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TYPES OF ORNAMENTAL FISH:
There
is a wide variety of coldwater fish which will live happily
together in graden ponds.
THE
GOLDFISH FAMILY
Goldfish (Carrasius Auratus).
The goldfish probably originated in China many centuries ago. The earliest recorded reports were from the Sung
dynasty (960-1126 AD)). Goldfish are
normally red-gold but can be white, black, lemon
or mixed colour. Goldfish are quite hardy and will survive most temperature extremes. They swim
mainly near the surface or a short distance below but will
occasionally bottom-swim if looking for food. There are many
selectively bred varieties of goldfish.
Comet Goldfish: Comets are goldfish bred with a long 'comet-like' flowing
tail.
Sarassa
Comets: These are white and crimson variations of comets.
Shubunkins: Probably
developed in Japan. These are more streamlined with enlarged dorsal and caudal fins.
The
basic colours are yellow, red, blue
and violet, spotted with dots of black, white, red, blue, violet or yellow.
Fantail goldfish: These have a shorter body and an enlarged split-tail.
More
exotic variations exist such as Veiltails,
Lionheads, Bubble-eyes, telescope-eyes,
celestials,
pearl-scales etc These are mostly suited to aquariums and sheltered ponds.
THE
CARP FAMILY (Cyprinus Carpio)
Common
Carp: The forerunner of most of the fancy types. Silver Grey or Browny coloured they are more
suited to medium and large ponds. They are found in many lakes
and rivers.
Mirror Carp: They
have large mirror scales on the body and are
very hardy and quick growing.
Grass Carp: Silvery in colour, they have a reputation for eating
vegetation.
Crucian Carp: Relatively
rare , this carp has longer fins and a deeper rounded body
and is usually golden brown in colour.
Koi
Carp: This multi-coloured version is rapidly becoming
famous for its sheer variety. Originating from Japan and China it was bred for food. The Japanese called the fish Nishikgoi,
with the the common name being 'koi' which
actually means
'love'. This is because koi were often given as presents to friends, just as we
might give flowers.
Koi have numerous variations and
are usually very friendly and can be kept as pets. They survive
well
in most ponds. Prize specimens can be very, very expensive.
Ghost
Koi/Carp: These 'skeleton' koi are becoming very popular.
They are cross-breeds of common tarp and Ohgon
koi (metallic silver) and are fast
growing, hardy and friendly.
Golden Orfe (Leuciscus Idus). These
fast swimming shoaling fish are popular pond fish.
They are
easily visible and will feed on surface foods. Orfe need clean, well oxygenated water. Blue and silver varieties are becoming
popular though difficult to get.
Rudd (Scardinius Erythropthalmus).
The Rudd is a flat carp-like fish usually silver and gold in colour.
Silver Rudd inhabit many British waters. Golden Rudd arc a pleasant ornamental addition to the pond.
Tench
(Tinca Tinca). The Tench
is a shy bottom loving fish which is very resilient and can
live in low oxygenated water. It prefers a soft bottom with rich vegetation.
The golden variety is more easily seen.
Black
Moor. The Black
Moor is a scavenger and helps to keep the Pond free from debris.
Because of their colour they can be difficult to see in the
Pond.
CARE OF FISH:
PATIENCE, PLEASE!
Do not put your fish in to a newly
constructed pool. First let it stabilize. Plants must be established before introducing fish.
DON'T TOUCH!
Never pick I fish up with your bare hands unless it is absolutely necessary.
By so doing you remove mucous
from the surface of the fish's body and could leave it open
to fungal infection. Always use a
soft net when handling fish or a wet towel. If you have to use your hands, always make sure they are
clean and wet.
ALLOW
TIME TO ADAPT
Always place the bag containing the new fish on the pond for about 30 minutes to enable the temperature of the water in the bag to equal the temperature
of the water in the pond. When you feel the
temperatures are more or less equal open the bag and spend about 10 minutes introducing some some water from the pond into the bag
so that the fish can adjust to any differences in the composition of
the water.
FASTING
Newly bought fish will need time to adjust to their
new environment so don't feed them for the first 48 hours.
OXYGEN PRODUCTION
Fish need oxygen to live and plants should provide must of it.
However, in the height of summer they might not
provide enough particularly if the density of fish is high. Therefore, you
should use a water pump to create a fountain or waterfall
or use an air pump to inject oxygen into the water.
PREVENT POLLUTION
Polluted water is harmful to both fish
and plants and must be prevented at all costs. Much of the
pollution comes from the waste produced by the fish themselves.
Use one of the many pool filters now on the market to clean
the water. Use the simple test kits available from us to check the water regularly.
SHYNESS
Newly introduced fish often hide
for a few days until
they get used to their new home - they will show
themselves soon enough.
PREDATORS
If, after a couple of weeks, you feel you are not seeing much
of your fish check to see if they are being frightened
by a cat or Heron. Fine Wire around the edge of the pond will help stop any cat from fishing and may deter a heron. Water lily leaves are
important to give fish places to hide from predators
A plastic heron put by the pond can look attractive and may deter a real Heron from landing.
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