The old saying, Build It and They Will Come....

I have these huge mesh baskets, too big that once filled with media, rocks
and plants one couldn't ever lift them. But they sure make great baby fry
nurseries, and the fry go in on their own and stay!

The first one I set up I put the fry in. There are now 3 large fry about 1"
long, 2 were caught out of the filter. Then a 2nd spawn and several smaller
fry entered on their own, they're about 1/2" now.

After seeing a 3rd hatch in the filter, one of which actually made it thru
all the media to the pump chamber. I set up a 2nd nursery in the pond.
Before I could even catch any out of the filter, little fry showed up in
the basket on their own. How cool is that? I'm no longer too concerned
about not having babies. As soon as the first & 2nd hatch are large enough
not to be eaten by parents I'll put another large mesh basket over the
bottom drain. Granted only the fines will go thru, but I don't want any
more babies of size in the filter. I can always lift the basket
periodically and sweep the big crud into the bottom drain.

I'm so excited to have these babies. Locally only 2 of us that I know of
are growing wakins... otherwise they have to be purchased off the internet
or OOT somewhere. ~ jan
------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: www.jjspond.us

That is cool. We have some milk crates upside down in the pond, but I
think the mosquito eat them a good bit. We have now put WH in the pnd
and hope the babies willhide in the roots. More likely to survive
there, I suspect.

Jim