# Raising fish in kiddie pools HELP



## henningc (Apr 17, 2013)

I a planning to raise livebears and grow out cichlids in kiddie pools over the summer. Anyone have expreince or advise?

Thanks


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## henningc (Apr 17, 2013)

News - First 150g vat set up and 78 degrees. One cheap kiddie pool set up at 67 degrees. Pond snails and air in both. Weather depending fish will be added this weekend. They will each get one 3" comet gold fish until next Monday. After Monday the vat will get large carbon filtration and Least Killies for a few days to see how they do. The pool will get a few stunted Endler females that are pre-hit, Least Killies and a marble crayfish. I have several 5g buckets with aged water, duckweed, snails and Saturday will add least killies and a few stunted endler females. I will also set up another vat and kiddie pool. My goal is 2 vats and three kiddie pools by the end of next week.

If all goes well, I'll stock my Jack Dempseys, cory cats and duckweed into the first vat. The cheap pool will be for Endlers, Least Killies and marble crayfish. 

I'll keep the thread going, but by all means jump in if you have experience doing this. Any ideas on filtration, stocking, just let me know. I do have one Gray Tree Frog who is in one of my buckets each morning. I suspect I'll get some free tadpoles during the summer.


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## henningc (Apr 17, 2013)

First vat water test and test fish and crayfish--FINE!


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Nice! Pics? 

I would imagine if its warm enough for them they will do just fine. In the summer months I used to put my betta juvies outside to grow. Mind you mine were jarred but they still got the sinshine and fresh air.


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## henningc (Apr 17, 2013)

Update:

Vat-1: Multiple Endlers, Least Killi and Marble Crayfish. Observed some fry, too much duckweed to say much more.

Pool-1: I started with 8 female Endlers and 4 female Least Kollis. I have added 2 marble crayfish. I have obesreved over 20 Endlers fry and at least 5 Least Killi fry. The crayfish are fine and active in the evening. I will add 2 solid red Endlers males, from a different bloodline, and let them start the process of hitting females. I will add another 10-12 female Endlers-pre-hit. I will add 4-6 more Least Killie females and several small males.

The pool has also yealded a good number of mosquito larva and my Jacks and Fire Mouths are eating and growing quickly-still in doors. Also, I have a bumper crop of Barking Tree Frog Tads. My cichlids eat them with out ill effect.

Vat-2 & Pool-2 are drained and ready for refill. Water quality issue from our well and I filled them both the same day. Seems it takes 7-12 days after a rain for the mineral content to settle down before can use it. Had to expect a set back.


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## henningc (Apr 17, 2013)

UPDATE:

Vat-1 I have observed both Endlers and Least Killie fry but the water if too congested and deep to get an accurate count. Hope the crayfish are doing OK down there.

Pool-1 Could not have asked much more from this one at this point. Counted over 20 Endlers fry, 10 Least Killie fry and have one crayfish almost certainly berried. I'm sure there are a lot more fry in there. I will add a few more pre-hit female Endlers and Least Killies this week. Over the last two days, I added approximately 15 ramshorn snails. The should help with clean up, provide food for the crayfish and produce a ton of small snails by fall.

Vat-2 is in test run to make sure we don't run into chemistry issues again.

Pool-2 will be relocated prior to filling it again. I need a more level area. 

Barking Tree Frog tadpoles, way too many to count. I've been thinning them out by bringing some indoors and feeding others to my Jacks and Fire Mouths. I'll have additional fish to eat them next week. I am serious about selling some of these guys. They have adapted well to aquarium life and don't harm anything.

Just an FYI, If you raise livebearers or smaller fish a $10 kiddie pool will supply a constant stream of mosqueto larva and your fish will love them. My Endlers and Least Killies are about to explode!


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## henningc (Apr 17, 2013)

UPDATE:

Vat #1: Netted Least Killie and Endlers fry. Least Killies seem to be ahead of the game. Still too much duckweed and water discoloration to see much. Hope the crayfish on the bottom are fine. I may decide to do a 80% water change to see what all is in there.

Pool #1: Somewhere between 25-40 Endler fry, approximately 25 Least Killie fry, one berried crayfish have not seen babies yet. Only 15-20 tadpoles left, they made great food for the cichlids. Plenty of ramshorns in there.

Vat #2: All water problems behind me. All but maybe a dozen tadpoles, gone, food. Will likely make a stocking decision tomorrow.

Pool #2: Ready for fish again. I'll go with Least Killies. Lots of mosqueto larva, great food source for indoor fish.


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## henningc (Apr 17, 2013)

UPDATE: It rained for hours today and the frogs that have been absent for almost a week returned in large numbers. That should mean plenty of new tadpoles in a few days. One trick I learned is the frogs seem to know when they over spawned a body of water. Once the tadpoles were removed and a particial water change done, sha-zam more frog eggs. Interesting and handy to know for next year.


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## henningc (Apr 17, 2013)

UPDATE:

Vat #1-I have counted approximate 50 fry from Endlers and Least Killies. Seeing that there is a ton of duckweed, I would have to guess there is at least 75 in there. Still no crayfish sightings, but I know they are in there somewhere.

Pool #1-My rough count on Endlers is 65 fry, Least Killies 25-30. Both types of fry include breeding size females now. I suspect in August look out as that should double or triple productive females. Thr Crayfish have not changed status and I plan to take a manual sample Sunday. The remaining tadpoles are about mature, so far one froglet with at least 12 more very close. These will be relocated to a private conservation area and a few left here-Don't tell my wife the frog noise every night is driving her nuts.

Vat #2-The Jacks were moved in there last night and are hiding. Even the Endlers in there are laughing at them. Other than hiding a lot they seem to be doing fine. I tossed them a net full of small Endlers to get the more active.

Pool #2- This thing in 260 gallons, for $24 what a deal. I have 6 female Endlers plus two males and 4 Least killie females and 2 males. I am happy to report in less than a week ther are Endler fry in the pool. The Crayfish are active, no breeding yet but all hope is not lost. 

l plan to allow the livebearers to continue to reproduce until October when they come in or are feed off. If you're into Endlers or Least Killies I'll have a bunch for sale in September as I gear them down. I have not made up my mind what I will do next year but most likely it will be swordtails or sailfin mollys or both. If you have ideas let me know. I will need to recoup about $300 to continue after this year. I produced everything except the Jacks and figure I'll grow out some of their fry next summer. 

Until next week


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## henningc (Apr 17, 2013)

UPDATE:

Well we had another mini-heatwave and I am pleased to say everyone is alive and well. 

Vat-#1
Ths week the Least Killies finally started to show up. I counted at least 20 fry and would suspect there are closer to 35. The Endlers have been busy as well. Counted at least 50 fry. I suspect there are likely 100 + livebearers in the Vat. Still no sign of Crayfish reproduction or tadpoles.

Pool -#1 First thing, all the tadpoles are now froglets. The froglets are about 1/4th the size of the tadpoles they morphed from???????? The Least Killies seem to be going slowly. I counted at least 25 fry. The Endlers have been breeding machines. I am guessing close to if not 100 Endlers. The first batches of fry are now reproducing so I'll likely get forced to cull males soon. They Crayfish are still OK, but I have yet to find any babies.

Vat-#2
The Jacks are whimps. I stocked in 50 feeder guppys and feed sinking pellets. I know crual trick for the feeder guppys. I was really thinking the Jacks would take off, instead they just hide most the time.

Pool-#2 This pool had to be taken down and re-set due to water issues. I light stocked it a few weeks ago and the Endlers immediately had fry. I noticed that there are a lot more fry this week. The Least Killies are trying to keep pace and I counted 12-15 fry. I'd say between the two there are 50 + fish in there. The Crayfish are fine, but I have yet to find a single baby Cray. Funny thing is I thought the Marble Crayfish would be a vast feeder production animal. Not yet at least. This pool is 110" x 72" x 18" deep. The bottom is white so catching mosqueto larva is no problem. I feed a load of them to the inside fish daily and freeze what I don't need. The fish in the pool are stuffed sensless with them. Just something to keep in mind for next summer if you're interested.


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## henningc (Apr 17, 2013)

UPDATE -FROM LAST WEEK:

Well in typical Missouri fashion we had another mini-heat wave followed by record cold. Who in the midwest ever heard of record cold in July???? I am pleased to report the fish made it through everything without incident.

Vat #1
Vat-1 seemed to spring back to life a few weeks back. In this container, it looks like the Least Killies are catching up to the Endlers ever so slowly. This week I rough counted approximately 25 Least Killie fry and 50 Endlers. Still no baby crayfish to report although I did manage to snag one of the adults. The bottom of the vat is covered with rows of PVC sections, so no telling what is in there.

Pool-#1
Well pool 1 is by far the most productive. The good news is the tree frogs seemed to move on. Have no heard them singing in a week. A few days ago I noticed a leopard frog in the pool. I watched and did not see any eggs, dispite the frog remaining. We apparently he had visitors as Friday evening houndreds of tadpoles burst to the surface. This way more than the tree frogs. I have removed several hundred feeding them to my Convicts, Meekis, Jacks and Belonasox. You would never know I removed any by the looks of things! Anyway, the fish did well and I did confirm that the first batch or two of Endler fry are now reproducing. I suspect the Least Killies are as well. There were approximately 25-30 Least Killie and 100 Endler fry in this weeks count. Like Vat 1, no baby crayfish to report.

Vat-#2 
The Jacks are still hiding for the most part. I put a couple of very large female gambusia in as dither fish. The Jacks are now taking pellets off the surface, they just wait about 15 min. after I toss them in. I am hoping the tadpoles make them more aggressive. The bottom line is they got 8-12 weeks to pair off befor ethey have to come in.

Pool-#2
My late starter pool is starting to really stock up. There are at least 15 Least Killie and Endler fry each in the pool. The adults are huge from gorging on mosqueto larva and I am still feeding 150-200 larva, rough guess, daily to the indoor fish.


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## henningc (Apr 17, 2013)

Sorry it has been weeks since the last update. I was on vacation, the fish kept working.

First the weather has been really odd. While I was gone the temps stayed in the 80's by day and 60's by night. When I returned last Monday we began to have temps close to or above 100 each day. I am pleased to report the fish came through like troopers. I think the fish breed faster in the cooler temps, but the heat doesn't stop them.

Vat #1
Vat #1 sprang back to life after a few weeks of slow production. Now there are approximately 100 fish 2/3 Endlers and 1/3 Least Killies. I still have not ran into any baby crayfish, just adults.

Pool #1
Pool #1 has out produced all others and continued that trend. I counted at least 150 Endlers and 60-70 Least Killies. Most of the male Endlers are the all red variety I developed so that is a plus. No baby crayfish to report again! The tadpoles, hundreds of them, that were hatched a few days before I left have all vanished. I have no idea whenre they went and there was not enough time for them to morph and leave. The Leapord Frogs have taken over the fake lilly pads-plastice coffee can lids- and are breeding or so it appears.

Vat #2
Vat #2 has my odd Jacks and Gambusia in it. While I was way, there was a giant algea bloom and the water is pea soup green. I must have a pair down there as two smaller fish were killed while i was away. The water is so colored that the Gambusia are reproducing and the fry surviving. Tomorrow is canister filter day and I hope the green will be gone.

Pool #2
Pool #2 was my vary late starter. While I was gone the fish breed quickly. I estimate approximately 65-75 fish total 2/3 Least Killies and 1/3 Endlers. I don't know exactly why it is so different, maybe because the pool is under a two story deck. I'll find out next year. Adult crayfish are fine, no babys to report.

I only have a max of five weeks left and if the weather turns too cold I'll have to pull everything.


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## henningc (Apr 17, 2013)

UPADATE:
First, the weather continues to act up and it looks like I will cut the project short and harvest next week. We had day time temps in the 100 range and nights in the mid 80s followed by day temps of low 70s and nights in the 50s. The fish did fine although I did feel compelled to add heaters. I would just be sick if something happened to the fish, so next weekend is likley it. Well always next year as this was an adventure.

Vat #1
Fish seem to be growing rapidly and reproducing slowly. 125-140 fish 2/3 Endlers 1/3 Least Killies and still zero crayfish. 

Pool #1
Same thing growing more than production 160-170 Endlers and 70 Least Killies. Before you think of it crayfish ZIP!

Vat #2
Still green but no DOA

Pool #2
Hair algea just went bonko in the heat and is really making it hard to see. Approximately 100-125 fish 2/3 Least Killies 1/3 Endlers-Zip crayfish.

If you're anywhere near St. Louis and are interested in any of these guys drop me a line. I'm set up indoors but some of these need to go. Nice Orchard, Black Bar and Flame Endlers. Some blond Endlers, no telling how many.


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