Page 6 - AFD Pond Owners Handbook

Another fish that is sure to find its
Pond Fish
PondFish
The Jewels of the Water Garden
Koi … the jewels of the
water garden! Have you E feeding them, watching them
thought about making
them a part of your
watery paradise?
ABOVE: Fish are a major part of your pond’s ecosystem. They are important to
your pond’s overall health, but they also make great pets.
6 The Pond Owner’s Handbook
way into your heart resembles the TYPES OF COMMON POND FISH
koi, but is much smaller. It’s called
a shubunkin and it’s a kind of single-
tailed, long-bodied goldfish that
differs from the koi in the fact that
it doesn’t have “barbels,” which are
whiskers of sorts, that are used to
root through gravel.
It Doesn’t End There KOI GOLDFISH SHUBUNKIN
If you do your homework, you’ll find
that there are plenty of fish (many FISH FOOD Pond Fish
native to your area) that would be
perfectly content in your pond. From
game fish – your options are endless. Aquascape Premium Aquascape Premium Cold Aquascape Premium Color Aquascape Fish
minnows to mosquito fish, to carp and
Fish are a major part of your pond’s
ecosystem and they are important to
your pond’s overall health, but they
also make great pets. And best of all,
Enhancing Fish Food
Water Fish Food
Staple Fish Food
Food Flakes
regardless of what’s happened in your
life, they’ll always be there to greet
and Astaxanthin which helps to
you at the end of a long day. Ain’t Contains high quality protein. at colder water temperatures. inclusion of Spirulina, Krill meal that it can be consumed by
that grand!?
veryone who has koi preaches out there. If your fish are part of a Fishy FAQs
of the joy they have while balanced ecosystem, as is the case
with an Aquascape pond system,
swim through caves and waterfalls, your best bet is to feed them as
and even naming them. You’ll find much as they will eat in five minutes,
koi of all different shapes and sizes being careful not to leave too much I put in my pond? Like all of nature’s creatures, fish can fall ill due to
named accordingly. There’s “Goldie” food floating at the surface. Simple. Have you ever seen a goldfish with whiskers? A good rule of thumb is to allow one inch of fish for diseases, ulcers, parasites, and fungus. Aquascape
– everyone’s favorite yellow fish; and Fish can also over-winter in your A koi’s whiskers are called barbels and are used to every square foot of pond surface area, and to offers several medications for your finned friends
“Spot” – the fish with a precarious pond, so you can rest assured that root around in the gravel or mud for food. remember – fish grow! This rule cannot be applied to under the EcoRx line. There are also preventative
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spot on the front of its forehead; the they won’t be in a tub in the middle fish greater than six inches long because weight and medications like EcoRx Pond Salt to replace
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names can go on, and on, and on! of the living room as the months get girth may play a big factor. natural electrolytes for improved fish health.
colder. After all, they won’t even Yes. Unfortunately, heron, owl, raccoons, and
Low-Maintenance Pets pay rent! others nd koi and other sh quite delectable.
One of the other things that is so Make sure your sh have a place in your pond to
wonderful about welcoming a fishy More Than Just Koi hide, whether it is plants or large crevices. If
friend into your pond is that they are Are there other fish, besides koi, those animals get to be a problem, a Scarecrow
pretty low-maintenance. You won’t that make great pond-living pets? water sensor or Heron Decoy may be the answer.
see a koi scratching at the door to There most certainly are! That same
go for a walk, or choosing your prized goldfish that stares at you from the
sofa for a litter box. Nope. Fish live, glass at the fish store is a perfect fit Koi food is available at most pet shops or online.
breath, and eat in the exact same for your pond. Goldfish are incredibly There are many types of food on the market today,
place … your pond. They truly are one resilient and can be a great starter and those in pellet form seem to be the most popular.
of the most low-maintenance pets fish for a new pond. Best of all, they The Koi Balance line contains koi food for every
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you can have. come in all shapes, sizes, and colors need (see chart above). Fish also like to feast on
When it comes to feeding them, and if you have a container water yummy treats like fresh fruits and veggies.
you may notice that there are garden or preformed pond, they’re a
several different recommendations great fit!
www.afdpondsnj.com www.afdpondsnj.com The Pond Owner’s Handbook 7