Return to the Ponds in the UK Forum
| Post a Follow-Up
Breeding or bred.
| | |
Posted by deesee uk n (My Page) on Sun, Jul 3, 05 at 12:53
| I have two clumps of elodea, each about 2ftsq and quite dense, they are planted in shallow trays with a covering of pea gravel. For three months the fish (4 golden orfe-12 minnows and a gold fish )have not been in the least bit interested in said weed, now they spend a lot of time swimming round and into the weed. My question is, is some breeding taking place or has breeding taken place and are the fish after the fry.I have never had fish breed so i don`t know what to expect, my previous pond was very small and the fish were not interested, i always new size did matter. |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Breeding or bred.
| | |
| Sounds like breeding. Do you have fry already? I've been a bit confused by my bunch too... they have been wallowing in the shallow planted area (the vulnerable heron spot). There are no fry in my big pond. If they were near the surface for oxygen, surely they would be by the waterfall area? If they were mating, they'd be active in this area? If they wanted shade, they'd be under the waterlily or in the really deep area? The water conditions are good... I'm baffled. 
|
RE: Breeding or bred.
| | |
| theyre most likely basking - mine do it every year - they move up to the shallower water where it's warmer - being cold blooded they are dependent on the water temp to regulate their metabolic activity and energy levels. Having said, mine tend to bask just before and just after mating especially - any fisherman will tell you that in hot weather you see fish "rolling" - especially carp - they just lie on their side at the surface, soaking up the rays, then they'll roll and go down again to get some lunch! |
RE: Breeding or bred.
| | |
| I never saw any fry in my pond prior to fishing them out during the pond clean-up! I guess they must have been hiding in the pond weed. What is that pretty little water plant you have Kaz? All my local aquatics centre has is elodea - and I have enough of that! Tricia |
RE: Breeding or bred.
| | |
Hi Tricia, It's parrots feather (Myriophyllum aquaticum). Unfortunately, even though it is very pretty, it has escaped in places into matural water courses and has swamped and choked them. For that reason eEnglish Nature, the wildlife trusts and the RHS ask people not to plant it in order to avoid it spreading into the wild, and are trying to stop nurseries supplying it. Spreading can be done by irresponsible people dumping excess weed into the wild, and even just by a small amount stuck on say a heron's foot being transferred.
(Sorry for the lecture, but I have to admit it is very pretty!)
ps other native milfoils are ok eg spiked water milfoil and whorled water milfoil M spikatum a,d M alternifolium. These stay beneath the surface. |
Here is a link that might be useful: RHS ban on invasive plants
|
|
|
|
