I placed a cotton mop head in my pond last weekend hoping the fish
would spawn. I have just discovered some foam at the surface of the
water and went to check out the mop and found light yellow eggs on the
bottom. Would these be Koi or goldfish eggs? How do I know when
they're fertilized? What do I do now? I only have Koi and goldfish and
its a 1300 gallon pond in Maryland. Please Help. Thanks.

Man, I knew there was a reason that I stuck with little Petsmart goldfish in
my teeny pond!

I have to ask -- why did you put a mop in your pond in the first place? I
mean, I know the merits of using a ShopVac in the pond to clean up decaying
leaves, the potting soil I was too dumb to wash off the impatiens, etc. but
a mop?

Anne Lurie
Raleigh, NC

"David" wrote in message
om...
I placed a cotton mop head in my pond last weekend hoping the fish
would spawn. I have just discovered some foam at the surface of the
water and went to check out the mop and found light yellow eggs on the
bottom. Would these be Koi or goldfish eggs? How do I know when
they're fertilized? What do I do now? I only have Koi and goldfish and
its a 1300 gallon pond in Maryland. Please Help. Thanks.

Anne, A mop is the perfect spawning medium. I'm thinking
of the old fashioned stringy mop.

Nedra

http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Pines/4836
http://community.webshots.com/user/nedra118
"Anne Lurie" wrote in message
.com...
Man, I knew there was a reason that I stuck with little Petsmart goldfish
in
my teeny pond!

I have to ask -- why did you put a mop in your pond in the first place?
I
mean, I know the merits of using a ShopVac in the pond to clean up
decaying
leaves, the potting soil I was too dumb to wash off the impatiens, etc.
but
a mop?

Anne Lurie
Raleigh, NC

"David" wrote in message
om...
I placed a cotton mop head in my pond last weekend hoping the fish
would spawn. I have just discovered some foam at the surface of the
water and went to check out the mop and found light yellow eggs on the
bottom. Would these be Koi or goldfish eggs? How do I know when
they're fertilized? What do I do now? I only have Koi and goldfish and
its a 1300 gallon pond in Maryland. Please Help. Thanks.

If you found eggs on the mop, they have been fertilized and they will hatch
in about 3 or 4 days. Now, who did it? The easiest way to tell whether
they are koi or goldfish eggs has now past. During the spawn, the female is
being pushed around the pond, almost like no one wants her to stay in the
pond. She is pushed against the side of the pond, the mop, the pots,
everywhere. Look for missing scales, these will be a sure sign of who got
the worst end of the deal.

The spawn creates a lot of protein in the water that is quickly changed to
ammonia, so look for an ammonia spike. The bacteria in the pond will bring
down the ammonia within a couple of days, and then you will have a nitrite
spike. The nitrites will take longer to come down. For the ammonia spike,
use AmQuel or similar ammonia binding dechlorinators. For the nitrites use
salt.

The fish will be eating the eggs if you don't move the mop to a protected
location, like their own pond. The really small fry will also get eaten.
--
RichToyBox
http://www.geocities.com/richtoybox/pondintro.html


"David" wrote in message
om...
I placed a cotton mop head in my pond last weekend hoping the fish
would spawn. I have just discovered some foam at the surface of the
water and went to check out the mop and found light yellow eggs on the
bottom. Would these be Koi or goldfish eggs? How do I know when
they're fertilized? What do I do now? I only have Koi and goldfish and
its a 1300 gallon pond in Maryland. Please Help. Thanks.