Fishy ID and gravel for pond...?

[Paul_MTS]

Well here are the litle dudes I caught in the River Culm!!

After looking through some books at home I think the long thin ones are stone loach and not gudgeon as they have 4 whiskers and not 2 like gudgeon.

well tell me what you think guys....or should I say ryan

also to keep these guys in the pond i'm going to have to put gravel in as the stone loach? are constantly burrying themselfs, the funny dudes!

 

[Paul_MTS]

and the other guys

I caught a 4inch one of these guys but that was when we went for our 1st walk by the river so I didn't have a tub or anything , caught with my bare hands and the stone loach? were all aorund 3/4inch aswell.

oh almost forgot, how would I go about putting gravel into the pond? should/would I need to remove the fish first?

 

[ryan]

First ones are Noemacheilus barbatulus or Stone Loach, the second is Cottus gobio or Millers Thumb. I'll give you a load of info this evening but I am off out now so I have no time. Maybe Cat will help.

EDIT: Got some more time so here is some info;

Cottus gobio - A bottom dwelling fish from all over Europe reaching 6" in size. Sometimes called the Bullhead this fish is found in fast flowing, well oxygenated stony stream beds. Provide a similar enviroment. This species does well in captivity and will breed in shallow water during the sprnig and summer, especailly if given a cooler period during winter. The fish hollow out a nest underneath a flat stone, the fry prefer small live foods, but will in time take flakes and other foods.

 

[Paul_MTS]

yay I got one right Millers thumb wasn't in the books so I had no chance!!

both fine to keep in my pond all year round right?

any ideas on the gravel front? I want it sorted ASAP as they can;t live in a tub for ever, I can get the gravel delivered free to my door Monday, and the granite chips for my tank

 

[ryan]

They can be kept in the pond all year round but need fast flowing, well oxygenated water. Don't forget being wild caught fish they may also carry some disease or parasite that could affect your current stock so quarantining is a good idea. When I have added gravel or sand I rinse it all throughly in buckets and then use an old drain pipe to tip it down and on to the bottom of the pond.

 

[Wyld-Fyre]

Nice one! How about adding some river minnows, sticklebacks and crayfish?

 

[Paul_MTS]

Yeah, I thought about the deasease problem, how long should I qurantine them for and do I do anything to them or just leave them in there for a few weeks?

Ah ha drain pipes what a cunning plan!!

thought about them and want rosy minows but not avaible at the moment I don't like stickle backs and cray fish would probable injure the koi

that reminds what good are muscles to a pond, a shop i went to had them for sale in with the fish!!??

the top pond has a good flow of water, but I could never get it as fast as the river i caught them in unless i made a small fountain water feature thing specially for them, which would be pretty cool but doupt my parents would fund it

 

[ryan]

As long as there is a good current they should be fine, they will most likely hang around underneath the waterfall. A week to two weeks will be sufficent for quarantining but remember that wild caught fish could carry parasites that don't kill the carrier fish but will have an affect on more delicate fish like Koi so it may be an idea not to put them with your most valued fish. Swan Muscles do an efficent job in a pond and act like a natural filter, Bitterlings also use them in their breeding ritual.

 

[Paul_MTS]

mmmm, thats a rather nasty thought...decisions

what kind of size do they grow to? i'm guessing about 4inch a peice??

where stone loach the one that you suggested to me for my fry tank when I was going with that plan?

Will gravel affect the pump in anyway if I put them in the bottom pond instead? I think the pump is suspended a bit anyway to avoid some of the gunk build up aorund it.

 

[ryan]

Yes I suggested Stone Loaches, they will reach 4-5" and as I said in my edit above that you may not have seen the Cottus gobio will reach up to 6". Gravel shouldn't affect the pump you can always stand it on a brick or something along those lines anyway.

 

[Paul_MTS]

oh wow would be great if they bred, if i put them in the bottom pond and put gravel and a few cobbles on the shelfs that might help them along.

and there the ones my LFS hadn't seen aorund for a while.

is there any reason why millers thumbs aren't in shops?

I', well into making the hood for my 10g tank, I have the basic frame work and dad's getting me some wood for the rest at work tomowrow.

 

[Cat]

I'm trying get a 4ft tank paul out of dad

 

[Paul_MTS]

When I have my 3ft stocked, i'll be after a bigger tank, but the parents will have to be aproved of it more as I can't fit anything more in my room unless i get rid of my lovely big armchair plus the noise of another tank with a bigger filter system isn't going to help my sleep.

what would you do with it? community?

 

[ryan]

I'm trying get a 4ft tank paul out of dad

You can do better than that I wasn't even aloud a 2' tank now I am on to a 6' one. Ofcourse you could always turn the swimming pool you have into a heated tropical pond.

 

[Cat]

Its a big paddling pool