Pond fish

A pond is incomplete without fish in it. Fish add the extra

dimension of movement to the pool & help control

mosquitoes and other insects.

Here at The Aquatic Habitat we stock a wide range of pondfish, and if you don't want goldfish there are plenty of others to choose from... As a general guide we suggest a stocking level of 3 inches of fish per square foot of pond area. Remember to allow for the ultimate size of the fish when calculating this. Goldfish As well as the standard "gold" goldfish, over the years breeders have developed a number of different goldfish varieties, these include Canary - yellow, Sarasa - red or red & white, Shubunkin - multicoloured. Other varieties such as wakins (goldfish with a double tail) are also suitable, but we do not recommend keeping the more fancy round bodied goldfish such as moors, orandas or fantails in an outdoor pond. Koi Originally developed in the paddy fields of Japan. These beautiful fish are now bred in many countries throughout the world. Growing to, in some cases, over 3' long, and living for over 50 years. A large, well patterned koi can be a stunning sight. Most people have heard stories about how expensive koi are, and it is certainly true that a few remarkable specimens have changed hands for tens of thousands of pounds. The truth is that these fish are in the minority. The vast majority of koi that we sell cost less than £50, with prices starting at under £10. Because of their large potential size, and deep bodies, we recommend a minimum pond depth of three foot, but four, five or even six foot would be preferable. It is not necessary for the whole pond to be this deep, but a substantial portion of it should be. The extra depth helps keep the water temperature more stable, it also enables the fish to get down, away from any ice, in winter. As Koi can grow to over two foot long any koi pond should give them adequate swimming room, we would suggest a minimum of 10 ft x 6 ft surface area. Although not impossible, it is very difficult to keep plants in a koi pond, as they usually end up as food. The lack of plants & the fact that koi are inherently messy fish means that a filter is essential if you want to be able to see your fish. Orfe Most commonly available as Golden Orfe, a bright orangey yellow fish, but other colour varieties (e.g. blue) are available. These large, shoaling fish are not suitable for small ponds, as they require well oxygenated water, but make a splendid addition to well oxygenated medium & large ponds. Rudd Similar in appearance to orfe & like orfe they require a well oxygenated pond. Rudd do not grow quite as large as orfe. The most common colour variety for ornamental ponds is the golden rudd. Golden rudd are a much darker golden brown colour than golden orfe. Silver rudd are also sometimes available. Tench available in green & golden forms, these bottom dwelling fish are reputed to be good at keeping a pond clean, but in practice, although they will scavenge some uneaten food, they are certainly not a necessity. Tench can grow large and are therefore unsuited to very small ponds. Sterlet & Sturgeon We do not stock or recommend these fish for ornamental ponds. They grow very large and require cool, fast flowing, highly oxygenated water. Their unusual scales make them very prone to entanglement in blanket weed.

Pond fish

A pond is incomplete without fish in it. Fish add the extra

dimension of movement to the pool & help control

mosquitoes and other insects.

Here at The Aquatic Habitat we stock a wide range of pondfish, and if you don't want goldfish there are plenty of others to choose from... As a general guide we suggest a stocking level of 3 inches of fish per square foot of pond area. Remember to allow for the ultimate size of the fish when calculating this. Goldfish As well as the standard "gold" goldfish, over the years breeders have developed a number of different goldfish varieties, these include Canary - yellow, Sarasa - red or red & white, Shubunkin - multicoloured. Other varieties such as wakins (goldfish with a double tail) are also suitable, but we do not recommend keeping the more fancy round bodied goldfish such as moors, orandas or fantails in an outdoor pond. Koi Originally developed in the paddy fields of Japan. These beautiful fish are now bred in many countries throughout the world. Growing to, in some cases, over 3' long, and living for over 50 years. A large, well patterned koi can be a stunning sight. Most people have heard stories about how expensive koi are, and it is certainly true that a few remarkable specimens have changed hands for tens of thousands of pounds. The truth is that these fish are in the minority. The vast majority of koi that we sell cost less than £50, with prices starting at under £10. Because of their large potential size, and deep bodies, we recommend a minimum pond depth of three foot, but four, five or even six foot would be preferable. It is not necessary for the whole pond to be this deep, but a substantial portion of it should be. The extra depth helps keep the water temperature more stable, it also enables the fish to get down, away from any ice, in winter. As Koi can grow to over two foot long any koi pond should give them adequate swimming room, we would suggest a minimum of 10 ft x 6 ft surface area. Although not impossible, it is very difficult to keep plants in a koi pond, as they usually end up as food. The lack of plants & the fact that koi are inherently messy fish means that a filter is essential if you want to be able to see your fish. Orfe Most commonly available as Golden Orfe, a bright orangey yellow fish, but other colour varieties (e.g. blue) are available. These large, shoaling fish are not suitable for small ponds, as they require well oxygenated water, but make a splendid addition to well oxygenated medium & large ponds. Rudd Similar in appearance to orfe & like orfe they require a well oxygenated pond. Rudd do not grow quite as large as orfe. The most common colour variety for ornamental ponds is the golden rudd. Golden rudd are a much darker golden brown colour than golden orfe. Silver rudd are also sometimes available. Tench available in green & golden forms, these bottom dwelling fish are reputed to be good at keeping a pond clean, but in practice, although they will scavenge some uneaten food, they are certainly not a necessity. Tench can grow large and are therefore unsuited to very small ponds. Sterlet & Sturgeon We do not stock or recommend these fish for ornamental ponds. They grow very large and require cool, fast flowing, highly oxygenated water. Their unusual scales make them very prone to entanglement in blanket weed.