dandm's barra pool/swimming pool

Outbackozzie

VB must of had dud fish then.

dandm

Latest update on our pool... last weekend we introduced some big perch to the barramundi pool and after losing one that was damaged in transit, and a barramundi that got caught in a net...all is going well once more! The plants (albeit floating plants currently) are growing well and the water is clearing.
The only problem is still that they are not eating. Yesterday after a G&T (or two) and much contemplation we attached a lure and burley cage to a line (no hooks), fitted some pellets in the burley cage, and 'teased' the fish. They certainly went for it, but it still didn't entice them to eat the pellets floating on the surface.
The water is still pretty cool, 22 degrees...but it has now been 2 months we have had them and no noticeable feeding! We know they have eaten some goldies we put in to see it that would help, and we assume they are eating bugs that land in the pool, but does anyone have any more ideas on stimulating their feeding....or do we have to be more patient and keep ourselves up with the G&Ts in anticipation????
Thanks
Deb and Mack

RupertofOZ

Try a "sinking" pellet .... :wink:

Dufflight

If you have the floating pellets, just soak them and give them a squeeze and they sink. A light next to the pool will increase the amount of insects for them to eat. We can't stop our fish from eating them.

dandm

[quote="Dufflight"]If you have the floating pellets, just soak them and give them a squeeze and they sink. A light next to the pool will increase the amount of insects for them to eat. We can't stop our fish from eating them.[/quote]

Thanks Dufflight,
but we thought barra were meant to be surface feeders hence the floating pellets....plus we were worried about the food sitting on the bottom uneaten and causing problems....

Should we just get them sinking for a while to get the fish into feeding mode...or should we always feed that way? If so, what about excess food sitting on the bottom of the pool?

Deb and Mack

faye

Do you reckon they would like tadpoles? I would be quite happy to drag my pool to supply you with live bait. That way the tadpoles will live on until the barra help themselves. I can't get the okay to put fish in our swimming pool yet and the opposition is increasing over the tadpoles. The family would like to swim in our pool by Christmas so time is running out. I reckon I have about 1000 or more.

dandm

[quote="faye"]Do you reckon they would like tadpoles?

Thanks Faye,
We would love some taddies to add to our dam and frog ponds, but will persevere with lures and trying some sinking pellets for the barra. Maybe the perch will eat the pellets lying around on the bottom??? Let us know when you want us to come and collect.

Deb and Mack

Dufflight

Frogs and taddies last about a meter in our pool before they get eaten. Goldies make good bottom cleaners but you need them a lot larger than the Barra.

creative1

Sorry for the OT but Duff how often do you put your bottom
in the fish tank? :shock:

dandm

[quote="creative1"]Sorry for the OT but Duff how often do you put your bottom
in the fish tank? :shock:

[/quote]

Couldn't help but snigger with that one!!!

Well, some success at last! We just tried soaking the pellets and squeezing them (this is an important step we discovered) so they sink, and voila!! we have some action at last!!! I am not sure whether that is what we will always need to do, or whether they will learn to just come up to the top...but at least we don't feel like we are starving them to death!

Outbackozzie

Dont the floating pellets sink eventually anyway? Or are they all still there uneaten the next day?

dandm

Managed to get some more recent photos in now...

We have a query....
in the photo, the row of water plants separates the shallow end (40cm) of the pool from the deep end (100cm). We were thinking of putting a net across this (we actually did try it but a barra got caught in the net, making us realise we need finer net) and putting SP fingerlings (when we can get them!) in the shallow end.

Our only concern is whether the net and/or plants will restrict the water flow/oxygen or anything, and whether it would be wiser to put the fingerlings in a floating net cage instead. Our ideal is that they go in the shallow end so the deep end is not restricted for summer when we will start swimming in it.

dandm

[quote="Outbackozzie"]Dont the floating pellets sink eventually anyway? Or are they all still there uneaten the next day?[/quote]

Some pellets seemed to sink, but the majority seemed to just get caught up on the sides of the pool (there is a slight overhang of bricks) or in amongst the plants. We were so worried about excess food in the pool we took it out after an hour or so.

It was very pleasing to see some action finally!

Outbackozzie

A net across will work fine - you may need to shake it now and then to clear any gunk off it. Are the sides of the pool straight enough to be able to get the net right to the edge?

The fish will make it through even the tiniest gap.

dandm

OBO, thanks for the feedback.....The sides of the pool are not straight at all!!! However we seemed to have a good system previously, just a shame that the net was too open and a barra got caught in it.

The net was cable tied to the piece of wood that goes across the pool (behind the plants), bricks weighed it down at the bottom and we used the stiff black retic pipe to seal the net at the sides. It was rigid enough to wedge in but flexible enough to take the shape of the sides.

We have found some fish net suppliers near by, and will try to get a nice fine unknotted net.

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