Sticklebacks for a wildlife pond
 

I built a pond four months ago and I am really pleased with it. The
water did go green for a bit, but now it is crystal clear. I rescued
some frogspawn from a garden centre that was closing down and have
loads of tadpoles keeping the algae under control. The plants are
growing well and the water lilies look to be sending up flower buds.
There's plenty of life already, with pond skaters, diving beetles,
damselflies laying eggs and millions of daphnia.
My two young daughters have been nagging me to get fish in the pond,
but I have read that goldfish would eat the wildlife. The
recommendation is for native fish such as sticklebacks, but I don't
know where I can get them. Can anyone suggest a source?

Neil

West Lothian,
Scotland

Sticklebacks for a wildlife pond
 

On 17 Jun 2003 14:14:29 -0700, (Neil McManus)
wrote:

I built a pond four months ago and I am really pleased with it. The
water did go green for a bit, but now it is crystal clear. I rescued
some frogspawn from a garden centre that was closing down and have
loads of tadpoles keeping the algae under control. The plants are
growing well and the water lilies look to be sending up flower buds.
There's plenty of life already, with pond skaters, diving beetles,
damselflies laying eggs and millions of daphnia.
My two young daughters have been nagging me to get fish in the pond,
but I have read that goldfish would eat the wildlife. The
recommendation is for native fish such as sticklebacks, but I don't
know where I can get them. Can anyone suggest a source?

Neil

West Lothian,
Scotland

I did a search and came up empty handed on buying the fish.

Sticklebacks for a wildlife pond
 

On 17 Jun 2003 14:14:29 -0700, (Neil McManus)
wrote:

The recommendation is for native fish such as sticklebacks, but I don't
know where I can get them. Can anyone suggest a source?

Neil

West Lothian,
Scotland

Last time I was at the Torwood Garden Center near Stirling
(The new one's moved to just outside torwood
http://www.torwoodgardencentre.co.uk/ ) They had them, along with
Minnows.

Ken

NE Scotland

Sticklebacks for a wildlife pond
 

I have a fishless pond and I love it because
so many critters live in there.

If you have to have fish go for the smallest
ones you can, then they can be both predator
and prey.


k30a

Sticklebacks for a wildlife pond
 

Catherine & Ken Ross wrote in message . ..
On 17 Jun 2003 14:14:29 -0700, (Neil McManus)
wrote:

The recommendation is for native fish such as sticklebacks, but I don't
know where I can get them. Can anyone suggest a source?

Neil

West Lothian,
Scotland

Last time I was at the Torwood Garden Center near Stirling
(The new one's moved to just outside torwood
http://www.torwoodgardencentre.co.uk/ ) They had them, along with
Minnows.

Ken

NE Scotland

Funny you should mention Torwood, that's where my frogspawn came from.
The bulldozers were due to demolish the demonstration ponds, so I got
some rescued frogspawn. I'll give them a phone and see if they still
have the wee fish.

Neil
W. Lothian