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WTB Guppies, Endlers, Minnows, mollies, goldfish, koi etc.

festaedan

potamotrygon fan
Hey guys
I'm looking to stock my ponds with some small fish to take care of mosquito larvae before I put in my tilapia (its still a bit cold for them). The fish need to be hardy and able to survive outside in the late spring through early fall. Im mainly interested in guppies, mollies, endlers, koi/goldfish, or minnows. If you have any other suggestions or other fish that might work, lmk
Thanks!
 

Frank Cowherd

Global Moderators
Staff member
I have some sarasa comets and some spotted bullheads that can take the cold water. The sarasas are 3 or 4 inches and are mainly red and white. The bullheads are anywhere from 3 inches to 7 or 8 inches. I also have black banded sunfish that can take the cold. They are 1 to 2.5 inches.
 

FishEggs

Well-Known Member
i have 2 feeder gold fish that didnt get eaten and are now ~4" you can have. One has long fins the other does not.
 

zendog

Active Member
I am a huge fan of Rose Red Minnows in small ponds and container gardens. They're dirt cheap at Petco or PetSmart since they're basically sold as feeders. Just be sure you only get the "Rosy" ones if they also have some of the brownish ones mixed in, otherwise eventually they'll all wind up brown a few generations down the road.

I've used them for several years in my pond and small tub gardens and mosquito larva don't stand a chance. They go in the tubs as soon as I start them in the spring and then I net them out and put them in the pond to winter over until the next spring. Their color makes them easy to see and enjoy - or at least know they're still alive and eating any mosquito larva.

As opposed to some you listed, you'll never have to worry about the cold (unless you let their water freeze solid). With shade from water plants in the summer, they survive the heat as well. They're peaceful if you have other fish in the pond. I don't even feed them and just let them eat whatever grows or falls in the water. They certainly don't starve and between larva and whatever else they find in my tubs they come out fat and happy in the Fall. If you want them to reproduce you will need to feed them and give the fry some hornwort or other fine floaters to hide in.

And they're nativish... They are just a color morph of the fathead minnow that is native to much of the US and has been introduced through much or the rest of the country. The regular brown ones are found in the Potomac, York and some other drainages of the Chesapeake. In some parts of the country, municipalities actually give them out free to people to control mosquitos. Here's a fun little map that shows how they've spread from their native range:
http://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/SpeciesAnimatedMap.aspx?speciesID=621

More than you ever wanted to know probably, but these little minnows have been perfect for ponding for me.
 

festaedan

potamotrygon fan
I have lots of endlers, that I have brought for you multiple times. Text me.
Im sorry I couldnt pick them up, i'll text ya
I have some sarasa comets and some spotted bullheads that can take the cold water. The sarasas are 3 or 4 inches and are mainly red and white. The bullheads are anywhere from 3 inches to 7 or 8 inches. I also have black banded sunfish that can take the cold. They are 1 to 2.5 inches.
Those all sound great! Defenitely interested in a bullhead or two and the sunfish. Do you think the bullhead would be fine with some tilapia? The tilapia will be harvested at around 10-14" so nothing huge. If the commets can hang with the sunfish, some of those would sound great aswell. Can you pm me the prices?
i have 2 feeder gold fish that didnt get eaten and are now ~4" you can have. One has long fins the other does not.
Sounds great, i'll take them! Pm when I can pick them up or meet up with you.
I am a huge fan of Rose Red Minnows in small ponds and container gardens. They're dirt cheap at Petco or PetSmart since they're basically sold as feeders. Just be sure you only get the "Rosy" ones if they also have some of the brownish ones mixed in, otherwise eventually they'll all wind up brown a few generations down the road.

I've used them for several years in my pond and small tub gardens and mosquito larva don't stand a chance. They go in the tubs as soon as I start them in the spring and then I net them out and put them in the pond to winter over until the next spring. Their color makes them easy to see and enjoy - or at least know they're still alive and eating any mosquito larva.

As opposed to some you listed, you'll never have to worry about the cold (unless you let their water freeze solid). With shade from water plants in the summer, they survive the heat as well. They're peaceful if you have other fish in the pond. I don't even feed them and just let them eat whatever grows or falls in the water. They certainly don't starve and between larva and whatever else they find in my tubs they come out fat and happy in the Fall. If you want them to reproduce you will need to feed them and give the fry some hornwort or other fine floaters to hide in.

And they're nativish... They are just a color morph of the fathead minnow that is native to much of the US and has been introduced through much or the rest of the country. The regular brown ones are found in the Potomac, York and some other drainages of the Chesapeake. In some parts of the country, municipalities actually give them out free to people to control mosquitos. Here's a fun little map that shows how they've spread from their native range:
http://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/SpeciesAnimatedMap.aspx?speciesID=621

More than you ever wanted to know probably, but these little minnows have been perfect for ponding for me.
That sounds awesome but I've gone down the feeder fish rout before for my aquaponics and it didnt end well. Especially since I've been growing out my tilapia for a while and this pond is plumbed to theirs, i wouldnt want to risk it. Thanks for all the info though!
 
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