Fish

robineire · Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2014 3:33 pm Post subject: Fish

Was wondering what sort of fish would survive in a garden pond in Connemara, the pond is about 60 ft round but not very deep. It varies in depth between 1 ft and 2.5 ft and has lots of lilly pads in it. The heron comes and pays a visit so I am not sure if there are eels in the pond ( I have never seen any) or if it is catching frogs.

I have just spent the day pulling an oak out of the pond and about three quarters of a big pine that also landed in the pond over the winter. Was a horrid job and I used the dingy, chainsaw, extendable branch saw, ropes, pulley's and my friend John who should be nicknamed the human tank.

medieval knievel · Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2014 4:49 pm Post subject:

if you introduce fish, you will probably reduce the biodiversity in the pond; they will eat a lot of the little critters who probably enjoy the pond at the moment.

vulkan · Rank attained: Rowan Tree Joined: 16 Nov 2009 Posts: 135

The heron is probably looking for fish.

So if you add any fish, and you already have a visiting heron, you wont have fish for long.

Good guy · Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2014 11:33 pm Post subject:

I agree with MK. My pond is tiny but supports an amazing variety and quantity of critters. Even one goldfish would ruin that.

kindredspirit · Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2014 11:46 pm Post subject:

I've Sticklebacks in my pond. They seem to co-exist with young Newts, Frogs, Great Diving Beetles et al.

I wouldn't put goldfish or koi in.

Henrietta Heron calls occasionally, though. Sad

tagwex · Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2014 8:19 am Post subject:

If you are not wanting ornamental fish you could try some course fish that will happily live in ponds such as Rudd, Tench and Carp. I think, but not sure, that the depth of the water may not be sufficient for the latter two as they can grow quite big. A small but plentiful fish would be Gudgeon. Be careful in your choice as some fish have to be in running water.

djh · Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2014 11:36 am Post subject:

You may not have made up your mind about this yet.

The best combination for a large natural pond is goldfish with a a few koi.
The koi make the goldfish tame and they come to the surface when you approach, otherwise you would hardly see the goldfish.

The koi do tend to eat plants but if there are only a few koi and a lot of plants it should be OK. The depyh is just about Ok to give winter protection but deeper would be better.

Fishing line around the edge of the pond should discourage the heron.

vulkan · Rank attained: Rowan Tree Joined: 16 Nov 2009 Posts: 135

djh · Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2014 10:18 am Post subject:

Koi don't eat water lilies but they dig around the roots if they are planted in baskets in a pond with liner. I can't see this being a problem in a natural pond.

I don't see the heron problem as being insurmountable, otherwise no one would have fish. They are wading birds so it is just a question of stopping them doing that. If the pond is very shallow at the edge it makes it easier for them. They are fairly easy to scare away.

kindredspirit · Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2014 1:25 pm Post subject:

I've been told that that the best fish for a natural pond, if you want something bigger than sticklebacks are Grass Carp. Apparently they won't touch water lilies and other plants but will munch away at all the green gunge such as blanketweed.

They're also surface dwellers so you have a good show of them all the time. Your only problem then is Henrietta Heron. Sad