Family Buying a Pond!

[StingrayKid]

My Family decided that we wanted a pond for our backyard. I suggested that we put in fish like Koi or Goldfish. Recently, I've found out that fish like those are Illegal to have in ponds, here in Maine, USA. The Maine government has had problems with birds of prey taking fish like those out of ponds and dropping them in nearby streams and ponds. They apperently mess up the ecosystem by eating plants that are vital to other animals. I think that it's makes sense but, there are allmost zero birds of prey where I live and the pond is going to be under a tree, obsructing the view of any airborne predator. We also have a chain-link fense around the whole backyard, so ground predators can't get in. The point is that the police arn't going to be searching outdoor ponds for goldfish. I've got a few questions on setting one up.

First, Is there any other type of fish I can put in a pond besides Goldfish or Koi? I heard I could put pondtrout in....

Second, I have a small Ryukin Goldfish who's in my 5 gallon filtered tank right now. If I do put him in, do I have to take him out in the winter?

Third, Is there any special treatments for pondwater?

Fourth, Do I use fountains to filter the water or, something else?

As you can see, I new to this so any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[ryan]

Check out this post for alternative to goldfish;

http/fish.orbust.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=44346

The Ryukin would be able to live outdoors during the summer but not the winter, but it would mean that your pond stocking options would be more limited as they cannot be kept with more able bodied fish like Koi, Common Goldfish and so on who in a pond enviroment will out compete them for food.

For a basic fish pond a filter and pump are essentail and I would also have an air pump to increase the oxygen content in the ponds during hot days when fish that require high oxygen levels may be suffering, for example Orfe.

 

[StingrayKid]

The pond's not going to be that big. What fish would you suggest?

 

[vantgE]

Hi stingray, I sorta did a similar thing with my dad buying a pond,

Here is what happened with me
the pond came with a small filter and such just a pond kit. for a 300 gallon. But we dug the hole too big so traded for a 500 gallon kit, although the pond is just over 300 gallons. The depth from what i gathered for winterization is at least 20 inches which is what mine is, but Shouldn't be enough for the cold winters. so we plan on buying some submersible aquarium heaters and droping those in and set up the pump to run under water without fountaining out, that or if we find a big cheap tank will just set that on the floor with an ac 500 through the winter price works out to about the same. I didn't want goldfish for the pond so asked alot of question on here aand decided that golden rudd would be nice. But there was absolutely no where to buy any intresting coldwater fish so we bought some long tailed comets and have really enjoyed them so far. The fish I Think are a must they really keep the pond nice and clean before we would leave it for a week and the bottom would be covoured with earthworms and the top with insects, but the fish eat this all right up.
So I'd suggest the longtail comets as all we could find where whitecloud minnows and koi, the koi too big for under 1000 gallons and the minnow too small to be intresting and eat the earthworms

 

[ryan]

The pond's not going to be that big. What fish would you suggest?

Try the suggestions for small ponds in the link provided.

 

[Opcn]

Grab a rod and tacle and head ot to get yourself some local fish! As far as birds of prey go they may show up After you get a pond put in and the tree will not protect the pond.

 

[StingrayKid]

I'm not saying it will, I'm just saying that it could block the line of sight from the pond. Plus, we're buying one of those fake owls to keep away birds.

 

[Brunnen-G]

I'm not saying it will, I'm just saying that it could block the line of sight from the pond.

The tree might also be a handy spot to perch while it decides which fish it is going to fo after Good luck with the pond though