Moderlieschen: keeping in the pond

Moderlieschen are a popular fish for ponds of numerous sizes. They are even suitable for a mini pond, as the maximum length of the species is about ten centimeters. The white fish (Leuciscidae) can be kept even without specialist knowledge, as they are undemanding and adaptable. One of the most important aspects of pond keeping for dwarf foliage is the food.

Moderate attitude

If you have decided in favor of Leucaspius delineatus as a pond inhabitant, there are a few things you need to consider so that the swarm will be fine in the long run. Because a pond only has a limited amount of water available and the fish are not on their own Faust can look for new reasons, they are dependent on the ideal conditions in order not to die. The temperature of the water is particularly important:

• Spring to autumn: 18 ° C - 20 ° C
• Max. 27 ° C over the year
• at over 20 ° C an effective oxygen supply is necessary

The Moderlieschen should never get too hot, as they prefer cooler temperatures and do not have to hibernate in the house even in winter. So make sure that the fish don't get too hot as they overheat quickly. In addition, cool temperatures positively support pair behavior if you want to keep more of the fish. In addition to the temperature, the nature of the pond water is another aspect that you have to consider:

• Water hardness: 15 GH (total hardness)
• pH value: 7
• rich in oxygen
• poor in nitrite
• poor in nitrate

This information should help you to adapt the pond water to the requirements of the fish.

Pond plants

Another point is the planting, because Moderlieschen are numerous Aquatic plants reliant. It doesn't matter what kind of species you plant here, as long as the bank area is intensively planted. This is where the dwarf folk prefer to stay. Since the fish need a lot of oxygen, you can get on Oxygen plants that ensure good water quality:

• Water buttercup (bot. Ranunculus aquatilis)
• Water feather (bot. Hottonia palustris)
• Horn leaf (bot. Ceratophyllum demersum)
• Spawning herbs (bot. Potamogeton)
• Waterweed (bot. Elodea)
• Fir fronds (bot. Hippuris vulgaris)

With these you ensure a sufficient amount of oxygen, which makes the pond ideal for Leucaspius delineatus.

Note: Keeping Moderlieschen is recommended if you want to contribute to the conservation of the species. Moderlieschen are on the Red List of Endangered Species, as a large part of their natural Habitat is lost and by keeping it in your own pond you can be endangered counteract.

Swarm size

In the Moderlieschen position it is like with all others Fish species important to know how many specimens can and should live together in a swarm. Without a group, the fish do not survive or reproduce. So make sure you always have a swarm size of at least ten To enable specimens so that the Moderlieschen are doing well.

Socialization

If you want to keep your Moderlieschen together with other fish, you can choose from a manageable number. The reason for this is the size of the dwarf leaves, which makes them extremely attractive as a snack for much larger fish. Therefore, not all species are suitable for socialization with them. If you don't want to lose your shoal, keep your distance from the following popular pond dwellers:

• Orfen (Leuciscus idus)
• Koi (Cyprinus carpio)
• Gold Tench (Tinca tinca)

Rather, rely on the following species, which also belong to the small fish or have no appetite for the white fish:

• Bitterlings (Rhodeus amarus)
• Minnows (Phoxinus phoxinus)
• Sticklebacks (Gasterosteidae)
• Goldfish (Carassius auratus)

These are ideal fish species for mini ponds if you don't have a lot of space in the garden.

food

One of the most important points when keeping Leucaspius delineatus is the food. The fish need a sufficient supply of nutrients so that the metabolism remains stable and the school can live relaxed. A big advantage of keeping dwarf beliefs is that they are not demanding of food, as they are very hungry fish and even small schools can devour large quantities. This is exactly why the fish in the pond are so popular, as the majority of their food reaches the school naturally. Sunfish get their food mainly from nutrient-rich sources of plant and animal origin, which collect by themselves in your garden pond. However, it is possible to give more food. The following list gives an overview of the possible feeds:

• Seaweed
• Mosquito larvae
• Zooplankton
• Hoppers (Cyclops)
• Water fleas (Cladocera)
• dried animal food

In a classic garden pond, insects such as mosquitoes, water fleas and hippos occur in most cases and algae have always been a horror for many pond owners. Because of this, in most cases you don't have to worry about reloading the fish.

Another benefit of feeding is the ability to grow the live food yourself. While hopscotch and water fleas are a common sight in pet shops, you can also provide mosquito larvae as food. Of the three typical types, the following two are excellent:

1. Black mosquito larvae (Culicidae)

Black mosquito larvae come from the mosquito, the nuisance par excellence on warm days. The mosquito larvae are a favorite food for pond dwellers like Leucaspius delineatus and you can make use of that here. If you keep mosquito larvae as live food, your dwarf leaves will be supplied with vitamins and protein. In addition, you have to deal with fewer mosquitoes than expected, as the fish eat large quantities of the larvae and hardly need any other feeding.

2. Red mosquito larvae (Chironomidae)

The Chironomidae are the so-called mosquitoes, which mammals cannot bite or sting due to weak mouthparts. Due to their size and the nutrients they contain, they are among the most popular mosquito larvae that take in mildew as food and are even preferred to mosquito larvae. When breeding, be aware that some people may be allergic to these, so it is best to handle them with gloves if there is any suspicion.

White mosquito larvae of the Chaoboridae family, the tufted mosquitoes, are not suitable for breeding as live food. The reason for this is the appetite of the mosquito larvae, which because of their size consider the Moderlieschen to be a possible source of food. Young fish in particular are affected because they are still very small after they hatch. When choosing dry food, you don't have to worry, here you can theoretically choose the one that is suitable for the other fish species in the pond. Due to their small size, they can always branch off a little. The most important information about feeding includes the frequency and the period of time:

• Feed spring to autumn
• there is no feeding in winter
• do not overfeed

As already mentioned in the previous information, do not feed while the fish are in their winter quarters. So you avoid one excess nutrient intake and the resulting toxins, as these are not absorbed or broken down over the winter. Be careful when feeding so that you can relax and enjoy your pond with the Moderlieschen.

tip: If your garden pond is constantly suffering from increased algae infestation, the Leucaspius delineatus will serve you well in relation to this. The fish survive even an intense infestation and can effectively improve the water quality through their large appetite without having to take action against the algae yourself.

Overwinter

Finally, when keeping Leucaspius delineatus, you need to know about wintering. The fish can spend the winter in the pond if you observe certain points that guarantee the survival of the small whitefish. During the cold season the water in the pond threatens to freeze, which is dangerous for the moderlieschen. In itself, however, it is not the cold that is dangerous for the fish, but rather a lack of oxygen and the accumulation of toxic gases that cannot escape due to closed ice sheets. For this reason, you should regularly check your garden pond for a closed ice cover over the winter and, if this is the case, take the following steps:

• pick up a shovel or hammer
• punch holes in the ice sheet
• prefer the middle of the pond

Since, as already mentioned above, the Moderlieschen like to stay at the edge of the pond, which can be the case even in winter, you should choose the middle of the pond for the ice holes. This way you won't disturb the fish, which rest over the cold season and shouldn't be constantly awakened. That creates stress. Otherwise you don't have to worry about the fish as they are used to even the harshest winters in Central Europe.

Note: Alternatively, the ice cover can also be interrupted with an air stone.