What Are the Best Pond Fish to Have In an Outdoor Pond?

Most traditional ponds will be home to fish, so if you are looking for the right species to fill your pond, you need to ensure that you are housing the correct type of fish.

Choosing fish for your pond is not as simple as one might think. You need to be sure that you have the right plants, oxygen levels, water temperature and space to house specific species of fish.

Additionally, if you are looking to house more than one species, you need to know that they are going to be okay sharing the space.

Not all ponds hold fish, but for those that do, some common species are used widely for outdoor ponds.

Popular Types of Outdoor Pond Fish

Fish ponds are a great way of keeping fish that differs from the more common aquarium setting. However, keeping fish in an outdoor pond requires more maintenance and year-round care. In the winter, you are going to want to ensure that the conditions of the pond are safe for the fish.

Other factors that influence your decision on the types of fish best for your pond should be the following:

• The size of your pond
• The depth of your pond
• Weather conditions of your local area
• Quality of your water
• Types of plants in your pond

Before you buy your fish, ensure that you discuss with the seller the conditions of your pond and whether they will be suitable and whether their needs will be met.

Goldfish

Goldfish are the most common type of outdoor cold water pond fish. They are a great option to have as a starter fish due to the fact that they are very adaptable and can survive in multiple different conditions.

In terms of other species, goldfish tend to get along well with other species of fish such as koi. If you have a smaller scale pond, then goldfish can be good for this, though bigger ponds offer more space since they can grow up to 12 inches long.

If you are also looking for a long term fish to occupy the pond, goldfish can live up to fifteen years, but with adequate care, they have been known to live even longer.

Among their species, there are many different types of goldfish that provide an array of different colours to your pond. Below, we have outlined some of the best types of goldfish for an outdoor pond.

• Shubunkin
• Comet
• Black Moors
• Wakin

If you are wanting to get goldfish, it is worth noting that larger spaces of water are much easier to control. You need to plan ahead and prepare for the growth of the fish and allocate them enough space.

You need to ensure that you have a good filtration system if you are going to be having goldfish. This is because you are going to want to ensure the quality of the water as well as control the good bacteria that are needed in order to break down fish waste. Ensure that you keep up with the filtration cleaning when needed.

Additionally, a well-oxygenated pond should always be the main priority. These can be controlled through methods such as:

• Pond Pumps
• Filters
• Air Pumps
• Fountains
• Waterfalls

When it comes to providing food for your goldfish, they can eat products such as pellets and flakes, but there are also some natural foods like mosquito larvae and plant leaves that will prove them with food. Note that they will require more food during the summer months and less in winter.

Goldfish are prey to predators so it is important that you have protection over your ponds such as pond covers, electric fences and nets. Overall, goldfish make a great pond fish.

Koi Carp

Another popular choice for garden ponds is koi fish. They are good fish to keep, but like most fish, they require particular conditions in order to survive. Whilst they are resilient fish, they can become unwell and generate health conditions if the standard of their water is not top quality.

In order to properly care for koi fish, you need to ensure that the PH level of the water is between 7 and 8.5 as well as the oxygen levels being 6mg per litre. It is advised that you carry out regular checks on your pond if it houses koi carp to ensure that water standards are consistent.

In terms of temperature, koi fish are incredibly adaptable. During the winter months, it is known for ponds to freeze over. At this point, koi will enter a state of hibernation until it is no longer frozen. However, this does not mean that they can handle a dramatic shift in temperature.

As with goldfish, you are going to want to ensure that there is a filtration system in your pond ridding the water of toxins and fish waste.

For carp their diet is important and this will massively contribute to their quality of life as well as the length of it. Unlike goldfish, koi will eat meat and vegetables and in some cases, they will eat directly from your hands. It is important that you buy quality koi food to promote good health. Note that if you are housing your koi fish with goldfish, they should not be eating the flakes that the goldfish can eat.

Koi can grow up to 12 to 15 inches long so ensuring that they have enough space is essential. Other types of koi fish can grow anywhere between 26 to 36 inches long. It is suggested that it should be 10 gallons of water for every inch of fish.

As with most fish that you house in a pond, koi can be prey to many different kinds of predators, so it is important that you consider how best to protect them. This can be done by adding a pond net that covers the water and stops prey from being able to get to your fish. However, other methods such as electric fences, tarps and other forms of covers.

Sturgeon

Sturgeon fish are a long term investment for a pond as they can live between 50 and 100 years. Note that they can grow to be extremely big and so you will need a have a sizeable pond in order to house these fish. It is recommended that you should have around 1,000 litres per sturgeon.

In terms of the conditions of the pond, you will need to ensure that there is a layer of mud at the bottom of the pond. In addition, they will also require a powerful filter that provides them with a strong current. It is also important that the pond is well oxygenated.

One of the biggest issues with keeping sturgeons is regulating the temperature. They need cold water and anything above 18 degrees is too warm.

Food for sturgeons is very important. You need to ensure that they are getting a mixture of protein, carbohydrates and fats as well as vitamins and minerals. Sturgeons need a well balanced and regulated diet as without this it means that they are inclined to develop health issues.

It is also advised that a pond for sturgeons is not overloaded with plants as this affects their ability to swim. Since they cannot swim backwards, having plants and other objects in their way can make it easier for them to become stuck and consequently lose their life.

Sturgeons will fall prey to other animals such as birds and herons meaning that you should have protection such as netting and pond covers. However, note that sturgeons will eat small fish so if you also house these sturgeons may not be the best-suited option.

Golden Tench

These fish are great for outdoor ponds! They hold more benefits than we might think. They are commonly known as 'doctor fish' for they were thought to have healing properties in their skin. The thought is that they take care of other fish in your pond that may have fallen ill.

If you have koi fish or you plan to have a koi pond, these fish can be a great addition for they will consume koi waste and keep your pond clean and benefit the water quality.

They can grow anywhere between 16 and 26 inches long and can weigh up to 4.5kg. It is also important to consider that they will reach an age between 15 and 20 years old, making them a long term investment. They are beautifully colour fish coming in shades of orange with dark spots on their body.

In terms of feeding, they are going to need to be fed a high-quality diet that is packed full of vitamins and minerals. They should be housed with a least five other golden tench fish.

It is widely known that these types of pond fish and bottom dwellers which means that they will spend a lot of time at the bottom of the pond and it is not uncommon for them to be unseen for periods of time.

Minnows

Minnows are a very small fish making them the perfect option for people who have small ponds but still want to house fish. However, if you do have a bigger pond, minnows can be an option for larger fish to eat. They grow between 1 and 2 inches long.

There are various types of minnows that can be great for an outdoor pond. Some of the best types are fathead minnows and white cloud minnows. Fatheads are great for feeding on pond insects and algae which means that they are helpful in keeping your pond clean. They are also resilient to cold temperatures.

White cloud minnows will feed on incest larvae and pond plants. Minnows need a great oxygen system and plants are important as a source of food as well as protection. Additionally, a minnow is a school fish and this means that they should be in the company of their kind. You should have around 10 to 20 minnows. However, you want to avoid overcrowding your pond.

As for food, they will need to be fed occasionally, perhaps once a week. Ensure that you discuss feeding patterns with a professional seller before purchasing.

How to Introduce Pond Fish to Your Pond

Knowing how to introduce fish into your pond can be challenging if you are a first-time pond owner. Before adding any type of fish into your pond, you need to be sure that it is properly prepared.

This can include filtration, oxygen levels and water quality. You are also going to want to consider the size of your pond. Once you have all of this established, you are going to want to introduce fish to the water.

Ensure that you are in a quiet space and remove the fish from any excess packaging, ensuring that they remain in their plastic bagging. Place the bags into the pond water and allow them to float on the surface for around 45 minutes. Every 10 minutes, place a small amount of pond water into the bag.

Once you have completed this, gently encourage the fish to swim out of the bag and into the pond. Whilst the fish is acclimatising to the water, keep the area shaded and give them time to regulate the temperature.

Over the next few days, ensure that you are checking in on the fish and it can be beneficial to purchase a pond testing kit that will allow you to test the PH of the water, ensuring it is safe for the fish to continue to be in. Additionally, ensure all filtration systems are working effectively.

It is worth noting that the fish may gather at the bottom of the pond until they become more familiar with their surroundings. This is normal and they are adjusting to their new environment.

When it comes to their first feed, you may want to wait until they have settled before you start to feed them. This is because you do not want the food to sit in the water if the fish are hiding and not eating. This is because it can affect the quality of the water and all uneaten food should be removed.