Grow Your Own Magazine

ive recently read somewhere that you can have goldfish in your waterbutts. they add fertiliser to the rainwater. has anybody tried this.

I've seen fish in those timber half barrels, but I think really they should be given more room... And you wouldn't be able to empty the butt more than about halfway anyway.

I would just hang a muslin bag filled with nettles or comfrey leaves in the water. This will be just as good a fertiliser.

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Resistance is fertile

I have heard of fish in water butts but though it was to reduce mozzie larvae rather than for fertiliser.

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Happy Gardening,
Shirley

http://www.honeyjukes.co.uk

Hi
I've got Bob in my water butt (named after Bob Flowerdew - the idea of keeping goldfish was found in his book. Had him/her for two years and he/she has tripled in size.
Bob certainly does his/her bit with the mozzie larva. Due to the rather Heath Robinson type guttering and downpipe from my shed I can't keep a lid on the butt where he/she lives so always leave it at least half full and use the water from the other butts that feed off this one.
To make the whole thing look even more outlandish it has branches in for anything that might fall in (no casualties so far) and I float a chunk of polystyrene on the top for when the water freezes.
Sue

Poor Bob can't you get another fish for company? Seems a fun idea though. Is he ok in the winter?

I've read about Bob Flowerdew keeping fish in his water butt too but as mine has a lid on it I don't think they'd be very happy!

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Into every life a little rain must fall.

SUE
named after Bob Flowerdew - the idea of keeping goldfish was found in his book.

Do you have to cover it in carpet in the winter

I would agree with Shirl, I know a few farmers who keep goldfish in their water troughs from which their cows drink. They say it helps to keep the water clean, plus they consume the small crumbs of food (no fish food needed!) that often is stuck on the cow's nose that otherwise could decay and contaminate the water. They swear by it!

interesting jondanie....it sounds logical enough

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My daughter has a few goldfish in her waterbutts. Mainly to eat the mozzie larvae and other baddies. They seem quite happy.

Headfry
Wasn't sure about introducing another one do they get on? Perhaps I could call it Flowerdew....

and Paul,
I've found the branches sticking out of the waterbutt together with the chunk of polystyrene floating on the top of the water keeps air available, And I'm on the allotment every other day so any ice that is there I lift off and stick in one of the other water butts.
Best wishes
Sue

I have 3 fancy goldfish in my water butts: they've been there for 2 years, so must be happy They are: a black Moor, a redcap and an all-white jobby.
They eat the mozzie larvae, and are a delightful entertainment in themselves. They were quite active today, I should probably start with the fish food again soon.

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~ What do I think of Western civilisation? I think it would be a very good idea ~ Gandhi

Easy with the fish food Twosheds, they're supposed to be eating the baddies. Mind you feeding them is a good way to make friends with them, I used to have a small pond in my garden with goldfish and a few small reject Koi Carp. They used to hear me walking down the garden, come to the surface for feeding and one particular Koi named Blue used to suck my fingers.

gold fish are fine in other fishy company! they do not fight! Unlike Mr HF's chyclids!!! no idea how to spell it sorry....they are warm water fish and very territorial and fight to the death sometimes!

If you keep goldfish in the water butt does that mean you have to leave off the lids?

They surely wouldn't like living in the dark would they?

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i was thinking about doing it but didnt know if it got to hot in the summer(black water butts)

Howdy HF, what sort does he have? I used to keep South American Cichlids - and most of them weren't too bad, but some of the Central American jobs that my dad kept were swine's.

Sorry to hijack the thread. As to Goldfish in butts so to speak, I think they'd be better in there than in goldfish bowl ! It's the surface area that regulates the stocking rate and not the volume but I would have thought that 2 would be OK but no more.

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ntg

Never be afraid to try something new.
Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark.
A large group of professionals built the Titanic

http://grief-encounters.blogspot.com/

Hi Nick they are Malaowi Cichlids! I love them but they do hound each other to death.....makes me sad. He has kept this type of fish for 20 odd years now.

Sorry for my poor spelling!
and sorry for another hijacking!

Ahh right, they are colour full though. I used to have 1 tank of Tanganikan's ( I've no idea how to spell that !) and they were similar

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ntg

Never be afraid to try something new.
Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark.
A large group of professionals built the Titanic

http://grief-encounters.blogspot.com/

Our butts were swarming with mozzie larvae last year, I might consider this.

You shouldn't put the lids on, the idea is to keep them in the large open topped butts that attract mosquitoes & midges because they are open stagnant water.

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Into every life a little rain must fall.

I hate mosquitoes but having seen bats swooping over my pond gobbling them up and enjoying the feast at dusk, I feel much more inclined to tolerate them!

Shall go and get a companion for Bob on monday and yes you must leave the lid off, I've only got the one lidless butt so Bob lives in there.
Sue