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too old??
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Posted by daddytony80 UK (My Page) on Mon, Jun 27, 05 at 7:53
Ive been breeding goldies and Koi since i was knee high to a grasshopper (he being a mere 24 year old stripling!), but the last couple of years ive noticed a downturn in production of viable eggs from the goldies - and therefore fry produced - i reckon compared to their prime about 4 years ago it's down by about 20%.
What i was wondering, as ive not really come acrross it before, is whether my fish are getting a bit long in the tooth for a bit of rumpy pumpy? ive got approx 30 goldfish of breeding age in the 5000 gallon pond, plus a half dozen koi, of which about 8 came from my grandpy, and are well into their twenties, with the others varying in age from about 15 down to the youngest at 8 (the younger fish and fry are housed in the 3 other ponds, and i dont actually remove and rear their eggs/fry)
Has anyone else had any experience with ageing fish being less amarous?
Cheers
Tony |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: too old??
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My oldest female fish are around 9 years old. (The amount of time I've had a pond)
They are Shubunkins and goldfish and they are still 'up for it' with the lads.
I've 12 fish but only 3 are females - two older ones and a 3 year old and they get quite a battering from the 9 males at spawning time especially as one is a young Koi and much larger.
All I can say is that my two 9 year old males seem less 'active' than the younger ones so perhaps it's the men who are 'flagging' lol!
Sue |
RE: too old??
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| How old do goldfish have to be before they can breed? I have a number that are still dark, but one or two are starting to turn orange gradually. |
RE: too old??
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| avrage of 18months - 2years approx - they need to be at least 2-3" long to be breedable - if they are home raised you may well have some that never turngolden - this is a throwback to the wild form ancestors, and normally culled by breeders. In general they colour up at the end of their first year - although ive had them colour at a few months, and not until well into their 2nd year!! |
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