Loving Your Pet: Caring For Your Pond Fish

Created ByGJW Titmuss

ContentsYour New Pond Fish Slide 3

Types of Fish Slide 4Pond Setup Slide 5

Bringing Your Fish Home Slide 6Moving Fish Into Your Pond Slide 7

Deterring Other Animals Slide 8Safety Slide 9

Adding More Fish To Your Pond Slide 10Pond Maintenance Slide 11

Diet and Food Slide 12Diet and Food (Part 2) Slide 13

Supplements Slide 14 Winter Feeding Slide 15

Infections Slide 16Social Details Slide 17

Image Sources Slide 18

Your New Pond FishFish are extremely enjoyable and relaxing to watch, however you must give them the care and attention they deserve so they live a sufficient and healthy life.

Pond fish are unique pets in the sense that you won’t interact with them in the same way as a dog for example, but this is part of their charm.

Remember - look after these amazing animals properly!

Types of FishHere’s a quick look at some of the types of fish that are suitable for a pond and those more suited to a tank/aquarium environment:

Fish suitable for a tank/aquarium Fish suitable for a pond

Barbs – Gold, Rosy, Ruby and Purple. Avoid Tinfoil and Spanner due to size and also Tiger barbs as they can nip

Goldfish – in British conditions they are more likely to grow to 20cm

Rasboras – Harlequins and Scissortails Koi – 60-90cm when fully grown, so more suited to larger ponds with at least 3ft depth

Rainbowfish – Neon, Celebes and Boesmans Tench – great for bottom feeders

Minnows – White Cloud Mountain Sarasa Comets – similar to Goldfish with red patches

Danios – Leopard, Pearl and Zebra. Avoid Giant Danios, as their name suggests they will become too large

Shubunkins – similar to Goldfish with a mix of colours

Catfish – Spotted Cory, Bandit, Bronze, Gold. Avoid Plecos as they can grow quite large

Golden Orfe – can grow up to 40cm, should not be kept in small ponds without a pump

Pond SetupMake sure your pond is setup properly before your fish are brought back to their new home:

• Does it include plants to help with the ecosystem?• Have you installed a filter so the water balance is constantly at

the right level?• Is the pump installed for efficient circulation?• Have you cut back any overhanging branches to prevent the

filter becoming clogged?• Is it large enough to house your new fish?• Do you have a thermometer available to monitor the

temperature?

Brining Your Fish HomeWhen bringing your pet fish back home for the first time:

• Put them in a plastic bag and make sure there is no leakage before you begin your journey

• Place a brown bag over the plastic bag to ensure the fish remains calm in darkness

• Don’t keep them contained in the plastic bag for more than two hours as this could cause distress

• Make sure the bag stays at a sufficient temperature on the journey home

Moving Fish Into Your PondWith your fish safely home, you now need to transfer them over to your pond with minimal distress. Follow these steps for a smooth transition:

1) Place the bag on the surface of the pond to allow the water temperatures to mix

2) Where possible, put the bag in a shaded area

3) Open the bag slightly and allow the fish to adapt to any differences in the quality of water

4) After around 20 minutes, you are then ready to release your fish into the water.

Remember to avoid handling the fish where possible

Deterring Other AnimalsTo keep predators at bay, you can add netting across the top of the water. This will deter cats from trying to reach in and will also keep rodents away.

Another deterrent is to install a small to medium sized wire fence around the perimeter of the pond or alternatively, use animal repellent to ward off threats.

SafetyKeep an eye on your pond and make sure that young children are supervised at all times.

The netting you place over thetop to deter pray can also be usedto stop children putting their handsin the water.

However, this won’t take the full weight of a fall, so the best way to ensure theirsafety is to watch them like a hawk!

Tell children not to get too close to the water.

Adding More Fish To Your PondGive your fish three weeks minimum to get used to their surroundings before adding any new fish.

• Adding too many fish can lead to disease due to a reduction in water quality

• A pond of 500 gallons or less should have no more than six small fish in it (3-4 inches fully grown)

• For larger ponds, five to six fish will suffice (5-6 inches fully grown)

Always account that for the fact that fish grow in size whenyou buy them

Pond MaintenanceLook after the fishes’ living environment by carrying out the following:

• Keep water levels sufficient• Ensure water circulation is working• Remove dead plants and weeds• Clean pond equipment during the spring• Increase shaded areas to reduce algae growth• Add a fountain to prevent mosquito larvae

Diet and FoodDiet depends on a number of factors including:

• The type of fish you own• Time of year• Water temperature

Only feed fish as much as they can consume within two minutes - overfeeding can pollute the water.

If your underwater friend is not eating properly, start to look for any signs of disease.

Diet and Food (Part 2)These animals will consume a range of foods including algae, plants, insects and supplements.

Make sure that moisture doesn’t enter any feeding containers you’re using and store food in a dry place away from direct sunlight.

SupplementsA decent pet fish diet should also include supplements such as:

• Pond sticks• Mixed pond food• Flakes• Pellets• Winter food – wheatgerm sticks and pellets

Winter FeedingDietary requirements will change during winter.

If the temperature falls below four degrees Celsius, your fish do not require any food – the temperature controls their metabolism.

When temperatures pick up again during early spring, you may wish to feed them wheatgerm as it’s easier to digest.

InfectionsObserve your pets closely to see if any common infections/diseases have been caught:Condition Symptoms Treatment

Fungus White or grey fluffy patches on the body Anti-fungus treatment

White spot Small round-shaped spots on the fish, common on fins. The spots are the parasites’ egg sacks

Anti-white spot treatment

Velvet disease

A series of tiny white spots all over the fish – these are smaller than the above ‘white spot’ condition

Anti-velvet disease treatment

Fin, tail, mouth rot

Pink and white patches which give the impression that the infected area is wearing away. Fish will appear lethargic and have a loss of appetite

Anti-fin rot treatment

Ulcers Red sores which appear on the fish Anti-ulcer treatment

Dropsy Raised scales, loss of appetite and lethargic Anti-bacterial treatment

Swim bladder

Fish will display signs of not being able to swim properly or float near the surface

Anti-bacterial or swim bladder treatments.

GJW Titmuss

@GJWTitmuss /GJWtitmuss

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