The baby slider that managed to breach the net and spend the summer in the
800 gallon pond has disappeared. We never saw him trying to escape, not
once. He basked on the rocks daily and ate loads of fish food. He didn't
damage the plants. We think he left the day we removed the net to work on
the plants and add the aerator. We haven't seen him since that day. All
that activity probably scared him off.
The goldfish have reproduced like crazy this summer. There are even young
ones in the barrels. They were removed to their winter quarters yesterday.
About half the water lettuce and hyacinths were taken to the compost pile.
These will fertilize next summer's veggie garden.
The young koi, and there are hundreds, are a real thrill to watch grow and
change. There are all colors and all scale types including mirror, leather,
diamond scale and metallic. This time I get to chose before the breeder,
then the wholesaler removes the BEST before sending the rest to the local
shops. Many are butterflies.
The water lilies bloomed from spring to fall. The best bloomers were the
yellows from HomeDepot and the mini changeable from Wal*Mart. They were
seldom without as least one flower. Jobe's Rose Spikes were used as
fertilizer in the spring. One spike broken into thirds per pot.
There was no sickness and no deaths in any of the ponds and pools. Their
basic diet is Catfish Chow mixed with Trout Chow and some cat food. I soak
it and break it for the young koi and goldfish who are too small to eat
these pellets whole.
I got another couple into ponding and supplied them with fish and plants. I
walk over every few days to watch the koi and goldfish grow in their 6000
gallon new home.
All in all it was a great ponding year. :-)))
--
McKoi.... frugal ponding since 1995...
My Pond Page
http://tinyurl.com/cuq5b
~~~ }((((o ~~~ }{{{{o ~~~ }(((((o
http://www.hyphenologist.co.uk/killf..._troll_faq.htm
Make sure of which Reel McKoi you're replying to - the TROLL from
alt.religion.jehovahs-witn is using other people's names to bypass
killfiles. There are now TWO Reel McKoi's posting here.
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