Goldfish Notes and Facts

Goldfish are one of the most adored fish for the water garden. The idea of a goldfish is most often thought about involving the tiniest of creatures but goldfish can grow to be a variety of sizes, reaching over a foot long in some cases. Goldfish are seen in history as pet’s way back before 1000 AD. Because the goldfish has been raised as ‘pets’ for so long, they have spread from their original habitat from China to just about everywhere in the world.

Goldfish species will vary, able to thrive in waters that will reach down to 32 degrees and ranging upwards of 90 degrees. Goldfish are not a delicate fish as some other fish might be, they can survive in water that has some amount of waste or pollution in the water, but of course to a limit. Water gardens that have low oxygen levels due to high heat or a lesser number of plants will still support the needs of goldfish for a time.

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General or Mixed Pond

When you are first building a pond in your backyard you need to decide what kind of pond it will be. Will it be a general pond that just has some plants or a mixed pond that contains both plants and fish? Both types can spice up the yard.

The advantages to having a mix garden may out weigh the disadvantages. An advantage would be that you are able to have a wide range of fish and plants. A mixed garden is usually smaller and takes up less time to build. It does not take a lot of care or money when you are dealing with a mixed pond. A disadvantage is the extensive researching that you would have to do so that your fish and plant are compatible for each other. The freedom and amount of choices that you have are endless. This can lead to overstocking or cluttering the pond with plants.

General ponds are an excellent choice to take up space. Usually They do not need to be that big, but they take up more room than a mixed pond. When it comes to a general pond, the water is usually not that deep, around two feet. Sunlight is incredibly important for the plant life.

To sum general and mixed ponds; both are just as good as the other is. It depends on the personal preference of the owner. If you research and you may find that mixed ponds are what you want. Fish add a flare to a backyard pond. The area in which the pond is placed accounts for most of your decision. If it has too much sunlight than a general pond is best. Either one can be small or big. It all depends on your setting and your preferences.

General Fish Information

There are various types of fish that you can purchase for your water garden, and in general, many of these fish are going to have similar needs in order to ensure their success in living in your water garden environment. You really should limit the number of fish that you are putting in the water garden when you first are filling it, and working on balancing the environment in the water garden. This means that if you stress out too many fish, you are not going to lose a huge investment in your fish, but you are going to be able to work with the fish that you have and then you can add additional fish later after your garden is more stabilized.

Because fish are going to eat bugs, pests, and naturally occurring ‘things’ in your water garden, you don’t have to feed them every day and you don’t have to feed them a lot. Feeding your fish is more to make sure that they have the nutrients that they need, so you can train them to welcome you to the water garden, and so that you can inspect them for any other diseases or problems that they might have.

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Fish Ponds

You can create a pond, small or large, in your garden that will focus on the life of a fish instead of the life of your plants. The use of water in your garden, with a focus on fish instead of on plants will bring a whole new outlook to your garden treasures and the path of life in your gardens.

Creating a water pond for fish is not as difficult as you might think. If you are building a water pond for fish, you can still use plants or you can keep the pond just for fish. After the initial expense of building a fishpond, your expenses are very minimal. The bugs and creatures that crawl in your gardens actually feed the fish and you don’t have to buy fish food at all.

The interest in creating fishponds has been growing in the last few years, where even small fishponds are a big hit in rural communities. Smaller type fish ponds that are home to just one variety of fish will still bring your gardens a great finish quality that you have been searching for.

When designing a fish pond, you can also implement many of the ideas that you have for a bog pond, a water garden and for plants that need the water to thrive by creating these smaller water gardens near the fish pond as if they were connected, but they are not.

If you are interested in creating a fishpond, one of the first things you must do is learn more about what type of fish you want to keep. Will this fish need a certain amount of water? Will this type of fish need plants to produce oxygen in the water? Will this fish need anything special in the winter months? Visit an aquarium nearest you to make a choice about fish that is right for your climate and your locality. You can also visit your local extension office for great suggestions about fish for your fishpond as well as finding out where local fish hatcheries are located for a good price.

taken from Pondsupply fish pond article

Transporting fish

Transporting fish from one place to another is not an adventure to be taken lightly. Much goes into a smooth introduction of fish into a new pond as well as the process of getting them there.

 

If you are purchasing fish from a local pet store, the fish should be put in a plastic bag filled with pure oxygen. Ask if the provider has a stress-treatment that can be squirted in the bag. If the transportation will be a lengthy endeavor, consider putting the fish in a bucket with an air-pump or be prepared to splash the water every so often to allow the water to stay aerated.

 

Keeping the fish in a cool and dark place while transporting is important as this will lower stress for the fish. Keeping an ice-pack under the bag will slow the metabolism and awareness of the fish while slowing their need for oxygen.

 

Once you’ve made it to your destination, you’re only half way there. Letting the fish into their new habitat immediately will cause immense stress and can possibly be fatal. Start by placing the plastic bag in the pond to be floated for 10-15 minutes. If it’s a sunny day, place a towel over the bag to protect the fish from direct sunlight. Adding a teaspoon of dissolved salt will also help to alleviate stress. After the first 10-15 minutes (longer if the fish were transported with ice) add a little bit of the pond water into the bag and continue to float the bag for another 10-15 minutes. A lengthy transition yes, but it will make all the difference in assuring the health and happiness of your fish.

 

At this time you are ready to introduce your fish into the pond. Gently untie the bag and allow the fish to swim out. If you went the route of introducing the pond water into a bucket instead of floating it, be sure to wet your hands before picking up the fish and placing them in the water. For bigger fish, it’s a good idea to use gloves or a net to avoid injury to yourself or the fish.

 

It is a good idea to keep an eye on the new fish after their transition because fish, especially Koi, are known for jumping up and sometimes out of the pond. If you have a pond cover, place it over the pond for a couple of hours or a day to keep the fish from jumping. New fish will usually stay at the bottom of the pond while they recover and gets accustomed to their new surroundings.

 

Lastly, feed fish sparingly for the next few days to allow time to recover and also because you will find they are not particularly hungry at first.

Fish Selection

Choosing fish to stock in your pond varies on the size of water garden you have and the price you are willing to spend. Fish such as goldfish are easily maintained and generally won’t grow to be bigger than six inches thus making them ideal for smaller ponds. The common goldfish, comet goldfish and Shubunkin are known to be hardy. However, fancier goldfish including fantails and lionheads are more easily preyed upon.

 

More desirable fish such as Koi take a little more consideration, time and maintenance. Koi require at least three feet in depth, better water quality and a bigger pond as a general rule of thumb. At one year of age, Koi will generally get to about 6-8 inches, 12-16 inches in two years, with the possibility of getting up to 24-36 inches in a decade. However, the size of Koi greatly depends on how big their habitat is as well as the quality of their environment, water and maintenance. Although much goes into the care and keeping of Koi, they make great pets and can become very friendly, even eating out of your hands at dinner time. They also help in keeping your pond beautiful as they graze on algae. 

 

Fish such as The White Cloud fish and Catfish variety aren’t typically kept as pets like Goldfish and Koi. The White Cloud Fish are often kept for the purpose of mosquito control, mostly in warmer climates while Catfish will get rather large, tear up plants and stir up sediment and most likely prey on smaller fish. 

 

Whatever your selection, with a little care and attention, fish can add color and fun to your water garden. 

Spring Sickness

Spring Sickness is a term that loosely describes poor health shown by some fish after the winter season. Spring Sickness is not a specific disease but an umbrella term for anything from excessive body slime or mucus production to Bacteraemia, also known as internal bacterial infections. Most cases of Spring Sickness will clear up on its own as spring progresses and the immune systems of the fish get going again. 

 

The best way to avoid Spring Sickness is to make sure your fish go into winter in good health. Fish that come out of the winter season in a weakened state will have greater difficulty fighting Spring Sickness and are at a greater risk of dying and passing the sickness onto others. Spring cleaning not only applies to a cluttered garage but also to ponds that need a bit of TLC after the long winter months. Just keep in mind that slow and steady is the key. Treating your pond with an anti-bacterial mix while gradually increasing feeding as well as splitting and rearranging plants is a must as this will help keep down the stress level for your fish and encourage a lush water garden for summer.

Fish for your Pond

If you are interested in putting fish in your homemade fountain or pond, you will have to make sure the water is purified. Chlorine is an additive that is used to neutralize the contaminants in drinking water, however it is not good for fish. Dechlorinators are available to get rid of the chlorine and there are chemicals that can adjust the ph.

There is a difference between koi and goldfish.

Koi are more expensive and require more commitment from the gardener because they can grow up to two feet long and live up to one hundred and seventy-five years. Koi require a high level of water quality. They like to eat plants and to root around them, which can make the water murky.

Goldfish are very easy to deal with and they do not eat plants. They are also very colorful and if you are a plant lover then goldfish are your best choice.

Both koi and goldfish need to be fed about once a day and it is a good idea to feed them at the same time every day. Avoid overcrowding your pond. You should have a balance of aquatic life including plants, fish, and scavengers can help control algae and maintain water quality.

Before adding goldfish to the pond, you need to acclimate them. Add some of the pond water to the goldfish bag to help them adjust. Let it set for twenty minutes. While the fish are being acclimated, add the plants. You can put some bricks in to give height. Add a floating plant to give fish something to hide under and to help cool the water.

The best thing to maintain your pond is to keep it clean. A hand skimmer is good for getting out unwanted debris from the pond. Keep the water moving. This will add oxygen to the water and helps prevent mosquitoes from laying eggs.

taken from PondSupply fish for your pond

Breeding Basics II

Increasing the number of fish that you have, or breeding certain types of fish in your water garden, you will need to know more about what the good conditions are, how fish breed, and strategies for promoting fish spawning in your water garden. Here we are going to talk a bit about breeding, spawning, and how to increase your rate of return on fish when you want to increase the number of fish in your water garden.

Commercial breeders will use mats and brushes to promote and aid in the spawning process. A mat is a flat piece of material that is not chemically treated or harmful to the fish or the plants in the water garden at all. This mat is a layer of fibrous materials that are very very soft. The brushes that are used in commercial breeding at similar to a bottle brush, with very short brush like looks but the material is a very soft material that will not harm the fish eggs as they are collected or moved.

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Fish and Breeding

Fish consist of two different types of breeding type, egg layers, and live bearers. Most all fish that are kept in the water garden where the ponds are kept at a consistent temperature are egg layers. Fish will lay their eggs in various places; some keeping them very near or on their body and others, the eggs are so small you might not realize that the eggs are really there. There are unusual fish that will produce both livebearers and that will lay eggs, but these are fish that are very rare. With in the egg laying fish categories, there are fish that will have their eggs fertilized internally by the male, there are eggs that are laid, and then the male will fertilize the fish.

How are you going to determine the sex of your fish? There are various ways to determine which fish is a male out of a batch of fish, sometimes this is done only by looking at the color, the size, the fins, or the sizes of the chest of the fish.  the entire article is here about Fish and Breeding