Choosing Fish For Your Pond
If you are going to have fish or frogs, you must have an adequately sized pond. Marine life cannot thrive in enclosed spaces, thus it is recommended that you adopt a fish to pond ratio of 1 inch of fish length for every 4 square inches of water surface. The best way to stock a pond with marine wildlife is to introduce the aquatic life gradually. Allow frogs to get established in the first year, then slowly introduce fish into the eco-system.
Prior to introducing fish into your pond, you need to be certain that your pond water can sufficiently support fresh-water pond fish. Chlorine and chloramines are toxic to fish. Pond water should be dechlorinated. Therefore, if you are filling the pond using tap-water, be sure to invest in dechlorination tablets or fish-safe pond treatments.
A stable pH of 6.8 to 8.0 is the best suited for pond fish. Concrete used in the waterfall or to hold rocks in place can leach into the water in new ponds, which causes the pH become too basic and rise above 8.0. pH changes throughout the day, so testing with a pH kit should be done about three times a day until the stability of the pH has been established. If the pH is still fluctuating, there are commercially available products to change and stabilize the pH.
Fish usually get transported in plastic bags. The proper way to introduce fish into your pond is to let the bag sit in the water at the side of the pond. After an hour, gently tip the bag so that pond water runs into the bag. If all is well, then the fish will quietly swim off.
Types of Pond Fish
When possible, always try to stay away from extremely exotic variants of pond fish. Exotic fish are not only more difficult to take care of, but they may not be suitable for your environment and may be invasive to your local eco-system.
| Type of Pond Fish | Characteristics of Pond Fish | Notes |
| Common Goldfish | A reliable pond fish which is good for ponds in a cold climate. Their colors can range from reddish-gold to yellow. They grow up to 16 inches long and can live for 19 to 25 years. | Avoid exotic breeds of goldfish. They are more expensive, need more space, and are liable to perish in your pond environment. |
| Trench | A reliable, agressive pond fish, which may eat small fry and tadpoles. Their colors range from green to pale orange. They grow up to 16 inches long and can live from 10 to 12 years. | Trench are suitable for a wildlife pond, but are not the most ornamental-looking fish. |
| Common Minnow | A swift-swimming pond fish, good for small wildlife ponds. Their colors range from pale orange to silvery-brown. They grow up to 3.5 inches long and live for 2 to 5 years. | Shoals of minnows work well with ponds and streams. |
| Roach | An attractive subtly-colored domestic pond fish. Roach are ideal for large, muddy wildlife ponds. Their colors range from yellow-red to brown-gold. They grow up to 10 inches long and can live for 5 to 8 years. | They will tolerate both clear and muddy water. |
| Rudd | A fat-bodied fish that is suitable for both small and large ponds. Their colors range from golden-yellow to orange-red. They grow up to 12 inches in length and live for 6 to 8 years. | Rudd are a tough pond fish that will tolerate cloudy water, poor oxygen, and big changes in temperature. |
| Koi | Exotic fish that are expensive and difficult to maintain. Their colors range from yellow and black to white and red. They grow up to 20 to 36 inches long and can live from 50 to 100 years old. | Koi can be beautiful fish, but because of their exotic nature, they are the most difficult to maintain. |
Next: Maintaining Pond Fish
< Back to Pond Landscaping Guide- Table of Contents
Pond-Building AdvicePond Maintenance |
Business Advice for Landscapers |