I have not seen this house yet. I am going to go see it Thursday. However, my fil saw the house today and he says there is a GF pond in the back with fish in it! I am not sure if thes fish will remain, if this is an inground pond, or above ground (need to ask my fil about that) or if the fish will remain, but I know NOTHING about gf ponds! Heck, I can't even get my own tank to cycle, much less take care of GF in a pond! I am sure my cats WILL LOVE the free snacks! Should I demand the fish be taken if we rent the house if the owner plans on letting them stay?

well, if ur not going to be able to take care of it then yes the owner should take them. I think it would be great to keep the fish though if ur willing to take care of them, u'd just need to do a little research. Ofcourse ponds r a bit more work than tanks. I would do anything to have a pond . How big is it?

I'm not sure how big it is as I have not seen it yet. I really don't want the responsibility of a pond right now. We have three cats and I would never forgive myself if something happened to those fish. I really hope they take the fish with them, then we will drain the pond (if it is an inground one) as I don't want my three-year-old falling into it. She is another reason why I don't want the pond right now as I would be afraid she would fall in and drown, or go fishing.

Keeping fish in a pond is so much easier than keeping them in a tank. Plus in the summer you could put jaws and hammy out there to eat bugs and stuff. It's like a delux vacation for them!

it will help their color so much too! i agree, keeping pond fish IS easier than tank, the water is more easier to keep, then again, maybe that's because i have green water . I dont have much experience with pond as I only had it for like 9 months. But when I move all the fish outside, I have not seen ANY disease so far. I havent lost any fish either.

It's up to you Nickie, you could always fence if you decide you want it i luvv ponds

yeah, u could get a fence or net, but if u dont want them (I think u should keep them) then I wouldnt leave them in there cause they'll get eaten.

I wouldn't leave them there, but they are not my fish. They belong to the owner of the house. I guess I will have to find out more about it, size, what type it is, how many fish and how big, if the fish are staying or going, etc... I will let you all know more as soon as I find out.

I understand your concern with your three year old. When mine were little, I didn't want to rent anything with a pool for fear of them drowning. But then I'm a big worrier anyway, and can find anything to worry about.
Maybe it's shallow enough that you won't need to worry about it though. Like the depth of a kiddy pool or so. Then you'll go to find her, and she'll be swimming along with the fish!
Or drain it, like you said, until you'd feel comfortable someday turning it into a pond. If the owner's don't take the fish, perhaps you could sell them..?
It's your call, Nickie. You have to do what you feel is best for you and your family.
Good luck with the house!


Debbie

Hey, let us know what you find out! It's interesting though, isn't it?

Nickie, when you go to see the house, is it possible to bring a camera, I would love to see the pond!

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p102/lo...ypleasecopy.jpg

If that pond has an EDPM liner and you drain it be aware that sunlight will damage the liner over time. They are UV resistant but really need to be under water to avoid UV deterioration. Also, children can drown in as little as 18 inches of water so a sturdy fence with a lock is imperative I would think. As for taking care of a pond, the larger the body of water the more stable and easier to care for. I've never had problems with my ponds. I've had lots of problems with keeping the water happy in an aquarium.
Carli

Thanks to you all! I will take my camera with me so I can snap some pics for ya, An! LOL! I guess the decision will lie in what type of pond it is and IF the owners are leaving the fish. If they do, then I have NO choice but to take care of them until I can possibly find them another home. We don't have money for a fence right now, so I am really wary of Sydney being around the pond. Also, remember that I have THREE cats!!!!! LOL!

maybe u could put a net over it, that would be better than nothing

Wow, I would LOVE a pond to be there already when I moved in! You could always keep your cats indoors(safer for them anyways!). I cant wait to see photos of it!

The cats are not allowed inside the house. My cats are outdoor cats anyway and only one of them will come inside. The other two freak out if you even TRY to get them to come in. LOL! I am hoping that I can see the house tomorrow. My hubby went and looked at the outside today and he says it is great from what he can see. However, he did NOT see a GF pond. Then again, he said he wasn't really looking for it and the gate that leads to the backyard is locked, so he couldn't see that much of it as there are trees and bushes planted around the fence; I guess for privacy. I will keep you all posted.
I wanted to see the house today, but I have to pick our cat up from the vet today. She had a hurt leg and she was limping and it was swollen up. The doc says she is fine now. He has had her for two days, giving her antibiotics and anit inflamatory(sp?) meds. He says it looks like something may have bitten her, not sure what?

cant wait to see pics! Ur so lucky, I'd do anything to get a pond. Glad ur kitty is better too!

Thanks! BTW, if the guy decides to leave this one, then come on down from Canada and get it for free! LOL!

lol, I wish I could

Don't let those felines hear you say "my cats." I'm sure all of them would disagree. If 2 of them won't come in the house, I think it is safe to say they are feral cats. And, as well as worrying about the goldfish, you might also want to worry about the birds they have probably become adept as destroying.

Oliver

Well, on a whim, I stopped by the house to see the outside after I picked Magge up from the vet. I saw the pond, but didn't take my camera as I was not aware that I was going to be stopping to see it today, but I will take it tomorrow.
The pond is aprox. 3X4 ft and maybe 2ft deep. It was pitiful. The pond itself is nice. However, the inside had pine straw and leaves ALL inside it ANNNNNNDDDD... 3 fish. They were so beautiful! Two were a deep red-orange and one was white. They are comets. Two were about 3 inches and one was about 5-6 inches. I am not sure when they were last fed, but the white one sawm right up to me and poked its little head out of the water and nibbled on my finger. I can't believe the owner would leave the pond like that w/out a net over it to keep debris out.
I am going to ask the realtor tomorrow if the fish are staying or going. If they are staying, then I am going to get hubby to get a piece of wire covering to go over it after I try and clean it all out and test the water and all. Not sure if there is a pump or not, but I saw a small "spout" where water comes out and into the pond? I will surely not let them go unattended. You guys know me better than that. However, I may have to sell them as I really CAN'T take on a pond right now...I don't think...Oh Lord, I don't know!!!!

Well, Mr. Black, I have seen many PET dogs that destroy other animals as well as a cat will. My pet cat was maimed by two PET dogs in my front yard. I have also seen dogs kill squirrels, chipmunks, etc. So yes, I do call my cats Pets, just like anyone else would. To me, the word feral implies that the cat is wild and will not let you pet it or come near it. My cats loved to be petted, held, etc. Two of them just don't like coming inside the house. If you have a dog that has been outside its whole life, it will act the same way. That still doesn't mean it is not a pet.

wow .. i wish i can have a pond for goldfish !!! if i dig up the lawn i think my parents will kill me !!! HAHAH plus its too cold here in vancouver when its winter! Its actually really smth to look at when you are by the window side ... seeing goldfish swimming joyfully ... on the other hand saftey of the chrildren and goldfish is important too!~~ ^^ good luck with it !! looking forward for your pictures !

well Nickie, i went ahead a calculated the volume for ya

a 3 x 4 x 2 pond will hold about 180 gals. Not a bad size at all if you decide to restart the pond in the future! take your time with ponds Nickie, start when you feel you are ready, no pressure! cant wait to see the pics

Thanks, An. The only thing is, if the owners DON'T take the fish, then I really can't take my time. I will either have to bring the fish inside and try to make them a home somehow (have no money for another tank right now), or leave them outside and try to figure out how to run a pond. The fish are SO cute, I can't just leave them to fend for themselves. I don't even know when they were fed last or anything! It has been in the 70's here, so it has not been cold enough to "winterize" them and not feed them. Their pond is full of leaves and pine straw; I mean it is CONGESTED with it!
The realtor can't meet me tomorrow to see the inside of the house, so it will be Friday before I go over to see the inside. However, I am going to call the realtor tomorrow to set up the meeting time on Friday, and I am going to ask him about the fish.
Isn't is crazy, I am losing my home, having to move, pack, do Christmas, take care of MY fish, kids and cats, and ALL I can think of right now is those poor fish!

There's really no big deal here. Get a bucket or Rubbermade container and net the three fish out of the pond. Put them in the bucket with some of the pond water... Clean the pond out, add water and a good quality dechlorinator (I use PRIME) and make sure the water is close to the temperature it was when you started, then put the fish back in. Use garden stakes to fashion a cover for the pond and drape some netting over it to keep leaves and debris out of the pond.... You can use bamboo poles and last them together with twine. Bamboo poles are really inexpensive. You can find them at any local hardware store. Here's a pic of the leaf netting over my pond:




There is an easy pond filter that you can make yourself -- a Skippy filter. You can make it out of a large flower pot, sponge scrubby pads and a pump. No big deal. Check out this site for instructions on how to build a mini-skippy filter. I have a large one on my 2000 gallon pond, but for 180 gallons you can get away with a large flower pot. Check it out:

http://www.skippysstuff.com/minime.htm

You should really try a pond. They are so much fun..... BTW, don't feed them below 50 degrees and at 70 degrees you may want to feed them a wheat germ based food.... Feed sparingly if there is no filter on the pond -- like every other day.... You don't want to pollute the water.

aww, poor fish! their water is so nasty!

great tip gardengirl!

if you REALLY don't want to do anything with a pond right now, maybe you can get them rubbermaids tubs, and start greenwater? If it's cultivated and raised properly, you wont need filtration, just lots of water changes

Sheri,
How do I syphon the bottom out? My hubby is going to get me some cage wire that has little holes in it so the cats can't get their paws inside and some metal stakes. It will be easy for me to remove to clean the pond when I need to, it will allow sun and air inside. What kind of food do you recommend I get for them? I only have some brine shrimp, flakes, Salad Supreme wafers, Pro-Gold, and gel food and also peas and veggis, fruit.
Also, do the water params in a pond need to be the same as in a tank?
I'm not sure if there is a pump, or filter, but I will try to check that out on Friday, or tomorrow if I can get back over there to really look at the pond.

I am so jealous and so excited for you! Are you getting this house for sure, or is it still just one of a few you are still pondering? The fish make it tempting though, huh?

if u dont want to care for it now u could always set it back up later

If the inside of the house is in good condition, then it is definate. The back and front yards are HUGE and the backyard is fenced in. It has a sunroom that was added on the back of the house. It also has a nice storage building. I would have been okay IF I hadn't seen the fish! Poor babies!

If the fish stay, then you all know darn well that I will keep the fish and do my best for them. Lord help them! They are so beautiful that I couldn't let anything happen to them if I can help it and I couldn't take them to Pet Smart or Wally World. If anything, I may advertise them in the paper to give away to someone who has a pond IF I can't handle taking care of them.

That is how I'm now the proud owner of 8 gf. We bought a house. Those 3 fish had luck, mine had not even 1/4 of your pond.

[/quote]

Well, Mr. Black, I have seen many PET dogs that destroy other animals as well as a cat will. My pet cat was maimed by two PET dogs in my front yard. I have also seen dogs kill squirrels, chipmunks, etc. So yes, I do call my cats Pets, just like anyone else would. To me, the word feral implies that the cat is wild and will not let you pet it or come near it. My cats loved to be petted, held, etc. Two of them just don't like coming inside the house. If you have a dog that has been outside its whole life, it will act the same way. That still doesn't mean it is not a pet.
[/quote]

I guess we are going to disagree. A pet "owner" allowing their dog or cat or what have you run free outdoors is, imho, irresponsible in so many ways that it boggles the mind to call them "pet lovers."

Oliver

Then I guess I am "irresponsible". However, not as "irresponsible" as these people who OWNED these cats before I did. As I did get them spayed and neutered and I do feed them, take the for their shots and vet checks, and LOVE them. All of these cats came to me for a home. Maggie, my tabby, had a broken tail when she came to us and was very mal-nourished and pregnant. I didn't go out and get these cats for pets. They chose me and I am having to do the best I can for them.

Okay, the realtor told me that the owner has another pond at his new home and that he just has not gotten around to transferring these three fish yet. He said they could stay IF I would care for the Properly and "guarantee" their safety!?! I told the realtor that I can't guarantee that the fish would not get sick, etc, as you can't make guarantees on that. I told him that instead of "renting" the fish in the pond along with the house, I would rather the owner transfer these fish to his home.
However, the pond will still be there and I may try cleaning it out and putting Hammy and Jaws in there this Spring to let them enjoy it. Who knows, I may have another tank by then and I could get another fish or two and then move them in the tank after the summer? Heck, if I have a pond, why not get some enjoyment out of it, right?

we keep our pets outside too, in teh wild they dont stay inside either do they? I dont think its irresponsible. Goodluck with the pond Nickie, Jaws and Hammy would love it in summer.

Thanks, Shamu!!! I will post some pics of it after we get settled in and gets some ideas from you guys on it! I really think I may have a go at it in the Spring!!!

thats a great idea! I bet ponds r alot of fun!

That's great news Nickie! now you have this whole load of stress of your back. Hammy and Jaws would LOVE the pond, lots of insects to eat, algae to peck on.....and you might see some growth spurts too cant wait for the piccies!

When I used to own a cat, I kept her outside too. She was left behind when the neighbors moved and started to come to me. She absolutely HATES being indoor. Sometimes in winter, she might like to camp inside for the nights, but mainly she's an outie

Glad to see that I am not the only "irresponsible" pet owner here! LOL!

I do still love ya, Mr. Black!

Let me clarify my post... when I say "outside," I mean unfettered and unrestrained by rope, chain, leash or fence. Is that what you mean as well?

Oliver

yup, we own a farm so they can go where ever they want, a leash would be cruel

You can vacuum the bottom with a wet-dry vac, or get a Python Brand Pond Vac. I recommend a good floating pond food. There are many out there. Hikari is what I use, but there are others. I feed wheat germ in the spring and fall and regular food in the summer months. I would limit the food until you get the pond cleaned though. Too much food in a pond with decomposing plant matter can spell disaster. Water perams should be the same as tanks. You might put in some underwater plants like anacharis for them to hide in, as well as a water lily or two for summer shade. The plants will help balance the pond as well.

The best part is that your indoor fish can enjoy outdoors in good weather....which is absolutely awesome for you! You're going to love it. The pond should be in good shape, parameter wise. You can actually finally see zero ammonia/zero nitrites/20-40 nitrates on your test kits!

Lola you are a meanie......









I'm sorry Nickie...

I have had dogs for about 60 years (as well as a variety of other pets (fish, ferrets, birds, cats). Being a city/suburban resident all my life, I have seen too many bad things happen to unleashed, unrestrained pets.
Having hit a running, unleashed dog with my car, I don't wish that sort of experience on anyone.
Maybe a farm environment reduces the potential dangers, but unless the animal is trained to obey (that is, stop or return when called), I still think the lesser cruelty is some sort of passive restraint.


Oliver

Oh, hardy-har-har!!! Very funny!!! LOL!


No problem! Maybe it just wasn't meant for my tank to cycle. I mean, I keep coming up with barriers, I have nitrates in the water and my ph is too low...

I will help u get that tank cycled, we will concure , I personally think it is good to tell the owner to take them, since the pond is a mess and to make a statement of you making sure his fish don't get sick, not possible.

Thanks, KoKo! I agree, the pond is a HUGE mess; I really don't see how the fish are surviving as there is hardly any where to swim for all the debris floating around and congesting it. To me, that is a sure sign that these fish MAY get sick in the near future as they are not being cared for properly now, so No Thankyou, I don't want to be held responsible for renting his fish. LOL!

I agree, he needs to take his fish. He left the pond like that he needs to take them so u can clean that pond out...