Regular Member Milo Burnham Posted January 20, 2006 Regular Member Share Posted January 20, 2006 Didn't anyone make a New Year's resolution not to get involved in breeding more goldfish this year? Or is it that no one is talking about it? Well, I made the resolution. If they breed on their own in the pond and any happen to survive, that is all well and good, but I'm not fishing out eggs and feeding fry this year. In 2005 I had fish to spawn in the quarantine tank as well as the pond. I saved eggs from both. Results: from the pond I raised about 75 fry and added them back to the pond in the fall. From the quarantine tank, a mix of Ranchu, Oranda and Ryukin, it turned out that I saved several hundred eggs. I babied those fry, drove myself nuts hatching brine shrimp and fed the expensive stuff, with the end results of raising a lot of "feeder fish." Never intentionally cross or save eggs from a cross of a fish with a dorsal fin (Oranda, Ryukin) with one without (Ranchu). Almost all those fry looked like something from the "Love Canal." Remember that polluted ditch of carcinogenic and mutation causing chemicals. I had fish with humped backs, spines, spurs, twists and curves, big eyes, little eyes, tails of every configuration.Out of several hundred I think there were about 20 that actually resembled goldfish. None of those were fish without a dorsal fin. No, I'm not going to save any goldfish eggs or fry this year, but next year is just a year away. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Ranchugirl Posted January 20, 2006 Regular Member Share Posted January 20, 2006 Fed up, Milo? I can imagine - breeding same breeds together is hassle enough, but weeding out the crap from mixed breed fry is a job with not much thanks, or lucrative success. Actually, my new years solution in that direction is that I get wakin or bristol fry this year, and if its the last thing I do. With all the effort I took last year, it was basically a laugh in the face to only get comet and shubunkin fry. Of course, all the hurricanes didn't help much either... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member LaurieP Posted January 20, 2006 Regular Member Share Posted January 20, 2006 Milo you sound so frustrated. Sorry to hear this, our hobby is one that you should enjoy. Hopefully taking off a year will bring back that to you. I was such an admirer of your lemonheads that I heard passed on. It would be a shame for you to leave breeding entirely. Sit back and enjoy this year of just watching and caring for the fish you have. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Milo Burnham Posted January 21, 2006 Author Regular Member Share Posted January 21, 2006 Hey, I'm not quitting, just taking some time off from raising little goldfish. The goldfish are still fun and I love them. Right now I've got more goldfish in the ponds and in a garbage can in the garage than I've ever had. But in the future it is going to be oranda to oranda and ranchu to ranchu and no mixing. If somehow they manage to cross, it's caviar for everyone. Thanks for your comments here and those in the obit- forum. It's good to be back on after so many months. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest yabbie Posted January 21, 2006 Share Posted January 21, 2006 Ha! I considered that new years resolution and then I thought... nah... breed fishies! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin koko Posted January 21, 2006 Admin Share Posted January 21, 2006 Do you still have those red caps, if so have you gotten any babies off them ? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Milo Burnham Posted January 21, 2006 Author Regular Member Share Posted January 21, 2006 Koko, this was Elvis, one of my favorites and yes, a red cap. He (in reality, she) came from vvvv in Tupelo, Missississippi (the birth place of Elvis) a couple of years ago. I must have gotten her late in life as she was never truly well and frisky. I just couldn't walk away that day and leave her in the tank. While she is no longer in the pond, she is still with me; in a block of ice, in the freezer, behind the lamb chops I think. Thought you'd enjoy that. I've had some great goldfish so far, and I hope there are more in my future. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member LaurieP Posted January 21, 2006 Regular Member Share Posted January 21, 2006 Milo you are bad!!! "in an ice block, in the freezer, behind the lamb chops".................... She was beautiful!!! Man you have had some gorgeous fish. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest yabbie Posted January 21, 2006 Share Posted January 21, 2006 Look at the way her rays divide and divide again in her fins... pretty. She does have a look in her eye tho, that says, "I know you want to freeze me up and chuck me behind the lamb chops!" 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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