Native Pond..advice (first post)

[adamh]

Hello I have set up a shaded pond and feel it is ready to stock it with native fish.

it has a main pool that is about 40cm deep, 40-60cm wide and a bit over a meter long..water is pumped up from this pond to a smaller one with the water overflowing and trickling down through a short stony "creek bed" back into the main pond.

I hope this will proved oxygen pickup and a bit of filtration.

My question is this - how much feeding will each fish (probably some kind of kokopu) need given that the conditions look to be very similar to where I have spotted them in the wild. (I live in the Waitakere bush).

I was thinking of farming mosquito laveae, is that a good idea also I understand Ox hart is good - do you get that from the butcher or a pet shop?

Thanks

Adam

[ottdurr]

I'm not entirely sure on the suitability of Kokopu to living in a pond, you would have to make sure it has lots of shade and stays cool during summer. I'm sure someone else has better advice in regards to that.

Food wise, kokopu eat a lot so be prepared. Store bought frozen blood worms are good for smaller ones, and so is farming mosquito larva. If your pond is outdoors then a certain amount of mosquitos gnats and moths will naturally fall into the water and the kokopu will know exactly what to do with them.

You can get Beef heart or kidney at most supermarkets, any red meat that isn't processed or flavored will probably be okay, maybe steer away from liver though as that can sometimes contain waay too much salts and vitamins and stuff. Chopped into small strips works good but it's not the most natural thing for them to be eating so try not to make it an everyday food. Earthworms, slaters, beetles maybe even cicadas if the fish is big enough will all make excellent food and you can just catch them for free in your yard. I have not tried store bought meal worms but I don't see why they wouldn't work.

Also, this is only my opinion, but I don't think any native fish are terribly ideal for a pond as you would never see them, they like to hide during the day. They work better in an aquarium where you can see them even when they're hiding under logs and stuff.

[kiwiraka]

I wouldn't recommend a giant as they get quite big, but a banded or two could work. But as ottdurr said it would be highly unlikely that you would see kokopu in a pond unless you go out at night with a torch. Inanga or bullys would be a lot more visible.

Feeding is quite easy: uncooked shrimp, heart and practically any type of bug you can find.

[adamh]

Thank you flor the replies.

re fish selection I have looked at some pics but are what are the general difference between inauga and kokopu (Billies are chunkier? - look a bit like a rock cod?) and what are you most likely to find around henderson valley (Auckland).

I understand that the natives won't stand out like goldfish - maybe a bit of regular feeding will bring them out (otherwise I do have a spotlight)...by the way in the wild they seem to lay low during the day, so is there any point feeding them then?

cheers

[Silverdollarboy2]

Thank you flor the replies.

re fish selection I have looked at some pics but are what are the general difference between inauga and kokopu (Billies are chunkier? - look a bit like a rock cod?

cheers

Native fish identification guides

http://www.niwa.co.nz/freshwater-and-es ... s-and-keys

[ottdurr]

The guides can sometimes be vague, here is some comparisons they don't neccesarily always make clear:

A few differences between inanga and kokopu:

-Inanga generally live about 1 or 2 years, because in the wild they die after spawning (I think)

-Kokopu can live for like 5 years and do not die after spawning

-Inanga generally grow to about 10 Cm max

-Banded kokopu can reach 20cm easily and Giant kokopu can sometimes reach twice that

-Inanga have a silvery belly and a dark-olive on pale-olive stripey pattern but it's more sort of camouflage like swirls, not so much vertical bands.

-Banded kokopu have bands (obviously) vertically across their body

-Giant kokopu can someimes have bands too which makes it confusing, an easy way to tell is that only banded kokopu have the black and silver disc shape behind the operculum.

-Inanga and kokopu both eat any insects that fall into the water

-Inanga spend more time in open water, in the top of the water column in small schools

-Kokopu are sometimes solitary or can be found in high densities in very small shallow pools with favorable conditions (shaded, lots of bugs etc).

And yes, bullies are similar to rock cod in a way as they sit on the stream bed rather than swim around up top.

I live in the Henderson valley area and there are a few places in the Waitakere's that you can see kokopu and inanga-but not really many places where it is legal to take them home. Bullies are pretty easy to find, almost any creek in the henderson area. Again, you should take note of the legalities of taking them.

[blueether]

The guides can sometimes be vague, here is some comparisons they don't neccesarily always make clear:

A few differences between inanga and kokopu:

-Inanga generally live about 1 or 2 years, because in the wild they die after spawning (I think)

-Kokopu can live for like 5 years and do not die after spawning

-Inanga generally grow to about 10 Cm max

-Banded kokopu can reach 20cm easily and Giant kokopu can sometimes reach twice that

-Inanga have a silvery belly and a dark-olive on pale-olive stripey pattern but it's more sort of camouflage like swirls, not so much vertical bands.

-Banded kokopu have bands (obviously) vertically across their body

-Giant kokopu can someimes have bands too which makes it confusing, an easy way to tell is that only banded kokopu have the black and silver disc shape behind the operculum.

-Inanga and kokopu both eat any insects that fall into the water

-Inanga spend more time in open water, in the top of the water column in small schools

-Kokopu are sometimes solitary or can be found in high densities in very small shallow pools with favorable conditions (shaded, lots of bugs etc).

And yes, bullies are similar to rock cod in a way as they sit on the stream bed rather than swim around up top.

I live in the Henderson valley area and there are a few places in the Waitakere's that you can see kokopu and inanga-but not really many places where it is legal to take them home. Bullies are pretty easy to find, almost any creek in the henderson area. Again, you should take note of the legalities of taking them.

All very good

I suspect that bandeds can live to well in excess of 10+ years and giants 15+. My giants slowed down lengthwise growth at ~20cm at about 4years old (at a guess) and then started to pack on the girth/weight. Unfortunately I lost one over winter after it ate a wasp - it never recovered fully and wouldn't eat well.

Inanga will be out more during the day but can be very flighty, I suspect that if you were feeding kokopu during the day they would come out.

If you get bullies from a lake you will have more luck at getting a sustaining population, but you might get them to breed and survive from river/stream caught fish

[Benjansss]

If you where to keep kokopu in a pond (ive seen banded/short jawed in pools about the size of your pond ) it would be better if you kept the pond planted this is better then wood and rocks because the fish feel like their hidden but you can see their dark bodys in the green plants but do make sure you have some wood so they can hide from the odd kingfisher

[adamh]

Hello how do you post a picture. ..is it possible to do so on a phone?

[kiwiraka]

viewtopic.php?t=2406 it might be difficult with a phone but it's possible

[adamh]

This is the pond - note the "creek" leading into it - this does seem to be keeping the water nice and clear. not completely cover but still pretty shaded and there is that floating pond weed.

[Benjansss]

The frist things i would do is get rid of that duck weed and plant some shading plants of the edge purry tonefar thats how its pro nonsed cant spell it would be great its a native fern like plant that grows on the banks of steams and you defernitley need to get rid of that duck weed

[kiwiraka]

The duckweed should give fish shade and places to hide from predators.

Have you decided what fish you'll get yet? Oh and good job loading a photo

[kiwiraka]

The frist things i would do is get rid of that duck weed and plant some shading plants of the edge purry tonefar thats how its pro nonsed cant spell it would be great its a native fern like plant that grows on the banks of steams and you defernitley need to get rid of that duck weed

Lol, what do you have against duckweed? Ferns would give it more shade but I think it's okay the way it is.

[adamh]

I'm thinking banded kokopu. .

conflicting comments re duck weed. ...I like it will keep it out of the local water ways and enough clear space to feed and occasionally see fish. ..is there a problem with it other than spreading into the wild?

[Benjansss]

Duck weed will end up covering the whole pond and you wont be able to see the fish you vould allways remove a bunch once it covers the pond but you eould have to do it over and over again duck weed can also stop importit micro shopic algae from growing

[Benjansss]

A great native plant which floats like duck weed is azolla it creates the same look but enough willfie off during summer to stop is becoming a proplem

[kiwiraka]

I'm not sure about algae but duckweed is good at breaking down nitrate, if you remove a bit when you want to feed the fish they will learn that when the duckweed is removed it's dinner time! Duckweed isn't the kind of thing I thought I'd be discuessing today :lar:

[Benjansss]

Azolla azolla azolla azollla azolla azolla azolla azolla azollla azolla azollla azolla azolla :bggrn: :dnc1: :f77: :lar: :ton: :thup: :smln: :happy1: :happy2: :nilly: :roll: :bounce:

[adamh]

Azolla...does it look like a little fern leaf?

[Benjansss]

Kinda look up nz azolla or its in this sites plant list

[kiwiraka]

Mosquito fern looks like a fern leaf, but I definitely wouldn't recommend it..... It spreads incredibly fast and I'm not sure if it's legal....

[Benjansss]

Thats not what i. Talking about i keep azolla myself i had to move it out of my pond because it was being out competed by the other plants eg fibre optic grass and other natives

[Yellow]

I'd suggest keeping it under regular control.

Both azolla and duckweed will cover a pond surface if left alone. Both provide cover. Both absorb ammonia and nitrates and other nutrients and can be removed and used to transfer nutrients from your pond to your garden.

HOWEVER, both will shade out any submersed plants that you have, preventing them from adding dissolved oxygen to your water, and if too severely shaded the submersed plants will die and decay, using up more dissolved oxygen. Duckweed stomata are on the upper leaf surface so they just puff off their oxygen into the air. The floating leaves will also get in the way of oxygen gas diffusing into your water through the water's surface.

[adamh]

Just an update - some one said they would not recommend native fish for an outside pond as you would only see them at night with a torch (I can't get the quote function to work). Well you are right but wrong. When you go out at night you really look at the fish.(and koura) can't say I have ever spent as long or taken as much pleasure looking at the gold fish I used to have.