Part of the beauty of a decorative pond comes from the fish that live in it and give the pond a true natural feeling.
How to choose the right fish for the pond and how many fish should we put in it? We will soon find out.
There are different kinds of fish that are a good fit for a pond. They are divided in three groups:
Japanese Koi fish – These fish are a good match for any pond size. These fish can reach up to 80 cm in all kind of colors. Koi are very strong, last for a long time and can be combined with other cold water fish. In perfect conditions these fish can live up to 100 years and they even get to know their care givers. Because of that it is even possible to feed them straight from a care giver’s hand. These fish cannot be in a pond with plants because they destroy them.
Decorative cold water fish – This is the gold fish family of all kinds and varieties. This family of fish (all colors ) can reach up to 30 cm. in length. The most common fish are: Comet – Orange/Red with a long tail Shubunkin / Calico that is blue, white, black and grey. Telescope are rounded with multiple fins All of these are appropriate for growing in a decorative pond. They are very strong and can withstand cold temperatures and poor water conditions.
Sanitary and biological fish – In addition to being decorative fish, these fish act as cleaning agents in the pond: They eat the scum and the water plants debris that are rotten as well as mosquito larva. In this family there are a number of types that are suitable for a decorative pond. The black carp also called a Grass carp, eats algae strings as well as decaying plants. The red tinca with a white belly also eats algae and vegetation of all kinds. The river barbell that digs at the bottom of the pond and finds leftover debris that are stuck. The garra rufa, marla and the suckermouth catfish are all good wall cleaners in a pond as well as cleaning the algae off of plants, and preventing them from strangling from the excess algae growth. The mosquito fish and the rosy barb are fish that feed off of larva and worms that are in the pond, especially mosquito larva. This helps keeping mosquitos away from the decorative pond.
It is recommended to have a variety of fish families living in the pond in order to promote a health ecosystem. It is also more decorative. The amount of fish that can added to a pond depends on its size, the water quality and the quality of the pumping and aeration equipment.
Please note that the fish should not be swimming at the top of the pond. If this happens it means that there is a lack of oxygen in the pond.
Good luck!
We will be glad to assist you with any questions that you may have.
Written by Oren Ben Shimshon
