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Types
of
pond FISH
Koi
are colored ornamental carp. Common carp are much to drab to be
used as ornamental fish. The Koi trade expanded rapidly in the 1950's and
60's due to the much improved methods of transporting fish. Today Koi
are produced in many parts of Japan and exported worldwide. They are also
bred in Israel, Southeast Asia, and the USA.
Koi with their exceptional color patterns, size and tameness, have become
one of the most popular pond fish available. Koi are always on the
lookout for food and will come to the surface readily for food or if they
think they are being fed. It is very easy to teach a Koi to eat right
out of your hand.
Koi keep on growing no matter what the surrounding size
of the area is. This makes them unsuitable as long-term inhabitants of
small ponds. Our water Gardens that are 18in deep on the beach with
part shade from a palm tree has Koi up to 2ft. for over five years and this
is in Florida! You can give Koi plenty of room and deeper water in
order to thrive. Ideally, 32" or more at the center of the pond,
along with a bottom drain is ideal. Koi have strong lips and can chomp
at soft leaved plants and stir up waste on the bottom of the pond. You
should always include a PSA filtration system if you are keeping Koi to keep
the water healthy and clean. Koi will mix happily with most other pond
fish. Feed Koi high quality foods to encourage growth and color
quality. Remember not to feed your fish if the water temperature goes
below 40 F.
When choosing Koi, look for healthy fish with bright bold
colors. Pricing on Koi fish is generally related to coloring and the
orgin of the fish as well as their size. Japanese fish are considered to
have the best 'pedigree' and are generally more expensive. Remember
that Koi grow very rapidly, so if you buy a 3" fingerling in the spring
it could be 6-7" in the fall. Check that the dealer you buy from has
given the fish sufficient time to settle and acclimatize after receiving
them. If you are in doubt about a Koi's health, you should avoid it,
although you may ask the dealer to reserve it for a few weeks. Before
Koi have settled in their new environment, they may try and jump out.
You may want to put a tight fitting net over the pond for the first few days
until they become accustomed to their new home.
GOLDFISH
Goldfish
are popular throughout the world and make excellent pond fish.
Where do goldfish come
from?
Goldfish originated in Southern China as colored varieties of a
native, dull brown fish, and were being kept as pets before 1000AD.
Since that time they have spread around the world and as you have noticed have
changed quite a bit with many types of species available today.
Which goldfish are the hardiest?
The common goldfish as well as comets, shubunkins, and the red
& white varieties. These goldfish have great adaptability.
Although they can be stressed by sudden temperature changes, they can tolerate
temperatures from 0º- 32ºC (32º -90ºF). and can withstand mild pollution
and low oxygen levels for short periods, making them ideal for the garden
pond.
Fancy
goldfish
There are a number of goldfish that are classified as
"fancy". These goldfish have shortened bodies that are almost
egg shaped. One of the most popular is the fantail, with its double
tail, usually divided but sometimes jointed at the top. It comes in red,
red and white and calico (the term used to describe Shubunkin-type coloration
on fancy goldfish). The Japanese form of fantail has a high back and is
known as a Ryukin. Moors are jet black fantails with telescope eyes that
protrude eerily from their heads. Red and calico forms of telescope-eyed
fish are also available but not as popular. Orandas
have short dumpy bodies like fantails, but their heads are covered with an
interesting growth that is similar in appearance to a raspberry. Their
are many varieties of colors but the most striking is the white body with the
red-cap. The
Lionhead is similar to the Oranda, but without a dorsal fin. The
Lionhead also grows at a slower rate. Bubble Eyes and Celestials, like
the Lionhead, have no dorsal fin but are without the Oranda-type hood.
Bubble Eye goldfish have a very strange jelly like sac under each eye and
Celestial have protruding eyes with point upwards. Both the Bubble Eye
and the Celestial are rather delicate fish and best appreciated when viewed
from above. All
the goldfish can interbreed, but it is wiser to keep the more delicate fish
separate from the larger varieties such as Koi and large common
goldfish. Fancy goldfish are less hardy than the more common goldfish,
their fancy fins and tails are more prone to damage from infection their
surroundings. The fancy goldfishes' intestines more compressed in their
shorter bodies which can increase the risks in indigestion. If you feed
them excessively with dried food it will swell up inside the fish, putting
pressure on the small internal air sacs (the swim bladder), causing the fish
to lose their balance, floating to the surface or sinking to the bottom.
In some cases permanent damage can occur. To avoid this from happening,
feed fancy goldfish moistened foods and occasionally intermingle with
commercial frozen foods containing bloodworm or daphnia. Micro-Pellet
food is preferable to flake food but you should pre-soak the pellets to drive
out any excess air to prevent them from swelling. Fancy
Goldfish can be kept in outdoor ponds and can tolerate low temperatures but
are really better suited to conservatory ponds and aquariums where the
temperature rarely falls below 50 F
The
Golden Orfe is a hardy golden form
of the European Ide, which lives in lakes and slow moving rivers. Golden
Orfe is an excellent choice for the larger pond. When these fish are
viewed from above they have a narrow, torpedo-shaped body and vary in color
from pale salmon-orange to a carrot hue, often with speckles of dark brown or
black pigment on the head and along the back. These are fast growers and
put on weight quickly. There is also
a new blue form of the Orfe. The color is not yet stable, but on good
specimens the intensity of pale blue is quite striking. The Orfe is not
suited for small ponds as they will eventually outgrow them and may even jump
out. Golden
Rudd is similar in shape to the Orfe. The improved forms are
burnished gold sides with a hint of orange to their brown backs and bright red
fins. Tench is an olive green or bronze fish with
rounded fins, small slimy scales and red eyes. Found at the bottom of stagnant
still waters, often in the mud as Tench can survive in waters with low oxygen
levels. The females grow considerably larger than the males and lay up to
900,000 small green eggs from May to July. The Golden Tench is
an ornamental variety of tench and is found in UK waters. It is
bright orange in color, quite often with dark colored spots.
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