Very nice. You have some very pretty "pups". Your platinum ogon butterfly looks a lot like mine! ;-) I was never able to get any decent pictures of the fry when mine spawned a few years back, so congratulations on that. It isn't easy! Love the bridge and the flowers, too. You have a very nice set-up.

When this cajun goes to the fishing camp you can bet something is going into a black cast iron pot. Here's a recipe for fried fish which includes a bit of technique. If you try these please, let me know how they turned out for you. Dan Perfect Cajun Fried Fish Recipe By : Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00 Categories : Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 2 cups yellow cornmeal 1 cup corn flour (aka unseasoned fish fry) 1/2 cup cornstarch 2 teaspoons onion powder 1 teaspoon garlic powder 3 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1 pound catfish fillet (smaller size) Mix all of the ingredients together in a large bowl until they are thoroughly blended. Then taste the mixture and readjust the seasonings according to your taste. You should be able to taste a hint of each seasoning. Now take the fillets, just wet them with water, not dipped in egg wash, and roll them thoroughly in the coating mix. Do not fry them fry them right away. Let them rest for 3 to 4 minutes so that the coating adheres to the fish. If you fry too soon, the cornstarch won't have the necessary time to bind the mixture and the coating will fall off in the pan as you fry. Also, the cornstarch needs to pick up a bit of water so upon frying it adds a crispy texture to the coating. When ready to fry, pour 2 cups of high quality vegetable oil or peanut oil into a pre-heated skillet (cast iron is best). Then bring the oil temperature up to 350 degrees (for best results use a thermometer). Then drop in the fish, frying them 2 minutes on the flat side (back bone side) and 1 minute on the round side (skin side). Turn again back on the other side and fry another 1 minute. Your fish should be crunchy and crispy in 4 minutes when fried as I've directed above. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I'm a big fan of any vintage cast iron. I have quite a collection, and use many of my pieces on a daily basis. I could find lot's of uses for a pan that shape, in addition to what others have suggessted. Corn bread, casseroles, or just use it for a roasting pan. A nice pork roast, or prime rib would look and cook wonderfully in that! I can just see my Yorkshire pudding puffing up in a well seasoned black iron pan like that :) Great shape for several pork chops, or a bunch of chicken thighs/breasts, or a big batch of bacon. It would also be ideal on the BBQ for a rack of ribs, veggis, delicate fish, or anything you don't want falling through the grates. I'd be more than happy to take it off your hands! ;)

@akarinz: guess we'll see. :-) that's encouraging. I understand they only live about a year or so -- but still, 100+ fish in a tiny area could get serious! :-) @chas045: thanks for the info regarding your experiences with the goldfish. yes - my 'pond' is really tiny. :-) It is about 2' x 2' -- and now with all the of the beautiful water iris (I guess) and a thick layer of mud that has 'accumulated' over the years (broken down vegetation) there is probably only about 4-6" deep of water. The pollywogs do love the mud and I attribute this 'keeping it natural' (I used to clean the pond of winter debris every spring) as the key to my success, at least in part. For years I would get 'free' toad-poles from friends ponds or any place I'd find them (little black ones) -- and, for years, they would always 'just vanish' - all in one night. I would put a netting over the area and only giving them water that had aged (I have city water) -- but like clockwork -- they'd be healthy for weeks and then one night - all gone. No floating bodies; no disturbances in the area -- just gone. I live in-town - so predation is almost non-existent. Then one year I saw these big old tadpoles (bull-frogs) at a nursery and tried again. That was the first year that frogs actually developed into adults. They disappeared in late fall (I live in northern NJ), but I was ecstatic to see real frogs, finally. So, from then on, I only purchase my tadpoles (now leopards) and I have been successful since - last year I had 6 turn into frogs - and 2 remained in my yard until late fall. But shall see what effect the mosquito fish have on this success!