Reefmonkey
Aquarium Advice Activist
I started my pond back in 2006. I wanted something natural-looking, not traffic cones with fins, so instead of goldfish or koi, I intially went with central and south american cichlids. I had a surprising amount of success for a while - with submersible heaters and bubble wrap, I was able to handle the rare winter freezes we get down here without losing any of these tropical fish. But, over time, nature took its toll. For instance, there was the sudden freak hail storm that dumped several inches of pea-sized hail on my yard and into my pond in a matter of minutes, killing several fish through thermal shock. So, fairly early into my pondkeeping, I decided that I would replace any attrition with native fish. This has added a new element of enjoyment to my hobby, as I take my cast net to nearby bayous and flood detention ponds. I've caught various sunfishes, including orangespotted, but most are difficult to identify the exact species, though my wife's ex-father-in-law, an avid freshwater fisherman, is sure most of them are bluegill. I have found these fish to make the best pond pets. Unlike the cichlids, who would hide a lot, especially when someone neared the pond, the sunfish actually have learned to come to the surface to see if they are going to be fed whenever I walk to the pond. They will continue to be at the surface, gobbling up food, even when my 27# standard dachshund starts lapping up water right where they eat. The iridescent blue markings on the fins of the larger ones also give a nice flash of color to the pond.
The sunfish seem practically impossible to kill. Our summers are always hot here - they never show signs of stress. The last two winters have seen more freezes than normal for Houston, but I don't even bother to put a heater in anymore.
Another fish that makes a great pond fish is the red shiner. Very attractive blue body with red fins, stick close to the surface in schools. Not quite as hardy as the sunfish - sudden changes in water chemistry due to downpours can sometimes shock them. They also tend to be easier for birds to pick off. Herons don't come to my pond, but I have seen screech owls. I treat the shiners more as annuals, while the sunfish are permanent denizens, with several of the larger ones just having spent their second winter with me.
I have had to do a little trial and error. For instance, crappie don't do well, I think they really need small fish to eat, while the sunfish are happy with algae, whatever bugs and larvae get into the pond, and dry food from me. Shad were another failure, and since then I have always thrown these guys back when I catch them.
The fishing trips have been an education in themselves, giving me an idea of what species live in what habitats, and when (time of day, time of year). I've also caught some really interesting exotics in one detention pond in particular. Plecostomus catfish, for one. Giant grass carp. And sadly, the last trip to that pond I caught only tilapia in a place where I had caught sunfish before. I keep a sharp knife to gut the tilapia I catch (as Texas regs require for this invasive fish) and then throw them back for the ducks, egrets, and herons to eat. For the plecostomus cats, I've started carrying a claw hammer, since their armor is hard to pierce.
For anyone looking to start a pond, or for someone looking to do something different with an existing pond, I highly recommend going native. You'll be amazed by the variety of attractive fish living in even the most unlikely looking little creeks. And these fish are better adapted to your local climate than anything you will buy at an LFS. Not only are they more likely to survive than storebought fish, but any mortality isn't a hit on your wallet. Screech owls take a few shiners, well, you just go catch more, and also have the satisfaction of knowing you've provided a beautiful native bird with a healthy, native meal. The native quality of my pond, which, in addition to being a habitat for native fish, provides food and water to native animals, as well as a breeding spot for toads and dragonflies, is also one of the reasons I got my backyard a Certified Backyard Wildlife Habitat.
The sunfish seem practically impossible to kill. Our summers are always hot here - they never show signs of stress. The last two winters have seen more freezes than normal for Houston, but I don't even bother to put a heater in anymore.
Another fish that makes a great pond fish is the red shiner. Very attractive blue body with red fins, stick close to the surface in schools. Not quite as hardy as the sunfish - sudden changes in water chemistry due to downpours can sometimes shock them. They also tend to be easier for birds to pick off. Herons don't come to my pond, but I have seen screech owls. I treat the shiners more as annuals, while the sunfish are permanent denizens, with several of the larger ones just having spent their second winter with me.
I have had to do a little trial and error. For instance, crappie don't do well, I think they really need small fish to eat, while the sunfish are happy with algae, whatever bugs and larvae get into the pond, and dry food from me. Shad were another failure, and since then I have always thrown these guys back when I catch them.
The fishing trips have been an education in themselves, giving me an idea of what species live in what habitats, and when (time of day, time of year). I've also caught some really interesting exotics in one detention pond in particular. Plecostomus catfish, for one. Giant grass carp. And sadly, the last trip to that pond I caught only tilapia in a place where I had caught sunfish before. I keep a sharp knife to gut the tilapia I catch (as Texas regs require for this invasive fish) and then throw them back for the ducks, egrets, and herons to eat. For the plecostomus cats, I've started carrying a claw hammer, since their armor is hard to pierce.
For anyone looking to start a pond, or for someone looking to do something different with an existing pond, I highly recommend going native. You'll be amazed by the variety of attractive fish living in even the most unlikely looking little creeks. And these fish are better adapted to your local climate than anything you will buy at an LFS. Not only are they more likely to survive than storebought fish, but any mortality isn't a hit on your wallet. Screech owls take a few shiners, well, you just go catch more, and also have the satisfaction of knowing you've provided a beautiful native bird with a healthy, native meal. The native quality of my pond, which, in addition to being a habitat for native fish, provides food and water to native animals, as well as a breeding spot for toads and dragonflies, is also one of the reasons I got my backyard a Certified Backyard Wildlife Habitat.
