Caring For Pond Fish

Pond fish are species of fish that thrive living in outdoor conditions. They can grow quite large so it’s great to be able to give them all the space they need. Only cold water fish are suitable as pond fish as they need to be able to cope with the changing seasons outside. Some pond fish can also be kept in indoor tanks like goldfish but the extra space outside will usually allow them to grow larger.

Other species like koi need to be kept outside predominantly for space as a pair of koi would need a minimum of a 2000 litre tank indoors. While goldfish and koi are the most popular pond fish, there are many other species of pond fish like gobi which live on the bottom of the pond eating algae and insects and fathead minnow, a smaller species of pond fish that thrive in schools.

The amount of fish you can hold in a pond depends on the species of fish, how big they are and how good your filtration system is. With adequate filtration, the entire pond should go through a filter cycle within a few hours which means you can stock it a little more densely. The size of the fish is one of the most important things to consider when it comes to stocking your pond. Pond fish vary vastly, even within the same species but they are often sold based on their weight so you are getting similar-sized fish to live together.

For every 1000 litres of water, a goldfish pond can hold around 1kg of fish. If you have a 6000 liter pond and your goldfish are generally about 250g each then you can stock it with 24 goldfish. Koi tend to be a bit bigger but every 1000 litres can hold about 2kg of fish. This means that the same 6000 litres would hold 10 koi if they weighed around 1kg each.

The first thing you need for a garden pond is a robust filter that’s made to handle the quantity of water yours holds. If you use a filter that has a smaller capacity than your pond then filtration will be too slow and ammonia will build up in the water. Over time this will compromise the living environment and your fish are likely to get sick more or even die if the water gets bad enough. A more powerful fish pond filter than you need might seem like a good idea to get crystal clear water but a more powerful filter means the flow of water running through it will be harder and might cause too much movement in the water for smaller fish. Getting a filter perfectly suited to your pond is the best solution. Maintaining your filter will differ based on what type of filter you have but generally, they’ll need cleaning every four to six weeks to keep them running smoothly.

You can use a testing kit like the API Liquid Fresh Water Master Test Kit which will be able to tell you when your pH levels, ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates indicate that the filter needs a clean. While indoor tanks are reasonably easy to keep clear as long as you maintain the filter, ponds can be a little tricker as you have less control over the environment. You may find soil and debris from the garden getting stuck in there which can create a murky environment that makes it hard to enjoy your fishy friends. Interpet Clear Pond Clear Water Treatment helps to keep the water nice and clear while being perfectly safe for both your fish and the plants so everyone can see where they’re going.

Just what you need to feed your pond fish will differ depending on the species of fish you choose to keep. Fish feed in different ways with some going to the surface, others feeding from the floor and then some dwell in the middle and feed there too. Different species will prefer different types of food.

Tetra Pond Koi Sticks, Koi Fish Food is made using a combination of koi fish’s favourite food including fish meal, shrimp meal, and krill so they have everything they need to keep them fit and healthy. While supporting their immune system and keeping them healthy, koi sticks also help to enhance their natural colouration. For a balanced and complete diet, the koi sticks contain everything your fishy friends need and they don’t disintegrate on the surface of the water when uneaten to cloudy up the water either.

Tetra Pond Goldfish Mix is a diet formulated specifically for goldfish to give them all the nutrients they could possibly need. The formula is a low waste diet so should not clog your pond up with unnecessary spoiled food. A properly balanced goldfish food will keep your pets happy, healthy and active so you get to watch them swimming around in all their glory. The main ingredient is freeze-dried river shrimp which goldfish love, and it contains spirulina flakes to help boost the vibrancy of their coloring and keep them looking their best.

For ponds that stock different species of fish Tetrapond Variety Stick, Pond Fish Food is a great option for feeding them all at once. It contains a mix of Koi sticks, wheatgerm and floating food sticks to provide a balanced diet for everyone that might dwell in your pond instead of having to buy multiple different diets. It’s a low waste formula that’s easy to digest by most species of fish to keep your habitat thriving with healthy, colourful life.

If you’re planning to go away and you’re worried about your pet fish, you don’t need to with Pond Holiday Food. Developed for all species of fish, the holiday food is made to sustain your fish over a period while you are away. It contains natural destressing ingredients to make sure the slight change to their routine does not upset them and cause stress. Fish can become easily stressed which impacts their immune system so a good holiday food will prevent them from getting unwell while you’re away. Packed with nutrients that are beneficial across species, you can enjoy your holiday and not worry about your precious pets.

For everything you need to keep your pets fed well and all of your other pond essentials, visit us in store and online.