Fish (etc) for small pond

Discussion in 'Water Gardening' started by clueless1, Jun 9, 2013.

  1. clueless1

    clueless1 member... yep, that's what I am:)

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    Evening all.

    As some of you know, I've made a pond. There's still a bit to do in terms of the surrounding area, but the pond is done.

    I'm not going in for koi, because apart from the expense, I've read that they are too demanding in terms of requirements.

    Goldfish seem to be the safe bet, but to be honest I find them incredibly boring. Poor things, its not their fault.

    Golden Orfe sound like good candidates. Apparently they like to feed close to the surface and are insectivores, so that's the mozzies sorted. Apparently they also swim as a shoal and are quite athletic, which is great. Goldfish just seem to mill about on their own.

    It would be good to have some of those tiny little fishes you see in the wild in becks and lakes, but I can't seem to find out anything about them. From my childhood, I seem to recall they are either minnows or sticklebacks, but I googled both and neithr looks like the tiny little inch long camouflaged things I'm thinking of, that always hang out in groups and always come to the water's edge and then dart off as soon as they see your shadow.

    Any suggestions for suitable fish or other creatures?
     
  2. Kristen

    Kristen Under gardener

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    I have some fish in my pond, but I don't know much about them

    I think Orfe need a more oxygenated water - e.g. faster flowing or better filtered.

    I have some Shubunkin which I think are a type of goldfish, but more varied in colour. They don't seem to fussy (they spawn here, which I assume means they are happy :) )
     
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    • nFrost

      nFrost Head Gardener

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      Agreed, we had a shoal of seven Orfe's for many years in a pond that had no filter or waterfall. The pond wasn't in a great condition but they seemed happy enough, always darting about.

      I say had as when the big floods hit Hull a few years ago we lost all of the fish and wildlife, gain a big black Koi though!
       
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      • nFrost

        nFrost Head Gardener

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        Also, the cats always seemed to get the Goldfish first as they used to float near the surface. I think the Orfe's have safety in numbers.
         
      • ARMANDII

        ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

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        That's just the young fry of various species of fish, Clueless.

        There is a rule of thumb [much argued about:snork:] about having one inch of fish to one gallon of water. The arguments against it are that it doesn't take into account the biomass of the particular fish or what species it is, the O2/CO2 exchange going on in a pond/tank. I think you can get too enthusiastic when building a pond [I know I was:heehee:] and what is going to go into it. Goldfish too boring???, well I think you will find Orfes just as boring as they won't "perform" on cue:snork: I put fish into my pond to add movement and a bit of colour but I kept the numbers to just 6 and they seem happy enough. They will eat Frog Spawn, Tadpoles, some insects [although they leave the Water Boatman alone], and they will add nutrients to the water. I think the best advice for the health of the fish and balance in the pond is to [and you're not going to like this:heehee:] under stock regardless of the fish species.
         
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        • clueless1

          clueless1 member... yep, that's what I am:)

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          Just done some very approximate sums, and I reckon my pond is holding about 200 to 300 gallons (calcs come out at 262 gallons but I'm allowing a bit either side because the pond isn't an easy shape to measure).

          So by the 1 small fish per gallon rule, that would allow upto 200 fish, but I have no desire to put anything like that number in.

          My plan is to initially by about 5, and see how they get on, and add them in batches of 2 or 3 at a time, until there's no more than maybe 20 or 30 at the most. I don't want it to look like a fish farm lake, with the water surface boiling with activity. The effect I'm after is something closer to natural, where you can see the fish if you wait and watch, but they're not totally obvious.

          I also want there to be few enough so that if frogs or anything move in, then the fish don't eat all the spawn (apparently they'll pinch some, but they don't like it that much).

          I'm thinking Orfe because I like the idea of fish that group together. I was reading up on Blue Orfe too, which look quite canny.

          I was thinking of getting a small number of fish this weekend to help me keep on top of all the insects that seem to be falling in.
           
        • ARMANDII

          ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

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          One inch of fish.......not "one small fish":nonofinger: ....per gallon, Clueless:heehee: ....and like I said the rule is much argued about, as it's easy to overstock the pond with that rule. The thought is really to under stock, despite the enthusiasm. To be be honest using 20 or 30 fish as a top number and keeping them healthy and the pond in balance, with the size of the pond as it is is pretty optimistic. But the best teacher on how to get things right is getting them wrong and learning by experience:snork:
           
        • clueless1

          clueless1 member... yep, that's what I am:)

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          How many would you say is about right?
           
        • ARMANDII

          ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

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          Plan A sounds right:heehee::coffee:
           
        • clueless1

          clueless1 member... yep, that's what I am:)

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          Sorry, I'm confused now, which is plan A?
           
        • ARMANDII

          ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

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          That's plan "A":snork:
           
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          • sal73

            sal73 Total Gardener

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            I`ve recently built a pond as well , really small , but at the moment is holding 10 fish
            like you didn`t want to buy goldfish , but they are easygoing and that was it ,
            seen those as well
            [​IMG]
            so got myself 2 black and red goldfish

            [​IMG]

            2 orange

            [​IMG]

            and 2 spotted (that can`t never see as they blend in the back)

            [​IMG]

            If I could I would have pick some of them

            [​IMG]
             
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            • Kristen

              Kristen Under gardener

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              Just in case you don't know this C1:

              The fish shop should put some Oxygen in the bag for the journey home, although if it is not far then just making sure there is plenty of air in the bag will probably do.

              Suspend the bag in your pond for half an hour or so. This is to let the water inside the bag change temperature to match the pond, gradually. You might then want to "scoop" some pond water into the bag (whilst it is still resting in the pond) so that the fish get used to 50:50 of their own water and the pond's water, and then put the edge of the bag under the pond water surface so they can swim out into the pond.
               
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              • kindredspirit

                kindredspirit Gardening around a big Puddle. :)

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                I threw 10 sticklebacks into my pond. Next year there were about 300 (OK. I didn't count them. :) )
                There's far less now because Henrietta Heron visits.
                Sticklebacks are nice to watch because they're always darting about and in the Spring the males have brilliant colours.
                 
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                • clueless1

                  clueless1 member... yep, that's what I am:)

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                  I got home from work and before I even got through the front door I heard wife shriek "careful, don't shake them up", and there was my son excitedly showing me a bag with three fish in it.

                  There's plenty of air in the bag (as well as water of course:) ), and its now in the pond. I'll release them into their new home after tea, by which time the water temperatures should be about matched.
                   
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