Fish Ponds

Before actually choosing your fish its a good idea to know what can be put together in a fish pond and what can't. Be warned that unless your pond is very deep catfish are not a good idea as they can be very aggressive. Other fish such as Koi carp need a large pool to be happy and grow to their full potential as do Golden Orfe which can also reach 3 foot in length under good conditions. Shubunkins, Comets, Sarasas, Goldfish and Tench can all be mixed together in the average back garden pond. Fantails and Black Moors can be put into the pond far the summer, but it is recommended that they are removed for the winter and brought indoors.

When actually buying fish for a pond always inspect the dealer’s tanks carefully. If there are any fish floating dead in the tank then don't have any from that tank. However well dealers look after their fish stocks they often lose one, or two because the fish are under so much stress and so overcrowded in their tanks. But they should remove any dead ones as soon as they become aware of them. If some fish in a tank are hiding in a corner away from the others then that is a sure sign that they are off colour, so don't choose any of those. If fish have obvious problems such as, ulcers, or fungus then tell the dealer if he's not aware of them, but don't buy them.

When you have selected your fish examine them carefully before they are bagged up. A few scales missing is nothing to worry about, but if the dorsal fin (the fin on the back) is down instead of being erect then ask to put them back and change them. Take the chosen fish home carefully trying not to bang the bag about and keep it cool and out of the sun if it is a hot summers day.

If you are getting fish from another pond, rather than a dealer, do not try carrying the fish in plastic buckets. No matter how careful you are the water will slop everywhere and more importantly for your fish, it is very likely that they will jump out of any container that is not sealed.

When you get them home you should isolate them in a tank, or small pond for a few weeks before introducing them to your main pond. This will prevent the risk of infecting your existing fish if there is a problem with the newly acquired ones.

Before releasing the fish into the pond float the bag for about half an hour. This equalizes the temperature of the water containing the fish and that of the pond. If you don't do this properly the fish can get a chill and get white spot. After opening the bag spend a few minutes slowly mixing some water from the pond with that in the bag before releasing the fish. It is a good idea to treat the pond with a general medicine immediately after adding new fish as a preventative measure. This is because the fish will have undergone many arduous weeks being caught and sorted at their place of rearing. Then they will have traveled in overcrowded conditions, been starved for several weeks and then will have spent some time in the dealers tanks. All this stress weakens the fish and makes them susceptible to minor infections.

If you follow all of the above it won't stop you losing some newly bought fish but it will give them a better chance of surviving.

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