# Pool breeding or mass producing swords-HELP



## henningc (Apr 17, 2013)

I am starting to gear up for my outdoor projects next summer and wanted to know if anyone had pool bred or mass produced swords? I have read some put the adults in breeding traps, others make safe areas for fry. Just wanting to pick anyone's brain who has done something like this.


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

In a pool I would imagine if you placed some moss or similar you should get some fry out of it. Could possibly get a good bit.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Lots of hornwort and java moss and you'll have more swords than you can imagine.I attempt to seperate my fry(catch around 10+ daily),but many still elude me and remain in the [email protected] breeders with full grown adults(4-6").The plants are so thick if the fry are not on top in the am they remain in the tank.I see many in both breeder tanks and they do seem to survive well.I'm talking lots of plants.The fry eat the micro life on the plants also so they serve more purpose than just cover from the adults.


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## henningc (Apr 17, 2013)

I appreciate the replies and please keep them coming. I started out with less than 40 breeder Endlers this summer and the final tally was well over 800 and that was just in two pools. My Least Killies were slower, started with 18 and ended up with close to 300. I'm figuring the swords will not be as prolific, but I would like to make a 200-300 haul in each pool to earn enough cash to fund other projects. 

One thing I did learn is that allowing the grass to grow up around the pool seems to increase the number of mosquito larva and the fish grow very quickly. My adult female Endlers always looked like they were ready to explode even after dropping fry. I also learned that you can expect frogs and tadpoles. At first I was not too thrilled, but my cichlids in the fishroom loved the tadpoles. They got fat as well.


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## henningc (Apr 17, 2013)

If anyone is interested, I am going to start a new pond thread so people can follow along as I start the process.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

IME with Swords, they are killing machines when it comes to fry. I have big females that I know have 60-80 fry and usually only 3-4 will survive and all of my Swords eventually hunt down and eat them. My tank is fairly loaded with plants and moss, as all my tanks are but it doesn't really impact them. Keeps my population down. If the whole thing was moss I am sure they would do better.


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## henningc (Apr 17, 2013)

The predation issue is the reason for the traps. I plan to flush them out daily by dumping 5gal of pond water into the container. That should clear any fry that don't make it out on their own.

Any other ideas???


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## z1200 (Jan 26, 2012)

I put 2 platies in my container pond last summer, ended up with 10 when I took it down for the winter. I had some moss, a lily, and a few water hyacinths for the fry to hide in. The platies didn't seem too interested in eating the fry, but I imagine I did lose a few, maybe the Rosie-Reds knocked a few down.


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## Tolak (Mar 10, 2013)

I've done platys in an outdoor 150 gallon tub. I always get water lettuce, floating plant with long roots. I start with a few trios, and have hundreds by the fall.


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## henningc (Apr 17, 2013)

I'm thinking with the breeding traps I should have a good survival rate.


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## henningc (Apr 17, 2013)

UPDATE-Ongoing post / thread in pond section----Swords running on top of page


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## Arthur7 (Feb 22, 2013)

A few concerns I have. In the pond are also dragonfly larvae, diving beetles larvae, grass snakes.
If these are also the fish do nothing?


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## henningc (Apr 17, 2013)

Well the beauty of kiddie pools is you can keep very tight control. I did not have any issue with the above pests last year and the pools are large enough for the fish to avoid ambush larva. The only invaders I had were the tree frogs. If you like tadpoles they are for you, if not, get used to it. I did discover Belonasox and cichlids love tadpoles.


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## Arthur7 (Feb 22, 2013)

Yes, if the swordfish are (for example) pre-stretched large enough, nothing will happen. I've been in tadpoles time usually 5 - 10 young grass snakes in the pond. I watch the like. At the top are bright silver stains. Chasing after the tadpoles. The tadpoles as prey very sedate. Swordfish are faster. Will probably not get caught. It'll be fine.


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## henningc (Apr 17, 2013)

Thanks you make a great point. I have heard a lot of people having issues with water type birds. I have three large dogs and their fenced area in very close to the pools. They bark at the drop of a hat.


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