"Madd Hatter" wrote in message
e.rogers.com...
I am building a small outdoor pond to breed cichlids in. I haven't decided
whether to go with Sounth American or African cichlids yet... Pond will be
approx 500 - 600 Gallons.... Never done this before, so any advice
regarding
plants, filteration, feasability of raising cichlids this way, would be
appreciated.. I am in the Toronto area on Ontario Canada.


Cichlids need really warm water, something you're not going to get around
January, especially outside. Not unless you add a good sized water heater.
I've never kept more then 2 cichlids in a tank, but I don't think breeding
pairs play nicely with others.

Do you plan on removing them from the pond when the weather starts to get
cooler? If you have a place to keep them half the year, when the weather is
cold, why not improve that area, and keep them there year round?

500 gal isn't that much as well, especially for highly territorial fish..

Sameer