Pond Critters!

[fishbot]

However I am still trying to find out where I can buy feeder fish in bulk (Guppies to stay with Aust. natives). Any help would be appreciated as well as any spare Water Lilys, we are willing to come get them ourselves or if you know where to buy them (besides Tims Gardens or Garden Magic, they are very expensive).

The "guppies" are far from native, they are an introduced noxious pest....but in saying that they are well suited to your closed system circumstances.

Yes murray cod will eat things but silver perch are also quite "nippy". All large native fish are predators and will potentially injure your maron/crustaceans so just chose which ever fish you find most interesting or even a mixture. Silver perch, gold perch, australian bass, murray cod, tandanus catfish should all thrive in a pond environment. There is also a variety of small native fish such as rainbows and gudgeons, but your turt and perch will simply eat those.

I think that your turt and perch will punish your water lilies but it's worth a shot.

South Windsor Fish Hatchery (02 4572 5374) sells "feeder guppies" (gambusia), a variety of native fish, regular yabbies and a variety of pond plants including water lilies ($27.50 for a lily...a pretty standard retail price). Defiantly worth a look.

~fishbot

 

[waruikazi]

Unless you have several thousand lillies that reproduce faster than your turtles metabolism they will not survive the onslaught of a ravenous turtle Thats the main reason i chose not to put a turtle in my pond, because it would eat all of my beautiful plants.

Oh and you really need to post pics

 

[mrdestiny]

I bought 10 Yabbies from the fish market, works out about $1.20 each, but only 1 survived more than a day. Nevertheless it wasn't a waste of money as the turtles ate them once dead. You can get good live farmed ones around $5 from Kenthurst Fish and Filters www.kentfish.com
Long Neck turtles won't eat your water lilies but will destroy them from hanging around under them, swimming through them, etc.
Re the gambusia put a WTB ad on
http://www.petlink.com.au/Classifieds/Fish-and-Aquarium/Fish/
I bought mine through there, only $30 for about 200, plenty to give you a lifetime supply.
Allan
http://turtletownsydney.tripod.com/http://www.petlink.com.au/Classifieds/Fish-and-Aquarium/Fish/

 

[salebrosus]

Possum if you go to that little creek on Appin Road as you head towards Wollongong (near the lights where the mining trucks come of out) there is a huge supply of Gambusia fish and other Australian natives. I would go through that system every month and take out all the Gambusia and chuck them in with a Mertens i use to have. There are also some pretty big yabbies down there too. I'm a bit squeamish so i only ever put one yabbie in with the Mertens- it was vicious.

Can't wait to see the pics mate.

Simone.

 

[cris]

I would use natives such as blue eyes and other rainbows, gudgeons etc. what ever else lives in your area. For the larger fish IMO you shouldnt get species that just hide where you cant see them such as cod, yellowbelly etc. I think bass, sleepy cod and maybe some spangled perch would be better.
Gambusia are a pest and once you put them in you probably will never get them out.
I would also suggest you dont put eel tail catfish in with turtles too.

 

[JasonL]

Simone, they would have been protected freshwater crays, of which there are two Sp. found in the Sydney area, Yabbies (Cherax destructor) are naturally found on the west side of the range, but have been introduced to many local impoundments. As for fish, Silver Perch are quite aggressive to other large natives, but will breed in a pool. Bass need to travel to salt water to breed but are great fish to keep and won't eat your plants like the silvers will, though bass will only eat live food.

 

[Magpie]

Can you get rainbows that live in temperate climates?
Rainbowfish are very peaceful, pretty and easy to see and breed quickly.

 

[grimbeny]

I would love to do this in our pool but i think my mum might object.

 

[cris]

Can you get rainbows that live in temperate climates?
Rainbowfish are very peaceful, pretty and easy to see and breed quickly.

blues eyes can live in fairly cold water, they just dont get very big. Crimson spotted rainbows and the blue ones that live in the murray darling basin would do well and they are a bit bigger. The desrt ones would be able to handle cold temps too.

Empire gudgeons would be good too. This link is useful. http://www.australianrainbowfish.com/australian_fish/australian_fishes_index.htm