Mitsy Posted August 2, 2002 Report Share Posted August 2, 2002 Greetings from hot, dusty Redding! I have at present 8 koi, about 25 large and 30 small home-spawned fancy goldfish, and a 29 gallon aquarium I am going to set up for plants and some small tropicals. The koi and goldies are outside (it doesn't get bitter cold in the winter) and I really enjoy DIY projects. As soon as I have the funds, I will be putting in a 5,000 gallon pond...yipee! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted August 2, 2002 Report Share Posted August 2, 2002 Welcome Mitsy. Koi are illegal in our country but we certainly have goldfish. I have been planning to build a pond for about 20 years now - one day I might actually get it built! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus Posted August 2, 2002 Report Share Posted August 2, 2002 Hi Mitsy, That was one long email you sent :) My drive was SMOKIN... Pond looks great. Hope you enjoy your visits and we all look forward to hearing about your fish. Regards, Bill (Pegasus) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goldie Posted August 3, 2002 Report Share Posted August 3, 2002 welcome, is it warm enough to have tropicals withour heater in summer?? Again welcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitsy Posted August 4, 2002 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2002 Goldie, During most of our summer the heater doesn't get much work! This one was comparably cool, but we did have a week of over 110F (43.3C) which topped at 118F (47.7C). I put jugs of ice in with my koi and goldfish outside to keep the water temps down. Today was only (!) in the 80s (26C+-), oh, so nice to work outside in the garden! I noticed a garter snake slithering about, and now I am worrying about my oranda goldfish fry in their tub outside. He'd better not go for it, I have made hatbands out of rattlesnakes, and I won't hesitate to do it to him if he succeeds! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goldie Posted August 4, 2002 Report Share Posted August 4, 2002 Sooooooo hard to imagine such heat. Here I sit, all bundled up, with the heater AND the fire going to keep warm. Here in New Zealand we do not have snakes to worry about. So the goldfish only have to worry about such things as the kingfisher and heron (both birds). Not enuff room in my garden for pond however one of the club members has a half barrel and goldfish in that - see Caryls' photos. .............Maybe............I need a specially built, heated, air conditioned room just for the fish LOL. mmm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitsy Posted August 5, 2002 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2002 Plenty of fish eaters on the wing here, too. None have found my little watery world, yet. I'm sure the cats & dogs would like to have a go at them in any case. I see by your profile your a dog behavior consultant. I have three Queensland Heelers, two that were rescues. Its amazing what you can do for a dog if you treat them right. People get these dogs without the patience or knowledge on keeping such a clever and active breed happy. My last 'find' had been severely abused by a young man, and was an emotional wreck, but he's a fine dog now. They can be such a joy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajbroome Posted August 5, 2002 Report Share Posted August 5, 2002 I'm gonna hate myself for this, but... Abusing dogs = bad but chopping up snakes for headbands = good? Both are equally bad in my book. Andrew. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitsy Posted August 5, 2002 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2002 ...you take me too seriously! Garter snakes, gopher snakes, kingsnakes, grass snakes...they all get proper treatment on my property. The worst to happen to him would be to get removed to the creek. Rattlesnakes in my yard? Well-l, yes, they do get dispatched. The ones I have made into hatbands are the ones my friend kills on their property, it seems there is one under every rock. They are quite poisonous, and quite large. Some have been found on their very doorstep. Don't hate yourself--no offense taken. Each one must act according to their own conscience! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajbroome Posted August 5, 2002 Report Share Posted August 5, 2002 Mitsy said... > Garter snakes, gopher snakes, kingsnakes, grass snakes...they all > get proper treatment on my property. Whew! I feel much better now. > They are quite poisonous, and quite large. Yeah, I've spent some time in rattlesnake country and know some of the dangers. Back in 2000 I was up past Sacremento, near Placerville etc (ie just of 80). Skirted around Redding via SF and Santa Rosa and up the coast almost to the Oregon border. You know Crescent City? (We were looking at native US plants, BTW). All good fun and awesome countryside. I wouldn't be overly happy to have rattlers in my backyard either. Don't know what extreme I'd go to though... I'm not a big fan of bits of reptile being used as a fashion accessory (partly because it encourages a 'disposable' aspect to an already abused animal) but am happy to use cow skin between me and the road when I'm on a motorcycle... Anyway, glad I was just taking you too literally. Andrew. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitsy Posted August 5, 2002 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2002 I have to giggle at that, Andrew. I rather think it has an opposite effect, I can think of no other woman who would want to wear a rattlesnake band hat! I am never without a good straw hat on when working outside, one of which sports the aforementioned reptile. I rather think its for shock value (oops, giving away a bit of a personality secret, I think ). Yes, I am familiar with Crescent City--beautiful area. Wish I could make it over there again, soon. Native plants are a favorite study, and I have a number of them in my gardens and ponds. As to what lengths you'd go with meeting a rattlesnake in your yard, you either run screaming or hit it with whatever is handy. I like snakes, but the rattlers give me the willies. We ran into a beautiful big Pacific Western rattler while camping on Lake Shasta, and had the opportunity to show it to my young niece and nephew, which I am raising to respect and care for wildlife. We left the newly shed snake to his solitude--and didn't tell the other adults until later, so I know they wouldn't try to kill it. No point to killing one that poses no danger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajbroome Posted August 6, 2002 Report Share Posted August 6, 2002 Mitsy said... > Native plants are a favorite study, and I have a number of > them in my gardens and ponds. I was looking for Darlingtonia, Pinguicula and Drosera. Saw heaps of all three, especially the first two, as well as some nice orchids and so forth. Some photos from the trip are at http://photos.yahoo.com/ajbroome Andrew. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitsy Posted August 6, 2002 Author Report Share Posted August 6, 2002 Great photos! I have seen the Darlingtonia north of us around a lake high in the Marble Mts. Its difficult to get them to grow in our summer heat. My native interests lean towards the larger plants that can take our temp. extremes. I have a lovely wild ginger, Asarum lemmonii, that sports large kidney bean shaped leaves with silver veining. and a Salvia, not IDd yet, that grows to about four feet and is really attractive to hummingbirds, and Trillium chloropetalum, a difficult one to get to thrive, but stunning in the spring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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