A fishy method of cleaning the water trough

The water trough that the cows drink out of has to be cleaned periodically.  Algae growth builds up on the sides and bottom of the trough and sometimes the algae will float on the top.  Water troughs are also notorious habitats for mosquitoes to lay their eggs.  If you look closely, you can see thousands of little mosquito larvae swimming in the trough, biding their time until they can come feast on our blood and the blood of our livestock.  To clean the trough, I generally let the water level go down to a low level.  Then I use an old rag to scrub the sides and bottom until it is sparkling clean and then I dump the dirty water remaining in the garden and then refill it with fresh, clean water.

Farmers, being a group with inventiveness and ingenuity, developed an easier way of doing that task and I figured it was high time I incorporated the practice at Our Maker's Acres Family Farm.  Benjamin went to my Mom and Dad's house and came back with some of the goldfish out of their goldfish pond.  In the photo below, Benjamin is getting the fish acclimated to the temperature of their new 'aquarium.'

How's the water temperature?

He's got three fish.  Two are gold colored and there is a black one in there as well.

The new cleaning crew

Like a catch-and-release angler, Benjamin released the Carassius auratus auratus into the water trough. Calling them goldfish just seems so commonplace.  Their scientific name is much more erudite although I don't know why their middle and last names are the same.

Welcome to your new home

The three fish scoped out their new living arrangements and I think they were quite pleased.

Like fish in a barrel

According to what I've read on the Internet, you don't even need to feed them. They'll feast on algae and mosquito larvae.  Benjamin does have a shaker full of some left over Hermit Crab Food from an unsuccessful venture in raising a hermit crab that he'll sprinkle on top of the water for the fish to eat as well. Time will tell if the goldfish fare better than the hermit crab did.