Choosing Fish for Your Pond

Knowing which fish can go in your pond will mean that you won’t get it right by trial and error, and end up with heartache when you unwittingly kill a fish. Knowledge is power, so arm yourself with the right information and get it right first time.

Fish, just like plants, are all part of your pond’s eco system so you need a balance of the right fish for your pond.

Which Fish Are Right For Your Pond?
Shubunkins are a beautiful fish that have a variety of different colours, from grey to red, and can be flecked with spots of each colour. They look very similar to goldfish, and like goldfish they are easy to keep in a pond.

Goldfish can vary from red to a very light orange. They breed easily and will probably reach about twenty centimeters given the right conditions. Sarasa Comets are in the same family as goldfish but are white with red patches.

Koi carp are, along with goldfish, very common fish for people to have in a pond. They do look amazing as they have different colours and patterns. They must be kept in bigger ponds with a depth of at least a meter, as they can reach 90 cm.

Tench are bottom feeders, and they often disappear to the bottom of the pond to feed upon the uneaten food that might be left there by other fish. It is quite unusual to be able to spot them as they are an olive green colour that blends well with the bottom of the pond, though a gold variety may be available.

Golden Orfe are another common garden pond fish. They need to be kept in big ponds as they prefer to live in shoals and can grow up to 40 cm. They are surface feeders and need plenty of oxygenated water to live in.

Keeping Your Pond Oxygenated
Many pond fish need plenty of oxygen in the water to thrive in your pond. You can create an oxygenated pond by installing a pond pump. You must make sure that the pond pump is at the right pressure for your pond as it may end up flowing too fast for the size or not fast enough and there won’t be enough oxygen in the water for your fish.