Do Firemouths eat pond snails?

[Firemouth]

I've dropped a young pair of firemouths into an established pond with white clouds, rosy barbs, a few goldfish and pond snails.
Plants are water lillies, elodea and foxtail.
Anyway, just wondering if you think the Firemouths will dine heavily on the snails?

[Colfish]

No, but they will dine on white clouds

[Firemouth]

A thin out won't hurt.

[Firemouth]

MMMnnn ..... Haven't seen 'em for a few weeks now.
Haven't come to surface for food with the other fish.
But I feel the white clouds are noticably "thinned out".
Also don't have any dead firemouth bodies.
Been colder at night lately and getting temp fluctuations as the water cools to their lower temp range and then reheats during the day.
So I've gotta start gettin' them out but seeing as I'd have to empty the pond and as I haven't seen 'em for awhile.
I really don't want to if they're not in there.
So .... I'm taking a poll.

Who thinks they're alive.

Who thinks they're not.

Or does any-one have an idea for a Firemouth trap?

[Link2Hell]

I think they are still alive but slowing down

food won't work as they meals on fins and

aren't coming up for feeding time

how big is the pond ?

thinking drop half the water

[Ducksta]

Just a regular fish/bait trap will do it I reckon.
Drop it down low in there baited with some pellet and a cube of frozen food or something.
Give it 24 hours.
I reckon you'll be successful.

To the original question - I reckon they'd be eating the snails too. But not enough to impact the population.

Now a question for you - why did you move the fish in to a pond, presumably knowing that it was a very short term deal?
Was it to eradicate snails? I'd say pick up 20 small loaches in December if they are still a problem.
(Then flog off 20 very fat loaches in Feb/March.)

[Firemouth]

Just a regular fish/bait trap will do it I reckon.

Drop it down low in there baited with some pellet and a cube of frozen food or something.

Give it 24 hours.

I reckon you'll be successful.

To the original question - I reckon they'd be eating the snails too. But not enough to impact the population.

Now a question for you - why did you move the fish in to a pond, presumably knowing that it was a very short term deal?

Was it to eradicate snails? I'd say pick up 20 small loaches in December if they are still a problem.

(Then flog off 20 very fat loaches in Feb/March.)

[Firemouth]

Stupid computer.

Sorry Ducksta.

Wrote out 2 explanations for ya but the reply functions seems to be stuffing up for me.

This is the shortened version.

Always wanted to try it.

Had 4 firemouths, 2 paired off.

Moved the remaining 2 outside for the summer.

Hope to compare the condition of the fish when I catch 'em again.

[Ducksta]

Fair enough

[Firemouth]

P.s. Thanks for the replies boys.

[Topogigio]

I reckon they are still alive... I've had Central Americans in unheated tanks till about this time of the year, and this is Melbourne

[Firemouth]

Dropped a bait trap in this morning loaded with a few dog pellets.
Water Temp low 70s.
Lookin' forward to see what I catch.
Over the time I've dropped in a few shrimp and I think, the odd small yabbie, not sure.
Anyway, should be interesting.
I love fishing.

[Link2Hell]

so what did you find ??

if there is a yabby I would be concerned with him sharing the trap

with any fish

[Firemouth]

Checked it half an hr ago and had all of the the rosy barbs and a white cloud.
Can't remember if I did drop a yabby in or not.
I remember contemplating dropping a tiny one in, but knowing what havoc they can create, I think I decided against it.
It was a couple years ago and I'd had a coupla bourbons after a yabby trip if memory serves at all.
Still ya never know, I mighta thought it would be a good idea to have an underwater monster to surprise me when I eventually cleaned it out.

I'll leave it for a couple of days and see what happens.
Got temps into the mid 30s till Wednesday.
Just hoping the opening to the trap is big enough to fit the firemouths.
Also put a couple of young firemouth fry in there too.
They were about 10mm, haven't seen hide nor scale of those since I put them in.

[Link2Hell]

yeah your mind is always cloudy after a big trip but usually the Bourbon fixes that

[Firemouth]

Mini disaster this morning.
Got a goldfish and 3 dead rosy barbs.
Didn't expect that.
I've now taken the trap out.

[Ducksta]

Killed by a goldy? Or you reckon there might have been something nastier in there that is also an escape artist?

[Firemouth]

No damage on 'em.
Like they drowned.
Very strange.

[Firemouth]

Well, I bit the bullet and cleaned out the pond to find 3 healthy firemouths in there.
Only lost/couldn't find 1 of the fry.
Didn't get any yabbies or shrimp.
I'm going to declare my experiment a success though I'm
abit disappointed I didn't find several hundred fry.

Anyway, thank you all for your input and I'll have to think of a better fish trap for next year.

[Link2Hell]

Nice that you found 3 in there hmmmmm no shrimp lol

is the colour in the fish better than the colour of the other pair

that you didn't put in the pond ?

[Firemouth]

Alot less snail than I expected too.
Haven't had a proper look at the fish..
They didn't have glowing red throats or bright blue spangles like I'd hoped while having a quick look in the net.
I had stirred up the pond pretty good by the time I caught 1 tho'.
I don't think they've put on any real size but they look in good condition.
The male was smaller than the tank male when he went in and still is.
I was hoping he'd catch up being in a bigger area and having the opportunity of constant live food.
There was alot more elodea and foxtail in there than I expected.
I've now got them in a tub with an air stone.
Gonna drop 'em around to a mate who has more room than I do tomorrow.
I'd say it would take at least a few days before they get comfortable enough to show normal color in his tank.
I know my tank female often gets the sulks for a day or 2 after only a water change.
These have been through more of an ordeal than that.
We shall wait and see I guess.
Pretty apprehensive lettin' them go actually, will make sure I get first option if he wants to get rid of them down the track.
IMO, the 2 fish I put into the pond were superior fish in color and shape to the ones that paired up.
Would really prefer to keep the pond fish, especially the male but want a breeding pair.

[Link2Hell]

I use to have 5 pair is an 5' x 18" x 18"

they all had there breeding pits and would just flare at each other

one of the best interactive tanks I had

you can keep more than one pair in a tank

was wondering how the snails faired

[Firemouth]

Yeah mate,

I have an empty 5x18 in the shed.
Original plan was to swap the 3footer for the 5 and put them all in there.
I've kept 2 pair in a 4footer before but was still to cramped with the dominant male, while not dishing out real damage, owning most of the tank.
Gotta get a stand that passes the missus approval for it is to go in the lounge room.
Haven't found 1 to meet my critera or hers as yet.

I've just put a divider in the 3 footer.
Got both pairs on either side.
Even though the tank fish were slightly larger before I moved the others to the pond.
Looking at them side by side, they've outstripped 'em again for size, and by a fair margin.
Will give them a day or 2 of observation before I decide what I'm gonna do.