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RE: Swordtails and platies for Miami pond?

richdeer3 — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 18:46:54 GMT

Mollies and guppies are good picks, too. Make sure that your filters and pumps are well covered so the fry doesn't get sucked into them.

You can add a pleco for algae control. I have used impatients as floating plants. I poked holes into a foam meat tray and stuck impatients in the holes. You can also use marigolds, false dragons' head, spider plants, chameleon flower and plothos. Most Iris and cannas, taros, cardinal flower, can also be planted in pots and do well in the pond.

I'd love to worry about water going below 70 degrees, my pond freeze solid every winter. Good luck, Gail

RE: Swordtails and platies for Miami pond?

90overflow — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 07:43:50 GMT

I was over at a friends house this weekend and they had three layers of bubble wrap floating on their hotub. If you did this I'd put vent pipes thru the bubble wrap so the pond can vent gasses off.

RE: Swordtails and platies for Miami pond?

Louie — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 15:16:55 GMT

During the chilly nights and there were many. I plug in the submersible heater I keep in the pond .

Its set at 70 and the fish actually gather within 1 foot radius of it. Right now I have a zillion babies .

I do get night visitors of garter snakes and ringneck snakes which think take babies or maybe few adults.

I just gave away about 50 babies as in last 2 weeks had a fish "explosion" now that warm weather is here imagine babies will be non stop as Dec/Jan close to no babies compared to last 2 weeks.

I imagine your grandfather covered it as the soil does hold heat and cold night the pond will stay warmer with the cover thats a great idea in my case to many plants growing out of the pond thus not possible but the heater set for 70 kept the fish fine .

I have dragonfly larvae in there now and remove them if I see them but again to many plants nothing I can do but those do bother me the other predators dont .

RE: Swordtails and platies for Miami pond?

90overflow — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 13:00:25 GMT

When I was a kid my Grandfather's neighbor had an outdoor pond with Mollies, Platies, Guppies and Swordfish. He did not have a heater, during the Winter the fish would thin out, in the Summer he would have to give fish away. When it got real cold he'd throw plastic and a blanket over the pond supported by stakes. By the way he lived in Jacksonville, Fla. Also he used to separate the fish to keep them from inter-breeding. Had these wood boxes for the babies that they could swim in and out of for protection.

RE: Swordtails and platies for Miami pond?

argi — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 05:44:39 GMT

Yes most of the time when you get a female livebearer (unless they were seperated before 4-6 months of age) she will be pregenant. It has been a while since I have dealt with livebearers (actually with freshwater in general), but if I remember correctly once a female has become impregnated, she is basically impregnated for quite some time. The females will actual store the sperm from one mating and it will keep fertilizing eggs a few times. She will then have babies every 4-6 weeks. So expect to see more babies in the near future.

RE: Swordtails and platies for Miami pond?

Louie — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 18:11:12 GMT

Found lots of babies this evening some hiding by the cattatils most hiding by the dwarf papyrus. I imagine one of the females was pregnant when purchased. I left them in the pond as impossible to catch . All are on the surface

Lots plants so some should survive without getting eaten

Either way the adults have all adapted and gotten very big in short time .

RE: Swordtails and platies for Miami pond?

Louie — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 09:31:37 GMT

I ended up with 1 green male swordtail as read males dont like each other though lots room intime will have few males anyway than 2 red F swordtails - 2 female red/yellow platies 2 f dalamation platies and 2 gold platies

They hide among the plants but see them during feeding and if I hang out by the pond and watch after awhile I see them.

The cory cat idea sounded great as I love them but the water is beyond cichlid high ph not to mention the corycats at petstore in area (only petstore in hours drive) are deplorable and not a single fish club in Miami

RE: Swordtails and platies for Miami pond?

argi — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 05:12:12 GMT

Sounds great...I am glad you were able to find healthy speciemens for the pond. I am sure as they get use to the pond and the population grows you will start seeing them more and more.

How many did you end up starting with?

RE: Swordtails and platies for Miami pond?

Louie — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 22:34:31 GMT

I added swordtails and platies as the water here is rock as far as PH goes . Not to mention there is only 1 pet store within an hour or more drive from here and its a chain type petstore with fish that are horrible. They have tetras,etc but never saw such sickly overpriced close to death fish.

I did find a local livebearer breeder who has great fish and bought few of each type so far they are doing great seem very happy though only seem when I feed as put in lots dwarf cattails ,dwarf papyrus,cheap lilies,etc plants but thats the look I wanted.

Thanks

RE: Swordtails and platies for Miami pond?

argi — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 16:17:59 GMT

People keep cory cats in discus tanks where the temperatures run in the low to mid 80 constant so I don't think temperature will be an issue.

You might also find as the plants mature and cover more of the pond the temperature will stay more stable.

RE: Swordtails and platies for Miami pond?

Louie — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 15:13:47 GMT

argi (12/19/2007)

Platies will also breed just as well as your swordtails will and you are correct, 1 male to 3-4 females is a good number to start with. Obviously as they start breeding those numbers will change but that is a nice way to start.

You may also want to consider some guppies in there. I have seen some really nice guppies that have grown in ponds. With all the natural foods in there, the colors on the guppies (along with the others) can be awesome.

You could also put some other freshwater fish in there, such as cory cats or some hardier tetras.

I recall reading an article in one of the fish magazine about a person who puts most of his freshwater fish in an outdoor pond during the summer months. He lived more north, so he had to move them indoors during the winter months.

Best of luck, I think you will enjoy your community pond.

Tetras like neons are a fish I like will look into as like them but cory cats thought summer might be to warm but will read up on them as like them to .

thanks

RE: Swordtails and platies for Miami pond?

Louie — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 15:01:54 GMT

I looked into native fish the pygmy suns seemed to delicate wouldnt see them much if ever the killies were to expensive as found sites that sold them for $10 to $20 each not including shipping . If they were for an indoor tank than great but for a pond that is heavily planted opted not to.

The flagfish from what I understand dont like each other and not sure if available in Florida for sale . Though they are hardy and great algae eaters

Overall narrowed it down to convict cichlids -platies-swordtails and than decided on platies and or swordtails as they are better natured than convicts and brighter colors. The summer will be warm so needed fish that could handle water temps in high 80s during the day as pond does get sun few hours every day

I ordered dwarf cattails -dwarf papyrus few water lillies for the pond which will be here tommorrow . I have a few plants already but wanted more as want fish cover and some water "shade" .

RE: Swordtails and platies for Miami pond?

Steven Pro — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 14:33:33 GMT

Or the famous flagfish, Jordanella floridae.

RE: Swordtails and platies for Miami pond?

Steven Pro — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 14:28:38 GMT

Have you considered any native fishes instead? I really like the banded killifish I have in my pond, Fundulus diaphanus. There are a lot of very pretty killies that would work well. Below is the golden topminnow/killifish, Fundulus chrysotus.

RE: Swordtails and platies for Miami pond?

argi — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 11:44:57 GMT

You could also put some other freshwater fish in there, such as cory cats or some hardier tetras.

Best of luck, I think you will enjoy your community pond.

RE: Swordtails and platies for Miami pond?

Louie — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 11:20:57 GMT

thanks going to get some red platies and or swordtails 1 male 3/4 females as read males dont like each other and they will multiply well.

The socket I have is on the wall and has special protective cover (like a cup) to prevent the connection from getting wet ,and has built in safe guard for stray electricity . The previous owner used it for sometype automatic cooler for his dogs house. I appreciate the honesty and know none of the heaters are actually made for outdoor use.

thanks

RE: Swordtails and platies for Miami pond?

argi — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 05:54:40 GMT

Yes you can keep swordtails or platies in the pond. Depending on how chilly it does get a heater may not be needed. As long as your temperatures are staying above 70, I wouldn't worry about.

None of the heaters Marine Depot carries are approved to be used outdoors. Will they work? Yes, but you will want to protect the cord and plug against the elements to prevent any potential problems. Depending on the low temperature and how many degrees you need to raise the ponds temperature will factor into how many watts of heat needed. My guess would be between 2-5 watts per gallon.

HTH,

Swordtails and platies for Miami pond?

Louie — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 11:41:56 GMT

Hello

I was thinking of swordtails and/or platies for an outdoor pond in Miami. Its to warm for koi plus 'pond" is only 220 gallons (home depot large pond)

My problem is chilly days though rare do happen thus was thinking of any of the heaters marinedepot carries just to add heat chilly days (run it at 70) average temps here are high 70s to 80s pond will be in semi sun semi shade area side of house by electrical outlet

Anyone keep such fish , any suggestions ,input is great ?

Thank you