an ongoing population, as the adults die after spawning (!generalisation!). However you also say the pond is largely stocked with eels.... they are pretty good at eating fish too. Though they do co-habit naturally they may well dent the population of anything you try to stock the pond with. Surround the pond with solar powered bug zappers?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diffgirl Posted January 7, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2008 Yea.. a bit tricky since it's basically the extension of a water way and not just a sefl contained pond.. maybe you can get s ome natives from somewhere... I think Stella is the resident native fish expert She'll probably pop in at some point soon! Thanks for all your guys help, and yes yes yes to some ideas of natives because that is about all that would be legal and non detrimental to the system as due to the fact that yes it does all flow on in high rain seasons, but from the looks of things the eels are doing well, thankfully we have had no baby ducks this season for them to chow down on, I hate seeing that the fluffy little buggers are so cute, and getting lost to slimy ells, ewe yuck!! (I know I will prob get some stick for that last comment but those eels really do creep me out, fish I love but eels not so much :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :oops: :oops: :oops: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: ) Anyway ideas on natives and where to get them from would be great!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diffgirl Posted January 7, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2008 Yes, inanga would be ideal and yes technically you do need DOC permission. It probably is fairly easy to obtain, I need to find out one day... Thing with inanga though is they need the marine stage (whitebait) and easy access back up the stream to develop an ongoing population, as the adults die after spawning (!generalisation!). However you also say the pond is largely stocked with eels.... they are pretty good at eating fish too. Though they do co-habit naturally they may well dent the population of anything you try to stock the pond with. Surround the pond with solar powered bug zappers?? Thanks for that, and yes the eels are doing well, but there is so much room that I think some thing should work, especially closer to the edges in the shallower parts of the pond where the eels like the deeper mid parts, however no go on the marine bit though, it is just a pond, no tidal flow here, but any other ideas would be good, I dont mind tank raising if I have to either but just what is native, where to get them and what doesnt need constant flowing water as I heard that is important too. any way thanks again, I am excited to see what ideas there are even just for the whole learning thing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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