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Fish are wonderful additions to the garden pond.  Fish provide vibrant colors and movement, and they are essential in the control of insects.  The ideal fish for your pond are Goldfish or Koi.  

Goldfish are the most popular pond fish.  They are relatively inexpensive, quite hardy, brightly colored, active, and people-friendly.  Of the 125 varieties, some of the more popular ones include the Common Goldfish, Comet, Shubunkin, Oranda, Lionhead, Pompom, Ryukin, Pearlscale, Black Moor, Celistial, Bubble-eye, and Telescope.  Not all of these fish are considered a  good choice for an outdoor pond environment.  The varieties of Goldfish that are best suited to the pond environment include Common Goldfish, Comets, and Shubunkin.  They all have sleek bodies and are fast swimmers.  They are hardy and can survive winter in a pond even in the coldest temperatures.  In the pond environment, Goldfish can grow quite large, over 16 inches in some cases.  They also breed freely in the spring and early summer months and their mating chases are quite amusing to watch.

Nishikigoi (more commonly called Koi) are the king fish of the  pond.  They are large, bold, and muscular fish that require a lot of room if they are to develop appropriately.  Although you may buy them when they are just  a few inches long, they will quickly grow over one foot and eventually well over two feet!  Although there are some exceptions reported, Koi really do not belong in a water garden, as they will eat certain aquatic plants, especially the roots of floating plants.

Ponds Introduction    Pond Design    New Pond Setup Filtration    Algae Control    Lighting  Your Pond
Water Plants    Pond Fish
Return to Landscape 101