Cast Iron Sugar Kettle with Fish

I remember when I was a kid, a family member had one of those old kettles in their back yard that had goldfish in it.

This was way before epoxy was a thing, so I know it was nothing but bare metal filled with water and I remember those fish being there every time we visited their house.

I would think heat might be an issue if you’re planning on keeping fish. That cast iron is going to get brutally hot in the summertime, and I’m not sure goldfish are into the hot tub scene…

you need to fill it up with water, let sit few days and drain. Refill and put fish in on 2nd fill.

Rust isn't going to hurt the fish. Don't put full size gold fish or koi, I personally would put sunfish in it if I was doing something that size. If it is in the shade you could get away with fancy goldfish (the fat body ones) but I would 100% recommend putting netting as they are too slow to swim away from predators. No matter what, netted or not you will get snakes in a sugar kettle, just expect it.

I've had a 4' iron kettle in BTR for about 20 years. For awhile I put 4 gold fish in every year. Heat and egrets got them. That was with bare iron. Then rust scale began building inside. I cleaned with grinder & wire brush. Then sprayed with autobody primer and finally brushed with pool liner epoxy. Buying one precoated will be far less work.

Stopped trying fish when a new dog jumped in the kettle every time he saw a fish... just a fountain now. Prices look good based on my one experience.

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Don't they make fibreglass replicas for doing this?

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There is a guy on Hwy 307 that makes these.

Thank you all for the feedback. I learned a lot.

I am considering the fiberglass version now. However, I do really like the antique rusted look. I’ll browse the internet looking at multiple different examples to decide.
I have decided to place it in a better location where it won’t get direct sun and will be shaded by crepe myrtles.

Thanks again. If anyone has pictures of there’s, I’d love the see them.

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shaded by crepe myrtles.

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Prepare for the crap ton of leaves to fill it up!

Just added one of these fiberglass kettles with water feature and want to add the goldfish. Where are yall getting the lillys or water plants from and which work best on north side of house with alot of shade?

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There is a guy on Hwy 307 that makes these.

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Yeah, he's my customer. I have four customers who make kettles out of fiberglass. The guy on 307, another one in Reserve, one in Prairieville and one in Lafayette.