Ok so I’m about to build a 3000 gallon predatory pond. I just want to make sure I can use pond liner with predatory fish. Also what are the specific rules to stocking the pond. I was thinking three silver arows, 2 rtcs, 1 tigershovelnose, a giraffe cat, 4 peacock bass, 3 iridescents, any other ideas or is that too over stocked?
3000 gallon predator pond help please
- Thread starter Redtail catfish stan
- Start date
Pond liner can be fine as long as you are considering 0.75 or 1mm butyl liner and not upvc as this goes brittle and cracks over time. The fish would not puncture butyl liner. (Although be wary of pacu as they like to chew at creases in the corners so if you want to keep pacu then put a second (cheap upvc) liner inside the butyl one).
Stocking is very much a personal choice and whilst the adult size of the fish should be considered buying very young fish would leave you with an extremely bare pond for a number of years so often fish are grown on in tanks etc and moved in as they grow. Equally if you h as be opportunity to move some to other keepers then you can pick and chose as they grow and off load others. Alternatively maybe accept part grown rescues.
I am not going to mention stocking levels and “rules” as these vary widely and can vary on fish types, filtration, water change regime, decoration and other things.
Stocking is very much a personal choice and whilst the adult size of the fish should be considered buying very young fish would leave you with an extremely bare pond for a number of years so often fish are grown on in tanks etc and moved in as they grow. Equally if you h as be opportunity to move some to other keepers then you can pick and chose as they grow and off load others. Alternatively maybe accept part grown rescues.
I am not going to mention stocking levels and “rules” as these vary widely and can vary on fish types, filtration, water change regime, decoration and other things.
Thank you so much I was thinking just about adult sizes and stuff if that plays a role but I realize now that most fish I’m intrested in can easily fit in the size my stocking rn is probably gonna be different variations of silver arows 6, 2 rtcs maybe one plat, peacock bass, pacu, giant gorami and giraffe cat and a tsn cat.
I skipped the red tails in my pond. Tempting but I was too concerned losing other larger fish in the future due to the red tails appetite. When you grow some of those fish to the larger sizes it may be hard to lose them to a tank mate. Just a thought you might want to consider.
Also consider that some fish grow much faster than others.
Get a redtail and it will be adult size and eating the others before they get anywhere near adult. So growing on may be required
Get a redtail and it will be adult size and eating the others before they get anywhere near adult. So growing on may be required
Yea the red tails would be last to go in and I would grow them after all the others have finished or at least reached close to adult size
In gallons I guess it is somewhere around 530-550,000 gallons. I dug it myself with an excavator. I have several species. Everything from natives to cichlids, geophagus, tinfoil barbs and pacu. I would love to grow out some giant gourami.
I am by no means trying to discourage you from the red tails. Just keep in mind of your overall goal of your pond. Do you want a few large species? Or several smaller species? My bet is you may even change your tastes and stocking choices as you go. I suffer from a bad case of multiple species syndrome. Every-time I think I’m done I find some other species I want to establish.
If you plan to only see your fish from the surface I think arrowana would be really cool.
Niger ripsaw cats would go well with the giraffe cats not sure if you’ve considered those.
I am by no means trying to discourage you from the red tails. Just keep in mind of your overall goal of your pond. Do you want a few large species? Or several smaller species? My bet is you may even change your tastes and stocking choices as you go. I suffer from a bad case of multiple species syndrome. Every-time I think I’m done I find some other species I want to establish.
If you plan to only see your fish from the surface I think arrowana would be really cool.
Niger ripsaw cats would go well with the giraffe cats not sure if you’ve considered those.
