Fish Selection

Whatever fish you add to your pond, make sure that they are suited for outdoor life.  Aquarium fish don't generally do well in a pond.  I suggest stocking your pool with Japanese Koi and/or Goldfish varieties.  Both are members of the Carp family and can be mixed in your pond amiably.

There are many Goldfish varieties suited to outdoor life.  Included are Comets with their straight, darting bodies in red-gold, and Fantails which have flowing triple tails and are graceful movers.  The Chinese Moor has “popeye” eyes and are a velvety black colour.  All of these are members of the Goldfish family.

Koi Carp

Koi will grow to 15" or more.  They have a life expectancy of over 20 years although, it is said that the Emperor of Japan has Koi that are much older than 20 years.

Koi (brocaded carp) have been developed to achieve an amazing variety of colours and patterns.  These include brilliant tri-colour combinations of yellows, oranges, blues, and platinum whites as well as Metallic golds, silvers and coppers.  Koi have a distinct personality and can be trained to eat from your hands or even to do simple tricks like jumping through a hoop or feeding from a babies bottle.  They will usually grow too big for most aquariums but some like to start them off in an aquarium, so they can easily be seen.  Later, before they grow too big for the tank, they are carefully acclimatised to a pond at a time of year when the temperature of the pond water is within 2 degrees of that of the water in the aquarium.  This is to prevent shocking the fish with a sudden change in water temperature.

Butterfly Koi

Butterfly Koi have much longer fins than normal Koi.  They have recently been introduced into the fish keeping hobby over the last few years.  Butterfly Koi tend to have only one colour at present but this is likely to change.  Golden or  Metallic Pink are unique and beautiful colours which are currently available.

Ghost Carp

Coming soon

Shubunkins

Coming soon

Fantails & Oranda

Fantails & Orandas - Are less aggressive than Pond Comets and Koi. If you prefer Fantails, do not mix them with Pond Comets or Koi.  You can mix the Pond Comets with Koi, but a good many Koi keepers decline to do so because their Koi are often worth much more than Pond Comets.  We've never felt that way, but then we've never owned a $10,000 Kohaku Koi.

Golden Orfe

 Coming soon

Sterlet

The name Sterlet refers to the small bony stars found in the skin.  These fish have a life expectancy of 20 - 24 years but some say it is 100 years or more.  Sterlets are true Sturgeons, a primitive group of fish characterized by their cartilaginous skeletons and rows of heavy plates along the flanks and dorsal surface.  The Sterlet has a long snout and it's mouth is on its underside.  The  tail is like that of a Shark, and the backbone continues into the top lobe, which is longer than the bottom lobe.

To feed, the Sterlet uses four barbels right in front of the mouth.  These barbels are very sensitive so soft and sandy gravel is required.  Favourite foods include insect larvae, tubifex worms and snails.  Sterlets are gentle giants and will generally leave other fish alone.  However, it is not wise to trust it with small, bite-sized fish.

Sterlet are hardy fish, and will adjust to pond or aquarium conditions quite nicely.  During the summer, the temperature may be allowed to rise to 74 degrees F, but it should generally be kept to between 54 - 65 degrees F.  If the temperature rises higher than 70 degrees, the oxygen level will become low, and an extra source of oxygen is required.  A pump or power-head will accommodate this quite nicely.  Good water current is essential to the Sterlet's health, as is clean and clear water, consequently an effective filtration system is required.

Sterlets don't spawn in an aquarium, but in nature the fish breed in May and June and produce around 11,000-135,000 eggs.

Rudd

 Coming soon

Frog

 Coming soon

Toad

 Coming soon

Newt

Coming soon

Fish Breeding

Most pond fish will breed with regularity in a pond containing plant life. It is always fun for everyone to see the baby fish hatch and see what colours and characteristics they develop. The breeding will occur during the Spring and early Summer months. The female fish, her body swollen with eggs, will swim rapidly over and through aquatic grasses, particularly Parrot’s Feather and through the network of the roots on Water Hyacinths. She will deposit her eggs and will be followed by the male, fertilizing the eggs. The fish may eat most of the eggs, but those overlooked will hatch in five to seven days. The tiny fish will at first be dull and almost colourless and will spend most of their time hiding in the grasses. As they get larger and able to fend for themselves, they will begin to assume colour and bravery. Watching the life cycles of the fish is one of the most rewarding aspects of a garden pool for the whole family.