Pond Fish?

[cage623]

my future mother-in-law as a pond in her back yard that is about 200gallons. she currently has some koi and some gold fish in there. she lets everything overwinter in the tank and seems to have success. i was wondering any other fish she could keep that would over winter? we live in Iowa and have really cold winters.

i was also wondering about something to eat algae, like a snail. could she keep snails over the winter? will she have to worry about them reproducing too much?

any other tips would be great, we both don't know too much about pound fish, i really only know about sa cichlids.

not to rush but any help as soon as possible would be great cause i want to get her something for her pond for mothers day. thanks all.

 

[Opcn]

Firstly sorry the koi can't live in such a small pond. It's not healthy for them.

Secondly there are many different types of goldfish and minnows that will work. I would suggest that you look into sticklebacks, o0rfe, and rudd.

HTH

 

[jams.alaskan]

Hey, why not get her some great pond plants! That would look ever so nice and provide lots of interest as well.

ALASKA

 

[ryan]

The pond is way to small for Koi, they will reach full size in 3 years when probably cared for. They need at least 1000 gallons. Orfe are also out of the question as they will reach 30-36" I have even got a 40" Blue Orfe! I would suggest something like Golden Rudd, Tench or a species of Stickleback.

 

[Paul_MTS]

hey ryan do you mean cm.

i looked at that and thought so looked in the Interpet Garden pond book and says the golden orfe wil grow up to 30cm

 

[ryan]

hey ryan do you mean cm.

i looked at that and thought so looked in the Interpet Garden pond book and says the golden orfe wil grow up to 30cm

No inches, believe me given room they will reach this size and have a few in my pond over 30" and one at 40". In a smaller pond they will only reach 15-20".

 

[Paul_MTS]

Madness, can you get a pic up? my orfe are a total 2/3 inches

 

[ryan]

The camera batteries have gone but when I get some more this weekend I will try to get you some, no promises though as they usually speed of at speed of sound to the other side of the pond where I can't photo them. But I will try. In a good size ponds Orfe will quickly reach 10" and from then on they slow up. These use to be in a 100,000 gallon pond in Norfolk. The man who owns it very generously gave them to me, he has 10-20 Orfe this size as well as a huge Koi selection and other various fish species. When I next visit there I will also get some pics, I hope to have a pond that size when I have the room. Well its more of a river from to feeding pools.

 

[Paul_MTS]

hmmm thats kinda scarely as it happens.

with in a few years our top pond is going to be massively overcrouded. as i put all the best fish in there, and the bottom pond is stocked up with gold fish and such like.

as it works out on here ( http/www.koicarp.net/pond_calc.htm ) that pond is going to be just under 137gallons.

what will start to happen as the fish get too big in there?

i'ved prob posted it a few hundred times now but the stock as stands is-

1x albino grass carp about 10"
1x Matsuba(i think you said) koi 10"
7x koi 2/3"
5x orfe 2/3inch
3xtench 6-8"
3x goldfish 6"

 

[ryan]

Well it will stunt their growth causing a slow and painful death, the waste will become huge and pollute the water and the fish are likely to get stressed and catch diseases, try and jump etc. I have seen it happen.

 

[Paul_MTS]

don't suppose you can put a time span on it can you?

i'm trying to persuade the parents for a 2k gallon pond but Mum thinks that if i loose interest it won't be cared for properly...which it won't, but i'l gain more interest as they get bigger, plus if we get a albino sturgeon in there

i need the guy at the LFS to tell her this though as she thinks what i get off forums is aloada mahony!!

 

[macky1]

in the uk golden / blue orfe only reach 18 inches max

big fish u have there ryan

macky

 

[Paul_MTS]

thats kinda lucky then, should give the pond a tad longer