Pond Harvest

[blacksmith37]

Over the last few weeks I've gotten about 100 zebra danios, 20 giant danios , 30 green swordtails, and 2 koi ( 6") from the pond (& some shrimp). Likely 100 more danios and 2 koi in the pond still in the pond. I believe the dragonfly larva and snake took a significant toll.
Question; any ideas where to get large fish net ? I have large nets ( 18" diameter and seine ) but these have large mesh which are "gill nets" ,killing danio size fish. I have used tule (from dress fabric) but it rots in a year. (Lack of good net is why I still have fish in the pond- I had to let the grandkids out ;they were getting pretty blue using the regular 8" net
in the pond ).
Interesting observation: the zebras came in all sizes but the giant danios were all about adult size- roughly 3".

[wesleydnunder]

Over the last few weeks I've gotten about 100 zebra danios, 20 giant danios , 30 green swordtails, and 2 koi ( 6") from the pond (& some shrimp). Likely 100 more danios and 2 koi in the pond still in the pond. I believe the dragonfly larva and snake took a significant toll.
Question; any ideas where to get large fish net ? I have large nets ( 18" diameter and seine ) but these have large mesh which are "gill nets" ,killing danio size fish. I have used tule (from dress fabric) but it rots in a year. (Lack of good net is why I still have fish in the pond- I had to let the grandkids out ;they were getting pretty blue using the regular 8" net
in the pond ).
Interesting observation: the zebras came in all sizes but the giant danios were all about adult size- roughly 3".

I used to use a minnow seine that I bought from academy. It had the perfect mesh size for small fish.

Mark

[blacksmith37]

I may have the same seine (Tournament Choice) . It works for adult swords and giant, but fish about 3/4 to 1.5" long are held. The mesh is 6/inch. I expect commercial hatcherys would use this net; I hate to kill even a few fish.

[lilmissruffcountry]

Go to a fabric store...like Joann's or Michaels. They have rolls of net like mosquito screen, (holes big enough for a toothpick to go through, but nothing bigger, catches fry real easy) and it is soft that you can make a net or a seine from. Most of it is poly based, and will last awhile if cared for properly.

[PhishPhreek]

I favor the "leaf net" available at most swimming pool supply stores.
6-9" deep and 30" wide - great for shallow water and with a long handle so you don't have to bend over.

[blacksmith37]

I got some lace type stuff at Walmart; but procrastinated too long -didn't make the net. We got snow today. I covered the pond and put in a 300 watt heater. The water was 53.5 before I added heat.
Just checked ,temp stopped dropping at 55.0. I am sure 300 w did not warm 800 gal , guess it is some stratification of temperature.

[danielp]

http://memphsnet.net

We use these guys to purchase stuff for environmental sampling.

They have a good net section.

[danielp]

http://memphisnet.net

I love spell check.

[blacksmith37]

Thanks ; neat site. It gave me ideas. I have a screen waste basket I used to use for a pond filter, I can turn it into a trap easily.

[eddie]

pond harvest

my first post
my second year with ponds(livebearers and ghostshrimp)
ordered from memphis net (3)100ft.-heavy-3/16 .a 25 heavy 3/16
and a standerd minnow seine. the heavys are to heavy.
orderd a 3/16 light net from douglasnet has a lot better price on all weights. bugges snakes(garder and copper heads)birds,frogs and
turttles, all the bugges (those little hard ones eat baby fish) eat
fish

[blacksmith37]

Don't worry about copperheads or garter snakes ;they don't eat fish. My problems are green water snakes (they are actually black) and yellow belly water snakes. Hognose (eats frogs/toads) and coral (eats SNAKES), show up somtimes. I stepped on a copperhead once ( trying not to go for two), I must have caught him where he couldn't turn to bite.
I have a lot of trees so no heron /egret problems; but I hear they are usually the biggest fish eaters.

[eddie]

my garder snakes eat fish.we catch them in the ponds or on dry land. i sell them and i feed them fish and tad poles be fore shippin.we kill copperheads