Invader?

[rattfan]

It's 36^C on a day off work so I'm tidying up the frog pond, which basically means take off the pants and climb in. Clear out leaves, move a couple of the water plants so they're in deeper, watch the wrigglers and think, really must get those pygmy perch - when a small fish swims past. No hurry, not worried, out for a stroll...but where did it come from?! I'm guessing it's gambusia; the weed of the fish world but even so, I know I didn't bring it and the environment around the pond is a little dry for them. Shrug, well, I hope it'll eat the mosquito wrigglers...

Comments

[leecetheartist.livejournal.com]

We really have to make time to come and see your frog paradise. Perhaps not in 38 degree heat though. :-(

We just had some late season frog spawn occur...I wonder if it'd be alright to bring you some tadpoles...

If it's a gambusia it'll be bad news for your frog population, as you no doubt know. White cloud mountain minnows are good though, too. Pygmy perch sound super!

Maybe it's some other sort of fish whose eggs have come in on some weed.

Look out for dragonfly larva too, they're pretty cool!

[ratfan.livejournal.com]

I think I know how the fish got there, whatever it is. The water plants are a recent acquisition; they were brought straight from the nursery and plunked in, so any eggs would have stayed moist.

If it's gambusia; well, one is ok but if I get a crowd of them, they'll get moved to the shallow pond as bird smorgaasbord.

I'll have to look for a picture of dragonfly larvae as I don't know what they look like. Lots of dragonflies hereabouts so I probably will get them. The wasps are also thrilled with the pond - they're always drinking from the birdbath. I actually like the wasps; we don't bother each other.

White cloud mountain minnows - ok, will remember. I have to organise a trip to get them soon; I want native fish, not interlopers!

Let me know when you'd like to come around. I'd love visitors. Maybe after this run of hot days - though I do have aircon :-)

[ratfan.livejournal.com]

PS Just noticed the bit about tadpoles. I really don't know. I've read that one is not supposed to move them more than a couple of suburbs; something about a frog virus? You'd know more than I would about that.

[delicious-irony.livejournal.com]

...and I don't think the Gambusia will help with any mosquito larvae.

And I think the frog virus thing is to do with the 'motorbike frog' Littoria species? Seeing as they're not actually native to the SW of WA.

Of course I could be wrong. The Biol degree was a very long time ago.

[ratfan.livejournal.com]

I suppose it was a vain hope that the Gambusia would be any help with anything... :-)

They'll be bird food if they proliferate!