Where did the goldfish come from?
 

Hi, I'm new here so be kind ;o)

OK, so I built a pond last May and now a year later it is flourishing. I put in 3 goldfish thinking they would help keep the algae down until the pond established. We also went fishing and caught half a dozen stickleback adults and a couple of young.

So in the meantime 2 of the goldfish have gone AWOL(presumed eaten ;o) and we've had hundreds of stickleback fry.

The one goldfish left is very happily plump and makes sure anyone else knows who's boss.

Over the last few weeks I've been thinking I'm going nuttier than usual because I've seen a largeish black fish gliding just under the surface but every time I call anyone it's gone. My hubby thought I was seeing things and I should go to spec savers.

Finally though today he saw it. Not only that but also a gold and black goldfish. So now we have 3 goldfish, 1 from last year and 2 others from nowhere. We have no idea where they came from apart from the obvious but since she's been the only goldfish in there for almost a year it's either immaculate conception fishy style or the stork brought them. ;o)

Just wondering if anyone else has had fish show up from nowhere.

Oh yeah. It looks like we have goldfish fry in the shallows. Thought they were more sticklebacks but there are no males to be seen.

Cheers Pam

Where did the goldfish come from?
 

"PamS" wrote in message
...

Hi, I'm new here so be kind ;o)

OK, so I built a pond last May and now a year later it is
flourishing.
I put in 3 goldfish thinking they would help keep the algae down
until
the pond established. We also went fishing and caught half a dozen
stickleback adults and a couple of young.

So in the meantime 2 of the goldfish have gone AWOL(presumed eaten
;o)
and we've had hundreds of stickleback fry.

The one goldfish left is very happily plump and makes sure anyone
else
knows who's boss.

Over the last few weeks I've been thinking I'm going nuttier than
usual
because I've seen a largeish black fish gliding just under the
surface
but every time I call anyone it's gone. My hubby thought I was
seeing
things and I should go to spec savers.

Finally though today he saw it. Not only that but also a gold and
black
goldfish. So now we have 3 goldfish, 1 from last year and 2 others
from
nowhere. We have no idea where they came from apart from the obvious
but since she's been the only goldfish in there for almost a year
it's
either immaculate conception fishy style or the stork brought them.
;o)

Just wondering if anyone else has had fish show up from nowhere.

Oh yeah. It looks like we have goldfish fry in the shallows. Thought
they were more sticklebacks but there are no males to be seen.

Cheers Pam




--
PamS

Welcome! People here are pretty friendly and helpful.

Your original goldfish might have produced dark bronze babies - the
original color of goldfish. They look black except under the right
lighting conditions. I have a bunch of them, mostly bothering my big
goldie, and I get more "black" goldfish as well as gold goldfish. The
genetics escape me...

You might also have imported some goldfish eggs on plants, if you've
added any plants. I brought some plants from one of my ponds into the
house to use in a new aquarium (yeah, bad idea, but it worked out),
and goldie eggs survived despite my dipping the plants in a clorox
solution first. I ended up with three goldfish fry in my new 55 g
aquarium! Once they were large enough I put them into one of the
ponds.

Gail

Where did the goldfish come from?
 

Gail is probably right on target. Goldies can reproduce at quite a
young age. Your first ones may have had some fries, especially if
there were not a lot of other fish around to gobble up the eggs or
fry. The new fry argue that you have two breeding goldies in your
pond. If I had to vote, I would vote for your original and one of the
black mystery fish.

We have had two black/bronze fish for three years. One of them
finally began to change color this year. The dark color of your
surprise adults suggests that they are young as well. Perhaps
survivors from the first batch from last year's three goldfish.

Once there are a good number of adults, they will limit the number of
survivors from spawns.

Have fun with the mobs of fish.

Jim

Where did the goldfish come from?
 

The first goldfish may have produced some fry that have now grown to a
noticeable size.

The greatest mystery is when some fish just appear like magic. The
explanation then is that someone got fed up of their fish and emptied
the tank in a convenient pond.

Steve

Where did the goldfish come from?
 

Gail Futoran wrote:

"PamS" wrote in message
...

OK, so I built a pond last May and now a year later it is
flourishing.
I put in 3 goldfish thinking they would help keep the algae down
until the pond established.

Not really :-)

So in the meantime 2 of the goldfish have gone AWOL(presumed eaten
;o)
and we've had hundreds of stickleback fry.

Finally though today he saw it. Not only that but also a gold and
black
goldfish. So now we have 3 goldfish, 1 from last year and 2 others
from nowhere.

Your original goldfish might have produced dark bronze babies - the
original color of goldfish. They look black except under the right
lighting conditions. I have a bunch of them, mostly bothering my big
goldie, and I get more "black" goldfish as well as gold goldfish. The
genetics escape me...

Also, how young were the original goldfish? If they were still fry, it's
even possible these _are_ your originals. Much more likely though, that
they're newer. The one that is black & gold will probably become all gold
shortly (the gold color comes in in patches as they grow). The other one
is maybe a genuine throwback.
--
derek

Where did the goldfish come from?
 

"PamS" wrote in message
...

Hi, I'm new here so be kind ;o)

OK, so I built a pond last May and now a year later it is flourishing.
I put in 3 goldfish thinking they would help keep the algae down until
the pond established. We also went fishing and caught half a dozen
stickleback adults and a couple of young.

So in the meantime 2 of the goldfish have gone AWOL(presumed eaten ;o)
and we've had hundreds of stickleback fry.

The one goldfish left is very happily plump and makes sure anyone else
knows who's boss.

Over the last few weeks I've been thinking I'm going nuttier than usual
because I've seen a largeish black fish gliding just under the surface
but every time I call anyone it's gone. My hubby thought I was seeing
things and I should go to spec savers.

Finally though today he saw it. Not only that but also a gold and black
goldfish. So now we have 3 goldfish, 1 from last year and 2 others from
nowhere. We have no idea where they came from apart from the obvious

but since she's been the only goldfish in there for almost a year it's
either immaculate conception fishy style or the stork brought them.
;o)

Just wondering if anyone else has had fish show up from nowhere.

Oh yeah. It looks like we have goldfish fry in the shallows. Thought
they were more sticklebacks but there are no males to be seen.

Cheers Pam
====================I've had sunfish magically appear in one of my smaller ponds. The eggs ha
d
to have been carried on the feet or feathers of a water bird.

--
RM....
Frugal ponding since 1995.
rec.ponder since late 1996.
Zone 6. Middle TN USA
~~~~ }((((* ~~~ }{{{{(ö

Where did the goldfish come from?
 

OR

"PamS" wrote in message

the stork brought them.

May not a stork, but a heron/kingfisher has been known to drop a fish....
but they usually take more than they give. ;-) 500,000:1

Most likely what others have said about eggs laid before the others passed
on, and then those babies grew up and made more babies. ~ jan ;-)
------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: www.jjspond.us