Go get some ricefish! Here are a few resources Ive used to get em: But first, get some really LEGIT. food to feed em (and all your fish) :) geni.us/shopLEGIT ✅ Supports / drives sustainability of the Amazon rainforest & the people who collect the fish! ✅ Mysis shrimp Ingredient (invasive species) = Removed fresh from Canada ✅ Least processed fish food pellet 2nd- Here are some places to get Medaka online, because a lot of fish stores dont carry them: Instagram @the.medaka.lair (Jackson is a really cool guy, hes the one who got me the Yokazura (super sparkly ones) and the Yokihi (solid orange) Aquahuna - geni.us/I5jb This is where I got my Koi, Midnight and Platnum ricefish @dakuaquatics - Another cool dude who breeds and sells ricefish. Hope that helps! As I continue to find resources and info on these fish Ill be sure to share :)
I got several varieties from Dan's Fish. Also, from Dan, I got the Indian ricefish which have longer fins and have become my 2nd favorite behind the Daisy's ricefish.
I live in Japan. I did not know why these fish were so popular here but since I saw the expensive ones in a fish store I can't stop thinking about them. Some of them look like they're covered in holographic glitter and they are STUNNING
We were in a friend of my father's home in New Mexico some years ago & they had a slightly higher than usual coffee table that had a full framed glass top with a tank on each end. The majority of the top was a shallow 8 or so inch deep "overpass" connecting the 2 tanks. It was beautifully decorated with live plants, stones & gravel had a nice variety of these fish. It was mesmerizing to watch! He'd built it himself. The top could slide away and tilt in a chest like fashion. I wish I'd thought to take pictures.
I also bought 6 platinum rice fish from ebay. I didn't try to breed them but I have about 100 rice fish now. I put the fish in a rubbermaid tote with some water hyacinth to recover from shipping and eventually moved them to my pond. Was about to dump the rubbermaid tote and I noticed it was full of tiny fish.
Medaka are what got me into fishkeeping! They are so underappreciated, and I feel like if I had known about them sooner, I would've had them! I started in October '23 and already have fry and a sustainable outdoor pond! They have been so forgiving with my beginner mistakes (uncycled tank included, oops!) I'm in Texas, and mine have already survived through the freeze with no problem. The only problem I've encountered is bearing the raised eyebrows and looks I get from people when I talk about my setup lol! Many find it hard to believe I can have such a successful pond with little to no maintenance.
You had me with the video about how they're mini kois. I was able to convince my boss at the fish store I work at to order them just for me haha. They're really not good quality and all interbred between orange, platinum and black but now it's my job to "unmix" them and I love it. I hope the trend is going to grow and I will be the only one to sell them in my area. I'm subscribed since you got me hooked on those fish and I can't wait to see new content when the ricefish season starts again!
@@fineT558 I mean that there is some platinums, oranges and some that are black. Normally they are bred separately but I guess the fish farm we buy from doesn't really care and they breed them all together. So I have black-orange-platinum, black-platinum, orange-platinum... Even my most orange ones are not really orange and more brownish for example. Good quality would have been if they weren't all mixed.
I’m planning on starting a rice fish outdoor mini pond in the spring and I’m so happy you’re sharing so much information about them. I’ve never done an outdoor mini pond and I was worried they wouldn’t do well in the winter until I saw your videos and realized how much I’m in the same climate and I don’t have to be anxious when I set my pond up.
Medaka are such an underrated fish... I keep them outside in a plastic bucket with plants, never feed them, and they thrive! (I plan on getting them a ceramic pot to live in soon) And even if you live somewhere that snows or where the water freezes over the fish will be fine. Most of Japan has snow during the winter so the Medaka have become accustomed to it.
Mine live outside too. Never feed them either and they keep the gnats from biting me in the yard. They have survived their 3rd hard UK snowy Winter with no problems. Started with 7. Now got 40ish. Did have 52 in the Summer but I think some may have been eaten by dragonfly larvae as they get laid in amongst the indigenous UK marginal and aquatic plants in with them
Mine live in a 4ftWx2ftHx2ftD raised pond atop of a wooden palette in partial sun. I have the platinum Medaka. But been thinking of adding 1 or 2 Medaka of either red and white or black and white to widen their genetics as I noticed one or two with crooked spines last year. Interestingly, only one of them still survives so I reckon they get picked off by the dragon fly larvae
I actually don't mind the dragonflies. My indigenous aquatic plants invite them to lay their eggs in there. Yes, they are killers. But, and it's a big but, I enjoy seeing the mahoosive devil's finger dragonflies hovering and darting about. They are after all not as common as they used to be. And every patch of indigenously planted water is a haven for Our wildlife in general that should be encouraged rather than discouraged.
@@jessicasinclair323 I can understand that. Dragonflies are definitely beautiful, and I love seeing them. I just wouldn't want them to eat all my medakas!
If you peel back another layer you'll see Japanese breeders are creating medaka that are stunning from the side and top. Like miriage kiss long fin. Just got some ryuushouhoushi eggs so I'm excited to see how they turn out.
@@kathrynthomas6390 I have indoor ponds and it's going great! I think you'll need a bigger pond than what Mike has, like 100 gal+, to avoid total water freezing with the negative temps that we get.
@@kathrynthomas6390probably not outside unless large enough pond in the ground below the freeze level, that doesn’t entirely freeze. Virginia is 18”-24”, you are probably 3’-4’ deep. If you place a pond below the freeze level and a deicer to keep an opening to allow gas exchange you would be fine. You have to have water movement to keep from freezing over like a bubbler, or pond deicer/heater, it doesn’t warm the pond, just keep a small opening from freezing to allow the exchange. It goes on and off automatically so I leave mine in all winter.
i love medakas! i've only been in this hobby for 1.5 years and i've gone through a few beginner fish. a few months ago i set up a mini pond with 5 medaka, and since then i've realized my future endeavors in this hobby are: keep up with rescue bettas, and breed different strains of medaka. they're so hardy and so cute!
Never apologise for doing another Medaka fish video, I’m just like you and I can’t get enough of them. I know we have chatted before but I have also kept one group outside in their pond in the UK, no food since late October and they are still all fine, the temps have dropped and the pond has iced over. The lids you made are a great idea, I have raised mine off the floor using car tyres as I’m thinking that will help. My other groups I moved their entire tubs into my conservatory, it’s still cold in there but nowhere like outside. And I have juveniles that I’m still raising up like you in aquariums. As someone who has been keeping hillstream species with multiple tanks keeping Medaka is a complete change. Can’t wait until spring to get them all outside again.
Just googled a bit and stumbled on a guideline that in the UK it is not allowed to keep Oryzias species in ponds "...if they managed to escape into UK waterways they could survive and cause an invasive risk" (Ornamental Aquatic Trade Association). So be aware of that, I guess.
@@AQUAPROS so I have read a few things about this but they are still available to buy in various aquatic stores across the UK. I guess there is the possibility of birds collecting eggs on plants and transferring them to our waterways, I always use netting to cover my tubs so the possibility of that is pretty minimal. I guess it’s not just Medaka that fall into this category as many non native fish can be kept outside in the UK.
If you have a clear plastic trash bag it works just like a greenhouse tied closed like a big bubble around pots and plants when it gets really below freezing point.
@@inharmonywithearth9982 that would work too. I think if you filled the bag with polystyrene/any non toxic insulation it would make it better at more extreme temperatures.
Ha! I am in Minnesota and have been considering installing a fish pond. We can keep koi outdoors all year, as long as we protect the fish from foxes. They will manage to dig through the ice to get at them. A friend had an uncovered pond, and over winter, a fox had eaten every last fish in the pond. So, it would definitely need some sort of protective cover, like chicken wire. I've also been considering setting up an aquaponics system. Best fish recommended is bluegill. They thrive in poor quality water with lots of aquatic plants. The bonus is you can go fishing in your system - you almost have to. They will reproduce faster than rabbits and overwhelm the system, if you don't.
I bought fancy ricefish eggs on eBay from Japan. It takes a few steps to acclimate the eggs but it is a fun project. It's a great way to get ricefish varieties not available in North America. 🎉
@@csharpe5787 it's OK the government moves invasive humans to our native habitat and culture but all new animals and plants arrivals must be exterminated even if they are endangered in their former habitat. This makes no sense and is hypocrisy. I read a really good book called The New Wild by Fred Pearce. It completely changed my mind about their invasive species theory. It's a false theory and new species add diversity and become part of any habitat alot better than foreign humans.
I think the white ones look great in a tank, but require a black background. Definitely cool the way they will pick up the novelty light colors. Also i moved one "runt" to live solo - and hes a lot more personable than online search results indicate
Tip for those wanting to breed them, they absolutely love laying eggs in Java moss. I tried to get mine to spawn in mops but I also had 3D printed baskets with Java moss and they went crazy laying in the moss over the mops every time. Now I have about 20 babies from only a month of warm days and a single female in my outdoor pond.
Perfection! I’ve been thirsty af for more Medaka content! Maybe I’m just weird, but my neurodivergent brain has chosen to hyper-fixate on Medaka/nano ponds and I now have very little interest in working with other fish. 😝
If you're really interested in medaka, but haven't come across it yet, check out Japan's space agency's website. They have run experiments on the ISS breeding medaka, and using them as a model organism for studying bone density in zero G. They have English translations on there, so no language barrier issue. The engineering and design of the aquariums They used is amazing too.
Medaka are some of the cutest fish of all! I've had some in the past, and I am planning to get some more now that my new pond is ready for them after months of planning.🎉
I actually purchased some eggs last year and I am most certainly enjoying my babies. In the wild they eat mosquito larvae, so I supplement bloodworms with their pellets and they go nuts for it. I do keep them inside with cherry shrimp and the coexist wonderfully!
I doubt that these would become an evasive species, they look like bluegill bait. They remind me of mosquito guppies I wonder how they would do in the koi pond. My mosquito guppy’s don’t do well in Ohio winter,but that does help over population
Wanted to listen to someone gush about a fish that needs more attention. :) Only had mine for 2 months, but I’ve already seen babies!!! Beautify fish that have wonderful personalities.
You can also put the floating deicer heaters, they don’t heat the water, they just heat a small part at the top to allow gas exchange. I put them in my pond. They have metal cages if necessary to keep them from touching the liners etc. they go on automatically so I leave mine plugged in all winter. They wont burn the fish wither. If rotting leaves etc are not able to release the gasses it would build up and kill the fish. They are obviously cold blooded like koi, their metabolism slows enough that they don’t need food, and would get sick if they were fed as their digestion stops. They go into almost like a brumation like turtles, they rest, but alert if there is danger and come up to get sun to help warm them up.
i live in the midwest united states and these fish are like $10 a pop here. I ended up setting up an outdoor tub for a couple of them. I am not sure if i got a male and a female but they do seem to love the sun and are so glittery and iridescent its great
I love the passion you have for Medaka rice fish. Great video as usual. However, there is one thing I think is important to emphasize to viewers, and that's that all fish keepers should remember to never release their fish into the wild and to ensure that their outdoor aquatic enclosures are fully prepared to prevent non-natives from escaping into surrounding environments. I bring this up on this video in particular because medaka rice fish are so incredibly tough. I know many of us fish hobbyists do everything we can to prevent escapees, but sadly, there are so many more fish hobbyists out there who release their tank fish willy nilly into local ponds and streams when they are no longer interested or able to keep those fish. So that's the only reason I think it's important that the more famous hobbyists, such as yourself, make a brief statement like this when educating viewers about super hardy pets for our outdoor ponds. We don't want to cause another disaster like the Lionfish in our southeast oceans, the African Cichlids in the Everglades, or the devastating Plecos throughout the south USA and north Mexico. On a smaller scale, where I used to live in Tucson AZ, the mosquitofish (Gambusia) were introduced to control mosquitos, of course. This unfortunately led to the near-eradication of the local Gila Topminnow. Luckily, humans have helped bring back the Gila Topminnow population, but it has been incredibly difficult due to the amazing adaptability and high reproductive rate of the Mosquitofish. So yeah ... I hope everyone (including myself someday) enjoys their outdoor Medakas, but remember to be responsible and prevent the next native displacer. Thanks again for your great videos!
I have New Gekka Medakas from Japan outside in my minponds right now! They look like sparkly mini koi from the top, very beautiful! I'm in Virginia, so your line could be correct lol, they're fine and it's freezing outside. I poke a hole in the ice for them every few hours 😅
I have some in my 15 gallon balcony pond right now. It's been snowing the past week and they're doing fine. They are undercover and I have a plastic "greenhouse" over their tub. Great fish and super easy to breed. Luckily my LFS carries them.
Ohh the memories. My grandpa was big into aquariums and he had a tank with Skalaren (Pterophyllum) and Medakas, aswell as some tiny Shrimp ( dont remember what type of them or the latin terminus ). If I remeber it was 5 or 6 Skalare, one big school of I believe 24 Medaka and a tiny school of guppys that he later took out, because they beefed with the Medaka's and Sold to a friend of him that was also a Guppy and Shrimp breeder
I love them, they are always happy looking, friendly like koi, not big, do not need much and do not fight for territory. All the colors like koi just in small.
Western mosquitofish, also known as gambezi. They are hardy north American fish that do well in an aquarium. I've caught them in ditches and ponds. And I've seen them in rivers, lakes, creeks, and pretty much anywhere that maintains a foot or so of water most of the year. Don't know why they aren't popular beginner fish
I used to breed madakas 35 years ago. I have bred over 40 species and hundreds of verieties of fish over the years. Mostly used them as feeders, dither fish and to use to cycle tanks. Back then, at least to my knowledge, you could only get the "wild" types. I found them very interesting little alternatives to other smaller top layer fish. As you said they are extremely resiliant and can withstand things most tropicals cannot. Also i learned that if you keep certain fish, like guppies at a cooler temp when not actively breeding them they live longer as well. Not cold but around 70 or so.
I first learned of medaka rice fish from your season wrap up pond videos last fall, and I thought they were so cool because I'm in BC and White Cloud Mountain Minnows are considered an invasive species here so are illegal to keep. Hoping to set up a pond on my patio this year when the weather warms up!
Gambusia affinis are free in the south US, (just go to a ditch with standing water; you can catch the juveniles with a large plastic bottle or bucket) and even hardier with water parameters but maybe not freezing temps (not sure about that one). They're cute, too.
I found out about Rosey Red Minnows and put those in my pond this past fall. I do have a heater so the temps stay at 64 lowest. But I hear they can deal with high and low temps. I"m hoping that the high temps is ok as I live in Houston so it can get pretty hot. The goal for the pond is having a hardy small fish (only 40 gallon pond) that can deal with high temps in summer. Main purpose is to keep mosquito larvae from hatching. They are sold in a lot of fish stores in my area too. I've not looked for rice fish but they sound around the same type of fish. I like that the rice fish have some color variations!
So I am sold, haha. I had been debating on getting some for my 30-gallon but wasn't sure. Well, I am now! Also, from michigan here. If you can keep the water from freezing through, I would assume they would be fine outside. A simple bubbler can accomplish this, though I would probably throw a low heater of some sort near the bottom just to be safe. I've done this with Betta in an outdoor pond, and they come from the same rice fields, so it should work the same for these guys. (Before anyone comes for me, I did not realize the 2 betta were still in the pond, I had brought the other fish all in and couldn't find them. The bubbler was there because I didn't want the pond to freeze freeze and kill off all my plants. Both bettas are just fine)
Based on the coldest average temperatures, Japan ranges from a zone 8 to 5 here. I would say that most likely, you can keep this fish outside if you are zone 5 or higher. Japan has a lot of coast, and water has a mediating affect, so despite some snow most of Japan is fairly warm in comparison to the US at the same latitude. Much of the Pacific Northwest is zone 8 as it is by the ocean, but as you get further away the winter temperatures drop off. Edit: Based on what he said, 15 degrees is only zone 8. So, if you are a lower zone 7, 6, ect. They may not make it. Especially in a bucket. They'll probably have more tolerance in an in ground pond as the ground also has a moderating affect.
I was in and out of the fish hobby for so many times, what I learned is that if I dont breed the fish, I eventually get bored. But also I enjoy breeding fish which have variation, so I crossbreed and make some selections that I find interesting, Medaka is the perfect fish for that, you can overwinter it even outside if you dig the pots into the ground and cover it, so if you have plenty of space outside, you can keep tons of fish, the space inside the house is limited, and I think there is no other fish with more variation than medaka, the japanese keep that fish for hundred of years, so lots of mutations there.
I totally agree 😊 I live in Florida and bought mine online from Washington and I love them ! I have been breeding them for almost 2 years and now have three colors and trying to breed some from those - can’t wait to see what these little babies will grow into - 🎉. They are super hardy and have such cute personalities- they gather at the surface waiting to be fed when they see me 😂
Because of watching your other videos, I headed over to Daku aquatics and ordered rice fish and they are the cutest, coolest addition to my little patio pond!
Medaka are my absolute favorite fish! I wish I could get more unique colors here in Canada. I currently have white, orange and red and white koi colored. I can't wait to transition them to my 50 g tub pond this summer.
when I was growing up in Japan, there weren't many different types. When I was nine years old, I did a Medaka breeding project as a school science project. I ended up with hundreds! I ended up donating them to the local elementary schools! Instead of a mop, I've always used Water Hyacinth since it makes great hiding spots for eggs & babies. and water hyacinth kept the water parameters good without any mechanical filters.
Ive almost bought rice fish twice in the last few months. My LFS only has the white/platinum variety. Jus couldnt get into the look. But the way u showed them from the top and schooled us on how u can keep them outside and how they thrive in that environment. Im officially converted. Good look bro
Medakas are awesome, IDK if nobody knows about them tho, they're like $10 bucks a pop here in cali, and that doesn't exactly scream unknown fish to me lol
My sister started off her first aquarium but sadly had many issues and gave up .Luckily i was around to take over and give it a try as well. I definitely struggled to as it was also my first time but a year later i have a 10 gallon that has stayed very stable and nice plant growth after many algae outbreaks and fails .I'm planning to buy a second tank it being a 40 gallon since i already have a stand , now discovering rice fish and how fascinating and cool they are i am really considering them.
Had one snuck in with some guppies once she lived in a bucket on the balcony for ages. Thing went soupy green water she was living for it. Cool lil fish for sure
A few years ago I kept and bred some of them in an old wine barrel on my parents balcony. They were amazingly easy to keep and breed and very nice to look at. I guess I‘ll get some new ones and restart my breeding program.
I am with you on this 100%. I picked up a few here and then At Apopka Lake in Florida. And that is the only fish that I collect. I think here in Florida they're called mosquito eaters or mosquito catchers. Gambusia Affinis Fish Gambusia Affinis Fish, called Mosquito Fish are important to the Mosquito Control Program. They eat mosquito larvae as soon as they hatch from the eggs laid by mosquitoes, thus reducing the mosquito population. The Mosquito Fish feeding habits also include a variety of insects and plant materials.
I’d love to get you some high quality Pseudomugils to work with as well, perhaps some lampeyes from Procatopodini grouping. These fish have the potential to be worked into cold/hot tolerant and hardy little aquarium fish.
Good fish to keep outdoors since it can handle temperature extremes…if you don’t mind fish that are plain and colorless. Don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings but what do they have over your everyday bait minnows?
Rice fish are super neat and all, I just get nervous when people are advocating for keeping a super hardy nonnative (outside of Japan and east Asia) species with a high reproductive potential outdoors. Just a recipe for establishing introduce and potentially invasive populations, and freshwater ecosystems are hurting enough. Like housecats, it may not be the most exciting but it's generally best to keep 'em indoors.
For colder climates, I imagine something like a pump and a minimal heater has GOT to work to keep it from totally freezing solid, along with the lid idea
I was teetering on the edge on using them in my cold water tank. But if they only breed in warm water, I may just build a small pond here since I live in South Cali. Coldest in my area is only mid 30s. Warmest is the mid 80s
Here in SW Ohio my dog's water bowl is freezing in the garage. Had a recent cold spell but should warm up next week. I am considering putting up an outdoor pond with these fish. Might consider a pond heater as well to help. Thanks for the vid! Definitely sold me on the fish.
I made some medaka ponds and for my big pond in the front yard I also added some rice fish. I understand we can leave these outside but I always think about when Cory from the co op stated the difference between a fish thriving and just plain surviving. If you can keep these inside I would for the simple fact that they would be happier. I understand ryu from Japan keeps these out all year long as well just a thought🤷🏽
You should get multiple dehumidifiers to deal with your moisture problem, ive heard multiple people who partake in the fish-keeping hobby say that they work
I love these fish. My roommate and I have been successful in breeding them. I pull the eggs off the female and put them in the hatch tank. Our fist group of fry are nearly big enough to move to the big tank. Might try some on the patio (in Austin, Tx) this year.
I started a 300 gallon pond last summer in coastal Southern CA. I started first with white club minnows, mollies and patties. The patties did not fare well the mollies were all golden in color but their offspring were near black, which I don't like because it's hard to see them since the bottom of the pond is dark. So I decided to add in rosy red minnows and rice fish. I got the gold and blue varieties of rice fish, but they are still small so whenever I feed them, their automatic instinct is to hide before they resurface to eat. I would not keep these fish in a regular aquarium because as you mentioned they are rather plain Jane looking compared live bearers, tetras and barbs. To me, the most underrated pond fish are the rosy red minnows. They have similar colors to rice fish bit grow to the size of mollies and show a lot of "personality". If I'm able to get a more red hued rice fish variety, I will add it into my pond this year. What I'm hoping is they they do a GMO version of rice fish so that they will have bright neon colors. If they fo that, then I can see rice fish exploding in popularity in North America.
Medaka are very cool. It's interesting how your experience differs from mine. I found most medaka to be not that hardy and they are also very aggressive towards one another to the point of fish dying because they injure one another. Oryzyas woworae are probably the prettiest one I know of, and is less aggressive as well, from my experience. My favorite medaka by far is the dwarf medaka from thailand. It's interesting to see in your tanks how peaceful they seem towards one another, completely different from how I experienced them.
I know Oryzias woworae are rice fish but I don't believe you can refer to them as Medaka. Daisy's blue is only found in a truly tropical region, whereas Medaka are cold water tolerant. Maybe someone can comment here and say if they have ever kept Daisy's blue below seventy degrees?
If you get a pot that is larger than your current pond pot, put the pond pot inside the larger pot, then fill the gaps with insulation foam, you would get a double walled pot with sandwiched insulation. That would keep the pot from freezing over.
I've really been wanting to get into these fish, but they're hard to find in Florida! I have a 110g partially-submerged tub pond that I want to dedicate to rice fish
I love when people champion the unappreciated underdogs! I know nothing about fish, and still found this fascinating. (Even if I have no idea why youtube decided that I needed to learn about rice fish today, lol) When you say that they're heat-tolerant, how hot are we talking? I've always wanted a fish pond, but never knew how to go about starting one. These guys seem like they might actually survive my ineptitude as a first-timer - but we do get temps up to about 44C (111F) on occasion. Would they survive that? The other thing is that I'd have to figure out how to protect them from feral cats - we have one that likes to hang out in my backyard.
I love ricefish. They are so cute to watch as they keep themselves busy going around tge tank. I kept them in my aquariums before. Thought about getting them again .
I’ve been breeding these fish for three years and then trying to make my own strain. It is super fun and easy. I have a couple ponds outside that I use during the summer and then I have an inside pond and a 20long in a 10 gallon and it works perfectly for breeding these guys. My pond inside is only about 250 gallons and then the ones outside are about 500 and then there all about 4 feet deep and then the one inside is around 3 1/2 feet and is made out of plastic with wood framing
I had minnows and goldfish breed and overwinter in northern Cali before, might try these now. I have a Rubbermaid 300+ stock tank the deer use so it will be a new experience for me. I live in zone 6a and the water does free but not solid, the stock tank will freeze about 3 inches of top. I break it up so the deer drink.
Literally watching this from Minnesota 😅 😅😭😭🥶🥶but I keep goldfish and guppies outside a lot of the year - just have to bring them in for a few months! Takes a little extra work but totally worth it for some summer mini ponds! PS in an unheated garage in MN a 5g tub would definitely freeze. But in my poorly insulated basement it gets down to 50 or 40 degrees and its a great place to overwinter hardy pond fish. My goldfish go dormant so I can keep them in a smaller container until they go back outside. Will have to try some medaka!
I love rice fish too. Aside from the aesthetics, I would imagine there might be concerns about them getting released in the States. So maybe that's why they aren't that popular here. I doubt they have a chance of overtaking any native species, though. There are cool native fish that can deal with the same broad parameters like rice fish. I used to catch mudminnows as a kid in the Midwest. I don't know the species, but the genus is Umbra. They're more cold hardy than rice fish. I don't know if they're as appealing from a top view, but I really loved the side view. If you want something like a rice fish, but native. That might be something to look into.
So here’s my question, I have an actual in ground pond. Love the idea of having a fish that will do well all year long. ( I’m in western WA) But in saying that, we also have those garter snakes, black with yellow stripes, that would love to see those small fish available for dinner. How do you keep them safe??
Years ago I caught a tiny fish I did not recognize in my creek, which I thought held only trout, salmon fry, and sticklebacks, and put it in an aquarium on my back deck with an airstone running. I wanted to grow it a bit so I could identify it. I left home for a long weekend and we had cold snap. I came back and the tank was frozen, except for a basketball sized sphere of water above the airstone. Fish still alive. When it got big enough I was finally able to ID it as a pumkinseed sunfish (an invasive in my area) I named him Herbie and moved him to a 90 gal tank in my shop where he lived on for several years, getting up to about six inches long. I would say pumkinseeds make excellent aquarium fish. Once Herbie figured out that when I approached the tank in the morning there was food coming he started meeting me at the top of the water. He would even come out from hiding if I came by the tank and stopped to look, coming up to the glass to stare back at me. A very personable fish. The green and blue iridescent scales and the red-highlighted black spot also make for a pretty fish. I also have a small pond I dug in the backyard and I've added a number of pumkinseeds I have removed from my salmon stream and they have tolerated all the cold and heat with no issues, which, I would guess comes as no surprise to folks in Minnesota where these guys live in every lake.
They look like mosquito fish. Plus, mosquito fish have all the same benefits that you described. Most places in the US you can get them for free from the city to control mosquitos.
It’s VERY hard getting any variety of fish in Sweden where I live. It’s also impossible to breed and sell due to extreme breeding rules for fisheries.and aquarists supplier. There are types of fishes and frogs that survives being fully frozen and they come back alive in the spring. You also have the fish that dries out in mud and can comeback to life after being hibernated several years (once they get wet again they come alive. There are documentaries on this they are Uber cool.
Go get some ricefish! Here are a few resources Ive used to get em:
But first, get some really LEGIT. food to feed em (and all your fish) :) geni.us/shopLEGIT
✅ Supports / drives sustainability of the Amazon rainforest & the people who collect the fish!
✅ Mysis shrimp Ingredient (invasive species) = Removed fresh from Canada
✅ Least processed fish food pellet
2nd- Here are some places to get Medaka online, because a lot of fish stores dont carry them:
Instagram @the.medaka.lair (Jackson is a really cool guy, hes the one who got me the Yokazura (super sparkly ones) and the Yokihi (solid orange)
Aquahuna - geni.us/I5jb This is where I got my Koi, Midnight and Platnum ricefish
@dakuaquatics - Another cool dude who breeds and sells ricefish.
Hope that helps! As I continue to find resources and info on these fish Ill be sure to share :)
Mine will get pond life and like it
I have two ponds and two aquariums with a bunch of ricefish! Got them from LRB Aquatics!
@@terriilnicki743 another solid dude ;)
I got several varieties from Dan's Fish. Also, from Dan, I got the Indian ricefish which have longer fins and have become my 2nd favorite behind the Daisy's ricefish.
Hahaha...sadly, I live in WA and can't purchase from Aqua Huna. Even worse, I'm a block away frome them. Lol.
I live in Japan. I did not know why these fish were so popular here but since I saw the expensive ones in a fish store I can't stop thinking about them. Some of them look like they're covered in holographic glitter and they are STUNNING
We were in a friend of my father's home in New Mexico some years ago & they had a slightly higher than usual coffee table that had a full framed glass top with a tank on each end. The majority of the top was a shallow 8 or so inch deep "overpass" connecting the 2 tanks. It was beautifully decorated with live plants, stones & gravel had a nice variety of these fish. It was mesmerizing to watch!
He'd built it himself. The top could slide away and tilt in a chest like fashion. I wish I'd thought to take pictures.
I bought 6 platinum Medakas from my LFS and they're worth it. They were a bucket list fish for me and they bred naturally on their own.
Ricefish are the 🐐🐐🐐🐐
Are you asking this from your smartphone?
I also bought 6 platinum rice fish from ebay. I didn't try to breed them but I have about 100 rice fish now. I put the fish in a rubbermaid tote with some water hyacinth to recover from shipping and eventually moved them to my pond. Was about to dump the rubbermaid tote and I noticed it was full of tiny fish.
Medaka are what got me into fishkeeping! They are so underappreciated, and I feel like if I had known about them sooner, I would've had them! I started in October '23 and already have fry and a sustainable outdoor pond! They have been so forgiving with my beginner mistakes (uncycled tank included, oops!) I'm in Texas, and mine have already survived through the freeze with no problem. The only problem I've encountered is bearing the raised eyebrows and looks I get from people when I talk about my setup lol! Many find it hard to believe I can have such a successful pond with little to no maintenance.
You had me with the video about how they're mini kois. I was able to convince my boss at the fish store I work at to order them just for me haha. They're really not good quality and all interbred between orange, platinum and black but now it's my job to "unmix" them and I love it. I hope the trend is going to grow and I will be the only one to sell them in my area. I'm subscribed since you got me hooked on those fish and I can't wait to see new content when the ricefish season starts again!
😎😎😎😎😎
what do you mean "They're really not good quality"?
@@fineT558 I mean that there is some platinums, oranges and some that are black. Normally they are bred separately but I guess the fish farm we buy from doesn't really care and they breed them all together. So I have black-orange-platinum, black-platinum, orange-platinum... Even my most orange ones are not really orange and more brownish for example. Good quality would have been if they weren't all mixed.
got it, thanks @@Emlav22
@@Emlav22does your store ship across the country?
I’m planning on starting a rice fish outdoor mini pond in the spring and I’m so happy you’re sharing so much information about them. I’ve never done an outdoor mini pond and I was worried they wouldn’t do well in the winter until I saw your videos and realized how much I’m in the same climate and I don’t have to be anxious when I set my pond up.
You can do it!
I knew what fish you were talking about from the beginning and the top down shot sealed the deal. I agree rice fish are awesome patio pond pets.
Medaka are such an underrated fish... I keep them outside in a plastic bucket with plants, never feed them, and they thrive! (I plan on getting them a ceramic pot to live in soon) And even if you live somewhere that snows or where the water freezes over the fish will be fine. Most of Japan has snow during the winter so the Medaka have become accustomed to it.
Mine live outside too. Never feed them either and they keep the gnats from biting me in the yard. They have survived their 3rd hard UK snowy Winter with no problems. Started with 7. Now got 40ish. Did have 52 in the Summer but I think some may have been eaten by dragonfly larvae as they get laid in amongst the indigenous UK marginal and aquatic plants in with them
Mine live in a 4ftWx2ftHx2ftD raised pond atop of a wooden palette in partial sun. I have the platinum Medaka. But been thinking of adding 1 or 2 Medaka of either red and white or black and white to widen their genetics as I noticed one or two with crooked spines last year. Interestingly, only one of them still survives so I reckon they get picked off by the dragon fly larvae
@@jessicasinclair323Yeah those dragonfly larvae are killers. Maybe put a mesh screen over the top?
I actually don't mind the dragonflies. My indigenous aquatic plants invite them to lay their eggs in there. Yes, they are killers. But, and it's a big but, I enjoy seeing the mahoosive devil's finger dragonflies hovering and darting about. They are after all not as common as they used to be. And every patch of indigenously planted water is a haven for Our wildlife in general that should be encouraged rather than discouraged.
@@jessicasinclair323 I can understand that. Dragonflies are definitely beautiful, and I love seeing them. I just wouldn't want them to eat all my medakas!
If you peel back another layer you'll see Japanese breeders are creating medaka that are stunning from the side and top. Like miriage kiss long fin. Just got some ryuushouhoushi eggs so I'm excited to see how they turn out.
@midwestmedaka yir the dude!!!! Hahah awesome!
I'm in minnesota, how well would this go?
@@kathrynthomas6390 I have indoor ponds and it's going great! I think you'll need a bigger pond than what Mike has, like 100 gal+, to avoid total water freezing with the negative temps that we get.
@@Midwestmedaka Thanks! I'm native and i forget that our climate really is mind-blowing-ly cold to most of the country
@@kathrynthomas6390probably not outside unless large enough pond in the ground below the freeze level, that doesn’t entirely freeze. Virginia is 18”-24”, you are probably 3’-4’ deep. If you place a pond below the freeze level and a deicer to keep an opening to allow gas exchange you would be fine. You have to have water movement to keep from freezing over like a bubbler, or pond deicer/heater, it doesn’t warm the pond, just keep a small opening from freezing to allow the exchange. It goes on and off automatically so I leave mine in all winter.
i love medakas! i've only been in this hobby for 1.5 years and i've gone through a few beginner fish. a few months ago i set up a mini pond with 5 medaka, and since then i've realized my future endeavors in this hobby are: keep up with rescue bettas, and breed different strains of medaka. they're so hardy and so cute!
I’m totally here for the ricefish content. I, too, have them living outside, year round. Love them.
Where do you reside? I’m in the northeast and thought about an outdoor tanning a giant pot planter.
Would they be ok in a tank with bubbles
Never apologise for doing another Medaka fish video, I’m just like you and I can’t get enough of them. I know we have chatted before but I have also kept one group outside in their pond in the UK, no food since late October and they are still all fine, the temps have dropped and the pond has iced over. The lids you made are a great idea, I have raised mine off the floor using car tyres as I’m thinking that will help. My other groups I moved their entire tubs into my conservatory, it’s still cold in there but nowhere like outside. And I have juveniles that I’m still raising up like you in aquariums. As someone who has been keeping hillstream species with multiple tanks keeping Medaka is a complete change. Can’t wait until spring to get them all outside again.
Sweet! Hey dont overly incriminate yourself or anything, but why people sayin you cant have medaka in the UK????
Just googled a bit and stumbled on a guideline that in the UK it is not allowed to keep Oryzias species in ponds "...if they managed to escape into UK waterways they could survive and cause an invasive risk" (Ornamental Aquatic Trade Association). So be aware of that, I guess.
@@AQUAPROS so I have read a few things about this but they are still available to buy in various aquatic stores across the UK. I guess there is the possibility of birds collecting eggs on plants and transferring them to our waterways, I always use netting to cover my tubs so the possibility of that is pretty minimal. I guess it’s not just Medaka that fall into this category as many non native fish can be kept outside in the UK.
You should wrap insulation of any kind around the outside tubs to stop them from freezing around the sides.
If you have a clear plastic trash bag it works just like a greenhouse tied closed like a big bubble around pots and plants when it gets really below freezing point.
@@inharmonywithearth9982 that would work too. I think if you filled the bag with polystyrene/any non toxic insulation it would make it better at more extreme temperatures.
Ha! I am in Minnesota and have been considering installing a fish pond. We can keep koi outdoors all year, as long as we protect the fish from foxes. They will manage to dig through the ice to get at them. A friend had an uncovered pond, and over winter, a fox had eaten every last fish in the pond. So, it would definitely need some sort of protective cover, like chicken wire. I've also been considering setting up an aquaponics system. Best fish recommended is bluegill. They thrive in poor quality water with lots of aquatic plants. The bonus is you can go fishing in your system - you almost have to. They will reproduce faster than rabbits and overwhelm the system, if you don't.
I have an aunt that used to live in Apple Valley and had to give up koi due to birds stealing the fish.
I bought fancy ricefish eggs on eBay from Japan. It takes a few steps to acclimate the eggs but it is a fun project. It's a great way to get ricefish varieties not available in North America. 🎉
@@the.medaka.lair.in the Uk you can have them, but it’s illegal to keep them outside.
@@csharpe5787so, you cant have them in a backyard pond for example? Is that because of flooding that could move the fish to other territory or...?
@@csharpe5787 it's OK the government moves invasive humans to our native habitat and culture but all new animals and plants arrivals must be exterminated even if they are endangered in their former habitat. This makes no sense and is hypocrisy. I read a really good book called The New Wild by Fred Pearce. It completely changed my mind about their invasive species theory. It's a false theory and new species add diversity and become part of any habitat alot better than foreign humans.
I think the white ones look great in a tank, but require a black background. Definitely cool the way they will pick up the novelty light colors. Also i moved one "runt" to live solo - and hes a lot more personable than online search results indicate
Tip for those wanting to breed them, they absolutely love laying eggs in Java moss.
I tried to get mine to spawn in mops but I also had 3D printed baskets with Java moss and they went crazy laying in the moss over the mops every time.
Now I have about 20 babies from only a month of warm days and a single female in my outdoor pond.
Perfection! I’ve been thirsty af for more Medaka content! Maybe I’m just weird, but my neurodivergent brain has chosen to hyper-fixate on Medaka/nano ponds and I now have very little interest in working with other fish. 😝
I got a bit of the same but with endlers+guppies. I love the hardy, prolific breeding little fishes.
If you're really interested in medaka, but haven't come across it yet, check out Japan's space agency's website. They have run experiments on the ISS breeding medaka, and using them as a model organism for studying bone density in zero G. They have English translations on there, so no language barrier issue.
The engineering and design of the aquariums They used is amazing too.
I've been breeding medaka for awhile now. I'm up to 15 varieties with a few in development.
Medaka are some of the cutest fish of all! I've had some in the past, and I am planning to get some more now that my new pond is ready for them after months of planning.🎉
I actually purchased some eggs last year and I am most certainly enjoying my babies. In the wild they eat mosquito larvae, so I supplement bloodworms with their pellets and they go nuts for it. I do keep them inside with cherry shrimp and the coexist wonderfully!
Can they be in a tank with bubbles
@@cholo4life243 yeah, but they don't need it. They're most commonly kept in large bowls outside in Japan.
@katiea545 I was asking because I have a huge tank with more fish thank you for helping me I'm a beginner 😆
@@cholo4life243
They're very small and depending on your fish, may get eaten.
@katiea545 I have no fish yet but I'm not putting any aggressive fish in there
I have a friend in southern sweden keeping them all year round in an 4ft deep outdoor pond. Inground obviously.
Just don’t release these fish in the wild
no kidding! They’d be impossible to eliminate
They are found in the wild in south east asia
I release these into the wild constantly.
They make great bait for speckled perch, crappies
I doubt that these would become an evasive species, they look like bluegill bait. They remind me of mosquito guppies
I wonder how they would do in the koi pond. My mosquito guppy’s don’t do well in Ohio winter,but that does help over population
I definitely want to get a group of these guys. Thank you!!
Glad others love them. I have 10 ponds/tubs outside with some rare colours and I'm hooked. They are frozen over at the moment. Was fine last winter.
Wanted to listen to someone gush about a fish that needs more attention. :) Only had mine for 2 months, but I’ve already seen babies!!! Beautify fish that have wonderful personalities.
You can also put the floating deicer heaters, they don’t heat the water, they just heat a small part at the top to allow gas exchange. I put them in my pond. They have metal cages if necessary to keep them from touching the liners etc. they go on automatically so I leave mine plugged in all winter. They wont burn the fish wither. If rotting leaves etc are not able to release the gasses it would build up and kill the fish.
They are obviously cold blooded like koi, their metabolism slows enough that they don’t need food, and would get sick if they were fed as their digestion stops. They go into almost like a brumation like turtles, they rest, but alert if there is danger and come up to get sun to help warm them up.
i live in the midwest united states and these fish are like $10 a pop here. I ended up setting up an outdoor tub for a couple of them. I am not sure if i got a male and a female but they do seem to love the sun and are so glittery and iridescent its great
I love the passion you have for Medaka rice fish. Great video as usual. However, there is one thing I think is important to emphasize to viewers, and that's that all fish keepers should remember to never release their fish into the wild and to ensure that their outdoor aquatic enclosures are fully prepared to prevent non-natives from escaping into surrounding environments. I bring this up on this video in particular because medaka rice fish are so incredibly tough. I know many of us fish hobbyists do everything we can to prevent escapees, but sadly, there are so many more fish hobbyists out there who release their tank fish willy nilly into local ponds and streams when they are no longer interested or able to keep those fish. So that's the only reason I think it's important that the more famous hobbyists, such as yourself, make a brief statement like this when educating viewers about super hardy pets for our outdoor ponds. We don't want to cause another disaster like the Lionfish in our southeast oceans, the African Cichlids in the Everglades, or the devastating Plecos throughout the south USA and north Mexico. On a smaller scale, where I used to live in Tucson AZ, the mosquitofish (Gambusia) were introduced to control mosquitos, of course. This unfortunately led to the near-eradication of the local Gila Topminnow. Luckily, humans have helped bring back the Gila Topminnow population, but it has been incredibly difficult due to the amazing adaptability and high reproductive rate of the Mosquitofish. So yeah ... I hope everyone (including myself someday) enjoys their outdoor Medakas, but remember to be responsible and prevent the next native displacer. Thanks again for your great videos!
I have New Gekka Medakas from Japan outside in my minponds right now! They look like sparkly mini koi from the top, very beautiful!
I'm in Virginia, so your line could be correct lol, they're fine and it's freezing outside. I poke a hole in the ice for them every few hours 😅
Mine are 2 months old! Probably from the same seller from Japan. Awesome hear yours are nice
@Midwestmedaka just saw your comment lol 😅. Was it from ricefish.japan?
@Midwestmedaka just saw your comment lol 😅. Was it from ricefish.japan?
I have some in my 15 gallon balcony pond right now. It's been snowing the past week and they're doing fine. They are undercover and I have a plastic "greenhouse" over their tub. Great fish and super easy to breed. Luckily my LFS carries them.
now that's passion right there. always a fun and interesting video @aquapros !
Ohh the memories. My grandpa was big into aquariums and he had a tank with Skalaren (Pterophyllum) and Medakas, aswell as some tiny Shrimp ( dont remember what type of them or the latin terminus ). If I remeber it was 5 or 6 Skalare, one big school of I believe 24 Medaka and a tiny school of guppys that he later took out, because they beefed with the Medaka's and Sold to a friend of him that was also a Guppy and Shrimp breeder
I love them, they are always happy looking, friendly like koi, not big, do not need much and do not fight for territory. All the colors like koi just in small.
Western mosquitofish, also known as gambezi. They are hardy north American fish that do well in an aquarium. I've caught them in ditches and ponds. And I've seen them in rivers, lakes, creeks, and pretty much anywhere that maintains a foot or so of water most of the year. Don't know why they aren't popular beginner fish
I used to breed madakas 35 years ago. I have bred over 40 species and hundreds of verieties of fish over the years. Mostly used them as feeders, dither fish and to use to cycle tanks. Back then, at least to my knowledge, you could only get the "wild" types. I found them very interesting little alternatives to other smaller top layer fish. As you said they are extremely resiliant and can withstand things most tropicals cannot. Also i learned that if you keep certain fish, like guppies at a cooler temp when not actively breeding them they live longer as well. Not cold but around 70 or so.
ricefish are great! other easy beginner cool water fish i've had luck with include: variatus platies, white cloud minnows, and zebra danios
😎😎🫡
I first learned of medaka rice fish from your season wrap up pond videos last fall, and I thought they were so cool because I'm in BC and White Cloud Mountain Minnows are considered an invasive species here so are illegal to keep. Hoping to set up a pond on my patio this year when the weather warms up!
Gambusia affinis are free in the south US, (just go to a ditch with standing water; you can catch the juveniles with a large plastic bottle or bucket) and even hardier with water parameters but maybe not freezing temps (not sure about that one). They're cute, too.
Guppies! They were very popular in the 70's and 80's.
So happy you found them.
No, these are not guppies. But guppies are cool too.
Guppies are live breeders, these rice fish are egg layers.
I found out about Rosey Red Minnows and put those in my pond this past fall. I do have a heater so the temps stay at 64 lowest. But I hear they can deal with high and low temps. I"m hoping that the high temps is ok as I live in Houston so it can get pretty hot. The goal for the pond is having a hardy small fish (only 40 gallon pond) that can deal with high temps in summer. Main purpose is to keep mosquito larvae from hatching. They are sold in a lot of fish stores in my area too. I've not looked for rice fish but they sound around the same type of fish. I like that the rice fish have some color variations!
Rosy reds do fine 32 degrees to 110 in my experience. I'm in new jersey, so I haven't had a chance to test higher temperatures
So I am sold, haha. I had been debating on getting some for my 30-gallon but wasn't sure. Well, I am now!
Also, from michigan here. If you can keep the water from freezing through, I would assume they would be fine outside. A simple bubbler can accomplish this, though I would probably throw a low heater of some sort near the bottom just to be safe. I've done this with Betta in an outdoor pond, and they come from the same rice fields, so it should work the same for these guys. (Before anyone comes for me, I did not realize the 2 betta were still in the pond, I had brought the other fish all in and couldn't find them. The bubbler was there because I didn't want the pond to freeze freeze and kill off all my plants. Both bettas are just fine)
I too love rice fish. The new Japanese fancy lines are getting insanely cool looking
Have a few strains of Medaka, I over winter them in my fish room but enjoy keeping them in my out tubs most. They are bomb proof!
reminds me of our native gambusa minnows. they are the only fish i have in my small ponds that can survive a hard freeze for a few days.
Based on the coldest average temperatures, Japan ranges from a zone 8 to 5 here. I would say that most likely, you can keep this fish outside if you are zone 5 or higher. Japan has a lot of coast, and water has a mediating affect, so despite some snow most of Japan is fairly warm in comparison to the US at the same latitude. Much of the Pacific Northwest is zone 8 as it is by the ocean, but as you get further away the winter temperatures drop off.
Edit: Based on what he said, 15 degrees is only zone 8. So, if you are a lower zone 7, 6, ect. They may not make it. Especially in a bucket. They'll probably have more tolerance in an in ground pond as the ground also has a moderating affect.
I have been wanting rice fish for a long while now but they are just not in the stores around my area. I want them inside and outside!
I was in and out of the fish hobby for so many times, what I learned is that if I dont breed the fish, I eventually get bored. But also I enjoy breeding fish which have variation, so I crossbreed and make some selections that I find interesting, Medaka is the perfect fish for that, you can overwinter it even outside if you dig the pots into the ground and cover it, so if you have plenty of space outside, you can keep tons of fish, the space inside the house is limited, and I think there is no other fish with more variation than medaka, the japanese keep that fish for hundred of years, so lots of mutations there.
I totally agree 😊 I live in Florida and bought mine online from Washington and I love them ! I have been breeding them for almost 2 years and now have three colors and trying to breed some from those - can’t wait to see what these little babies will grow into - 🎉. They are super hardy and have such cute personalities- they gather at the surface waiting to be fed when they see me 😂
Because of watching your other videos, I headed over to Daku aquatics and ordered rice fish and they are the cutest, coolest addition to my little patio pond!
Medaka are my absolute favorite fish! I wish I could get more unique colors here in Canada. I currently have white, orange and red and white koi colored. I can't wait to transition them to my 50 g tub pond this summer.
Sweet!
In the first minute this fish sounds like it could be potentially highly invasive if introduced into North American lakes or streams
greate video! i love this fish, i remember watching a video where people in japan keep them on planters in the patio and they thrive
Yupppp its a whole differnt world over there!
when I was growing up in Japan, there weren't many different types. When I was nine years old, I did a Medaka breeding project as a school science project. I ended up with hundreds! I ended up donating them to the local elementary schools! Instead of a mop, I've always used Water Hyacinth since it makes great hiding spots for eggs & babies. and water hyacinth kept the water parameters good without any mechanical filters.
Ive almost bought rice fish twice in the last few months. My LFS only has the white/platinum variety. Jus couldnt get into the look. But the way u showed them from the top and schooled us on how u can keep them outside and how they thrive in that environment. Im officially converted. Good look bro
I got myself bunch of Mekong rice fish, it's a different species within the same genus, they're smaller, transparent, and have a shinny blue eyes.
Medakas are awesome, IDK if nobody knows about them tho, they're like $10 bucks a pop here in cali, and that doesn't exactly scream unknown fish to me lol
Have you looked into least killifish? They’re native to southern US and share a lot of similarities with rice fish.
My sister started off her first aquarium but sadly had many issues and gave up .Luckily i was around to take over and give it a try as well. I definitely struggled to as it was also my first time but a year later i have a 10 gallon that has stayed very stable and nice plant growth after many algae outbreaks and fails .I'm planning to buy a second tank it being a 40 gallon since i already have a stand , now discovering rice fish and how fascinating and cool they are i am really considering them.
These remind me of mosquitofish in North America. A great native fish option for people in those areas.
Had one snuck in with some guppies once she lived in a bucket on the balcony for ages. Thing went soupy green water she was living for it. Cool lil fish for sure
2 minutes in and I’m already planning my first purchase. You’ve sold me already XD they’re just so cute!
Love the mops. Better than my yarn. I need to get/make some!
A few years ago I kept and bred some of them in an old wine barrel on my parents balcony.
They were amazingly easy to keep and breed and very nice to look at.
I guess I‘ll get some new ones and restart my breeding program.
I am with you on this 100%. I picked up a few here and then At Apopka Lake in Florida. And that is the only fish that I collect. I think here in Florida they're called mosquito eaters or mosquito catchers. Gambusia Affinis Fish
Gambusia Affinis Fish, called Mosquito Fish are important to the Mosquito Control Program. They eat mosquito larvae as soon as they hatch from the eggs laid by mosquitoes, thus reducing the mosquito population. The Mosquito Fish feeding habits also include a variety of insects and plant materials.
I’d love to get you some high quality Pseudomugils to work with as well, perhaps some lampeyes from Procatopodini grouping. These fish have the potential to be worked into cold/hot tolerant and hardy little aquarium fish.
Good fish to keep outdoors since it can handle temperature extremes…if you don’t mind fish that are plain and colorless. Don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings but what do they have over your everyday bait minnows?
Rice fish are super neat and all, I just get nervous when people are advocating for keeping a super hardy nonnative (outside of Japan and east Asia) species with a high reproductive potential outdoors. Just a recipe for establishing introduce and potentially invasive populations, and freshwater ecosystems are hurting enough. Like housecats, it may not be the most exciting but it's generally best to keep 'em indoors.
I can never find these things anywhere. I'd love to put them in my deck pond.
For colder climates, I imagine something like a pump and a minimal heater has GOT to work to keep it from totally freezing solid, along with the lid idea
I was teetering on the edge on using them in my cold water tank. But if they only breed in warm water, I may just build a small pond here since I live in South Cali. Coldest in my area is only mid 30s. Warmest is the mid 80s
Sounds like they'd be great companions for bettas as well since they're from relatively the same region
Here in SW Ohio my dog's water bowl is freezing in the garage. Had a recent cold spell but should warm up next week. I am considering putting up an outdoor pond with these fish. Might consider a pond heater as well to help. Thanks for the vid! Definitely sold me on the fish.
I made some medaka ponds and for my big pond in the front yard I also added some rice fish. I understand we can leave these outside but I always think about when Cory from the co op stated the difference between a fish thriving and just plain surviving. If you can keep these inside I would for the simple fact that they would be happier. I understand ryu from Japan keeps these out all year long as well just a thought🤷🏽
Why do you think they would be happier?
You should get multiple dehumidifiers to deal with your moisture problem, ive heard multiple people who partake in the fish-keeping hobby say that they work
I love these fish. My roommate and I have been successful in breeding them. I pull the eggs off the female and put them in the hatch tank. Our fist group of fry are nearly big enough to move to the big tank. Might try some on the patio (in Austin, Tx) this year.
I have literally never heard of these before. They're really neat!
I started a 300 gallon pond last summer in coastal Southern CA. I started first with white club minnows, mollies and patties. The patties did not fare well the mollies were all golden in color but their offspring were near black, which I don't like because it's hard to see them since the bottom of the pond is dark. So I decided to add in rosy red minnows and rice fish. I got the gold and blue varieties of rice fish, but they are still small so whenever I feed them, their automatic instinct is to hide before they resurface to eat. I would not keep these fish in a regular aquarium because as you mentioned they are rather plain Jane looking compared live bearers, tetras and barbs. To me, the most underrated pond fish are the rosy red minnows. They have similar colors to rice fish bit grow to the size of mollies and show a lot of "personality". If I'm able to get a more red hued rice fish variety, I will add it into my pond this year. What I'm hoping is they they do a GMO version of rice fish so that they will have bright neon colors. If they fo that, then I can see rice fish exploding in popularity in North America.
Medaka are very cool. It's interesting how your experience differs from mine. I found most medaka to be not that hardy and they are also very aggressive towards one another to the point of fish dying because they injure one another. Oryzyas woworae are probably the prettiest one I know of, and is less aggressive as well, from my experience. My favorite medaka by far is the dwarf medaka from thailand. It's interesting to see in your tanks how peaceful they seem towards one another, completely different from how I experienced them.
I know Oryzias woworae are rice fish but I don't believe you can refer to them as Medaka. Daisy's blue is only found in a truly tropical region, whereas Medaka are cold water tolerant. Maybe someone can comment here and say if they have ever kept Daisy's blue below seventy degrees?
If you get a pot that is larger than your current pond pot, put the pond pot inside the larger pot, then fill the gaps with insulation foam, you would get a double walled pot with sandwiched insulation. That would keep the pot from freezing over.
Bruhhhhhh i like that!
I've really been wanting to get into these fish, but they're hard to find in Florida! I have a 110g partially-submerged tub pond that I want to dedicate to rice fish
Been in the hobby since I was a kid, and never saw these in LFSs until a year or two ago. We’ve been missing out for sure
I love when people champion the unappreciated underdogs! I know nothing about fish, and still found this fascinating. (Even if I have no idea why youtube decided that I needed to learn about rice fish today, lol)
When you say that they're heat-tolerant, how hot are we talking?
I've always wanted a fish pond, but never knew how to go about starting one. These guys seem like they might actually survive my ineptitude as a first-timer - but we do get temps up to about 44C (111F) on occasion. Would they survive that?
The other thing is that I'd have to figure out how to protect them from feral cats - we have one that likes to hang out in my backyard.
Cool video i like learning about rice fish witch isn't much now but i think you'll show me the way. Thanks for sharing
I love ricefish. They are so cute to watch as they keep themselves busy going around tge tank. I kept them in my aquariums before. Thought about getting them again .
I live in Minnesota. I do not recommend keeping fish outdoors. Barely got above 0 all last week. Frozen fish sticks work though! 😂
I love them! I have a mini pond full of them in my dining room because, well, WHY NOT!! 😁
medaka seem to be more popular in australia than the US, definitely a fish i was considering for my first pond.
I want these fish so bad!!! I really enjoy all the videos i can get on them!
I’ve been breeding these fish for three years and then trying to make my own strain. It is super fun and easy. I have a couple ponds outside that I use during the summer and then I have an inside pond and a 20long in a 10 gallon and it works perfectly for breeding these guys. My pond inside is only about 250 gallons and then the ones outside are about 500 and then there all about 4 feet deep and then the one inside is around 3 1/2 feet and is made out of plastic with wood framing
Thats awesome!
I had minnows and goldfish breed and overwinter in northern Cali before, might try these now. I have a Rubbermaid 300+ stock tank the deer use so it will be a new experience for me. I live in zone 6a and the water does free but not solid, the stock tank will freeze about 3 inches of top. I break it up so the deer drink.
Literally watching this from Minnesota 😅 😅😭😭🥶🥶but I keep goldfish and guppies outside a lot of the year - just have to bring them in for a few months! Takes a little extra work but totally worth it for some summer mini ponds! PS in an unheated garage in MN a 5g tub would definitely freeze. But in my poorly insulated basement it gets down to 50 or 40 degrees and its a great place to overwinter hardy pond fish. My goldfish go dormant so I can keep them in a smaller container until they go back outside. Will have to try some medaka!
Great video! I love these little guys!
What do you do to keep predators like birds and raccoons away from your outdoor ponds?
I love rice fish too. Aside from the aesthetics, I would imagine there might be concerns about them getting released in the States. So maybe that's why they aren't that popular here. I doubt they have a chance of overtaking any native species, though.
There are cool native fish that can deal with the same broad parameters like rice fish. I used to catch mudminnows as a kid in the Midwest. I don't know the species, but the genus is Umbra. They're more cold hardy than rice fish. I don't know if they're as appealing from a top view, but I really loved the side view. If you want something like a rice fish, but native. That might be something to look into.
So here’s my question, I have an actual in ground pond. Love the idea of having a fish that will do well all year long. ( I’m in western WA) But in saying that, we also have those garter snakes, black with yellow stripes, that would love to see those small fish available for dinner. How do you keep them safe??
Years ago I caught a tiny fish I did not recognize in my creek, which I thought held only trout, salmon fry, and sticklebacks, and put it in an aquarium on my back deck with an airstone running. I wanted to grow it a bit so I could identify it. I left home for a long weekend and we had cold snap. I came back and the tank was frozen, except for a basketball sized sphere of water above the airstone. Fish still alive. When it got big enough I was finally able to ID it as a pumkinseed sunfish (an invasive in my area) I named him Herbie and moved him to a 90 gal tank in my shop where he lived on for several years, getting up to about six inches long. I would say pumkinseeds make excellent aquarium fish. Once Herbie figured out that when I approached the tank in the morning there was food coming he started meeting me at the top of the water. He would even come out from hiding if I came by the tank and stopped to look, coming up to the glass to stare back at me. A very personable fish. The green and blue iridescent scales and the red-highlighted black spot also make for a pretty fish. I also have a small pond I dug in the backyard and I've added a number of pumkinseeds I have removed from my salmon stream and they have tolerated all the cold and heat with no issues, which, I would guess comes as no surprise to folks in Minnesota where these guys live in every lake.
They look like mosquito fish. Plus, mosquito fish have all the same benefits that you described. Most places in the US you can get them for free from the city to control mosquitos.
It’s VERY hard getting any variety of fish in Sweden where I live. It’s also impossible to breed and sell due to extreme breeding rules for fisheries.and aquarists supplier.
There are types of fishes and frogs that survives being fully frozen and they come back alive in the spring.
You also have the fish that dries out in mud and can comeback to life after being hibernated several years (once they get wet again they come alive. There are documentaries on this they are Uber cool.
Guppies, ❤❤❤ totally love them. Raised thousands through the 70s, super easy too though not as hardy outside and crazy colorful...
That's awesome!