Summer tubs?

Post by **sumpnfishy** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 12:10 pm

Does anyone have plans to set up some containers outside for the summer? What kind of plans do you have if you do?
Michael

pinkrblu · Post by **pinkrblu** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 12:24 pm

We've been talking about doing something along those lines, but only in the very earliest of stages. I have been considering setting something up on my screened in back porch.

Sundance · Post by **Sundance** » Sat Mar 24, 2007 8:29 pm

I'm setting up to culture and subculture daphnia on my deck, though I'm a bit worried about mosquitoes taking advantage of the prime conditions.

I also have a 'grow out' tub indoors for my guppies to reach maturity.

Peace,

etheonut · Post by **etheonut** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 9:03 am

The mosquito larvae are very easy to collect and are quickly consumed by just about any fish. Of course you do have to make sure and collect them regularly and don't over feed. It doesn't spoil the water, but it sure will spoil dinner if a mosquito is flying around your head.

I regularly set out a couple extra buckets of water in the summer just to collect mosquito larvae and other insects.

Kevin

Sundance · Post by **Sundance** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 10:03 pm

Hey Kevin,
I'm thinking about trying to catch some bugs like you described. Do you feed the dead bugs to your fish, too? Any bugs we should not feed?

Thanks!

pinkrblu · Post by **pinkrblu** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 10:17 pm

I've never fed anything I gathered live from the yard except mosquito larve, but boy do the fish love the live food!

Post by **sumpnfishy** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 11:40 pm

The only bugs you have to worry about are dragonfly nymphs. They can be quite predatory if there are not fish big enough to eat them.
Michael

etheonut · Post by **etheonut** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 7:32 am

Also make sure that the bugs you are catching are coming from a clean source. Introducing a pesticide or herbicide to your tank with live food is never a good idea.

Kevin

pinkrblu · Post by **pinkrblu** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 10:40 am

How late is late enough to put a tub outdoors?

etheonut · Post by **etheonut** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 11:08 am

Hmmm, good question. Most tropical fish can tolerate low 60's, but they aren't growing or eating at that temperature, and I would imagine it would be rough on them. I would wait until you have a stable water temperature in the upper sixties in your tub. That will probably be early May at the earliest around here. Take your tubs temperature just before sunrise, that should be it's lowest temperature for the day.

Kevin

butterfly · Post by **butterfly** » Sun May 06, 2007 5:30 pm

This is what we did outside in 2005- with guppys, corys and some danios

This is what we did in 2007- angel fish(they spawned) , platys, guppys and an albino plec goes out each summer to keep the tubs clean

aquatic plants always go out also and do very well in the tubs in fact the banana plant bloomed last summer

happy summer tubbin"

Carol

pinkrblu · Post by **pinkrblu** » Sun May 06, 2007 9:02 pm

I would love to do something like that and surround it with plants. Did you grow the angels out or was the spawn unsuccessful?

butterfly · Post by **butterfly** » Mon May 07, 2007 6:03 pm

The angels that spawned were babies that we had raised so it was an especially nice surprise that they spawned. Yes they grew out and were such bright colors(they were Koi angels). I think it had something to do with being outside. What do you think?
Carol

pinkrblu · Post by **pinkrblu** » Mon May 07, 2007 7:47 pm

I would think that there was probably a lot of live foods they were exposed to, so that would have almost certainly helped.

I am thinking about putting some of the mickey mouse platties in a tub.

butterfly · Post by **butterfly** » Thu May 10, 2007 7:45 am

This is what got me started on putting tubs out in the summer.
http://www.plantgeek.net/article_viewer.php?id=15
This thread was inspired by the article but unfortunately it's old enough the pictures are gone. http://www.plantgeek.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2006&highlight=summer+tubbin
Carol

pinkrblu · Post by **pinkrblu** » Fri May 18, 2007 3:56 pm

Just about ready to start working on getting a tub out.
Question: Do you need to worry about cats getting the fish? We have two of our own and a few more in the neighborhood. I could put the tub on the screened in back porch if necessary.

etheonut · Post by **etheonut** » Fri May 18, 2007 4:06 pm

Cats, Racoons, Herons, Dogs, Snakes, Turtles.....many things will eat a fish in a tub. I have heard they prefer to shoot fish in a barrel, but without the prehensile thumbs it is easier for them to eat fish in a tub.....

butterfly · Post by **butterfly** » Fri May 18, 2007 10:04 pm

My cats don't seem to bother my tubs much. I put alot of floating plants(so the fish have places to hide) in and when they first spat at the water they get wet and seem to say "forget that"

Carol

Dinosfishhouse · Post by **Dinosfishhouse** » Sat May 19, 2007 7:57 pm

Plants are also good for keeping birds from spotting your fish.

Another predator to watch out for is frogs, if you plan on keeping smaller fish outside.

pinkrblu · Post by **pinkrblu** » Sat May 19, 2007 9:20 pm

Hmmm. Maybe I'll just stick to keeping the tub on the back porch this time around???