Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I followed Nick's lead and bought some silver perch that were being sold as feeder fish. Pretty small, but hard to pass up at $7 per 10 fish. I bought 20, expecting there to be a few deaths.

I have put them in my 200 litre aquarium, which just has some clown loaches and bristlenose catfish that remain from my fish keeping days.

The plan is to grow them a bit bigger in there, then get them into my system whenever I make some sort of heating arrangements or spring arrives (whichever comes first).

Will let you all know how many are dead in the morning - in the meantime participate in the poll

Ooops - last option was meant to say 'Less', not 'More' - I can't seem to edit the poll.

VB, I have faith in you!

I predict happy days for your perch. One because you have put them into an established aquarium and two because they are quite small.

And at a tropical tank temp they will feed like CRAZY

P.S. I changed the more to less for you, and extended the poll to seven days (It would have expired after one day)

Steve

Thanks Steve.

Forgot to mention that the bloke at the aquarium shop wasn't exactly gentle when catching them. He actually pulled them out of the net with his hands and also dropped one on the floor, then picked it up roughly to return to the batch given to me. I fully expect the dropped one to die as I reckon its scales will have been damaged fairly badly from what I witnessed.

Maybe I should have mentionned that they weren't being used as feeders - but I would prefer the shop didn't know of an alternative demand for them in case they decide they will raise the price.

I'll wager that the dropped one survives (another poll? )

When i first got mine they were maybe 10cms long. I returned the first day to find two had jumped the tank and were on the carpet. all dusty and very dryish. I popped them back into the tank and they were fine! One tough breed

Oh, and the tank top is 1.5 meters above the floor.

Some fish shops can be really rough, i bought some once (cant remember which breed) and he actually broke the backnof one of them while trying to catch them

Wish i could find an aquarium with those prices (or any perch for that matter) in melbourne. If anyone knows of one PLEASE post it

same for adelaide. I bought some gold fish for my aquarium today, they had silver perch, they wanted $6.95 each!!!! and they were only 4 cms. I asked her if they had any as feeder fish and she just gave me a very blank look

Hey Steve - reason I made the poll for 24 hrs only is that the answer to the question will be known by then

I'd say none VB..... Damn you, I tried to place a second vote on 20, just because I was jealous of the price you paid for them, but the system wouldn't let me..

I'll go with Steve, I reakon coz they are in an established tank, you will have 100% success.... How many did they have, perhaps you'd better go back and get some more...

Sorry VB, I assumed you didn't realise.

Naughty me, trying to"fix" things.

Have changed it back, but it may start the 1 day from now.

Sorry again

Steve

Hey VB,

You don't know any one with an "oxy" bottle do you

Am tempted to get you to clean the shop out, package them and fill the bag with pure O2, and ship them in a polystyrene box

I wonder what it would cost in shipping.................LOL i am nuts, aren't I ?

The answer was in fact None - so most people got it correct. One is looking a bit dodgy - but none are dead just yet.

Not sure how many there were at the shop - looked like a fair few. I didn't ask whether they get them on a regular basis. Glad I didn't buy more, becaus eif they all live 20 will be heaps for my small test pond.

The fish are keen to feed. I bought some small floating pellets from the pet shop, but they aren't very suitable due to the floating quality. The fish are staying pretty low in the tank and the top is pretty much coverred with duckweed. Could,t bring myslef to buy 50 (or was it 20) grams of tropical flake from coles for $6. Will have to source something cheap, cause I reckon these buggers will eat heaps, even at this small size. Think is I have to feed them something that is not going to mess things up for my clownies - which I've had for 10+ years.

VB, they'll take the floating food no worries, just give them time. My twenty stayed at gravel level for about 3 days. they slowly got used to their new surroundings and it was SUCH fun to watch them almost leap out of the water when feeding on floating food. They grab the food and then flick back down really quickly

Might remove the duckweed for now - make it easier to use the fish food. Will probably buy some foods off ebay - pending buying the native pellets by the kg from a produce shop or something. Will have to look up those details of Joel's supplier at Redcliffe.

Where do the other Brisi readers intend to get bulk food from?

I bought some floating pellet 6mm i think from ebay 1kg if i remember. The perch loved it. i cant remember if it was barra feed or trout feed.

Steve

i have bought some 1.6mm sinking and 4mm floating pellets from the guy on ebay and they seem quite good. THe barra haven't taken any yet but they don't really like to eat from the surface so will take a few days and they should do fine. they are getting to the size where the need the bigger food. 100gm only cost me $4 including postage.