Popular Garden Pond Fish

A large or small pond is a lovely and tranquil addition to any garden, but it wouldn’t be nearly as enjoyable without garden pond fish. There are many types of fish for garden pond owners to choose from. This guide will help you choose the fish that are best suited to your pond.

Koi

Koi (Cyprinus carpio) are possibly the most common fish to be seen in any fish pond water garden. These fish are about 75cm long and thrive in larger ponds with excellent filtration. Due to their natural tendency to uproot plants, they are not well suited for ponds with large amounts of decorative vegetation. Koi range in price and come in a wide variety of breeds. Some species of Koi are extremely expensive and should only be purchased for ponds that are well protected. There are many less expensive breeds that can be purchased safely for ponds of any level of security. Koi eat a wide variety of foods, including insects, lettuce, and watermelon. It is best to feed them Koi food that can be purchased at a pond supply store, because it provides balanced nutrition. Koi are hearty fish that are resistant to many garden pond fish diseases.

Goldfish

Goldfish (Carassius auratus) make lovely garden pond fish and are a frequent favourite. Their beautiful gold colour makes them an attractive and ornate addition to any garden. Goldfish are usually around 15cm long, but can grow to be much larger under ideal conditions. Fancy goldfish should be avoided by most pond owners. These fish are characterized by their large eyes and bumpy heads. These fancy goldfish do not survive well outdoors when the temperature is cold. They are also relatively slow swimmers and have difficulty competing for food, which makes them better suited to the control of an indoor environment. There are still many species of goldfish that thrive in ponds, including the comet and shubunkin varieties. These heartier breeds fair well against garden pond fish diseases. The goldfish should be fed fish pellets, but can also eat crustaceans, insects, and vegetation.

Tench

Tench (Tinca tinca) are a convenient addition to your fish pond. Tench spend most of their time on the bottom of the pond eating food and algae that has settled to the bottom. These fish are not as enjoyable due to their lack of bright colours and their general reclusive style, but they are an excellent way to keep your pond clean and free of rotting fish food. Tench can also eat insects and fish pellets.

Orfe

Orfe (Leuciscus idusare) are an excellent fish for garden pond owners. They are one of the most active types of pond fish and are easily visible, spending most of their time near the water’s surface. While these energetic fish are enjoyable to look at, their fondness for the surface of the water makes them at a higher risk of being attacked by cats or birds. This fish is best kept in ponds with sufficient fences or areas that are heavily populated by people. This will prevent them from being picked off by wildlife. Additionally, Orfe prefer to be kept in large groups and thrive best when at least six are kept together. Orfe will generally grow to be about 30cm in length. Orfe eat insects, vegetation, and small fish.

Rudd

Rudd (Scardinius erythrophthalmus) are very similar to Orfe, but they are much smaller. The Rudd is a lovely little fish that is gold in colour and about 15cm in length. They prefer to be kept in schools of at least six and thrive best in ponds with thick vegetation and reeds. Rudd eat fish pellets, small animals, and insects.